Blue Eyes, Shining 4: Paint Me a Christmas Memory
Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time). This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.
Enjoy! Please read and review.
A/N Forward:
The night is over, and a new day dawns for Joss, Wade, Rachel, Ryan ….and especially for Betty and Slim! And, Joss slept through almost all of it! A mild tissue requirement watch (as opposed to a warning), because they all remember last year, and it's canceled out by this year, in this first chapter of Paint Me a Christmas Memory - 12/20: Last Christmas….
Thanks in advance for reading, and please review.
- - - - - - -
Chapter 1 – 12/20: Last Christmas….
- - - - - - -
Wade's PosComm kept playing 'All I Want for Christmas is You,' but when the sensors recognized no further motion in the room for the last 15 minutes it lowered the volume to a much softer background and switched to a music mix. It played all night long, accompanying the soft gurgles of sleeping geniuses, and then turned itself off when it recognized the beginnings of morning stirrings…but not soon enough.
- - - - - - -
Joss was relaxing by the side of the swimming hole, her top strategically attached enough so she could tan her entire back and tight enough so that no unexplained surprises would happen.
She turned her head over and saw Wade stretched out on the sand, and she smiled.
"Workin' on your tan, Wade?" and she giggled as he turned his palms face-up.
"Waiting for you to wake up, my love," and he started to fade away.
"WADE!" she called out.
"Last Christmas…"
"WADE!" she jumped up and ran over to him, but her hand passed thru him as he continued to fade away.
"Last Christmas…"
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" and he faded to black...
- - - - - - -
"…I gave you my heart," and the music stopped when Joss raised her head suddenly.
'Where am I?
'Ah'm in the living area at our hotel.
'Ah'm on the couch, and there's a blanket converin' me.
'Whew! Ah still have mah clothes on under here.
'Wait? Where did the blanket come from?
'Where's Wade?
'There he is…awww, he's sleepin' under a blanket jus' like mine….Did my hero tuck me in when Ah fell asleep? God, I love him so.
'He's so cute when's he's asleep.
'Deep breath…WHEW! Either there's a polecat loose in heah, or Ah need a shower!
'Kin Ah do it without wakin' everybody, especially Wade?
'But Ah've got to kiss him just once like this.
'Up quietly, over to the hero, then a kiss on the cheek…BRANDED, mah hero; now, let's go git that shower….'
- - - - - - -
Betty rolled over and fell out of her bed with a thud!
'OWWWW!' Damn: that hurt…' and she remembered the night.
"YES!" she yelled from the floor, thrusting her arm up into the air.
"HE LOVES ME! HE LOVES ME! HE LOVES ME!
"THANK YOU, SHERI NICOLE!" Betty yelled, then looked around and found her watch on the floor.
6:13 AM.
"I wonder what he looks like at this time of the morning," Betty said to herself, then grinned wickedly.
"Like Tornado?" and she giggled as she stood up and stretched, and her robe fell off.
She looked down at the 'girls,' cupped them, and grinned.
"Not bad for a broad over 30," she said as she headed for the shower. "Wade, eat your heart out: these belong to Slim, now!"
- - - - - - -
Joss got to her 'bedroom' without waking Wade and she closed the door softly and locked it.
"No peekie, Wade," she giggled as she pulled off her socks and skirt, and then realized that she had no shoes.
'Where' mah boots?' They must still be out there; that means Wade pulled them off'n me.
'He's soo sweet: he didn't want mah feet to hurt….' And she unbuttoned her blouse and looked down.
'Is it enough for Wade? He's never complained when Ah hugged him,' she smiled and padded into the bathroom, turning on her PosComm to some Christmas music of her own.
She set the unit on the bathroom counter, turned on the water, finished undressing and stepped into the tub/shower combination. She reached out for a towel on the rack next to the toilet, and she started to sing:
(Chorus:)
Last Christmas, I was so all alone:
I had no one, to call my own.
This year, you came to me, love,
You were sent, to me, from a-bove, a-bove….
Never kissed, and tired of the dance;
I keep my distance but I still searched for ro-mance.
When you saw me, what did you think of me?
Were you as scare-d as scare-d could be?
You wrapped me up and tied up my heart
With roses saying "I Love You" for a start
Now I know what a fool I'd been
But if you kissed me now I'll get that feeling again
(Chorus:)
Last Christmas, I was so all alone:
I had no one, to call my own.
This year, you came to me, love,
You were sent, to me, from a-bove, a-bove….
A crowded room and friends with tired hearts and eyes
I'm trouble with them and their souls of fire and ice
My God I thought that they were friends to rely on
Me? I just wanted a shoulder to cry on
A face of a lover with a fire in his heart
A knight in Meezod armor, and you ripped de-mons apart
Oooh yeah, Oooh now what do I do?
Now I know that I've found you and I'll never lose you.
