Stave Five Part Six: An Unexpected Guest

Goodwin's party was just as successful as he had predicted. One of the large ball rooms had been decorated with evergreen garlands and glowing candles and red ribbons for the festive season. Round tables were scattered about the room covered in white table clothes and topped off with holly centerpieces. In a corner of the room by the main entrance, a string ensemble was playing Christmas carols. At the far end of the room was a long buffet table laden with all kinds of gourmet dishes and desserts. Well-dressed guests, many of whom had had their faces in magazines and newspapers, sat at the tables, stood in line for food, or stood in groups, holding glasses of champagne and talking happily. It was now nighttime, but anyone who happened to glance out the large windows could see the gentle Christmas snow falling over the lighted city.

The director himself stood in the center of the room, laughing and chatting with Lazar, Senator Izinski and his wife, and Mina and her brother and sister-in-law. Everyone in the group was dressed quite fashionable and holding glass goblets full of sparkling red liquid.

"He said that Christmas was a humbug!" Goodwin laughed, referring, of course, to Jack Atlas. "He really did. It seems the less Jack knows, the more stubbornly he knows it."

"More shame for him, Goodwin," snorted Lazar from his seat at a nearby table. "He's the one who chose to act like an old Scrooge."

"He's a comical fellow, I know," Goodwin allowed, nodding at Lazar. "But his offenses carry their own punishment, and I, for one, have nothing to say against him."

"Oh, but he's so famous, isn't he?" said Mrs. Izinski rather sarcastically. "He doesn't need anything but his fame. He thinks so highly of himself."

"But his fame is of no use to him, really," replied Goodwin. "He doesn't do any good with it and cannot have the satisfaction of doing others good."

"I have no patience with him," declared Lazar, downing the contents of his glass before continuing, "and I don't understand how you can deal with him, Goodwin. Or you, Mina, the way he treats you."

Mina gave a small start, surprised at Lazar, of all people, including her in the conversation. "Well… I feel kind of sorry for him. His attitude causes him to lose out on fun experiences like this party. He isn't always so hot-tempered. I mean, he can be nice when he wants to."

The other men in the group gave her rather skeptical looks; they all knew Mina was a little soft towards Jack, and they rather thought she was unwise in her affections, but what could they do about it? The poor woman would realize her mistake in the future, they hoped.

Senator Izinski was the first to speak: "Well, I don't know about that last part, but he is definitely missing a splendid party!"

As Lazar looked up at the Senator, he saw a late-comer enter the ball room from the corner of his eyes. He turned to see who their new guest was, and his eyes widened comically, his mouth gaping like a fish as he nearly dropped his glass. He stood, knocking over his chair as he did so, straining to get a better look around all the tall people surrounding him. This had to be a joke. His eyes were playing tricks on him. Was there something in the champagne that caused hallucinations?

"Lazar," Goodwin said, frowning at his right-hand man, "are you quite alright?"

"That depends!" Lazar squeaked, pointing towards the door. "Am I hallucinating, or did Jack Atlas just walk through the door?"

The group spun around to see who Lazar was pointing to. Indeed, Jack Atlas stood near the doorway, looking around with an uncomfortable, almost anxious shift in his eyes. Mrs. Izinski gasped, her husband nearly choked on his wine, Goodwin's eyes widened, and Mina jumped slightly from surprise and covered her mouth, trying to keep back a shout of joy as her Zane and Susie stared, dumfounded. Jack was dressed in a nice black tux and was tugging nervously at his red bowtie. He spotted the group staring at him and began to make his way through the crowded room toward them. As he passed the other guests, several heads turned and watched him in shock. Slowly, the chatter and laughter died down to silence. Jack ignored the gawking guests, keeping his bright purple eyes fixed on Goodwin and his group.

"Jack," Goodwin was the first to speak when the champion stopped before him. "What…"

Jack cleared his throat, still tugging at his collar, and seemed to have to force himself to meet the director's eyes. "Mr. Goodwin, I… I took some time last night to reconsider your offer and… I wish to apologize for my rude behavior and accept your invitation. Will you have me?"

For a second that stretched into an hour for the champion, Goodwin just stared at him, as did everyone else in the room. Suddenly, Goodwin let out a booming laugh and clapped Jack heartily on the back.

"Have you?" Goodwin cried, grasping Jack's hand and shaking it vigorously. "Of course we'll have you!"

Jack's apologetic grimace melted into a glowing smile, and with it the tension in the room dissipated. Breaths of laughter escaped some of the guests as they began clapping, applauding for the champion's arrival. Jack beamed around at everyone and bowed politely, looking happier than anyone had ever seen him. He even thanked the waiter who brought him a glass of champagne.

"Alright, Jack," Lazar said as the chatter picked up in the room. He folded his arms across his chest, staring up at the Master of Faster suspiciously. "What's the story? Did the Christmas ghosts visit you in the night and convince you to change your ways?"

