Disclaimer: I own nothing…I'm just playing with them.
Set in the mess of the whole Paraguay situation…I've changed a few key details and ended it with just a bit of Christmas Spirit.
Two part fic.
This one's for JagFanNat – 'Hello neighbour!'
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December 12th
"Are you nearly ready, AJ?" Harriet called up the stairs.
"Mom, I don't want to go," yelled AJ, still firmly planted on his bed.
"Please AJ, we've gone through this. Your daddy, sister and brothers are already waiting in the car," Harriet pleaded.
AJ reluctantly trudged down the stairs, muttering to himself. Harriet was at a loss to explain why her seven year old son didn't care about Christmas. At first she thought he may no longer believe in Santa Claus but it was much more than that. In recent days, it had gone beyond disinterest when intense dislike set in.
The trip to the mall was a noisy one for the Roberts Family, everyone except AJ were filled with the festive spirit. The four children were all dressed in various combinations of red and white for their photo with Santa. This would be the twins' first Christmas photo and Harriet wanted to capture it forever.
"Jiggle Bells, Jiggle Bells," Jimmy sang out and Bud pushed in the CD. Jingle Bells filled the car and Jimmy giggled happily.
Bud caught sight of AJ in the rear vision mirror and gestured to Harriet to look back. When Harriet did, she saw her beautiful blonde son with his head back against the seat, eyes closed tight and his hands over his ears trying to block out the Christmas music.
"What do you think AJ's problem is?" Harriet whispered. "He's always loved Christmas."
"I don't know, sweetie," replied Bud. "I tried talking to him last night and he just said Christmas didn't matter anymore and turned away."
"A couple of months ago he couldn't wait for Christmas, he was writing his list in August and now…" Harriet's voice trailed. "And now he says he wants nothing to do with it."
They soon arrived at the mall and the wait for Santa was surprisingly short. Most families were watching a Wiggles-like group in the entertainment area so Bud and Harriet made a bee-line for Santa's Cave. Setting up the photo took longer than the wait itself. Nikki was mesmerised by Santa's beard, whilst Michael seemed unnerved by the whole experience. Jimmy was busy running around Santa's chair and AJ stood to the side unimpressed by the whole thing.
After about a dozen shots, the photographer declared it was a wrap and the Roberts tribe collected their belongings and headed out past the ever increasing line. Bud quickly realised AJ wasn't with them and was surprised when he turned around to see him back with Santa having an intense conversation. When AJ caught up with them Bud neither mentioned the exchange.
After lunch in an overcrowded and exceptionally loud food court, Bud left his family in Toys'R'Us and headed back to Santa to pick up the photos, hoping their claim of 'ready in two hours' was more than a publicity stunt. Santa wasn't in the cave when he returned, the sign proclaiming 'Santa will be back soon – he's gone to feed the reindeers.' Bud handed over his receipt and Visa card and received the package of photographs; large enough to keep everyone happy.
As he walked away he felt a tug on his arm.
"Excuse me sir, do you have a minute? We need to talk."
Bud turned to see a man of about his height, with blue eyes and brown hair; though he was a stranger there was something oddly familiar about him.
"About?" Bud asked hesitantly.
"About AJ's letter," the stranger replied.
Bud glanced at the envelope the gentleman held. 'Santa' was written in AJ's scrawl. "What does it say?"
"Well, Mr Roberts, most kids want the latest games or toys…" the man said.
"But not AJ, right?" asked Bud.
"Right!" the stranger nodded.
"He seems to have lost the Christmas spirit," Bud said sadly.
"He's lost more than that, hasn't he?"
Bud's confusion showed on his face. The man handed him the letter and Bud grimaced when he read its contents. He knew instantly that unless something extraordinary happened, his son's joy of Christmas would be lost forever.
December 21st
Harriet sat wrapping the last of the presents and as Bud looked up he realised she was crying.
"What is it, sweetie?" he said moving towards her.
"AJ! I bought this two months ago and thought it was the perfect present for him. Now, I don't think he'll even care," she sobbed.
"I wasn't going to say anything to anyone but…" Bud began.
'But what?" Harriet asked.
"I found out what AJ's problem was," he said, sitting down beside his wife.
"How?" Harriet asked.
"Santa," Bud replied simply
"Santa?"
"After we had the photos taken with Santa, AJ stopped to talk to him and gave him a letter. When I went to pick up the photos we chatted," Bud reported.
"And what was the problem?" Harriet asked, drying her eyes.
"Mac."
"Mac, oh, I didn't even consider that."
In late September, Mac had gone to Paraguay on a CIA assignment with Clayton Webb. Things hadn't gone to plan and Mac, Webb and Gunny, who they linked up with, had all gone missing. Harm resigned his commission and spent eight weeks searching the South American country. In mid October, Harm thought he was close when he found Gunny in an unexpected encounter on an isolated back road. Gunny led him to a fortified compound where Mac and Clayton were last sighted. After a heavy exchange of gun fire and grenade explosions, they found no trace of her.
