A Reluctant Elf
Title: A Reluctant Elf
Character/Pairing: Wash/Taylor
Word Count: ~4684
Genre: Romance, General Fluff
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Alicia traps Nathaniel into something he really doesn’t want to do. Fluff ensues.
Author’s Note: I was bumped by one of my readers on FF.net, so I thought I’d try to put together a little one-shot (which of course ended up being less-than-little). For some inexplicable reason - maybe I’m just tired of summer and heat - this little Christmas/wintertime fic popped into my head. Just a bit of fun on a summer day and a bit of Christmas in August. NOT smut, just fluff. : )
This is set in the context of my other stories, pre-series, around 2146, around the Seventh Pilgrimage.
Disclaimer is the same as always - don’t own them, just borrowing, no profit here.
Boots crunching on the beaten-down icy paths, Alicia and Nathaniel are cutting through the market as quickly as they can, their recently acquired lunches in bags and warm drinks in their gloved hands. They’re both wearing heavy leather jackets and thick leather gloves made from the dino hides they’ve managed to gather. Nathaniel has a simple black wool cap on, and Alicia is wearing a similar hat and a long black scarf flecked with yellow, red, blue and green, the one thing she’s wearing that has any color other than black.
They’ve been waiting for a winter like this one - the scientists back in the future had warned them that it was possible they’d see freezing temperatures and snow. They’ve been here over four years, and thus far the winters have been mild. Cooler temperatures and rain, but nothing serious.
This year, though, winter started early, at the end of November, and the snow is piling up. They’ve modified several rovers with plows, so the paths are clear, if slightly treacherous with ice. Malcolm predicts that the weather may not break until as late as March, but they’re supplied well enough to handle it.
The scientists at the outposts have also reported that some smaller dinos are gravitating to the buildings, likely seeking heat. They’ve certainly had a time here in the colony, mainly with keeping the entrances under the fences blocked.
Alicia pities the dead dinos they keep happening across, but even she had to admit their good luck when two brachiosaurus died not far from the gate. Under heavy guard, they’d stripped the carcasses as well as they could, getting tons of meat to add to their stores and guaranteeing that they’ll have plenty to see them through the winter. They used the skins to make additional coats for many of the newer colonists.
The colonists have actually embraced the cold weather. The children love the snow, and the market is festively decorated for the holiday season, more so than ever before. Christmas is tomorrow and Boylan, believe or not, has even come up with a Santa Claus costume. He’ll be entertaining the kids tonight, and she’s been asked to come and read a story to the kids, along with Guz and Nathaniel.
She and Guz have agreed, but Nathaniel doesn’t know about it yet. He’s usually good with kids, but Christmas is a funny time of year for him. She knows it hurts him sometimes, because it reminds him of Christmases with Lucas and Ayani when Lucas was a child.
She knows she’ll have to find a way to trap him into doing it, because, hilariously, Boylan has an elf costume for him. Alicia saw it, and she vetoed some of it. It’s just a festive coat and hat now, so it’s not too embarrassing. She and Guz are both going to wear little elf hats too, also Skye’s idea. But Nathaniel will actually be asked to help with the kids coming to see Santa.
Once he’s in the midst of it, Alicia knows he’ll enjoy it. He truly loves kids, and the one who wanted him to be an elf is Boylan’s other elf, Skye Tate. Alicia was there for Skye’s costume fitting earlier, and the teenager wore a smile that Alicia hasn’t seen since before she lost her parents earlier this year. Given how attached Nathaniel is to the girl, how he’s assumed the role of her guardian, she knows that he’ll stop fighting the minute he sees Skye’s face. That’s what happened to her when she hesitated at Skye’s request that it be a surprise for Nathaniel.
As they walk, despite her heavy, form fitting coat, Alicia feels the cold seeping into her bones. She wonders briefly about the Sixers, as they’ve come to call them. She doesn’t really give too much of a damn about the traitorous crew out there in the woods somewhere, but she knows they have some children with them, and the thought of innocent little kids out in this cold makes her blood boil. She just hopes that they have adequate shelter, if only on behalf of the children.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Nathaniel’s voice gets her attention as they get back to the Command Center. He motions to her to go up the stairs in front of him.
She shakes her head. “Just thinking about how cold it is and the kids that went with…”
He frowns, “Mira and the Sixers. I know. I don’t give two shits about the likes of Mira and Carter, but I’m worried for the children.”
She nods and enters his office, warm with heat from two small heating elements in the room. She puts her lunch on the conference table and shrugs out of her coat, and he does the same, both revealing the heavy military-issue fisherman-type black sweaters they’re wearing with their cargo pants. He just has a t-shirt under his, but she wears a long-sleeved turtleneck under hers.
They both hang their coats on hooks near the door, stuffing their hats and gloves into the pockets. She keeps her scarf on, unwilling to abandon the warmth it provides around her neck. She’s wearing her hair down for the event tonight, if only because it helps keep her neck warm.
He gives her a funny look when she settles next to him at the table after grabbing some utensils for both of them from a cabinet. “Scarf?”
She goes about pulling out her lunch, a hunk of bread and hot vegetable soup, the vegetables grown in their now-greenhoused gardens, from a vendor in the market. “I’m freezing, Nathaniel.”
He nods, chuckling. “I always forget how cold you get.” They tuck into their food, and after a few moments, he asks, “What does Boylan have you reading tonight?”
She can hear his voice twist slightly on Boylan’s name, but she knows he’s trying to put aside his issues with the man for the sake of the kids. She smiles. “The Polar Express. It’s a lovely book from the twentieth century. I’ll be reading from a plex, and Boylan was able to get a large screen to project the illustrations, which are amazing.”
