Disclaimer: Characters belong to Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, Gary Tomlin, NBC, et al and are used here strictly for non-profit entertainment purposes.
Rating: T
Genre: Romance/Holiday
Spoilers: Everything through Episode 134, then it drifts into AU
Summary: Something indeed.

A/N: This story is a holiday-themed prequel to "Whisper & Hush".

December 24, 2016

Gregory sat on the patio steps, a glass of scotch in one hand and a smoldering cigar in the other. The garden lights cast long shadows that cloaked him as he raised his right hand and took a long drag on the cigar. From behind him, Christmas carols and a multitude of accompanying singing voices drifted from the house. His ten grandchildren, soon to be eleven. His four children. His two daughters-in-law. His one son-in-law. His one wife.

And, a partridge in a pear tree, he thought to himself as a stream of silver smoke escaped his lips. Slowly, he looked up. The dark night sky was studded with stars, glittering like diamonds. An eruption of laughter echoed from behind him, louder than the distant singing from before, which meant the door was open. Which meant someone found him. As he took another long drag on his cigar, he heard high heels clicking across the stone. "Hiding?" he heard Olivia ask as she stood next to him.

He chuckled, lazily waving away the cigar smoke as he exhaled. With an ascending glance, his eyes traversed the length of her body from her ankles up to her face. "Not hiding very well if you found me."

She only laughed in reply as she sat next to him on the step. "Since when do you hide from me?" she asked softly as he placed the crystal glass between his feet.

With his hand now free, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her in. "Since never," he whispered into her hair before he kissed her head. He felt her right arm go around his waist as she inched nearer.

As she leaned closer, her head against his shoulder, he heard her sniff. "God, Gregory, please tell me you'll shower before you come to bed."

With a chuckle that segued into a sigh, he placed the cigar in the ashtray next to his glass of scotch. "Don't I always?" he muttered. A small part of him thought he might be able to finish this cigar while she was pre-occupied with their grandchildren.

She looked up and he could hear the teasing smile in her voice as she pouted dramatically. "Poor Gregory," she murmured as she cupped his face. A moment later she leaned in, her lips soft and tentative against his. He leaned in instinctively as his arm around her shoulders drew her in deeper. He was surprised. Usually, she wouldn't kiss him until after he had showered and gargled half a bottle of mouthwash. Not that he was complaining. With their entire family staying at the house for Christmas, time alone with his wife had been non-existent the last three days. He felt her body stiffen and a moment later, she pulled back and gasped. "This is why you were hiding! You knew I'd follow you!"

He chuckled and shook his head, his arms slipping around her waist. "I'd never," he said solemnly as she threw her head back and laughed into the night. Her red silk blouse rippled beneath his arms as she pressed her palms into his chest.

"Liar," she sighed deeply, leaning back in to kiss him again. A moment later, she giggled against his lips, "You know something, darling? It's taken more than 40 years, but I think- I think I can finally kiss you without minding the foul cigar taste on your lips."

"It's a Christmas miracle," he drolly replied as she pulled back slightly.

Her arms snaked around his neck as she smiled. A moment later, he heard the sigh of contentment rise in her throat before she said softly, "Things seem calm this Christmas, don't they?"

"Calm? There's 17 extra people sleeping in our house."

With a soft giggle, she shook her head. "Casey, Harrison, and Nicola shouldn't count. They've been living with us for months."

"Fine," he said as she leaned into a hug, holding him close against her. But, he knew what she meant. Last year had been the first Christmas with Casey and his family. While it had gone well – better than he hoped, in fact – it was still awkward. Casey hadn't felt like part of the family. But, this year… This year was different. Casey was comfortable in their home. With their family. With them. With him.

Olivia's breath danced against his ear as she murmured, "It's nice, isn't it?" He hugged her closer in reply, taking a deep inhale of her perfume. "Darling? Isn't it nice?"

He cupped her face within both of his hands as she sat back, watching her closely. She gazed back at him, a small but knowing smile dancing on her lips. He parted his lips to reply, to verbally agree with her, when she turned her face and kissed the inside of his left palm. As his lips formed the first syllable of her name, the patio door banged open behind them. "Mom," they heard Evy call, "get in here and help me defend our Christmas playlist from Sean's pretentious judgement!"

Their eyes met for a long moment before they both began to chuckle. "Those two," she marveled as she caught his falling hands and let their fingers thread together.

With a deep sigh, he stood and carefully stepped around his scotch and cigar. "I thought one of the benefits of having children far apart in age was that they'd fight less?" he mused.

"HA!" Olivia exclaimed as he pulled her up to stand. Their entwined hands rested against his chest as she continued, "Have you met either of your two youngest children before? They're ridiculously stubborn." Her eyebrow arched as she asked in a whisper, "I wonder where they get it from?"

He sighed, as if in deep in thought, as he wrapped his arm around her and led her back up to the house. "I always thought they had their mother's temperament," he said innocently. Unsurprisingly, Olivia's elbow dug into his side as she huffed, insulted. But, the light in her eyes suggested a sentiment of teasing amusement as she turned to him.

"Admit that you were hiding because you'd knew I'd follow you…and I'll admit that Sean and Evy might take after me."

"MOM! Sean is being such a Scrooge!"

He rolled his eyes and leaned in, his lips against her ear as he whispered, "We're not taking any of them to Florence with us in January, are we?" She smirked and shook her head slowly as he sighed, "Thank God." He hugged her against him as they walked over to the patio doors before he stopped short. "Liv, you picked this song?"

Sleigh bells in the snow everywhere you go
People having fun cause it's a merry time of the year

"Don't you start too!"

He shook his head. "I'm with Sean on this one."

Olivia rolled her eyes even as she leaned in to kiss him. "Oh, go finish your cigar," she playfully grumbled. "Just think, darling. Next Christmas, we'll all be in Florence."

He chuckled. "You seem confident we're finally going to find a villa."

With a smile, she slipped from his embrace and turned for their home. A moment later, she glanced over shoulder and beamed. "Perhaps us finding our villa will be the real Christmas miracle," she replied before she walked back into the house.

He stood there for a moment, watching as she stood talking with their two youngest children. With a grin, he glanced back up at the star-filled sky. "A miracle," he whispered into the night as a door from the kitchen opened.

Casey walked out and held a cut, but unlit, cigar. "Am I late? Did you already finish yours?"

He shook his head and reached into his pocket for Thomas Blake's antique silver lighter. "No, the boss gave me permission to finish it," he said as he handed him the lighter and knocked his head in the direction of the steps. "Join me."

Casey snickered beneath his breath as he sucked on the cigar until it sparked. "Diana hates cigars too."

With a grimace, he sat back on the step and reached for his neglected cigar. "She might have a change of heart after you two reach your fortieth anniversary."

"Oh. Great," Casey sighed, exhaling a cloud of silver smoke. "Something to look forward to then."

"Something indeed," he grinned, casting a sideways glance at his oldest son. "Merry Christmas, Casey."

"Merry Christmas, Gregory," Casey said, returning his grin with one of his own.

THE END.

A/N #2: The lyrics are from "Merry Christmas All" (written by Andy Kozak and Vince Montana).