A/N - I wrote this for Oratorio as part of the Facebook Mass Effect Fanfiction Writers group secret santa fic swap. I was really happy to get one of my favourite authors, and I hope she will forgive me for being a little bit late with this. There were circumstances which prevented me from writing and posting this earlier! :) Merry Christmas my friend! Enjoy your lovely Christmas Shoker fic!
If anyone is interested I have written two previous oneshots for Cassie and Joker called The Deal & The Morning After.
Jeff's Christmas present was ludicrously big.
So big in fact, that Cassie Shepard struggled to carry it is as she bumbled through the apartment; bumping it into doorframes and scraping the sides of the box against walls. The wrapping was an obnoxious shade of neon green with small dark green Christmas trees all over it, and she had tied the ridiculous box shut with an oversized red velvet bow. It looked determinedly Christmassy and cheerful, but she was pleased with the overall effect.
Hopefully, Jeff would love the present inside.
She bit her lip nervously as she reeled into the room and set the present down with great difficulty, managing to knock into the Christmas tree which swayed with a gentle ringing of the tiny silver bells that covered it's branches. Jeff snickered at her antics and when she aimed a playful glare in his direction he attempted to cover up his laughter with a cough, though his hazel eyes continued to dance with merriment.
"See something funny, Mr Moreau?" Cassie asked as she straightened and cocked a hip, fighting off the urge to return his grin.
Joker waggled his eyebrows and reclined in his chair, an almost painful sight in his ugly Christmas sweater and elf hat as he sipped egg nog from a cup shaped like a reindeer head. "Funny? You in a sexy Santa dress delivering me a giant present and almost knocking over the Christmas tree? No. Nothing funny about that at all!"
Cassie glanced down at the silly mini-Santa dress she was wearing and winked as she sauntered towards him and perched on the arm of the chair, plucking the glass from his hands and taking a sip. A fire crackled in the fireplace of their cosy winter cottage, and she sniffed the air appreciatively as she swallowed, enjoying the smell of pine and cinnamon spice.
She loved Christmas, and although she knew it was a slightly sadder time of the year for Jeff with the loss of his family during the Reaper war, she was hoping that after this Christmas he might start looking forward to the holiday a little bit more.
"If you don't like it," she purred sexily as she handed him back his cup, "I can always take it off?"
Jeff was mid-way through a sip of egg nog and choked at her suggestion, coughing and spluttering as she laughed. He recovered quickly and set the cup down on the side table, then caught her to him carefully, his facial expression determined as his hands settled about her waist. Cassie braced her arms either side of his body so he wouldn't have to bare her full weight as she slipped her legs onto his lap and curled up against him.
He pulled her into a kiss that made her toes curl. A kiss that burned with gentle fire and tasted of Christmas; of spices and of the mint-choc chip cookies they'd eaten together earlier. His hands were firm as they roved her body, tracing her womanly curves and urging her closer as his tongue slid against hers with a flick of velvety warmth. Cassie chuckled and slowly drew back, placing kisses around his mouth and on the tip of his nose as she got to her feet and tugged him up.
"Come on! After all the work I did to get your present in here, we should at least open it! I'm dying to see your face." She excitedly pulled him towards the tree, and he followed her indulgently; Jeff knew how much she loved both Christmas and opening presents.
He gave his giant box a prod with his toe and looked at her with amusement. "What's in here? A new Normandy? It's big enough!"
"Maybe! You'll have to open it and find out!" Cassie smiled in anticipation and picked up one of her own presents from Jeff, turning it over in her hands before she put it back down, excitement running through her like electricity as she watched him tug off the giant red bow.
"You could wear this later," he suggested, holding it up to her body. "I can see it now; you by a log fire wearing this, a Santa hat and nothing else! Now there's a good Christmas present!"
She rolled her eyes playfully and swatted it away. "Play your cards right, and you might get your wish."
He laughed and tossed the bow over his shoulder, then he pulled the lid off the box and peered inside, a puzzled expression falling over his face as he reached inside and pulled out another large box. He shook it, then pulled the lid off that and snorted as he reached inside and pulled out yet another smaller box.
"Ha! Smooth," he commented as he opened it and removed yet another box, this one was long, flat and tied with a ribbon that had tiny Normandy ships on it.
Cassie grinned nervously and looked from the present to him as he pulled the ribbon off and let it fall to the floor with a quiet slither of fabric. The lid of the box came of next and then there was silence as he stared at small piece of paper inside and slowly, oh so slowly, he reached in with a shaky hand. The box fell with clatter and she watched him read the paper. Saw him read it again and again before he looked up at her with eyes that shone and a lip that trembled.
"Cass … ?" He took a shaky step towards her, the humour gone from his face as love, hope, and yes, even a touch of fear, replaced it. "You're … ?"
She nodded and smiled as she stepped towards him, taking the paper from his trembling hands. "I'm pregnant." Her smile blossomed in a beautiful grin and the excitement inside of her burst out as she jumped excitedly on the spot. "We're finally going to be parents!"
"Holy shit! This is amazing!" Jeff couldn't stop the shine of tears in his eyes, and Cassie laughed as he pulled her into his embrace for the second time that night, his arms tight about her as he crushed her as closely as he could.
With the horror of the Reaper War behind them and a bright future together ahead of them, they had been trying for a baby without luck for months now. The surprise news only days ago from her doctor that she was not only pregnant but three months along had been terrific news for Cassie, and she had struggled to hide it from Jeff; but the joy on his face now was worth it.
"Merry Christmas!" she said happily as he loosened his hug enough for her to link her arms around his neck and pull him down for a kiss. "Hopefully this is better than a new Normandy."
"Much better," he agreed, kissing her happily. "This is the best Christmas ever."
Jeff's face shone with happiness as his hands moved down her body and settled on her stomach, the joy on his face a match for her own as they sank to the floor to open the rest of their presents and talk about baby names. They didn't notice as white flakes began to drift down outside, adding more snow to the winter wonderland, or when their ginger tabby cat snuck into the room and began batting at the crumpled wrapping paper.
They only had eyes for each other and their Christmas miracle.