Briallen stared at her image in the mirror with severe distaste. Yep, it was all still there: mad brown curls that blew every which way, straight brows that didn't arch at all, long straight nose without even a little flare to the nostrils, and a wide mouth set in a mulish pout. The only thing about her face she even halfway liked was her eyes. They were a deep clear brown and large enough to satisfy even an anime fan. Too bad they were her ONLY asset. Let's not even start on what a disappointment her short, stocky and plump self was. Her only relief was that her rack was an adequate counterbalance to her wideload hips. Even the cute little hunter green cocktail dress and matching satin slippers couldn't turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.

She was pulled out of her self condemnation by the alarm reminder she'd set. Wren would be there with her hubby to pick her up in about ten minutes. Wren, in her usual cat with the cream manner, had wheedled her into attending a Christmas party with her family. She figured since she was stuck in Canada (thankfully far enough away she'd not get pulled into any down home Christmas Drama) she'd check out what a semi normal family Christmas party was like. Wren laughed, and laughed, and laughed. Bri still didn't know why.

Sure enough, ten minutes later she saw the cab pull up outside to wait. She checked her outfit one last time, prayed it was acceptable ~Wren had been extremely vague about dress, and bounced out the door to meet Wren and Thorin….and once again wondered why in HELL she thought it'd be a grand idea to go NORTH for winter when that freezing cold wind whipped around her. She was plumb frozen solid, and that was with fuzzy overboots and fur cloak. At least she knew now why Wren insisted on the set. Bri just didn't know what cold was until she hit Toronto. She hustled for the cab….

Whoooooa Nelly what a show! Thorin had Wren all laid out in the backseat like a pair of teenagers at the lovers' lookout. Heaven send her a man like that! Bri thought she might need to make her presence known before they shared too much, and said the first thing to pop in her mind 'God, I love this family!' It did the trick, she just hoped her rampaging blush didn't give away just how embarrassed for them she was...or was that envy? She wouldn't look too hard at it, no need getting all depressed at how singularly man free her life was.

Which, of course, made her think about the hunk she WISHED were in her life…..blonde, bronzed, and broad….dang, was she cold a minute ago? Not any more! She'd been hankering after Fili Durinson pretty much since she met him three years ago. She remembered the way he looked at her at the rehearsal dinner, when she got up and clogged on the table to one of the songs….The song really required it, especially since they'd just been discussing the similarities between southern 'n irish music. Then of course, that one fellow wanted to teach her how to jig, and madcap comedy ensued….but oh, them blue eyes were serious as a heart attack. If only he'd done more than look, the stinker.

Bri was getting increasingly uncomfortable in the cab. Thorin looked ready to have a go right then and there when miracles of miracles they pulled up at the boys' flat. Bri blessed her stars. Much as she loved Wren and Thorin (really, could any two people be more perfect? Sheesh a'mighty!) she really didn't want to know them THAT well.

And knew immediately when she entered she'd traded one Christmas Dramallamadingdong for another….no wonder Wren had laughed at her. Obviously, something had gone down because no 'fall' produced that kind of a shiner despite Kili's best efforts to convince everyone otherwise, and Fili looked more than ready to provide Kili with a match for the other eye. She ambled through the masses she didn't know from Adam's housecat to see if he'd be any more forthcoming about their dust up. If her poor nerves could handle it, that is.

"Hey you, what's up with the thunderclouds and lightning?" Briallen was proud of herself. There weren't a single squeak or squawk in her voice, but heaven help her jackhammer heartbeat.

"What do you mean?" Now that was a prevarication if ever Bri heard it. Fili had taken a cautious look behind him, smirked, and started backing away from her.

"Don't give me that load of manure, Fili Durinson. Kili's sportin' a shiner and you're lookin' daggers at him. Now what gives?" A funny half smile had replaced the stormclouds that had been crowding his face as he backed away from her pointing finger and aggressive crowding….right up until he stopped and gave her a hungry look wolves would envy.

