Title: Another Auld Lang Syne
Author: Sierra Crane
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, I'm just having fun with them for now. I am not making any profit from this story. This is loosely based on a song I heard, but I don't remember what it's called . . . if you recognize it, it's not mine either.
Summary: Two former lovers meet up during the Christmas Season and must face one another once again . . .
A/N: Happy Holidays, everyone!!!
***
He coughed into a gloved hand as he stepped out into the cold air, snow was beginning to fall over the bustling city and covered his dark coat as he hugged himself in an effort to keep warm; he walked down the icy sidewalk carefully, taking long strides to his car a few blocks away. The streets were packed with last-minute shoppers, but he wasn't one of them, he was wandering the streets and stores for no reason.
It was his thirtieth Christmas, the fifteenth one without his parents, and the eighth one without the love of his life . . . he shook his head, frowning and silently scolding himself for even thinking about her. He hadn't seen her since the day she placed that little ring into the palm of his hand and told him without words that it was was over, she didn't return his love anymore.
Snowflakes fell onto his clothes and stuck to his eyelashes as he continued walking down as the snow picked up, he shivered and hugged himself tighter. He stopped in front of a store, suddenly remembering the need to pick up a few drinks before heading home, his decision to go inside was one he would never regret . . .
The tunes of a cheerful Christmas carol were being played indoors, the cheeks of the people there were flushed bright red; he quickly made his way to the back of the store and reached into the freezer to pull out a carton of milk. He turned without looking and felt something bump right into him, he looked to see a woman falling onto her back, the contents of her bag spilling all over.
"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, flushing awkwardly as she knelt.
He bent over and picked up her things, saying as a feeling of deja vu overcame him: "No, I'm sorry." She stood up and their eyes met, her brown to his blue, the same way they had that day of their first meeting so many years ago . . .
"Jen???"
"Alex???"
They spoke at the same time, then laughed uncomfortably and fell silent, not knowing how to continue; Jen tucked a few things back in her bag, asking quietly: "How've you been? I haven't seen you since . . . "
"I know," Alex said, "look, why don't we go find someplace to talk? I'd like to catch up, if you don't mind."
"Of course not," Jen said, relaxing visibly.
They headed to the check-out, then went outside into the cold again. "Let's drop by a bar," Jen said, "relax for a little while . . . I need to be home before tomorrow morning though."
"Sounds like a plan," Alex laughed.
They walked from bar-to-bar for about fifteen minutes before finally quitting and picking up a six-pack at a late-night store, unable to find an open bar; they got into Jen's car and sat quietly for a few minutes before Alex pointed out:
"Shouldn't drink in a car."
Jen laughed. "I won't drink too much," she said, "don't worry." She took a sip and winced, swallowing hard before saying: "Haven't had any of this in years. Not since the kids were born . . . " she suddenly realized that she had given that information, and she blushed again.
"'Kids'???" Alex said, blinking in surprise. "You never wanted any children."
"Well, that was when I was in Time Force."
"You're not anymore?"
"No," Jen replied, "I left when I got married . . . Jack's not a military man, and he always wanted to have a big family."
Alex took a long gulp of his drink, somehow it had never occured to him that she would eventually move on after her impossible relationship with Wes . . . and that the man she would move on with wouldn't be him. He finally found his voice: "What does this Jack do?"
"He's an architect," Jen said, sounding more than a little displeased. "He's a good man, too. Takes good care of me and the children, we live comfortably."
"Do you love him?"
She looked at him in shock, obviously taken aback by his question, but as Alex opened his mouth to apologize, she said: "I'd like to see say I do . . . but I don't want to lie."
"Why did you marry him???"
"I thought I loved him," Jen said, "maybe I did at the time."
"What about Wes?" Alex asked, hesitantly.
"I haven't seen him since the MutOrgs incident," Jen answered, "but I looked him up a couple years ago, seems he moved on, too. Got married in two thousand nine, he had five kids with the woman---some doctor from San Francisco."
"That's good, I suppose."
"Yes, very good." Jen nodded. "I only ever wanted him to be happy. What about you, Alex? I've read about you in the papers, you seem to be doing well, in Time Force anyway."