He cocks his head, a look of surprise on his face. “You’re really looking forward to this, aren’t you?”
“I am. I love the book I’m reading to them, and the kids are adorable, especially at this time of year. Kelly Peterson,” she refers to one of the colony children, a six-year-old little girl who arrived with the fifth pilgrimage, “Stopped me in the market yesterday to give me a little stuffed dinosaur and a card she made herself. I also keep getting random hugs and cards and baked goods on my doorstep. I’d usually find it annoying, but I don’t know, maybe it’s the snow and everything, but I don’t mind it.”
He nods. “I’ve lost track of the cards I’ve gotten. I’m glad I put out the missive to families that they don’t need to give me gifts, that I’d rather they spend their terras on their own families and loved ones,” he pauses and grins, “But I won’t pretend that I don’t love it when the children give me cards or cookies they baked themselves.”
“I share a lot of the cookies and such with the kids in the barracks.” She refers to the younger soldiers under their command.
“Me too. They’re going to be fat as ticks by the end of this month.”
She laughs. “Guess I’ll have to make them run a little more.”
He smirks. “Christmas cookies, the gifts that keep on giving.”
They continue eating, both going silent until she asks, “So, you’re coming tonight, right? I mean, who wouldn’t love seeing Boylan look that silly?” She feels a little twinge at the information she omitted, but not enough of one to make her warn him. Her job is just to get him there. The rest is up to Skye.
He hesitates, and she knows he’s thinking about Lucas and Ayani by the look on his face. She covers his hand with hers. “It’ll be fun, Nathaniel. I promise it will. And the kids I run into all ask if you’re coming. They’ll be disappointed if you don’t come for at least a little while.”
He sighs, turning his hand over under hers and weaving their fingers together. “I know. I’ll come for a while. I want to hear you read if nothing else. And I need to get into the spirit, because it’s pretty inescapable these days.”
She squeezes his hand. “True. I actually really like Christmas, but if I hear ‘Jingle Bells’ one more time I might have to shoot something.”
“The one I hate is ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas.’” He lifts their joined hands so he can drop a kiss on the back of hers before releasing it and standing up.
“Oh yeah, that one’s annoying too,” she stands as well, gathering up the remains of their lunch, folding up their reusable bags and taking the trash to the trash bin. She puts the bags in the cabinet and sets the silverware aside to wash later.
He heads to his desk, and she grabs her coat from the rack and follows him. He looks up, puzzled. “You still cold? I can dial the heat up.”
She shakes her head. “Remember, Malcolm wants to meet with me to talk about borrowing some soldiers to expand the greenhouses. It’s a good idea. We want to be able to keep things growing. We have a lot put back in refrigeration, plenty to get by on, but we’ll burn through a lot of it over the next few months.”
“I forgot. Stay warm, OK? Don’t let him keep you out there too long.” He looks worried.
She shrugs into her coat. “You know I won’t. I may have to take off my mittens, but I can still stun him if I need to.” She grins.
He chuckles. “Just call Reynolds to drag Malcolm’s ass inside if you do have to stun him. Gotta be polite.”
She gives him a snappy salute. “Yes sir.” She pulls on her hat and gloves, and then she goes into her pockets for an extra pair of mittens, made of the same wool as her scarf, that she slips on over her gloves. He smiles and shakes his head. She flushes lightly and shrugs. “Two layers are better than one. Meet you at the school tonight? I’m getting there a little early to make sure Tom has everything set up.”
He scowls slightly at the use of Boylan’s first name, but he nods. “I’ll be there. Quarter to seven, then? And don’t come back here today - just go home after you’re done with Malcolm.”
“Thanks - I’ll probably need to thaw out.” She leans down and presses a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you at the school at a quarter til.”
He reaches up and catches her cheek in his palm before she can straighten up, and he pulls her back to him. He presses a soft kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
She smiles and bumps his nose with hers. “I love you too, Nathaniel.”
With that she turns and leaves the warmth of the office, sighing as she tightens her scarf around her neck. The afternoon will be miserable, but she knows tonight will be better. She moves as quickly as she can towards Malcolm’s lab, hoping that Nathaniel isn’t too upset with her for not warning him about Skye wanting his help as an elf.
Several hours later, she steps out of her hot shower into her steamy bathroom. Malcolm kept her busy all afternoon, but at least they were only out in the fields for about forty-five minutes. Even so, she’s been chilled ever since. The hot tea Malcolm made while they did some planning with the agricultural team helped, but it took a thirty-minute shower to really knock out the cold.
She slips into some soft sweats, wool socks and a long-sleeved t-shirt before drying her hair and applying some make-up. As planned, she keeps her hair down, loose and flowing well past her shoulders. She heads to the kitchen for more tea, and then she goes to her bedroom to get dressed. After taking off her sweats and t-shirt, she pulls on some heavy black cargoes and a dark green turtleneck, a nod to the season.
In another nod to the season, the sweater puts on is one of the few pieces of civilian clothing she packed in her boxes from the future. It was her mother’s, a heavy dark green wool fair isle with a pretty horizontal pattern of dark-colored designs. She almost never gets to wear it because it’s usually too warm out. Pausing, she hugs her arms around herself, snuggling into the sweater. She knows it’s just her imagination, but she swears that when she breathes deep, she can still smell her mother’s perfume on it.
After a moment, she sits on the bed and puts on a pair of soft black flat-heeled boots, forgoing the combat boots for a change. Given the threat of the Sixers, Christmas or not, she does put on her thigh holster as usual. Standing up, she slips her pulse pistol into the holster before turning to look in the mirror. She smiles a little because, despite the gun, she actually sees a little bit of her mother looking back at her tonight.
