A/N: Day 3 is a bit long, but I didn't think anyone would mind. Enjoy!
On December 26th, James Aubrey was still in his pajamas as he finished wrapping Jessica's gift. He had stumbled upon it two weeks ago and it finally arrived a few days ago. He couldn't wait to give it to her when she came over later.
Looking up, he saw Skinner watching the birds outside from the large window of the living room. Setting the gift down, he walked over to the cat he adopted last year after he solved the murder of his original owner. Snickering at the cat's tail twitching, he scratched the cat behind the ears.
It had been slow at first, but now they were buddies. More than once, the two hung out on the couch while Aubrey watched television. The cat had an infinity for food shows like his owner. Skinner was selective with people he socialized with, mostly hanging out in his bedroom when he had company.
Except when Jessica came by. Immediately, the anti-social cat became friends with the forensic anthropologist. Besides himself, he had never seen that cat so loving and affectionate with anyone else.
Aubrey heard a familiar sound, so he looked down and watched as the cat's tail twitched in excitement. "I know you want to hunt, Skinner, but I don't feel like chasing you out of the tree in the back yard again. Here, how about this."
Aubrey opened the window and almost immediately regretted it. It was December and almost fifty degrees outside. Where the hell was the snow like he had when he was a kid?
As soon as the words came out, he immediately thought of his late mother, whose presence he still missed deeply. He hated New York City growing up, especially after his father abandoned them. However, he still remembered the efforts his mother went to so he could have a good Christmas after he left.
She always found time to take him to Rockefeller Center Christmas Eve in between the two jobs she worked to support them. They would get hot cider and watch the lights. When they were done, they went back to their small house in New Jersey where they would build a snow man together before opening one present. On Christmas morning, after opening the rest of their gifts, they would sit in their pajamas all day and watch movies while eating junk food. That was how they spent every Christmas until she died a few years ago.
After her death, he spent the holidays alone. Last year changed all that when he spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with his partner Booth, Doctor Brennan, and the extended Jeffersonian Institution, ending four years of loneliness around the holidays.
It was also the year he met the woman of his dreams, a woman as weird and quirky as he was.
He also knew that Jessica was also depressed about the lack of snow. It was something she always looked forward to also around the holidays, but this year it would be odd and sad without it. Both agreed that while warmer temperatures was nice, Christmas wasn't the same without the white stuff.
Hopefully, the gift he got her would make up for that a bit, as well as the ham dinner he was making with stuffing, potatoes, green beans almondine, and homemade rolls. She was very insistent on bringing dessert and wine, which he fought to no avail. Afterwards, they would exchange gifts and have a Roger Corman marathon.
He looked at Jessica's Christmas present. Nothing she got him could top what he got her.
Jessica finished putting the pan in the oven and setting the timer. Walking over to her small dining room table, she looked over the gift she got for Aubrey. Smiling to herself, she checked again to make sure there were no damage. When satisfied, she wrapped the item and put it by her purse.
Looking up, she saw the mud and gloomy sky. Part of why she loved going to school up in Michigan was their winters. On a good day, she could watch the snow's iridescence and sparkles from the lights on campus from her dorm at night. Going home was fun, but it was always nice to come back to East Lansing. The cold could be killer, but the beauty of the state made it all worthwhile.
Just as long as you didn't drive on I-96 or the other interstates. A memory of maneuvering through Detroit on I-75 to attend an Airborne Toxic Event concert a week before Christmas years earlier gave her shivers.
Yes, the Washington DC/Maryland area had winter here, too but some bitter cold days aside, there was little to no snow…and it sucked. She knew that she wasn't alone in her assessment. Aubrey also missed the snow from when he grew up in New York.
Then her thoughts wandered to James Aubrey himself. He was quirky, ate like there was a famine coming, and was definitely cute. As she brushed her hair, she thought about how she couldn't wait to see him tonight.
Looking at her clock, she saw it was 11:00. Getting her phone, she sent a text. What time shld I come over?
She had started to brush her teeth when the phone buzzed. Smiling, she picked up the phone and looked.
6 shld b fine. Dinner will b done by then. Will have cat fed early so we can eat in peace.
Jessica sent a text back. Sure u don't want anything bs wine, dessert, & gift?
She didn't even put the phone down when he replied back.
Nope as long as u bring Man w X Ray Eyes. Dementia 13 DVD arrived in mail Tues. I love movie nite. :)
Jessica laughed. Cool. C u at 6.
Immediately, she got a response. Skinner & I will b here
Before Jessica could respond, the timer went off. Quickly finishing up, she headed to the kitchen. She had a lot to do today so she could be at Aubrey's house on time.
Aubrey was taking the ham out of the oven when he noted the time was 5:50 PM. He smelled it and was tempted to get a fork to steal some, but he stopped himself. Looking down at the floor, he noted Skinner standing there impatiently.
"I fed you already. I know you want some, but we wait until after Aunt Jessica gets here.
Hearing the doorbell, he wiped his hands with a towel and pointed his finger at Skinner. "Don't even think about it or you're sleeping in the living room tonight."
Doing a quick check of the dining table, he gave a quick final touch before he rushed to the front door. Opening it, he was dumbstruck.
Jessica was wearing a lightweight sweater the color of olive green that made her eyes and hair pop out. She wore skinny jeans and black boots with heels. She held a paper bag in one hand with a box being held to her body with a handled bag in the other hand.
As for Jessica, she couldn't help but stare at Aubrey. He was wearing the shirt he wore the night they ate at the Indonesian restaurant with jeans. When she looked up, his blue eyes darkened a bit, making her stomach full of butterflies. Shaking it off, she smiled at the FBI agent.
"Can I come in, Superman?"
