Chapter 6

It was just one horrible scene - movie fashioned. Shock, embarrassment and horror were written in Dylan's face as she stared at an embarrassed Jason. Before she could flee or even move a finger a key was moved into the lock of nearby door. To Dylan it seemed like slow-motion as Alex opened and stepped inside.

"Oh, great you both awake!", she said happily. Surprised Dylan looked at her friend then to Jason. "Morning", he said and hold on more tightly to his towel. "Hey, sorry, there is something wrong with the shower in my…", then he broke of and hurried upstairs to his bedroom.

"What did I miss?", she asked the Asian angel.

"Oh I guess everything after midnight, you were really drunk", Alex looked worried. "I never saw you like this. You took it all pretty hard, didn't you?" Her eyes were fixed on the medallion for a moment.

Dylan sat down on the nearest sofa. She had not realised it so much before, but she had a headache not really a bad one, as to be expected, but it was there. "I told you - I don't like Christmas. It's a depressing time - at least for a single."

"Look, Natalie won't be gone completely… we always be a family. I mean she is the first angel to leave for pregnancy. The others were shoot or got on the wrong side of the law. I'm sure she sticks around. She needs us as much as we her."

Alex tried to assure Dylan knowing that her friend had no ties besides them.

"Maybe, but it won't be the same with out her." The red head rubbed her face with both hands. "This is such a terrible morning."

"You know some of his fans - and not only the girls - would sell their souls for having such a morning."

"Sorry, I was too horrified to enjoy the sight."

Alex looked at her friend in surprise that she started to laugh. Realising that Dylan's disapproving look, the Asian angel touched her arm and tried to stop. "Sorry - but how in the world did you get that idea?"

"I don't know, but I did not know this place and… but I really didn't, did I?", she asked worried.

"Well, you could hardly walk by yourself. Jason was also loosing it quickly, so I stuffed you both in a car, brought you to his place. I send him straight upstairs and then I undressed and washed you…"

"Washed me?", Dylan interrupted.

"Oh so you forgot the part were you threw up on Michael?", Alex giggled as she saw the expression in Dylan's face. "He was very understanding, you know. Anyway you got a something on you shirt, too. But you fell asleep pretty soon and when I looked upstairs in Jason's room he was already snoring. I heard him from the living room."

"I hate Christmas!"

"Well it's already noon and we have a still the office internal party. With lots of presents", Alex almost sung. "Here are fresh cloth from your place. I have brought something for breakfast as well. For your sensible stomachs."

"Great", Dylan said and took the bag with her cloth from Alex. "I go take a bath."

"And I check on Jason."

Dylan locked herself in and leaned against the door. Part of her was so relieved and the other half was still worrying. It was just the kind of mistake she was capable of. She never would do something like that consciously, but then again she sometimes lost control of things to fast. She remembered drinking a few glasses of champagne, but after that. What had she been thinking? It was like there was great emptiness within her. A part of her missing, because that was not like her.

That was Helen, not Dylan Sanders. She should know better, she did better in the past as an angel. She was not able to comprehend, why she was so much off track. She had beaten Seamus and paid a high price for it, but she had proven who she was. Accepted that she was an angel, that her place was with the agency, that she was not a bad egg living a live that did not belong to it. Well had she?

Whenever she had been upset or mad, she always made the wrong decisions and depended upon others to save her. Or she was just plain lucky.

She stepped under the shower, but all the hot water helped not to wash away her self-doubts. Dylan told herself that it was just Christmas week, that next week she was going to laugh about all this like Alex. After she had washed her hair she fetched a towel and rubbed herself dry. Another one was wrapped around her hair.

She took a look at the clothing Alex had brought from her place and discovered that she had also added the make-up-kit. She put on her underwear and started to dry her hair. Usually she liked preparing herself for parties, today she did it with an emotionless routine. She laid the hair-dryer aside and slid into the pantsuit. It was a good choice, but then if Dylan remembered correct Alex had lent it to her six or seven month ago.

It had wide legs and arms and broad belt which she tied tightly around her waist. Then she trimmed her hair and put applied her make-up. Being styled and dressed she felt at least a bit better. All she need was to ask Alex for her boots. They would go nicely with this. She needed to get the model for her self. Finally she left the bath and discovered that Jason and her fellow angel sat on the couch and waited for her.

The look on their faces gave Dylan a chilly feeling. Her first thought had been that she found her hair in Jason's bed or something, but then she realised that they were worried. Something else, something terrible must have happened, that much was obvious to the red haired angel. "What is it?" And after a pause. "TELL ME!"

Alex spoke up: "We had a call while you were in the bath - Seamus is gone from the hospital. Vanished for at least a day."

'Yeah, just Christmas week', taunted herself. 'It's your fucking bad karma.'

A moment she remained silent just staring at her friends, then she dropped on the other sofa and said: "What else can go wrong?"

"Look, if you don't want to come to the office party, we'll excuse you." Alex felt bad to be the bearer of this news, but someone had to tell her. The Asian angel was also concerned that Dylan did not even asked how it happened.

Dylan probably had asked had she been able to let herself accept what that truly meant. To her it seemed like a bad joke that fit right within all the other things that happened during the last 24 hours. No matter was else might happen, Dylan was determined to see it through. "No, I come with you, besides I hadn't the time to congratulate them personally", she admitted a bit ashamed.

