At this time of year Eureka was decked out to the brim with Christmas decorations; and Claudia Donovan loved it. The snow that somehow looked much prettier here than in South Dakota, Vincent made an entire drink line dedicate to the holidays including one that tastes like freshly roasted chestnuts, and apparently someone was a Santaologist. As much as the guys at the warehouse loved her, her enthusiasm for Christmas, which started right after the Thanksgiving meal, was got a bit tiring in the days leading up to the actual holiday. So when Claudia announced she was stopping in at Eureka, they all breathed a sigh of relief. She traipsed through the now empty halls of Global Dynamics. Winter vacation had started and no one stayed any longer than they had to, well almost no one. Claudia pressed in the password which opened the door to Parrish's private lab. He looked up from his work at her arrival, but never stopped writing. Being used to that Claudia walks behind his chair and wraps her arms around his neck.
"Seriously, you do this on your vacation." Sighing Parrish outs down his pen and turns to look at her.
"Yes, it needs to be done regardless of the consumer driven holiday that's going on." Perching on the side of the desk, she crosses her arms across her chest.
"For some reason I'm not surprised what so ever you're a scrooge. But c'mon you have to be doing something." He points to a plane ticket on his desk, she picks it up, and her eyebrows scrunch in the middle.
"I'm going where I've gone for the last 5 years. A ski lodge in the Rockies."
"Are you meeting your family up there?" He smirks and stands up, taking off his lab coat.
"Ha, hell no my father is in California with some bimbo 20 years younger than him, and my mom is in Belgium with her husband Frank. This is quality me time." Claudia's eyes drop and she starts biting her lip. After signing off his computer Parrish grabs her waist and pulls Claudia close in. Leaning down he presses his lips against hers, however not getting any response he pulls away.
"So what's up, you didn't say you were coming in." She moves her eyes up to his.
"I uh I just wanted to come see you." He stares down at her not actually believing that but sighs and drops his hands from her waist. Throwing his coat on he holds out his arm and she ducks under it, and then after turning off the lights and locking up they leave. Walking down Eureka's main street they stop to stare and the impressive snow sculptures that kids were building.
"Well I guess they aren't squibs." He smiles down at her.
"Nope, they have a design competition at the school that whoever makes the most intricate design, which requires the least amount of work, get a ribbon or something." They walked past a snow Hogwarts being built and Claudia snorts.
"I bet that ribbon's worth it." They continue walking under the red and white Christmas lights that every shop was covered. Parrish sneered.
"Why do they feel the need to put up this crap, over half of them leave by the 23rd." Claudia sighs and grabs Parrish's hand.
"Maybe because it's nice, and festive, and most people enjoy the holidays." They duck into Café Diem, and sit in a booth close to the fire. Vincent comes by with a large pot of coffee, and pours them a cup.
"It's a blend I've been working on with cinnamon and chestnuts. Tell me what you think." Claudia take a big sip and nods, and kicks Parrish's shin when he opens his mouth. His eyes widen.
"It's great Vince." He smiles and walks away.
"What the hell was that for?"
"Precaution in case you were about to be you." He gives her a condescending look.
"I actually like it." Claudia raises her eyebrows and over exaggerates a bow.
"Well I'm sorry for kicking you then." He looks at her with a smirk on his face.
"Apologies don't always work princess, it still hurts." She glares at him.
"What do you want me to do kiss it better?" He shrugs his shoulders and laughs when the expression on Claudia's face got more annoyed.
"I'm joking" He reaches over and grabs her hand off the table and starts rubbing circles on her wrist with his thumb. "Unless you want to skip dinner and we can- ok never mind let's eat." They start talking about her most recent case when Vincent drops off their food.
"2 bowls of gourmet mac and cheese, with leeks, fresh slab bacon, and gruyere." Parrish nods his thanks, when he leaves. Claudia picked up her fork and starts picking at it.
"Hey are you ok?" She looks at him and nods. She takes a deep breath.
"Yeah, I- do you want to spend Christmas with me? I mean it will be at the B&B and Artie, and Pete and Jinks, and maybe Myka will be there, and Artie's dad and Vanessa, his girlfriend, well not Artie's dad's girlfriend but Arties and my brother-." He stares at her for a couple seconds.
"Claude, I'm not sure how good of an idea that is." She looks away and bites her cheek.
"No I mean I totally get it. You already have plans. I just wanted to ask." She pulls her hand away.
"I just don't want to intrude, Artie, Pete and Jinks already kind of hate me, and I don't exactly make great first impressions, I'm sorry." Claudia wouldn't meet his eyes.
"Can we just not talk about this anymore?" Parrish nods and the dinner continues in silence.
On December 24th Claudia is rushing throughout the house. Everything needed to be perfect this time, since it was Vanessa and Artie's first Christmas together and Mrs. Jinks was coming in from New Jersey. Claudia had just started to change her shirt hen Steve called her down stairs. Shoving a clean one on and grabbing her Christmas sweater she runs down the stairs only to be greeted with the sight of one annoyed Jinks, and one uncomfortable looking Parrish. She turned to Jinks and mouthed GET OUT, rolling his eyes he left.
"What are you doing here?" He fidgeted with the sleeve on his sweater and looked at her.
"I guess I realized that the ski lodge could probably wait, and that I'd rather be with you." Her face stayed in a hardened frown, before breaking into a smile.
"You have feelings. If only Zane could see you now." He smiles.
"You made me soft Donovan." She walked over to him and crashed her lips on to his. He wraps his arms around her waist, and as they split up a cough sounded in the background. And there Joshua Donovan stood, and he did not look happy.