In Hoxie We Trust


Disclaimer: I own my sense of reality; actual reality is out of my hands.


Chapter Twenty Eight: I Wove Ou Tooou

"Lizzie!" Five in the mourning on Christmas Day was only seen by Santa Clause and small children. And younger sisters. Elizabeth – Iris had been sleeping peacefully, dreaming of sex under the Christmas tree, her sweat kissed body replacing the nativity, her presents an orgasm (or two). Her reality was a very awake Eleanor Olsen bouncing on her bed shouting,

"Lizzie! Christmas! Christmas! Lizzie!" for thirty Eleanor had the heart of a three year old. Farmer pulled a pillow over her head; she just adjusted to Pacific Time.

"Die!" she groaned. Don come back! Don cum… well… cum!

"You're a bitch." Ever the mature one Elizabeth – Iris gave up on getting back under the tree with Don and instead turned that frustration into a beat down with a pillow. The sisters grappled for a while, their antics drawing Henry, an actual three year old. Edward had driven up from Northern Cali for Christmas Eve, he was staying through Boxing Day (only know because of proximity to Canada). Soon it was a party in Farmer's room.

"Why don't you come and see what Santa brought you?" Fiona grumbled she was like Ozzy Osborn in the morning, shakes, shuffles and obscenities.

"SANTA!" Henry exclaimed running from his aunt's room, Eleanor on his heels, Eddie followed them to do damage control. There were six in the bed and three of the immature ones said "Santa!" That left Emma, round with pregnancy #2 to roll off the bed as delicately as possible. Steven and Elizabeth – Iris were both still laughing to hard to move. Eventually after everyone brushed their teeth and ate breakfast the gifts could be opened. Elizabeth – Iris sat by the tree with Henry on her lap and tried to ignore memories of her dream as she looked at the baby Jesus and presents under the tree.

"It looks like you have one hell of a hicky." Lindsay spent Christmas morning being released from the hospital. Irene cheered her with the observation, Lindsay intense guilt ability had been firing on both cylinders. Not only had Danny spent Christmas Eve in the hospital with her, he'd probably spent the day before visiting Louie (still comatose in a hospital across town). She also felt terrible for the end of the Paul Chadwick saga, he did one thing to her and was now being brought to justice, there was no reference to the hell Paul had put Maddi through for years.

"Yeah, good thing it's scarf weather, Montana, you look pretty wild." Danny said arriving to take them all home. Something about that action made her want to cry. Under all the hard Stanton Island bullshit was a heart of gold as expansive as the Montanan sky. Irene noticed the almost tears and left; her intuition telling her this was not her moment.

"You're upset." Danny said entering the small hospital room. "What is it? What's the matter?" The concern made it worse; she began to cry in earnest.

"I ruined your Christmas." Between the swollen, bitten tongue and snot rocket sobs her words sounded more like a line from The Elephant Man. Danny took her in his arms and held her tight, resting his cheek on her head as she cried and snotted on his jacket.

"Montana, you could never ruin anything. This was a shitty Christmas, true, but I spent it with you, so I had a magical time. Montana – Lindsay, I love you." He told her simply, she pulled back to look at him, eyes big and bright, although slightly red. She wiped her nose before asking,

"Rehlee?"

"Yes, rehlee, I have for a while." He replied, she smiled.

"I wove ou tooou." She said, he kissed her, but stopped when he heard her hiss with pain, her tongue was still tender.

"Rain check?" he asked giving her a non-painful peck. She nodded vigorously, like an extra from Headbanger's Ball.

"Definitely."

Across the country the presents were opened, the family Olsen was showered and 'bonding time' had begun – which consisted of Edward and Steven assembling toys while watching a televised sporting event and listening to their female family gossip. This year however, before they got the pigskin Fiona had a little surprise,

"You noticed I held off on the Rockefeller Tree this year," She began putting the VHS in the antique player, "this is because there's a Christmas surprise hidden in this year's tape, try and find it." Fiona pressed play.

Elizabeth – Iris had a bad feeling but couldn't remember why, and then,

"Hi mom! Hi dad!" "Hi Fiona and Steven!" "Hi Farmer's Parents!" Her mother paused the tape for her family to get a good look at the man holding her tight. She'd successfully dodged boyfriend questions after her first night. Eleanor was also single so any question could be flipped easily. There was no way to flip video evidence. Oops. Was all she could think before her siblings started in on her.

"Who was that?" Eleanor exclaimed. Emma leaned forward expectantly. "And was Lindsay with you?" Elizabeth – Iris sighed, she was going to KILL her mother.

"Okay, listen up, Don Flack is a NYPD Detective who works with Lindsay, I met him in October, were exclusive, but it's only been two months, so… there. And yes Lindsay was with me… and with Danny."

