'Twas the Night before Christmas.
As they pulled up outside her house, Michelle tried everything she could to avoid her brother's gaze. She didn't want to into that place tonight, it was bad enough on any ordinary night, but Christmas Eve she knew would be absolutely depressing.
Tony had been in Prison for about 6 months now; if you included the time he was in a cell awaiting trial. Her life was lonely without him. Their house was awfully silent; there was no longer the sound of laughter echoing around it. Her bed was cold and empty, with him no longer around to hold her in his arms. She knew that the following morning would be nothing like, the last Christmas which they had spent together. When he had pulled her right back into bed when she attempted to get up insisting that the opening of presents could wait until he had ravished her at least one more time. Despite not wanting to she let her mind wander to fond memories of that morning.
"It's tradition 'Chelle. No couple without kids will leave their marital bed on Christmas morning without first having some hot sex." He had informed her with mock seriousness.
She laughed out loud until finally responding "Okay, if it's tradition"
"Nice of ya to be so understanding" He had said just before proceeding with promised ravishing.
Back in the present, Michelle swallowed hard as her emotions threatened to get the better of her. Finally, she had managed to turn and look at Danny.
"You didn't have to bring me home. I could have found my own way back. I didn't want to drag you from your family on Christmas Eve." She said somewhat apologetically
"You are my family Michelle" was Danny's simple response
"I know. It's just that my life right now is a mess. I don't want to hover around looking miserable and depressed. I wouldn't want to ruin the kids' fun." Michelle added
"Look, the kids adore you Michelle, they hate seeing you like this. They really wanted to have you stay tonight." Danny said resting his hand gently on his Sister's shoulder.
"Yeah.. I guess."
"I mean it Michelle. The only reason you're coming home at all is because Jane's Mom is flying in from Denver last minute and we'd have to give her the spare room." Danny told her softly.
"I know. Well I better not keep you any longer, have a good Christmas Danny"
Michelle stepped out of the car, and was about to close the door when Danny added
"I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning. You will be spending Christmas day with us even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming"
Michelle couldn't help but smile a little at that. Danny had always been protective of her. She remembered the time he dragged her out with him every night to try and get her over the break up with her first serious boyfriend.
"Okay then. See you tomorrow"
As Michelle closed the car door behind her and started walking up the driveway to her front door, she couldn't help but be curious about what had transpired that evening.
Danny had answered the phone and walked out of the room to speak in private with the person on the other end. When he returned he informed them all that his mother-in-law was flying in on a last minute surprise visit. He then apologised to Michelle, saying she could no longer have the spare room.
Two things bothered Michelle. First, if it was his mother-in-law, why did he insist on such strict privacy to talk to her? Second, if she couldn't have had the spare room, Danny would most likely have put up a camp bed in her niece's room or the living room. He would do everything he could do make sure she could stay as well. Michelle couldn't help but be a little suspicious of why her brother hadn't done such a thing. Dismissing her suspicions she unlocked the front door and walked inside.
She picked up the mail that arrived that morning, and opened it. Of course most of it was Christmas Cards. Some of them were for Tony, with a note asking her if she could take them to him, when she went to visit on Boxing Day.
Michelle seriously considered ripping them up, she knew that it would be a little selfish to deny Tony some Christmas cards from his friends. But the last thing she needed as such a poignant reminder that he was indeed in prison and not with her. Deciding to just shove them in under a cushion until she was ready to deliver them, Michelle walked into the kitchen.
She filled the kettle and whilst it was boiling took the time to read through the rest of the mail.
Suddenly, she became aware that the light in the living room was on; she decided that she must have left it on early that morning, and carried on making herself a cup of tea. The final piece of mail she came to was the confirmation of acceptance of her resignation as a federal agent. Whilst she firmly believed what Tony had done was wrong, she didn't feel he deserved to be imprisoned for it. Not after what he had accomplished that day, and in his career overall. For a while she threw herself into her work, as apart from him, it was the only world she really knew. If she couldn't have one, she had to have the other.
