Title: Josh's Thanksgivings
Summary: Josh remembers a thanksgiving long since past and mourns for his sister.
A/N:I posted this a while back and deleted not 48 hours later because I wasn't sure of how it would be received. In any case this won't really be a story, all the chapters will be various scenes, some while hunting others before or after. I know a lot of you like backstory so that's kind of what this'll be. I'll tell you in the author's note if its something that isn't EVER going to take place, so this is where you'll look for the requested pairing oneshots.
Autumn met Martha's eyes across the table and a giggle rose in the brunets lips but didn't break the silence. Josh gave the girls a warning look and they didn't look at each other again the entire meal, he couldn't believe they'd try this here. Little Athena, who wasn't very little anymore at sixteen kept up a lively conversation with Billy-Jack occasionally able to devour all of his attention, which wasn't an easy task since he as busy glaring at Kit. Ah Kit. Josh decided that the man was safe to look at now that no one was watching. Unfortunately Kit had had the same thought, and when the lightening shot between them it turned his knees to jelly and his face burst into flame. What was Autty thinking? It wasn't long before the game drew Billy-Jack to the living room and the girls started in on clearing the table. Mrs. Morton and Mr. Morton had left a little while ago to attend a thanks giving party with a few friends, yesterday had been the real thing, it'd been Autty's idea to have a mock redo tonight. His blush returned remembering having poured coffee in Kits, lap after tripping into the table causing a bowl of ice cream and pie to collide with that angelic face of his.
"Autumn said you were prone to stubbornness but choosing to make eyes at a wall instead of me is a bit far, don't you think?" Kit interrupted his thoughts.
"I was thinking about something entirely different." Josh managed to say without stammering which he thought was a major accomplishment.
"You mean turning me into desert yesterday evening? I like the way you think, brining food into it, but a bit too kinky for me with the children watching." Kit removed himself from the opposite end of the table to a more convient, in his mind alone, place of right next to Josh. Josh wished he'd return to where he'd come from as his hands were suddenly sweaty and he was way too nervous for this. "But they're not watching now." his voice was low and husky as he leaned in brushing his lips against Josh's. The poor farm boy wasn't sure what to make of this, it didn't compare to the first kiss he'd had in his mind…That is first kiss with a boy before he'd let anyone know which team he'd been playing for there had been a couple of girls, and on days Autty felt overly gutsy she'd steal kisses too.
Josh looked up to see Kit's coffee brown eyes waiting for a response from his which again ignited lightening, which in these close quarters turned more than his cheeks into flames. Josh found his hand swing up grasping the back on Kit's neck on its own accord dragging the slightly taller boy's face toward his again. At first the kiss was just as shy and nervous as he was but as their minds relaxed grasping the situation and letting their bodies take the wheel the kiss swelled into with a hidden passion.
Martha glanced out the kitchen door and gasped, "Autty, look!" she cried and the red head turned from the dishes catching only a glimpse of the serious lip lock before Martha let the door fall closed again. "Aren't they sweet together?"
"You know if it were my brother I wouldn't find anything sweet about him making out with some random dude, Autty brought back from that college of hers." Athena said a little bitterly.
"I would find it disgusting and wrong if it weren't for the fact that without Autty to look after Joshy just mopes around here and there is a dangerous lack of gays in this town." Martha told the younger girl. "Besides look at them!" Athena gave her a level look that stated more than needed to on her opinion of things.
"And where does my dear sister get off making relationship decisions for someone else?" Athena asked her look turning on the red head scrubbing away at the sink.
"I'm not making decisions for anyone. Kitty didn't have anywhere to go for the holiday and I couldn't just leave him sitting up there like that. I merely mentioned Josh to him…a few thousand times. But I would appreciate it that you didn't hint to my own love life, thank you very little." Autumn managed to scold in an sickeningly pleasant tone.
"You and Billy-Jack having problems again, Autty? I thought the two of you had sorted everything out." Martha questioned starting to stow away leftovers. Autumn shrugged her reply glaring down at the plate in her hands and trying not to think about the aching in her ribs, Kit would have a fit when he saw them later. She knew she would be in his apartment for a late night study session and he'd catch a glimpse of the deep bruising when her shirt would ride up, or he would catch one too many grimaces while she carried books and demand to know the damage report.
"No, we're good. Had a little argument last night, you know how jealous he gets and he sees Kit as proof that I'm making guy friends up there." Martha nodded taking in this lie without questioning it.
"So what are we going to do about them?" Martha's mind skipped eagerly back to her brother's love life.