(Chorus:)
Last Christmas, I was so all alone:
I had no one, to call my own.
This year, you came to me, love,
You were sent, to me, from a-bove, a-bove….
- - - - - - -
Wade woke up groggily, looked over and saw that Joss was gone, then realized that he heard water running and singing.
'She's an early riser, and she sings in the shower,' he filed in the back of his mind, and then he recognized the tune.
'Last Christmas…
"I wasn't alone, I had my parents with me, but I was so lonely that I might as well have been alone,' he thought and remembered the time that seemed so long ago, now….
- - - - - - -
"It's just you and me, Lucky, in here," Wade said as he sat in his room on Christmas morning, once again.
"God, Big Sis, I miss you so much. I can't get out of here much, anymore," he said looking up into the ceiling.
"I miss you, Stephanie. It's just been this year that I could even say your name without breaking down; that's an improvement, right?
"How am I ever going to find someone like you to care about, who'll care about a big tan 13-year-old with a PhD who can't even play baseball or basketball?
"Even Kim and Ron get out; Ron's even got her to love, if he'd ever figure it out, or if she'd stop crushing on everybody cute who swims by her."
He pulled up the schematics of the battlesuit, then ran a few simulations using the overlay of the design with the patterns and pictures of Kim that he had.
"This should work," he mumbled to himself, then looked over in the corner and saw the stack of gifts that his Mom and Dad had brought in last night when they'd opened their presents to and from him in his room. He remembered the look that they'd had when he handed them the tickets, but he still felt sorry for his parents.
"They don't have a son, they have a body trapped in a room.
"I'd trade all of the presents, Kim, for one kiss from you, but I know that'll never happen.
"Stephanie, I'd trade everything: all my money, all my degrees, even my life, if I could have just one more hug from you!" Wade cried out, then dropped his head into his hands and sobbed uncontrollably. Then he suddenly glared up into the ceiling and railed:
"What have I done to you, God, to makes you punish me so, to vex you so?
"Why did you take my Stephanie, my big sister, away from me?
"Why can't I get out of this room? Am I doomed to live in it, forever?
"I'm going to get out, even if it's remotely like I did before for Ron, and I'll show you, God, I'll show you!
Quiet, then a quieter speech:
"I'm sorry, God, I take it all back.
"Please, God, send me someone to love.
"I need someone to care about, someone who'll care about me!" and he dropped his head into his hands and sobbed uncontrollably again until his computer beeped.
It was Kim's pattern.
He pulled himself together, and he was smiling when he popped the camera.
"Hi, Kim: Merry Christmas!" when what he wanted to say was "Hi, Kim. Marry me, and leave Ron; he'll understand."
I can dream, can't I?
I like dreaming, 'cause dreaming can make you mine….
- - - - - - -
He looked up at the ceiling on Christmas, again, this time in a suite, with Joss singing in the background..
"Thank you, God.
"Thank you for sending me someone, an angel, even after I yelled at you.
"You truly are the understanding Father. You gave me parents who I don't deserve for all the grief and pain that I've caused them over the last few years. They've stuck by me, God, and thank you for giving me what has to be the most patient and understanding father and mother in the world.
"I won't let you down again, God.
"And, God?
"Tell Stephanie I still love her, and now I finally understand. I don't hate her, anymore.
"I finally understand why she did what she did.
"I'm sorry for what I said to and about you, Stephanie.
"I'm sorry, God, for railing at you all these years. You didn't do any of this: we do it to ourselves.
"I'm going to figure out a way to help all of the Stephanie's, everywhere, God.
"I Promise."
He got quiet, then listened to Joss sing some more.
'It's beautiful, her song,' he thought. 'She's my Christmas angel, with red hair and tall boots,' he grinned.
'I know how I got this lucky…Thank You,' and he bowed his head.
- - - - - - -
Rachel and Ryan woke up to the singing in the shower.
"It must be Jocelyn," Rachel smiled.
"Either that, or we've got a 'Falsetto Load' in the family," Ryan replied, and Rachel hit him over the head with her pillow.
"Let's go see if Wade's awake," he slipped out of the bed and walked to the door, turning the knob and then stopping.
"Rachel," Ryan stage-whispered. "Come here, quick!" and she got to the door just as Wade looked up and started to speak.
His words were heartfelt, and they listened to his whole speech. When it was done, Ryan quietly closed and locked the door and they walked silently back to the bed, where they both lay down and grabbed and held each other and sobbed for the once-lost son who now was found as they remembered last Christmas….
- - - - - - -
"Merry Christmas, Wade!" and Rachel handed him another present.
Wade had the holo-projectors on in his room, and they were mimicking the living room Christmas tree in all of its splendor.
"Gee, Mom, more underwear! Thanks," Wade grinned as she rubbed the top of his head.
"For my little man," she said.
"MOM!"
"Sorry; I've always liked doing that.