Before she leaves, she checks the slow-cooker on her kitchen counter. This morning, she put together a stew of dino meat and root vegetables. She can see that it’s done, so she turns it to the lowest setting, just enough to keep it warm for a late dinner with Nathaniel.
The last two Christmas Eves and Christmas Days, she and Nathaniel have been on duty so Guz could be with Tasha. This year, Guz offered to give them both the night and following day off, and they took him up on it. Nathaniel already left a pack in her room with a change of clothes for tomorrow and the day after Christmas. Even though they risk discovery, he’s going to camp out here with her for the next two nights. It’s a sort of Christmas gift they’re giving themselves.
She puts on her cold weather gear and slips out her door into the freezing cold early evening. The snow has started to fall again, soft and silent like snow can be. Once again, she can’t help but think about how he’s going to react to Skye’s desire for him to be her co-elf. She arrives at the colony school, dusting the snow from her coat and hat.
People are set to begin arriving at seven, with the little show to start at seven thirty. Alicia is the lead-off story reader, followed by Guz and then Nathaniel. She can’t wait to read The Polar Express the kids, and then Guz will read How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Nathaniel will close with The Night Before Christmas. Or at least he will if he agrees. If he doesn’t, Boylan will read it.
She looks around and she sees Boylan and Skye up at the front, both already in costume. She pulls off her outerwear, once again leaving her scarf on for warmth. She hangs her coat on a hook just as Nathaniel comes in. He has snow on his shoulders and on his hat, and she comes over to help him dust off too.
Boylan is smirking a little, and Skye looks at him, her expression hopeful. He looks down at Alicia, one eyebrow cocked. “What’s going on?”
She gives him a sheepish, slightly apologetic smile before turning to Skye. “Miss Tate, I got him here, so my job is done. I think you wanted to ask the commander something.”
He furrows his brow at her, but she just tilts her head towards Skye. He rolls his eyes and looks over at the young girl. “Skye?”
Skye looks a little scared, but she comes over. “Sir, I can tell Christmas isn’t your favorite thing, but the kids have been so excited. They all think you’re some kind of god. I know I did when I got here - and I thought it would be great if you could help me tonight and maybe read the last story to the kids?” She holds up the hat and coat. “The lieutenant refused to let Mr. Boylan make you look silly, I promise.”
Her blue eyes are wide and hopeful, and Alicia can almost see Nathaniel folding. He turns to Alicia, though, one last ditch bit of irritation on his face. “Did she now?”
Before Alicia can reply, Skye cuts in, “Sir, please don’t be mad at Lieutenant Washington! I’m the one who convinced her not to tell you ahead of time. I really wanted you to be here and help me with the kids, and I was afraid you’d say no because Christmas makes you sad. It makes me sad too this year, but I thought this would be a way to try to be less sad.”
The girl has tears in her eyes, and her face wears the same expression, equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking, that got Alicia to cave and not warn Nathaniel in the first place. He’s silent for a moment before holding his hand out for the coat and hat. “What do you want me to read?”
Instead of replying, Skye throws herself at him, hugging him tight. He wraps his arms around her and rests his chin on her head. She mumbles, “Thank you.”
His voice is gruff when he replies, “You’re welcome, Skye.” She steps back after a moment, sniffling softly and looking down as she composes herself. He looks at Alicia, and she realizes what he wants to ask Skye, and she nods in reply, letting him know it’s OK. He looks back at her and says, “Do you have people to spend Christmas with, little one?”
She looks up with a small smile. “I do. Lieutenant Guzman is on call, but he and Tasha are having me, Max and Hunter over, and I’m staying with them.”
Boylan calls Skye over to help him with something, so Skye smiles again, handing Nathaniel the hat and coat before going over to help Boylan. Nathaniel turns to Alicia, brow furrowed again. “You could have told me.”
She shakes her head. “I couldn’t be sure how you’d react, Nathaniel. You’re hard to read this time of year, and Skye was so excited. It was the first time I saw her smile since Alex and Deborah…I just didn’t want her to stop smiling again.” She surprised at herself when she feels tears prick at her eyes, and she looks down. “I know what it feels like to lose both of your parents so young. I just want her to be OK.”
He sighs. “I can’t hug you right now, but I want to.” He pulls off his heavy sweater, leaving him in his standard black t-shirt, and she looks back up at him. “Thank you for caring so much about her. I know you were friendly with Alex, but you didn’t have to put your neck out for Skye.”
She takes his sweater and folds it up as he shrugs into his green velvet elf jacket. She puts the sweater on a chair and turns back to him, buttoning up his coat for him. “I know I didn’t, but Nathaniel, she’s important to you. If something’s important to you, it’s also important to me.” She steps back as people and their children begin to filter in to the room. “Better put your hat on and go get your marching orders from Santa, Commander.” She gives him a teasing smile.
He rolls his eyes and mutters, “Santa my ass.”
Alicia laughs out loud. “You’re reading The Night Before Christmas, by the way. Not heavy lifting. You’ll be great, sir.” She winks at him and walks over to join Guzman, who just walked in with Tasha.
Over the next half hour, they all work the room a bit, trying to show a different face than just that of the scary military. In no time, Alicia is settled at the front of the room, surrounded by the colony children. As the images from the book project on the screen, the kids are enthralled by the words from Alicia’s favorite Christmas story. “We climbed mountains so high it seemed as if we would scrape the moon. But the Polar Express never slowed down. Faster and faster we ran along, rolling over peaks and through valleys like a car on a roller coaster…”
Every once in a while, she’d look up and catch Nathaniel staring at her as she read. She’d just smile and go back to her plex and the kids. When she finishes, the children cheer, and then it’s Guz’s turn. The kids are rapt with attention at his tales of a Grinch, and Alicia stands to one side, enjoying the show.
