Summary: Bibi hits the rehearsal room, but the mood is less than jolly...

Nico was running late. She hated that. And too darn pretty and smelling like money and musk would probably be ten minutes early, having been dropped off by the family chauffeur. Nico couldn't stop imagining what that would do to the redhead's already snooty attitude. But Nozomi had put all of her comfortable winter wear in the wash, leaving her with a very form fitting pencil skirt and a pretty white blouse with a holly pattern scattered over it. Nico had draped a gray shawl over her hair before putting on her pea coat.

Maki was at the piano, shuffling through sheets of music, Eli running through scales on her sax at the window.

"Good morning, ladies. Let's get to it." Nico announced brightly as she opened the door.

"You're late." Eli grumped, interrupting her warm up.

"That's Nozomi's fault. She decided to mix Nico's laundry with hers so Nico had to improvise."

Maki had guessed wrong. No pants. Today, Nico had opted for a form fitting skirt, black, and a white blouse, three quarter sleeves, with a seasonal holly branch pattern scattered all over it. Maki wondered if the singer had opted for stockings again, stretching out a little as she settled into the piano so she could get a better view of the lower half of Nico's outfit. Nope, black tights. Probably warm. Maki had leaned back from the piano to catch her glimpse, which when Nico noticed, her hands went to her hips and she met the curious purple gaze with a discouraging scowl. Maki put her nose back into the music propped in front of her.

Maki had dressed down as far as she was willing, gray turtleneck and one of her favorite black pleated skirts. Ayase, as seemed to be her habit, had opted for a flashier style than anyone else, in a green and blue windowpane shirtwaist dress, shorter than what was considered fashionable.

"All right, ladies, let's get to it." Nico did a quick shuffle, spinning, "I'm tired of picking the next train wreck. How about you, Eli?"

"I was working on "Silver Bells."" Maki would have given half her trust fund for her voice to sound more confident, "It's new. People will probably appreciate the novelty."

Nico twisted her lip, glancing at Eli, who nodded.

"All right ki…"

"MA…"

"Maki," Nico corrected herself with an apologetic tilt of her head and Maki felt hopeful that this session might be both more productive and friendly. "At least it's not in French."

There went Maki's optimism.

###

"Silver Bells" clanged. Badly. Even Eli's temper was fraying. Nico had been stomping around the room during Eli's solos, all of which Maki had interrupted, starting to rejoin the melody too early.

"Do you even know how to listen?" Nico snarled, on the divan, head in her hands, no longer able to look at the piano or its mistress.

"Yes…"

"We can't play a show like this, Nico…" Eli sounded panicky, "That audience'll eat us alive. It'll ruin our reputation. And your chances with Tsubasa."

"Nico knows."

Nico looked tiny, Eli sat next to her, sax in one hand, the other around Nico's shoulders, "What are we going to do?"

Maki knew the gloom in the room was her fault. But it wasn't her fault that jazz piano was so different from classical piano. Or that she had never played with a group before. Her initial arrogance was taunting her now, undermining any empathy she might express for Nico and Eli's distress. Nico stood, somehow elegant in her simple skirt and blouse, twisting her hair up again with a graceful gesture, then tapping Eli on the forehead, "Nico can do anything. We'll do what Maki suggested. After all, It's only one night." Nico's forced enough confidence in her voice to share with Eli, "You play, Nico will figure out a way to signal the rookie, and no one will have enough time to catch on."

Eli glanced up, hopeful, "That could work."

"It's going to have to." Nico had her hands behind her neck, as she wandered, "Nico will sell it, no one will be the wiser."

Eli nodded.

"What kind of signal?" Maki's voice was soft, but snapped the other two musicians out of their private moment.

Nico tilted her head back, eyes closed, hands still behind her neck. "Not a wink, maybe Nico will wrinkle her nose or flick a finger or something."

"There could be a few." Maki suggested.

"Yeah." Nico put her hands on her hips, chin tucked down, blowing out a long breath as she reshuffled the cards she had available for this show. "But you just play, Eli, and don't fret. Nico will work out a system."

The saxophonist relaxed, her shoulders easing down, and her grip on the sax becoming less like holding onto the rail of the Titanic.

Eli was relieved, but Maki sensed Nico steeling herself, armoring up inside. How could jazz be this hard? Music was supposed to be orderly and organized, notes and measures solid foundations for art and culture. Jazz seemed to take that and paint mad notes and crazy colors all over, a slapstick mural of innovation. Maki had only a rudimentary knowledge of the genre and was a fan of a few singers, Ella Fitzgerald and Nancy Wilson for two, but she had never really considered the mechanics of the music they produced, how each singer, each quartet or quintet could take the same song and deliver it with such individual flair.

"Nico, Eli?"

Both of the women looked toward the piano, surprised at Maki's contrite tone.

"I'm sorry." Maki half smiled.

Nico waved off the apology. "You're doing us a favor, actually, Maki, so don't sweat it. We'll cope. You don't have to worry either."

