Part 60
"Liz."
"Hmm-mm," she mumbled and burrowed deeper into the covers.
"Liz, wake up." Max's lips curved up in a smile as he whispered against her ear. "C'mon." He shook her gently and chuckled when she shot a badly aimed elbow into his gut.
"Max, not now, I'm sleeping."
Her mumbling was escalating to grumbling and he couldn't help his amusement. "I'm not trying to wake you up at five in the morning so we can have sex. Not that I'm against the idea."
Liz rolled her eyes even as she was trying to force them open. She flopped over onto her back and tried to glare at him, but it was so dark she could hardly make out his features. "Max…" she complained, trailing off when the fuzzy edges began to fade and his words suddenly untangled and became clear. "Wait, why're you waking me up in the middle of the night?"
"You have to get up and get dressed."
"This's a first," she muttered. Usually when he woke her up like this – rare though the occasions were – it wasn't to put clothes on.
"We can take 'em back off in a little while," he said with a grin as he settled back to watch her, fingers laced behind his head.
"I don't know what you're up to but it'd better be worth getting outta bed this early." She stumbled around in the dark, still not awake enough to really have her bearings, but finally succeeding in pulling her clothes on. "Now what?"
"C'mon, I got you a gift for Christmas."
She froze in her tracks and turned to level a look at him, finding it easier to see now that her eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness. "You did not get me up to tell me Santa just stopped by."
"Nope." He grinned widely and held up the wrapped gift she hadn't noticed before. "Just his Chief Reindeer Wrangler." He shook the box but it didn't make a sound. "C'mon, you know you wanna know what it is."
"You know how much I love you, right?"
He smiled and nodded. "Of course."
"Um-hmm, and you know how much sleeping straight through the night in an actual bed means to me, right?"
"Yeah." His smile slipped when he realized every one of her calculated steps was bringing her closer to the bed and the look on her face said if she got her hands on him it wasn't gonna be in a way he'd welcome at the moment. He scrambled up from the bed just as she launched herself at him and he laughed at her indignant shout.
"Max Evans, if I get my hands on you…"
"You'll what?" he taunted. He knew it wouldn't be long before he was able to get a smile out of her. He just had to stay alive long enough to get her to that point, he thought as he ducked the pillow she threw at him and shifted to the right when she made a move to get off of the bed again. He tried waving the box in her direction to get her attention.
"When did you even have time to go Christmas shopping?"
"Hey, Michael and I have been out a couple of times to pick things up."
That gave her pause. He and Michael had been out a few times since they'd been stranded there, but each time they'd either been to the mechanic's shop or to the hardware store. Oh, no, she thought, recalling discussions with Maria and Isabel about Michael's inclination to shop for his girlfriend's gifts at the hardware store. No, she consoled herself, Max would never do that. Unlike Michael, he actually had a romantic bone in his body… more than one really. But what if Michael had corrupted him? What if she had to find some odd, albeit useful gift wonderful?
Max looked down at the gift in his hands and then back at his wife, trying to figure out what was behind her speculative expression. It suddenly dawned on him and he laughed out loud. "You don't actually think I let Michael pick it out, do you?"
"What? No, of course not!"
"Elizabeth Evans, you're lying right through your teeth!" he accused, his voice laced with humor.
She held her hand in his direction, refusing to admit that he was right. "May I have it, please?"
"Huh-uh, no way, not now."
"Max…"
He rolled off of the bed, keeping the gift close. "C'mon, let's get ready."
Liz looked down at herself. "I'm already dressed."
"You can't go outside like that." He grabbed her hand and practically dragged her out of the bedroom and into the living room.
"It's not enough I have to be up? Now we have to go outside? If it was cold before it's gotta be even colder now."
"Keep complaining and I won't give you my present."
She sighed and gave up. He wasn't going to let it go until they'd done whatever crazy thing he'd come up with. She rolled her eyes and got ready, certain she could feel the satisfaction rolling off of him now that he'd gotten his way.
Fifteen minutes later she was certain she had been right about the temperature. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that it was even colder now than it had been before. Her eyes widened when they stopped at the edge of what appeared to be a field of ice that stretched as far as she could see. The wind gusted, sending an icy blast straight through them but as it settled and she looked up, her breath caught for a different reason.