"Yes," Alex said, "very well in Time Force. I'm not married or anything though."
"You're still young, Alex," Jen said, "thirty is far from old."
"Old when you have a job like mine," Alex reminded her, "remember those old jokes Lucas and I used to make about not living to see grandchildren? Those weren't entirely jokes."
"But now that Ransik is gone," Jen said, "I thought things had calmed down."
"They did for a while," Alex said, "anyway . . . let's not talk about it." He smiled, gazing at her a strong emotion deep within his icy blue eyes. "You look good, Jen, the years have been kind to you."
Jen smiled a little, looking more doubtful than grateful as she set her drink down and leaned against the seat, closing her eyes and seeming to reminisce. "Do you remember," she spoke, softly, "our first Christmas together?"
"How could I forget?" Alex said, smiling.
"I never will forget it," Jen replied, "I think about it every year at this time."
"Really?"
"Yes . . . "
*****
Jen stifled a yawn as she fumbled around in her purse for the key to Alex's apartment, her vision slightly blurred from fatigue, having worked all day; she had been more than a little surprised to receive Alex's invitation to his place on Christmas Eve, but anxious to see him again. He had returned from a two-week mission, and she had longed to feel his kiss again.
"Alex?" she said, peering around the corner.
The room was dark, and no one returned her greeting as she stepped inside and looked around, confused; she shut the door quietly and called his name again. She heard something click, and a moment later he appeared in the doorway to his kitchen, candles lighting up the small room and revealing a lacy tablecloth covering a small table.
"Merry Christmas, Jennifer," he said, quietly.
"Oh, Alex . . . " Jen sighed, "it's so beautiful!"
She walked forward and he opened his arms to her, she wrapped her arms around his lean waist and pressed her cheek to his shoulder, looking past him to the romantic setting. The table was set for two, the plates filled with mouth-watering food and two, long glasses filled to the rim with some sort of drink.
"I wanted to make this special," Alex said, "our Christmas together."
"The first of many," Jen said, stepping back and looking at him.
He leaned over and kissed her gently, the kiss increasing in intensity till he parted her lips and held her closer to him, feeling her hands running up- and-down his back. She whispered between kisses: "I've never seen you in civilian clothes, Alex."
He chuckled. "I'm human, too," he said.
"Really?"
"Believe it or not."
He took her hand and led her into the kitchen, pulling out the chair so she could sit, then sitting across from her and raising his glass: "To our life together . . . our past, our present, and our future."
"May we have many more Christmas dinners together," Jen added.
"We will," he assured her, "I love you, Jennifer."
"I love you, too."
*****
Alex smiled at the memory, tears stinging his eyes as he recalled their break-up only two years later, and how their dreams had suddenly gone up in smoke. "What happened, Jen?" he asked, quietly, "we were so much in love. How could something so strong just break apart like that?"
"It didn't 'just happen', Alex," Jen said, "for so long, I thought you were dead, and I allowed myself to fall in love again. When you returned, you were so different, it was easy to make myself believe that I loved Wes and not you."
"'Make yourself'?" Alex echoed, "you mean, you don't love him?"
"No," Jen said, "and I don't think I ever did. But by the time I realized that, it was too late."
"No---" Alex shook his head. "It was never too late, I would've taken you back at any time."
Jen looked at him quickly, her eyes were also wet with tears that she had held back for too long and no longer could; they sat in silence, thinking about what might have been, what they both had lost and could never gain.
"I love you," Alex whispered.
"Oh, Alex . . . "
Their lips met and they kissed as if they were still twenty-years-old and loving their newfound relationship with their whole being; Jen closed her eyes as Alex's fingers ran through her thick hair and pulled her to him. They finally were forced to part for air, gasping, but not just from the lack of air; neither could speak for a long time, until Jen finally spoke:
"I-I have to go."
"Yeah," Alex said, opening the door to get out. "Good-bye, Jennifer."
"Good-bye, Alex."
As he stepped onto the sidewalk and she drove away, the snow gradually began to turn into a dreary rain and the clock began to ring, announcing to the city that it was now midnight: Christmas morning. He shivered and rubbed his arms, watching the tail-lights of her car disappear down the street.
