Kind of a shorter chapter, but don't don't worry, I plan on posting Christmas eve tomorrow! So stay tuned!
Shout outs to: Elemental-aura, Batgirl13, and Clouddreams! Thanks for reviewing last chapter! You three get your choice of Christmas cookies from M'Gann or Agent A!
And Elemental-Aura it's so friggin' easy to write cute/adorable moments with Conner, and I simply cannot resist! Hopefully this chapter has the same effect on you!
ENJOY!
"…and you will be staying at the mountain on Christmas eve, correct?"
Dick smiled up at the elderly butler. He was seated at the little kitchen table, watching Alfred as he slid several dishes into the oven. "Yeah. We wanted to make Conner's first Christmas really special, so everyone's staying over at the mountain on Christmas eve so we're not waiting on anyone the next morning."
Alfred nodded. "It will make stuffing the stockings all the easier too I would imagine."
He closed the oven and came back to the table. He eyed the scrabble board for a moment, then played several tiles. "There we are. Playing off you're 'a', I will play a 'c', 'a', 'v', 'e', and 't'. Thus you have 'caveat'." He returned to the counter and began stirring in several ingredients.
"Also, I believe that is a double word score."
Dick sighed and nudged the tiles to one side to see the spaces underneath with his pencil then pushed them back into place. "Yeah, it's double word score." He scribbled down Alfred's points on a notepad. "Remind me, I'll need to pick up some oranges for the stockings!"
Alfred chuckled. "I will make a note of it sir." He set the spoon to one side on a spoon rest and picked up the bowl, carefully pouring the mix into a pan.
Dick suddenly grinned and began putting tiles on the board. "Ha! Got you Alfred! Playing off your 'Bib', I've got 'bibliophage'!"
Alfred set the pan down and returned the table, leaning over to check Dick's spelling. "Very good Master Dick. Your scrabble game has certainly improved." He eyed the board for a minute, then laid down a few tiles and returned to his pan on the counter.
Dick turned the board a little, the better to read the word. "Veritas?"
"An old Latin word sir." Alfred said, smoothing out the mix in the pan with a spoon. "It means truth." He finished smoothing his creation and put it in the fridge. "Your move sir."
"Already got it." Dick answered, throwing several tiles on the board and arranging them around Alfred's.
Alfred smiled and closed the fridge. "I'll be right there."
To himself he added, "…now, that's done. The dishes in the oven won't be done for another hour or so…" seemingly satisfied, the elderly butler gathered up the dirty dishes and neatly stacked them in the sink. Seating himself at the table, he turned the board towards him a little.
His eyes scanned the board and he gave an exasperated sigh. "For the last time Master Dick, 'traught' is not a word!"
Conner smiled as he walked back to his bike.
Yet another friend he could check off his list! He pushed the gift into his backpack and slung it across his shoulders. He'd had to really think when it came to choosing this gift.
What sort of present did you give a speedster?
He was just about to start up the motorcycle when a sound suddenly came to his ears, stopping him dead in his tracks. Someone was calling for help! He whipped his head around, searching for the source of the cry.
It took him a moment to realize that a normal human's ears wouldn't have been able to detect that sound. It was too far away!
He started the bike and tore off up the street, head cocked slightly to one side as he tried to follow the sound. Several minutes later, he found himself in front of a small old house.
He waited a moment, just to make sure he had the right house.
The cry came again and he quickly got off his bike, shucking his backpack, helmet, and jacket so the Superman shield could be clearly seen. He normally turned the shirt inside out or wore a plain black one, but he'd been in a hurry today and had simply zipped the jacket up till the bright red shield couldn't be seen.
The call came again and Conner hurried up to the house, relieved to find the door unlocked. At least he didn't have to break in!
The woman's voice was weaker than it had been when he'd first heard it. She was getting tired, and it sounded like she was beginning to lose hope of ever being heard.
"Where are you?" He called, switching his sight to infrared and sweeping his eyes across the interior of the house, noting several small heat signatures throughout the building.