She was a big girl and she did not wanted the other to worry about her. Soon there would be enough to worry. Alex nodded: "Yes, you should do that. She would have come to you, but you seemed to have such an intimate, interesting conversation with Michael that she decided against it."

"Oh, Michael!?", she said with an annoyed tone. "Who's bright idea was that?"

Jason raised his finger in the air: "Mine?"

Dylan sighed and turned to Alex: "Well, I guess we should be going - mind lending me your boots again?" She smiled and Alex did, too.

"Hold on a second", then she turned and came back with a large parcel carefully wrapped in Christmas styled gift-wrapped. "Merry Christmas."

The red headed angel looked startled at the present that was stuffed into her hands. "Thanks." Dylan did not dare to guess how much time Alex had spent wrapping that thing and she tried not to damage the ribbons. She put it on the couch table and bend over it to peel of the scotch with her nails.

"You know Dylan - that's an interesting medallion", Jason suddenly said.

"Yes, it is", she replied and put it quickly under her pantsuit were it rested save from discovery between her breasts. The last thing she needed was Max or Natalie seeing it. Alex was tactful enough not to ask her, but Natalie would certainly try and talk about it. Being occupied with her present she did not realised that Jason turned again face red upon her comment.

As she finally had it open she found two pair of boots inside. One very similar to the one she always lent from her friend and the other a more slim heeled that was a little shorter on the leg. "Oh thanks Alex", she said hugging her friend.

"Jason and I got them when were in Paris", the Asian angel informed her. Dylan felt a little sad that her present was not nearly as extravagant, but then she did not had the money to jet set around between cases or even shop were the brassieres started from 50 Dollar to 500. 'What a silly thought', she scolded herself. 'You spent hours and day looking for their presents. They are going to like it.'

After she had become Dylan, she suddenly had so much more money and had started buying with out thinking. She still was working on her debts from the first half year. Luckily Charlie was very understanding and even felt sorry for not considering that she was never used to have so much money, that he helped her out. Now she was having very little money, but she learned to plan ahead and never buy to much on credit.

She chose the lower boots and then they went to Alex's car. Bosley, Max and Natalie along with her fiancée were already there. The angels sat on their sofa, Pete took position at Nat's side on the edge and the other sat down on the opposite sofa. The whole office had a little Christmas decoration, obviously Natalie's work. Fortunately the cookies on the plate before them were a gift from Mama Bosley and not Alex work.

Then Bosley pressed the button and Charlie's beautiful voice filled the room: "Merry Christmas, Angels."

Synchronised they replied a "Merry Christmas, Charlie" shortly followed by a greeting from the guys.

"And my congratulation to Natalie and Pete. As much as I hate seeing one of my angels leave as happy I am for them."

At that point Bosley was getting up and went to the large Christmas tree in the corner that was packed with presents. "Right now I want you to enjoy this day, I have a little something for each of you and hope you like it."

Jimmy was handing out a small parcel and a letter for each of the angels, who opened them under the curious eyes of the others. "Oh tickets! I love tickets!", Natalie shouted. she was smiling and then she hugged Pete. "Oh thank you Charlie."

"Yeah thousand thanks", Pete said. "A two week voyage to Madrid including a grand dance festival!", he explained. "What you guys got?"

"Well, Jason and I are going to Aspen", Alex said. "Thx Charlie." It often amazed Alex how much he knew about what they wanted, hoped for also he was never around. After all he was in the intelligence business and no doubt that he was one of the best.

"And you Dylan?", Nat looked smiling to her.

Dylan pulled out a paper that said that her car was now fully paid off and now completely belonged to her. "Thanks, but really Charlie you shouldn't have." She also had opened the small present and looked at the expensive earrings she had spent hours looking ever since she had that medallion fixed. The red headed angel felt for the first time truly happy.

"Oh now angels, you risk your live at almost every job and this year has been especially hard on all of you. You deserved it."

Charlie was so thoughtful, it was not the money spend that made her happy, but the fact that he always tried. It was not important that she grew up without a father, she now had the best. Also he was not physically present, but he was there for her and the others. It almost felt like he was actually there observing them. Alex had opened her box in the meantime. It hold a small delicate platinum ring that fit right on her little finger. Natalie had become a beautiful necklace.

They started to hand out all the other presents they had for each other and Charlie remained connected. Dylan just presented her gift to Alex as they heard a beeping noise on Charlie's end. They heard him distantly talking to someone, then his voice reappeared loud and clear: "Angels, I call you back later, something has come up. I fear a new case has come up." Then the line went dead.

"A case over Christmas?", Pete asked surprised.

"The bad guys don't have free time", Nat exhaled. "I hope this gets solved soon. The festival takes places in the middle of January."

"I hope it is not so annoyingly boring than the last ones", Alex replied. Either it had been petty surveillance jobs or something likely unchallenging. Except maybe for the three shot outs.

Dylan said nothing, but she was happy about a new case, also she had the bad feeling it might involve a certain ex-boyfriend. It was strange that Charlie had not mentioned his escape, but maybe he did not want to spoil the day.