Fanfiction: Nora's Christmas Wish, Chapter 6 - Final Chapter!
TITLE: Nora’s Christmas Wish.
AUTHOR: semisweetsoul
FANDOM: Brothers & Sisters
CHARACTERS: The Walkers, the Holdens, the Whedons, the McCallisters, the Harpers and a Wandell.
RATING: PG I guess.
SUMMARY: Christmas 2007 at the Walkers estate and the rollercoaster of emotions we all love to experience when we watch the show (hopefully).
SPOILERS: I did my best to respect canon up until last episode which was 2.09.
DISCLAIMER: None of these fantastic characters were originally created by me. I would be so lucky!
- - - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER TITLE: One surprise after another
CHAPTER CHARACTERS: Kevin, Scotty, Robert
CHAPTER SUMMARY: Kevin has got the Christmas Blues.
WORD COUNT: 1 827
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I didn’t want this to be too mawkish, so I tried to add some sarcasm and humor mostly in the second part and to wink at some things I mentioned earlier, otherwise, well, I just had to make each chapter a one shot! And my own Christmas wish was that I get comments and reviews on this story so you know what to do! Thanks for reading the whole piece. Enjoy!
Chapter 1- part1, Chapter 1-part 2, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
Chapter 6: One surprise after another
After his discussion with his sister, Kevin made for the staircase, he loved to sit there. He felt in a position of strength, from his perch he could see but not be seen, like he ruled the little world that was the Walker house. He was sitting on the highest step, eyes lost into space. His conversation with Jason completely invaded his thoughts so much that when he heard something blipping in far distance he first believed it was some alarm clock on the blink, and then he realized it was his cell phone. The voice on the other line asked to speak to Kevin Walker. He recognized the intonation right away. “Scotty!” he answered gently.
“Hey, good! You remember me! Well, as you can hear your gift works perfectly!”
“I’m glad to hear that!” Kevin replied, “I hope you’re okay with me paying your phone bills, only temporarily of course.”
“Of course!” Scotty repeated. “Well, Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas to you, too!”
“So tell me, how is it going so far? Will this be a best, a worst or an average Christmas?” Scotty asked referring to the conversation they had had a few days before.
“Well, definitely a worse!” Kevin replied uncomfortable.
Scotty wasn’t expecting Kevin to sound that depressed, he wasn’t sure now was the best time to ask him why but it was like Kevin had anticipated Scotty’s question for he started to explain.
“The first memory I have is of my mother’s sadness. I was in my early teens, I think, I don’t remember exactly. My dad wasn’t there despite being the one who incited the Walker kids to celebrate the holiday. I remember how Mom kept laughing and showing enthusiasm at every thing we said or did, but I knew Saul and her were just pretending. I’m not sure the others realized what was going on.” Kevin paused for an instant and resumed in a sad whisper. “Now I know... he was with her.”
Over the phone, Scotty wasn’t sure what to do. Should he try to say something comforting or keep listening silently to Kevin opening his heart to him? As he was about to express his deepest sympathy, Kevin felt the need to continue.
“That isn’t it. The worst Christmas I can recall was 2001. Justin was in Iraq, Kitty and Mom were on silent terms. My mother decided it would be inappropriate to celebrate Christmas so she just acted like someone else, someone bitter, angry and desperate. She tried everything and did everything she could to keep us apart; she sent Tommy and Julia to Julia’s family in Arizona. Sarah and Joe decided to stay home with the kids, Paige and Joe’s son Gabe. And I ... I went to some stupid bar and I got so drunk that I ended up waking up next to ... some girl. The next morning after I threw up not necessarily for the reason you would imagine, I went to see my mother despite my promise neither to call her nor to stop by. I convinced her to join the rest of the family. She finally agreed and on our way to Sarah’s, she asked me to pull up a church to light a candle for Justin and she fell apart. I was sad and lost and overwhelmed and I repressed so hard the urge to cry that my eyes were stinging; I wanted to be strong for her, you know. Then we got to Joe and Sarah’s, I talked to Kitty but except for the kids, our hearts weren’t in it. Our minds and hearts were there with him.” Kevin finished with a tremble in his voice that had Scotty understand he was crying.