Eventually, however, she became disgusted with all the comments about Tony from the other agents, particularly that fat son of a bitch Brad Hammond.
The final straw came when he had told her that she was being sent to Seattle. She had pleaded not to be sent there, as it would take her too far to be able to visit Tony, but Hammond was having none of it.
"Look Agent Dessler, either you go to Seattle or you'll find a pink slip in the mail" He had informed her with his usual sarcastic drone.
"I'm not going Brad. My loyalties are to Tony, I can still do my duties by staying here at CTU LA" was Michelle's steely response.
"I'm really disappointed in you Michelle, throwing your career away for that worthless piece of shit. I'd honestly, have thought you'd have more sense. Convict Almeida was never really that good of an agent. Hell, I'd have thought that he would have learned his mistake with Nina to think with his head instead of his crotch. He jeopardised national security more than once because he was looking to keep getting laid"
That comment infuriated Michelle like nothing before in her life. If it hadn't been for Adam Kauffman and two other IT techs holding her back, she'd have had Brad Hammond by the throat. The following day, Michelle had given in her notice.
She once again brought her thoughts back to the present. As she sat drinking her tea, she became aware that soft music had begun to play from the living room. As it picked up she realised that it was "Have yourself a Merry little Christmas" her favourite Christmas song.
Someone was in the house! She knew that was the only explanation. But for whatever reason, her well honed federal agent "sixth sense" told her that she wasn't in any danger. If someone had broken in to rob the place, she doubted that they'd rifle through her CD collection and play her favourite song. And as good as some terrorists were at gaining intel on agents, she doubted they'd know something so trivial. So this was very unlikely going to be someone here on a revenge killing.
Nevertheless, she took her gun from the draw by the sink and made sure there was a round in the chamber, and more in the magazine. Holding it by her side she advanced towards the living room.
Before she was halfway there, a figure appeared from behind the archway. He Leaned against it, hands in pockets and smiled at her.
The surprise guest had Black curly hair, brown eyes and scruff covering his face.
The gun clattered to the floor and Michelle just stood there. Her mouth fell open but no words came out. She must be hallucinating. Maybe she'd fallen asleep at the table, and was dreaming this. It couldn't possibly be him.
"Hay Curly-Head" Tony said softly. "Did ya miss me?"
Michelle's legs had gone rubbery, as if trying to decide whether to propel her into his arms or give way and have her fall to the floor.
Tony, as though sensing this, took the decision out of her hands and covered the distance between them. He lifted her up in his arms, spun her around in a circle and placed her back on her feet.
Never breaking their embrace he kissed her deeply. Then, nuzzling his face into her wonderfully aromatic reddish brown curls, Tony sighed happily.
As his scruff slightly irritated her fair skin and his cologne wafted through the air to her nose. Michelle realised she wasn't hallucinating and she wasn't dreaming. This was indeed Tony, and he was real.
Finally, she found the ability to speak. "But when? How?" she inquired tears of joy falling down her face.
"Jack got me my pardon sweetheart" he replied, now resting his forehead against hers and looking into her eyes.
"And they let you out in time for Christmas?"
"Yes, it would have been in a few weeks, but Jack pulled some extra strings and got me released today." He explained, all the while clutching her tightly as though she'd evaporate and be gone forever. Of course, Michelle was holding him just as tightly. They both wanted to maximise the tactile contact, as neither could truly believe that he was free, and they were together again.
"Thank God" Michelle said, her tears now gone, and smiling broadly.
"Oh sweetheart, I missed you so much" Tony said finally breaking their tight embrace but only to look into her eyes, and kiss her firmly on the lips.
He was fairly hungry, having only grabbed a quick McDonald's whilst driving back from the prison with Jack. However, he was suddenly began to feel as though he was absolutely ravenous for her. He had been apart from her for half a year, and now he felt an irresistible urge to make passionate love to her as though his life depended on it.
