A/N: What can I say, December is nearly upon us and I recently watched Silent Night. To help along with writing this, I have no shame in revealing that I had a Christmas playlist keeping me company.
Disclaimer: Own them, I do not.
Tara, Lucy and Sue were holding quite the animated conversation as they entered the bullpen. Bobby overheard the words "decorations", "Christmas tree", "snacks", and dinner". This was enough for him.
"So, do the sheila's of the office care to share the excitement?" his signature smile appearing as he spoke.
"As it happens, yes. What are you all doing on Saturday?" Lucy looked at each of her male co-workers in turn.
A resounding echo of "nothing in particular" was the reply.
"Excellent. How do you fancy coming to our apartment and helping us decorate? There will be decorations galore, snacks and then dinner in the evening. Perhaps even a cheesy Christmas film, if Sue allows it?"
"I'm in", came Jack's immediate answer.
There was a snigger from the desk next to Tara's. "Trust you to be first in there, Sparky."
Jack threw a sarcastic smile in that general direction. Sebastian Murdoch was new to the team by four weeks, but he was by no means the 'weakling' in the office. Standing at 6"5, with jet black hair and cobalt blue eyes that changed various beautiful colours, depending on his mood. He was waiting to turn 23 and then planned to go to Quantico and become an agent, just like his other teammates. For now, he was more than happy to currently be the assistant office rota alongside Lucy, although his desk was next to Tara and he was proving to be quite the tech expert too! Sebastian's father also happened to be the boss of their boss, Ted Garrett, which had admittedly come in handy during a couple of cases in the last two weeks.
"What about you, rota monkey?" Myles shot at Seb as he filled his coffee cup.
"An afternoon and evening with Lucy and that blonde beauty? How can I say no?" he shot Lucy and Sue a beaming smile and then caught the look on Jack's face.
"Calm down Jack, I was talking about Levi."
Jack threw a pencil at him in response while trying not to blush too hard. Lucy and Sue could not contain their laughter.
"Okay so we have Jack and Sebastian. Any other takers?" said Lucy eventually. Every hand went up. "Wonderful!"
Saturday afternoon soon rolled around and before long, there was a ring at the doorbell. Lucy glanced down at Levi, who had been hot on her heels. "I bet you two beef gravy biscuits; this is Jack." Levi barked twice in response.
Lo and behold, upon swinging the door open, there stood Jack Hudson, who was wearing a slightly amused look and holding a bag of snacks, which Levi immediately tried to get his head in. "Were you making bets with Levi?"
"Sort of. Either way, he is two gravy biscuits up!"
He chuckled and entered, hanging his coat up on the hook, wrestling Levi's head out of the carrier and making a beeline for the kitchen, where Sue was sorting snacks and drinks. He placed the carrier bag on the countertop as a sign to Sue so as not to scare her. It worked. She flashed him the smile reserved only for him and Jack though he might melt a little inside. Christmas really did make people soppy.
Within thirty minutes the flat was buzzing with chatter, laughter and Christmas music and while Sue couldn't hear any of it, she looked around her flat at the people she held most dear and decided there was no better place to be. As she took in the scenes before her, she realised that one person was missing.
Catching Lucy's eye, she signed Where is Sebastian?
On his way. He had to play taxi and pick his girlfriend up. He mentioned it last thing yesterday. I meant to say. Sorry.
No problem.
Just at that moment the doorbell rang, and Levi jumped up at Sue.
"Speak of the devil…" commented Sue with a laugh as she opened the door. There stood Sebastian, and next to him was a young woman, with blonde hair and bright green eyes.
"Sue, I'd like you to meet, uh…Sue."
"It's lovely to meet you. All the best people are called Sue."
The younger of the two women laughed gently. "A name is not the only thing we share either." Then she began to sign perfectly We are also both deaf. Although I can hear a little bit.
The two of them began to sign away to each other, so Sebastian took his cue to leave. He tapped the host on the shoulder. "I'll leave you two to chat. I'm going to the bathroom then I am off to find your man, he owes me a drink." With that, he left them to it.
Sue rolled her eyes god naturedly at her younger namesake. One day he will realise that Jack is not in fact, 'my man'.
Laughing, Sue signed back Ah yes, I've heard all about you and Agent Hudson. I hear you spent a week married to each other.
How did I know that story would get out?
Sebastian loves a good gossip. You'll learn this.
I think I already am. Come on, let me introduce you to the others, seeing as your own man has deserted you.
The afternoon soon became evening time, passing in a flurry of tree decorating, ornament placing, snacking, laughing, tinsel placing and just generally having a good time. There was even some singing of Christmas songs, which resulted in Sue telling Jack off when she caught him pelting all the baubles he could at Sebastian who – to the hilarious amusement of everyone else - insisted on changing the lyrics to 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' to 'All Jack wants for Christmas is Sue' and kept singing it as loudly as he could whenever the lady in question wasn't looking. By the time they were done decorating, it looked like the Christmas section of Target had exploded in the flat – even Levi was sporting some tinsel around his collar, courtesy of Myles, of all people. Once there had been an official turning on of the lights, two big debates popped up; what was for dinner and what were they going to watch?
After much back and forth, Bobby raised a hand, and all went silent.
"I've had a brainwave –"
"Warn someone before you do that. You'll set Jack's heart off again." Dimitri called out from the kitchen area where he was busy pouring a strong drink for everyone.
Bobby threw a spare bauble at him and then continued, "I propose that the guys sort dinner and the ladies sort the film. After all, this is their flat."
