DISCLAIMER: I own no one except for Hopie and Anni.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the short chapter, guys. I only have time for a short study break, but look at the bright side: shorter chapters=more updates. Please review so that I feel validated and fluffy goodness. Love you all. ~gidgetgirl
A Very Hopie Christmas: Chapter Two
Angel wrinkled his forehead a little, his patented concerned-with-these-occurrences look settling over his face.
"Bad elf," Hopie whispered softly, lifting her arms up for Angel to pick her up. She rested her head on his shoulder, and Angel looked at her, wondering at the fact that her thumb went into her mouth. Hopie had never been much of a thumb sucker, and most of the time, it was hard to remember that she was just four years old.
Angel swayed a little with the tiny girl in his arms. Holding her felt so right. "It'll be all right, baby girl," he said.
Hopie took her thumb out of her mouth and sat her wet hand on Angel's face, noticing his expression. "Are we brooding now?" she asked, accenting the first part of the word brooding as if there were eight O's in it.
Angel gave her a little smile. "Yes," he said. "We are." He couldn't help but laugh when Hopie wrinkled her forehead and frowned in a perfect imitation of an Angel broodfest.
"You aren't supposed to laugh when you brood," Hopie informed him seriously. "Momma said so."
"So what are you going to get Angel?" Cordelia asked Connor. Connor looked surprised at the suggestion. He hadn't really considered that fact that he would need to get his father a present.
"I don't know," Connor replied, "but I got Dawn a really cool ring." He showed Cordy the package with the ring, and Cordelia did the proper ooh and aw response. Dawn would go gaga over the ring just because Connor gave it to her, and it was definitely cute. She noticed another small package in the sack from the jewelry store and she raised her eyebrows questioningly at Connor.
"Well," he said, shoving his foot into the ground and ducking his head. "There was a special, and I got to chooses something with the ring, so I just got one of those dangly thing bracelets for Anni." Connor had been surprised when the idea had hit him to get something for Anni Wyndham-Price, but since she and Dawn were becoming good friends and since she was part of the next generation of Scooby and/or Fang Gangs, Connor had decided that a small Christmas gift couldn't cause any harm.
"A charm bracelet," Cordelia said. "That's so cute. Anni will love it." And fall even harder for Connor, Cordelia added silently. Anni was twelve and had a habit of shooting puppy eyes at Connor, who, in the nature of the typical teenage male, didn't notice. Cordy smiled at Connor. Anni would be happy for days because of this, and Cordy figured that if anyone deserved a little extra happiness, it was the preteen non-slayer.
"So, Angel," Cordy reminded him. Connor groaned. Shopping for Hopie had been easy; the kid loved weapons (heck, she probably would have been happy with a second hand bow and arrow), but shopping for Angel was something different altogether. Connor knew his dad liked Cordelia, but he already had one of those, and beyond that, he wasn't too sure.
"Just think, Connor," Cordy prompted, "he'll love anything you get him." It struck Connor that he'd have to get Cordy something too. He groaned, wishing on his life that he was doing anything but shopping.
Hopie watched the mall elf's every move, her brood face still in tact. Angel watched as well. After a moment, he decided that the elf was in a relatively neutral action mode and moved on to more pressing matters.
"We need to get your momma a gift," Angel said. Hopie thought about it for a moment.
"I know what I want to get her," she replied. Angel wasn't sure that the definitiveness in his daughter's voice was a good thing. For all he knew, Hopie could want to get Cordelia num-chucks or something equally non-Cordelia-esque.
"What?" Angel asked her.
Hopie stared at him seriously and pointed solemnly to the pet store. Angel groaned when he saw the stubborn expression on Hopie's face, and the two of them walked over to the pet store.
The elf watched the two of them go, grinning evilly. He needed something to unchain him from his elflike servitude and release his evil powers, and he knew of only one force in the universe that could do so. The Shanshu child.
TBC… Okay, I know it's only half as long as the first chapter, but I have soooo much studying to do. I hope you guys like, and I'd love suggestions on what Connor should get Angel and what Hopie finds in the pet store for Cordelia. In the future, look for a couple more mall chapters and then a great big ensemble cast Christmas day celebration. Keep reviewing please! I know the elf thing is kind of weird, but I needed some semblance of a plot, and that's what my sleep deprived mind came up with.