Herroooooo!
So I was supposed to have this up for Christmas but then it became way longer than I intended so it took me longer to finish and then edit and gah! -_-
Only I can write a "drabble" that's long enough to be its own legit oneshot lmao. But I hope you guys enjoy this regardless of the length! It is still part of the "True Mission" storyline so I'm posting it for you to read anyway! :D
Disclaimer: It is Christmas … I'm claiming TS as mine for my Christmas gift. It's mine! It's finally mine! Wait…What do you mean it doesn't work that way? *sobs*
.:.10.:.
A Christmas Miracle
A breath of deep relief left his lips as he neared his home. Walking quickly in the snow he couldn't wait to go inside and close the door and block out what day it was today: Christmas.
Sure, he thought to himself as his leather gloved hand located his keys in the pocket of his trench coat and moved to unlock the door, he would still be thinking about what day it was (how could he not?) but at least it would be easier to cope without all the reminders of what day it was today flying at him from every direction.
The man dressed as Santa Claus standing at the street corner collecting donations for charity while wishing every passer-by Merry Christmas, every single store decked up with Christmas scenes in their window displays, the nativity scene outside the church in his neighbourhood, the lawn ornaments, the porch décor, the wreathes on the front doors of nearly every home he went by, the red, green, white, and gold lights, the carolling-
Sealing his eyes tightly he took in a deep breath as he tried to keep his composure but he knew he was overwhelmed. This day was always hell on him to get through and it didn't look like this year was going to be any easier on him.
Opening his eyes he took another breath calming down with the fact that he was standing at his doorway. He was safe now. He was home now. All he had to do was stay inside all day, just for this one day and then it would all be over.
Until next year anyway.
Dismissing that thought he put a smile on his face as he walked inside, the lack of Christmas décor in his abode soothing him immediately. But that was only until he walked farther inside and into his living room.
His eyes widened as his jaw nearly dropped open at what greeted him there. Christmas decorations. And not just one or two …the whole room was decorated.
With shocked eyes he took in the sight before him. The stockings hanging over his fireplace's mantle, the large, festive wreath above it, the festive trimmings, the pine garlands wrapped around his furniture, the lit candles, the fake snow, the LED lights … and finally the giant Christmas tree loaded up with dozens of glittering ornaments in the middle of it all.
He almost felt faint as the memory he had been trying to avoid instantly came rushing back to him of exactly had happened on Christmas day many, many years ago. The reason that made him hate Christmas for the last twenty-six years of his life …
A 34-year-old Aaron Scam chuckled as he picked up his 5-year-old son. Smiling at his boy, Aaron gave him an amused yet fatherly glance. "You do realize that your mommy doesn't like you playing out in the snow for too long right?" Timmy pouted up at his father only making him chuckle again as he ruffled his son's hair before putting him back down so he could continue working on his creation.
Little Tim Scam smiled brightly as he picked up a fistful of snow in his gloved hand and packed it onto a weaker area of the fort while his dad watched him silently. "That fort is huge," Aaron said after some time, noting how it towered nearly five meters high and making his son grin proudly at what he had accomplished.
"Yea! But I wanna make it bigger!" he said determined as he kept hard at work but was interrupted a moment later when his mother, Jennifer Scam came outside, dressed in her winter coat and raced over to him quickly adjusting his lopsided hat and fixing up his scarf that had become slightly undone due to the heavy wind that was coming in strong gusts every few minutes.
"It's freezing! You shouldn't be out here!" she said sounding concerned as she fussed over him like any mother who would want to keep their child from getting sick as long as it could be avoided.
"Mommy I'm fine!" Timmy said with a little pout on his lips as he struggled to break free from his mother's protective arms and resume his fort building. But she only tightened her hold on him keeping him from going anywhere and shook her head sternly letting him know that he wasn't convincing her at all.
"No, you're not fine. Look your nose is all red and you're sniffling! You're going to catch a cold!" she said making him sigh.
"No I'm not!"He protested only to have his mother smirk back at him when despite all his efforts a small, sniffle left his nose awkwardly a second later proving that he was indeed well on his way to getting sick.
