9th Christmas
Walter was doubly worried as he checked the clock and listened again.
It was almost midnight and there hadn't been a single sound of hooves at all, Taddy never lies but really …Santa might have missed the new address for the Christmas Pressies. What if he didn't know they have the cottage now instead of the chalet?
Walter peered over the edge of the bed at his little brother, asleep on the trundle bed, snoring like a trooper. He wondered where Stephen would sleep next time, still a little miffed that he had been allowed the big pull out bed in the living room. Walter could have had that, then he would see Santa leave the pressies. Stephen had a broken leg though and Babbit did need Walter to keep the bad dreams away. And as Water thought about it, Babbit would be impossible if he saw the reindeer, demanding a ride like he does on anything transport like.
Walter laid back and thought some more about his new bother.
Stephen.
He looked like Daddy, like Walter looked like Taddy.
Except for Walter's skin.
And Stephen's hair.
Babbit looked like Babbit so I guess it didn't matter really.
Stephen was so sad, his Mama had died and it was sad. Aunty Alice was a nice lady though, so she would be with Mama Lisa in the Valhalla house, right?
Babbit sniffed in his sleep and shifted until his wee bottom was poking up, like that yoga pose about dogs and Walter reached out to hook the blanket over him again.
Twat.
Uncle Owen said that word a lot so it was OK to use.
Right?
Stephen was going to live with them now, Taddy was already doing stuff to make him family. Walter was not all together sure how to feel about this but his heart told him Stephen needed them, needed him so that was that.
Actually …. Stephen was kinda fun, when not crying.
Walter hoped he would stop that soon.
Then it happened.
Walter sat up and canted his head as he listened, sure he had been hearing things and there it was again.
A thump over his head and some sliding.
OH MY GOD
Walter checked that the reindeer landing hadn't woken Babbit before he snuck outside, shivering with excitement more than cold but he remembered Taddy scolding him for not wearing the Christmas robe when in PJs so he pulled it on and crept down the hall where he peeked into the bedroom where his parents were asleep, Daddy snoring softly as Taddy muttered and rolled over.
OH MY GOD IT WAS REAL
Walter crept to the living room where Stephen was still asleep too, those special pills uncle Owen said were to help him sleep really worked well and Walter automatically covered his bare back and tucked him in lovingly, then crept to the window and place his hands against it. Peering out into the black.
"HO HO HO" echoed and Walter gasped as he shot back from the window and swore as he realised that if he caught Santa then Santa would catch him so he ran to the curtain covering the French doors and hid behind it, his bum against the glass as he listened to the door creaking open along with someone humming softly across the room.
Scuffling, plus thudding, then a soft grunt as a glass hit a plate and fading footsteps, then a slam of the door.
Walter ran, checking the empty plate in addition to the empty glass, then looked down the hallway where Babbit was clinging to the doorframe of their bedroom with huge eyes.
"Did you see?" Walter hissed and Babbit nodded soundlessly, then blinked.
"Was it really him?" Walter demanded.
"Santa!" Babbit supposed with wonder, "Santa on a green bobbly hat!"
"WOW!" Walter crowed, "No wonder Mama's hat is magic!"
A cough from the master bedroom alerted them to their fathers waking and they shot into their beds as Ianto stumbled down the hall and into their bedroom, pulling blankets up as well as kissing them as they feigned sleep.
"Still asleep Jack" Ianto stage whispered, "Looks like the old man managed it again without falling off the bloody roof."
Ianto shot back to bed stifling giggles as he and Jack cuddled lovingly, their babies also giggling with glee as they now knew they had seen a miracle.
Heck puffed as he pulled off the bobble hat and warmed his hands by the fire, turning to accept eggnog and a kiss from his wife.
"Bloody colder than a witches' tit out there mother" he sighed happily, "Shit. Forgot to scatter the raisins."
"Have the 'nog first love" she crooned happily as she imagined the children's excitement.
Next morning Walter rushed outside in his bare feet, followed by Babbit and they looked with wonder at the big boot prints and snow slid off the roof.
The reindeer droppings were scooped up in a shovel by a disgusted Babbit using his wee sandpit shovel, muttering 'dirty monerals' under his breath and they all laughed.
Even Stephen managed a weak smile.