Chapter VII: Christmas Traditions

A/N: Christmas chapters are so much fun to write. I've been looking forward to writing this one. I would like to thank the owners of Nuttin' for Christmas, You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, All I Want for Christmas Is (You), the alternative We Three Kings I got from the American Girl book Molly's Christmas, and the owners of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Hope you all like this! SSD

"Awww Mom, it's a tradition!" her son and father in law protested to her.

"Tradition I'll grant you, but you two just want to use it to try and win a 20,000 betting pool!" Allegra growled.

A very conveniently timed Christmas song came to the radio:

I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy are mad.
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas
'Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad.

I broke my bat on Johnny's head;
Somebody snitched on me.
I hid a frog in sister's bed;
Somebody snitched on me.

I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy are mad.
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas
'Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad.

"You wouldn't snitch on me, mom. Connor and Sabrina would have my hide! Don't you want grandkids?"

"You two would be lucky with getting "nuttin" if you use that my family tradition on Connor and Sabrina. I will be visiting the stables to fill your stockings! All of you idiots need to think. That the more you try the more those two stunt their emotions in regards to each other!"

MEN!

"You're certain that they will be alright with me being here," Ava asked as they walked up.

"It's fine. You're more than welcome. Just be wise to any cans of nuts that Sabrina, Lucas, or Felix give you. Especially Lucas. Because to him, rubber snakes are too mild to rig into a can," Connor warned.

"What does Sabrina do as a prank?"

"Her and Felix team up."

When they rang the doorbell a song began playing:

You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch
You have termites in your smile
You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile
Mr Grinch
Given the choice between the two of you
I'd take the seasick crocodile

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch
You're a nasty wasty skunk
Your heart is full of unwashed socks
Your soul is full of gunk
Mr. Grinch

As fate would have it, Sabrina was the one who opened the door and took their coats. Her face was the picture of innocence.

"One of yours old friend?" Connor asked

"If it was me, I would have picked a different song. You and I both know just how juvenile Lucas can be." The raven haired surgeon replied to her friend ignoring Ava completely.

"If it was you, then what would you have picked," Ava asked, forcing Sabrina to include her in the conversation.

"Not sure. This sort of thing really isn't my style. Remember the time I glued your shoes to the floor Connor?" Sabrina said with a silky smile.

There was the real Sabrina. The one who wasn't happy to see Ava here and had been looking forward to spending some time with her friend.

The Yank had a real good poker face.

Damn. The import had caught onto Sabrina and good. Ava Bekkar was turning out to be the fastest on the uptake of any of Connor's dates. She was many things, clueless was not one of them Felix noticed with chagrin.

She was definitely possessive to the point of being dangerous. No wonder Sabrina had been in a foul mood of late. She needed her own dose of Connor to stay polite. Or what passed for polite with her. They kept each other in an even keel.

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas
Is you!

Sabrina hated that song. Lucas knew it. Felix knew it. Most everyone here knew it. And she had good reason to hate it this Christmas, during which she was all too aware that she was alone and the man she was in love with was here with someone else, who she did not particularly like.

She had been hitting the strongest of the spiked punch most of the night. Taking heavy belts whenever a certain couple got caught under the mistletoe.

"I'm not that drunk yet uncle Hank!" his niece slurred as he escorted her up the stairs.

"You're getting close to singing show tunes. And correct me if I am wrong, you don't particularly want to make a fool of yourself tonight?"

The stony silence was answer enough before she started singing We Three Kings. An alternative version to be precise and not sung at any Christmas Eve Vigil Mass.

We three kings of Orient are,
tried to smoke a rubber cigar
It was loaded, it exploded...

Father Adriatico at Saint Mary of the Angels had a sense of humor, but the version Sabrina had just passed out singing would be too much even for him. Hank would be ready with the ipecac in the morning, since Sabrina was an early riser, even when hungover.

What was I thinking Sabrina mentally groaned as she wiped her mouth with a towel after finishing up vomiting. It was time to take her shower.

She looked out the window: No white Christmas. However she did see Connor's Porsche next to her new Jeep (her cold weather car), and remembered who had come with him.

"Oh what a Holly, Jolly, Christmas!" Sabrina hissed through her front teeth as she came out in her robe.

"Be nice," her uncle warned in his "Woody from Toy Story" voice.

"I'm always nice uncle Hank!"

"That's what worries me! Oh and Lucas is determined to catch you and Connor under the mistletoe!"

"He doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell!"

His son was a dead man walking. Lucas was lucky that Ava was not around, as his son had finally pulled off the miracle of miracles: Connor and Sabrina under the mistletoe. The tradition from his wife's side was that they could not leave until they kissed properly.

Bill then heard his dad catcall "CMON! Give her a real kiss!" And he wasn't the only one catcalling. Allegra looked about ready to erupt.

Both surgeons blushing bright red, he heard Sabrina saying "Oh for God's sake," as she used Connor's tie to pull him down for what was meant to be a quick kiss, but turned a little longer when Connor grabbed the back of her head to keep the kiss going.

Bill thought Oh what a laugh it would have been, if Bekkar had only seen Sabrina kissing Connor right now!

"You and I are never going to speak of this again," Connor hissed as he took a shot of Fireball. His ears, face, and neck were carmine.

"Agreed. I'm killing Lucas," Sabrina said with a similarly carmine face.

It was a miracle that Ava hadn't been around, because there would have been some serious explaining to do.

"Good you two are alone. I have a favor to ask of you both." It was Felix.

"Go on, tell us what it is." Connor said. This was Felix, it couldn't be too bad.

"I need you two to dance the tango at my wedding."

"No. Absolutely not." Sabrina snarled.

"But, Jailyn's grandmother used to be able to, and wants to see it one last time. Please, you two are my only hope."

"You really know where to get us, don't you Felix," Connor replied.

"He has known us both for over 20 years."

He and Sabrina had a quick eye conversation before saying, "We'll do it. But we get to pick the clothes and the music."

"Thanks a million, at least now I can delete that video of you two drunk singing Sweet Caroline back in college!"

They weren't as alone as they thought Ava had been listening in on the chat. And the favor the two of them had agreed to do.

Connor and Sabrina were closer than she'd anticipated!

A/N 2: This was a fast turnaround. Everything just clicked. Again I own none of the songs used or mentioned.

The next chapter I get to use the real events of the winter of 2018/2019. It was a record setting winter. A certain cliché will be the focus of the next chapter: Having to Share a Room During Inclement Weather. Anything you guys want to see happen, leave it in a PM or review and I'll try to do it. Nothing sexual is going to happen at this point, I will make that much clear.

Looking forward to hearing from you guys. SSD

Casting choice:

Grandpa Jim McConnell- Robert Wagner.