As much as Scotty wanted to say something nice and comforting, words didn’t come out right in his mind; if only he had been with Kevin he could have reassured him by a simple but meaningful gesture: a tender embrace.
Kevin had apparently calmed down because when he started speaking again, his voice sounded lower and serener. “Both times there were tears, distance and hopeless hearts. When Jason left for Malaysia I felt it was unfair. This Christmas foreshadowed tears, distance and my hopeless heart. Again. This is not the case, thanks to you. Thanks to that stupid police officer who arrested you a few months ago. Should we send him a thank you gift? Like new gloves or something?” Kevin added in a fit of his well-know sarcasm.
Scotty was touched by Kevin’s words, if he had been able to see his boyfriend’s eyes, Kevin would have seen them sparkling even more than the tree they had decorated three days before. Something was happening between the two of them something that wasn’t friendship anymore.
“Kevin!” Scotty finally managed to say. “There’s distance between you and me right now, and to be completely honest there are tears on my side of the phone. I was just calling to wish you a Merry Christmas and to thank you for your present.”
“There might be tears or distance but my heart is filled with hope this year, let alone the emotions I feel each time I hear your voice!” He added in a joyful and suggestive tone which had Scotty blush lightly but Kevin would never find out. Scotty knew he could have pronounced these words because he felt the same.
“So what did you get Robert?” Scotty asked lightheartedly to bring some cheer back.
“Well, I searched for Equal rights for Dummies but that title wasn’t available. I guess I’ll have to write it myself! Instead I get some stupid CD Kitty told me about.”
“And what did he get you?”
“I don’t know we haven’t opened the presents yet.” Kevin replied.
“Did you open mine?” Scotty asked impatiently.
“No, not yet. Do you want me to get it now?”
“No, it’s fine, don’t worry! I hope you’ll like it! Well, thanks again for the cell phone; it couldn’t have come at a better time!”
“Yeah? That’s what I figured! And don’t worry it’s not a way to plague you or anything!” he added jokingly.
“Of course not” Scotty heard him say. “Well, have a Merry Christmas, take care, okay! Bye.”
“Yeah, Merry Christmas to you and your family too, Scotty. See you soon, bye.” He replied, sad the conversation had to end.
Kevin stayed there in the stairs unable to move, he was shivering, how was that possible? For so long, he had wanted to be with someone he loved and now he was forced to make a choice between two persons as adorable as he could hope his boyfriend would be, as kind and sweet and clever although in really different ways. A few weeks ago he had to tell his boyfriend Jason, his ex-boyfriend Scotty was staying at his apartment and now he would have to tell his boyfriend Scotty about his ex Jason’s coming back. That was complicated not to mention ironic, but certainly not something to ponder over on Christmas Eve.
Deep in thoughts, Kevin didn’t hear somebody approaching. “Are you joining us or what? They’re getting impatient”, the voice said, but he didn’t get it was addressed to him. He finally surfaced and saw the senator standing straight in front of him awaiting an answer. Wow, Jason and Robert really have the same look, he thought. “What were you saying?” he asked politely.
“Are you coming or what?” Robert repeated. “Your niece and nephew have asked for everyone’s presence in the living-room presumably for a surprise they’ve been preparing for us tonight.” Robert explained.
Kevin smiled and stood up nodding and answered “you mean our niece and nephew; they’re yours too, now.” Kevin pointed out.
After some hesitation, Robert added: “I’m sorry for what I told you earlier, it wasn’t my place to judge you or the relationship you had with Jason.” He paused. Kevin’s reaction was between the laugh and the tear. “Let’s go see the kids’ surprise.” Robert added to change the subject.
“Thank you. And once again I promise: no more threats even though we both know they’re empty threats. I could never hurt you because that would have both Kitty and Jason feel miserable, and I would never let this happen.”
“Fair enough! Well, in that case, I’ll keep to myself that you think my ass is - How did you say? Good enough to eat?” Robert exclaimed as he got down the stairs to meet the family members.