After Guz, Nathaniel sits down and reads the children his story, and Alicia is suddenly glad that several parents are recording it for plex pads. She makes note of the ones who are so she can get a copy later.
When he’s done, the children mob him with hugs, and then he and Skye help them to sit in Santa’s lap one by one. Alicia stands nearby and hears most of the requests to Santa, which range from asking for specific new toys to requests that annoying siblings be sent back through the portal.
It’s nearly ten by the time they’re all done, and Skye approaches Alicia as Nathaniel is shrugging out of his elf coat and pulling his sweater back on. “Thank you again, Lieutenant. I hope he isn’t too upset with you.”
Alicia puts a hand on the girl’s arm and squeezes, “It’ll be fine, kiddo. I’m feeding him a late dinner. He knows if he isn’t nice, I’ll send him home hungry.”
Skye smiles shyly and laughs, and then she hands Alicia a package. It’s an odd shape and not too heavy, and Alicia opens it. She smiles at the contents. “Homemade bread? Skye, this smells divine.”
The girl blushes lightly and shrugs. “My mom taught me to bake. Maybe you and Commander Taylor can have it with your dinner.”
Alicia reaches out with her free arm and hugs the girl to her. “Thank you, Skye. Merry Christmas.”
Skye steps back. “You too, Lieutenant.”
Alicia pulls on her coat, hat and gloves as Nathaniel says good night and Merry Christmas to Skye. They wish the same to Guz and Tasha at the door, and then, more bags of Christmas cookies and Skye’s bread in hand, they head out into the snowy night.
As they were mingling earlier, they’d made a point of saying that Alicia had a late dinner made for them, hoping to water down any rumors that might erupt over him following her home this late. In the end, though, neither of them is that concerned. It’s late on Christmas Eve, and most people are already home, particularly given the frigid cold.
When they get to her house, they hang up their coats and leave their snow-wet boots by the front door. Nathaniel goes and turns up the heat while Alicia sets out all their baked goodies on the counter. After putting Skye’s bread in the oven to warm a bit, she goes to her room and changes back into her sweats and long-sleeved t-shirt from earlier, but not before stopping in the living room to switch on the power to the small Christmas tree she has set up in the corner. It lights up, casting a soft glow around it.
When she gets to her room, he’s already in there changing. When she’s down to her bra, he pulls her to him, her back to his front, and he drops a kiss on her bare shoulder. Before his hands can start to roam, she bats them away. She turns in his arms and looks up at him. “Later, Nathaniel. I’m hungry - for food - and I know you are too.”
He chuckles and nods. “Yes ma’am.”
She finishes changing as he goes out and opens a bottle of red wine she put out on the counter. They get their warm stew and hunks of Skye’s bread, and they settle on the sofa to eat there, sitting close together for warmth. When they’re done, he takes their bowls to the kitchen and returns with a plate of cookies and the open wine bottle.
After they each have a cookie, they settle back into the sofa, her curled into his side. They’re both nursing their second glass of wine, and Nathaniel grabs her afghan from the back of her sofa and covers her with it. The only light in the room comes from the Christmas tree. She sighs in contentment. “This is really nice.”
He drops a kiss on the top of her head. “It really is,” he pauses, “You should have told me about tonight, Alicia.”
She tenses briefly but relaxes almost immediately, realizing that what she heard in his tone was more like hurt than anger. She snuggles closer to him. “Nathaniel, I’m sorry. I was on the fence. I wanted to tell you, but I also knew that Skye was right - I knew you might try to find a way to avoid it, and she would have been so damned disappointed.”
He’s silent for a moment, and then she feels him shake his head. “I’m the one who’s sorry, Alicia. I’m sorry that I made you and Skye feel like you had to hide this. I need to stop getting down on everything at this time of year. And I hate myself for the fact that it might make you think I’m unhappy. I miss them every day, Ayani and the boy Lucas was, but I love you and I’m happy with our lives. My only wish right now is that you and I could be more open about our relationship. Otherwise, I need you to know that you’re what I need, that this is what I need.” He pulls her into his lap and tightens his arms around her.
As he buries his face in her hair, she puts her wineglass on the coffee table and does the same with his. Her arms go around his neck and she murmurs, “Let’s go to bed, Nathaniel. I’m tired.”
He nods and slips an arm under her legs, standing up and taking her with him. He carries her to her room and sits her on the bed, and they set about creating a little warmth of their own.
Later, they’re still awake, naked and tangled together under the heavy quilts on her bed. She rests her head on his shoulder and draws light patterns on his chest with her fingertips as the snow accumulates on the windowsill. She yawns and tries to stretch a little, prompting an echoing yawn from him. She murmurs, “Maybe we’ll get snowed in. That would be nice.”
He chuckles and runs a hand through her hair. “It would. You know, until not much more than a few weeks ago, I’d forgotten how quiet snow can be.”
She nestles closer to him, enjoying having him in her bed like this, reveling in the knowledge that he’s staying the whole night. “Hell, until not much more than a few weeks ago, I thought snow was gray.” She pauses and peers over at the clock on her nightstand. “It’s after midnight.”
His hand continues to comb through her hair. “Merry Christmas, Alicia Washington.”
“Merry Christmas back, Nathaniel Taylor.” She turns her head and drops a light kiss to his shoulder before settling against him again. She eventually feels his breathing even out under her hand, so she stops moving her fingers over his skin and just watches the snow fall outside the window.
