A Pawnee Christmas Carol 4/5
Title: A Pawnee Christmas Carol 4/5
Pairing: Leslie/Ben
Rating: PG
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 5
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come:
When the Ghost of Christmas yet to Come arrives, Ben is wide awake, safely back in his living room, and waiting for him (or her) to appear. And really, he's not at all surprised when he sees Orin suddenly standing there in a big black hooded cape, right next to his single living room chair at three AM on the dot.
Thankfully, Orin's not holding a scythe.
The ghost points ominously and Ben follows his command.
They end up in an apartment, maybe a condo? It's all modern looking with trendy cement floors, white throw rugs, white couches, a large, strange-looking silver Christmas tree in the corner, and art on the walls that Ben doesn't particularly like.
"What is this?" He asks.
Orin points towards one of the sofas in reply. Ben is sitting there...Christmas Yet to Come Ben. He's got a laptop open and it looks like he's working on cost-analysis breakdowns. The date at the top corner of the screen says December 24, 2014.
"This is just three years from now," Ben says, turning to look at Orin.
Orin nods.
A tall, attractive brunette walks in, wearing a little black dress and sparkly silver shoes. Her entrance definitely captures both Bens' attention.
"Rebecca, wow. You look nice. Are you still going to that client party?" his double asks from his spot on the couch.
"Yeah. And I see that you're still planning on working. So, I won't bother to ask if you want to come with me again. I may be home late. Merry Christmas," she tells him, leaning down for a quick kiss.
"Merry Christmas."
After Ben is alone, he reaches for his glass of wine and accidentally spills some of it on the white suede cushion.
Ben and Orin watch as future Ben lets loose with a stream of curses and frantically tries to clean the red wine up, before he finally turns the sofa cushion over. It already has a dried stain. He finds a clean side on the next cushion over and readjusts everything.
The Ben observing this future Christmas makes a confused face. "That's it? I'm ruining an expensive couch in the future? Aren't you supposed to be pointing at my tombstone and telling me how I died all miserable and alone? I mean, this is...a very nice condo. And that woman--Rebecca? She's hot. So, I don't really see the downside here. I mean sure, it's not..." he stops suddenly, shaking his head. "No. This is fine. I bet I'm fairly content and Leslie is an amazing Councilwoman, doing what she always wanted."
He continues. "And so what if I'm working on Christmas Eve, that's not a big deal. And our Christmas tree is weird. And okay, I'm slowly destroying that impractical, super-expensive, white couch, but it looks like I have at least two more cushion sides to go. I'll switch to white wine. That's fine. This is all just fine," Ben stubbornly insists.
Orin rolls his eyes and then starts to talk. "Okay, look. This is not fine. This is just wrong. You don't belong here. Not with Rebecca the investment banker, who doesn't really mean anything to you. Not in this fancy, all-white, too-clean condo where you can't spill anything. You belong in Pawnee, with the people you truly care about, with the one person who makes you want to be a better person."
"Oh my god, you can talk? And you have a normal voice? That's so...well, kind of disappointing, actually."
"Of course I can talk. I just don't like to. But you're not getting this so...we're going to visit Christmas 2014."
"But isn't this Christmas 2014?" Ben asks confused, his arms spread out around him.
"Yes. But now you're going to see this same Christmas...if you had stayed in Pawnee."
Ben is disoriented for a second, but then the scene before him comes into focus.
Leslie is in a somewhat cluttered bedroom, with books stacked by the bed, a collection of colorful, mis-matched Christmas throw pillows up by the headboard, and a small, twinkling Christmas tree set up on the messy dresser. It's a bedroom he's never seen before but it looks cozy and warm and Leslie looks...really tired. She's still beautiful, of course, so, so beautiful, but she's completely exhausted-looking and wearing a pair of red flannel pajamas.
Ben glances at the digital clock by the bed and is surprised by the time displayed.
"Where is this? Why is she wearing pajamas at nine-thirty at night? Oh god, is she sick? What's wrong?"
Before Orin can answer, Future Pawnee Ben walks into the room wearing his own set of dark blue plaid flannel pajamas, as well as a fluffy, red Santa Claus hat. He looks super tired too, but he's got a huge smile on his face.
When she sees him, Leslie grins back and starts laughing, while Ben pulls her in for a big hug, smashing her against his chest.
"Careful," she tells him with a giggle, trying to pull back. "These things are like loaded weapons here. I'm about ready to blow."
Ben releases her and laughs. "Sorry, babe."
As if one cue, a little cry fills the room. It's only then that Ben notices the bassinet in the corner of the bedroom. Actually, it's a very large bassinet, which seems weird--is it for a giant baby?
But before he can really take it all in, he and Orin are back in Ben's sparse, 2011 Indianapolis apartment.
"Wait. What was that? Oh my god. Are you saying... Leslie and I? We um, we have a baby?" Ben asks, looking at Orin with wide eyes. "In 2014. We're parents?"
"Yeah. You're definitely parents. But, only if you had stayed," Orin corrects. "As of right now, your future Christmas is in that sterile Indianapolis condo with hot Rebecca--a girlfriend that you'll like, but never really love."
"No. That's not...." Ben shakes his head. "I don't want that. Is there still time to change it? I mean, you said I belonged in Pawnee, and Chris said I was on the wrong path, so there must still be time to change it. To get on the right path--to have that other Christmas. I want that one--the one with sleepy Leslie in red flannel pajamas and our baby in the messy bedroom."
Orin shrugs. "You should give it a try then. It might not be too late to change your future."
