by Harold Wall
"We could pretend the gifts everybody else got us are from each other. I know it sounds silly, but it's the best I could do honey. Unless you want to go out now, but I doubt we could
find a shopping place open on Christmas…" He stopped when she laid a finger on his lips.
"That will be fine. Besides, we just got married. What more of a present could we get?" Keller said happily. Galen simply looked at her. She was acting as if he had been the one
who overreacted.
"Well, since we're up," she began in a brisk business like manner, suddenly standing before him, "let's get to work. There are calculations that need to get done if we want to save
the major populations of the west coast."
"There's the Keller I know and love," he mumbled as she dragged him away. They worked on numbers for the rest of the afternoon, battle tactics, and dinner.
As they settled into bed Keller almost fell asleep until she felt strong arms pull her swiftly to the right side of the king size bed and a gentle mouth nibbling at her neck.
"Keller, are you all right?" her husband whispered into ear. "You've been acting strange all day."
Keller turned until she was facing her husband nose to nose. "I think it was those tofu chips our pilot let us have. Yuck." Galen laughed at her crinkled up face as she remembered
the taste.
"And then you had a really light lunch," Galen added remembering the dinner mints bowl going empty as they worked in the kitchen. "Not to mention unhealthy. I forgot how weird
you get with lack of food."
Without warning, Keller jumped from the bed and over Galen to the bathroom. After a few moments, Galen heard spewing and then the flushing of a toilet. Soon a wobbly Keller
appeared at the door way, holding her stomach.
"I don't think that almostexpiredbutsmellsallright milk helped at all. Me and my dairy product attachments," she mumbled after she gargled and crawled into bed next to a
worried Galen. Oh yes, he thought, cats and their milk….
"Are you sure you're all right? Maybe you could take some medicine…" Keller shook her head.
"Let's just go asleep Galen. We have a busy few days a head of us, so let's just have our quiet time now, huh? We'll sleep now and then work later…"Keller trailed off as she yawned
and let the sleep take over her, leaving Galen yet again surprised. Keller never fell asleep so fast.
Shrugging, he gathered her into his arms and fell asleep to the calm steady rhythm of her heart beating against his.
December 25, 1999
Clayton, California
"It's nice to finally meet a few more of your new friends," Aunt Nanami said politely after the introductions were finally taken care of. It was actually more than a few, more like
ten or so. To Jez's surprise, Claire quickly made new friends for every visit to the mansion.
"And it is simply a pleasure to meet the woman who created this fair being here," Warren returned, making Claire blush and her mother's eyes widen for a moment. There was
nothing more than friendship there, that was certain, but just for the fun of seeing Claire turn beet red, he would say something that would convince a bystander otherwise.
"He's just being a ham," Nissa cut in and rescued Claire from batting off insinuations and meaningful looks from her mother. Mrs. Goddard gave a polite but still hopeful nod at her
daughter and her friend before excusing herself to welcome other guests.
Nissa looked around and spotted Jez and Morgead walked in an unassuming air to the back porch to meet the setting sun. She started after them, but Jez's friend, Raven Mandril,
caught her in conversation and soon she forgot about the couple.
"Everybody's here," Jez said in what should have been a cheerful voice, but was heard as gloomy. Morgead simply nodded in agreement from his lawn chair to her across the patio
table.
"You'll get lots of presents then," he commented in a lazy voice after a while. Jez nodded. As a rule, they never formally gave each other Christmas gifts, simply because there was
nothing good enough to give to each other. There would be gestures of course, dinners, walks on the beach…all the endings to the romance movies. The first year they were
together, they tried very hard to give the most meaningful gifts and ended up competing on who could get the first and best gifts. It was only natural, after all those years of
competing and testing each other…well, old habits died hard.
This year, they had both decided to drop the loving custom to spend time at the Goddard's Christmas party, with Jez's family. But, with all the time he had spent there and how many times he talked with them, Morgead was accepted as one of the blood as well.
For a few moments, the silence resumed as they watched the last bit of sun slowly fall behind the horizon of trees. That was as far as she could see it, but undoubtedly Morgead
could still see it through the trees and even farther.
Although their purpose for leaving the jovial company had long since departed and the darkness of night was soon coming, they did not move from their restful positions. Morgead
often looked over at Jez, and take in her silk silver blue dress that accentuated her curves and her eyes and the beauty of her face, her eyes. Sometimes Jez would catch him and
stared into his own green irises and smile.
"I bought you a present, but I didn't want to give it to you in front of everybody," Morgead finally murmured. He was completely sure it was the wrong time and place, but the
urgency was strong.
Jez watch him for a moment with interest and the tiny twinge of guilt, for she had not bought him a present. Then just a little bit of annoyance for buying her something when he
knew very well it was untraditional. But the dead seriousness in his eyes stopped her from snapping at him.
Morgead seemed to hesitate, which was very uncharacteristic. His eyes hardened, as if someone had just given him a kamikaze mission and he was ready to plunge in head first.
