With everything that had been going on in the last few months, since they'd gotten to New Orleans, and even before, in that freaky ass town that just...yeah we wont go there. Alex knew that Ash had to be close to running on empty. The tawny little wolf watched him when he was home, seeing the fatigue, and stress settling about his shoulders. Knowing he didn't sleep worth a damn, since she was usually in the same bed as he was lately, along with usually Silent, and a few others. It was something Alex was getting used to, and was becomming the norm.
So long she'd done without the puppy piles. Sleeping alone in her room. Not sharing with anyone and keeping to herself. But the longer she was with the pack again, the more she came to crave the touch of the others. Even if just in sleep.
It was about 3 weeks before Christmas. And it was that morning, opening her eye's sleepily, watching Ash getting up well before dawn once again, having awoken because she'd been resting her cheek against his chest as she slept, and suddenly the warmth and scent was gone, and a pillow was in it's place instead. Blinking slowly, she pondered, and the plan started to formulate in her mind. Rising up, she untangled herself from her bedmates, Silent's arm having been wrapped around the little hellbilly's waist, and she slid out of bed, tugging boy shorts and tshirt straight. Seeing Ash had left his phone on the bedside table when he'd gone down to start his coffee, she quickly snagged it, finding a pad of paper on the side table, and after a quick look in his contacts, found the number she was looking for, and scribbled it down. Placing his phone back where it had been, and stuffing the note in the pocket of her jeans that were in a heap on the floor.A smile on her lips, and she crawled back into the warm nest of blankets and sheets, snuggling in against Silent once more, and letting sleep suck her back under.
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Later that day, when the house was fairly empty, and Alex was left to her own devices, finishing decorating the tree, and pretty much making sure it looked like someone had set off a christmas grenade in the house, Things were set into motion. The phonecall to Evie was placed. Done on purpose because Alex knew damn well she'd never be able to get through a conversation with Marcus. So Evie it was.
Evie was surprised to hear from her of course, but a quick explination on who she was, and why she was calling jogged the other girls memory. Soon they were chatting, and Alex was able to bring up her idea. Dates were decided on, and soon Alex was off the phone, and onto her laptop, her portable printer on the kitchen table next to her, and perusing ticket prices on various different sites.
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Evening had fallen now, the sun setting, and the outside of the house was bright with lights. Alex having taken Ash up on the idea of putting lights outside. And even enlisting Daniel to help her. She was slowly starting to NOT hate the pup. He seemed to have calmed the fuck down and chilled out over the last few months and didn't seem so much up in your face, showing off his cock to everyone.
Alex herself now, was in the house, grinning to herself as she tied a bow of gold garland around Helix's neck, the large white dog sitting and letting her do it. And even accepting the pair of doggy antlers she found at the petstore, that had made her crack up if only because they had lights that lit up, and christmas baubles hanging from them. Sitting back, she grinned at the dog and nodded her head. "There! Now you look nice and festive!"
No she wasn't going to leave the dog that way, but it was cute! Chuckling as she got to her feet, she snapped her fingers, and he followd along after her patient with all that she'd put on him, and she slid into the kitchen, checking on dinner that was simmering away in a large stew pot. Thick, rich and savory beef stew bubbled and filled the house with a cozy scent, and Alex was just starting to get to work on the dumplings that would go with it, when Helix let out a series of happy, booming barks and raced for the front door to greet whoever it was that was comming home. One hand swipped over her face, leaving behind a smear of flour across her nose and cheek, she followed out into the hall, already catching the scent of the highlands that told her Ashes was home.
Smiling shyly, she let one hand touch her back pocket for a moment, and leaning against the door frame, she watched as he finally got a good look at Helix. "Hey....guess i'm not the only one glad your home?" She'd been waiting all day for this. Now, she could finally give him his present.
For some reason Christmas was just one of those holidays that always snuch up on him. It probably had something to do with the fact that for the majority of his life he had spent Christmas alone, and there was no necessity for gift buying or decoration when you celebrate alone. That day for some reason the reality of the holiday getting closer really hit home for him. Who knows why, maybe it was the two dead hookers tied up in Christmas tree lights that had been dumped in the river riddled by vampire bites. Yes, that was probably the reason. Almost as soon as he saw the dead women tangled up like a fir tree he thought in the back of his mind "I need to do my Christmas shopping".
