Stella takes Shannon home for Christmas. One shot, set in wicked-nachos-09's THL universe. (because I'm too fucking lazy to come up with my own characters). Happy (late late very late) birthday/Merry Christmas, Kirsten! You've corrupted me! I've never written anything Christmas-y in my life! I dislike you! (not really)
Shannon's first memory of Christmas was her at the age of eight, unwrapping her very first pushbike. Her stepfather bolting on training wheels and helping her onto it, strapping her bright purple helmet into place. Her mother watched on, smiling, as James and her daughter trundled down the road, Shannon laughing with pure glee while her stepfather attempted to keep up with her.
"Faster, daddy!" was what she remembered clearly, as she twisted back to look at him, and she'd lost her balance and tipped over.
Shannon recalled James catching up to her, picking her off the ground and giving her a hug. He'd checked for scrapes and cuts, and then he'd put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes.
"Baby girl, sometimes you're going to fall down. But you know what?" He paused and wiped her tears away. "That's okay. It's all a part of learning."
Shannon got back on that bike. She learned to ride without training wheels. Her stepfather's words rang within her over the years, as she graduated high school, as she joined the police force, as she got into Tactical Response, and as she fell in love with Stella.
As if summoned by her girlfriend's thoughts, Stella stumbled out the door of the country supermarket, clutching half a dozen bags while balancing a case of beer on her shoulder. Shannon moved to get out and help her, but Stella shook her head.
"Quick, babe, open the boot!" Shannon leaned over and pushed the button, and an undignified thunk echoed through the car as Stella lost her grip on the beer. "I think I got everything. Cheese, biscuits, beer. That was everything, right?"
"Considering your mother told us not to bring anything, yes." Shannon rolled her eyes. Nina's instructions were clear, but both women chose to ignore them.
"Only half an hour to go, babe." Stella kissed Shannon on the cheek and moved around to the driver's side of the car.
Shannon remembers Christmas when she was twenty-one, home from university, sitting quietly with her mother. Her stepfather had passed away earlier in the year, and neither of them really felt like celebrating. She remembers pulling out the old photo albums, and her mother's eyes filling with tears, while they looked over memories together and smiled and laughed and cried. Shannon points out the picture of her and James and the pushbike, and tells her mother the words he told her then. Her mother nodded, knowing that was exactly what James would have said.
The clicking of the indicator broke Shannon from her train of thought, as they turned past the McDonald's and sped down the streets of White Hills. Left turn, a sharp right, and they were pulling up, the old Mazda sitting peacefully on the front lawn, and a shiny Holden sedan taking up pride of place in the garage.
"Looks like we're the first ones here." Stella unbuckled her seat belt, stretching before opening the door.
"So we'll have some peace and quiet before Oskar and Sarah show up?" Shannon wiggled her eyebrows at Stella, who choked before laughing.
"Babe, if you wanted peace and quiet, we could have had Christmas back home."
Making a grand entrance, Shannon carried the beer (which turned out to be Nikolai's favourite, if the cry of joy upon their entry wasn't proof), and Stella carted the plastic bags. Greeted with hugs and kisses by Stella's parents, Shannon felt a little overwhelmed. She gently placed the case of beer on the kitchen bench and squeezed Stella's shoulder, mouthing the words 'I'll get our bags out of the car.' Stella nodded, and Shannon made her escape.
Shannon remembers Christmas when she was twenty-nine, eating turkey with her mother and her boyfriend. Shannon liked him, and he made her mother happy, so she was happy. They pulled crackers and sang along with the old CD's that always seemed to make their way out during the festive season. Michelle drank too much champagne and had to be put to bed by Lachlan, and Shannon pulled out the old photo album, tracing her fingers over the photos of her and James. When Lachlan came back, he sat next to her on the couch and asked her about the photographs, and she gladly told him, happy to share some of her favourite memories.
After Oskar and Sarah's arrival (and being attacked with hugs by Robbie and Mark), Shannon began to relax. The beers she drank with Nikolai and Stella certainly helped, and she smiled as they all sat in front of the muted television, munching on nibblies while they waited for dinner. Oskar began to tell a story, punctuated with his particular style of humour, and Shannon watched as Stella and Sarah dissolved into tears of helpless laughter. Nina simply rolled her eyes, and gestured to Shannon as she stood up.
"You can help me with dinner." It was not a request, and Shannon nodded, unfolding her legs from under her and standing up, stretching lightly. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to Stella's temple, was rewarded with a pinch, and moved to the kitchen.
"Everything is ready. All we have to do is dish up." Nina pointed out a cupboard. "Plates are there. Knives and forks in the drawer under the microwave." She bent over the oven, switching off the heat before removing two roast chickens, still in their Woolworths foil bags. Nina held up a finger. "Not a word."
Shannon remembers Christmas when she was thirty-five, eating roast chicken on Christmas Eve, surrounded by her girlfriend's family. She remembers how much love she felt for those around her, those wonderful people who had accepted her without question, and the beautiful woman she'd fallen so helplessly in love with. This year, Shannon didn't need the old photo album, because her heart was filled with Stella and her family.