Another Christmas fic! This was written after a request for a fic in which Big Mac and Kelsey kissed. It's not the fluff I was expecting the write, but I hope you like it anyway.

Nina x

Mistletoe and Wine

Alice walked through the corridor hurriedly, the box of tinsel clutched tightly in her arms as a few strands of golden thread dangled precariously over the edge, before each in turn tumbled down to the ground. Sighing she continued to heave the box across the floor until eventually she managed to find herself in front of the door to the main reception room. Only now she faced the problem of trying to open it. Rolling her eyes Alice attempted to rest the box on her hip while turning the handle with her slightly free hand, this idea didn't work for a good two minutes before the door swung open in front of her.

"Hello Alice love, you need a hand with those?"

Alice nodded, gladly letting Big Mac take the box from her hands as she followed him into the room, shedding her scarf and coat as she did so. Glancing around the room she fully realised the extent of what her, Mac and a single box of Christmas decorations had to achieve. Sighing she pulled a few springs of mistletoe from the top of the box and, with a slight blush rising in her cheeks, handed them to Mac.

"Mistletoe ey? Hoping to find that special someone under it are you?"

Noticing the furious blush that suddenly took over Alice's entire face, Mac couldn't help but blush himself as he attempted to backtrack, "Not that you need it ey? Mistletoe and all that, daft if you ask me … I mean who ever thought of the whole thing? I blame Cliff Richard I do I mean … "

"Mac" Alice cut in smiling, "It's OK. Erm … why don't you put some tinsel over there? Around the tables?"

Relieved, Mac nodded, feeling the sweat that had been about to burst forth from his forehead dry back up as gladly, he grabbed a handful of golden tinsel and retreated to the furthest table he could find.

They passed the rest of the afternoon in practical silence. Alice wasn't the biggest talker at the best of times and apparently mentions of mistletoe and secret kisses under it had really put the silencers on her. In a way Mac was relieved when the decorations were all up, the music on (too loudly most of the time) and the rest of the staff started to arrive. In fact that was quite comfortable, he could stand at a nice quiet end of the bar and watch them all having fun, content to just be the observer. Alice, apparently, had the same idea.

"Mac …" she asked, her voice barely audible above the thumping music. "How do you know?"

"Know what Alice love?" he clarified, suddenly all to aware that his voice seemed to be booming from his own body.

"The mistletoe, how do you know who's that … that someone. For you"

He couldn't help but smile as he watched Kelsey happily accept another drink from a clearly unsteady Jay.

"Sometimes Alice my love, you've just got to trust yourself haven't you? Know that you'll make the right decision with the right person"

Alice smiled up at him, her mousy hair falling into her eyes as his words sunk into her. Maybe she did need to trust herself, but then again, it had taken so long to learn to like herself she wasn't sure if she could cope being mad at herself so soon. She saw Curtis out of the corner of her eye, walking over to them, a shy smile on his face. Alice looked up at Mac, raising her glass to his as she whispered, "To the right decision" before she slid gracefully down from her stool and truly smiling, looped her arm awkwardly through Curtis' as she allowed him to lead her outside.

Mac watched them go, unable to help the mixture of joy and sadness that washed over him as he did so. He was glad Alice had someone, God knows she deserved it after all she'd been through. But it also made him realise more than ever that he didn't. That his one attempt at courting had ended in him, well, when push came to shove, had ended with him faking his own death. As he watched Kelsey down another shot he couldn't help but admire her enthusiasm and dedication to the spirit of Christmas, but at the same time he decided he'd better keep an eye out, he never knew when the woman of his dreams would fall right into his arms.

x

Kelsey could feel the room beginning to spin as she downed her next vodka shot, knowing as soon as it hit the back of her throat that maybe that had been one too many. Sliding gently sideways off her seat she attempted to stand in her heels (only a tenner from New Look but now seeming like four inch stilettos might have been a bit over ambitious), her sprig of mistletoe still clenched tightly in his fist. Blinking she closed her eyes as she realised opening them was not a good idea in a world that refused to stand still. Holding tightly onto the bar Kelsey decided the smartest thing to do now was try and make it to the ladies, maybe sit down there for a bit, rest her feet and then she'd be right as rain. Slowly she opened her eyes and unsteadily began the slow and arduous walk across the room, to the toilets, about ten feet away.

Mac could see her stumbling from all the way across the room. Could see her heels threatening to give way. He took a step forward as he saw her begin to tumble, but slowed when she regained her footing. Then, squinting he was astounded to see she was actually attempting to walk, in her condition, with her bloody eyes closed. Sighing. Mac strided over, catching up with her half way between the bar and the ladies toilets. "Kelsey?" he shouted over the deafening thump of the music, "Kelsey, you OK?"

Upon hearing her name she opened her eyes the tiniest bit, not enough to make the room rotate, but just enough that she could see who was in front of her, "Mac!" she called out, suddenly ecstatic to see him, although a small part of her didn't quite understand why, "Merry Christmas Maccy Boy! Come here!" she called as she threw her arms around him, a bundle of mistletoe clutched in her hand as she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, finding that strangely, he was quite a solid post and, well, she was finding it quite difficult to actually stand unaided now she'd leaned forward.

Mac's eyes were wide as he felt Kelsey's lips still on his, although by now that seemed like it was more out of necessity than passion. Ah well, a kiss was a kiss. And a kiss was definitely a step in the right direction. He pulled himself away from her, noticing the sway in her step as he did so. Sighing he wrapped an arm around her waist, quickly moving that to a more appropriate position around her shoulder as he felt a blush rise in his cheeks, "Come on Kels" he muttered as she rested her head on his shoulder, practically unconscious, "Lets get you home shall we?"