Their search continued until a pile of charred remains was located on the outskirts of a nearby town. Initial forensic evidence was not promising and after many long, agonising days, the remains of Clayton Webb had been positively identified. The other body, a female Caucasian in her thirties, was too badly damaged to be positively identified but with additional evidence found on site, it was considered to be highly likely to be Sarah MacKenzie.
Reluctantly, Harm had returned home empty handed and broken hearted. He was in time for Thanksgiving but with nothing to feel thankful for, he confined himself to his apartment. Bud and Harriet had tried to talk to him, to include him in their family plans for Christmas, but he had no desire to be festive.
In the hectic lifestyle of raising four young children, planning for Christmas, mourning the loss of a dear friend, worrying about another, Bud and Harriet hadn't considered AJ's anti-Christmas sentiment related to this.
"How did we miss that, Bud?" Harriet asked sadly.
"I guess we were all caught up with everything else and I guess with AJ being so young, I thought we'd protected him from the worst of it," Bud replied.
"Maybe we protected ourselves by not really addressing it with him," she said, resting her head on her husband's shoulder.
"How do discuss what happened to Mac with a seven year old?"
December 24th
Bud put the final touches on the Christmas tree, Harriet was busy in the kitchen, the twins gurgled happily on their floor mats with their matching baby gyms, Jimmy played with his blocks and AJ sat on the sofa in the living room staring at the ceiling. Harriet walked into the room and smiled at the family scene, until she saw AJ.
"Okay, Jimmy, time for bed," she said picking him up. "Bud can you help me with the twins." Before long the youngest three Roberts children were asleep in their beds, awaiting a visit from Santa Claus.
"AJ, do you want to play a game or read a book with us before you go to bed?" Harriet asked returning to the living room.
"No thanks, mom," he replied politely.
"How about giving PlayStation2 a workout, son?" Bud offered.
"No thanks, dad," he replied.
"AJ, do you want to talk about it?" Harriet asked.
"Nothing to talk about?"
Harriet moved to the mantelpiece and picked up a photo of AJ beaming brightly blowing out the candles on his sixth birthday cake, flanked by his proud godparents.
"Do you remember this?" she asked, handing AJ the photo.
"Yes mom. It was last year," he said, giving the photo a sideways glance.
"It was a lovely party. Everyone had a great time," Harriet enthused.
'Yes mom." He nodded.
"Aunty Mac and Uncle Harm…" Bud began.
"I don't want to talk about them," AJ said quickly.
"They love you very much," Harriet responded.
"Loved me, mom, they loved me. They can hardly love me now," AJ retorted loudly.
"Uncle Harm still loves you very much," Bud soothed.
"Sure," AJ said unconvinced.
"He does, he's just a little sad about…" Harriet began.
"About Aunty Mac, right?" AJ asked.
"Yeah," she admitted.
"I'm going to bed," AJ said and trudged slowly up the stairs.
Harriet watched her beautiful son walk away from her. Her heart filled with sadness, this was supposed to be the happiest night of the year for children. The one where anything was possible and dreams took flight. She stood and grabbed her jacket.
"Bud, there's something I have to do," she said, grabbing her keys.
Despite Bud's questions and protests, Harriet left.
The night air was freezing, snow lay everywhere and ice crystals formed where snow had melted. Harriet headed to the one place she knew Harm would be.
She saw him standing alone, shoulders hunched and head bowed, in front of his father's name on The Wall. She watched him a while, allowing him these moments with his dad.
"Excuse me, ma'am," said a young man moving past her.
"Oh, sorry," she said, stepping aside. "I was a little preoccupied." She looked at Harm.
"So's he," replied the man. "He was here when I walked past three hours ago. I'm surprised he's not frozen solid."
Harriet went to Harm and gently rubbed his arm.
"Hey Harm," she said quietly.
Harm looked at her with tear filled eyes and tear stained cheeks. Harriet embraced him and allowed him to cry into her shoulder.
"Why have you been out here so long?" Harriet finally asked.
"I always come here…" Harm mumbled.
"I know but why so long?" she asked, rubbing his arms to warm him up.
"I sort of thought if Mac was…well, if there was anyway she could come home…you know, then she'd know where to find me. Am I being stupid?" He tried to smile but failed dismally.
"Not at all. But you know the chances of Mac coming home are not great," Harriet answered as she pulled his collar up and tightened his scarf.
"But it's Christmas; I'm allowed to wish, aren't I?" he asked, his voice filled with a desperate longing.
"Of course you are. Now, I'm taking you home with me. If Mac does come home, she'll look there too," Harriet said, linking her arm through his .
Reluctantly Harm agreed and left.