"Up here!" the woman called back, elation coloring her voice.
Conner nodded, having already spotted her in the stairwell leading up to the attic. He hurried up the two flights of stairs, reaching her within minutes.
"Oh thank goodness!" the woman practically sobbed, very near tears. "I was beginning to think no one would ever hear me up here!" She was an older woman, her hair a dark steel grey color.
What she'd been doing was anyone's guess, but somehow she'd managed to get one foot tangled up in some sort of old rope net and was now dangling in the stairwell. The steps were a good three feet below her outstretched hands, and she couldn't reach the balcony of the stairwell when she tried to sit up.
"Are you all right?" Conner asked, trying to decide whether it would be better to break the net and lower her to the steps or climb up the stairs and pull her back up and over the banister.
The woman gave a small, rueful laugh. "I've definitely been better." She admitted. "Do you think you're strong enough to haul me back up there?"
Well that settled that!
Conner slipped past her, trotting up the stairs and walking around the banister. Reaching down into the stairwell with one hand he grabbed the net and pulled. "I think I can manage that."
He hauled her up the rest of the way, gently lifting her over the banister and setting her on the floor. "Are you all right?" He asked again.
The woman smiled and nodded, patting him on the arm before setting to work untangling her foot. "I will be, now that I'm right side up again! Thank you dear, you really are my hero today!"
Conner cocked his head curiously. "How did you get like this ma'am?"
"Oh!" the woman waved him off, finishing with the net. "Don't call me ma'am, it makes me feel old! My name's Dallas. And as to how I got into this mess…" she made a face.
"Help me up." she ordered, holding out her hands.
He did as he was told and she pointed at one of the thick rafter beams running across the ceiling, this one positioned above the stairwell.
"I have to admit, in all honesty I'm the epitome of the crazy cat lady. One of my dear cat's was hit yesterday afternoon by a passing car. I've known Felicia had her kittens hidden away somewhere in the attic for several weeks and I've been looking for them ever since I buried her. They started crying for her this morning when they got hungry, and it sounds like she had them up there in the rafters somewhere. So I grabbed a chair and climbed up to have a look. My foot got caught in great grandpa Jo's old fishing net and the next thing I knew I was hanging upside down in the stairwell!" she finished.
Conner frowned, looking up at the beams curiously. "Do you want me to check?"
Dallas chuckled. "I'd appreciate that! Just be careful, ok? Because if you fall there's no way I'll be able to pull you back up!"
Conner jumped straight up onto the broad beam. Casting a small smile down at the astonished Dallas, he carefully made his way down the beam toward the area above the stairwell. Several boards had been thrown across two of the beams, making a storage area, and it was here that Dallas thought her deceased cat had hidden her kittens.
She was right!
Five kittens were nestled in a basket of old rags and clothes leaning against a trunk. The clone shook his head. Now these kittens were orphans, just like Tony.
He picked the basket up and walked back along the beam, passing it down to Dallas. "Here they are."
"Oh my goodness, they're so adorable!" Dallas crooned, reaching into the basket to pet one. "Come on down and have a look at them now they're in the light!"
Conner obliged. "What's going to happen to them?" he asked intrigued, slipping one of his hands into the basket to pet the kittens. They were small, any one of them would've easily fit into his palm! He shook his head.
So fragile.
Of the five of them, two were coal black, one was white with black spots, and two were brown or grey tabby's. The last one seemed to have splotches of every color, from brown, cream and orange to black and white. All dripped and spotted across it's fur.
Dallas chuckled, rubbing the underside of the grey tabby's chin and making him purr loudly in appreciation. "Well, I imagine most of them will end up staying here with me! And as for the rest, I've got a couple friends who are looking for a kitten. Either way, they'll have good homes this Christmas."
"Good." Conner gave her a small, nervous smile. "Would you mind if I held one?"
LOL, be sure to review! Christmas eve will be up tomorrow around noon!
Untill next time...