Of course the idea of shopping ranked on his list of enjoyable pass times right up there with caroling and dressing up as Santa, but with familial intimacy came certain obligations. He'd just sort of gotten used to meeting those obligations with silent acceptance of fate. Solitude was not replaced without a price. As he went through the day he made a mental check list of things that he needed and just hoped that most of them were items that could be ordered over the internet and shipped in time for Christmas Eve. Though he didn’t know Alex was worried he could have assuaged her fears. He had already put in for time off over the holidays, death might keep on working, but he had to try to find some kind of balance between his family and his career.
By the end of the day when he was headed home Ash found himself quietly reflective of the many changes that had taken place since he had left New York last Christmas. The thought of that departure brought with it a wash of regret, but that was a personal issue that he would deal with when the opportunity presented itself. After so many ups and downs and changes things finally seemed to have reached a peaceful quiet space where no one had been kidnapped, or possessed, or wounded, or killed, etc in at least…..a few weeks. It seemed like perhaps they would have peace on earth for Christmas this year after all.
Turning down the lane that led towards the Plantation House that was home to the pack he could already see the lights twinkling in the distance. It looked like Alex had done her part to make their home festive after all. The corners of his full lips curled just slightly in the ghost of a smile as he pulled into the circle drive and parked his Hummer near one of the other cars. The keys were slipped into the pocket of his leather coat as he climbed out of the vehicle and headed towards where Alex and Helix waited for him on the front porch, both decked out for the holidays. Lifting a pale hand his fingers snapped and Helix’s butt hit the floor even though his tail kept on wagging.
“That poor dog. Shouldn’t we of all people have more respect for our animals?”
Teasing Alex lightly as he came up the stairs to the oversized front porch. When he reached them a hand stretched out to scratch beneath Helix’s chin as he kissed Alex on the crown of her head lightly. One pale tattooed finger swiped at the streak of white flower decorating her cheek.
“If he’s Rudolph then who are you supposed to be? Frosty the Snowman?”
That accent laced tone was rather bland, dry enough to spread with jam, but for someone who knew him it would be easy enough to tell that he was kidding. Putting an arm around Alex’s waist he tugged her away from the doorframe and into the house. Instantly his senses picked up the scent of her beef stew (Lizz’s dads recipe no doubt) and for a moment it really did feel like home. Heading into the kitchen with the bedecked Helix trotting along after them he saw a strange sort of twinkle in Alex’s eyes.
“What’s going on pet? You have a look on your face that’s either very very good news or deviously bad news.”
Have you ever seen a little kid that's giving someone a christmas present for the first time? And they just can't seem to manage to make it to Christmas day to give it to you? That was totally Alex at the moment. All but hopping from one foot to the other as she wrapped an arm around Ashes waist for a moment then let go, and grinned up at him as he swiped at the flour on her face.
"Hey, he hasn't tried to take it off yet. I think he likes it!He's feeling christmasy too!" Not that the massive white dog really needed much help with that. He was a pure white Great Pyrenese that looked like he should be out pulling a slead. As they moved into the kitchen, Alex checked on the stew, and couldn't help but snicker softly. "Deviously bad news...Would I do that?" the gleam in her eye's said that yes, yes she would, and probably have a blast doing so. But that was just Alex. and the bad news would ALWAYS be about someone that wasn't pack that made her happy. Never family.
Waiting till Ash settled him self on one of the stools at the island, she hesitated by the bowl of dough for the dumplings, ready to scoop them out into little balls waiting to be dropped into the stew. "It's good news...least I think it's good news..." She leaned a hip against the island, watching him, arms crossed over her stomach, and one hand resting near the top of an envelope that stuck out of her pocket.
"I been noticing you've been getting up way before dawn...and you go to bed not much before that..." She eye'd him quietly, her face serious. "You get on my case about not sleeping, but it's sorta the pot calling the kettle when you arn't getting much more than I am.." She squirmed in place for a minute, and finally. "You need a break, Ash....So....I decided to give you one."