"In days of Auld Lang Syne . . . " he sang softly
THE END
Author: Sierra Crane
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, I'm just having fun with them for now. I am not making any profit from this story. This is loosely based on a song I heard, but I don't remember what it's called . . . if you recognize it, it's not mine either.
Summary: Two former lovers meet up during the Christmas Season and must face one another once again . . .
A/N: Happy Holidays, everyone!!!
***
He coughed into a gloved hand as he stepped out into the cold air, snow was beginning to fall over the bustling city and covered his dark coat as he hugged himself in an effort to keep warm; he walked down the icy sidewalk carefully, taking long strides to his car a few blocks away. The streets were packed with last-minute shoppers, but he wasn't one of them, he was wandering the streets and stores for no reason.
It was his thirtieth Christmas, the fifteenth one without his parents, and the eighth one without the love of his life . . . he shook his head, frowning and silently scolding himself for even thinking about her. He hadn't seen her since the day she placed that little ring into the palm of his hand and told him without words that it was was over, she didn't return his love anymore.
Snowflakes fell onto his clothes and stuck to his eyelashes as he continued walking down as the snow picked up, he shivered and hugged himself tighter. He stopped in front of a store, suddenly remembering the need to pick up a few drinks before heading home, his decision to go inside was one he would never regret . . .
The tunes of a cheerful Christmas carol were being played indoors, the cheeks of the people there were flushed bright red; he quickly made his way to the back of the store and reached into the freezer to pull out a carton of milk. He turned without looking and felt something bump right into him, he looked to see a woman falling onto her back, the contents of her bag spilling all over.
"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, flushing awkwardly as she knelt.
He bent over and picked up her things, saying as a feeling of deja vu overcame him: "No, I'm sorry." She stood up and their eyes met, her brown to his blue, the same way they had that day of their first meeting so many years ago . . .
"Jen???"
"Alex???"
They spoke at the same time, then laughed uncomfortably and fell silent, not knowing how to continue; Jen tucked a few things back in her bag, asking quietly: "How've you been? I haven't seen you since . . . "
"I know," Alex said, "look, why don't we go find someplace to talk? I'd like to catch up, if you don't mind."
"Of course not," Jen said, relaxing visibly.
They headed to the check-out, then went outside into the cold again. "Let's drop by a bar," Jen said, "relax for a little while . . . I need to be home before tomorrow morning though."
"Sounds like a plan," Alex laughed.
They walked from bar-to-bar for about fifteen minutes before finally quitting and picking up a six-pack at a late-night store, unable to find an open bar; they got into Jen's car and sat quietly for a few minutes before Alex pointed out:
"Shouldn't drink in a car."
Jen laughed. "I won't drink too much," she said, "don't worry." She took a sip and winced, swallowing hard before saying: "Haven't had any of this in years. Not since the kids were born . . . " she suddenly realized that she had given that information, and she blushed again.
"'Kids'???" Alex said, blinking in surprise. "You never wanted any children."
"Well, that was when I was in Time Force."
"You're not anymore?"
"No," Jen replied, "I left when I got married . . . Jack's not a military man, and he always wanted to have a big family."
Alex took a long gulp of his drink, somehow it had never occured to him that she would eventually move on after her impossible relationship with Wes . . . and that the man she would move on with wouldn't be him. He finally found his voice: "What does this Jack do?"
"He's an architect," Jen said, sounding more than a little displeased. "He's a good man, too. Takes good care of me and the children, we live comfortably."
"Do you love him?"
She looked at him in shock, obviously taken aback by his question, but as Alex opened his mouth to apologize, she said: "I'd like to see say I do . . . but I don't want to lie."
"Why did you marry him???"
"I thought I loved him," Jen said, "maybe I did at the time."
"What about Wes?" Alex asked, hesitantly.
"I haven't seen him since the MutOrgs incident," Jen answered, "but I looked him up a couple years ago, seems he moved on, too. Got married in two thousand nine, he had five kids with the woman---some doctor from San Francisco."
"That's good, I suppose."
"Yes, very good." Jen nodded. "I only ever wanted him to be happy. What about you, Alex? I've read about you in the papers, you seem to be doing well, in Time Force anyway."
"Yes," Alex said, "very well in Time Force. I'm not married or anything though."