Lazar had expected to receive a smart retort from Jack, or at least one of the champion's famous killer glares. Instead, Jack burst out laughing. "Sure," he chuckled, shaking his head at some irony no one else understood "Let's go with that."

Ironically enough, Jack's arrival seemed to put the party into full swing. His infection, cheerful spirit spread through the ballroom like wildfire, filling every heart with joy and laughter. He talked to every single guest, wishing everyone he came upon his best Christmas wishes. Mina watched him from afar, shocked by the change she was beholding.

"It's odd," Zane muttered beside her as the tables were cleared away for dancing. "From the things I've heard about Jack Atlas, I expected to dislike him on the spot. But he seems… um…"

"Likeable?" Susie suggested, squeezing her husband's arm.

"Well, yeah."

"Believe me, Zane," Mina laughed breathlessly, "I'm just as surprised as you are. Jack is rarely this pleasant."

Zane turned to raise an eyebrow at his sister. "And you're head-over-heels for him because…"

"Oh, hush!" Mina said quickly, shoving her brother as she glanced around, making sure no one was around to hear them. Zane merely laughed, shaking his head.

"Well, shall we be going?" Susie asked. "I'm not much for dancing, and Little Louis will be expecting us."

"Yes, you're right," Mina agreed, her heart leaping at the thought of her beloved nephew. "We should go…"

"Hey, Mina!"

Mina was so surprised to hear Jack calling out to her that she jumped about a foot in the air. Zane had to grab her arm to keep her from falling over her high-heels. Jack was jogging through the crowd toward them, his eyes bright.

"I haven't had the chance to meet your family," Jack said, his gaze switching from Zane to Susie with curiosity.

"Oh, yes, of course, Mr. Atlas," Mina said hastily, blushing as she stumbled over the words. "This is my brother, Zane, and his wife, Susie."

"It's a pleasure to meet the two of you," Jack proclaimed brightly, shaking Zane and Susie's hands. "If you are as wonderful as your son has told me, then it truly is the greatest honor!"

"Our son?" Susie gasped. "You… you mean Little Louis?"

"Indeed," Jack nodded. "I took the liberty of visiting the Children's Hospital for Christmas and had the opportunity to meet him." His gaze turned to his secretary. "Mina, how come you never told me you had a nephew in the hospital?"

Mina swallowed. His tone was neither angry nor demanding, but she was still afraid to answer. "Well, sir… I… I suppose I didn't want to, erm, bother you with the information. I thought you would see it as… well, unimportant and irrelevant."

Jack gave Mina the shock of her life by taking both of her hands into his own. "Mina, I am truly, irrevocably sorry that I ever made you feel that way. And I also apologize for how I have treated you lately. Ever since I came to this city, my attitude has been condescending and degrading, and I am deeply ashamed by that now. Can you ever forgive me?"

Mina thought she would pass out from astonishment, but Jack's intense, violet gaze locked on hers and kept her frozen on the spot. Her voice deserted her as she saw how truly sincere he was, and his grasp on her hands left her brain in a scattered frenzy. It was several moments before she finally got up the nerve to speak.

"O-of course, Mr. Atlas, there is nothing to forgive-"

"Yes, there is," Jack insisted regretfully. "Please don't try to let me off easy, Mina. Just let me know if I have your forgiveness."

Mina couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was the kind of conversation she only heard in her wildest dreams. Finally, she stammered, "Of course I forgive you, Mr. Atlas."

Jack beamed at her. "Thank you, Mina. And, if you don't mine, I would like to ask a couple of favors from you."

"Anything, Mr. Atlas!"

Mina winced at how ridiculous and obvious that must have sounded. She was tempted to kick her brother in the shin as he snorted behind her, but Jack took no notice. He merely smiled again and said, "First of all, I would like you to call me Jack tonight, Mina. We're in the company of friends, after all; Mr. Atlas is too formal for a Christmas party."

"I…" Mina didn't think she could be more astonished than she already was, but at this point she was preparing herself for anything. "If that is your wish, Mr. A- Jack."

"That's better. Secondly, I realize you and your family need to be leaving soon, but if I may be allowed one dance with you before you go?"

That was the last thing Mina was prepared for. Her knees suddenly turned to jelly beneath her, and she was very grateful when Zane reached out and pushed against her back, keeping her upright. Fortunately, Jack did not see anything. Mina was aware that her vision was bobbing up and down, and she suddenly realized she was nodding. Jack smiled at her again, and the next thing she knew, the champion had swept her away from her brother and sister-in-law and into the crowd of dancers. Jack held up one of her hands in his own, rested his other one on her waist, and in a daze she placed her other hand on his shoulder. All of a sudden, they were dancing.

"I never knew you could dance, Jack," Mina laughed, her voice sounding more shrill and loud in her ears than she had intended it to be.

"In all honestly, Mina," Jack replied with a chuckle, "neither did I!"