"Here's yours, Mom and Dad," and Wade handed them a travel pouch.
"Go on, open it," he egged them on, and they opened it to find-
"Two first-class round-trip tickets to Paris and London? Wade, you shouldn't have!
"Dad, it's only money, and you two deserve it," he got quiet for a moment, then perked back up. "The hotels are all five-star, and you can be in Paris in 3 days if you pack now. This will give you a break from your classes, Dad.
"But-" and Wade shushed them.
"No buts, guys," and he lowered his head, then lifted it and revealed a trace of a tear. "You deserve a break, this week."
Ryan didn't see the tear, but Rachel did, and her heart sank, again but she masked her true feelings.
"That's all of them, Wade," and Rachel pointed into the corner where Wade had piled up his loot.
"We'll let you get some sleep, son. Maybe the super-villains will let you and Ron and Kim have a night off."
"I think so, Mom. Drakken's watching Snowman Hank, and the rest of them are sunning in Rio; well, except for DNAmy," and Wade grinned just thinking about her and her homemade Cuddle-bunny creatures.
"Even that Shego woman?" Ryan asked, and Rachel whacked at his back. "What? She's evil, but she's built; I'd bet that even Drew Lipsky hasn't missed noticing her."
"You'd lose that bet, Dad: he thinks of her a daughter," Wade added, then stood and stretched. "I am kinda tired."
"We'll let you rest, Wade," and Rachel kissed his forehead.
"Good night, son," Ryan shook his son's hand, and Rachel hugged him, quickly: she knew how much he hated hugs, now.
They left Wade's room, went into their bedroom, and managed to close their door before Rachel broke down.
"I WANT MY SON BACK!" she screamed, and she fell into Ryan's arms, and Ryan sobbed with her.
'Please, oh please, help my son,' he thought. 'He's doing so much good for the world; is it too much to ask that he have someone who will smile at him for him?' and Ryan kept crying: he wanted his son back, too, but he also knew that it wasn't going to happen until he had vanquished his 'Stephanie Watership' demons.
- - - - - - -
'Thank you.'
'Thank you.'
Both thoughts came from Wade's parents at the same time as they held each other, their gratitude for their son's recovery rapidly turned into passion.
'Glad I locked the door!' Ryan thought as he buried his head into his wife's chest, and he quit thinking for awhile.
- - - - - - -
Betty got out of the shower, reaching for a towel and missing.
'crap! You'd think that this place would hang towel racks closer to the bath,' and she made another long arm and snared a towel. She quickly dried her hair and face, then patted her body down and bent over to dry her legs. She stretched back up, ran the towel along her back and front one more time, then sat at the counter.
'I can't believe I'm worried about my makeup! I'm as giddy as Jocelyn!' was her thought as she couldn't decide what makeup base to wear today.
'Screw it: I'm going natural; well, not that natural,' she grinned as she put on her underwear and looked in the closet for something besides a jump suit or evening wear: she found the only slacks that she'd packed, almost by accident, and one of Slim's Lazy C Meezod shirts, and she decided that that was breakfast attire.
'OHMYGOD, breakfast with Slim and Jocelyn and Wade and Rachel and Ryan,' and Betty panicked and made a pot of coffee from the machine in the room. While it was bubbling, the bubbling sound reminded her of last year's Christmas soiree, 100 feet below the surface….
- - - - - - -
"…and, we're surfacing for the pickup, Dr. Director," the Navy Captain passed the information over the intercom to Betty's cabin.
Agents Du and Carlos and Agent Trainee Casey were returning from a mission; they had ditched in the North Pacific without any communications gear; they'd been in the water for 2 days, now, on a slow-leaking life-raft (compliments of the machine guns from the ship that came after them that, unfortunately for the ship, was no longer there: explosives tended to make holes in ships' hulls when placed strategically, and they didn't float very well or long with multiple holes, either.
'I'm glad I called; I won't be singing this Christmas.'
"We've got them on radar, Dr. Director, and we have visual. They're coming aboard, now," the Captain called.
"Send them down, if you don't mind," Betty responded, and she heard the Captain unsuccessfully stifled a laugh.
"Yes, Ma'am," and the 'com clicked off.
Four minutes later, and the knock came on the cabin door.
"Enter."
Three drowned rats came into Betty's cabin, and Acting Supervising Agent Will Du was limping noticeably, being supported by both Senior Agent Arnold Carlos and Probationary Agent Trainee Rebecca Jane Casey. Will was noticeably grimacing whenever he placed his right foot down, and they helped him into a chair.
"What happened?"
"It's my fault, Dr. Director. I take full responsibility for the incident," Agent Du was noticeably repentant, and Betty Director raised an eyebrow.
