AN: While the song is inspiring, I think I figured out to write this after editing Mistletoe …which will appear in the final version of Keeping in Line. That's right – I'm sending it to the publishers this week. If only I had a cover…

I debated who's POV this should be from, and in the end, decided on all of them! Something new, something fun. Posted as one shot, and will be scrapped to Quarter Notes eventually.

Spoiler for The Line Up, in case you haven't read it…well, don't read this first.

I do own the characters.


Joyeux Noel

"From where I'm standing
I think I caught your eye
Are you looking at me?
'Cause I swear I saw you smile
and I'm coming over
Gonna take things off your mind
and I bet you'll be fine
and I bet you'll be fine.

I guess it's not the way
you always planned it
looks like you're heading for a
crash landing
that's just the way it looks
from where I'm standing…"

- Where I'm Standing, Schuyler Fisk (go now and download this song – it is AWESOME)

Lucy

I wasn't even really sure what I was doing here. Although Mr. DiBonventura had invited everyone who had ever been on one of Henry's drum lines to this combination holiday party / going away shindig, I wasn't sure that was my real reason for being here. Coming home was always weird. Stuck between what people remembered you to be, and the new person you had become, created an automatically awkward atmosphere. I hadn't changed that radically from my days at Brookwood, but I wasn't the same person either. My own personal issues aside, it was awesome to see everyone. We had the majority of my senior class represented and it was great to catch up, relive old memories, and slip back into long forgotten jokes and easy camaraderie. Not surprising to any of us, my classmates and I had been flung to far reaches of the country and this was the first time we had really all been together since graduation. Seeing Tom in the corner, up to his usual antics, I felt a sudden pang…I genuinely missed talking to him and seeing him every day. Our schools were only 2 hours apart, but they might as well be on different planets. The days of jokes in the hallway were long gone.

Feeling the effects of perhaps one too many glasses of yummy spiced egg nog, I found my way into the formal dining room. I checked my phone, but wasn't surprised to see there were no messages waiting for me. Joe, big senior that he was, had decided to break things off around Thanksgiving, citing 'wanting to concentrate on his future.' We had been drifting apart for awhile, so I wasn't too bothered, although I personally wondered if it might have something to do with his last spring break looming in March. It wasn't entirely fun to be alone for the holidays, but tucked back safe in the family of the Brookwood drum line, I had already made enough plans to keep me busy throughout the winter break. Putting my phone away, I paused and smiled, lost in a fond memory of this room…wondering for a long moment where in the world Cameron was these days. Maybe I could find him on facebook…

Spence

"What's that grin about?" I asked, having followed Lucy into the deserted room. I hadn't been able to catch her alone all night, and had been meaning to. I vowed that if she showed up tonight, this would be the right time to tell her. Even though I knew it meant she would probably never talk to me again, I thought she deserved to know the truth. After all, she had been honest (sometimes brutally so) with me from the start. As the Cartwright213 persona, I had learned all about Lucy's ups and downs, her challenges and triumphs, her fears and aspirations. It was selfish of me to continue without her knowing…

"What do you mean?" She challenged playfully and in the dim glow of the room, I could see a alcohol inspired blush on her cheeks.

Unintentionally, I crossed my arms, ready to spar with Brookwood's finest. "You've just got that look on your face. Can I assume it's connected to someone in particular?"

"I haven't seen you in months, Spence, and this is where you want to start?"

Lucy had come up early in the season to see Bronwyn for a game, but I had been too busy with the kids to really say anything more than a quick hello. I couldn't remember the last time we had actually had a real conversation, well, we had chatted online a few nights previously, but she didn't know that.

I dropped my hands. If I was going to tell her the truth, I needed to start from a more balanced place. I brusquely apologized, "Yeah, sorry about that."

"So? Any reason you're stalking me?"

She had given me an opening…it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but I would have to settle. Unfortunately, I found the words more difficult to put together than I originally anticipated. On the drive over, I had half started a few sentences, practicing, but now, they just sounded ridiculous. Hesitantly, I started, "I…see, the thing is…"

There was an explosive round of laughter echoing from the kitchen which broke my concentration.

"Cat got your tongue, Spence?" Lucy asked, then continued, "That doesn't seem right. Weren't you instructing this whole season? Bronwyn said you were a bit of a drill sergeant."