With swift and rather jerky movements, he rose from his chair and moved to stand in front of her. He caught Jez looking at him with puzzlement in her silverblue eyes, but ignored
it to dig into his pockets. Something was missing…
"Oh, there it is," he said in a way that suggested he had lost his lighter. Before she could see what it was, he swooped down to grab something square from under the chair he
vacated moments before.
"Well?" she barked impatiently when he just looked up and gazed at the stars.
"Hey, I'll give you the present when I feel like it," he snapped back out of habit. Out of all the important, peaceful moments she had to go and ruin it.
"What's the point of announcing you have a present and then giving it centuries later?" she shot back, and stood up to meet his eyes.
"Centuries? Now that I see how you feel, I don't think I should give a gift to such a greedy little girl," he replied in a mocking voice. His mind was coming up full of comebacks, but
he knew he could go only so far without getting physically injured. His ego would just have to bear the bruises.
There. There, he started it. He had wound her up and then gave her nothing for a release from her curiosity. "I'm greedy? I'm greedy? Why you…you…hypocritical, dim witted,
egotistical pig!"
"If I'm…all that stuff you just called me, then you're a stuck up, stubborn, ill tempered…foul shrew!" Morgead wasn't entirely sure that it meant what he thought it meant, he hadn't
seen that Dickens movie for a few years now. And he immediately regretted the words as soon as he saw Jez's eyes (that were beautiful a moment before, but was now helped
Morgead as a flashing on road signs that showed danger) darkened and then flashed silver in a split second.
Obviously, the insult meant the same as it had in Great Expectations, for Jez responded in the most ferocious, feral
snarl Morgead had ever heard from someone, who was in
human form at least. Then, while he was still numbly pondering of what her next actions would be, he felt two hands shove at him with the strength and determination of a
bulldozer and the speed of Jez. Before he knew what happened, he felt the air rushing from behind him and an uncomfortable thud on mulch and azalea bushes. Looking straight
above him, he could see Jez standing over the railing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Morgead Blackthorn just fell twenty feet from this patio, nearly missing the rose bushes, and must have injured his head. Thanks heavens there's nothing
valuable in there, otherwise we'd have trouble." Jez gave an artificial, game show host laugh. "Let's ask him how he feels. But wait…we don't care! Let's ask him if he will kindly
give his girlfriend the Christmas present now. Morgead…give it!"
Jez's merry laughing was stopped when he tossed the gift up at her, hitting her squarely on the forehead. It didn't hurt, but her ego was sorely wounded for letting such an easy
blow land. "Ow!" she yelled down at him. The stream of angry words was abruptly dammed when she observed the velvet box he had so rudely struck her with. She was so
engrossed with the tiny gift that she didn't look up when Morgead leapt from the ground to the railing.
"There's more inside," he said in a mocking, but gentle tone.
"Genius alert," she murmured. Slowly, she poked a finger underneath the lid and let it swing open by itself. Jez gasped, and made Morgead smile. "Earrings? But where's the other
one? Morgead, did you pawn it?"
He frowned. "Fine, if you want to make a mockery of this beautiful moment, you don't get the present," he sulked loudly. His hands made an attempt to grab it, but she held it to
her protectively.
"I was just kidding!" she exclaimed. When she saw him relax, she added, "I knew the whole time it was a toe ring. But kind of fancy just to sit around in my shoe, don't you think?"
Before she could stop him, the box was quickly torn from her grasp and was fit snugly in his pocket.
Morgead, with an absolutely devilish gleam in his eyes, wrapped his hands around her waist and tossed her over the railing. She let out an ear bleeding shriek, arms flailing wildly
for something to hold on to. Once again, her opinion of herself plummeted at the thought of how she simply stood there when she should have been noticing any muscle twinges.
Unfortunately, Morgead had tossed her directly above the roses that he had narrowly missed.
Just as she shut her eyes and was about to pivot in the air so she could land on her feet, a strong, warm hand lashed out from above her and pulled her up, but not completely.
"Are you going to accept this or not?" Morgead flashed his teeth briefly and held up the diamond ring shaped like a crystal, the golden band melted and carved into a rose.
"If I don't, I don't think I'll drop to certain death. Besides, a forced answer is hardly romantic." Despite this bantering, her heart was soaring, and she was having some slight trouble
getting air in and out of her lungs. And it was definitely not because of her current dangling position. Looking up into his emerald eyes, she could see the excited twinkle there too.
The anticipation and suspense was killing them both, yet they still let it drag on.
"Let me up, you gorilla." Although she still kept the mischievous and knowing smile on her lips, she winced a bit at her last insult. Apparently, the high elevation was affecting her
brain; a "gorilla?" Surely there was a more effective term to insult him.
"Do you want to get married or not?" Morgead called, obviously loving the test of patience.
"Oh, is that the most popular proposal going on these days? Gee, how could a girl refuse?"
"It makes me wonder why you're still hanging there and not swooning in my arms. Say yes or no."
"Yes or no," she repeated sweetly and tossed her flaming hair back. Morgead noticed distractedly that even in the night time, the red waves were still shining and vibrant.
"I could wait here all night," he warned.
"Then so can I. Ask me properly and then we might get some forty winks," she commanded.
"What if I don't?" he challenged in an equal demanding voice.
