I know it's late! But hey, blame my cousin for having a baby! (She's sooooo cute!) Ahem, well... yes... It's just a little bit of Christmas fluff! This is set in a VERY idealised version of the "Tales of Lives Present" universe. (Though Adam, Shu and Gunter are gone, it is not following the story line- Hence Elizabeth isn't in jail!)
"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a..."
CRASH!
Helena's head shot up from the book, "What the bl..." Her eyes flicked to the young girl sitting at her feet, and she quickly backtracked, "Uh um, what on earth was that?"
A muffled yell of, "Sorry!" Came from the corridor.
Standing Myka, she placed sighed, "I'll get it." She ruffled their daughter's hair, "I'm going to see why Uncle Pete is trying to demolish the B&B."
Giggling, little Elizabeth curled tighter against Trailer, as usual the dog was stuck to the little girl like glue.
Chuckling, the agent popped her head into the corridor, "Pete, what are you two doing?"
Before her partner could reply, the other end of whatever it was, was pushed through the door by an irritated immortal. Freya tossed her red hair, which had fallen across her face, back cantankerously, "Trying to get this in the house. If Pete would spend less time making a noise and concentrate on getting the damned thing in the house, we'd be fine!"
The pair were struggling with a long awkward looking box. "Ah, I see. Well you two secret Santas, let's get this moved!" Opening her arms, Myka guided the pair up the corridor.
Finally having managed to get the box for a new princess bed for little Elizabeth into the cellar ready for wrapping. Myka walked back into the living room, "Right, maybe we'll finish!"
Settling on the sofa beside her wife, Helena began again, "Twas the night before..."
BANG! "BLOODY WELL BLAST IT TO BUGGERING HELL!"
Closing the book again, Helena frowned, "Sorry darling, I'll be right back."
Going out into the back garden, Helena exclaimed, "What in the blazes?"
Nailed to a plank of wood, which looked to be the side of a small house, was the guardian Elizabeth's hand. The older woman looked over petulantly, "Helena, would you be so kind as to remove this from my hand; stigmata was not on the agenda when I first set out to build this."
The inventor picked up the hammer, that the guardian had obviously thrown in her anger (and was possibly the source of the earlier bang) "What is it?"
Looking over the already half-constructed walls of wood, she replied, "It's for Elizabeth's den. She said everything got wet the last time it rained, so I'm going to take this to her den and make it waterproof- and a bit bigger inside." Forgetting she was still attached to the board, Elizabeth smiled and made to move to a large piece, "There is a roof here... Damn!" The joined planks fell with a loud clatter.
Crouching, Helena removed the nail in one swift movement, "There."
Flexing her hand, Elizabeth smirked as the wound healed, "It's a good job its only water that comes out; I'd hate to have gotten blood on this!"
Sighing, Helena shook her head with a chuckle, "Do you need any help?"
Banging a nail into where her hand had just been attached, the immortal shook her head, "No, I'm fine now thank you. I think I am just about done."
Releasing a heavy sigh as she sank into the sofa, Helena picked up the Christmas Story once more. The inventor smiled, as Myka rested her head on her shoulder, "Maybe this time."
"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse..." On the table beside her, Myka's Farnsworth began too buzz.
The agent looked at the offending technology, "I know it's Christmas, but I am seriously considering murder." Flicking it open she frowned at her boss, "What is it Artie?"
Taken aback by Myka's irritation, he replied, "I need you at the Warehouse, to help to sort through some papers that have just come in."
The agent's frown deepened, "Artie, it's nine pm on Christmas eve. Can't this wait a couple of days?"
"Oh... oh of course! How thoughtless of me... NO! I need you here, the warehouse does not just grind to a shuddering halt, because you want a night off!"
Barely keeping her tone civil, Myka asked, "How long will it take?"
"With you? Probably half an hour, but on my own it could take hours."
Muttering under her breath, Myka reluctantly agreed, "Fine, half an hour, but after that I'm coming straight back here." Snapping the Farnsworth closed, she flopped her head onto Helena's shoulder, "I really don't wanna go."
Smiling softly, the inventor kissed her wife on the nose, causing it to wrinkle adorably, "You know he won't stop going on about it if you don't."
Groaning, she buried her face in Helena's neck, "Don't wanna!"
With a soft laugh, she gave Myka a gentle shove, "Go on, the sooner you go, the sooner you're back."
