Disenchanted Ghost of You
by: gengen0776
Story notes: So I know it's been a really long time since I've updated this...Not sure anyone is interested in reading anymore except for one special person who decided to fave me recently and is looking forward to an update...so here I am. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 6
John sat at the far end of the two tables they'd thrown together, watching as Jo played twenty questions with Becca. He could see that Jo was overjoyed to have another girl her age to talk to and Becca was politely answering all her questions. He was thankful for the distraction, hoping Jo would keep Becca occupied until Rowan returned. When he looked over at Ellen he noticed a far away look in the woman's eyes as she stared unseeing out the window. John's heart clenched as he remembered that today was Christmas day.
He knew Ellen must be missing Bill, because the holidays were when he missed Mary the most. How she'd loved every tradition, from decorating the tree to dragging him caroling. He smiled sadly as he remembered his wife's luminous smile. Forcing back the memories that he knew would follow, he focused his gaze on Ellen again.
John's heart filled with guilt as he wondered if Bill would be there, sitting with them, if not for his mistake. His mind drifted unbidden back to their last hunt together. If I had been more careful…if I hadn't scuffed the salt off that trap… John could still recall Bill's pleas. Possessed by the demon they'd been hunting and hearing what it planned to make him do to his family; Bill had begged John to kill him.
Pulled from his memories by the sound of the bell above the entrance door signaling someone's arrival, John looked up to see Rowan enter the bar. He was carrying a backpack John assumed was Becca's in one hand and a red velvet satchel in the other. John smiled and shook his head only Rowan St Christen could possibly pull strings to do Christmas shopping on Christmas morning. "What'd you do mug Santa?" he asked with a chuckle.
"What you'd rather have fat and jolly?" Rowan smirked. "I figured the ladies would prefer a better looking stand in," he added with a saucy smile and wink.
"My Bag!" Becca hurried over to him, snatching it up with a grateful smile. "Uh…thanks," she murmured before dropping the bag at their feet and throwing her arms around him.
"No problem," he replied as he awkwardly hugged her back. This was not the reaction he'd been expecting, not the reaction he deserved.
"What's in the bag?" Becca asked as she pulled away. She studied Rowan's troubled expression. She knew he would never forgive himself for what had happened with Joshua and a small part of her was happy about that. But the other part of her longed to see the mischievous twinkle in Rowan's eyes again. "Better looking stand in," she added with a wink.
Rowan forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he reached into the red velvet satchel. "So would you ladies like to sit on my lap and tell me what you want before I hand out the gifts?" he asked with a chuckle.
Becca shook her head and rolled her eyes at the vampire. "You are terrible…just hand over the gifts already!"
"Now, now, little girl," Rowan chuckled, clinging protectively to his bag of gifts as Becca moved to take it from him. "Santa likes children who are patient."
"Well, you're not Santa and we're not children," Jo commented, moving to stand beside Becca, both girls looking ready to wrestle him for the bag.
Rowan cocked his eyebrow with an amused grin. "True enough." Digging his hand into the bag, he pulled out the first gift his fingers touched. He studied the label on the large parcel with exaggerated interest until he heard Jo's exasperated sigh. "Well, this one is for little Johnny Winchester!" he laughed as he held the gift out to John.
John studied the simple red wrapping paper and golden ribbon for a moment before looking up at Rowan. "You didn't have to—"
Rowan waved his hand dismissively. "Really, John, I'm as rich as all hell, so this is hardly worth getting excited about. But if I thought you would get this upset, I can only imagine how you would've have been about the truck I was going to buy you."
John shook his head as he tore away the paper to reveal a first aid kit. "I figured with all the trouble you keep getting yourself into you could use a new one," Rowan chuckled as John looked up at him with a bemused smile. "An' this one's deluxe you could practically operate on someone with what ya got in there."
"He does have a point John," Ellen chuckled from across the table.
"Okay, okay, ha ha ha you got John a first aid kit," Jo muttered impatiently. "There are three other people here waiting."
"Joanna Beth," Ellen growled disapprovingly at her impetuous daughter.
"That's okay, she's right you lovely ladies are still waiting for your gifts." Rowan closed his eyes and reached again into the satchel slowly fishing around with a look of deep concentration on his handsome face. Again he waited for Jo's sigh before pulling out an equally bulky gift. "This one….hmmm who was it for again?" he murmured as he studied it closely. "Aww yes, Joanna Beth."
"Don't call me that," she grumbled as she snatched the gift from his outstretched hand. She weighed it in her hand a moment, studying the heavy package's awkward shape. Finally, when she gave up on guessing its contents she tore away the paper to find a book and four stakes. Jo's brow furrowed as she looked questioningly up at Rowan. "A book and some stakes…gee…thanks."
Rowan chuckled heartily at her reaction. "Well, I heard you want to be a hunter," he replied with a shrug. "The book is so you know your stuff before running off half cocked after something."
"And the stakes?"
