All Hell Breaks Loose

Chapter 54: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.

Sookie had wondered how she was able to get home that Monday night and asked Eric the next evening if he had driven her back while she slept of flown her back. He denied all questions and she would of asked Bill the same ones but decided not to. All she knew was that she woke up at eight the next day and felt great. Jason had bought donuts for the both of them and made coffee and she was able to meet and pay for the tiles.

The following days and evenings breezed on by. Arlene had given her updates on Patrick's health and the former zombie was snapping out of it. and things have been a blur for him in the past six months. They would make plans to confront the Mambo and free the others at another time.

Sookie was also able to make her lists and thanks to help from her coworkers she was able to make a final selection on the cabinets she wanted and had them ordered. She wondered if she would be able to move back into her house for Christmas but even if it was completed before she would still spend the holiday at Jason's.

Sookie had been visiting with her friends at the mansion. Cassidy had been spending her days making ornaments for their holiday tree where there were plenty of red and green and blue and white. Anya had made the best fruit cake Sookie had ever tasted. Valentino sang various holiday songs with a beautiful baritone and Ismene was talking about the play she was going to put on for the crowd at the carnival.

"What my village and many others had celebrated around the winter time," Ismene explained. "Several of gods and goddess would travel down to the world of Hades and visit with Persephone. The only one who doesn't go down is her mother, Demeter because she is afraid she would violate the agreement and steal her daughter back months early. Hades has ordered a feast for everyone and there is a lot of dancing."

"That sounds wonderful," Sookie said. "I look forward to seeing it."

"Lawrence and Cassidy have been taking care of the auditions during the day," Ismene explained. "The AVL loved the idea and are going to have a stage set up for me."

"I almost wish it were the tenth already."

Bill and Eric both seemed to be in a bit more of a festive mood. Bill and several of the wolves have strung up various lights on the house and went for a blue icicle style of lights. There were more blinking lights in a rainbow of colors that were put around the windows, blue and white blinking lights on some of the trees and red and green on the bushes.

"Where there any kind of winter holidays that you celebrated?" Sookie had asked Eric. "Back when you were human?"

"Yes there was," Eric said with a smile. "We celebrated Jul. It was our new year and there were twelve nights. Odin would ride Sleipnir for the wild hunt. I remember as a child I would put out my boots and fill them with hay for Sleipnir to snack on and in the morning it would be filled with treats and toys and treats back then were apples and nuts that were glazed with honey and toys were made from wood. My favorites were a wooden dagger when I was eleven and a wooden dragon when I was eight."

"That sounds amazing," Sookie said. "And the boots are like Christmas stockings."

"Many things in your Christian holiday were taking from us and the Celtic pagans," Eric told her. "Odin was combined with Saint Nicholas to become Santa and Sleipnir was changed into reindeer."

"It makes me wonder if there is anything about Christmas that is Christian," Sookie said. "Besides the songs and the Naivety."

"You have your Christmas stars," Eric told her.

"And candy canes," Anya said as she brought a couple over to Sookie. "They are shaped like shepherds crooks and said they were first shaped this way for choir children."

"Thank you for the treats," Sookie said. Learning more facts about the holiday makes Christmas even more enjoyable for her.

Thursday came and Sookie had coffee and a bowl of Christmas Crunch for breakfast. She had salvaged a few of her holiday themed clothes and put on a bright blue shirt with a picture of Rudolph on it and wore a white button down sweater with red snowflakes printed on it over it.

Alcide was right on time and told her he had already eaten and she did not have to offer him anything, not even coffee and he would treat her to lunch.

Sookie had expected the mall to be crowded and it certainly was. Nearly every store had some kind of sale going on. She had brought her list and looked over it at the kiosk with the map while she figured which stores would have the kind of gifts that she wanted to get for her friends.

"Is Jason first on your list?" Alcide asked as they walked through the mall.

"Of course?" Sookie answered. "Is Janice first on yours?"

Alcide nodded. "Pretty much. She was kind of disappointed that we aren't dating. She likes you."

"I'm sorry I let her down."

"Don't be. You can't force your heart to beat a different beat."

"I do hope you find someone," Sookie said. "Although there isn't anything wrong with being alone, but you are great guy, Alcide. You are sweet and looking out for others, reliable, strong, you do what is right and you have beautiful eyes, a great smile." She lowered her voice. "And you do have a great body."