Character/Pairing: Wash/Taylor
Word Count: ~4684
Genre: Romance, General Fluff
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Alicia traps Nathaniel into something he really doesn’t want to do. Fluff ensues.
Author’s Note: I was bumped by one of my readers on FF.net, so I thought I’d try to put together a little one-shot (which of course ended up being less-than-little). For some inexplicable reason - maybe I’m just tired of summer and heat - this little Christmas/wintertime fic popped into my head. Just a bit of fun on a summer day and a bit of Christmas in August. NOT smut, just fluff. : )
This is set in the context of my other stories, pre-series, around 2146, around the Seventh Pilgrimage.
Disclaimer is the same as always - don’t own them, just borrowing, no profit here.
Boots crunching on the beaten-down icy paths, Alicia and Nathaniel are cutting through the market as quickly as they can, their recently acquired lunches in bags and warm drinks in their gloved hands. They’re both wearing heavy leather jackets and thick leather gloves made from the dino hides they’ve managed to gather. Nathaniel has a simple black wool cap on, and Alicia is wearing a similar hat and a long black scarf flecked with yellow, red, blue and green, the one thing she’s wearing that has any color other than black.
They’ve been waiting for a winter like this one - the scientists back in the future had warned them that it was possible they’d see freezing temperatures and snow. They’ve been here over four years, and thus far the winters have been mild. Cooler temperatures and rain, but nothing serious.
This year, though, winter started early, at the end of November, and the snow is piling up. They’ve modified several rovers with plows, so the paths are clear, if slightly treacherous with ice. Malcolm predicts that the weather may not break until as late as March, but they’re supplied well enough to handle it.
The scientists at the outposts have also reported that some smaller dinos are gravitating to the buildings, likely seeking heat. They’ve certainly had a time here in the colony, mainly with keeping the entrances under the fences blocked.
Alicia pities the dead dinos they keep happening across, but even she had to admit their good luck when two brachiosaurus died not far from the gate. Under heavy guard, they’d stripped the carcasses as well as they could, getting tons of meat to add to their stores and guaranteeing that they’ll have plenty to see them through the winter. They used the skins to make additional coats for many of the newer colonists.
The colonists have actually embraced the cold weather. The children love the snow, and the market is festively decorated for the holiday season, more so than ever before. Christmas is tomorrow and Boylan, believe or not, has even come up with a Santa Claus costume. He’ll be entertaining the kids tonight, and she’s been asked to come and read a story to the kids, along with Guz and Nathaniel.
She and Guz have agreed, but Nathaniel doesn’t know about it yet. He’s usually good with kids, but Christmas is a funny time of year for him. She knows it hurts him sometimes, because it reminds him of Christmases with Lucas and Ayani when Lucas was a child.
She knows she’ll have to find a way to trap him into doing it, because, hilariously, Boylan has an elf costume for him. Alicia saw it, and she vetoed some of it. It’s just a festive coat and hat now, so it’s not too embarrassing. She and Guz are both going to wear little elf hats too, also Skye’s idea. But Nathaniel will actually be asked to help with the kids coming to see Santa.
Once he’s in the midst of it, Alicia knows he’ll enjoy it. He truly loves kids, and the one who wanted him to be an elf is Boylan’s other elf, Skye Tate. Alicia was there for Skye’s costume fitting earlier, and the teenager wore a smile that Alicia hasn’t seen since before she lost her parents earlier this year. Given how attached Nathaniel is to the girl, how he’s assumed the role of her guardian, she knows that he’ll stop fighting the minute he sees Skye’s face. That’s what happened to her when she hesitated at Skye’s request that it be a surprise for Nathaniel.
As they walk, despite her heavy, form fitting coat, Alicia feels the cold seeping into her bones. She wonders briefly about the Sixers, as they’ve come to call them. She doesn’t really give too much of a damn about the traitorous crew out there in the woods somewhere, but she knows they have some children with them, and the thought of innocent little kids out in this cold makes her blood boil. She just hopes that they have adequate shelter, if only on behalf of the children.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Nathaniel’s voice gets her attention as they get back to the Command Center. He motions to her to go up the stairs in front of him.
She shakes her head. “Just thinking about how cold it is and the kids that went with…”
He frowns, “Mira and the Sixers. I know. I don’t give two shits about the likes of Mira and Carter, but I’m worried for the children.”
She nods and enters his office, warm with heat from two small heating elements in the room. She puts her lunch on the conference table and shrugs out of her coat, and he does the same, both revealing the heavy military-issue fisherman-type black sweaters they’re wearing with their cargo pants. He just has a t-shirt under his, but she wears a long-sleeved turtleneck under hers.
They both hang their coats on hooks near the door, stuffing their hats and gloves into the pockets. She keeps her scarf on, unwilling to abandon the warmth it provides around her neck. She’s wearing her hair down for the event tonight, if only because it helps keep her neck warm.
He gives her a funny look when she settles next to him at the table after grabbing some utensils for both of them from a cabinet. “Scarf?”
She goes about pulling out her lunch, a hunk of bread and hot vegetable soup, the vegetables grown in their now-greenhoused gardens, from a vendor in the market. “I’m freezing, Nathaniel.”
He nods, chuckling. “I always forget how cold you get.” They tuck into their food, and after a few moments, he asks, “What does Boylan have you reading tonight?”
She can hear his voice twist slightly on Boylan’s name, but she knows he’s trying to put aside his issues with the man for the sake of the kids. She smiles. “The Polar Express. It’s a lovely book from the twentieth century. I’ll be reading from a plex, and Boylan was able to get a large screen to project the illustrations, which are amazing.”
