The team felt a new sense of purpose after helping Santa deliver the gift of hope. Even Baird didn't mind the decorations so much when they got back to the annex and smiled when Jake, Cassandra and Ezekiel gave her a surprise birthday party. They enjoyed each other's company as they recalled their latest adventure, but it was getting late and some people had places to go on Christmas Day.
The next morning Jenkins was getting the back door ready for travel. Ezekiel left early to spend a few days back in Australia and visit his mates. "Don't use any of what you have learned for your extracurricular activities." Baird warned as he waved goodbye. "Of course not." He winked before leaving.
Jake was ready to go next. He made sure he had all the presents for his nieces and nephews in his bag. "Not so fast." Baird pulled a large book from his luggage. "The Magical Treatise of Solomon? Planning on doing some light reading?" She put it on the desk.
"It's all right Col. Baird." Jenkins said. "It doesn't have any magical properties." Jake gave her smug look and chuckled as he put the book back in his bag.
He said goodbye and went through the door. A few minutes later they heard a loud impatient knock. Cassandra and Baird looked at each other. "Jenkins!" They opened the door to find an angry Jake a bit disheveled his backpack half ripped off.
"You sent me to New York City not Tulsa! I ended up in a rush of people trying to make the A train to Queens!" He stormed in.
"Sorry. I told you there were glitches. I'll have it fixed in an hour or so." Jake paced the floor pulling at the loose spikes in his hair, and then checked his bags to make sure nothing was lost from the crush of the crowd he just escaped.
"What's the matter cowboy? Afraid you're gonna miss another bar brawl?" Baird joked, Cassandra laughed.
He said nothing and walked upstairs to the stacks with his book, found a quiet corner and tried to concentrate as he began reading.
Soft footsteps came up the stairs and sat next to him after awhile.
"I brought you some cocoa." The ginger haired librarian offered him the warm mug.
"Thanks Cassie." He took a long sip and gave her a slight smile before returning to his book.
"So Christmas is a big deal for you huh? I'm not really in a rush to get home, my parents aren't big on celebrating and with what we just witnessed helping Santa give the world back hope, I want to enjoy the magic of the annex for as long as I can."
Jake closed his book and looked at her. "Yeah... It's the one time Dad and I see eye to eye about anything. For that one day we put aside our differences for the sake of the kids. We're a happy family again." He looked away not wanting her to see the tear forming in the corner of his eye. "My mom was the only one who knew about my… gift." He pointed to his head. "When I was a kid she'd take me to every museum and library she could find. Dad never understood. She died twenty years ago, he turned to the bottle, I was the oldest, I gave up on going to college to work the oil fields so my brothers and sister wouldn't lose our home."
"I'm sorry." She put her hand on his shoulder to offer comfort.
"Nothing to be sorry about, Now that I am in this place, I'll learn more here than I ever could in college. And I…" he stopped remembering their last conversation. He had revealed too much already and wasn't ready to trust her just yet. She had to earn that.
Cassandra felt him pull back and frowned. She knew he didn't trust her.
"Jake, I hope you can one day forgive me and give me another chance." Her hand had now made his way to his. She took his calloused hand; he ran his thumb along the delicate, soft skin of hers.
"I want to Cassie, I really do." He kept holding her hand, and looked into her big pleading eyes. He leaned in closer to her; she closed her eyes tilting her head slightly to meet his lips.
"Mr. Stone the door is ready now." Jenkins called out interrupting the moment. Jake sprung up, then helped her to her feet. Cassandra let out a nervous giggle and straightened her skirt.
"Merry Christmas Jake," She waved as he headed down.
"Merry Christmas Cassie." He said in a soft low voice.
He stopped halfway down then ran back up. He took a silver chain from around his neck and gave it to her.
"Take care of this for me." She looked at the charm on it. It was a heart with the word, Promise, engraved on it. She looked up to ask him what it meant, but he was gone.
She smiled as she put it around her neck. "Well I promise, I'll be the person you will trust the most, you'll see." She said to herself before going through the door for home, holding the charm as she went through the other side.