Watching her son's cheeks redden in embarrassment from accidentally proving her right Jennifer just let out a small, joyful laugh at how adorable her baby boy was before she wrapped him in a hug.
"Well whether you are cold or not cold honey, you're going to have to come inside anyway," she said gently as he held him close to her. "You know your daddy and I need to go visit Uncle David now."
"Not uncle David!" Timmy complained loudly as he thought about his uncle who he had never actually met. But still he had already picked up a thing or two about him, especially how he hated his dad. And anyone who hated his father, his hero, was simply no good in his book.
"I don't like him!He doesn't like daddy!" he said voicing his thoughts and his mother smiled sadly while lifting her son's chin. "I know sweetheart," she said with tears almost forming in her eyes as she thought about the tension that still existed between her brother and her husband, the two men she loved most in this world and her inability to have been able to do anything to fix it despite it having been years now.
She used to think that the birth of her son would change everything, but now years after Tim being in their lives it seemed nothing would melt her brother's stone heart.
A defeated sigh left her lips. But as stubborn as he was, he was still her bother. He was still her sibling, her family, and try as she might she couldn't just cut all ties with him even though he nearly had cut all ties with her.
"But it's Christmas…" she said, trying to explain why she had to do this. "He's my brother and I visit every year. It's important to me that I see him at least on Christmas day," she said effectively silencing her upset son.
Watching Tim's face fall and hating seeing him upset in any way, Aaron came over and picked his son up in an attempt to make him happier. "Hey kiddo!" he said smiling at him cheerfully. "We'll be back before you know it," he promised but nothing made his son's sad frown fade away.
"Don't go … please dad?" Timmy said, slightly clutching onto his father's woolen coat but his father shook his head. "I can't let your mommy go alone, can I?" he said and Tim reluctantly shook his head knowing his father would never do that even if all his uncle ever did was insult him and make him feel like he wasn't worthy of his mother and never would be.
"But what about the fort?" he asked sadly glancing at the half-finished structure. Smiling tenderly Aaron answered him.
"I'll tell you what, we'll finish it as soon as I get back okay? I promise…" he said as he put Tim down on his own feet. "We'll be back soon."
Tim stayed quiet for a long moment before he nodded and gave his dad a bright, happy smile. "Okay!" he said before racing inside the house, greeting his baby-sitter on the way in before he went and stood at the large window that let him see the driveway so he could wave at his parents as they drove away.
Smiling Aaron dusted the snow of his coat before leading his wife to their car. A moment later the car started and moved out of the driveway and both Aaron and Jennifer stopped to wave at their son.
Pressing his face against the window until his nose was almost squished, Timmy raised his hand, smiling happily while waving his mother and father goodbye as the car drove away on its way to Uncle David's house.
A trip that they never came back from.
Pale now as he stood slack in his place he remembered being informed by their neighbors hours later that his mommy and daddy wouldn't ever be coming home now.
That they were with the angels now, in god's protection where they would forever be safe and no harm could come to them. When he had cried in confusion and asked them what that meant, they had refused to tell him only trying to comfort him by saying it would be okay, that he would understand in time.
But he had overheard them whispering to his babysitter when they thought he wasn't listening what had actually happened to Mr. and Mrs. Scam that night. That they had had an accident on the highway while trying to avoid a collision with a car that had come at them full speed, all of sudden from the wrong lane the driver of which was later found to be driving with a blood alcohol level way past the acceptable limit.
And because of him and his reckless decision to drive while drunk he had lost his parents forever, he had become an orphan … on Christmas day.
Placing his hand on the wall behind him to steady himself he took deep breaths feeling haunted as he tried and tried to snap out the pain he still felt to this day. Of losing his parents, of being sent off to live with his abusive uncle, of brutally having his childhood ripped from him all because this day had to happen. This day. This horrible day.
Christmas Day.
A feminine gasp of pure delight finally broke him out his hurtful thoughts.
"You're home!" the cheerful, familiar voice of his beloved fiancée called out as she came running from the other room to where he stood with the most dazzling of smiles on her pretty face.
In seconds her arms were wrapped around his torso as she hugged him to her tightly while nuzzling her face into his chest. She stayed like that for a moment, smiling widely before she looked up at him and grinned excitedly.
