A/N: Hello, again! I'm so excited to finally bring you this story… it's been in the works for months, now, but I wanted to wait until closer to Christmas to bring it out of its development stage… And yes, I know, it's probably really cliché to do a Christmas story during Christmastime, but I don't really care, haha. I just hope it hasn't been done before on here.
And to those who loved The Hideaway, this is probably going to be really different. No exciting suspense… kinda a mix between a longer story and a collection of one-shots… but I'm not really sure these are going to be technically classified as one-shots, either… Just a crazy little bunny I didn't want to get rid of. :) Especially since I love Christmas so much. I figured Annie and Auggie had to, as well. :)
Please let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: Not mine. Still. None of it, except the plotline. :)
Chapter 1
Propositioning Auggie
Friday, 26 November 2010
Langley, Virginia
A small smile slid up Annie Walker's face as she saw a familiar lanky form climbing out of a taxi cab. He pulled his tailored, wool coat closer around his body, reaching into his pocket for his green laser before stepping toward the building.
As the cab pulled down the lane, Annie called out, "Hey, Aug! Wait up."
The man turned around, an easy grin covering his face. "Hey, Annie."
She sprinted to catch up and slid her arm through his easily. "How was your Thanksgiving?" she asked, leaning against him as a gust of wind blew in their faces.
He rolled his eyes. "My brother called."
"Which one?" she asked, knowing the subject of his family wasn't the easiest to broach.
"Oscar. He was demanding to know why I couldn't make it to Illinois for one of the biggest holiday traditions in the Anderson family." He snorted and rolled his eyes.
"Are you ever going back?" she asked tentatively.
"Probably not. My father all but disowned me two years ago."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a Tupperware container, handing it to him. "Here. Dani insisted I bring this to you."
He accepted it curiously. "What is it?"
"Thanksgiving leftovers. Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, a roll, some pumpkin pie…"
He glanced at her incredulously. "All in this one container?"
Annie smirked. "No one ever said it was going to be edible by the time you got it."
He smirked in reply and scowled as another gust of wind attempted to topple them over. Annie breathed in deeply, treasuring the feel of it. "I love winter," she sighed.
Auggie looked at her like she was crazy. "You love this?" He pulled open the front door, and they stepped inside. "The snow, the wind, the idiotic shoppers? The way everything wreaks of peppermint and cinnamon, the frenzy?"
She flashed him the same look. "You don't love this? Auggie, are you crazy?"
He snorted. "No, way. I like to stay sane all year round, thank you very much."
She studied him, feigning an aghast look. "Christmas is fabulous, Auggie! You don't like it?"
He rolled his eyes. "Annie, my dad kicked me out of the house on Christmas Eve, the same year my sight was taken from me. It doesn't come with too many favorable memories."
Sympathy coursed through her, and she hugged his arm a bit tighter. "Auggie…"
He shook his head. "No. Don't pity me. I've never wanted it. I still don't. Christmas and I get along just fine."
As they passed through security, she dropped his arm and the subject. For now.
There was no way she was going to let Auggie be a grinch on Christmas, not when it was within her power to completely change his opinion on the matter.
Merry Christmas * Merry Christmas * Merry Christmas
Annie stopped short at the door to the break room, noticing Auggie eating the Thanksgiving leftovers that Dani and the girls had insisted that she bring him. She had never seen a guy happier to be eating anything, and it amused her. He was mixing his pumpkin pie with his mashed potatoes and gravy, his turkey with corn, and whipped cream and cranberry jam on his buttered roll. Yet, he didn't seem to care. The grin on his face reminded her of Chloe and Katia at Christmas last year.
"Annie?" he asked, his mouth still half-full of food.
She grinned. "Hey, Aug. Enjoying yourself, there?"
He returned the grin. "Have I ever told you that Danielle's a great cook?"
"Yeah," she said drolly. "Only a couple of times." She walked to the counter, preparing a new cup of coffee. When it finished brewing, she took the seat across from him. "I have a proposition for you," she said cautiously.
"Propositioning me, Agent Walker?" he asked with a cheeky grin. She couldn't help rolling her eyes.
She slapped his hand playfully. "Just listen. I'm being serious this time."
He tried to focus on her words, but she could see his lingering smile. She rolled her eyes, but continued anyway. "I'm going to teach you to fall in love with Christmas."
His eyes widened in interest, before he rolled them sarcastically. "You're going to make me fall in love? With Christmas? Interesting concept you've got, there, pal."
She rolled her eyes. "I didn't say I was going to make you fall in love with Christmas. I said I'd teach you. Not that you have any say in the matter."
He humphed. "I figured."
She squeezed his arm, preparing to leave. "Don't worry. It'll be fun. It'll be the most fun you've ever had during a kidnapping in your life."
He snorted, but, as she left and he lifted his coffee mug to his lips, she saw a wry, amused smile lingering there.
A/N: So what do you think? Review, please! Oh, and if you have fabulous ideas you'd love to see… I'd love to know them. I already have it mainly planned out, but there's room for more. :)
