Christmas Memories
Disclaimer: Sadly I own neither Saving Hope nor Daniel Gillies.
Pairing: Alex and Joel
Rating: T
Summary: Christmas Eve at the Goran Reid household.
It was nearly three a.m. when Joel Goran walked into the house to find his wife Alex filling the children's stockings.
"Hey, love," Joel whispered so he wouldn't wake the kids. "I thought you'd be in bed by now," He said softly as he hung up his leather jacket by the door.
Alex shook her head, turning to look at her husband as he entered the house and kissed her in greeting.
"No, I still have to get the Santa gifts from the closet in the basement, and put them under the tree, put out the milk and cookies then I can take a shower and go to bed."
Joel looked at his beautiful wife in disbelief, "I don't know where you get your energy Reid." He said, smiling, as he pulled the tortoise-shell clip from Alex's dark hair.
Alex smiled, "I just don't want to disappoint the kids. They love Christmas."
Joel shook his head, "And I love you. You could never disappoint our kids. You're a wonderful mother. Do you hear me, Alex Reid?"
Alex nodded and let her husband hold her for a moment longer before she turned back to the stockings.
"You know who else used to love Christmas?" She asked softly, laying a hand gently against the back of his neck.
He knew the answer even before she spoke.
Their oldest son's namesake.
Her brother Luke.
"My brother Luke," She said aloud, her voice trailing off as she hung their son Theo's first Christmas stocking.
"I know," Joel replied, softly, pulling her towards him again, "Why don't you handle the milk and cookies and I'll grab the rest of the presents out of the basement?"
Alex smiled, against his neck, pressing her lips to the mole behind his ear, "I love you, Doctor Goran."
Joel flashed her one of his trademark grins, "And I love you, Doctor Reid." He repeated, echoing his earlier words. "You don't have to do everything by yourself."
She smiled again and watched her husband walk away from her downstairs to the basement.
I never get tired of watching Joel Goran walk away.
I never get tired of watching him come back to me either.
She thought going from the living room into the kitchen.
She took the container of chocolate chip cookies from the cupboard and put two on a plate.
She took a glass from the dishwasher and filled it half full with milk.
As she surveyed her handiwork she realized what the tableau was missing.
It has to look like Santa was here.
She took a sip from the glass of milk to make it appear as though Santa was in a hurry.
She didn't know her husband was watching her until she heard him chuckle, "Reid, what are you doing?"
Alex shrugged, "Making it look like Santa was here. Did you bring all the gifts upstairs?"
"Yes ma'am. They're under the tree."
"All of them? They're the ones…"
"The ones that are wrapped in the red and green wrapping paper instead of the blue and silver wrapping paper. Yeah, Reid, I got them all." He said, walking towards her and putting his hands on her shoulders.
"Joel baby, I'm sorry, I know I'm being really neurotic about this but I just want everything to be perfect for them on Christmas morning."
"It will be," Joel whispered, resting his chin against her shoulder. "Anything else I can do to help?"
"Yeah, you can come over here and eat these cookies. And make sure you get the crumbs on the plate. It has to look real."
Joel laughed, "Doctor Reid, did you seriously just order me to eat a cookie?"
"Yes, I know it sounds silly. But I used to do it all the time for…"
She didn't have to finish the sentence.
He knew what she was going to say.
She used to do this for Luke too.
"No, Alex, it's not silly at all. The kids will love it. But I'll only do it under one condition…"
Joel Goran could turn anything into a competition.
Alex rolled her eyes, "Okay, what are the terms, Doctor Goran?"
Joel flashed her another grin, "If I have to eat one, you have to eat one too. Doctor's orders. C'mon Reid. Do it for the sake of authenticity. Do it for the kids."
Alex smiled again and took a bite of a cookie, careful to leave crumbs on the plate as evidence of Father Christmas's presence.
Joel reached out and brushed a crumb from the corner of her mouth as he took a bite of his own cookie.
"Thank you," Alex whispered, leaning in to kiss him passionately.
Joel dropped the half-eaten cookie on the plate.
Alex Reid definitely tastes better than a cookie.
"You're welcome, Reid. Now let's go upstairs and get some sleep. We're going to have to be up with the kids soon. Do you want the first shower?"
"No, go ahead. I'm going to unplug the tree and I'll be right up."
Joel nodded, and gave her a quick kiss before heading upstairs.
Alex watched her husband walk away for the second time that evening with a smile on her face.
She surveyed the living room one last time, her eyes tearing up as she did so.
Luke would've gotten a kick out of sharing Christmas with the kids.
Alex took a deep breath to get her emotions in check, and then she went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of pinot noir before walking slowly up the stairs.
She heard the shower running in the master bathroom as she sipped her wine and practically fell into bed.
She had every intention of staying awake long enough to shower. But she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew Joel was next to her in bed whispering in her ear. "Alex, Are you still awake?"
"Not really, "She answered groggily, "Merry Christmas, Joel baby. I love you too."
"Merry Christmas, love." Joel replied, softly, kissing her neck and pulling her close before they both fell asleep.