"It's somethin' else, isn't it?" Max asked quietly. He held the small box out to her and held his breath, shielding her from the wind while she opened it. He could just imagine she was hoping and praying it wasn't something he was gonna teach her to use that might be useful at some point since they were running for their lives. He shoved the wrapping paper and ribbon in his coat pocket and gnawed on his bottom lip as she studied the box.
"Max…" her voice wavered as she ran her gloved fingertips over the picture on the front.
"It's not a telescope, but I figured it'll still get you closer to the stars."
"No, this's perfect," she assured him as she fumbled with the box in her haste to open it up. "Can you imagine trying to use a telescope in the van?"
"I can imagine Michael's suggestions about where we could put it," he said with a laugh, holding the box when she finally succeeded in liberating its contents. "I know it's not a ratchet set…"
She threw her arms around him and held on tightly as she whispered, "Thank you." She leaned back and looked up at him, smiling at the soft look in his eyes as he watched her. "I love you."
"I love you too," he said with a smile and kissed her before turning her loose so she could try them out.
Liz ran her hands over the binoculars, wanting to really touch them but knowing better in this cold. She carefully pulled the protective covers off of the lenses and dropped them in the box Max was holding before bringing the binoculars up to her eyes and scanning the sky. "Max, they're wonderful," she breathed.
For a moment she was taken back to a cold night on her rooftop balcony while Alex prepared to show off his slides from his month in Sweden. He'd called them sissies and after a few days of these arctic temperatures, she'd have to agree with him. Later they'd sat there in companionable silence watching the slides and occasionally commenting on them and he'd insisted that she had to travel. She smiled slightly and looked up at the sky and the millions of stars sparkling like diamonds against a velvet backdrop.
It's not exactly what you meant, but I'm definitely traveling, Alex, she thought and wondered if there was any chance he knew she was speaking to him.
Should she have been paying more attention, she wondered. Should it have somehow sounded the alarms when she had teasingly asked if she knew him and he'd admitted that there were times he looked in the mirror and didn't recognize himself?
"Forgive yourself, Liz, and let it go. I never blamed you."
She turned her head when the wind blew slightly, but somehow it wasn't as cold as before, and she could've sworn she heard Alex speaking to her. She smiled and turned to her husband, urging him to look up at the stars while she pointed out constellations visible in the night sky. Even in the middle of nowhere he'd managed to find the perfect gift and she had to kick herself for thinking he would've ever been influenced by Michael's gift-giving ideas.
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Maria rolled over and stretched, wiggling her toes and enjoying the warmth and comfort that accompanied the move. The cooled bed sheets on Michael's side of the bed made her pause, but a heartbeat later she recognized the sounds of the water running in the shower and she relaxed back into the mattress. Childish joy spread through her at the realization that it was Christmas morning and she couldn't hold back the face-splitting grin that broke free at the thought that they were celebrating the most wondrous holiday of the year in such a magical place.
Before today that magical place had been waking at home, lying in bed as the scent of her mom's cooking wafted through the house. She closed her eyes and she could almost imagine walking down the hall in her PJs, the warmth surrounding her, and the mouthwatering scent of warm cinnamon beckoning her to come into the kitchen and indulge in the rolls Mom would be pulling out of the oven as she walked into the room.
Right now though they were safe, they were warm, they were together, and they were happy. Reality was waiting for them at the edge of the driveway and soon enough they would have to face it again, but for this brief moment in time she could pretend that this small corner of the world was theirs alone and that nothing could intrude on the peace they had found at Stevens' Sanctuary. She rolled over again, snagging his pillow and wrapping her arms around it as she burrowed her face into it, soaking up his scent.
She yawned and turned her head to scan the cabin, taking in every inch of it that she could see from her position. A fire was roaring in the fireplace, she could smell the coffee brewing, and a hazy light seemed to lend a ghostly appearance to everything in the room. She glanced over her shoulder and realized that the light peeking around the edges of the curtains indicated daylight had finally broken and she wondered what time it was.
In spite of her wonderings she didn't bother checking the time. She didn't want any constraints put on the day, didn't want to know how many hours they had left before their impending departure from this place. She just wanted to enjoy the day and made the decision to avoid consciously looking at the clock for the remainder of Christmas. Rolling out of bed she grabbed Michael's shirt and pulled it on before digging around to unearth the present she'd been hiding since their trip to the Wal-Mart.