"We got out OK after we destroyed the files, Dr. Director," Agent Carlos stepped in, "but Agent Du was shot in the leg as we were launching our escape plane. Agent Casey pulled him into the plane, and I took off, but we'd taken too much damage from machine gun fire, and we went down after I'd managed to evade the radar signal from the island," he continued.
"We ditched the plane after I'd gotten off the last signal, and the plane went down less than a minute Agent Casey pulled Agent Du from the plane and into the raft. We took fire from a small surface ship from the island, but Agent Du had leftovers around his waist; Agent Casey jumped in and placed the charges on the hull as we dodged the machine gun fire in the raft; obviously, not very well," he nodded his head at the bandage on his left arm. "We blew the ship, and managed to make it in the raft, bailing water, until you came.
"Agent Du, how is this your fault?" Betty asked, and she finally got the answer she'd been hoping for, for the last four years.
"Ma'am, I was in charge, and I accept responsibility for my team," and Betty cheered inside.
"Agents Casey, Carlos," Will struggled to his feet, noticeably wincing, "I apologize for all of the insults and lack of respect that I've given you over the past two years. You are an exceptional agent and trainee, and you performed in the finest traditions of GJ. I would be proud to serve with you again," and he fell into the chair and passed out.
"WILL!" Rebecca Jane ran to him and laid him down gently on the deck, checking his pulse and finding it weak. She then lifted him up off the deck on a hunch and found a pool of blood. The Navy doctor aboard had come after the emergency call that Betty punched when she saw Will go down, and she checked his pulse.
"He's lost some blood, and he's in shock, but all of the signs look good, so he should be OK. Let's get him next door and onto a bed," she commanded as her assistants picked him up and placed him gently on a gurney.
"Be well, Will," Rebecca and Arnold both said, and they turned and faced their commander.
"Was what he said correct?"
"Yes, ma'am," Rebecca Jane replied, and Arnold nodded.
'A hell of a way to spend Christmas,' Betty thought.
"It's not your fault, nor is it his: shit happens, and we sometimes get the bad draw. Will will recover; will you?" Betty asked, and they both nodded.
"Good," she smiled.
"Now," Betty reached under her desk and pulled out a bottle of 75-year-old champagne. "I've been saving this for a special occasion, and I believe this is as good a time as any," she added as she poured three glasses, then handed one each to Rebecca Jane and Arnold.
"Ma'am?"
"Two things:
"One, I finally heard Will Du take responsibility for an incident when he didn't do anything wrong. I've been waiting for him to accept responsibility, and, when he wakes up, he'll have a nice Christmas present: a promotion!" and the three Global Justice team members clicked glasses and sipped.
"Two, someone else is getting a promotion to Supervising Agent, and it's not Rebecca Jane," and Betty shook the surprised Arnold Carlos' hand.
"Three, someone else is no longer a probationary, and it's not the Supervising Agent," and Betty shook the hand of the shocked Rebecca Jane, and then hugged her.
"To Global Justice, and those who never return," Betty raised her glass, and the other two repeated her toast, then clicked glasses and drained them.
"And, a Merry Christmas to both of you," Betty added, and they all left her cabin and headed next door to check on Will Du.
- - - - - - -
'If I could have gotten him to keep the humility,' Betty thought as she left her suite, heading for breakfast. 'But, he got the attitude back after he came back to active duty, and then there was the incident at Slim's ranch,' she thought.
'What can I do to enable him to change,' she asked herself as the elevator door opened, and she smiled at the couple with the little girl in the elevator.
"Merry Christmas to you," she said as she stepped into the elevator.
"What happened to your eye, lady?" the little girl asked, and her mother grabbed her and held her as the elevator door shut.
- - - - - - -
Slim woke up slowly, then remembered what had happened last night and smiled.
"She likes me….SHE LOVES ME!
'Thank you, darlin'' he thought as he looked up at the ceiling. 'I tol' her I wanted to take it slow, but time doesn't wait for old farts like me,' and he started his plan.
Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…
He slammed the alarm off, then listed and heard his daughter singing in the shower.
'It's both of us, Sheri Nicole. I hope she's ready for an extra Momma, darlin,' but I think she is, after what she asked me this past summer.
'I'm just happy that she's got Wade, darlin;' he's a better young man for her than those yahoos she's chased after at school, and he's not 23 like that hand that works at the ranch,' and he listened to what she was singing:
'Last Christmas…
'This is so much a better Christmas than last….'
- - - - - - -
Slim jumped from the bed as he heard the scream, and he ran up the stairs to find Joss, sitting up in bed, sobbing and breathing shallow quick breaths.
He went to the right side of her bed, sat on the edge, and reached for her hand. She squeezed his hand.
"Another one, Joss?"
"Daddy, what did I do?" Joss was still crying, and she got the words out between the sobs. "I still can't remember the dreams except for the fact that I'm scared.
"Why can't I have regular dreams for Christmas besides these? Daddy, what's wrong with me?" she grabbed his shirt and pulled her face into it, and the sobs became more violent.