Aubrey came back to reality with a thump. "Yeah, yeah, sorry. Come on in."
Jessica walked in and immediately was assaulted by wonderful smells. "Oh my God, Aubrey. It smells good in here. I'm so hungry."
"As am I, Jess. Dinner will be ready soon. Do you want anything to drink?" Aubrey said as took her items from her hands.
"I brought a couple bottles of this rosé wine Daisy gushed about to go with the awesome ham you're making."
"Be right back." Aubrey said as Skinner immediately trotted into the living room and rubbed against Jessica.
"Hey there, boy. How's my buddy?" After petting him for a moment, she looked up to Aubrey. "Can I help with anything?"
Aubrey went to the entertainment center and grabbed a small object before handing it to her. "Entertain Skinner for a few minutes. He's eyeing dinner like the birds he was checking out this morning."
Jessica laughed. "Sure."
As she watched her host walk away, she noted his rear end. 'Nice pair of jeans, Aubrey. They bring out your cute butt so well.'
When he disappeared, she pointed the object on the floor and moved the red dot around. She laughed as Skinner chased it with abandon.
"This cat is nuts!" She said with a chuckle as Aubrey came back with a stemless glass of wine.
"Yeah, he is. Oh, and dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
"Cool." Jessica said before turning her attention back to the cat who was currently rolling around on the floor grabbing at the red dot. "Skinner, you are such an attention whore."
Right as Aubrey got to the kitchen, he looked back and smiled as Jessica played with Skinner before giving him affection. Reluctantly, he turned away to finish the meal, not for the first time preferring Jessica's company over food.
An hour later, Jessica was helping Aubrey clean up the table. "Superman, that was sooo good."
"Well, thank you. I'll give you some leftovers."
Jessica thought for a moment. "I can have them Monday for lunch when we go back to work."
Work. He loved his job as much as he knew she loved hers, but he was digging the holiday bubble they were in the last few days. 'Oh well.' He thought. "So, since you insisted on bringing dessert, pray tell, what did you bless me with tonight?"
Jessica smiled. "How about we do presents first so we can digest, then dessert while we watch television?"
"I never need to digest, but I will defer to you."
"Okay, I put your present under the tree, but I have to run out to my car. Be right back."
Aubrey watched as Jessica grabbed her keys and ran out. As he finished rinsing the dishes, she came back in with a small paper bag. He joined her in the living room before snooping around the bag.
Jessica laughed as she stymied his attempts by holding the bag against her. "All will be revealed in due time, Agent Aubrey. Now I want to open my gift first."
The lanky man laughed before reaching under the tree. "Good. You will be so amazed when you see this, you're going to be like, 'Oh Aubrey, this is the best present anyone has ever got me.'"
Intrigued, Jessica ripped the paper and was greeted with a brown box marked FRAGILE. Pulling up the tab at the top, she opened the flap and pulled it out carefully. After she removed the Styrofoam sheet surrounding it, Jessica saw the gift and her mouth dropped.
It was a snow globe, but not any snow globe. It had a green base with the MSU "S" on it. Inside the globe, it was a snowman holding a sign with two arrows. One said NORTH POLE and the other one said MICHIGAN STATE.
She knew instantly why he had got it for her and fought tears of joy at the simple item that he got her. Without a doubt, it would always be her most prized gift.
Aubrey saw her stunned reaction and was afraid she hated it. "Oh God, you hate it. I'm sorry. I remembered you talking about how much you missed the snow up in Michigan and that you hated we didn't have any this year. I can find something else—"
He was stopped by Jessica's warm lips kissing him with abandon. His thought processes stopped as he could only move his hand to her cheek to extend the kiss. After a moment, they broke away.
"I love it, James Aubrey. Now, open mine and don't shake it."
Still in a haze from her kiss, the agent grabbed the box and ripped the paper open. Pulling the tape off the box, he pulled it out and his jaw dropped.
It was a ceramic cookie jar, but on the outside were several pictures of Rockefeller Center, Christmas trees, and other holiday items. When Jessica pointed to the top, he opened it and found snowmen cookies. Stunned, he could only stare, remembering the holidays with his mother all over again.
"I remembered what you said about Christmas with your mother and I know not having snow kind of ticks you off, too, so I found pictures and had them added to a plain jar. We can't make snowmen, so I made cookies instead."
Aubrey was dumbfounded. Looking up, it was then he realized that he was totally in love with Jessica Warren. He didn't know when he could tell her, but now he would make it a goal to tell her without being afraid.
Trying to come up with words, he could only say, "T-thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, before we indulge in dessert, we need one more thing to make this night complete."
"What else could top this, Jess? I mean—ooof!" Aubrey said before getting a face full of white material.
"How about snow?" Jessica asked.
Aubrey blew a bit of fake snow out of his mouth. "This is war, Warren." He said before grabbing a fistful out and throwing it in her face.
"Ahhh! Going down, G-Man!"
"You wish, Bone Lady!"
Skinner ran away as the two adults threw handfuls of fake snow at each other while laughing and taunting each other.
As the snow was getting low, the closer the couple got to one another. As Aubrey was throwing his last handful, his knee slipped and he fell on top of Jessica, his lips inches from hers. The heat between the two of them was palpable as each felt the other's heart racing.
"Um, who-who won, Jess?" Aubrey stuttered, mesmerized by her green eyes darkening.
"Oh, who gives a shit!" The redhead muttered before pulling Aubrey's face closer for a deep kiss.
Miracle snow, snowmen cookies, and snow globes were forgotten as the two people under the Christmas tree poured their feelings for one another into the loving kisses they gave each other.
PS: In my world, at the end MOTMM, Aubrey adopted Skinner. The antics demonstrated are similar to my cats at home and are an homage to them.