She practically floated across the room, her spirits lifted by the feeling of Christmas, warmth, and love that permeated her entire being. She found the perfect spot for his present and carefully nestled it into the white tree skirt that sparkled with red, green, and silver glitter. It was wrapped simply; she had used a page from the Sunday comics that Julia had said she could have and then used colored construction paper and Maggie's assistance to create the tiny paper ring chain that wrapped around the gift in lieu of a ribbon.
She checked the water level at the base of the trunk and remembering Buckeye's instructions decided to add a bit. Finished with that she dried her hands and went back to the tree, leaning in to cradle one of the branches and draw in its fresh scent. She closed her eyes for a moment and smiled to herself before she released it and reached for the plug. She had just plugged the cord in and was stepping back to take in the tree's simple beauty when a pair of strong arms encircled her from behind and Michael kissed her neck.
"Merry Christmas."
He was warm and damp and it wasn't necessary to look at him to know he wasn't wearing anything but the towel he'd used to whisk away the water that shaking like a wet dog hadn't taken care of after getting out of the shower. "It is," she agreed with a smile and leaned back into him, shooting a smile at him over her shoulder. "And Merry Christmas to you too." She nodded at the tree. "Oh, and look! There's a present for you!"
Michael's eyes dropped to the bottom of the tree before lifting to meet her green eyes, easily reading the excitement and anticipation there. He wished he had that feeling, not for himself, because the holidays didn't mean that much to him, but he wished he had it for her. He dropped his arms from around her to adjust the towel and shot a grin at her. "I'm thinkin' clothes and coffee first."
"Ungh, Michael! You can't just pause the Christmas magic!"
"I'm Santa, watch me." He was grinning as he walked away, knowing it was driving her mad to be put on hold, even temporarily.
"But, it's Christmas morning and there's a present under the tree!" How could he possibly just walk away when there was a little something there calling his name?!
"You missed elf roll call, Snowflake. It's already afternoon and in case you haven't noticed, there's a draft that'd seriously put a damper on things for a guy sittin' around in a damp towel." Without bothering to comment any further he dropped the towel and reached for a pair of jeans, watching Maria as she gave a longsuffering sigh and padded over to fill his mug with hot coffee.
She was reaching for his mug when she noticed the brown paper lunch sack sitting next to it and blocking her own mug. "What's…" Her eyes moved over the sack that looked like it'd been wadded up and possibly run over a couple of times and she reached over to pick it up, her fingers tracing over the bright Christmas-green glitter that spelled out her name. She smiled at the spongy feel of the glue beneath the glitter and her eyes watered as she took in the stickers in the shape of Santa Clause and snowflakes that had been used as decoration. "The wrapping's so cute." She smiled and turned to look at him. "Is this for me?"
Michael rolled his eyes. Sometimes she asked the dumbest questions! "No, it's for my other girlfriend named Maria," he deadpanned.
Maria smiled when she recognized her name written in Michael's handwriting, the print sharp and precise. There was nothing soft about the letters, nothing rounded or looped, just crisp, concise lines, a clear reflection of the man who had written them. Even something as pliable as glue had bent to his will and formed perfect lines. She shook her head and smiled. "You decorated it."
"Yeah, well, I had some help. There was a little elf helper who insisted on givin' me a hand otherwise it would've just been a plain ol' brown paper bag."
She rolled her eyes at him, knowing what he was saying without him having to say anything. "Can we open our presents now?" she asked with glee.
"I don't know, can we?"
"Michael!" she huffed, but couldn't stop the smile. "Why don't we start one of our new Christmas traditions right now? I'll take our presents over to our chairs and you can go and get the coffee. Oh, and Michael? Don't forget the half and half in mine."
He shook his head and chuckled, wordlessly conceding defeat. Before he had even finished filling their mugs she was already in her chair, gift in hand. He could hear the telltale rustle of the tissue paper and he turned his head slightly. "No cheating over there, Snowflake."
"Well, hurry up, Spaceboy, I can't wait much longer."
He smirked as he tapped the spoon against the edge of the Winnie the Pooh mug and then tossed it in the sink. "On my way, Snowflake." He picked the mugs up, taking a drink of his and nodding in satisfaction. He carried them over and set them down on the small table that resided between their chairs. "Oh, and before you get too excited and implode, I want you to remember that we're kinda in the middle of nowhere and there's the added inconvenience of limited income, so…"
"Like I care about that."