He cocks his head, a look of surprise on his face. “You’re really looking forward to this, aren’t you?”
“I am. I love the book I’m reading to them, and the kids are adorable, especially at this time of year. Kelly Peterson,” she refers to one of the colony children, a six-year-old little girl who arrived with the fifth pilgrimage, “Stopped me in the market yesterday to give me a little stuffed dinosaur and a card she made herself. I also keep getting random hugs and cards and baked goods on my doorstep. I’d usually find it annoying, but I don’t know, maybe it’s the snow and everything, but I don’t mind it.”
He nods. “I’ve lost track of the cards I’ve gotten. I’m glad I put out the missive to families that they don’t need to give me gifts, that I’d rather they spend their terras on their own families and loved ones,” he pauses and grins, “But I won’t pretend that I don’t love it when the children give me cards or cookies they baked themselves.”
“I share a lot of the cookies and such with the kids in the barracks.” She refers to the younger soldiers under their command.
“Me too. They’re going to be fat as ticks by the end of this month.”
She laughs. “Guess I’ll have to make them run a little more.”
He smirks. “Christmas cookies, the gifts that keep on giving.”
They continue eating, both going silent until she asks, “So, you’re coming tonight, right? I mean, who wouldn’t love seeing Boylan look that silly?” She feels a little twinge at the information she omitted, but not enough of one to make her warn him. Her job is just to get him there. The rest is up to Skye.
He hesitates, and she knows he’s thinking about Lucas and Ayani by the look on his face. She covers his hand with hers. “It’ll be fun, Nathaniel. I promise it will. And the kids I run into all ask if you’re coming. They’ll be disappointed if you don’t come for at least a little while.”
He sighs, turning his hand over under hers and weaving their fingers together. “I know. I’ll come for a while. I want to hear you read if nothing else. And I need to get into the spirit, because it’s pretty inescapable these days.”
She squeezes his hand. “True. I actually really like Christmas, but if I hear ‘Jingle Bells’ one more time I might have to shoot something.”
“The one I hate is ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas.’” He lifts their joined hands so he can drop a kiss on the back of hers before releasing it and standing up.
“Oh yeah, that one’s annoying too,” she stands as well, gathering up the remains of their lunch, folding up their reusable bags and taking the trash to the trash bin. She puts the bags in the cabinet and sets the silverware aside to wash later.
He heads to his desk, and she grabs her coat from the rack and follows him. He looks up, puzzled. “You still cold? I can dial the heat up.”
She shakes her head. “Remember, Malcolm wants to meet with me to talk about borrowing some soldiers to expand the greenhouses. It’s a good idea. We want to be able to keep things growing. We have a lot put back in refrigeration, plenty to get by on, but we’ll burn through a lot of it over the next few months.”
“I forgot. Stay warm, OK? Don’t let him keep you out there too long.” He looks worried.
She shrugs into her coat. “You know I won’t. I may have to take off my mittens, but I can still stun him if I need to.” She grins.
He chuckles. “Just call Reynolds to drag Malcolm’s ass inside if you do have to stun him. Gotta be polite.”
She gives him a snappy salute. “Yes sir.” She pulls on her hat and gloves, and then she goes into her pockets for an extra pair of mittens, made of the same wool as her scarf, that she slips on over her gloves. He smiles and shakes his head. She flushes lightly and shrugs. “Two layers are better than one. Meet you at the school tonight? I’m getting there a little early to make sure Tom has everything set up.”
He scowls slightly at the use of Boylan’s first name, but he nods. “I’ll be there. Quarter to seven, then? And don’t come back here today - just go home after you’re done with Malcolm.”
“Thanks - I’ll probably need to thaw out.” She leans down and presses a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you at the school at a quarter til.”
He reaches up and catches her cheek in his palm before she can straighten up, and he pulls her back to him. He presses a soft kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
She smiles and bumps his nose with hers. “I love you too, Nathaniel.”
With that she turns and leaves the warmth of the office, sighing as she tightens her scarf around her neck. The afternoon will be miserable, but she knows tonight will be better. She moves as quickly as she can towards Malcolm’s lab, hoping that Nathaniel isn’t too upset with her for not warning him about Skye wanting his help as an elf.
Several hours later, she steps out of her hot shower into her steamy bathroom. Malcolm kept her busy all afternoon, but at least they were only out in the fields for about forty-five minutes. Even so, she’s been chilled ever since. The hot tea Malcolm made while they did some planning with the agricultural team helped, but it took a thirty-minute shower to really knock out the cold.
She slips into some soft sweats, wool socks and a long-sleeved t-shirt before drying her hair and applying some make-up. As planned, she keeps her hair down, loose and flowing well past her shoulders. She heads to the kitchen for more tea, and then she goes to her bedroom to get dressed. After taking off her sweats and t-shirt, she pulls on some heavy black cargoes and a dark green turtleneck, a nod to the season.
In another nod to the season, the sweater puts on is one of the few pieces of civilian clothing she packed in her boxes from the future. It was her mother’s, a heavy dark green wool fair isle with a pretty horizontal pattern of dark-colored designs. She almost never gets to wear it because it’s usually too warm out. Pausing, she hugs her arms around herself, snuggling into the sweater. She knows it’s just her imagination, but she swears that when she breathes deep, she can still smell her mother’s perfume on it.
After a moment, she sits on the bed and puts on a pair of soft black flat-heeled boots, forgoing the combat boots for a change. Given the threat of the Sixers, Christmas or not, she does put on her thigh holster as usual. Standing up, she slips her pulse pistol into the holster before turning to look in the mirror. She smiles a little because, despite the gun, she actually sees a little bit of her mother looking back at her tonight.