"Sooo what do you think?" Sam asked, using her shoulder to shrug behind her and when he realized she was referring to the Christmas decorations he froze in his place when he figured out that it had been her who had done this. All of this. She was the one who had brought Christmas into his home, into a place which was supposed to be his safe space away from it.
Noting the look of absolute surprise on his face Sam couldn't help but smile inwardly. He had not expected this had he? His stunned reaction made her whole plan of sneaking in here and doing this behind his back as a surprise for him (something she had been planning for a while) made her effort totally worth it.
"I noticed you still hadn't decorated yet so I decided to help out," she said smiling up at him with loving eyes. "Do you like it? I tried my best to make sure you would. It's very festive, right?"
At a loss for words and not knowing what to say or how to say it, Scam just stood there speechlessly as he tried his best to just breathe and not break down in front of her. Feeling her eyes focused on him keenly, he knew he had to say something or she'd figure out something was wrong. He tried his hardest to open his mouth and say that he loved it, that everything she had arranged was perfect but all he could manage was a small nod of approval.
Luckily for him that seemed to be enough for her as she let out a joyful giggle looking very proud of herself before she started tugging on his arm and leading him to the door that lead outside. Wondering what she was doing now, he opened his mouth to speak.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked and Sam paused for a moment, turning around and giving him a look that practically said that the answer was obvious and he should know already. But when he remained looking clueless she answered him anyway.
"To the WOOHP Christmas party, duh!" Shaking her head a little she let out a small sigh. "I know, I know that they're a drag and super boring but they are mandatory so we can'ttttttt get out of going even if we try."
Releasing him for a moment she raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck pulling him close to her and speaking against his lips with her own still smiling. "The only good thing is that this year I'll have youuuu with me so at least I'll have something to help me get through it."
She kissed him softly for a long moment before pulling back with a dreamy sigh. She took a moment to adjust his scarf around his neck and make sure his coat was buttoned up all the way before she took his hand in hers again and continued walking outside with a luminous smile glued on her lips.
Being pulled closer and closer to the exit of his home Scam realized in horror that Sam had not only decorated his place but that she intended to take him to a Christmas party, one which he had never attended ever since he was five years old. And he never intended to ever again for as long as he lived.
He took a few steps with her still not knowing how to get out of this without breaking her heart but stopped dead when she nearly had him out the door.
Sealing his eyes in agony he bit his cheek hard as unforgotten pain consumed him. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't.
Saying nothing he pulled his hand from hers softly which stopped her in her tracks that very same second. Watching her turn around to look at him with confusion all over her face he let out a small sigh before finally saying something.
"Sam I- I'm sorry…. I can't."
"Why not?" she asked with the confusion on her face only mounting with every passing second that he stood there staring back at her. He wasn't sure how to say this to her. He didn't want to upset her under any circumstance but he knew that would if he wasn't careful.
Remaining silent he thought to himself, trying to choose the right words to make her understand.
But when he was unable to say anything for another moment Sam let out a small laugh. "How dumb of me!" She said, shaking her head at herself for her own lack of thought. "You just got home, you probably want to unwind for a little bit first. Duh! Alright, meet me there in an hour kay?"
Again all he was able to do was give her a little nod, hiding the fact that he wouldn't be attending the party from her with a fake smile and she smiled back at him before walking out of the door alone and never noticing the look of pure anguish that formed on his face just as the door closed and he was left alone.
"Trying to skip the party huh?" Clover said accusingly as she noticed Sam finally coming in through the door to Jerry's office to join that party that Alex and her were already well into being bored to tears by.
Letting out a laugh Sam shook her head. "If only that were possible!" she said before greeting Alex and Clover with a hug.
Pulling away from the redhead a moment later Clover sighed nodding her head sadly at the fact that Sam was right. After all they all knew by now after years working at WOOHP that the tradition of the boring WOOHP party could not be avoided.
Suddenly a grin formed on her face as she looked at Sam with devious eyes and gave her a little poke in her shoulder. "But hey at least you'll have more fun than Alex and I. You have your man at WOOHP to keep you company unlike us," she said referring to the fact that Alex was currently dating a guy that knew nothing about WOOHP and so could not come to the party and her Blaine was in Austrailia right now thanks to one of Jerry's lame surprise assignments.