Robert’s last sentence produced the desired effect; it caused Kevin to mumble a protest while he followed Robert in the living-room. Almost everyone was around Lizzie who apparently had decided she was old enough to go to sleep an hour later for she was well and truly awake and grouchy.
“Hey, Kev! Are you alright?” Nora asked when she saw him join the family.
“Yeah, I’m fine! So I thought Paige and Coop had planned a surprise? Kevin replied.
“As a matter of fact they did, but maybe you want to eat first?” Nora asked him.
“What? Why? I don’t understand!”
“You tell me! You disappeared almost an hour ago! After you got that call from Malaysia. We thought you needed to be alone, we didn’t dare disturb you. We’ve already eaten.” Nora explained.
“Okay, well, I don’t know! I’m not really hungry. But thanks Mom!” Kevin said still disoriented.
Lizzie was feeling fidgety and everyone had their say on how to pacify her. Kevin thought he was seeing things when Paige came back with a little stuffed animal that looked way too familiar: Wendy the bunny! While Nora explained to Robert how the said teddy had entered the Walker family, the baby started to smile again and calm down to her parents’ relief. When Julia put her to bed, she fell asleep almost instantly.
“Now that everyone’s here maybe you could tell us what this is all about, right kids?” Nora suggested.
“Uncle Justin, can you put this CD on, please? Paige asked.
“Sure, baby!” Justin replied as the sound of guitar filled the room, Sarah smiled although some bitterness and sadness where noticeable in her eyes, this was tougher than she had imagined, the first Christmas without her husband.
“Dad recorded songs so we could all sing together!” Cooper announced proud as a peacock.
“Yeah, okay! Which song do you want to sing first?” Kitty asked.
Evidently each and every one of them wanted a different song, almost instantly did they all start to bicker and fight over which song to sing and whose choice it was to make. Nora was relieved, everyone had finally made it. She had her three grandchildren, her five children and their sister Rebecca around her for the holiday, all of them safe and sound and that was all that mattered. Although it was not exactly what she had hoped for, Nora’s Christmas wish had come true.
THE END
- - - - - - - - - -
As usual REVIEWS are appreciated! Thanks again for reading!
AUTHOR: semisweetsoul
FANDOM: Brothers & Sisters
CHARACTERS: The Walkers, the Holdens, the Whedons, the McCallisters, the Harpers and a Wandell.
RATING: PG I guess.
SUMMARY: Christmas 2007 at the Walkers estate and the rollercoaster of emotions we all love to experience when we watch the show (hopefully).
SPOILERS: I did my best to respect canon up until last episode which was 2.09.
DISCLAIMER: None of these fantastic characters were originally created by me. I would be so lucky!
- - - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER TITLE: One surprise after another
CHAPTER CHARACTERS: Kevin, Scotty, Robert
CHAPTER SUMMARY: Kevin has got the Christmas Blues.
WORD COUNT: 1 827
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I didn’t want this to be too mawkish, so I tried to add some sarcasm and humor mostly in the second part and to wink at some things I mentioned earlier, otherwise, well, I just had to make each chapter a one shot! And my own Christmas wish was that I get comments and reviews on this story so you know what to do! Thanks for reading the whole piece. Enjoy!
Chapter 1- part1, Chapter 1-part 2, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
Chapter 6: One surprise after another
After his discussion with his sister, Kevin made for the staircase, he loved to sit there. He felt in a position of strength, from his perch he could see but not be seen, like he ruled the little world that was the Walker house. He was sitting on the highest step, eyes lost into space. His conversation with Jason completely invaded his thoughts so much that when he heard something blipping in far distance he first believed it was some alarm clock on the blink, and then he realized it was his cell phone. The voice on the other line asked to speak to Kevin Walker. He recognized the intonation right away. “Scotty!” he answered gently.
“Hey, good! You remember me! Well, as you can hear your gift works perfectly!”
“I’m glad to hear that!” Kevin replied, “I hope you’re okay with me paying your phone bills, only temporarily of course.”
“Of course!” Scotty repeated. “Well, Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas to you, too!”
“So tell me, how is it going so far? Will this be a best, a worst or an average Christmas?” Scotty asked referring to the conversation they had had a few days before.