Alcide smiled and his cheeks turned pink. "Janice likes owls." He led her into a shop that sold various things with an owl theme. "She told me she needs a new kitchen clock."

Sookie walked around the shop while Alcide looked at the clocks. Her eyes fell on an owl kitchen tool holder. It's back was hollow and held various spoons, ladles, long forks, whisk and egg beater. It didn't cost too much and it would be perfect for Anya.

"That's for Jason?" Alcide asked when he saw that Sookie was purchasing.

"For Anya."

"Ah the vampire chef," Alcide said as he remembered her name.

The next stop was in a department store and Sookie was able to find a new leatherman for her brother. Jason had complained that his was getting a bit rusty and hard to fold.

They walked through various stores. Sookie bought several different kinds of scented lotions for Holly, Arlene, Danielle, and Hailey. She bought a hair brush set that looked like it was out of a fantasy novel for Pam.

"Probably plenty of gift ideas in the bookshop," Alcide suggested.

"You are right," Sookie agreed. She was able to find a western novel for Valentino, coffee mugs for Lawrence, Sam, Terry, Andy and Lafayette that she planned on putting some cookies and candies in each one. There was a beautiful 2010 Audrey Hepburn calendar that she was certain that Ismene would like and a couple of CD's for Tara and Jessica.

"We should break for lunch," Alcide said and they went to the food court. "What would you like?"

"Something that I don't get often back home," Sookie said as she studied the various restaurants. "I think I'll have some Chinese food." She had ordered a shrimp in lobster sauce meal that came with fried rice and an egg roll and a coke to drink.

"Don't get to eat Italian that often myself," Alcide said as he joined her. He had a pasta dish with some garlic bread sticks and a soda. "Besides pizza."

"Do you have most of your shopping done?" Sookie asked before she took a bite from her egg roll.

"Just a few more gifts for some of the pack members," Alcide answered. "What about you?"

"There is Bill and Eric," Sookie said. "And Arlene's kids and Cassidy and Steve."

"Do you have them figured out?"

"Cassidy will be some art supplies and Arlene's kids would be from the toy store. I'm not sure about Steve. I mean what do you get for a reverend turned vampire that used to hate vampires?"

"Who also happens to be a Texan?"

"Are you suggesting I get him a cowboy hat?"

"He's a proud Texan, keep that in mind."

"You got all that because he said he can drive a pick up?"

Alcide shrugged. "Pretty much."

After they had eaten they continued to shop. Sookie saw a nice Dallas Cowboys sports jacket and she bought that for Steve. She found a new brush set for Cassidy and a new video game for Bill at the toy store she found a couple of travel board games for Cody and Lisa. She was about to head to check out when she noticed the Lego sets that were on display and one was for a Viking ship.

"Why not?" Sookie thought and purchased it as well.

"So do you feel like you are going to drop?" Alcide asked as they left the last shop that sold wrapping paper, bows and gift tags.

"Pretty much," Sookie said as they passed by the area where kids were lining up to see Santa. There were a few people dressed as elves with obvious fake ears and painted on red cheeks.

"Remember being a kid and waiting in line?" Alcide asked.

"Up until I was ten," Sookie said. "Elves are real."

"I'm not surprised," Alcide said.

"I've been told they eat children," Sookie whispered.

"So much for that myth. I prefer it when they fixed shoes, made cookies or looked like Legolas."

"Same."

"How about a hot chocolate?" Alcide offered as they headed back towards the entrance where they came in.

"Okay, but only if you let me buy," Sookie said. They both selected medium sized cups of cocoa. Alcide chose the dark chocolate with mint marshmallows and Sookie ordered the mocha topped with whip cream.

"This is pretty good," Alcide said after taking a long sip and staining his mustache with chocolate.

"You should stop by Merlotte's. We have several holiday and winter season drinks. We have hot toddies, mulled cider, eggnog, cranberry tini and hot chocolate tini."

"Sounds good." He placed his arm around her shoulders. "Thanks for coming with me."

"Thank you for inviting me." She smiled at him. "And thanks for agreeing to coming to the carnival for me."

"I wouldn't miss that for the world."

A/N: Jul was a real holiday and did inspire some of the Christmas traditions. I was going to write a mention about Hannukah but in 2009 it did not start until the 11th.