A rosy blush of happiness formed on her cheeks at Clover's words. Yup she had Tim. Her wonderful Tim. She couldn't wait to sneak kisses with him all throughout the party when no one was looking even though Jerry was much too much of a big old prude to make mistletoe a part of his parties. Not that she needed that to kiss her own fiancée of course.
The blush on her face darkened at that thought and watching Sam standing there in her own little happy world, obviously thinking of Tim Scam, Clover and Alex couldn't help but exchange glances and smile at each over how cute and in love Sam was with him, their former foe who now meant the world to her.
They had never once seen her this happy in all their lives. No wonder she was marrying the guy, he was in the truest sense her soul mate and the love of her life.
"You are soooo lucky," Clover said making Sam smile bashfully before she paused and looked at her thoughtfully. "Where is he anyway? He didn't come with you?"
"He'll be here soon," Sam replied before glancing at the watch on her wrist. It had been just over an hour since she'd left his home. Tim would be here any moment.
"…I don't think he'll be coming Sam," Jerry's voice suddenly said having overheard their conversation as he had been standing nearby speaking with some other agent friends of his.
"Why not?" All three girls asked him sounding lost.
And seeing how Sam looked the most puzzled at his words he realized that she didn't know. Tim hadn't told her and he wondered why that was. After all she was the person closest to him now.
But then again he knew Tim. He was the kind of man that preferred to suffer silently and didn't like to share his pain because it made him feel that he was weak. He didn't like sympathy. And what had happened to him on Christmas so long ago had to be one of the most, if not the most painful things that he had ever endured.
And to be honest the only reason even he knew was because of when he had once tried to force Tim to attend WOOHP's mandatory party back in the day only to have him quietly inform him of his reason to cut Christmas out his life forever. And due to the circumstances he had understood exactly why. And he knew that once he told Sam that she would understand as well.
"Tim hasn't celebrated Christmas in many, many years," he said solemnly, deciding to tell her and help Tim out, knowing that she would want an explanation from him when he didn't arrive as he'd promised her he would. An explanation that would pain him to have to give.
Sam stayed quiet for a moment trying to figure out where Jerry was going with this before she figured it out. It only made sense didn't it? After all Tim had just rejoined WOOHP some months back, after he was proven innocent and his life was finally peaceful again. Before that he had been on the run or locked up in jail. When would he have had time or celebrate Christmas then?
"Oh I get it," she said voicing her thoughts. "It's because he's been all alone right? And Christmas isn't fun when you're all alone," she mumbled sadly before dropping that thought because that was the past and they were in the present now. The present where Tim was anything but alone.
He had his freedom, he had friends at WOOHP, and most of all he had her. He would never be alone again.
"No Sam … that's not it," Jerry said making her pause and look at him confused all over again. If that wasn't it, then what was? What else could it possibly be?
Seeing the look of total disconnect on Sam, and Clover, and Alex's faces Jerry realized he had to say the words for them to get it. Taking a deep breath he finally dropped the bomb on them.
"… Tim's parents passed away on Christmas Day."
"…"
The moment he revealed that information all three girls' jaws dropped open while their eyes widened in shock and they stood there like that for a moment and then another before Sam began hyperventilating.
"Oh my God…" Sam breathed out when she finally found her voice. "Oh my god … oh my god!" she said again and again as tears began to form in her emerald eyes as everything finally clicked into place for her, the reason why Tim wasn't here celebrating Christmas with them all.
And then her eyes widened in dismay as she remembered another thing. Remembered her surprise to him. Her decorating his house for Christmas and the look on his face when he had seen it. His sudden silence and his uncharacteristic decision to let her go somewhere, anywhere without him with no protest.
Her heart sinking down low in her chest, her tears started to fall messily down her face as it all caught up to her.
God…What had she done?!
Not saying another word she turned and left Jerry's office and ran back to Tim as fast as her legs could move while hoping to herself that he could find it in himself somehow to forgive her.