Eli nodded, "We appreciate you taking time away from your family during the holiday season."

"Let's try a new song." The atmosphere in the room had eased and Maki decided to try to be more of a team player, "Winter Wonderland is one of my favorites. And works just as well post Christmas."

"Especially if we get the first snowfall by then." Eli's eyes brightened.

"Eli's part reindeer." Nico chuckled, "She prances once there's enough snow to make everything Christmas card perfect."

Eli, as best she could with sax still in hand, swept into an Arabesque.

Nico was leaning on the piano, "Too many Nutcrackers as a child. Ruined her for the season."

Maki, emboldened by the increasingly friendly vibe, started the "Waltz Of The Snowflakes." Eli handed her sax to Nico, who accepted it with a respectful bow, and then the blonde began to dance across the rooms, arms smoothly transitioning from first to second position as she spun to the pace of the waltz.

"If you like that, try Ellington's." Nico was drumming her fingers to the tune, watching Eli, but finally comfortable in casual conversation with Maki. "He just released a version for Christmas. Nico is a little sorry there's no lyrics."

Eli stopped, with a graceful curtsey, "Thank you, Maki. I needed that."

"And now we need lunch." Nico announced, "I packed sandwiches and a Thermos of coffee. You like sandwiches, right?"

Maki nodded, trying not to salivate. Breakfast had been burnt toast. She'd expected to be in Maine by now so she'd run through the meals prepared by the now vacationing chef and been forced to rummage in the pantry.

Eli perched on the windowsill, loosening her ponytail, "Nico is the best cook. Nozomi and I are spoiled when she has the time."

"Nico looks forward to not spending hours hustling drinks when this Tsubasa deal goes through." Nico handed Maki a sandwich wrapped in wax paper, "Ham and cheese, okay?"

"Sounds great."

Maki bit in, savoring the warmth of the clove that had spread through the ham and the slight tang of mustard where the sharpness of the cheese met the airiness of the bread. The Nishikino chef could take notes. "This is delicious."

Nico gleamed at the praise, eyes sparkling.

###

Maki went back to the piano slowly, reluctant to touch the instrument for the first time in her memory. Nothing musical Maki had done on purpose had worked yet and she did not want to be responsible for dispelling the air of camaraderie lingering in the room. Nico had been to the piano first, pulling the "Silver Bells" music off the stand, staring at it for a minute like she was going to tear it into pieces.

"What do you want to try, Nico?" Post break, Eli sounded much cheerier.

Nico was sorting through sheets of music, ""White Christmas""? Kinda slow, but maybe that'll help us." Nico offered pages to Maki, "Unless there's something else you're interested in?"

Maki slid into the bench, near enough to Nico that they were leaning over the music together.

"What do you think, Maki?"

Maki propped the music on the stand. ""White" Christmas it is. We are supposed to get snow sometime, so might as well get ready."

"Harasho!" Eli blew a herald's greeting on her sax.

Maki glanced up at Nico, who shook her head, "Winter weather brings out her Russian blood."

And a "White Christmas" began.

###

Things were going marginally better than 'Silver Bells.' Nico was working on a system where she touched her hair or her ear for Maki to get ready to go back to accompaniment. Maki almost had the knack of it, but she found herself thinking that her playing clunked, her fingers were too timid, not leading. But Nico didn't want her to lead, Nico wanted her to respond, or just support. But the music in front of her wanted her to play it as written, although both Nico and Eli had scribbled notes about altered chords above the bars holding the traditional melody.

Just as Maki thought they were going to make it through once without a stern tap on the piano from Nico, the door flew open and Nozomi strolled in, carrying her trumpet case, white coat over one arm, pretty satin black swing dress glinting like patent leather.

"Hello, ladies. How's the harmony?"

Eli played a few bars of "Let It Snow" as Nozomi's hand found the saxophonist's waist to pull her in for a kiss on the cheek. Eli's tune got even more playful; Maki envied Eli's ability to translate her mood so instantly into music.

Then Nozomi's attention turned to her, so Maki concentrated on the music in front of her.

"NICO-CHI!" Nozomi sounded upset with Nico. Maki looked up, but Nozomi was heading straight for her. Maki pushed the piano bench back, arms in a protective posture, not sure what to do as Nico and Eli both seemed confused. "No wonder things aren't going well. This..." Nozomi grabbed the music off the holder, "is not how we learn." Nozomi bent over, face too too close to Maki's, green eyes searching for agreement, her hand heavy on Maki's shoulder. Maki fought the urge to shake it off. "I'm sorry they did this to you, Maki. I won't let them do it again."

"What...what...what's going on?" Maki was starting to panic. Why was there all this drama about Christmas music in her life suddenly? Christmas music should be a way to herald in harmony, kindness, and Santa, pleasant instrumental exercises in shared cultural traditions, and yet, Nozomi was literally in her face, making music in potentia, on the page, seem like a murder weapon.