"One – Good for Lindsay. Two – ya gotta give us more than that girl! Details!" Eleanor exclaimed.

"One – I've got to agree. Two – you sound exactly like mom – like verbatim."

"Oh. My. God."

"Hey!" Fiona exclaimed, all verbal hell was about to break loose when Farmer's phone rang. The pointless argument still ensued but Elizabeth – Iris was spared.

"Merry Christmas." She wished Gwen.

"Bullshit." Gwen snapped. "Paul was in New York."

"Oh God."

"Yeah he put Lindsay in the hospital, she can't talk, her tongue's swollen and her throat/ airways are still tender." Elizabeth – Iris crashed into the sofa. "I just got off the phone with Jessie, - it's falling apart out there. Maddi's feeling extreme guilt and worry about Lindsay nearly dying because of her fucktard bastard ex. And Lindsay's feeling extreme and unwarranted guilt because Paul's going to prison for attacking her instead of abusing Maddi and co. for sixteen plus years – and she's afraid Maddi's going to have a 'Marsha, Marsha, Marsha' moment – which she's NOT! and Jessie's loosin' her mind taking care of two girls whacking out on unneeded emotions, and then there's Alan beating himself up because he didn't go out there himself and save his aunt – because he couldn't face his dad – which I must ask, who could? And Irene's shaken and stirred and confused. Then of course there's Danny…"

"First flight I'm there. Oh my God." Elizabeth – Iris felt herself shake.

"Take care of her Farmer." The friends rang off and Elizabeth – Iris sat stunned, just looking at her phone.

"Duckling?" Steven joined her in the living room after her failed return to the TV gab session. "Was it the movie?" Farmer shook her head and wiped her eyes.

"No. no Daddy, I've got to get home. First flight I can, I've got to pack and get to the airport…" She got up and numbly began walking to the stairs.

"Why? What happened?" Steven was moved with worry. Farmer paused.

"Lindsay was attacked." She whispered. "She's outta the hospital but Gwen just called – I gotta get out there." Her father nodded and embraced his daughter.

"Give her our love."

Elizabeth – Iris packed her bags with her phone scrunched between her shoulder and ear. She first secured a ticket, direct flight to the city. Second she called Don, she didn't have Danny's number, and wouldn't call Lindsay directly her day was hectic enough as it was.

"Merry Christmas, Iris." Don wished her, she felt terrible for jumping on him but she was so wound up.

"Do you know what the hell happened to Lindsay?" she demanded, he paused.

"I can find out." He assured her.

"I have a 2:45 direct flight." She told him.

"You'll know before lift off." The tension left her and she felt herself sag a little.

"Thank you so much, Don." She sighed. "Merry Christmas by the way." She could hear his smile.

"Merry Christmas."

Don called Mac as soon as he got off the phone with Iris; if he understood dynamics he knew that Mac would have the facts. When Stella had trusted him with hearing her story; the understanding was that Mac was desisting himself from the case for fear of jeopardizing it. He was in no condition to process her and he didn't have the control to keep from raising Frankie again and killing himself. Don was trusted with Mac's precious Stella. Danny was in the same boat and Mac would replace him as the heart keeper. In both cases the injured woman was more than flesh and blood, she was the heart and soul of the man beating outside of the body.

"Taylor." Mac said, no nonsense, no frills.

"What's the rundown on Monroe? Is she okay?" Don asked.

"She's doing alright…" And Mac told him everything – the injuries, the statements, all that he could. Flashes of Stella went through Don's mind as Mac spoke. "We got him on assault and battery, he's going away for a long time, and the evidence nailed him." There was a very scary quality in Mac's voice… This Paul had become Frankie, and Mac was still raging against the dead man.

Don called Elizabeth – Iris back and explained everything, she told him when she'd be home, and he'd pick her up. Don looked to work fill the void.

Elizabeth – Iris changed out of her Christmas dress, replacing it with her most comfortable jeans and slides, a long sleeve jersey knit went on under her NYPD Girlfriend Tee. She put her hair in a braid, grabbed her bags and headed for the airport, after explaining and apologizing, to her family and kissing them good – bye. She got to JFK at nine New York time, or six Seattle time (which totally screwed her). Don was waiting for her. His eyes lit up brighter than the Kmart mascot when he saw her shirt. After a kiss he took her home.

Lindsay got better in record time, thanks to her family, Danny, and Farmer. The drove her crazy worrying over every little aspect of everything, it was sweet, yet, hell for a girl who liked her independence. She couldn't even run to work and hide in piles of evidence – Mac had put her on leave until she was a hundred percent. Another thing that required her having an A plus in the health department was kissing Danny. Between the push and pull factors Lindsay was healed before her family headed back to Montana.