“Well, definitely a worse!” Kevin replied uncomfortable.
Scotty wasn’t expecting Kevin to sound that depressed, he wasn’t sure now was the best time to ask him why but it was like Kevin had anticipated Scotty’s question for he started to explain.
“The first memory I have is of my mother’s sadness. I was in my early teens, I think, I don’t remember exactly. My dad wasn’t there despite being the one who incited the Walker kids to celebrate the holiday. I remember how Mom kept laughing and showing enthusiasm at every thing we said or did, but I knew Saul and her were just pretending. I’m not sure the others realized what was going on.” Kevin paused for an instant and resumed in a sad whisper. “Now I know... he was with her.”
Over the phone, Scotty wasn’t sure what to do. Should he try to say something comforting or keep listening silently to Kevin opening his heart to him? As he was about to express his deepest sympathy, Kevin felt the need to continue.
“That isn’t it. The worst Christmas I can recall was 2001. Justin was in Iraq, Kitty and Mom were on silent terms. My mother decided it would be inappropriate to celebrate Christmas so she just acted like someone else, someone bitter, angry and desperate. She tried everything and did everything she could to keep us apart; she sent Tommy and Julia to Julia’s family in Arizona. Sarah and Joe decided to stay home with the kids, Paige and Joe’s son Gabe. And I ... I went to some stupid bar and I got so drunk that I ended up waking up next to ... some girl. The next morning after I threw up not necessarily for the reason you would imagine, I went to see my mother despite my promise neither to call her nor to stop by. I convinced her to join the rest of the family. She finally agreed and on our way to Sarah’s, she asked me to pull up a church to light a candle for Justin and she fell apart. I was sad and lost and overwhelmed and I repressed so hard the urge to cry that my eyes were stinging; I wanted to be strong for her, you know. Then we got to Joe and Sarah’s, I talked to Kitty but except for the kids, our hearts weren’t in it. Our minds and hearts were there with him.” Kevin finished with a tremble in his voice that had Scotty understand he was crying.
As much as Scotty wanted to say something nice and comforting, words didn’t come out right in his mind; if only he had been with Kevin he could have reassured him by a simple but meaningful gesture: a tender embrace.
Kevin had apparently calmed down because when he started speaking again, his voice sounded lower and serener. “Both times there were tears, distance and hopeless hearts. When Jason left for Malaysia I felt it was unfair. This Christmas foreshadowed tears, distance and my hopeless heart. Again. This is not the case, thanks to you. Thanks to that stupid police officer who arrested you a few months ago. Should we send him a thank you gift? Like new gloves or something?” Kevin added in a fit of his well-know sarcasm.
Scotty was touched by Kevin’s words, if he had been able to see his boyfriend’s eyes, Kevin would have seen them sparkling even more than the tree they had decorated three days before. Something was happening between the two of them something that wasn’t friendship anymore.
“Kevin!” Scotty finally managed to say. “There’s distance between you and me right now, and to be completely honest there are tears on my side of the phone. I was just calling to wish you a Merry Christmas and to thank you for your present.”
“There might be tears or distance but my heart is filled with hope this year, let alone the emotions I feel each time I hear your voice!” He added in a joyful and suggestive tone which had Scotty blush lightly but Kevin would never find out. Scotty knew he could have pronounced these words because he felt the same.
“So what did you get Robert?” Scotty asked lightheartedly to bring some cheer back.
“Well, I searched for Equal rights for Dummies but that title wasn’t available. I guess I’ll have to write it myself! Instead I get some stupid CD Kitty told me about.”
“And what did he get you?”
“I don’t know we haven’t opened the presents yet.” Kevin replied.
“Did you open mine?” Scotty asked impatiently.
“No, not yet. Do you want me to get it now?”
“No, it’s fine, don’t worry! I hope you’ll like it! Well, thanks again for the cell phone; it couldn’t have come at a better time!”
“Yeah? That’s what I figured! And don’t worry it’s not a way to plague you or anything!” he added jokingly.