Before she leaves, she checks the slow-cooker on her kitchen counter. This morning, she put together a stew of dino meat and root vegetables. She can see that it’s done, so she turns it to the lowest setting, just enough to keep it warm for a late dinner with Nathaniel.
The last two Christmas Eves and Christmas Days, she and Nathaniel have been on duty so Guz could be with Tasha. This year, Guz offered to give them both the night and following day off, and they took him up on it. Nathaniel already left a pack in her room with a change of clothes for tomorrow and the day after Christmas. Even though they risk discovery, he’s going to camp out here with her for the next two nights. It’s a sort of Christmas gift they’re giving themselves.
She puts on her cold weather gear and slips out her door into the freezing cold early evening. The snow has started to fall again, soft and silent like snow can be. Once again, she can’t help but think about how he’s going to react to Skye’s desire for him to be her co-elf. She arrives at the colony school, dusting the snow from her coat and hat.
People are set to begin arriving at seven, with the little show to start at seven thirty. Alicia is the lead-off story reader, followed by Guz and then Nathaniel. She can’t wait to read The Polar Express the kids, and then Guz will read How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Nathaniel will close with The Night Before Christmas. Or at least he will if he agrees. If he doesn’t, Boylan will read it.
She looks around and she sees Boylan and Skye up at the front, both already in costume. She pulls off her outerwear, once again leaving her scarf on for warmth. She hangs her coat on a hook just as Nathaniel comes in. He has snow on his shoulders and on his hat, and she comes over to help him dust off too.
Boylan is smirking a little, and Skye looks at him, her expression hopeful. He looks down at Alicia, one eyebrow cocked. “What’s going on?”
She gives him a sheepish, slightly apologetic smile before turning to Skye. “Miss Tate, I got him here, so my job is done. I think you wanted to ask the commander something.”
He furrows his brow at her, but she just tilts her head towards Skye. He rolls his eyes and looks over at the young girl. “Skye?”
Skye looks a little scared, but she comes over. “Sir, I can tell Christmas isn’t your favorite thing, but the kids have been so excited. They all think you’re some kind of god. I know I did when I got here - and I thought it would be great if you could help me tonight and maybe read the last story to the kids?” She holds up the hat and coat. “The lieutenant refused to let Mr. Boylan make you look silly, I promise.”
Her blue eyes are wide and hopeful, and Alicia can almost see Nathaniel folding. He turns to Alicia, though, one last ditch bit of irritation on his face. “Did she now?”
Before Alicia can reply, Skye cuts in, “Sir, please don’t be mad at Lieutenant Washington! I’m the one who convinced her not to tell you ahead of time. I really wanted you to be here and help me with the kids, and I was afraid you’d say no because Christmas makes you sad. It makes me sad too this year, but I thought this would be a way to try to be less sad.”
The girl has tears in her eyes, and her face wears the same expression, equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking, that got Alicia to cave and not warn Nathaniel in the first place. He’s silent for a moment before holding his hand out for the coat and hat. “What do you want me to read?”
Instead of replying, Skye throws herself at him, hugging him tight. He wraps his arms around her and rests his chin on her head. She mumbles, “Thank you.”
His voice is gruff when he replies, “You’re welcome, Skye.” She steps back after a moment, sniffling softly and looking down as she composes herself. He looks at Alicia, and she realizes what he wants to ask Skye, and she nods in reply, letting him know it’s OK. He looks back at her and says, “Do you have people to spend Christmas with, little one?”
She looks up with a small smile. “I do. Lieutenant Guzman is on call, but he and Tasha are having me, Max and Hunter over, and I’m staying with them.”
Boylan calls Skye over to help him with something, so Skye smiles again, handing Nathaniel the hat and coat before going over to help Boylan. Nathaniel turns to Alicia, brow furrowed again. “You could have told me.”
She shakes her head. “I couldn’t be sure how you’d react, Nathaniel. You’re hard to read this time of year, and Skye was so excited. It was the first time I saw her smile since Alex and Deborah…I just didn’t want her to stop smiling again.” She surprised at herself when she feels tears prick at her eyes, and she looks down. “I know what it feels like to lose both of your parents so young. I just want her to be OK.”
He sighs. “I can’t hug you right now, but I want to.” He pulls off his heavy sweater, leaving him in his standard black t-shirt, and she looks back up at him. “Thank you for caring so much about her. I know you were friendly with Alex, but you didn’t have to put your neck out for Skye.”
She takes his sweater and folds it up as he shrugs into his green velvet elf jacket. She puts the sweater on a chair and turns back to him, buttoning up his coat for him. “I know I didn’t, but Nathaniel, she’s important to you. If something’s important to you, it’s also important to me.” She steps back as people and their children begin to filter in to the room. “Better put your hat on and go get your marching orders from Santa, Commander.” She gives him a teasing smile.
He rolls his eyes and mutters, “Santa my ass.”
Alicia laughs out loud. “You’re reading The Night Before Christmas, by the way. Not heavy lifting. You’ll be great, sir.” She winks at him and walks over to join Guzman, who just walked in with Tasha.
Over the next half hour, they all work the room a bit, trying to show a different face than just that of the scary military. In no time, Alicia is settled at the front of the room, surrounded by the colony children. As the images from the book project on the screen, the kids are enthralled by the words from Alicia’s favorite Christmas story. “We climbed mountains so high it seemed as if we would scrape the moon. But the Polar Express never slowed down. Faster and faster we ran along, rolling over peaks and through valleys like a car on a roller coaster…”
Every once in a while, she’d look up and catch Nathaniel staring at her as she read. She’d just smile and go back to her plex and the kids. When she finishes, the children cheer, and then it’s Guz’s turn. The kids are rapt with attention at his tales of a Grinch, and Alicia stands to one side, enjoying the show.