"Well, with all the vampires hanging around you, you never know when you might need them," Rowan replied with a wink.
"Yeah that's great except that stakes don't work on vampires," Jo huffed, rolling her eyes. "Even I know that."
"Ahh, but those are Hawthorne stakes they'll immobilize a vamp and give you time to chop of their head…'Cause you know the best defense with any vampire is a good offense." With a shrug he looked over at Ellen whose murderous glare told him she was considering using the stakes to keep him from moving while she went to get her machete behind the bar. "She's gonna do it anyway," he shrugged with a winsome smile. "Better that she be educated and prepared."
Rowan dug into his bag again, pulling out the two last gifts he tossed the satchel aside. He studied both gifts for a moment and then looked from Ellen's angry glare to Becca's bemused expression as though deciding who he should save for last. Finally, he held out his hand to Becca and dropped the small package into her palm.
Slowly, Becca opened the gift, taking care not to rip the paper. Once she'd removed it she placed the paper on the table beside her and studied the small velvet jewelry box. "I…I can't—"
"Please Becca," Rowan whispered as she tried to hand the gift back before opening it. He studied her shaking hand as he spoke. "I know it won't change what happened, but I wanted you to know Joshua is safe and being taken care of."
The room was completely silent as everyone waited for Becca's response. She gazed into Rowan's eyes as though searching them for some truth buried deep within their deep green depths. Slowly, she pried the small box open to find a beautiful gold oval shaped locket and chain resting upon the royal blue velvet cushion. She gingerly lifted the locket holding it between her fingers as she studied the delicate flower pattern engraved on its front before turning it over and noticing a message engrave on its back. Forever in my heart.
Becca's eyes filled with tears as she removed the locket and rested the case on the table. Her fingers trembled so hard as she struggled to open the locket that she almost dropped it.
"Here, let me," Rowan whispered carefully opening the locket and placing it safely back in the palm of her hand. He watched as Becca blinked back her tears and studied the small pictures inside.
A sad smile crept across her lips as she looked from the baby picture she recognized immediately as Joshua to the picture beside it of a much more recent picture of Joshua. "B-but how?" she whispered her eyes still glistening with tears as she looked up at him. "We…we weren't allowed to take pictures of him."
Rowan smiled mischievously. "Well, they took a picture of him in the hospital when he was born…I was supposed to destroy it actually," Rowan explained. "And the more recent one was when I last saw him about six months ago…I had this new camera phone and he was so excited about it and wanted me to take his picture and I never thought to erase it."
Becca stared at him is disbelief. "Th-thank you," she hiccupped with a quivering smile on her lips. 'Th-this is…this is…" Her voice trailed off as Rowan delicately took the locket from her and clasped the chain around her neck.
"I wish I could do more…I wish I could really give him back to you," Rowan whispered in her ear as he pulled away. Rowan gazed at Becca's contented smile and felt a true smile grace his lips. To see her happy even just for this instant momentarily eased his guilt.
Pulling his attention away from the petite redhead he turned to Ellen, surprised to see a small smile gracing her lips as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Apparently watching his exchange with Becca had helped her forget her anger over his gift to Jo. "And last, but certainly not least…Ellen," he announced softly as he thrust a package almost identical to Becca's into the older woman's hands.
Ellen's brow creased as she looked questioningly from Rowan to the small package. "I can't take any jewelry from you." She shook her head, handing the unopened package back to him.
"Ellen, it's nothing to get bent out of shape about. I noticed you weren't wearing your cross and Jo said you lost it," Rowan explained quickly, his husky voice velvety smooth as he gave her his most charming smile. "Besides it's just a little something to keep the bad boys like me away," he added with a saucy wink. He held back a chuckle as her cheeks flushed and she slowly unwrapped the package.
Carefully prying open the small velvet box, she gasped as she looked down at a near perfect replica of the cross that Bill had given her years before. "How…where did you?" She looked up at him her eyes brimming with tears.
"Like I said, Jo mentioned you'd lost yours," he replied with a shrug.
"But it's exactly—"
"You know vampires have near perfect memories." He stared out the window a moment with a distant look in his eyes. "Sometimes I think that's my true curse," he murmured absently. Shaking his head gently, he plastered on a grin as he turned back to the table. "Well, Santa's bag is empty, so I should get going."
"Now? But it's Christmas day," Becca sighed disappointedly from beside him. Their gazes met and Rowan saw understanding dawn in her mismatched eyes. "It's time," she whispered, remembering that it was only a few days after Christmas when they'd taken Joshua away. "Tell him I love him, Rowan…that his mother loves him and wishes she could be there."
Rowan swallowed back the lump that had formed in his throat as Becca spoke. He nodded, not trusting his voice as he forced a smile. Tearing his gaze from her, he sent John a meaningful look, nodding his head toward the door. John stood and followed him out.
End Notes: Hope you enjoyed and look forward to some feedback! It's been a while since I've had reviews...my fault of course. Update coming soon, promise!