Unlocking the door to his home with shaking hands she burst inside while trying to locate Tim. She found him a few moments later still standing in the living room where she had left him. He turned around when he heard the door open and her rush inside but not fast enough to avoid her noticing what he had been doing standing there.
He was standing in front of his fireplace, right before the two large photo frames that hung just above on the wall, staring at them with a pained look on his face.
One photograph displayed a woman with light brown, layered hair, vivid blue eyes, and a warm smile on her beautiful face and the other showed a handsome man with dark chestnut hair just like Tim's, tanned skin, a slight smirk pulling at his lips, and an exact replica of his rare sea foam eyes.
His parents.
"Hey…" she heard him say slowly as he struggled to hide all the misery on his face behind another fake smile. "I was just uh… just about to leave," he uttered quietly still trying to hide the truth from her.
Her heart breaking inside her, Sam looked at him with tears forming in her eyes and before another second passed she ran to him and hugged him tightly, holding him as close to her as she could.
Then she began crying and apologising all at once in a messy mix of sobs and hushed whispers. "I'm sorry Tim! Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I'm sorry!" she kept crying out as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and cradled him close trying to take all his pain away.
And instantly he knew that she knew now. Knew that which he hadn't been able to disclose to her. Feeling how she was clutching him so tightly and shuddering as she kept saying sorry to him over and over he couldn't help but feel horrible.
"Sam…please don't be sorry. You didn't know," he said as he hugged her back and nuzzled her neck with his face trying to calm her down as she kept shaking violently as she cried her eyes out. "I never once told you when I lost my parents, only that I did." Stroking her hair now he held her tighter and whispered gently. "How could you have known?"
"I should have known!" she protested only sobbing harder as she sealed her eyes and cursed at herself inside her head for her lack of thought. "We're in love! I should have…I should have…felt it!" she stammered, blaming herself endlessly for his sorrow."
Sniffling as her tears kept falling without end she spoke again sounding nothing less than disgusted with herself. "I should have asked you! I should have taken permission before I just went and did this-"
"Taken permission?" he cut her off sounding offended. Unwrapping her from around him and holding her at arms length he looked her in her eyes and spoke to her with nothing but honesty and certainty in his tone.
"Sam, this home and every last thing in it belongs to you. I belong to you. You don't have to ask permission to do anything. Ever."
Biting her lip, Sam sighed heavily still feeling like dirt for what she had caused. "But if I had asked then I wouldn't have done this," she protested sadly. "I wouldn't have hurt you like this. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry Tim, please forgive me!"
Taking her hands in his and holding them tightly, Scam shook his head. "Stop it. You have nothing to say sorry for," he said firmly.
But she just shook her head stubbornly. "Of course I do! You were trying to forget about… I can't even imagine how you must have felt when you waked in here and saw what I had done! I'm so sorry!"
Feeling his heart crumble, Tim couldn't stand seeing her so upset, so mad at herself. And for what? For trying to do a good thing for him? It wasn't right and it wasn't fair to her.
"Shhh, I mean it. You have nothing to be sorry about." Pulling her back in his embrace he cuddled her close to his chest before leaning her back and wiping away all her tears as he tried to soothe her. "You were just trying to brighten up my life a little more. I know that," he said smiling at her in a knowing way but she still looked down, unable to meet eyes with him as guilt poured through her for hurting him so badly even if it hadn't been intentional.
For hurting them man that she loved more than anything. The one she'd sworn to herself to always keep happy.
He lifted her chin with his index finger and made her look at him even though she still hesitated to do so.
"But you know something Sammie, you don't need to put up lights or decorations to make my life brighter." A small, joyful smile lit up his face as he looked at her with tender eyes filled with all the love her felt for her. So much that he couldn't put it into words even with his expansive vocabulary.
"You already do that…simply by being you," he said and finally he got her to stop crying as a smile bloomed on her lips. Murmuring to her that he loved her, he held her close to him and she hugged him back fiercely.
"You sure you're not mad at me?" She asked with her face pressed against his chest and he smiled at her innocence. How could she even think she could ever upset him? All she ever did was think of him and treat him like her whole, entire world.
