Title: Wish You Were Here
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. This story was written purely for my own personal amusement and the pleasure I have in trying to incorporate the challenge elements into the fic.
This story is most definitely AU and written for the SD-1 December challenge.
Elements:
1 - A kiss under the mistletoe
2 - falling snow
3 - A special gift
4 - A chocolate Santa Claus
5 - A quote "The truth is rarely pure and never simple" - By Oscar Wilde
December 1986
South American Rainforest
The heat was oppressive. Irina swiped vainly at the droplets of sweat bathing her face. Insects hovered around her, but the repellant managed to keep most at bay. Only two more days, she told herself. Two more days and she would be out of the hellhole she'd called home for the last three months.
She picked up the binoculars and surveyed the land below her. A rough wooden cabin lay almost hidden behind the large jungle foliage. Earlier in the week it had been a bevy of activity, with a half dozen men unloading heavy crates from more than a dozen pack animals. Now, though, the cabin was still, a lone guard keeping watch.
There had really been no need for her to check the contents of the crates. Her employers had been expecting this delivery for some time. Her job was merely to verify its arrival. Still, knowledge was power. It had been simple enough to lure the guard away long enough to doctor his coffee. Thirty minutes later, he was sound asleep and she was free to snoop. And after all, she had a little experience in the art of snooping, she thought wryly.
Most of the items were run of the mill weaponry. But one crate had taken her by surprise. Inside were assorted soft toy dogs. She pulled one out and studied it. The stitching looked intact. A gentle squeeze told her that nothing was hidden inside. She started to put the dog back, then changed her mind. Working quickly, she closed the crates, removing all evidence of her visit. Once back in her tent, she made the call to her contact. She hadn't been pleased when he ordered her to stay until the exchange was made.
It was two days before Christmas and she wanted to be in Moscow getting drunk and drowning out the memories, not sober and alone in a hot jungle. She picked up the plush dog and placed it next to her pillow. "I guess it's going to be just you and me for Christmas. I suppose that's better than just me."
Bristow Residence
Sydney rubbed at the frosted glass obscuring her view of the front driveway. She watched anxiously as each car neared the entrance and sighed unhappily as they quickly passed by.
"Sydney, come to the table and eat your dinner right now."
"But Mrs. Jones…"
"Don't 'but' me, young lady. Your father told you he couldn't promise when he would be back. Standing with your nose in the window isn't going to bring him home any sooner."
Reluctantly, Sydney did as she was told. "He promised…"
"No, dear, he didn't. He said he would try." Mrs. Jones cut her off, coldly. "You should know by now that he can't always be here. He has an important job, one which, may I remind you, sees to it that you get to attend one of the finest private schools in Los Angeles. Let's not forget all those pretty clothes you wear. Stop whining and be thankful your father can afford to give you all these things. Now, eat before your dinner gets cold."
Sydney toyed with the mashed potatoes. "I'm not very hungry, Mrs. Jones."
"You will finish your dinner, young lady. I'll not have you telling your father I sent you to bed without dinner."
"Yes, Mrs. Jones," Sydney said, acknowledging her defeat. When she took her last bite, she asked to be excused.
She went to her room and slammed the door shut, allowing herself the one victory. Mrs. Jones would make her pay for it in the morning, but tonight she didn't care. She was in her sanctuary. Her father had made it clear to Mrs. Jones before she was hired that she was not to enter Sydney's room without an invitation. The room itself was not the most inviting. Another time and place, she might have worked on making the room more appealing. The walls were painted in a delicate shade of pink, a color she always loathed. She would have painted it the very next day, but her father had chosen the color.
They had moved to this house shortly after her tenth birthday, not long after her dad started working for that airplane company. Her father joked that it was her birthday present. From the moment she walked in the front door, she knew she hated the house. It was cold and uninviting, with none of the homey touches that made a house a home. Her mother would have hated the house, too.
The worst part of it all was her dad's new job. He made a lot more money, but it kept him away most of the time. The only good thing about the move was that her beloved nanny had moved with them. Then her nanny got really sick and now she had Mrs. Jones. She had tried to tell her father about Mrs. Jones, but he was always too busy.
"Mrs. Jones came with excellent references, Sydney," he would tell her. "You need to give her a chance." Sydney snorted. Mrs. Jones had been with them for over a year and she still hated her.
