Disclaimer: Nope, don't own
A/N- I had this sitting in my notebook for awhile, but i finally got around to posting it- so yay! ...i wrote this awhile before xmas- but the holiday really was an excuse for them all to get together.
When Morgan approaches her asking to bring someone to Christmas dinner, Ellie is both excited and wary. She agrees but presses to find out who his date is. After Anna that one year, Ellie needs to know just how far away from Morgan she needs to sit.
He won't tell her, refuses to let slip who'll be joining them for Christmas dinner, though he does turn an interesting shade of red when she asks if it's someone from work.
Chuck doesn't know who it is- she's not sure what surprises her more, the fact that Chuck doesn't know whoever it is that has suddenly popped up in Morgan's life or John Casey answering Chuck's cell phone when she calls. It's about time though, she thinks. Her boys both have somebody (not that she will ever tell Morgan that he is one of her boys). Ellie's running out of options and Christmas is still two weeks away, so she decides to snoop.
She goes to the BuyMore on Monday, picks up a present for Chuck and then hangs around an extra hour, looking for Morgan. Jeff isn't any help, complaining about missed poker nights. Ellie goes back on Wednesday night, buys a new memory card and gives up after half an hour of waiting.
Morgan manages to disappear every time Ellie comes home or actually manages to corner him, so eventually she gives up and decides to wait (sort of) patiently.
Christmas day, presents are piled neatly under the tree, some already opened with their wrapping paper strewn across the room. Ellie is setting the table, Devon is in the kitchen and Chuck and John are curled comfortably together on the couch. They look so natural together she wonders why she had never seen it before.
Then the doorbell rings.
Ellie dashes to the door, just in case someone else tries to beat her there; but the others don't move.
Sarah stands there with a large pie and a bright smile and Ellie tries to keep the excited smile on her own face, but some of the previous enthusiasm is gone.
Morgan somehow manages to sneak in (probably through the Morgan door), so Ellie doesn't even notice him until she nearly trips over him as she exits the kitchen. Thankfully the snacks she had been holding don't spill everywhere. He's seated on the floor, leaning back against the wall and doing a rather good job of making himself invisible.
Morgan is suspiciously alone.
Her sisterly instincts kick in, so she passes Chuck the dish and seats herself next to Morgan on the floor (never mind that they have plenty of furniture).
"Something came up." Morgan tells her glumly, and then fakes a smile. She knows his smiles- its most definitely faked. "Oh well, maybe next time."
Ellie opens her mouth to reply but the doorbell interrupts her. She tells him she'll be right back, then climbs to her feet to answer it. Whoever she had been expecting to be at the door, it certainly isn't who it turns out to be. Lester stands before her, bottle of wine in his hands and looking just about as uncomfortable as he can get. Briefly she wonders if perhaps Chuck invited him- she hadn't known they were friends though.
"Hi Lester," She pauses, then pushes the door further open to let him in; they have the space with Morgan's mystery date being a no-show. "Come on in." Chuck still should have told her.
"Um, hi Ellie." The man takes a step into the room, and as if suddenly remembering that he's holding something, he thrusts the bottle into her hands. His eyes flit nervously around the room, barely glancing over Chuck, who is once again curled up with an incredibly content looking John; he's looking for someone, she realizes belatedly. "Is Morgan here?"
"Les!" She's interrupted before she can point him in the direction of the piece of floor that the man in question has been occupying.
Morgan comes bouncing over, looking like an excited puppy, the gloom from before gone as though it had never been there. Lester's face lights up at the sight of the other man and it all clicks into place.
Ellie beams at them as they gravitate towards one another, but stops just short of touching but looking for all the world like if given the chance they would be all over one another.
"Uh, Ellie- this is my date." Morgan's hand links with Lester's; he looks happy but nervous. He looks like he may be falling in love- she's proud of him.
"Welcome to the family Lester." Ellie pulls them both into a hug and then ushers the two of them over to some chairs, she figures it beats sitting on the floor. Ellie watches them silently from the kitchen as she puts the finishing touches on their dinner, watches how happy they seem around one another and silently hopes that Lester isn't as…insane as some of Morgan's past interests.