"I could never be mad at you.," he said resolutely before admitting another truth to her. "And besides, to be honest when I walked in here and saw the place all decorated for a moment I thought that … my parents came back."
She stiffened in his arms when she heard what he'd just said and pulled back while looking at him sadly again. But he smiled again and shook his head at her silently telling her not be. It wasn't a bad thing at all.
"I wish you could have seen what it used be like back then. This house used to be so decked up all month long. My mom would go so overboard with the decorating that they neighbours would stop by to take pictures. It was practically a local Christmas tourist attraction every year," he laughed but she could feel the pain hidden in his voice and see the sorrow of an irreplaceable loss in his beautiful eyes.
"I used to love Christmas when I was a kid but after…" he paused, his jaw twitching as his voice grew sadder. "It just hurt too much to celebrate it without them. I couldn't bring myself to. So ever since then I hide from Christmas in my home."
"…So you just lock yourself up in your home? Alone? You don't do anything for Christmas Tim?" she asked, unable to help but feel depressed for him.
"Well I do have one Christmas tradition," he said prompting her to ask him what that was. And when he told her that it was that he went to the see his parents at their final resting place and bring his mother flowers Sam immediately asked him if she could come with him.
"You don't have to do that Sam," he whispered not wanting to dampen her Christmas any more than he already had but she shook her head determinedly and told him that she wanted to. That she needed to.
"They're not just your parents Tim, they mean something to me too. Without them … I wouldn't have you," she whispered clutching his arm and smiling at him with love brimming over in her eyes as she looked at him sincerely. "Please let me come with you? Please?"
And he found himself giving in as he gave her a nod leaving her to smile harder as she took his arm and led him outside this time with him willingly walking with her to their destination.
He walked into his home silently behind Sam as she unlocked the door for him. They had left the cemetery close to a half hour ago and ever since then all he could do was watch her in quiet awe as he reflected on what he'd watched her do.
The way she had knelt before his parents graves and closed her eyes saying a prayer for them, the conversation she had had with them assuming they could hear her telling them she'd do her best to look after their son and always keep him happy, the way she had shown so much respect.
It meant so much to him, every little thing she had done. And he knew if his parents were here that they would love her so much. He knew his mother would dote on her as if she was her own daughter and his father well, he'd demand to know where he had found such a girl in this day and age.
If only they could have met her, he thought sighing before suddenly an idea came to him.
"I have something I want to give you," he said suddenly leaving Sam to turn and look at him. Biting her lip in thought she figured it was a Christmas gift, something she would have been more than okay with accepting if not for the fact that she now knew he didn't celebrate Christmas. And it didn't seem right to her for him to have to give her something knowing that.
"You don't have to-"
"I want to," he said silencing her as he left her standing there and disappeared for a short while into a room deeper within his home. He returned some time later with a blue velvet jewellery box and held it out to her for her to take.
And when she opened it her jaw dropped open at what as inside. It was a beautiful, stunning, elegant multi-strand necklace made with the most delicate looking pearls she had ever seen.
"Oh my god…" she breathed out staring at his gift unblinkingly and unable to look away. "Tim…this is absolutely gorgeous," she whispered blown away by the sheer exquisiteness of the necklace before her eyes.
"You like it?" he asked smiling before adding. "It belonged to my mother. My father gave it to her on their first Christmas together as a married couple… I want you to have it."
Hearing about the necklace's history Sam looked up at him with wide eyes. The necklace was extravagant as it was which already made it difficult for her to keep it but knowing now that it had belonged to his mother, that it must be one of the few things he still had left from his parents and how much it must mean to him to have it around… she found herself hesitating to accept it.
"Tim I couldn't possibly-" she started to say only to be cut off by him.
"For me?" he said tucking a loose strand of her behind her ear affectionately before taking the necklace out of the case and stepping behind her to put it on her neck. "Think of it as a gift from my parents, their blessing," he whispered as he brought the necklace around her neck and clasped it shut. "You won't deny them right?" he asked as he held her gently by her shoulders and whispered softly into her ear. "If they were here, they'd give you so much more."
Sam smiled when he said that as he planted a kiss in the crook of her neck then her cheek before turning her around to face him again. Holding her by her hips he looked at her seriously. "There is one more thing I want you to do for me."
