Title: 12 Days of I-man Christmas
Author: CairisRin
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own em, but I sure do love em! :D
Thanks be to Allianora2 who inspired me to write again! :)

On the First Day of Christmas, my I-Man gave to me…

Darien Fawkes looked out the window with a small sigh. A soft wind played upon the leaves of the trees, a touch of brown at their edges, but for the most part it looked like any other day in San Diego. It sure didn't feel like it.

"Shouldn't there at least be snow…or something?" Darien murmured forlornly to his empty apartment. The morning had started out peaceful enough, even the streets remained quiet today, maybe that was what was troubling him so, it was too quiet. But no, that was just a lie, just an excuse he would rather believe in than the truth. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Turning away from the window, Darien took another glance around the desolate apartment. A foot high potted pine stood covered with silvery lint on the kitchen counter. A real tree instead of some plastic representative. His way of paying homage to the lies he told Casey he guessed.

"And what are you going to do with it when Christmas is over? Putting it out on the curb with all the other chucked pieces of wood defeats its purpose, my friend!"

Hobbes hadn't been too ecstatic when he discovered Darien had gotten a real tree, maybe it was because he was Jewish, or maybe his paranoid partner had simply worked for Fish and Game too long, but in any case, he had a point. Darien didn't have a clue what to do with it come tomorrow. Still, that was tomorrow, and today was Christmas.

Christmas day.

Darien shuffled into the kitchen, idly picking up the newest edition to his kitchen. It was a gift from Hobbes, actually Hobbes had given Darien quite a few trinkets a couple weeks ago, but this was his favorite. It was an egg timer, the kind with the rooster that bobs its head until it strikes the bell at its feet.

Gift exchanging had been an interesting experience this year, The Official had decreed they were to pull names out of a hat so they wouldn't have to buy more than one gift for one person, but everyone had gotten something for everyone else anyway, except The Official of course. Although, considering they'd been given the entire week off, Darien figured that was probably the best gift the Official could give.

From Claire he'd received a CD, and a CD player to listen to it on, Alex, hair gel and a gift certificate for a really nice spa, and from Eberts, one of those electronic handheld basket ball games. Darien had played it a few times, but he preferred the real thing.

Admittedly it'd felt good to give things to his friends, he hadn't exchanged gifts with anyone for some time, almost felt like a new beginning. Almost. With a sigh he put the egg timer back on the counter and went in search of his ball.

"There's no sense in pitying yourself, Darien," he chastened himself, trying to quell the gloom of loneliness. It was his own fault he was alone on Christmas day, and knowing that somehow made it all feel worse.

When inquired about his 'plans for the holidays' he'd told everyone he was going to visit his aunt. Maybe he should have, or his grandmother, but in truth he hadn't feel like revisiting the past, and his memories of Kevin seemed persistently forefront in his mind lately. Not to mention it seemed everyone else was going somewhere already. Even Hobbes was taking the time to visit his sister, or so Darien guessed. Bobby wouldn't actually say past the word 'family' but from the way he'd been growing moodier with each coming day Darien didn't have much doubt which part of his 'family' is was.

Still, just because he was on his own today didn't mean he couldn't have fun. Fishing out the basketball from the closet, Darien rolled it around his hand, the motion bringing a smile to his face, yes serrie, a little time with the hoop was just what he needed.

Rolling it around his hand once more, the smile broadened and grabbing his jacket he left the confines of the apartment exclaiming under his breath, "I'm the man!" Yet upon reflection, the words didn't sound as convincing as he'd like.

Arnaud De Fohn grumbled a few choice comments as he trod up the steps of the towering office building, getting so far as trying the locked door before he took note of the paper posted in front of him.

"Closed for Christmas!" He exclaimed and just for spite tried the door again. It didn't budge. Cursing vividly, he took note of the 'for emergencies' number at the bottom of the sheet and walking back down the stone steps grumbled, "Never thought an organization bent on world domination would take the holidays off!"

Finding the nearest phone booth he dialed the number, but instead of getting Stark, or even some dispatch operator he got a recording, "This call can not be completed as dialed, please deposit more money or try your call again."

Frowning, Arnaud looked at the payphone machine. "Fifty cents!!" Feeling quite put out, he dug through his pocket for more change popping it into the little slot with angry flicks of his finger.

"I want to talk to Jared Stark." He stated as soon as someone answered the other end.

"What do you- Jared Stark, you know, Mr. Know It All of Chrysalis!

"Of coarse there's such a thing as Chrysalis, I'm one of their employees, you moron!

"Employee ID? Just tell him it's Arnaud, Arnaud De Fohn." Arnaud paused, his scowl deepening with every second.

"Yes I know I'm in a phone booth," He spit into the phone. "The stupid phone they gave me broke." He paused again, then full out yell, "No, I'm not lying! It broke on it's own! What kind of imbecile are you, just get me Stark!

"No I will not call ba- Hello? Merde!"

The wind brushed softly at Darien's hair as he meandered down the empty streets. The ball was tossed from hand to hand and a careless rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas emitted slowly between pursed lips as he walked.

He'd been intent upon the court, but once outside realized he was enjoying the walking much more and so had traveled wherever his feet had cared to take him. It was upon this casual stroll that he noticed the man angrily pounding at the phone in the booth a block down.

"Man, and I thought I had it bad!" Darien murmured, pausing for a minute to observe the frustrated antics. The hairs on the back of his neck rose with an instinctual anxiety, but Darien just shook it off and moved on.

Still, he couldn't suppress the shiver that racked his body despite the San Diego heat, or the haunting thoughts of the beast that resided within him.

…Arnaud in a Telephone Booth