"Well, it's not a bumper but it's not pearl earrings either," he said in an effort to cover the feeling of awkwardness that came over him as he picked up the gift waiting for him in his chair.
"Okay, so our tradition's gonna be to see who can open their gift up the fastest," she said, picking up on his discomfort when he sat down and fiddled with an edge of the small package. "And no stealing my gift and keeping it away from me while you open yours."
"Any other terms?"
She paused, her eyes narrowed, mentally going over the so-called terms as if she was making sure she had covered everything. "No," she said finally.
Michael raised an eyebrow, trying to play it cool while fighting down the desire to be doing anything but this. "Say when."
She lifted the bag up, her fingers dancing over the red and green tissue paper peeking from the opening as she prepared for attack. "Okay… Ready… Set… WHEN!" And of course, being a professional Christmas gift opener, she had the tissue discarded in no time. The paper was still falling like confetti at midnight on New Years' Eve when Michael dropped his gift in his lap, waved his hand over it, and the paper simply fell away to reveal his gift.
"Done!"
Maria shot a look at him, one of those 'Oh, no, you didn't just do that, buddy' looks, and just a matter of seconds later she had successfully retrieved two bottles from their wrapping. She was on the verge of telling him a thing or two about cheating when she caught him looking at the Metallica CD with a genuine expression of surprise and pleasure and she swallowed the words. Instead, she uttered a soft, "Merry Christmas, Michael," before turning her attention back to her gifts.
"Ah, shampoo and conditioner… and what's this?" she asked with a knowing grin.
"Figured I'd stick with what was a hit last time. It's a real time saver," he said with a smirk and then shrugged. "And the bubble bath's supposed to make your skin soft." He nodded at the bottle. "At least that's what it says."
Maria laughed, the sound carefree and happy, and turned her gaze back to the label on the bottle. Both were made with organic ingredients; rich oils and spices, and she wondered if he knew how nice they really were as she opened one of the bottles to inhale the unusual but pleasing scent. "Michael, this's wonderful." She sniffed at the opening again. "Sweet and spicy." She screwed the cap back on and got up long enough to reseat herself in his lap.
His arms came around her, holding her close and enjoying the feel of her against him. "Like that? Probably oughta tell you I had some help picking it out. My little elf helper advised me to pick the one with the smell that reminded me of you."
She felt her body melt into him as she nuzzled his neck and inhaled the smell of his damp hair, the clean scent holding hints of smoke from the fireplace. "Thank you, Michael. All I wanted for Christmas was you."
Michael's arms tightened around her as he nodded. "Merry Christmas, Maria."
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Isabel tossed her hair back over her shoulder and tugged on the hem of her red sweater as she looked around the tiny kitchen. Miniscule was really the most fitting word, but regardless she would miss it when they left the next morning. She had known the impromptu blizzard would only buy them a small amount of time, but it would get them through Christmas and that suited her just fine.
She paused to listen to the occasional snort interspersed with the soft snoring coming from the other room and it brought a smile to her face. Kyle had to be exhausted after their roundtrip to Roswell last night. She didn't really understand how it worked but she was so grateful that it did and that he had taken the time to give her the best Christmas she could've hoped for. She'd be lying if she denied that she'd wanted to ask him to take her to see her parents, but as desperately as she'd wanted that she had seen the toll his new power took on him and she couldn't in good conscience ask him to put himself through that for her.
Her thoughts still on the visit with Mom and Dad, she moved to the freezer and pulled the door open, waving the palm of her hand over the bottom to reveal the tin the Sheriff had brought to them on his visit. In spite of the guys' protests, they had all agreed that they wouldn't look inside until it was time to indulge in whatever treat Maria's mom had lovingly sealed within the containers' walls. She pried the lid off and even frozen the scent of the contents rose to greet her.
It was perfect, she thought as she moved to the counter and reached over to turn the oven on. She was smoothing a sheet of tin foil over a baking pan when her gaze caught the thin white lines on her third finger and she reached over to run her fingers across the naked skin where her rings had resided until a few short hours ago. She fisted her hand for a moment before flexing it a couple of times and then stretching her fingers out so she could really look at it.