Putting her arms around him as well she held him with his waist and looked up at him with half lidded, adoring eyes. "What is it? You know I'd do anything for you."
Smiling at her words he told her what he wanted.
"I want you to go to the WOOHP Christmas party."
Immediately her face fell and she looked at him with a frown on her lips. "I am not leaving you," she said decisively only to have him say that he wanted her to go.
"Why?" Sam asked, confused and a little upset at this point as she tried to figure him out. Why did he want her to go? He was already alone enough for Christmas, she wasn't about to make him any lonelier by leaving him all by himself while she went off to party with her friends.
"Because you have given me so much in my life, I don't want to return that by taking things from you," he said making her let out a small sound of annoyance and look at him with nothing but frustration all over her features.
"What would you be taking from me if I didn't go to WOOHP's stupid Christmas party?" she asked, looking up at him with narrowed, perplexed eyes because she simply did not get what he was going on about here.
He let out a sigh as he moved his hands from her hips up to her face and held it while gently caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. "I'd be taking Christmas from you," he stated plainly.
Seeing her face become further lost he explained himself. "That boring WOOHP party is part of Christmas and whether you like to admit it or not, it's been a part of it since you joined WOOHP years ago. If you didn't go then you would lose part of your Christmas because of me … and I don't want that."
Smiling at her, he gestured towards the room she had decorated for him and spoke again. "Clearly Christmas means a lot to you or you wouldn't have done any of this."
"But I wouldn't care if I miss it Tim," she argued with a tired sigh wanting for him desperately to believe her. "I mean Clover, Alex, and I are always looking for ways to get out of it anyway."
"Then go for me," he urged not willing to give up. "Go to your friends and celebrate Christmas with them just like you always do every year."
A heavy sigh left her lips before she opened her mouth to try and convince him to change his mind again. "But Tim-"
"You said you'd do anything for me."
"…."
Only to be silenced by his words. She stood there in silence for a long moment knowing she couldn't go back on what she'd promised to him. Seeing that he really wanted her to do this, she found herself faltering and giving in.
"Okay fine…" she said reluctantly before pecking him on the lips and muttering she was only going because of him and for no other reason and she wanted him to know that.
Turning she walked away with great effort, every step she took away from him being nothing short of torture because she still didn't want to leave him and the frown on her lips as she closed the door behind her wasn't lost on him.
He didn't like that she wasn't happy and he knew that he wished he could go with her but … he sighed knowing he was just so used to spending Christmas this way by now that he wasn't sure he could ever change it even if he wanted to.
And so he was about to go shut himself in a room free of all the decor that Sam had so thoughtfully placed there for him all the while feeling guilty as hell for doing that but knowing he had to do it for his own sanity.
But just as he was walking away something caught his eye. An ornament on the Christmas tree she had put up for him. Because it wasn't just some plain, old glass bauble. No, this ornament had his face on it. His and Sam's.
His attention now caught he slowly forced himself to walk over and take it off the tree as he took a closer look at it. And when he did his eyes widened when he saw that the ornament was customized with a photograph of Sam and him together. One that he remembered posing for not so long ago.
In it Sam had her arms wrapped around his shoulders tightly from behind as she leaned over and kissed him on his cheek. He remembered it had been taken on his past birthday, the first birthday that he had done anything for in years.
Then he noted another ornament with another picture of them encased in it. This one was their engagement picture, the one that Clover had taken of them in Jerry's office an hour after he had proposed to her best friend.
And slowly he realized that every ornament on this tree was a picture of Sam and him, of every key moment of their relationship that led up to this Christmas, their first Christmas and it dawned upon him all at once just how much hard work and effort she had put into this for him. This clearly wasn't something that she had thrown together at the last minute, she had put a lot of thought into this.
All for him, he thought unable to even breathe as he stood there completely still in astonishment. And he couldn't help but feel touched. Sam was… she was such an incredible woman. She had changed his life forever in so many ways and given him so much , he thought as he slowly walked around the tree and took his time taking in every picture of every beautiful memory they had made together so far.
And when he thought about the fact that he was about to marry her soon, that she was about to become his forever, his family-
Suddenly he paused in thought with his mind lingering on that last word.
