27. I got you something…

"…and it truly can't be understated, Lizzie, how absolutely necessary it is to see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night. It's a glorious sight, pictures don't do it justice. I remember one time when…"

Red's sitting on a park bench with Lizzie, the cold December air nipping at their uncovered noses and ears, and he's rambling. He knows it and he'd love to stop but he just can't seem to. Lizzie has been very quiet with him lately and he doesn't know why, although he supposes she's got plenty of reasons to be.

(He knows better than to ask which one it is today.)

But Red can't help but feel uncomfortable by Lizzie's silence around him. It makes him nervous and he feels compelled to fill it with inane chatter. And just in case she's actually listening, he tries to save his best stories for the days when she's acting the coldest towards him.

And today she could put Frosty the Snowman to shame.

"…but he really didn't have a clue I was right behind him. He was a remarkably unobservant man, as it happens, and that was his greatest downfall, really. Otherwise I would never have been able to steal his baguette…"

Red glances hopefully at Lizzie out of the corner of his eye but she's just staring out over the small lake in the center of the park with no visible indications that she's listening. Paying him no attention. Completely ignoring him.

Red sighs.

(It hurts more than he'd like to admit.)

"Well, at any rate, I'll be happy to return to Paris next week. It's always the most beautiful at Christmas time. I'll have to –"

But suddenly Lizzie is turning to look at him and, as usual, his heart stumbles at her sudden attention.

(Her blue eyes are truly disarming, especially when faced with them directly.)

"You mean, you won't be in D.C. for Christmas?" she asks.

So, she was listening, at least selectively. Red has to fight a boyishly delighted grin.

"No, I won't," he responds, wondering why she chose to comment on this particular detail. "The team will be off work for a few days, so I don't think I'll be missed. Why, is that a problem?"

"Well, no…" but she says it hesitantly and quirks her mouth in that familiar way that tells Red she's disappointed. "It's just that…well, I got you something. And I wanted to give it to you on Christmas."

Red blinks, completely taken aback. "Oh," he says, not able to contain his surprise. "Well, I can certainly delay my trip if you –"

"No, no," Lizzie is shaking her head. "It's just a little thing, don't miss out on Paris on my account. I'll bring it to work tomorrow instead."

With that, she stands from their bench, and he watches her stretch a little before she pulls her coat more tightly around herself.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it'll be fine," she says easily, waving a hand. "Who knows, you might actually have a use for it in Paris," and she gives him a little smile that only serves to make him curious.

(And warm his heart.)

"Well," he stutters, speaking to her back as she starts to walk away. "What is it?"

The slight breeze brings her laugh back to him and she answers without turning around. "You'll just have to wait and see! Oh, and Red?"

"Yes?"

"Work or no work, I'll miss you," and she says this as an aside, as if it's nothing, as if it doesn't completely make his Christmas. "See you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow," he says, much too quietly for her to hear.

Well.

It seems that, against all odds, the Christmas season has thawed Lizzie a little after all.