After Guz, Nathaniel sits down and reads the children his story, and Alicia is suddenly glad that several parents are recording it for plex pads. She makes note of the ones who are so she can get a copy later.
When he’s done, the children mob him with hugs, and then he and Skye help them to sit in Santa’s lap one by one. Alicia stands nearby and hears most of the requests to Santa, which range from asking for specific new toys to requests that annoying siblings be sent back through the portal.
It’s nearly ten by the time they’re all done, and Skye approaches Alicia as Nathaniel is shrugging out of his elf coat and pulling his sweater back on. “Thank you again, Lieutenant. I hope he isn’t too upset with you.”
Alicia puts a hand on the girl’s arm and squeezes, “It’ll be fine, kiddo. I’m feeding him a late dinner. He knows if he isn’t nice, I’ll send him home hungry.”
Skye smiles shyly and laughs, and then she hands Alicia a package. It’s an odd shape and not too heavy, and Alicia opens it. She smiles at the contents. “Homemade bread? Skye, this smells divine.”
The girl blushes lightly and shrugs. “My mom taught me to bake. Maybe you and Commander Taylor can have it with your dinner.”
Alicia reaches out with her free arm and hugs the girl to her. “Thank you, Skye. Merry Christmas.”
Skye steps back. “You too, Lieutenant.”
Alicia pulls on her coat, hat and gloves as Nathaniel says good night and Merry Christmas to Skye. They wish the same to Guz and Tasha at the door, and then, more bags of Christmas cookies and Skye’s bread in hand, they head out into the snowy night.
As they were mingling earlier, they’d made a point of saying that Alicia had a late dinner made for them, hoping to water down any rumors that might erupt over him following her home this late. In the end, though, neither of them is that concerned. It’s late on Christmas Eve, and most people are already home, particularly given the frigid cold.
When they get to her house, they hang up their coats and leave their snow-wet boots by the front door. Nathaniel goes and turns up the heat while Alicia sets out all their baked goodies on the counter. After putting Skye’s bread in the oven to warm a bit, she goes to her room and changes back into her sweats and long-sleeved t-shirt from earlier, but not before stopping in the living room to switch on the power to the small Christmas tree she has set up in the corner. It lights up, casting a soft glow around it.
When she gets to her room, he’s already in there changing. When she’s down to her bra, he pulls her to him, her back to his front, and he drops a kiss on her bare shoulder. Before his hands can start to roam, she bats them away. She turns in his arms and looks up at him. “Later, Nathaniel. I’m hungry - for food - and I know you are too.”
He chuckles and nods. “Yes ma’am.”
She finishes changing as he goes out and opens a bottle of red wine she put out on the counter. They get their warm stew and hunks of Skye’s bread, and they settle on the sofa to eat there, sitting close together for warmth. When they’re done, he takes their bowls to the kitchen and returns with a plate of cookies and the open wine bottle.
After they each have a cookie, they settle back into the sofa, her curled into his side. They’re both nursing their second glass of wine, and Nathaniel grabs her afghan from the back of her sofa and covers her with it. The only light in the room comes from the Christmas tree. She sighs in contentment. “This is really nice.”
He drops a kiss on the top of her head. “It really is,” he pauses, “You should have told me about tonight, Alicia.”
She tenses briefly but relaxes almost immediately, realizing that what she heard in his tone was more like hurt than anger. She snuggles closer to him. “Nathaniel, I’m sorry. I was on the fence. I wanted to tell you, but I also knew that Skye was right - I knew you might try to find a way to avoid it, and she would have been so damned disappointed.”
He’s silent for a moment, and then she feels him shake his head. “I’m the one who’s sorry, Alicia. I’m sorry that I made you and Skye feel like you had to hide this. I need to stop getting down on everything at this time of year. And I hate myself for the fact that it might make you think I’m unhappy. I miss them every day, Ayani and the boy Lucas was, but I love you and I’m happy with our lives. My only wish right now is that you and I could be more open about our relationship. Otherwise, I need you to know that you’re what I need, that this is what I need.” He pulls her into his lap and tightens his arms around her.
As he buries his face in her hair, she puts her wineglass on the coffee table and does the same with his. Her arms go around his neck and she murmurs, “Let’s go to bed, Nathaniel. I’m tired.”
He nods and slips an arm under her legs, standing up and taking her with him. He carries her to her room and sits her on the bed, and they set about creating a little warmth of their own.
Later, they’re still awake, naked and tangled together under the heavy quilts on her bed. She rests her head on his shoulder and draws light patterns on his chest with her fingertips as the snow accumulates on the windowsill. She yawns and tries to stretch a little, prompting an echoing yawn from him. She murmurs, “Maybe we’ll get snowed in. That would be nice.”
He chuckles and runs a hand through her hair. “It would. You know, until not much more than a few weeks ago, I’d forgotten how quiet snow can be.”
She nestles closer to him, enjoying having him in her bed like this, reveling in the knowledge that he’s staying the whole night. “Hell, until not much more than a few weeks ago, I thought snow was gray.” She pauses and peers over at the clock on her nightstand. “It’s after midnight.”
His hand continues to comb through her hair. “Merry Christmas, Alicia Washington.”
“Merry Christmas back, Nathaniel Taylor.” She turns her head and drops a light kiss to his shoulder before settling against him again. She eventually feels his breathing even out under her hand, so she stops moving her fingers over his skin and just watches the snow fall outside the window.