Family at Christmas.
A Leverage team fic written for Leverageland on LJ, check it out and tell them Inspired Looney sent you :-)
This hasn't been beta'd and was written very late at night, all mistakes are mine and I apologise if there are any bad ones.
As always, I own nothing, I do this for fun, not for money, although I can dream right?
"Hey," Hardison shouted, running to catch up with Eliot as they approached Nate's apartment.
The winter weather was taking its toll, with icy roads and a biting gale force wind blowing. The snow had paused briefly, as if to allow the travellers to make it home in time for Christmas dinner.
"Do you think she'll make us stay long?" Hardison grumbled as they entered the stairwell to Nate's apartment.
"God I hope not!" Eliot replied.
"I torrented the Christmas special of Dr Who, I wanna get home to watch it!" Hardison continued.
"I hate Christmas," Eliot replied with a growl, "all that fake smiling and pretending to like what someone bought you, stupid hats and crappy food, I'd rather be anywhere else," he finished as he opened Nate's door and stopped dead in his tracks.
It had been over a week since they'd last been together, when Sophie pleaded with them all to attend. The apartment had been normal then, calm and clean but now, it was like another world.
A tree had been erected by the window, bobbles and tinsel and lights were hung off it, glittering in the semi-darkness of the room. Holly and Mistletoe had been hung on almost every available surface. Eliot's jaw practically hit the floor; it was as if they'd walked into another world, a winter wonderland.
"Oh, they're here," they heard Sophie coo, heard but couldn't see until she was right in front of them. The garish red and green jumper was great camouflage in the newly decorated apartment.
"Merry Christmas," she said, almost flinging herself into Eliot's arms, planting a kiss on his cheek and hugging him tightly, "I'm so glad you came." She finished, also pulling Hardison into a bear hug. "Put your gifts under the tree," she finished.
"Erm, yeah, Merry Christmas," Eliot replied, searching the room for signs of Nate or Parker.
"Can we open them yet?" Parker squealed, sitting cross-legged in front of the Christmas tree, shaking a parcel with such vigour that everyone hoped it was actually hers.
"Now that the boys are here, why don't we get started?" Sophie replied.
"Yah presents," Parker sang out, looking more like a five year old who still believed in Santa than a grown woman. As much as she drove him crazy, even Eliot had to smile at the sight.
"Right come on boys sit down," Sophie said, ushering them into the den.
Hardison and Eliot simply looked at each other and with a resigned sigh joined Nate on the sofa.
"Okay," Sophie began, "Parker do you want to hand the gifts out?"
"Yah, okay, Hardison first," she said, handing Hardison his gift.
"Erm, thanks," he said, looking at the delicately wrapped gift.
"Well, hurry up," Parker encouraged him.
Carefully he undid the tape and pulled the ends apart, a grin suddenly appearing on his face.
"Seriously?" he asked, "who got me this?"
"The whole point of secret Santa is that it's secret," Sophie replied with a smile.
"Dr Who, the complete specials on DVD, this is awesome," he squeed, the final episode doesn't air till next week and this isn't released in the UK till April, how did you get this?"
"That would be telling," Parker added, smiling up at him, "Okay, Eliot next."
"Fine," Eliot said, still less than enthused when Parker handed him the package she'd been shaking as he arrived. In a gesture the complete opposite of Hardison, he tore at the wrapping, "oh my god, how did you know?" he asked, looking around at the room.
"We're con artists Eliot," Nate replied, "we notice things." He finished with a smile as Eliot turned page after page in the book, his very own cookbook, all his favourite recipes, bundled together in one nice neat little package, "The Rattlesnake Cookbook", it was totally unique and totally him.
"Nate, you're next," Parker said.
"Fine," he replied taking the hastily wrapped box from Parker and ripping off the plain black paper.
"Oh, this is just," he looked up at the team, "exquisite."
"Maybe you can finally teach everyone else to play and you can stop kicking my ass!" Eliot answered as Nate started taking the glass and stone chess pieces out of the box, examining each one's beauty in turn.
"Okay, Sophie, your turn," Parker said handing Sophie a small, but neatly wrapped bundle.
"No, you first Parker," Sophie replied, picking up the last gift and handing it to the young woman.
"Ohh, presents," she said again, tearing at the paper, "ooooh, I didn't know jewellery without diamonds could be pretty," she finished.
"Handmade jewellery might not sell for as much money," Sophie commented, "but it's made with love and just for you." she finished.
"And it has dollars on it and won't set off a metal detector, vibration alarm or motion sensor," Parker said with a smile as she tied the delicate leather around her wrist.
"Now you Sophie," Hardison said, and Sophie began unwrapping her gift slowly and lovingly.
Tears welled in her eyes as the paper fell away, revealing the hand crafted album beneath. Her breath caught in her throat as she flipped the pages to see pictures of her and the team, some of their best jobs, some of their more scary jobs, all of the amazing characters she'd played, but what touched her heart more were the snapshots, the non-posed pictures of the team just chilling out and having fun together.
"Wow," she said quietly, looking at each member of the team in turn, "look at that, our family album."
"Didn't someone say something about food?" Hardison asked, suddenly looking uncomfortable.
"Yep," Sophie replied, getting up and wiping her eyes, "let's eat."
Nate poured the wine as they sat around the table with sparkling apple juice for himself.
"What shall we drink to?" he asked as he took his seat.
"Family," Eliot replied.
"Family," Everyone agreed raising their glasses with a smile.
Christmas really is a magical time, a time for family.
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