She sighed unhappily. There were just two more days until Christmas. He'd missed last Christmas because he had a business deal to close. What kind of people closed business deals at Christmas?
She picked up the book from her nightstand. She was too old for these books, she knew, but her father had read them to her every year right before Christmas. Except last year. She threw the book on the floor. "Stupid book. It's just a stupid baby story, anyway."
Sydney went to her door and cracked it open. The hallway was quiet except for the sound of Mrs. Jones snores. The old woman must have decided to go to bed early. Nervously, she slipped out of her room and crept down the stairs to the living room. Mrs. Jones had forgotten to turn out the tree lights. Sydney sat on the couch and stared at the twinkling lights.
"Starlight, star bright …" Sydney giggled. Then an idea formed. She might be too old for the books, but surely she wasn't too old for wishing? She rubbed a spot clean on the frosted pane. Crossing her fingers, she stared intently at the lone star in the night sky. "I wish I may, I wish I might have the wish I wish tonight."
South American Rainforest
Irina lay in her tent, glad for the mesh doors that kept the bugs away. She longed for a bottle of Vodka. And maybe some chocolate. She hadn't had chocolate in ... no, she didn't want to think about chocolate. There were too many memories and she wanted, needed, to forget.
Christmas 1974
"Look, Jack, it's snowing!" Laura stood at the door of their Bethesda townhouse, watching the large flakes. "Let's go out and make a snowman."
"It's freezing outside. The doctor told you to take it easy, remember." Jack gently closed the door and led her to the living room. A fire cackled in the fireplace, emitting no heat, but gave a pleasant glow to the room. "I'm sure that catching a cold is not on his list of things that are good for you."
"You're being over protective, darling. I grew up in Iowa. This snow is nothing.."
Jack laughed, the deep kind that showed in his eyes. "Yes, I know and you walked five miles to school every day."
She looked up at him puzzled. "No, I took the bus."
"Laura, it's a joke. You know how your parents always tell you how much harder they had it."
"Oh, how stupid of me." Irina was always amazed at how easily Jack accepted her faux pas, but could so easily zero in when someone else was being less than honest.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Your parents probably did walk five miles in the snow to go to school."
Deciding it was a good time for a distraction, she pointed to the mistletoe above the doorframe. "I think you've overlooked something, darling."
"I have? I'm pretty sure I've told you how much I love you."
"Yes, but haven't you always said actions speak louder than words? I'm beginning to think you don't want me anymore, now that I'm as big as a house."
"Don't want you anymore?" Jack looked at her, incredulous. "Laura, you are the most beautiful woman in the world."
"But Jack, I'm five months pregnant and I feel like a cow."
"A very beautiful cow."
She laughed and then swatted at him. "You have such a way with words."
"Laura, we are having a baby. I can't think of any better gift in the world."
"Not even a chocolate Santa Claus?"
"A chocolate Santa?"
"I've spoiled the surprise. That's what I was getting you for Christmas. But if you prefer having a baby instead…"
He laughed. "I prefer having you instead…"
"Instead of the baby?"
"Instead of the candy." Jack pulled her under the mistletoe and kissed her softly on the lips. "Merry Christmas, Laura. I will love you forever and a day." Laying a hand on her belly, he continued, "no matter how fat you get."
"Just for that, no chocolate Santa for you. It's coal and switches for your stocking tonight."
Jack grinned. "Hmmm. Now there's a gift with interesting possibilities."
Laura pulled him tightly against her. "Jack?"
"Hmmm?"
"I just wanted you to know… I love you. Forever and a day. No matter how fat you get."
La Paz
A sense of foreboding filled Jack from the moment he entered the room. The meet had been set up by Arvin Sloane only days before. His instructions were simple. He would deliver a substantial amount of cash as the upfront payment for a shipment of arms to be delivered to a sister company in Southeast Asia and leave. But Jack never trusted simple plans and had placed the cash in a sealed account until he was sure the deal was properly secured. The meeting started well, but things turned ugly when he'd asked to see the cargo before releasing the funds.
Several hours later, he woke on the back of a mule somewhere deep in a South American jungle.
"Ah, Mr. Bristow, you are awake. I hope you enjoyed your rest?"
