Prompt: Christmas Past
Fandom: Grey's Anatomy
Pairing: Cormac Hayes x OFC
Cormac was standing by the large windows. Around him, people talked and laughed, discussing business deals and what their plans were for the New Year, but his eyes were locked in on one person: Reese, the woman who showed him that he could love again.
He had met Reese a few years after he had moved to Seattle. She had taken an opening in the IT department, left open when the previous IT guy decided to go off on his own. Grey talked highly of her and, soon, she was setting up a date for the two of them. Cormac still thanked Grey for that.
Reese was talking to his sons, the three of them laughing at something that she had said and he smiled. Cormac remembered their first Christmas as a couple. He was going to take her to his family Christmas party and officially introduce her as his girlfriend. He remembered how nervous she was to finally meet his sons. How she begged him not to leave her side. How hard she tried to make a good first impression, not that she needed to. Everyone that met her, fell in love with her.
She was kind, polite, sweet, funny and honest in every word she spoke. She didn't make distinctions between anyone, either a businessman or a homeless person on the street. She treated everyone equally and fairly. She had this way of talking to everyone and made them feel special, and she would give you her undivided attention when you spoke, even if she would be bored out of her mind.
On the day of the Christmas party she was so nervous that she trembled. Cormac thought it was sweet that she would be like that. There she was, this strong, independent woman, trembling at the thought of meeting his family. He remembered pulling her close, kissing her sweetly and telling her that there was no reason for her to be that nervous, that his family would love her as much as he did. Reese smiled softly, he could see the nerves subsiding but he also knew they were still there.
Walking into the house, Cormac saw the wide-eyed look she had when she saw the tree and decorations. "You weren't kidding when you said you guys go all out for Christmas.", she had whispered in his ear, earning her a chuckle from him. The more she saw, the more impressed she was. She loved Christmas and, in that moment, she looked like a kid that had just met Santa for the first time.
The first person that he introduced her to was his youngest son, Austin. Reese stretched her hand to shake his, but Austin just pulled her into a tight hug. Reese was caught off guard, but, after a moment of hesitation, she hugged Austin back. Austin asked her a million questions and Reese was happy to answer them. After what had felt like hours, Austin told him that he had picked a good one and to not let go of her. Cormac laughed and looked over at Reese, saying that she was stuck with him, which earned him a heartfelt laugh from Reese.
As they moved more inside of the living room, Cormac saw his oldest son on the couch and made his way towards him. Pulling him up from where he was sitting, he introduced Reese to him. Liam shook her hand and made small talk, trying to assess if Reese was "worthy" of his dad. Liam must've been pleased with what he heard and saw, because, before being taken away by his brother to play videogames, he hugged Reese tight and told her she was happy that his dad had found her.
Once Liam was out of ear-shot, Cormac heard Reese release a breath he didn't know she was holding. Looking at her, he saw the look of relief in her face, any nervousness she might still be feeling, long gone. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he quickly led her towards where the drinks were. Grabbing two wine glasses for them and giving her one, he asked her if she was okay. She said that she was and that she thought that it went better than she expected. Cormac pulled her close and kissed her, telling her that it went great. They spent the rest of the night making small talk and playing videogames with the kids.
Cormac was pulled out of his thoughts by Reese asking him if he was okay. He answered that he was just remembering their first Christmas together and on how far they had come. Reese gave him a chaste kiss and told him that, even though she was nervous back then, just by having him by her side, that made it all worth it. Cormac wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her, telling her that he loved her and that nothing would ever change that.
That first Christmas together was one of his favorite Christmases. Not just because of his sons' approval of his relationship with Reese, but simply because she was there with him and because he knew that she would always be there by his side.