JE's not mine, you know.
Written as a response for Xy's Winter Challenge on PP.
Taking One for Christmas
by
SueB
December 23rd - Control Room
"The Boss seem a little cranky to you?"
Hal directed his question to the current occupants of the Control Room.
Lester snorted. "Hear that boys? Hal thinks the Boss might be a little cranky. How long you worked here? Ever seen the Boss not cranky?"
"Come on, Lester," Hal protested. "You know what I mean. Crankier than usual."
Lester shrugged, "It's Christmas." As if that explained it all.
"Yeah, so?" Hal asked. "Shouldn't Christmas make everybody happier?"
"Not Ranger," Lester said. "Christmas just irritates him." He lowered his voice and whispered conspiratorially. "Frankly, I think he might have had a bad experience with Santa as a child."
"Oh no!" cried a horrified Hal.
"Don't worry," Lester assured him. "The Boss always finds a way to work out his Christmas kinks."
"Yeah," Junior chimed in, "usually at some poor RangeMan's expense in the gym at 5 am on Christmas morning."
Hal shook his head. "That's just wrong," he said sadly.
"Tell you what," Lester continued. "You volunteer for the assignment I bet I can get the guys to sweeten your pockets."
"Think that job's going to be yours this year, Santos," came Tank's deep-voiced contribution to the conversation.
In spite of Ranger's strict orders that the Control Room remain a Christmas-free zone, Lester had reported for duty wearing a Santa hat, proceeded to drape his monitor with a holly berry garland and had spent most of the morning humming festive music.
Lester just smiled.
"Bomber alert on #4," Junior announced.
All eyes turned to the monitor in question as Stephanie emerged from the POS she had parked in one of Ranger's private spots.
"Holy Flying Reindeer!" Hal whispered as she rounded the rear of the Turbo and did a little wiggle to straighten her skirt.
Said skirt was red with white fur trim that, at most, measured 14 inches from waist to hem. Red tights and black ankle boots with four inch heels accessorized while a form-fitting white sweater with a v-neck plunging dangerously close to paradise completed the ensemble.
Several of the men inhaled sharply when Steph bent to brush a speck of unseen dirt from the toe of her boot.
Attire attended to Steph gazed up at the garage camera, flashed a dazzling smile and gave a little finger wave. Then, as she sauntered toward the elevator, she popped something long and round and red and white into her mouth, wrapped her lips around it and sucked appreciatively.
"Mother of God," Junior breathed. "I want to be a peppermint stick."
Several strangled gasps and coughs attested to agreement all around.
"Man has to be dead if that doesn't work up some Christmas spirit," Lester offered.
"You'll all be dead men you don't get your eyes back to those monitors," Ranger growled from the doorway. "How many jewelry store accounts we have, Tank?"
"Nineteen, Rangeman," Tank replied.
"And how many of them have had security problems this season?" Ranger asked.
"Not a one," Tank confirmed.
"Let's keep it that way," Ranger ordered. "This is the busiest time of year for these accounts. Sneak thieves, smash and grabs -- all less likely when we are on the job. This is our bread and butter men. Pay attention."
"Yeah, yeah," Lester muttered. "We've heard it all before. Get the same speech at Valentine's Day."
"Santos," Ranger barked. "You! Me! Mats! 25th! 5am!" He paused a beat. "And lose the hat."
Ranger turned and stalked out of the room just as Stephanie emerged from the elevator. She smiled at him and started for the Control Room.
Ranger's eyes went dark when he saw her. As she passed he grabbed her around the waist and whirled her around so she was going the other direction.
"Ranger!" she complained, "I want to say hi to the guys."
"Not dressed like that you're not," Ranger insisted.
Stephenie batted her eyes. "Too much for them?" she asked coyly.
"Christmas-free zone," Ranger mumbled.
Behind him Lester smiled. Tank caught him.
"Santos, what the hell are you doing? You baited him on purpose. Like you wanted to meet him Christmas morning. Your death wish rearing it's ugly head again."
"Not even close," Lester replied with a mysterious grin. "Not even close."
*****
Hal left with Tank when the shift was over and rode the elevator with him to the fourth floor. Hal was quiet. Withdrawn.
"Something wrong, Man?" Tank asked.
"Just wondering why Ranger has such a bug up his ass about Christmas. It's such a great time of year. People smiling, sharing, families and friends getting together. Ranger could have all of that."
"That's it," Tank agreed quietly. "could have, just doesn't think he should."
"Too bad," Hal said, "too bad."
*****
December 25th 5:10 am - Gym
Lester showed up in his shorts and Santa hat.
"You're late, Santos, ten minutes late. I was only going to keep you until 7 but now I think you're good 'til 8. And lose the hat or I'll keep you here 'til noon!"
"You knock it off, Boss, you can have it," Lester challenged.
Ranger's was an evil grin. "You're never going to want to wear a Santa hat again, Santos," he promised.
*****
December 25th 5:15 am - Garage
The gym door had hardly closed when Stephanie's POS pulled into the RangeMan garage. Tank, doing solo duty in the Control Room, smiled when she and another person piled out, pulling boxes and bags and a small Christmas tree out of the back of the vehicle. Steph looked straight at the camera, grinned and held her finger to her lips. Shhh!
"Damn, Bomber," the Big Guy said to himself, "you and Santos have outdone yourselves this time."
*****
December 25th 9:17 am - 7th Floor
Ranger got off the elevator dripping with sweat, t-shirt draped around his neck, Santa hat on his head. He rubbed his hand across his jaw. Santos hadn't given the hat up easily. Ranger'd had to beat it out of him. Mission accomplished, finally.
He planned the day on the short walk across the hall. Shower and make friends with a 20 year old bottle of Glenlivet. He wasn't much of a drinker, but Christmas Day was always the exception.
He unlocked the door, dropped the keys in the dish on the sideboard and stopped dead still. Something that smelled like cinnamon, chocolate and pine wafted through the air. A noise sounding suspiciously like giggles filtered out of his living room. He started to reach for the gun at his ankle, but hesitated. Most home invaders didn't play carols in the background. Most home invaders couldn't breach his fortified penthouse apartment.
Most home invaders couldn't breach his fortified heart either, but the two people sitting under his Christmas tree with red bows on their heads -- his Christmas tree, how the hell had he gotten a Christmas tree -- had all the weaponry they needed.
Julie couldn't sit still any longer. "Daddy!" she cried running to him and throwing her arms around him, "Merry Christmas! Are you surprised? I knew you'd be surprised! Are you glad to see me? Mom and Ron were going on a cruise and they said I could come along, but it sounded boring and they wanted to be alone anyway, if you know what I mean, so I e-mailed Stephanie and asked her if she thought I could come spend Christmas with you and she said sure and Uncle Lester picked me up at the airport and dropped me off at Stephanie's and here I am! And," she stopped to take a breath and asked again, uncertainly, "are you glad to see me?"
Ranger couldn't talk so he hugged Julie as hard as he could. Swallowing was tough too. Not crying was most difficult of all.
Stephanie joined the hug. "Merry Christmas, Ranger," she whispered.
"Babe," was all he could reply.
The End