Jack remained silent, not wanting to betray any advantage to his captors.
"You asked to see the shipment? Well, soon you shall see it. Then you will make your call to release the money."
"Or what?"
"Or you will die here. Perhaps in a few years someone will discover you body. Or not."
"And if I turn over the money?"
"We will release you and allow you to find your way back to civilization."
"How do I know you will keep your word."
"The beauty of it is that you won't. I guess you'll just have to trust me."
Jack looked at his captor and knew the only thing keeping him alive was the code to the bank account where he'd deposited the money for the arms deal.
"So, I take that as a no? Perhaps a few of my men will convince you otherwise." He nodded to one of the men. "Take him over by that tree and make sure he doesn't go anywhere."
Irina awoke from her fitful doze to the sound of elephants trampling through the jungle. Elephants? She sat up and focused her attention to locating the noise. She sighed wearily, as she noted the direction of the sounds. Her small attempt at getting rest would have to wait. The owners of cabin had returned a day early.
With quiet efficiency, she slipped into her lookout post and turned the binoculars on the cabin. Two men were standing at the cabin door talking to someone inside. A third led a pack mule to the center of the tiny compound and unloaded the body that had been strapped on its back. One of the men must have tried to mutiny, she surmised. Bored, she decided to head to her tent and send in a report.
Just as she turned to leave, a loud groan stopped her. Training the binoculars on the body, she realized the man was not dead, as she had first assumed.
"Tie him to a tree, Joe." The man who appeared to be in charge had exited the cabin. With purposeful strides, he moved toward the prisoner and gave the body a hard kick with his boot. Another heavy groan.
"I'm gonna need help, boss. He ain't no small bag of potatoes."
The man was large, Irina noted, reminding her somewhat of Jack. She laughed to herself. She had been in the jungle too long. Jack was several thousand miles away, preparing to go home and have dinner with their daughter. Later, he would read her bedtime stories about Santa just like he always did the week before Christmas..
Two men were ordered to help and after a lot of tugging and pulling, they finally tied the prisoner to the tree. Irina zoomed in on the man hanging limply against the rope.
She bit back a gasp. Jack. "Breathe, Irina," she admonished herself. "You've been in the jungle a while, remember. You're hallucinating, old girl." Taking a deep breath to steady her hands, she focused once more on the prisoner. He stirred slightly, lifting his head enough for her to see him clearly. The man was battered and bruised, his face swollen where a fist had made contact on his jaw, but he was most definitely her Jack.
Irina folded the tent neatly into a roll. The remainder of her supplies were already stashed into the larger of her two backpacks. Getting Jack away from the encampment wouldn't be easy and she wasn't sure how badly he was injured. She had worked out a plan, but the timing for it to work had to be perfect.
She picked up the radio and called her supervisor. "This is Camp to Base."
"Good afternoon, Camp. How was the fishing?"
Krieger was on the other end. Good. "The fishing was successful, but when I returned to camp, I discovered activity at the cabin. I'm going to investigate now."
"Negative, Camp. We don't want to expose your presence. Pick up has been moved to twenty hundred hours. You are instructed to head to the rendezvous site immediately."
"Roger, Base." Irina clicked off the radio. "Dmn it." She had less than twenty-four hours to save her husband and make her employers believe she wasn't involved in the rescue. Impossible. Maybe.
Creeping down to the encampment, Irina found a spot with a clear view and set her plan in motion. The first explosion triggered a rockslide, sending boulders into the side of cabin. Another explosion sent a new round of rocks. As the men ran to save their cargo, Irina slipped behind Jack and untied the ropes. Cutting them would have been faster and easier, but that would indicate a second person and Irina needed it to look like he escaped on his own.
She felt, rather than saw, Jack's body stiffen with shock as she whispered into his ear. For a moment, she thought he would ignore her, but he nodded and followed her instructions. While he climbed through the foliage, Irina doubled back and removed the evidence of her handiwork. Rockslides were not unusual in this area and were most often triggered by small animals. This one would appear no different.
She heard the shouts as the men discovered Jack's escape and quickly made her way to her own encampment. If Jack had followed her instructions, he should be in the cave by now. Throwing her pack onto her shoulders, she quietly made her way to her husband.