Family.
That was what Samantha was. She was family. His family. Not the family he had lost and mourned each Christmas but his new family. The one who brought him compassion, warmth, comfort, and love. And as cliché as it sounded … wasn't that what Christmas was supposed to be about?
Then why was he still running from it, he asked himself. Why when he had her in his life? When he had a family again. Something he thought he'd never have? Again at long last?
And right then and there he knew what he had to do. What was the right thing to do. And he found himself quickly heading out of his home with no other thought in his mind other than his Samantha. It was their first Christmas, and they should be spending it together…
Just like a family.
Standing among the crowd of faceless WOOHP agents while listening to the Christmas jingles and carols playing through G.L.A.D.I.S' speakers in the background, Clover, Alex, and Sam let out a group sigh. Yup, this party had been just as famously lame as every last WOOHP Christmas party. What a way to spend Christmas they thought bummed beyond words.
"Well…" Clover started , smiling at her two best friends in the whole world. "At least we're being bored to death together," and Alex and Sam couldn't help but nod their heads in agreement and laugh. Because it was true. As much as this party sucked, at least they still had each other.
"Merry Christmas you guys!" Alex said and the three of them wrapped each other in a group hug while feeling grateful for having each other's friendship as part of their lives.
The sudden whispers and murmurs amongst the crowd a moment later along with the music coming to a halt abruptly made them pull part as they looked around to see what all the hubbub was about only to freeze when they saw exactly why. It was because of who had just entered the party. A late, unexpected guest.
"…Tim?" Sam said slowly in disbelief, recognizing him immediately as he slowly walked over to her. And she couldn't help but wonder what he was doing here.
"How come you came?" She asked him the second he came and stood before her.
And seeing all the happiness in her eyes aside from all the confusion at seeing him here, Scam smirked just a little bit as he gave her the answer to her question.
"Because you didn't leave me alone to suffer on Christmas even when I asked you to…" He gave her a little shrug and smirked harder. "I couldn't let you suffer alone either."
A huge smile burst on her lips as she looked back at him in wonder not believing he had actually done this. She knew this couldn't have been easy on him to end his Christmas hiatus of so many years but he had done it for her, just for her. And that alone spoke volumes of what she meant to him, of how much he loved her.
"Merry Christmas Samantha…" she heard him say and her smile only grew bigger as she leaned up on her toes and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips before wishing him as well.
"Merry Christmas Tim…" she whispered against his lips as he wrapped his arms around her tight and held her close to him feeling blessed on Christmas day for the first time in ages in a way he never thought he'd ever feel again.
And watching the couple before them Clover and Alex just smiled, happy for their friend getting her Christmas wish before Clover quipped that now this was truly a party prompting both Sam and Tim Scam himself to actually smile at her.
Standing just behind the four of them and eavesdropping on their conversation, Jerry wanted to be at least a little miffed at Tim saying that attending his WOOHP party was "suffering"… but he couldn't find it in himself to be because he was just so happy to see him here that he didn't even care.
Never once had Tim ever attended this party and he knew it had been twenty-six long years since he had celebrated Christmas in any capacity whatsoever but-
Here he was now just because of the love he had for Sam. All because of the love her had for Sam and the love she had for him.
This was, in the most perfect sense, the very definition of a Christmas miracle.
And nothing less.
Toldddddd ya it was long! XD
This "moment" refers to Scam's parents and his past as a child which I think is mentioned only briefly in "The True Mission." In Chapter 8, Scam mentions being sent to live with his uncle after he lost his parents when he was a kid.
If you're interested in the "abuse" Scam suffered, that is only hinted in TM, I focused on it way more in "Last Chance" which just happens to be a Christmas fic I wrote. Funny how that happened lol. So check that out if you haven't read that yet, you might like it!
PLEASE review for me if you read this! I spent a fair amount of time on this "moment" so I'd really appreciate it. Make my holidays a little brighter with one! ^u^
Anyway! Merry (late) Christmas you guys! I hope y'all had a wonderful one! :D :D :D
More updates/stories to come in the new year!
Bye for now,
Cresenta's Lark :D