"You're still young, Alex," Jen said, "thirty is far from old."
"Old when you have a job like mine," Alex reminded her, "remember those old jokes Lucas and I used to make about not living to see grandchildren? Those weren't entirely jokes."
"But now that Ransik is gone," Jen said, "I thought things had calmed down."
"They did for a while," Alex said, "anyway . . . let's not talk about it." He smiled, gazing at her a strong emotion deep within his icy blue eyes. "You look good, Jen, the years have been kind to you."
Jen smiled a little, looking more doubtful than grateful as she set her drink down and leaned against the seat, closing her eyes and seeming to reminisce. "Do you remember," she spoke, softly, "our first Christmas together?"
"How could I forget?" Alex said, smiling.
"I never will forget it," Jen replied, "I think about it every year at this time."
"Really?"
"Yes . . . "
*****
Jen stifled a yawn as she fumbled around in her purse for the key to Alex's apartment, her vision slightly blurred from fatigue, having worked all day; she had been more than a little surprised to receive Alex's invitation to his place on Christmas Eve, but anxious to see him again. He had returned from a two-week mission, and she had longed to feel his kiss again.
"Alex?" she said, peering around the corner.
The room was dark, and no one returned her greeting as she stepped inside and looked around, confused; she shut the door quietly and called his name again. She heard something click, and a moment later he appeared in the doorway to his kitchen, candles lighting up the small room and revealing a lacy tablecloth covering a small table.
"Merry Christmas, Jennifer," he said, quietly.
"Oh, Alex . . . " Jen sighed, "it's so beautiful!"
She walked forward and he opened his arms to her, she wrapped her arms around his lean waist and pressed her cheek to his shoulder, looking past him to the romantic setting. The table was set for two, the plates filled with mouth-watering food and two, long glasses filled to the rim with some sort of drink.
"I wanted to make this special," Alex said, "our Christmas together."
"The first of many," Jen said, stepping back and looking at him.
He leaned over and kissed her gently, the kiss increasing in intensity till he parted her lips and held her closer to him, feeling her hands running up- and-down his back. She whispered between kisses: "I've never seen you in civilian clothes, Alex."
He chuckled. "I'm human, too," he said.
"Really?"
"Believe it or not."
He took her hand and led her into the kitchen, pulling out the chair so she could sit, then sitting across from her and raising his glass: "To our life together . . . our past, our present, and our future."
"May we have many more Christmas dinners together," Jen added.
"We will," he assured her, "I love you, Jennifer."
"I love you, too."
*****
Alex smiled at the memory, tears stinging his eyes as he recalled their break-up only two years later, and how their dreams had suddenly gone up in smoke. "What happened, Jen?" he asked, quietly, "we were so much in love. How could something so strong just break apart like that?"
"It didn't 'just happen', Alex," Jen said, "for so long, I thought you were dead, and I allowed myself to fall in love again. When you returned, you were so different, it was easy to make myself believe that I loved Wes and not you."
"'Make yourself'?" Alex echoed, "you mean, you don't love him?"
"No," Jen said, "and I don't think I ever did. But by the time I realized that, it was too late."
"No---" Alex shook his head. "It was never too late, I would've taken you back at any time."
Jen looked at him quickly, her eyes were also wet with tears that she had held back for too long and no longer could; they sat in silence, thinking about what might have been, what they both had lost and could never gain.
"I love you," Alex whispered.
"Oh, Alex . . . "
Their lips met and they kissed as if they were still twenty-years-old and loving their newfound relationship with their whole being; Jen closed her eyes as Alex's fingers ran through her thick hair and pulled her to him. They finally were forced to part for air, gasping, but not just from the lack of air; neither could speak for a long time, until Jen finally spoke:
"I-I have to go."
"Yeah," Alex said, opening the door to get out. "Good-bye, Jennifer."
"Good-bye, Alex."
As he stepped onto the sidewalk and she drove away, the snow gradually began to turn into a dreary rain and the clock began to ring, announcing to the city that it was now midnight: Christmas morning. He shivered and rubbed his arms, watching the tail-lights of her car disappear down the street.
"In days of Auld Lang Syne . . . " he sang softly
THE END