There was something about being around her that was just so infuriating – how she always seemed to get the last word. I crossed my arms again and grumbled, "Whatever."

Before I could say anyhting, she changed the subject abruptly, "Are you going to see Mandy while you're home?"

I hadn't thought of my high school girlfriend in awhile, and wondered what Lucy was playing at by bringing her up. Unsure, I answered her question with a question, "Are you?"

"Yeah, I think we're meeting for coffee this week."

"Tell her I said hi."

"I will."

Obviously through with my awkward conversation, she made a move to go back towards the party.

"Wait…"

She paused, and asked, "Why? Did you get me something special for Christmas, Spence?" There was definitely a flirtatious undertone to the question.

It was the wrong time to tell her. I couldn't do it. My eyes darted around the room, looking for any distraction. I found one, but it didn't come from where I was expecting. Not too far from above Lucy's head was a sprig of mistletoe.

Tony

Looking for a spare bathroom, I turned the corner at the wrong time, catching an eyeful of some couple making out. I couldn't really see who it was in the dim light, and started backing away slowly. They certainly looked like they were enjoying the Christmas spirit. Of course, there were any number of happy couples present tonight – many alumni had brought their significant others from school, doubling the crowd and adding to the party, so it could've been anyone, but there was something vaguely familiar about them…

Purely out of habit, I back marched silently down the hall, wondering where my redheaded section mate had disappeared to. Bronwyn had left Drew behind for the night, for which I was grateful. When he was home from school, he was usually at his old job, trying to earn some extra money, so she didn't disappear entirely. It sucked for B, but it was nice not to have to be the third wheel.

I was concentrating so carefully on being quiet, I didn't realize what I was doing and backed into someone. Fortunately, I heard a familiar squeak, and breathed out normally.

Bronwyn

"What are you do—?" I started to ask, before I was quickly interrupted by Tony's hand clapping solidly over my mouth. I looked up at him strangely and followed his line of sight. Some passionate couple was oblivious to the world, and probably wouldn't have even realized if we were standing right next to them. For a brief minute, I missed Drew and had a flash of jealousy, but realized I wasn't so much into the PDA's. Still, I snuck another look back, a bit interested in the kind of fiery feelings where you were so into the other person you had to be with them right then and there.

Tony slowly removed his hand from my face, and together we walked quietly back down the hall.

When we were in the clear, always enjoying a bit of gossip, I asked eagerly, "Who do you think that was?"

Tony, who did not share my interest, rolled his eyes and replied, "I didn't really sit and watch, Flueger. Not my style."

"Darn."

There had been a number of 'almost, but not quites' in the section this year, and I wondered if anything significant would happen tonight. Happily dating someone, it was fun for me to watch and comment on others love lives. After the highs and lows of both my freshman and sophomore years, it had been a decidedly chill season (well, for me at least, Meredith had her hands full making the transition to the Guard). Watching the romantic dynamics of the band was about the only thing to keep things interesting.

"Oh, damn," Tony said softly, breaking my thoughts.

I glimpsed at where he was looking – a sprig of mistletoe hung directly over us in the doorway. I grinned, who would've guessed that Mr. DiBonaventura was such a romantic? However, I didn't expect Tony to do anything more than just laugh about it - he wasn't the world's most romantic person.

But then he turned to look at me, with an expression I had never seen before…

Tony

I couldn't tell what came over me. One second we were in the hallway, and the next, we were stopped and I was considering something very random, but not altogether unexpected…

Like some sort of powerful magnet was drawing me in, I found myself lowering my head to Bronwyn's level. She sat paused, not moving, not breathing, not blinking – just staring up at me. I hovered for the longest second, tensed and waiting to see how she would react to my spontaneous action.

At the possible last second, I hesitated and brushed my lips across her soft cheek.

Weirded out by my temporary vacation from reality, I whispered, "Merry Christmas," and got the hell out of there.

Spence

Tony practically sprinted by me, a strange expression that I instantly recognized on his face. Maybe there was something in the air at this time of year. Maybe when you put too many people together with all the shared histories and past, and too many unresolved issues, relationships are bound to be tested.

Lucy

What in the hell came over me??!!

AN: So who was that mystery couple? … And what do you think of the shifting perspectives?