Tony deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing, then without breaking contact with her lips he swept her up into his arms, and carried her towards the bedroom.
As he lifted her, Michelle gasped, overwhelmed by the intensity of his actions. She too wanted to be intimate again as soon as possible. It felt so good to have him back in her life, and everything seemed right again.
Well over an hour and half later, they both lay in the bed utterly exhausted, but totally and completely happy.
"Are you hungry?" she asked him, her head resting on his chest.
"Famished." he replied playing with loose curl.
"I'll order a Chinese when we get back down to the living room." She grinned at him.
"Well, that's good; we wouldn't want to have you cooking." He playfully teased her.
"Shut up Almeida, or you may find yourself being denied sex for the next 20 years after all." Michelle replied punching him on the arm.
"Okay, Okay, I can't handle that so I'll be good" he jokingly replied, al the while playing with her luscious hair.
"Okay now food Almeida." She replied getting out of the bed and reaching for her robe, on the back door.
Tony enjoyed watching her naked form walk across the room. He smiled at her when she looked over her shoulder and met his lustful stares with a wink.
Later, they both sat quietly eating their Chinese meal, and sipping water. Whilst casually flirting.
Tony had insisted that they not have any alcohol. Having grown up with an alcoholic father, he very rarely drank anyway. However, after he had heard stories about people getting out of prison and being so bitter and angry, they'd hit the bottle hard, he decided to avoid it entirely. He had no intentions of doing that to himself and Michelle. He knew he had some huge issues to deal with, but was confident that with the love of his wife, he would get through them.
"I hear you left CTU?" he asked.
"Yeah, couldn't stand that place anymore, not after what they said about you." She told him
"Curly Head?" He asked softly, reaching across the table for her hand
"Yah?"
"How about we start looking into starting that Security Company, we talked about?" He asked
"I'm up for it if you are; we both know all about a wide range of technologies and how to lead an office… Let's do it."
"Great, I know that with the record I now have, I'll have difficulty getting a job. The prison chaplain was very kind in giving me advice on how it would be when I got out, and that's one of the things he said I may have problems with. We've always said that this would be our dream if we ever left CTU, so why not go with it and see what happens" he told her eagerly.
"Fair assessment, in the New Year, we'll look into it." Michelle beamed.
"So did you like the plan I set up with Danny, to get you back to the house here?" Tony chuckled
"So it was you on the other end of that phone call, not his mother-in-law. I guess that explains why things seemed to be a little odd" Michelle replied, realisation dawning on her.
"Yep, Danny felt he owed you for helping him get his life and marriage back together. He reckoned that helping me to give you the surprise of your life would be a great way to do that" Tony informed her.
Having finished their meal they migrated to the couch, snuggled up under a blanket and watched a movie. Finally, fatigue got the better of them and they went back to bed.
They both slept soundly in each other's arms that night, more content than they had been in months.
The following morning, they lay awake for a while enjoying each other's company.
Michelle grinned mischievously and made as though she was going to get up.
Tony grabbed her arm. "Where do you think you're going? I still have to ravish you" he declared in all seriousness
"But Tony presents!" Michelle replied in mock protest.
"It's tradition 'Chelle. No couple without kids will leave their marital bed on Christmas morning without first having some hot sex." Tony said, trying hard to keep his expression and tone of voice serious.
She grinned enjoying this feeling of déjà vu, until finally responding "Okay, if it's tradition"
"Nice of ya to be so understanding"He said as they sank back down into the bed.
Author's Notes Okay, so first of all, sorry, for the angst at the start of the story, it was necessary for the "twist in the tale". Second, I realise that it could be seen as a little contrived that Tony would get his pardon in time for Christmas Eve, but I really wasn't writing anything serious here, just some light-hearted Christmas fluff. Thirdly,, I couldn't resist the temptation to write a post Season 3 story without implying that the divorce would never happen. So there's a little bit of hinted AU there. Again that was for the sake of some light-hearted fluff.
And finally, Merry Christmas to all Tony and Michelle fans.