"The doctors don't know, Joss; they won't know until you can break through," and she pulled away and started to beat him with her fists.
"WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER, DADDY?" she screamed, and she fell forward into his shirt and continued to soak it even more.
'Merry Christmas, Jocelyn,' he thought sarcastically. 'Merry Christmas to me.'
'Why, Sheri Nicole? Is it because I didn't get y'all out in time to save you: is that why you have to torture your own daughter, to get back at me?
'Take me, Sheri Nicole, but don't punish our daughter. You can have my life, if that's what you want as payback,' he thought as he began to form tears that fell on Joss's red hair as she continued to sob into her father.
'I'll live by myself, if that's what you want, even though that's not we agreed to, back then. But, please, Sheri Nicole, ask Him to send someone for Joss; not those yahoos at school that have her almost kicked out of school. Maybe Slick and his family will take me up on the offer to come up from Middleton; Joss is infatuated with Kim; maybe that'll help her get through the rest of this school year.
'She says she has friends, but they aren't real friends, not the kinds that you'd risk your neck for.'
"I don't want to be alone, darlin,' but if that's what it takes to let our little girl out of the hole she's in, I can live like that. I'll take loneliness over our daughter, any and every day.
'Please God, help my little girl,' and Slim dropped tears into Joss' hair as she continued to sob into his now-soaked pajama shirt.
- - - - - - -
Slim smiled as he threw off the covers and got out of bed, stretching his sore back, and headed for the shower. As he showered, he thought about his wife and daughter, both loving to sing in the shower. 'I wonder if Betty sings in the shower?' and he had a very wicked grin as just the thought of Betty in the shower awakened other parts of his body.
He got out, dripping, and grabbed a towel to dry himself off. He waved his razor at his face, making sure that he had no beard burn for Betty ('and how long has it been since I worried about that!'), and went back into the sleeping area and grabbed underwear, one of his ranch Meezod shirt, and a pair of jeans and boots. He combed his hair and mustache, checked his hat for any stains, and headed out the door after he noticed that it was almost 7:30.
- - - - - - -
"And, that's what happened to me," Betty finished as the elevator door opened and the little girl clapped her hands with glee.
"Gee, lady, you're exciting! You know Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable and Rufus, and you help save the world with Global Justice!" she grabbed the hand of her mother, who by now was smiling after being shocked at her daughter's opening statement to Betty.
"Thank you, Dr. Director," she said simply, and Betty smiled back and shook her head.
"It's Betty," she clarified, and she handed her a card. "If you're ever in Middleton or back in DC, give me a call at the number on the card: I'll answer your call, and maybe I can get Kim's and Ron's autographs for both of you," and the little girl and her brother both smiled. Betty leaned over and whispered to the mother:
'I'm going to go see a really gorgeous man who just told me last night that he LOVES me!" and the woman grinned and clapped her hands just like her daughter had done.
"Good luck, Betty!" she called as she led her children away to the other restaurant in the hotel.
"Good morning, Dr. Director," the hostess smiled Betty as she walked up
"Good morning, Marty."
"Table for one?"
"No, Marty, there'll be a load coming down for breakfast," Betty replied and grinned inside at the pun. "About seven, I believe, and one is the Ron I told you about yesterday," and the hostess smiled broadly.
"I tasted some of his dessert that he left for us from last night: I didn't know that anything could be that good!" she gushed as she led Betty to a large round table.
"If a gentleman with a big mustache comes in," she said as she sat, "please tell him where I am."
"Don't need to, Elizabeth," and Betty smiled as Slim walked up, and he pulled her up and kissed her quickly, then pulled the chair out for her to sit.
"Why, thank you, kind sir," she responded as she sat down, and he joined her in the seat next to hers'.
"Did you sleep well, Slim? She asked, and he smiled.
"Better than I ever have since I've owned the ranch, 'Madam Librarian,'" he replied, and Betty blushed.
"Slim! Please! What will people think?"
"I hope they think I'm in love with you, Elizabeth, because it's true. Should I tell them?" And he pushed his chair back and moved to stand.
"NO!" she whisper-shouted, and he smiled and sat back down.
"I would have, you know," he added, and Betty nodded and picked up a menu to hide her face.
"Let's have some breakfast," she suggested, and Slim reached across and pulled the menu down to reveal a smiling Betty.
"Tease," he accused her, and she nodded vigorously.
"I love you, too, Slim. Should we both shout it here?" and she pushed her chair back.
"NO!" he whisper-shouted, and she smiled and sat back down.
"I thought not; you were bluffing," she stated, and took his hand and squeezed it.
"Who's bluffin'?" Joss asked as she walked up followed by Wade, who was smiling broadly. He pulled a chair out for Joss, and she nodded as she sat down next to her father.
