Title: Winter Wonderland
Author: House_Luvr
Rating: G
Summary: This is a Secret Santa fic for Allison_Cameron. Hope you enjoy it. It's a bit short, but full of mostly what she requested. :)
1. Some drama/angst/tragedy stuff (got the first one, and hinted at the third)
2. Snow – (Yep, definitely covered it)
3. Wilson/Cameron friendship (missed this one, but will try harder next time)
Disclaimer: Nope, no money to buy them this year.
A/N: The other night Hubby and I were out walking the dogs looking at all the Christmas lights in our neighborhood. We started talking about how we have a lot of older widows living near us, and it was sad that the men always die before the woman. I told my husband that he would probably haunt me and we laughed about him being there if I ever were to fall in love with someone else. Soooooo....it all kinda popped in my head and the perverbial "light bulb" clicked on and I raced home so that I could write it all down. Beta-ed by athousandsmiles - However, any mistakes are mine as I made some minor changes after she looked it over. To her, I offer more thanks than you can even imagine. *hugs*
A few years from today….
Walking through the park in the brisk afternoon, Cameron reached out and laced her fingers with his and turned to her man and posed a question.
"When we're dead, will you still be with me? Still at my side?"
The man stiffened out of surprise drew a breath and continued walking, ignoring the stare she had fixed upon him.
"In what way?" He replied, hoping she would solve the riddle on her own, despite knowing the what his answer would be.
"In the way that lasts forever and is encompassed by all that poetic crap that you can find in a store bought romance. When the last bucket of dirt is poured on either your grave or mine. Will you still be there?"
He stopped and looked at her seriously as she spoke. Her eyes full of strength and shining with conviction from beneath a wool cap. She had clearly thought about this for some time.
Silence enveloped the two as they stood looking at each other. He scrunched up his face while trying to come up with an answer that didn't contain his trademark snark. Knowing already that she probably wouldn't appreciate his brand of humor right now.
He continued limping down the path towards a bench and she managed to tag along next to him, glancing over at him every so often as a light snow began to tumble silently to earth around them, making the scene all that more serene.
A lone bench sat next to a tired looking old evergreen tree. The tree looked distinguished even as it accepted the snow that fell and gathered on its branches. A ragged looking strand of vagrant tinsel hung from its branches. An immediate reminder of the season of new hope.
They seated themselves on it and he pulled her close to his side to stay warm.
She was watching a stray pigeon shake off the snow nearby andwas jolted out of her musings when he spoke.
"You answered yourself, at least, in part." He paused, inhaling deeply, and begun bouncing his cane between his legs.
"I've always wanted to be right there next to you, I just couldn't allow myself the pleasure. I didn't want to hurt you. I felt like the only way to protect you was to somehow distance myself from you." His expression stilled and grew serious.
"Then I realized that I am already there, working right beside you. I didn't come this far just to give up. I couldn't anyway. You're too important; even in the beginning when I said you were just something pretty to look at." He finished with a hint of regret in his voice.
Something in his manner made a warm glow move through her as he brushed the snow off her hat.
"And wherever this takes us, however far and no matter how much things change; you'll always be the one."
He paused and seemed to be finished with his assessment. She stared, mouth slightly open as happiness invaded her person.
No other would come between them. She was his now, and he was hers. He wasn't giving her up till he passed along from this life. And even then he didn't think that he could be far from her side.
She was almost in shock at his confession. She let go a small laugh while he enjoyed the amazement that he could still infuse in her.
"I'd take a breath now, if I were you. Unless you want to try out your theory." He smirked.
She gasped and grinned back.
"You've been thinking about this."
He gave a small laugh, embarrassed by his emotional confession.
"I'd say you have been too. Did I answer it to your satisfaction?"
She smiled.
"Better than anyone else could."
They sat in silence for a moment. The snow continued to fall at a steady pace. No sounds were heard, no people passed.
"Merry Christmas Greg. " She couldn't resist looking into his beautiful blue eyes and found him watching her with an openness that he rarely revealed.
"Merry Christmas Allison." He replied gruffly, his voice giving away the deep emotions that made her look forward to their future. She had him. Forever.
Fin.
Hope you liked it. Merry Christmas everyone!