Sometimes it felt like a lifetime had passed since she'd accepted Jesse's proposal, since she'd put his ring on and promised to be his wife. Ever since she was a little girl she'd wanted to someday have what her parents had; a strong, loving relationship filled with a million memories and held together by love, trust, understanding, and the desire to make it work. How had she expected to have that with Jesse? Trust, the very foundation of any good relationship, hadn't been there. On the surface it was there, but if she'd trusted him completely she would've ignored Max and Michael's directive that she not tell him the truth.
Had Max consulted either of them before he had spilled the entire story to Liz, who in turn, had told Maria? No. Had Michael consulted either of them before making the majority of his decisions? No. She had told the guys that she wanted to tell Jesse the truth, but if she were being completely honest with herself, what she had wanted was what everyone important in her life had: a real connection with their significant other, something that just couldn't exist if the truth wasn't laid out between them.
She knew now that Jesse wouldn't have handled the truth well. Oh, she didn't believe he would've turned her in or anything, but she didn't believe they would've made it very far either. She flexed her left hand again and shook her head. She hadn't realized just how much weight she had been carrying around by holding onto the rings. She hoped that Jesse would continue to move on and find someone who really deserved him. He was a good guy, a decent guy, but he wasn't wired to deal with the alien insanity. She tried to imagine him in their current situation, running from the FBI, living in the van with no sense of privacy, and not knowing what was coming at them next, and she just couldn't do it. He was a man who liked order in his life and all of the chaos that surrounded them would've made him miserable to a completely different degree than what the rest of them dealt with on a daily basis.
But he was moving on. She ran her thumb over the thin white strips on her ring finger. And now so was she. That thought brought a smile to her face and as she once again lost herself in the memory of seeing her parents, hugging them, and just soaking up their presence, she reached for the tin and began singing quietly to herself.
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Kyle yawned and stretched lazily before relaxing back into the mattress. It took a moment before he realized that he hadn't come into contact with the wall he'd slept against and he moved his limbs experimentally. The discovery that he was sprawled out in the center of the bed made him grin like a loon. Lots of room and it was all his. Oh, yeah, that was great! He rolled over and flopped on his belly, sinking into the fluffy pillows and drawing in Isabel's scent. Um-hmm, he could start his day like this with no complaint, he thought as he wrapped his arms around the pillow and let himself begin to doze off again.
He cringed at the intrusive sound of a metallic squeal of protest but just a moment later the racket was gone. The strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee teased his senses but it was something else that began to pull him from his comfortable sleep. Something that had him rolling over again as he reached for it, tried to identify it, and his brows pulled down in a frown as he lost it. The frown relaxed as the elusive sound came back into focus and he could picture Isabel in the kitchen, moving around and getting ready for the morning as her voice began to filter in to him again. She was humming something familiar that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
He brought his hands up to his face, giving it a rough rubdown before wiping his eyes. What was it? He knew it, he was sure of it. He started to hum along with her very quietly and after a few minutes the words came to him and he rolled his eyes. Home for the Holidays. Of course, he thought with a slight smile. As the words of the song fell into place he found he could appreciate them a lot more than he ever had before. In the past it had just been one of those sappy Christmas songs that he switched off before the overly-sentimental lyrics could make him barf.
He blinked a few times in an effort to clear his blurry vision and he glanced around at his surroundings. His smiled widened when his gaze landed on the comforter from his room that had been added to the pile of blankets. It was probably the warmest, most comfortable night he'd had since they'd been there. He didn't let his thoughts go any further, slamming the door on them before he could read more into her caring gesture. It was cold and it was just an extra blanket to keep a friend warm, that's all there was to it.
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that it didn't occur to him that her humming had suddenly fallen silent until he realized it had been replaced with an elf rendition of Jingle Bells. Isabel was many things, but an elf she wasn't, which could only mean one thing: they were about to have company. His half-awake brain registered the sound of the door opening and boots striking the floorboards even as his body fought to free him of the blankets that just moments before had been so comforting. Now they were like a prison, determined to keep him from escaping and thwarting his every attempt to kick them off.