Without a word, she let go of his hand (while he cursed himself for not keeping a stronger hold) and grabbed to the railing that was beside it. Using it as a gymnast would use the
bars, she easily swung herself over him, a blur of blue and red against the black sky. Morgead took his time turning, knowing there would be a smug smile to meet him.
Silently, she gestured towards the ground and Morgead bent down on both knees. It was a gesture of surrender, not at all the romantic marriage position she wanted. Her eyes
narrowed dangerously and he quickly corrected it.
"Jez Redfern, the most annoying and loving girl I know, will you do the honor of marrying me? I may regret this later, but that extra alcohol in the eggnog is just having a strange
effect on me!" He was almost yelling the words now, as if he wanted the stars to share the conversation, but kept his eyes staring unflinchingly to hers. Out of the corner of her
eye, she saw that not only the stars were involved with their serious chit chat, but also a number of faces were casually lined up against the windows.
Jez took a step closer. No more teasing, no more playful games. She let a hand run through his hair, so soft it felt like she was touching silk itself. Who ever thought of the one
knee proposal anyway, she thought absently. Morgead never lost eye contact with her, but by the way his eyelids drooped ever so slightly let her know he enjoyed her touch.
Not comfortable with the difference of heights, she kneeled in front of him and wrapped two arms around his neck. "You know," she said in a voice that somehow came out low and
husky, "I had my share of the eggnog. Looks like it's affecting me too…because I'm saying yes. Yes, Morgead Blackthorn, what did you think I'd say!" Despite her low voice, the
excitement and eagerness wouldn't have been more obvious if she yelled it. He slipped the ring over her wedding finger.
Tired of the wait and impatient as always, his hand tangled its way into her mass of red hair and Morgead's lips capture hers. Jez was momentarily taken by surprise at his
passionate, almost rough kiss. His lips were burning into hers, slowly driving her into the demanding state he was obviously in.
Every time we kiss each other…she began dreamily.
it's like the first time, Morgead completed the thought in a gentle tone contradicting the way his lips bruised hers. Every time I look you, I feel the same way when I first fell in
love with you. OH DAMN IT!
Jez was about to start when she suddenly heard voices, distant and fuzzy, outside of the small world they retreated to. Oh, she thought. That's why.
Jez broke the kiss just as Morgead did, and both turned to glare at the sickeningly cheerful faces at the windows, now openly spying. "Damn it all to hell," she agreed, annoyance
clear in her voice.
Her aunt slowly opened the door, a sneaky smile on the face. "Children," Aunt Nanami started, "did what I think just happened…happen?" Morgead rolled his eyes at the word
"children."
"Well did you see a flying dragon come down and eat the azalea bushes? What do you think happened?," Jez responded smartly, but sweet enough so that her aunt wouldn't become
too miffed. Beyond the small woman, she could see the rows of faces laughing at her remark.
"Oh hell," Morgead swore as he picked himself up and helped Jez. "I just proposed to Jez. Is that all right?" Morgead had a way of being tactless and yet so strangely polite (such as
asking if marrying his soul mate was all right and being completely serious) Jez found herself smiling at him.
"Why of course it is," a new voice assured him. Her uncle.
&
nbsp; "Well, I'm glad I'm sharing this wonderfully romantic moment with my aunt and uncle," Jez murmured. Her uncle gave her a mildly rebuking look.
"Come on," her aunt said. "Let's go tell everybody inside."
"Actually, just that one couple in the bathroom that missed our performance," Morgead whispered in her ear as he led Jez into the house. Jez turned and kissed his cheek at the last moment of semi privacy before they faced the ecstatic crowd waiting in the living room.
December 25, 1999
Boston, Massachusetts
The silence was so strong it was deafening. Rashel had no clue why, but sometimes in completely quietness she would hear a continuous high pitched beep. She wasn't sure what made that happen, but it irritated the hell out of her. Even the flaming logs, which were supposed to be crackling to make the Christmas evening cliché, kept dutifully silent.
"Aren't we chatty John?" Rashel said calmly, eyes staying on the fire. They could have watched a television show, but her soul mate didn't keep a TV, due to the lack of time spent
in the apartment. Neither of them would have known what was on any way. She hadn't said it because she was uncomfortable with the stillness. In fact, Rashel was quite content of
staying on the sofa, curled up in her John's arms. She knew that other couples of Circle Daybreak were spending the Christmas night similarly.
Somewhere in the modest apartment, an antique grandfather clock chimed. Rashel counted…one. That was it, just one. She had stayed longer than she had intended. It was so easy
to lose time, because when she and John held each other…Rashel sighed. There simply was no such thing as time then.
"Would you like to stay here for the night?" he asked in a normal tone, not in the least uncomfortable in asking her. No matter how frank the conversation got, somehow Quinn was
never bothered to ask her anything.
Rashel turned to give him a sharp look, but only to receive a calm look in return. "I'll be a gentleman Rashel. Really. What dirty little idea did you have forming in your brilliant mind?" He said it all in an innocent voice, never skipping a beat.
For a moment, she wasn't sure if she should be irked for accusing her as such, or to smile at his compliment. She chose the former.