Nozomi was pulled away from Maki, tossed back to where Eli caught her before she could stumble. Nico, looking tired again, didn't bother to glance in Maki's direction, just turning to confront Nozomi, "She's not ready for…"

"She's a classically trained musician, Nico. And a good one, if the rumors in the halls are right. You should give her a chance. This..." Nozomi raised a sheet of music she'd retained, holding it by one corner as if it had been dragged through a storm water runoff drain, "is an insult."

Insult? Maki stood up. What hadn't Nico or Eli told her? Was there another way?

Eli put her sax to the side, "We don't have the time, sugar."

"No." Nico voice had dropped, like the sash when a window was slammed shut. "And she isn't picking up on…"

"MAKI!" Temper, lost, "MAKI isn't picking up on…" vocal fury dwindled as Maki actually heard what she was quoting.

"See." Nico sounded kinder, tapping her temple, eyes slanting in Maki's direction, "there's a delay up there. It'll kill us."

"Yeah." Eli's agreement was somber, dragged out. Nozomi actually paused, brow wrinkled.

Maki grabbed Nozomi, dragging her out of the room, "Tell me…" a pause as Nozomi focused on her, "what you're talking about."

Nozomi's hands were together, palms touching, in front of her mouth, as she thought. Speaking, she shook them at Maki, "If you don't learn the music by ear, you'll never keep up."

Maki was processing, considering performance versus practice, how a piece by Saint-Saëns looked on paper compared to how it flowed through her fingers, what altered between reading a piece and hearing it.

"Maki?" Nozomi prodded, gently. "Do you understand what I mean?"

Maki could hear Nico grumbling on the other side of the door, but she had her weight against it and the doorknob stopped between her hands. Nico wasn't getting through unless Eli helped her and Maki would have bet that Eli was back at the window, babying her sax.

"I think so."

"But can you feel it?" Nozomi sighed.

"Huh?"

"Your eyes on the music alter how you think, your ears stop working as well as they could."

"No, they don't." Maki's denial was instant.

"Really? Have you ever even considered it might before?"

Maki was suddenly fascinated by the wear on the floor.

"Didn't think so."

"Why don't you play with them?" Maki counterthrust.

Nico had gotten to cursing as the door bounced a little back and forth in Maki's hands. Maki was still smirking with amusement, but If Nico didn't give up soon, Maki was going to have to let go. No sense in risking fatigue damage to her hands.

Nozomi giggled, "Eli loves performing; I love watching her perform. She and Nico have amazing chemistry. A trumpet just doesn't fit their sound. And Eli just adores…" Nozomi paused as Nico could be heard…

"Let me out you snobby stupid ass."

"That midget gremlin." Nozomi practically cooed while speaking with enough volume that Nico could hear over her struggles.

Maki snorted as Nozomi smiled angelically and Nico continued finding insults that built off snob.

"You heard me, super snooty...arrrgghh."

"Try listening. You can always go back to the page if you need."

Maki nodded, then let go of the door knob at the same time as she stepped to the side, to watch Nico come stumbling out in the hall, "what the...are you TRYING TO DAMAGE NICO."

Nozomi softened Nico's potential head injury as the singer rammed into breast not corridor wall. Before Nozomi could say anything, Maki went back into the room, Nico pivoting immediately, rushing to keep up, ignoring Nozomi. Maki stood, waiting for Nico to catch up, and met Nico's glance, stunned by all the reactions twisting like threads of crimson, hope, worry, suspicion, frustration, hesitation.

"I can do "Silent Night" from memory. Let's start there."

"Oh good, it's a holy jam. Nico'll need a different dress. And a veil."

Eli snorted. Maki wondered exactly what about Nico's dress made it inappropriate for religious carols.

###

Infuriating. It was infuriating that Maki couldn't stop her piano playing from running away from her intentions and running over Nico's vocals, unable to keep an even tempo. It was infuriating how Eli had taken to sitting next to Maki on the piano bench, and nudging when a solo was about to start or finish. It was infuriating that after the first ten times when Nico stopped to glare enough that Maki could feel her fight or curl up in a ball response kick in, that pity began to dilute the rage in Nico's eyes. And when Eli stood up and called the session, after Maki had somehow stabbed "Silent Night" with chords stolen straight from "A Night On Bald Mountain", Maki just kept ripping into the holiday solemnity, ferociously pounding keys. Nico and Eli let her play it out, Eli putting away her sax, Nico taking a drink of water and silently watching the seemingly possessed redhead.

Maki stopped, panting into the silence, the torrent and torment of the notes she'd just played still reverberating everywhere. She hung her head over the keyboard, hair falling in front of her eyes, sweat dripping, heart pounding. No one said anything and then she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and the vibrations stilled.

"We'll figure it out, Maki." Nico squeezed. Maki, suddenly tired, let her head fall to the side, until it collided with Nico's forearm, "Take it easy."

Maki shook her head. No taking it easy, She was going to figure this out. If it took until her fingers bled.

#

A/N: Clothes from the 50's, music from the early 60's, Nico and Maki being timeless Nico and Maki..cheers.