Cassandra sat up on the couch and arched her back and stretched her arms high over her head as she yawned loudly.
"Excuse me!" she quickly apologized, and then snuggled against Jenkins next to her on the couch. He turned his head and looked down at her, a frown on his face.
"Cassandra, why don't we go on to bed?" he suggested gently. "You've had long day."
It was New Year's Eve, and the two were in Cassandra's sitting room. It had been a long day for both of them, beginning early in the morning when the Clippings Book had fluttered anxiously on its stand, sending the Librarians and their Guardian on a mission to Iceland that took up the entire day and ran well into the early evening hours. By the time everyone returned to the Annex, they were exhausted, hungry and freezing. No one was in the mood to go through with the small in-house New Year's Eve celebration that had been planned, and it was cancelled in favor of going home and getting some much-needed rest.
Jenkins had cooked a simple but delicious dinner for his wife and had it waiting for her by the time she got back to the Annex—roasted chicken with root vegetables and a salad. Cassandra could barely keep her eyes open during the quiet meal, and so Jenkins was surprised when she suggested watching a movie together as they finished their dessert. The immortal looked askance at her, but she insisted, and so he had agreed to her request—so long as it wasn't one of those dreadful Hallmark movies. Cassandra selected The Princess Diaries instead, much to his silent dismay.
Now, as they cuddled together on the comfortable couch and watched the movie, he saw how she struggled to keep her eyes open.
"Cassandra," he said, half-chiding. "Please, let's just go to bed; you're exhausted!" Cassandra started awake again.
"It's not midnight yet!" she protested. "What time is it?" Jenkins looked at his watch.
"It's not quite ten-thirty," he answered, his expression stern. "You'll never make it to midnight, Cassandra; it's all you can do to stay awake even while I'm talking to you right now!"
"But if I go to bed now I won't get my New Year's kiss at midnight!" she said plaintively, turning her head to look up at him, her wide blue eyes glazed with fatigue. "I've been looking forward to it all day!"
Jenkins had no response for that. He took a quiet lungful of air, and as he exhaled, he bent his head to kiss her forehead softly.
"Very well, my dear; if it's a midnight kiss you want, then a midnight kiss you shall have!" he promised. She rewarded his indulgence with a smile that could melt a frost giant's heart, then she settled against his body again to finish watching the movie. Not five minutes had passed before he heard her begin to snore delicately.
Jenkins snorted quietly and shook his head. He watched the rest of the movie by himself, and when it ended, he checked his watch again. A small lopsided smile of satisfaction came to his lips. It was exactly three minutes to midnight.
"Cassandra?" He called her name and gently shook his sleeping wife until she finally stirred. She forced herself upright, scrubbing her eyes with her knuckles.
"What?" she mumbled groggily and she tried to make her bleary eyes focus. "Whatsa matter?" Jenkins counted down as he watched the second hand on his watch sweep away the last few seconds of the old year.
"Five, four, three, two, one—midnight!" he announced grandly, smiling down at her. He bent his head a second time to kiss her forehead. "Happy 2021!" As she realized what he was saying, a happy smile came to the Librarian's face.
"Awwww, Jenkins!" she cooed drowsily. "You're so sweet!" Her hand went around the back of his neck and gently pulled him down for her much-anticipated New Year's kiss. Her lips met his, the electricity of their passion for one another arcing between them as they kissed, his hands sliding into her hair as their lips parted. When the kiss ended, she rested her forehead against his chin and sighed contentedly.
"Happy New Year, sweetheart!" she murmured, her eyes closing as sleep overtook her again.
"Happy New Year, my love!" he answered. He felt her arms go limp and slip from his neck as she drifted off into sleep.
Jenkins turned off the television with the remote control, then slowly stood, picking Cassandra up as he went. He carried her all the way to their apartment and laid her gently on the bed. He carefully undressed her and pulled the covers over her, tucked her in. He stripped his clothes off and left the draped over a nearby chair, then climbed in after her, taking care not to jostle her awake. He gingerly threaded his arms around her small sleeping body so he could spoon against her back as he drifted off to sleep, her warm skin against his in the chilly air of the bedroom.
As long as he had Cassandra beside him, it would always, indeed, be a very happy new year.
A/N: Sorry this took so long to finish—things in the US lately have been a little crazy. Thanks for reading, and Happy 2021 to everyone!