As she put away the last case file, Myka released a heavy sigh and rested her forehead on the metal drawer, "That's the last, Artie, can I please go home now?" As she turned around, she sighed, Artie had fallen asleep at his desk. Shaking his shoulder gently, "Artie, I'm going back now."
Stirring, he took a deep breath and yawned, "Oh, okay. See you tomorrow."
Trudging into the hallway, Myka glanced at her watch, "Half an hour my ass." Sighing, she made her way to the living room. At the threshold, she paused. A soft smile graced her lips as she saw Helena and their daughter curled up together on the sofa. Trailer lay at their feet. Stirring, Helena looked up, and said sleepily, "Hey, did you manage to sort things with Artie?"
"Yeah, it took a little longer than we thought."
Stretching carefully, so as to not awaken Elizabeth, she asked sleepily, "What time is it?"
"Ten past twelve." She laughed softly, "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas Myka." Looking at their sleeping daughter, Helena's eyes softened, "I am afraid there is little chance of a Christmas story tonight."
Stroking Elizabeth's soft ebony hair, Myka kissed Helena tenderly, "There is always next year."
Scooping the child into her arms, Myka waited for Helena to get up, before carrying their daughter upstairs.
Lying on the tiled roof, Elizabeth reached out her hand to the fire guardian beside her, "Merry Christmas."
She gave a breathy laugh, "It's a silly tradition really."
With a smirk, she bumped her shoulder, "Oh cheer up you grumpy old bugger. Just because you pre-date it."
Stretching, Freya sighed, "If you look at it like that, I pre-date most things."
"You might, just , be eligible for a free bus pass!"
Frowning playfully, she chuckled, "Cheeky bugger." Before flicking an ember at Elizabeth.
As the ember touched her hand, Elizabeth pulled an indignant expression and flicked water droplets at her.
"Hey!" Pouncing, Freya leapt at Elizabeth, only to be pinned by the water guardian. With her hands above her head, she pouted, "What happened to goodwill to all and peace among men."
A feline grin crept over Elizabeth's features, hovering barely an inch above Freya's lips she whispered, "We are not men." Her grin widened as her eyebrow arched, "And as for peace? All is fair in love and war."
As her eyes locked with Elizabeth's Freya growled, "Inside, now."
"What's the magic word?"
"Merry Christmas."
Sitting up, Elizabeth shrugged, "That'll do."
Tucking their daughter in, Helena leaned her head against Myka's arm, "We had better put her presents out, so we can get to bed. You know for a fact she'll be up at five."
Closing the door carefully behind them, Myka nodded, "Yeah, score for wrapping the presents early this year."
Rubbing her eyes, as they trudged back downstairs, "Well, after the fiasco last year, we had to do something different!"
"True!"
As they reached the bottom stair, Helena froze, "There is someone in the living room."
Creeping to the doorway, they saw little Elizabeth's presents being arranged by a large man in red. Myka looked to her wife and mouthed, Are you seeing what I am seeing?
"Nicholas!" Freya came running downstairs dressed in a bathrobe. A similarly dressed, Elizabeth followed, looking somewhat disgruntled.
Helena smirked, she had seen that look before.
The man looked up with a start, "Freya! How are you?!"
Hugging him fiercely, she nodded, "I am very well, still busy?"
He chuckled, "Aren't I always at this time of year!"
"Of course, I won't keep you."
"Good to see you old friend."
The fire guardian frowned, "What is it with people and my age tonight?"
With a loud laugh, he vanished in a poof of glittery sparks.
Helena and Myka were still stood speechless in the door. Elizabeth found her voice first, "Was that...?"
Freya replied casually, "Yup." Before taking Elizabeth by the hand and leading the confused immortal back upstairs.
Myka stammered, "That... was..."
"Yes... it was..." Helena snapped herself awake, "Well, it would appear Nicholas has done our job for us."
Smiling, Myka laughed, "Yeah, so it would seem!"
Sleepily, Helena kissed Myka softly, "Bed time then methinks."
"Mmm, methinks you are right."
Helena chuckled, "Of course I'm right, darling."
Pausing at the top of the stairs, turning, she smiled, "And Happy Holidays to you too from all of us here at Warehouse 13."
Myka appeared over her shoulder, "And we wish you a happy and safe New year."
Well the girls said it! I apologise for the lateness! But hey! Hope you enjoyed it, just a little bit of fluff for you. :)
I have a new fic coming out shortly called "Give it all" Based at the season 4 mid-season finale.
Also I am going to start on the final instalment of the "Tales of Lives" fics, The gang will return soon in "Tales of Lives Future"