The two laughed, and Mina swore she hadn't felt so happy since the day Little Louis was born as she and Jack twirled and swayed and danced across the floor, her dress swirling around her ankles, his hands steady and sure in hers. The music from the band had never sounded sweeter; the lights and decorations had never looked so beautiful; the roses and champagne had never smelled so delectable as Mina's soul soured above it all, and she felt more free than she ever dreamed she could feel.

"You know, Mina," Jack said, his voice breaking through the spell, "there is something I wanted to talk to you about. It concerns your nephew, Little Louis."

"What might that be, Jack?"

Jack met her eyes again, his gaze so sincere she thought she might melt beneath it. "I want to ask just exactly what the situation is. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Mina's smile fell as she slowly came back down to reality. With a heavy sigh, she explained Louis's condition. There was a surgery the poor boy could have to remove the cancer from his legs, but it would be risky, and very expensive. To make matters worse, Zane had just gotten laid off from his job, and the only income they were getting was from Susie babysitting and working part-time at a grocery store. They were currently staying in a boarding house for the families of children in the hospital, and Mina was doing everything she could to try and support them, but there was little hope left.

"I never realized," Jack murmured. "So the circumstances really are quite dire…"

"I don't think there is much you can do, Jack," Mina said with a sad smile. "Zane is a tough guy, he and his family can handle this…"

"Well, you won't be alone anymore," Jack decided, a firm resolve in his eyes that Mina only ever saw when he was determined to defeat an opponent in a duel. "I will speak to Goodwin about raising your salary. Yes, and I'll talk to him about finding work for your brother as well. I wish to help you and your struggling family, Mina, and I'll start with helping to pay for Louis's surgery, if that is something you and your family wish to follow up on."

"Jack!" Mina gasped. "Are you serious?"

"More serious than I ever have been, Mina," Jack declared with an earnestness that could not be mistaken. "Think of it as just a step toward making things up to you."

Mina was so stunned that she barely even noticed when the song ended. Jack led her back to the edge of the room, where Zane and Susie were speaking to Goodwin.

"Ah, I was wondering where you two went off to!" Goodwin said, grinning at Jack and Mina as they approached. "Are you both enjoying the party?"

"Immensely, Director," Jack said with a polite bow and a smile. "Thank you very much."

"Well, I hope you can excuse us, Mr. Goodwin," Zane spoke up, taking Mina's hand and pulling her away from Jack, "but we must be going. We have someone we need to visit before the night is through."

"Of course, Mr. Simmington," replied Goodwin. "Thank you all very much for coming. Have a Merry Christmas!"

"It was an honor meeting you both, Mr. and Mrs. Simmington," added Jack. "And Mina… I hope you will consider my offer."

Zane led his wife and sister out of the room and down the hall. As the music and laughter receeded behind them, Zane turned a concerned eye toward his sister; she looked as though she had been hit on the head with a bowling ball. Her face was pale, her eyes were wide, and she was walking in a dreamlike daze.

"Are you okay, Mina?" he asked her. "What offer was Jack talking about?"

"He wants to pay for Louis's surgery…" Mina whispered, still in shock. "And give me a pay raise… and find you a job, Zane…"

"What?" Zane cried. "He… he said all of that? You're sure?"

"Absolutely," Mina answered, finally raising her eyes to meet her brother's. "He wants to help, Zane. There's still hope!"

Susie gasped beside her husband, her eyes welling with tears of gratitude. Zane was so happy that he stopped and pulled both women into a tight embrace, blinking back his own tears. Their precious little boy was going to walk again, they were convinced. Jack's offer of hope was the best Christmas gift any of them could have asked for.

Back in the ballroom, Jack stood in front of one of the large windows, gazing down upon the city lights and falling snow, a peaceful smile on his lips. This had been the best day of his life. In the glass, he saw the reflections of the people he had helped that day, and the faces of those he cared about most: the doctors, Little Louis, Crow, Martha, Yusei, Elodie, Jessica, his parents, his sister, Kaiba, Zane and Susie, and finally Mina.

He turned his eyes up to the sky, and for a moment, he thought he saw the faces of the Christmas Ghosts in the swirling snow: Yugi Muto with his slight, glowing smile; Jaden winking, his mouth open in a laughing grin; Astral's grim, expressionless face with a mere twitch of his lips showing a smile.

"Thank you, Spirits," Jack murmured. "A very Merry Christmas to all."

All I want is to hold you forever
All I need is you more every day
You saved my heart from being broken apart
You gave you're love away
And I'm thankful every day
For the Gift

~ "The Gift" by Jim Brickman

I could not resist putting some MinaxJack shipping in this story. I'm all for Jacly/Scoopshipping, believe me, but I've always felt kinda bad for Mina (at least until she found Trudge! lol omgosh I love all the ships in this series!)

THIS STORY'S NOT OVER YET! There's still an Epilogue left :) lol almost done people!

REVIEWS, PLEASE!