Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 72nd cycle. Now cycle 73!


"Christmas Future"
(Third of three four-part Christmas stories)

1. Like Robin Hood
(future) Quinn, Santana/Brittany
Trinity series
(all series now listed under the communities tab in my profile)

The job was done. Their target had been hit, the items retrieved, and with their equipment all packed and ready to return home, Trinity was all set to fly off and never be found. But then something got in the way, maybe a 'holiday intervention,' as they would later decide. It was December 22nd, and a freak storm had delayed their flight. It would be one more day in town at the least, which had forced them to consider their options. The most important thing at this point was to get the items they had just stolen to find their way to their destination without being intercepted.

When Santana had declared herself able to get them there in a rental car, both Brittany and Quinn had stared at her as though she'd sprouted five horns and a fish tail. That she'd managed to convince them was a miracle of similar proportions, but that was what had brought them to passing through a city, on December 23rd, and stopping in to a restaurant for warmth and a solid lunch.

"Next time, let's just wait for there to be another flight," Quinn had grumbled as they found a booth.

"Next time, don't get us sent into Frosty's toilet in the middle of a blizzard," Santana countered.

"I wonder if they put marshmallows in their hot chocolate," Brittany read through the menu.

They'd been quiet for a few minutes after that, each one of them scanning their own menu. It was in this hush that they had caught on to the voice of a female reporter on the television in the corner. If the snow swirling around her didn't make it hard enough for her to be seen and heard clearly enough, the fact that she was bundled up so tightly didn't help. Even then, they heard her report.

A children's home in a neighboring small town had been forced to evacuate after the storm had gone and caused a fire. No one had been killed, though several of the children had been injured and were now in the hospital.

"That's so sad," Brittany had commented with a look in her eyes like she was about to burst into tears.

"They'll be okay," Santana tried to reassure her.

"I know, but it's Christmas. It shouldn't be sad like this."

"We know," Quinn reached for her hand across the table.

"Couldn't we, well…" Brittany looked around the restaurant, to make sure no one would be listening. "Couldn't we do something to help them?" Santana and Quinn shared a look.

"What kind of something? We can't exactly conjure up a Santa. Between the three of us we don't have a fat man, or a jolly one at that," Santana pointed out. This was true, but it didn't stop an idea from flashing on to Brittany. "What?" Santana looked at her. "What did I say?"

"That job, last year, the client, didn't he offer to pay us…"

"And Quinn said he didn't have to because she felt bad," Santana nodded.

"He did say if we ever changed our mind…" Quinn started, and Brittany beamed.

"Change your mind, Quinn, please change your mind."

"What for?"

"We take the money, we go to that toy store we passed on the way here, load up, then go see those kids. It won't make up for everything, but it'll be something, to cheer them up," she explained, her giddiness spilling over. "Don't you guys want to do something else for a change? We'll still help people, just littler ones," she nodded. "We can't look away, not on Christmas." It was easy to forget how much she loved the holiday when they were going by code names and the rest, but now here they were.

"What about the client? You know, the last one, who's still waiting?" Quinn was also very aware of their location. The restaurant may have been nearly empty due to the storm, but that could be considered to only make matters worse.

"We can ship it. I know a guy," Santana spoke after a few seconds.

"And who's this guy? Please tell me it's not the same 'guy' as last July," Quinn gave her a pointed stare.

"Please," Santana chuckled, then, "Anyway he's in prison now. No, this is another guy. He'll get the job done."

"Does that mean you're in?" Brittany sat up.

"Was there any doubt?" Santana gave her a smile, and Brittany beamed back before turning to Quinn again. It all came down to her and that call. She let out a sigh and got up. They watched her go up to the counter and ask one of the waitresses if she could use their phone. It was almost just as well that cell service wasn't working. They couldn't leave any trace.

For what must have been close to fifteen minutes, Santana and Brittany had watched from a distance as Quinn spoke on the phone. The waitresses were starting to look impatient, but then finally she'd hung up, thanked them, and returned to the table.

"So?" Santana asked.

"He'll have wired the money by the time we're done eating here," Quinn told them, and Brittany had to keep herself from cheering too loud. "And I might be able to help with another thing."

"What's that?" Brittany asked.

"I have my share of I.O.U.s hanging around, that's all I'll say for now. I've been driving for hours, can we have one meal without talking about work?" she asked, just before they were brought the two coffees and one hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.

After leaving the restaurant, they had seen to shipping the items they'd retrieved the day before, and once those were gone, they had checked into a hotel room, the better to organize themselves on this unexpected mission of theirs. Brittany had been right, it would be different. It would call on them using certain skills in ways they hadn't before, but again as Brittany had pointed out, it would be worth it, in the spirit of Christmas, to bring some much needed joy.

TO BE CONTINUED (SATURDAY)