Damn it, they were suddenly like some sort of living thing! He kicked at them and bit back a curse when his toes made direct contact with the wall. His eyes watered in response to the sharp pain, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. The fight continued and he could hear the voices as the girls greeted each other cheerfully. Another few moments and he took the upper hand, freeing himself from the confines of his prison and catapulting himself to his feet unsteadily. His toes burned where he had cracked them against the wall but he ignored them in favor of ducking into the bathroom.
His escape was nearly complete when he made the mistake of glancing up and locking gazes with Michael. He could see Max standing right there beside him but one speculative look was enough for him and he shot into the bathroom and shut the door, leaning back against it heavily and expelling the breath he hadn't realized he was holding as the lock clicked into place.
Michael was just being Michael. He consoled himself with that thought as he went about his morning routine. The guy watched everyone like a hawk. That was just his thing. He nodded to himself as he stared at the water running in the sink, rinsing the soap from his hands and creating a small mountain of bubbles that hid the drain. Okay, it was a little awkward that Michael had caught him ducking out like that, but he could avoid making it any worse. Yeah, he thought as he cupped his hands and filled them with water so he could splash his face. Yeah, he could just play it cool and no one would be the wiser. He was Kyle Valenti after all. He knew how to play it cool and avoid drawing unwanted attention.
He relaxed fractionally. No problem, he had it all under control. Or so he thought until he lifted his head and caught his reflection in the mirror and his little fantasy was blown right out of the water. He had major bed-head going on and he was wearing his clothes from the day before. He snatched up a towel to dry his hands and face, jumping when a heavy knock sounded on the door.
"Yo, Valenti, you wanna move it along? The Christmas Nazi's holdin' breakfast up until you grace the place with your presence."
Kyle grabbed Isabel's comb and started to run it through his hair. "Hold your reindeer, Santa, I'm on my way."
"Uh-huh, it's takin' you an awful long time in there. Speaking of movin' things along… maybe you need to start incorporating prunes into your diet."
"And maybe I could suggest where you could stick a pair of reindeer antlers," he growled when he jerked the door open and shouldered his way past the other guy.
"Y'know, constipation can really screw with your mood," he continued, shooting a glance at the bed as he followed Kyle out of the bedroom and into the main room of the cabin. He stopped when his friend suddenly whirled around and thumped his fist right into the center of his chest.
"I guess you'd know all about that then, wouldn't you?" He turned on his heel and walked into the kitchen area, gratefully accepting the mug of coffee Isabel held out to him while shooting a reproachful look at Michael. He smirked when the look was enough to cool the hybrid's heels for a while and it gave him a momentary reprieve. By no means did he think he was off the hook, but at least for now there wouldn't be any awkward questions about where he had spent the night.
The girls were gathered around the stove and they turned to look at him, smiling and coming over to give him a hug and wish him a Merry Christmas. He returned the sentiment and then shifted his gaze to look at Isabel, lifting the mug and giving her a slight nod. He tried not to think about what her smile did to him when she gave him the real thing and instead focused on the stove when he caught another scent, something sweet that overrode the strong aroma of hot coffee.
"It smells so good, doesn't it?" Liz asked, not missing the looks being exchanged between him and Isabel, but not commenting on them either.
"And so perfect for Christmas morning," Maria enthused as she and Liz grabbed his arms and led him over to the stove. If they kept things light Michael and Max would keep their thoughts to themselves and let that earlier moment go until later when they could have one of their 'guy talks' rather than call him on what was going on right there in front of all of them. As far as she was concerned it wasn't any of their business and if Kyle and Isabel didn't want to share she saw no reason to pry into their… whatever. "Mom makes these cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning and I'm so glad that's what was in the tin your dad brought with him."
"Yeah, it's funny, huh? He didn't even know what he was getting when he grabbed it."
"So, are we gonna talk about how great they are or actually eat them?" Michael asked, his tone laced with impatience.
Max just laughed and shook his head as he took a seat at the little table and watched the others. He hadn't missed that little moment as Kyle made his escape either, but there was something different about Isabel this morning; something he couldn't put his finger on, but whatever it was he knew it was a good thing. There was a sort of freedom in her movements, as though she had shed some heavy burden, and if Kyle was in some way responsible for that then that was fine with him.