Wade walked behind Betty and whispered, 'I know, and I heartily approve of the combination!" and he sat next to her as Betty grinned and became a light, cheeky pink.
"Good morning, all," Rachel and Ryan came up top the table, and Betty stood and hugged Rachel.
"I SO approve," Rachel whispered to Betty, and Betty sat down with a semi-permanent pink.
"I SO approve," Ryan whispered to Slim as he leaned over and shook his hand, and Slim headed for a bit of pink in his cheeks and arrived safely.
"So, what's for breakfast?" Joss asked, still trying to figure out what was happening, and everyone except her smiled.
- - - - - - -
Kim and Ron had come down to grab a bite before taking an early flight back to Denver and then to Middleton, and the hostess had gotten Ron's autograph and a kiss. Kim hadn't jelled one bit. Kim was chuckling inside as she watched Joss squirm because she didn't know what was happening.
'I'm glad I'm not like that," Kim thought, and looked shocked as Ron squeezed her hand and grinned.
"No, really, isn't anybody gonna tell me what's happ'nin'?" By the end of breakfast, Joss was miffed to the max. Everyone danced around what was happening, and no one would tell her.
"That's what you get for sleeping through it, Sweet Tea," Wade smirked, and Joss threw her napkin at him.
"Betty, we had an idea: why don't you come and spend Christmas with us?" Ryan asked, and Rachel nodded. "I'll even get Wade to turn off his extra scanners so we don't have a 'scanner malfunction,'" Ryan added, and Wade looked like a guilty man, and Joss just looked peeved and depressed at the same time.
"Wehl, Ryan," Slim interjected, "That sounds lak a great idea, but I wan' to raise the anty a littl' bit: how 'bout all y'all come up to the ranch tonight and the next two days, and we'll fly to Middleton for the day before and Christmas Eve?" Slim suggested, and Wade and Joss both perked up at the idea.
"Besides, Rachel, I thank that seperatin' these two for their first Christmas," and he pointed at Wade and Joss, "would have 'bout as much success as gittin' Ron to keep his pants up," and they all chuckled and Ron blushed when he added, "especially when mah fav'rite niece is around," and this time Kim pink'ed.
"Besides," Slim continued, "y'all haven' seen the ranch, and ah've got to feed Tornado," and Rachel and Ryan both looked confused as everybody else broke into big whoops of laughter.
"Betty, would you care to come, too?" and Slim smiled, and Betty nodded.
"Whad'dya think, you two?"
"Well, we'd love to, but I don't know if we could change our flights that quickly," Rachel replied, and a throat-clearing had her turn to her son, PosComm in hand.
"Done," he announced. "PosComm Mark 4.3: don't leave the bunker without it," he grinned as Joss tossed another napkin at Wade.
"Isn't anyone gonna tell me what's goin' on?" By now, she was frustrated and on the verge of tears.
"Sweet Tea," Slim spoke as he took Betty's hand, "Elizabeth and I are in love," and he lifted Betty's hand and kissed it tenderly. Ron and Kim smiled at both Betty and Slim, and Kim winked at her uncle while Ron smiled a knowing smile at Betty: both acts generated blushing by the recipients.
"Well, D'OI! Y'all jus' now figgered that out?" Joss asked, and Wade barely stifled a chuckle. "Wade and I have known that since before he left this summer," she added, and Wade smiled. "Gosh, y'all are slower that Wade and I," and with that Wade tossed a napkin at Joss.
"Hey, we're older than y'all: give us a break," Slim replied, and Betty smiled. "We both were scared, of some of the same things and of other different things.
"We don't know where we'll end up, but we're taking it slow," he ended.
"So, I still may get married before you, Slim," Wade joked, and Joss turned and tossed another wadded napkin at Wade.
Rachel and Ryan and Kim and Ron all applauded both couples; then Rachel looked at Ryan and smiled, and then Ryan kissed his wife, and Ron followed suit as he kissed a surprised Kim, and the applause was returned by the table's audience table surrounding them. They all looked up, embarrassed, then went back to their kisses.
"I guess I'm going forward to Montana," Wade mused as he collected the napkins that he'd received and piled them on his plate.
"Can we go see the Lincoln Memorial one more time, and back to Arlington one more time before we leave? I still have some people I'd like to see at Arlington?" Wade asked, and Rachel and Ryan both smiled inwardly as they watched their son.
"I wanna go, too. Kin we go, Daddy?"
"I don't see why not, Jocelyn," and they turned to see Admiral English and Commander Peterson walking up to their table. Ron, Ryan and Slim started to stand, but Admiral waved them down.
"Please, don't get up. I just stopped by to find out if you were all right, Jocelyn." Claudia stated as she pulled up a chair from an adjoining table.
"I'm fine, Admiral," Joss replied, and Claudia held up her hand.
"Claudia, please; or CR, Jocelyn."