Part 5: Epilogue
Pairing: Leslie/Ben
Rating: PG
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 5
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come:
When the Ghost of Christmas yet to Come arrives, Ben is wide awake, safely back in his living room, and waiting for him (or her) to appear. And really, he's not at all surprised when he sees Orin suddenly standing there in a big black hooded cape, right next to his single living room chair at three AM on the dot.
Thankfully, Orin's not holding a scythe.
The ghost points ominously and Ben follows his command.
They end up in an apartment, maybe a condo? It's all modern looking with trendy cement floors, white throw rugs, white couches, a large, strange-looking silver Christmas tree in the corner, and art on the walls that Ben doesn't particularly like.
"What is this?" He asks.
Orin points towards one of the sofas in reply. Ben is sitting there...Christmas Yet to Come Ben. He's got a laptop open and it looks like he's working on cost-analysis breakdowns. The date at the top corner of the screen says December 24, 2014.
"This is just three years from now," Ben says, turning to look at Orin.
Orin nods.
A tall, attractive brunette walks in, wearing a little black dress and sparkly silver shoes. Her entrance definitely captures both Bens' attention.
"Rebecca, wow. You look nice. Are you still going to that client party?" his double asks from his spot on the couch.
"Yeah. And I see that you're still planning on working. So, I won't bother to ask if you want to come with me again. I may be home late. Merry Christmas," she tells him, leaning down for a quick kiss.
"Merry Christmas."
After Ben is alone, he reaches for his glass of wine and accidentally spills some of it on the white suede cushion.
Ben and Orin watch as future Ben lets loose with a stream of curses and frantically tries to clean the red wine up, before he finally turns the sofa cushion over. It already has a dried stain. He finds a clean side on the next cushion over and readjusts everything.
The Ben observing this future Christmas makes a confused face. "That's it? I'm ruining an expensive couch in the future? Aren't you supposed to be pointing at my tombstone and telling me how I died all miserable and alone? I mean, this is...a very nice condo. And that woman--Rebecca? She's hot. So, I don't really see the downside here. I mean sure, it's not..." he stops suddenly, shaking his head. "No. This is fine. I bet I'm fairly content and Leslie is an amazing Councilwoman, doing what she always wanted."
He continues. "And so what if I'm working on Christmas Eve, that's not a big deal. And our Christmas tree is weird. And okay, I'm slowly destroying that impractical, super-expensive, white couch, but it looks like I have at least two more cushion sides to go. I'll switch to white wine. That's fine. This is all just fine," Ben stubbornly insists.
Orin rolls his eyes and then starts to talk. "Okay, look. This is not fine. This is just wrong. You don't belong here. Not with Rebecca the investment banker, who doesn't really mean anything to you. Not in this fancy, all-white, too-clean condo where you can't spill anything. You belong in Pawnee, with the people you truly care about, with the one person who makes you want to be a better person."
"Oh my god, you can talk? And you have a normal voice? That's so...well, kind of disappointing, actually."
"Of course I can talk. I just don't like to. But you're not getting this so...we're going to visit Christmas 2014."
"But isn't this Christmas 2014?" Ben asks confused, his arms spread out around him.
"Yes. But now you're going to see this same Christmas...if you had stayed in Pawnee."
Ben is disoriented for a second, but then the scene before him comes into focus.
Leslie is in a somewhat cluttered bedroom, with books stacked by the bed, a collection of colorful, mis-matched Christmas throw pillows up by the headboard, and a small, twinkling Christmas tree set up on the messy dresser. It's a bedroom he's never seen before but it looks cozy and warm and Leslie looks...really tired. She's still beautiful, of course, so, so beautiful, but she's completely exhausted-looking and wearing a pair of red flannel pajamas.
Ben glances at the digital clock by the bed and is surprised by the time displayed.
"Where is this? Why is she wearing pajamas at nine-thirty at night? Oh god, is she sick? What's wrong?"
Before Orin can answer, Future Pawnee Ben walks into the room wearing his own set of dark blue plaid flannel pajamas, as well as a fluffy, red Santa Claus hat. He looks super tired too, but he's got a huge smile on his face.
When she sees him, Leslie grins back and starts laughing, while Ben pulls her in for a big hug, smashing her against his chest.
"Careful," she tells him with a giggle, trying to pull back. "These things are like loaded weapons here. I'm about ready to blow."
Ben releases her and laughs. "Sorry, babe."
As if one cue, a little cry fills the room. It's only then that Ben notices the bassinet in the corner of the bedroom. Actually, it's a very large bassinet, which seems weird--is it for a giant baby?
But before he can really take it all in, he and Orin are back in Ben's sparse, 2011 Indianapolis apartment.
"Wait. What was that? Oh my god. Are you saying... Leslie and I? We um, we have a baby?" Ben asks, looking at Orin with wide eyes. "In 2014. We're parents?"
"Yeah. You're definitely parents. But, only if you had stayed," Orin corrects. "As of right now, your future Christmas is in that sterile Indianapolis condo with hot Rebecca--a girlfriend that you'll like, but never really love."
"No. That's not...." Ben shakes his head. "I don't want that. Is there still time to change it? I mean, you said I belonged in Pawnee, and Chris said I was on the wrong path, so there must still be time to change it. To get on the right path--to have that other Christmas. I want that one--the one with sleepy Leslie in red flannel pajamas and our baby in the messy bedroom."
Orin shrugs. "You should give it a try then. It might not be too late to change your future."
Part 5: Epilogue