"I'll tell you after talking with both of them," Autumn promised with a mischievous grin. "Let me get the story on that from both of them before we push, for all we know Kit is molesting our poor Joshy-kins." Athena giggled from the door.
"Josh is doing more molesting than Kit. Golly, I've never seen hands in so many places without clothes being removed." the young blonde said watching with a girly giddiness she rarely showed.
"You better not be speaking from personal experience there, Doodlebug, I'll have to kill some boys before I go back to school." Autumn warned, and though she was teasing there was the underlying threat of truth.
"You can't kill him, he's already dead." Athena said the heart break from Hudson and Huston's deaths still in her voice. Martha and Autumn exchanged looks, and while they'd never approved of Hudson and Athena's relationship it still killed them to hear the pain it still caused their counterpart.
"Teenie," Martha started but they were interrupted by Billy-Jack who came in to grab his woman and steal a beer from the fridge.
"You girls know about what's going on in there right?" he asked jerking his thumb toward the dinning room.
"Yes, BJ." Autumn replied taking the longneck from her other half's hand and opening it on the drawer handle.
"Thank ya, Baby Doll." He planted a sloppy wet kiss on Autumn, but didn't notice the void look in her eyes when he pulled away or the way she'd gone slightly ridged. "We're going to lose, we're pathetic this year. I'm gonna go get them animals dealt with. I'll see you in my room later." Autumn nodded, not that he caught it he was already staggering out.
"Oooo La La." Martha teased. "I guess Joshy isn't the only one with flames that need tending."
"Believe me, I wish it were like Josh's flames. Hell I wish it were Josh." Autumn said draining the sink. There really wasn't much to clean, microwaves and Tupperware made for easy work.
"I wish it were Joshy too," Martha sighed. "I used to think the two of you would ignore the age thing and get married when we grew up." she admitted looking at her feet.
"That's okay, I thought he was broken, and Autumn would set him straight again like she does with everything else." Athena said looking out the door again to find that the two boys were now headed for the kitchen. "Look busy!" she whispered quickly. The three girls scattered around the kitchen Autumn moving to make a pot of coffee, Martha and Athena making it to the kitchen table just as the boys opened the door.
"Then Ben calls me! Like calling a girl after she's just walked in on you and one of her friends is ever wise." Martha said telling the end of a story she'd already gone over with both her friends the previous day.
"Boys are all scum!" Athena exclaimed slapping the table. "All they want is to get in your pants then screw you over!" Josh chuckled ruffling Athena's hair.
"You keep that opinion for another ten years or so, Squirt." he told her. Kit leaned into the counter by Autumn watching Josh much more carefully now.
"Oh, Joshy,!" Martha sighed. "D'ya really think you can keep her safe and protected forever?" Josh shook his head.
"No, you and Autty, have taught me I can't protect my girls from anything forever." His green eyes met Autumn's own hazel ones speaking volumes. Martha laughed at the face Athena had made at the back of Josh's head, Kit smirking as he pulled mugs from the cabinet.
Josh wiped away a tear staring down at the cold stone that represent his sister and her young son. Kit's hand firmly on his shoulder. It seemed like only yesterday their only worry was Autumn and Billy-Jack. Time had flown by and once again Josh had failed to protect his charges. He was the oldest his job was to foresee and prevent all tragedies no matter their size.
"Come on the girls are going to get worried then upset if we don't get to the house." Kit told him kneeling down to take Josh's face in his hands.
"This is all that's left of my family, Kitty, I was supposed to," his voice cracked and broke into a sob.
"Hey," Kit drug his husband to him rocking gently. "Martha left us three beautiful little girls that need you, your parents are in Florida, and those hunter girls will always need you. Autumn would lose her head if it weren't for you screwing it back on all the time, wouldn't she?" A laugh, short and hallow, crawled up Josh's throat. "What about me? Huh? I've put up with your crazy family all this time for a reason you know." Josh looked up again his cheeks wet, nose red from the cold, still by far the most gorgeous man Kit had ever laid eyes on.
"Oh God, Kit when will it stop?" Kit could only offer a smile.
"I don't know, honey, it may never. But your sister wouldn't want you crying for her, now would she? Marty would kick your ass if she saw you right now." he wiped away Josh's tears and drug the slightly shorter man to his feet. "Now, Kayla is going to be inconsolable if we don't get to the house in the next ten minutes."
"You know I love you right?" Josh asked moving to follow Kit back to their truck.
"You better, I didn't move to Pinecrest for its wholesome families."