"I'm fine, Claudia. Thank you for everything you did; Momma would have been happy," Joss replied, fighting to keep the tears away.
It didn't succeed for the Admiral. "Thank you, Jocelyn," she replied as she wiped a tear from her eye.
"I've got a few connections, and some people that owe me a favor or two: would anyone like to take a tour of the White House?" and Wade and Ryan both looked the same age as they waved their hands vigorously in the air; Rachel just smiled at her big kid husband and her son.
"I take it that's a yes?" Claudia grinned, and they all left the table and headed out into the lobby. They found Steve Barkin and Charles Brickle out there, and with little coaxing convinced them to come along. They all decided that they should meet back in the lobby in one hour after checking out of the hotel and do all their tours before heading to the airport.
Kim ad Ron said their goodbyes, getting hugs and kisses from everyone, even Mr. Barkin and Charles Brickle. They picked up their backpacks and headed out to their cabs and the airport.
"Kim!" Betty called, and Kim came back to a grinning Betty.
"Do you still want to do it?" Betty asked, and Kim looked serious for a moment, then grinned.
"Sure, Betty," she replied. "Let's give them a Christmas that they'll never forget!"
"Thanks for having faith in me, Betty; I won't let you down," Kim added, and she ran to catch Ron and their cab to the airport.
"I'll call you," Betty called as the door closed behind Kim.
- - - - - - -
Other than Wade getting pulled aside by the Secret Service for carrying the PosComm into the White House, the White House tour was uneventful. Fortunately for Wade, he was cleared after being vouched for by both the director of Global Justice, the DNS, and the Secretary of State; the recognition generated a large collection of requests for autographs from Wade and promises to have Kim send autographs to several of the agents ("It's for my daughter" was the most popular reason, and Wade heard Joss mutter more than once under her breath "lo drops,'" but he decided he'd ask her about that later),
- - - - - - -
They pulled into Arlington National Cemetery again.
'Everybody looks happy except my Wade,' Joss thought. 'Somethin's botherin' him,' and he yelled:
"Stop the car!" and he dove for the door, pushed it open, jumped out of the Hummer, and started running thru the snow.
"I'll go!" Joss yelled as the adults all started to stand to go after Wade. She jumped out of the limousine and fell face-first into the snow, but picked herself up quickly and ran slowly into the maze of grave sites.
'He's goin' back to Momma's grave!' she thought as he zigzagged down the paths and around headstones to stop.
Joss came up behind him and saw him kneeling at Sheri Nicole's grave, holding the flowers that Joss and Kim had placed there yesterday. Joss noticed that the flowers looked remarkably fresh after the day and night in the snow, but that wasn't what caught her attention.
'Wade's sayin' sumpn'' she thought, and she stepped quietly up behind him, and she heard the last of his comments.
"You will never be forgotten, and I will find the ones who planned this.
"For you.
"For Slim.
"For your daughter, whom I'd give my life for, Sheri Nicole: For Andrea Jocelyn Possible:"
"You, and Stephanie, her little brothers and sisters, and all of the Stephanie's in the world: you will be avenged," and he put the flowers back on the ground, stood, and turned. Joss saw that his face was covered in tears.
"Why did you run off, Wade?"
"I realized last night that I hadn't made my promise to your Momma, Joss, and I had to do it.
"I will find the people that captured you, Joss, and took your Momma away from you. I promised her one night at the ranch, and I had to tell her here, again," and he started walking back to the Hummer.
"You're scaring me, Wade, and you've only done that once before: in Donna's office before you learned the full story about Stephanie," she said as they walked back. "Wade, what aren't you telling me?" she grabbed him and spun him back to face her.
"I don't know anything for sure, Jocelyn, my love. I don't want to give you false hope; but, when I find out who did it, I will tell you and your dad. Until then, nothing from my lips" and he put his hand to his mouth and pantomimed turning a lock on his mouth, then smiled.
"You mean, I can't do this?" and she stepped up to him and kissed him, and she teased him with her mouth.
"No, Joss, not until we're older: we agreed, remember? Besides, you're cold and wet, so let's get you back to the van."
"All right, but I still wanna be able to feed you some 'Wadeshine,'" she said as she took his hand and they walked the rest of the way back to the limo.
"You bet," he agreed, and the limo door opened and they stepped back in.
"Wade, are you all right?" Rachel asked, and he nodded.
"I'm fine, Mom.
"Admiral, isn't Grace here?" and Claudia Rose grinned.
"You know your heroes, Wade. Commodore/Rear Admiral Grace Hopper is indeed interned here."
"That's the only other spot that I want to see," he finished as he plopped into the seat, and Joss sat next to him.
"Ewww, you're wet," he commented as he pulled out the snowball that he had stashed inside his coat pocket and shoved it down the back of Joss' coat.
She screamed.
Lindsey laughed.
The whole car laughed even more when Joss produced a snowball of her own and ground it into Wade's lap.