"Gotcha." was the last thing Bri heard before the heavenly choir started singing hallelujahs in her head while her mouth was having a party all its own. At some point, her legs found their way around his lovely lean hips with her back supported by strong arms and a doorjamb. The doorjamb, her poor brain vaguely remembered, sported a massive ball of mistletoe. Mr. Fili Durinson knew how to kiss and kiss well. She never cared for eggnog, but Eggnog a la Fili was divine. Good thing she had a decent lung capacity from snorkeling and singing, because she really wanted this kiss to last a nice long while.

"Get a room!" Room? Room, she had a room, and Fili in her room sounded like a GREAT idea. She'd have to thank what's-his-name for the idea on her way out. Why had the kiss stopped? She wasn't ready yet, and why were her feet off the floor?

Her humiliation was complete. She and Fili had just entertained the entire party as well or better than Thorin and Wren had her earlier. She was totally going to blame it on Durinson Hotness.

Bri was now nervous as a cat in a room full of rockin' chairs. She hoped that kiss meant all she hoped it did, but Fili was entirely too calm for her sense of peace. She did her best to make nice. Thankfully, Thorin was a marvelous storyteller, and at least for a bit, she felt like her usual self. Then she'd catch them eyes of his, and she was a ball of nerves again.

Of course Kili would have to pull out that cheesy twister game. of course she'd wind up right next to Fili, and wooooah momma, what she found out had her cheeks flaming like a five alarm fire. She'd wound up trying to arch over him, just as left hand yellow got called, and in trying to reach it her ankle turned, and that wasn't a banana poking her backside!

You'd think the twister incident would be bad enough, wouldn't you? Anyone with sense would think, but no, the night wasn't done with her yet. Oh no. The Clogging Incident must be revisited. That crazed uncle of Kili's, Bofur, wanted to talk about it to everyone and anyone that'd listen, along with a demonstration. No, no, Bri, nobody can see from down there, can you get on the table so we can see the footwork? Wouldn't it be considered justifiable homicide at this point? Honestly, she could cheerfully skewer him AND that mad hat of his. The only good thing about the whole thing was Fili wasn't laughing. Nope, those eyes of his looked more like molten cobalt.

She finally got some answers when Fili yanked her back down the hall into his room. Thankfully, nobody heard her awkward squeak. "What in tarnation?"

"Did you want to have this discussion with the whole family listening?" His voice sounded rough and barely controlled. That was fine, she felt rough and barely controlled herself.

"Er, what discussion exactly?" Honestly, how was her heart still in her chest? Any faster, and she'd need defibrillation, or maybe defilibration.

"Briallen, you're not that dense, and I refuse to believe you kiss every guy that way."

"That would require kissing guys…" Briallen shook her head. Not the time to get sidetracked. "Not the point. Help me out here, what'd it mean to you?"

The good humor that usually defined his features turned slightly self depreciating. "You'd think with three years, one month, and four days, I'd have a practiced speech ready for this moment, but all the words just vanished." He pulled a slightly stunned Briallen into the circle of his arms. They felt entirely too comfortable.

To help distract herself, she started toying with the ridiculous Christmas tie he was wearing with his green buttonup and red cardigan sweater. The crazy thing even had Christmas lights on it blinking at her in cheery colors. Bri wondered what bet he lost to have to wear the thing. Knowing Fili, there was also a chance he wore the thing just because it was so silly.

"If I'm so interesting, why haven't you said anything before now?"

"Well, I didn't think you were that into me. You never said anything."

"What? And, pray tell, why would a god's gift to women like you be self conscious?" Her words, which might have been taken as insult except for the honest and real confusion in her eyes, set off a laughing fit she was only too happy to ride out in his arms. They rumbled nicely in his chest and she had a front row seat for it.