“Of course not” Scotty heard him say. “Well, have a Merry Christmas, take care, okay! Bye.”
“Yeah, Merry Christmas to you and your family too, Scotty. See you soon, bye.” He replied, sad the conversation had to end.
Kevin stayed there in the stairs unable to move, he was shivering, how was that possible? For so long, he had wanted to be with someone he loved and now he was forced to make a choice between two persons as adorable as he could hope his boyfriend would be, as kind and sweet and clever although in really different ways. A few weeks ago he had to tell his boyfriend Jason, his ex-boyfriend Scotty was staying at his apartment and now he would have to tell his boyfriend Scotty about his ex Jason’s coming back. That was complicated not to mention ironic, but certainly not something to ponder over on Christmas Eve.
Deep in thoughts, Kevin didn’t hear somebody approaching. “Are you joining us or what? They’re getting impatient”, the voice said, but he didn’t get it was addressed to him. He finally surfaced and saw the senator standing straight in front of him awaiting an answer. Wow, Jason and Robert really have the same look, he thought. “What were you saying?” he asked politely.
“Are you coming or what?” Robert repeated. “Your niece and nephew have asked for everyone’s presence in the living-room presumably for a surprise they’ve been preparing for us tonight.” Robert explained.
Kevin smiled and stood up nodding and answered “you mean our niece and nephew; they’re yours too, now.” Kevin pointed out.
After some hesitation, Robert added: “I’m sorry for what I told you earlier, it wasn’t my place to judge you or the relationship you had with Jason.” He paused. Kevin’s reaction was between the laugh and the tear. “Let’s go see the kids’ surprise.” Robert added to change the subject.
“Thank you. And once again I promise: no more threats even though we both know they’re empty threats. I could never hurt you because that would have both Kitty and Jason feel miserable, and I would never let this happen.”
“Fair enough! Well, in that case, I’ll keep to myself that you think my ass is - How did you say? Good enough to eat?” Robert exclaimed as he got down the stairs to meet the family members.
Robert’s last sentence produced the desired effect; it caused Kevin to mumble a protest while he followed Robert in the living-room. Almost everyone was around Lizzie who apparently had decided she was old enough to go to sleep an hour later for she was well and truly awake and grouchy.
“Hey, Kev! Are you alright?” Nora asked when she saw him join the family.
“Yeah, I’m fine! So I thought Paige and Coop had planned a surprise? Kevin replied.
“As a matter of fact they did, but maybe you want to eat first?” Nora asked him.
“What? Why? I don’t understand!”
“You tell me! You disappeared almost an hour ago! After you got that call from Malaysia. We thought you needed to be alone, we didn’t dare disturb you. We’ve already eaten.” Nora explained.
“Okay, well, I don’t know! I’m not really hungry. But thanks Mom!” Kevin said still disoriented.
Lizzie was feeling fidgety and everyone had their say on how to pacify her. Kevin thought he was seeing things when Paige came back with a little stuffed animal that looked way too familiar: Wendy the bunny! While Nora explained to Robert how the said teddy had entered the Walker family, the baby started to smile again and calm down to her parents’ relief. When Julia put her to bed, she fell asleep almost instantly.
“Now that everyone’s here maybe you could tell us what this is all about, right kids?” Nora suggested.
“Uncle Justin, can you put this CD on, please? Paige asked.
“Sure, baby!” Justin replied as the sound of guitar filled the room, Sarah smiled although some bitterness and sadness where noticeable in her eyes, this was tougher than she had imagined, the first Christmas without her husband.
“Dad recorded songs so we could all sing together!” Cooper announced proud as a peacock.
“Yeah, okay! Which song do you want to sing first?” Kitty asked.
Evidently each and every one of them wanted a different song, almost instantly did they all start to bicker and fight over which song to sing and whose choice it was to make. Nora was relieved, everyone had finally made it. She had her three grandchildren, her five children and their sister Rebecca around her for the holiday, all of them safe and sound and that was all that mattered. Although it was not exactly what she had hoped for, Nora’s Christmas wish had come true.
THE END
- - - - - - - - - -
As usual REVIEWS are appreciated! Thanks again for reading!