"Geniuses at play," Rachel whispered to her husband, and Ryan smiled.
- - - - - - -
"Thank you, again, Admiral," Slim thanked Claudia Rose as the ensigns pulled the rest of the luggage out of the back of the Hummer.
"Commander, it was my pleasure, she said as she shook his hand, then smiled. "So, now you're going to go outside the family?" she asked as she nodded her head at Betty who was in an animated conversation with Lindsey.
"I hope so, Admiral, I really hope so. You'd better look out, though; Betty has that recruiting look," and Slim nodded his head in the direction of Lindsey.
"That's impossible," Claudia stated categorically, and Slim laughed.
"If it happens between us, Claudia, 'check her name,'" and Slim laughed as Claudia suddenly decided that she needed to join that other conversation.
"Daddy?" Joss tugged on his sleeve, and Slim had a flashback to a two-year-old but shook his head a couple of times hard.
"Yes, Sweet Tea?"
"I think Betty will be a fun Momma2," she stated, and her comment made Slim's decision easier.
"Thank you, Sweet Tea," and he hugged Joss, then pushed her back and made a face. "You're wet," he announced, then laughed and hugged her again after she stuck her tongue out at him.
"I love you, Jocelyn Possible," he said into her hair.
- - - - - - -
"Son, thank you; I haven't had this much fun in a long time," Ryan was just turning away from the counter where he'd confirmed their seats on the changed flights.
"Probably since before Stephanie died," Wade replied, and Ryan and Rachel lost all emotion from their face.
"It's all right; I told you that I understand that I've been a pain in the ass for the last few years. I just hope y'all can forgive me," and Rachel grinned.
"Y'all, Wade?"
"Yup," he replied with a big grin. "Ah've had a heapin' helpin' of Montana, and Ah'm a'headin' back," and he laughed along with his parents.
"Besides, you two would love the bench," he added, and his Dad smiled, wondering if he could pull off his own version of the 'bench plan.'
'I'll need some help from Tornado,' he thought, then realized what he'd just said in his head: he needed help from a talking robot horse.
'Willl-burr,' he thought, then laughed to himself as he headed to his wife.
- - - - - - -
"Betty, I sure wish you could fly out with me," Slim smiled sadly.
"Slim, I'm sorry, but I've got to get back to Middleton and follow-up on some cases; I'll take commercial to the ranch tomorrow, and I'll fly back to Middleton with you," she added, and he kissed her cheek.
"I'll miss you, 'Madam Librarian,'" he smiled and kissed her quickly on the lips, but Betty would have none of that.
"That's not good enough," she whispered, and she grabbed his head, pulled him to her, and kissed him so passionately that the people around them in the waiting area all applauded, and Joss' jaw dropped four feet.
"I guess you two finally did figger it out," Joss clapped her hands with glee, jumped up, and ran and hugged both Betty and Slim.
"I'll see you in Montana, Elizabeth," Slim called over his shoulder as he and Joss headed down the jetway.
"I'll see you, Slim," she whispered, and then Dr. Elizabeth "Betty" Director, head of Global Justice, lost all decorum:
"I LOVE YOU, SLIM POSSIBLE!" she shouted, and the people around her applauded again…including Admiral Claudia Rose English and Lt. Commander Lindsey Peterson and the ensigns with them.
'What has he done to me?' Betty asked herself as she walked out with a grinning Claudia Rose and Lindsey and three jealous ensigns, far younger than Betty but just as interested in her as they were in Lindsey and the Admiral.
'I'm acting like a schoolgirl: even Jocelyn is being mature about Wade than I am about Slim,' Betty thought; 'my man…now, I'm sure I've totally lost my mind!
'Why not, Betty? Why not "your man"? He's rugged, he's handsome, you want to spend the rest of your live with him, you want to have his children…CHILDREN?
'What an intriguing and neat idea…children…' she mused as they exited the building,
"I just love a woman in uniform," one of ensigns whispered to his blond partner.
"Any uniform," the Blondie replied.
"All uniforms," the brown-haired ensign added, and all three nodded as they walked out to the Hummer to return to the real world.
- - - - - - -
Author's afterward:
The schedule for publishing chapters 2-5 is below and in my profile:
Chapter 2 – 12/21
Chapter 3 – 12/23
Chapter 4 – 12/24
Chapter 5 – 12/25
Slim would tell you that he has his presents identified, and all are purchased, as would Betty…but, that's not important. Tornado's going to be busy, but I'm not worried about him: he's da horse! And Joss has her presents for Wade. Where are Steve Barkin and Charlie Brickle? You really don't want to know….
Our next chapter begins on the way out of DC and lasts until they are heading to Middleton: next, in chapter 2 of Paint Me a Christmas Memory: 12/20-22 - Time to and in Montana….
Thanks again for reading, and please review.