Several things collided all at once in Bri's head. He was drawn to her, hell, he knew to the day when he first saw her. That right there was serious business. She knew how she felt, and lordy knows that kiss under the mistletoe weren't no normal kiss in her book. She never, never forgot herself like that in public….and from the banana he was sporting on the twister mat, Fili was probably in some kind of straits by now. Bri decided to have a 'what the heck' moment to beat all what the heck moments. Before logic could stop her, she grabbed Fili by his ridiculous tie, and pulled him towards the bed.

"Bri what?" Awww, Fili's cute when he squeaks.

"Don't think, just do, else we'll be jawing another three years before we get anywheres." Bri practically purred as she swung Fili around and pushed him down on his own bed. Bemusement danced in his blue eyes, dimples winking beside his beard.

As she climbed on him, his deep lovely laughter rolled. "Now you've got me pinned, how're you going to get my clothes off?"

"Do we even have time for the full works? I thought that's what hotel rooms were for, what with the privacy and hot tub n all." Fili's eyes slowly closed as she unbuttoned his shirt, kissing the scattering of golden curls on his chest. "I was thinkin' appetizers just now to get the evening started right."

"What?" The scorching pattern her soft kisses were making down his chest were interfering with his thought making process. Luckily his busy hands had minds of their own, finding their way under Bri's flouncy green skirt.

"A quickie, me darlin', before I hustle you off to my room for the full treatment." Briallen purred as she started unbuckling Fili's jeans. Fili was not having the same luck under Briallen's skirts.

"What are these things?" Amusement and confusion vied for supremacy in his voice. He gently ran his hands over the black shorts under her dress.

"Biker shorts, every big girl's best friend. Keeps my legs from rubbing raw in this dress?"

"Are they glued on?"

"Rude!" Briallen huffed off her comfy perch straddling Fili to shimmy out of her spandex shorts, glaring at him the entire while. Fili took the opportunity to ease his well endowed self free of his confining jeans. Watching it spring free made Bri's heart skip a few beats.

"Oh my gracious, how do you fit that in your jeans?"

"In this state? Uncomfortably."

"Well, let's see about that." Bri settled back on his lap, and leaned forward to kiss him. It was as mindblowing this time as it was under the mistletoe. Their tongues met and danced, Bri sucking on his bottom lip. He tasted of egg nog and mulled cider. It was divine on him. She finally had to come up for air, and rested her forehead against his. Since he was blowing like a horse at the end of a trail ride, she could tell he was no better off than she was.

"A quickie you say, and then your room?" His hands were busy with her bosom, rolling and massaging the nipples till Bri's eyes were ready to cross with the pleasure he was inducing.

"Yup." This time, her voice was breathy and thin. His massive, hot hands moved to her hips, helping her into position, and she slowly lowered herself onto his heavy length. She'd never felt so full in her life. She squirmed, and heard his breath catch. A Cheshire grin flitted into place on her face; it was heady knowledge to know he was as affected by this as she was.

She experimentally squeezed him with her inside muscles, and his head thrashed as his hips bucked. He came up off the bed enough to capture her mouth with his as he grabbed her and rolled into her again. Oh, she had found heaven on earth.

Their slow rhythm together quickly picked up speed. As Fili nipped and suckled her from jawbone to nipple, Bri had her hands fisted in his thick blond locks, kissing and nipping everything she could reach, sucking his earlobe when he nuzzled the valley between her boobs. She certainly wouldn't last long at this rate. His touch and kisses set off little sparks everywhere he touched, pooling with the heady pleasure centered on where they were joined.

His breathing was getting rougher and more ragged, though she was having a hard time paying attention with her own gasping in her throat.

Fili's sultry gaze suddenly widened, and his arms came around her in a fierce hug, squeezing her down on his girthy length. It set off explosions that rocked her top to toe. If his mouth hadn't been on hers, she was certain sure they'd have heard her three blocks away.

When they'd both had a moment to catch their breath and process just exactly what had happened. Bri, still tightly wrapped in Fili's arms, nuzzled into his chest and sighed "God, I love this family."