With that, she pulled the envelope out of her pocket, and handed it over to him. Inside he'd find the plane tickets that would take him, that thursday, for a week and a half, to London, to see Evie and Marcus. Watching his face as he pulled out the tickets, she nibbled at her thumb nail, waiting to see his reaction. Would he be mad? did she presume to much? she hoped not. She hated seeing him run himself ragged like this.
"I...I got Evie's number off your phone this morning when you got up....I called her and told her what I wanted to do...She's really excited about it....about you comming to visit for a bit..." She gave a little grin. "and your not allowed to do any work while your there. Your just supposed to relax, recharge, unwind, and be...Ash. And visit with your friends.."
Giving a smile, she backed away, and moved tot he sink to wash her hands, then to the bowl of dough, starting to scoop out the balls to make the dumplings soon as it was time to drop them in. grey blue eye's lifted to his, and she finally made a face, wriggling slightly. "Well say something damn it....."
There were three stools tucked in on one side of the island and he pulled one of them out to take a seat as Alex tended to her cook pot. Noticing the almost nervous way she moved before she leaned against the counter he had to fight to stifle a smile that might have seemed patronizing had he let it escape. Really he'd never seen Alex like this. Then she began to explain and his expression grew more stoic; not really sure of what she was getting at even as she pulled the envelope out of her pocket.
"A break?"
The question was asked with a slight frown and a questioning arch to his slim black brows. Reaching across the counter he took the envelope at her urging and ran a long tattooed finger under the envelope seal to tear it open. Setting the envelope aside he looked at the items that had been inside and at first their significance weren't registering. The gift was so unthinkable that as she explained his eyes merely stared at the plane tickets in his hands, he didn't even have the heart to scold her for going through his phone.
Words escaped him for a moment as he felt a tightness in his chest that was unfamiliar. Swallowing he looked up when Alex drew his attention once again and he met her grey blue eyes with his own neon colored gaze. The fullness of his lips parted, and he didn't know what to say until he saw that face she was making and the way she wiggled nervously, just like Helix.
"Alex love........this is the most wonderful gift anyone has ever given me."
It was something that he never would have thought of himself. Sometimes he missed Evie with a heartsickness that was horrendous, but he never would have gotten a ticket to visit. There was always something else that needed to be done, keeping him from visiting the others. Now that she had taken his excuses away by buying the ticket he felt free to go, free to commune with the other two parts of his soul.
Scooting the stool back across the tiled floor he moved around the counter towards Alex with the tickets still held in one hand. When he reached her he wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace, his chin resting delicately against the top of her head as he tucked her in against him. Finally, when he felt like he could speak his words came softly.
"Thank you Alex. From the bottom of my heart." Then with another thought he pulled away enough to see her as he said, "And don't worry, I'll be home to spend Christmas with everyone here."
When he finally responded, her face broke into a smile, and she beamed at him. Watching him fight to find words, to deal with the emotions that were flooding him, and finally, feeling his arms comming around her, she rested her head against his chest, and her arms slid around his waist contently, hugging him tightly, and letting her eye's close a moment. She would do for Ash, what she wouldn't do for alot of other people. He was one of the most important people in her life, and this was something she knew he needed.
Breathing in that scent that to her ment home. Safety, and comfort, she relaxed. All the nerves about giving him the gift melted away because she knew he liked it. Knew he had no excuses now not to do it. And knew she was helping him, and that was the best thing she could ever get herself for christmas.
When his voice finally came again, she smiled, and nuzzled against him lightly. "Your welcome. I know you need the time away." As he pulled back to look at her, she gave a bright smile, her face lighting up with it. As if the last few months had melted away with the holiday season, and the old Alex was showing through. Well. The old Alex he'd known before.
She'd never be totally normal. But then again, would anyone really want her to be? with who she'd been raised by, and what she'd been taught all her life, Alex was simply Alex. She was his Hellbilly princess. His wild one. She was just, Alex. And she was making herself into the woman, and wolf she wanted to be. Not what she'd been raised to be.
"Love you, Ash. You deserve to be happy and have time to relax just like everybody else." She leaned up and kissed the corner of his mouth. "I"m holding you to that. Wouldn't be Christmas without you here too."