"That might be the best idea I've heard you suggest in all the time I've worked with you", remarked Tara, her eyes sparkling as she spoke.
"Don't you start" the Aussie mumbled, another bauble being thrown.
Sebastian turned to Lucy. Oh my god, we've got another couple dancing around each other. What a team!
Lucy laughed hard as she went off to discuss films with the girls. The discussion on either side did not take as long as expected.
"Dinner has been decided!", exclaimed Jack.
"As has the film!", came Tara's answer.
Sebastian looked down at Levi. "Are you as surprised as me buddy?" He got two barks in response.
While preparations for dinner were made, Sebastian and Sue took Levi for a well-earned walk before getting back to the flat in time to beat the delivery man. When they returned, they noticed that Jack and Sue were having one of their flirty back and forth conversations in the doorway leading to the living area. Sebastian did his best to keep a straight face as he walked towards them. Gently placing a hand on Jack's shoulder, he smiled down at him and then broke out into a smug grin.
"I hope you plan on abiding by the holiday rules, Agent Hudson?"
He got two very confused looks in response, so he simply lifted his eyes upwards and they followed him. There, taped in the doorway, was a small sprig of mistletoe, which he'd smoothly placed during his route back from the bathroom, after he'd arrived with his own Sue.
Sue looked at him as if she didn't quite know what to say, but eventually settled for, "You sneaky so and so."
"Why thank you. I am learning from the best." With one last cheeky grin and a waggle of his eyebrows, Sebastian made to go and mingle, but was stopped by the doorbell. Upon paying for the delivery and shutting the door he noticed that they hadn't moved. "You've been saved by dinner, but you still owe her a kiss, Hudson."
As nine o'clock rolled around, Myles and Dimitri made a move to head home – with Myles playing the part of Dimitri's taxi - which kick started everyone else getting themselves ready to leave as well, although everyone silently noted that Jack had not made any move whatsoever – he was clearing up the kitchen and preventing Levi from going in the bin - and they were all exchanging amused looks at each other.
Gradually, pair by pair left the flat; Myles and D, Sebastian and Sue, followed by Bobby and Tara, leaving Sue, Levi, Jack and Lucy.
Sue shut the door behind Bobby and Tara and returned to the living room to find Lucy resting with Levi on one sofa and Jack pouring coffee in to three mugs. "Oh, that smells good", she exclaimed, sitting down on the other sofa and accepting hers graciously from Jack. He smiled and then sat down next to her.
The three of them chatted for a little while and then Lucy's mobile started to ring. She checked the screen. "It's Mom and she likes to chat, so I could be a while. I'll catch you on Monday Jack, thanks for today." A quick hug later and she had bustled off to her bedroom. As she was doing so, Levi sat up and his ever-excited tail swiped a few baubles off the tree.
"I knew it was too good to be true" said Sue as she hopped up to rectify the decorations. As she bent down to get the last one, her hand collided with another. Looking up at Jack, they both blushed slightly before he released himself and allowed her to place the last bauble back in its rightful place, before they both stood to admire the handiwork that they and their friends had accomplished properly for the first time that evening. Jack moved his attention to the lady at his side, whose blue eyes were enhanced by the lights twinkling gently on the tree. As he did so, he remembered Sebastian's words from earlier, so fuelled by an adrenaline that he would later blame on 'the Christmas spirit' he took hold of her elbow and turned her fully towards him.
"Everything okay?" Sue asked.
"Yes, I uh, was just thinking of what Sebastian said to me earlier on, you know, when dinner arrived…" he trailed off with a blush in his face which Sue decided was a little bit adorable.
"Don't tell me you're a stickler for Christmas traditions, Agent Hudson?"
Now, as an FBI agent, you never knew what to expect next, but one thing was certain, Jack was not expecting to feel ever so slightly aroused at hearing Sue call him by his title. He swallowed heavily and forced his brain back to where it had been before she unknowingly floored him and smirked just a little bit.
"I might be." They'd subconsciously moved closer to each other the entire time and if Levi could have worn an amused look on his furry face, he would have done.
Sue reached up a hand and rested it on his face, a coy expression on her own. "You might be, or you are?" She watched his eyes darken immediately.
Taking a mental deep breath, Jack pulled Sue to him and placed his lips to hers, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her to him. Their kiss became deeper and slightly more intense in the process, but eventually air became a requirement and they parted, with Sue resting her head on his shoulder, smiling into his neck, while Jack wore a similar smile as rested his head atop of hers.
Both admired the tree for a little longer, taking in the obvious shift that had now occurred in their relationship. After a while, Jack clocked the time and saw that it was nearly ten thirty. Cupping Sue's face, he titled it slightly towards him.
"It's getting late, so I should go." It was the first time he'd said those words without an awkward silence following.
As he was putting his coat on by the door, Levi stood up as if to give him a hug; almost as if he knew something had changed and it was a good change.
"Thanks buddy." He grinned while rubbing the canine's head. Then he had another thought. "Hey, Sue, do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
"Ah, no, none. Why?"
"Wondered if you fancied spending the day together? Perhaps brace ourselves for when Lucy finds out…" they both laughed a little at the last bit.
"Sounds like a perfect Sunday to me."
The smile on Jack's face melted Sue and she couldn't help herself when she leant forward to give him one last lingering kiss as they said goodnight.
The events of that Saturday had taken quite a turn, but both parties went to bed on a high, excited for the adventures and the Christmases that lay ahead together.