He looked up and smiled at his wife when she placed a plate with two cinnamon rolls on it before him and as he lifted it up and his senses were assaulted by the sticky sweet scent he was suddenly back in the Crashdown Café. He had never gone there for the food, sweet or not, but he knew he'd eaten the cinnamon rolls on more than one occasion. He preferred the ones his own mom made, but in this moment he was sure she'd forgive him for thinking they were possibly the best thing he'd eaten since leaving home.
The easy conversation ebbed and flowed as the gang indulged in the homemade goodness of warm gooey cinnamon rolls from home, most of them liberally dashing the treats with hot sauce. The atmosphere was relaxed and as Michael observed his friends, his family, he considered bringing up a few things that he felt they needed to settle before they got back on the road. His eyes shifted to his girlfriend when she launched into a story of Christmas when she was eight years old. Before long Liz was chiming in to add her memories and even Isabel shared a story or two, and he let it go for now.
There would be time enough for that later. For this moment the world outside didn't exist. They were safely ensconced in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, celebrating Christmas together and just soaking up this rare moment of peace. He gave Maria a small smile when she slipped her hand into his and he nodded, letting her know he would wait even as he wondered how she had known what he was thinking.
His attention shifted to Isabel when she and Max started talking over each other in an attempt to tell some story about one of their many childhood Christmases. Her features were animated and her happiness drew a like reaction from her brother and he saw Max completely relax as he got into the storytelling. She gestured a lot as she talked and it wasn't until her hands dropped to wrap around her coffee mug that he was able to pinpoint what it was that was different about her today.
She wasn't wearing her rings.
His speculative gaze slid over to Kyle who was busy stuffing his face and looking like a squirrel storing nuts for the winter. He wondered if they were doing it. Not that he really cared one way or the other, he was just curious. The fact that she had taken her rings off was a pretty big deal. In all the time since they'd been gone from Roswell he'd never see her without them and now suddenly Kyle was sleeping in her bed and she wasn't wearing her rings. Uh-huh, definitely worth wondering about, he mused.
He popped the last bite of his cinnamon roll in his mouth – the center because everyone knew it was the best part – and chewed slowly as his gaze shifted to the lone roll sitting on the pan on the stovetop. It was crying out for someone to take notice of it and he was prepared to alleviate its loneliness when he noticed that someone else was moving in on his target.
Kyle and Michael met up at the stove, facing off over the last cinnamon roll.
"My cabin, my roll."
"My girlfriend's mom made it, my roll."
Isabel rolled her eyes, not even bothering to look at them as she called over her shoulder, "Just split it down the middle and each of you take half." She shook her head as she looked at Maria and Liz. "I swear, sometimes it's like dealing with children."
Max snorted at that description. "You're surprised why?"
Liz rolled her eyes at him before looking at her sister-in-law. "I think it's one of those things that's definitely ingrained in the male gender."
"You want that last roll?" Kyle's eyes gleamed with challenge. "Take the Candy Castle."
Michael straightened up. "You cheated last time!"
"I didn't cheat," he denied. "I simply took the most direct route."
"Cheater!"
Kyle just snorted and shrugged. "Hey, if you don't think you can beat me we'll just do as Isabel suggested and you can have half of the roll." He smirked. "Or you can play me for it and you can maybe have the whole thing."
"Set up the board, Valenti," he growled. He turned to look at Maria when Kyle nodded and backed away, his eyes locked on the roll to make sure it didn't move from the pan. "Watch this roll until I come back for it."
She bit back a grin and saluted, laughing out loud when he shot a glare at her before following Kyle over to the battlefield of Candy Land. It only took a matter of minutes before the guys were completely absorbed in the game and neither of them noticed Max standing over them until he cleared his throat and pointed out the error of Michael's current move.
"Don't correct my moves when you're not even playing. If you…" His eyes narrowed when he looked up in time to see Max pop the last bite of a cinnamon roll in his mouth and lick his fingers clean.
"That better not have been the victory roll," Kyle growled as he pushed himself up on his knees to see the stovetop.
Max shrugged. "It was getting cold and they're best when they're hot."
"It's like watching someone eating while standing in front of the bear cage at the zoo," Liz mumbled.
"Yeah, a bear cage with no door," Maria agreed.
"This could get ugly," Isabel said, watching as the opponents facing off across the board suddenly exchanged a look.
The girls winced when the Candy Land board went flying as Michael and Kyle launched themselves at Max. They watched the boys wrestle for a few minutes, clueless as to what it was going to achieve and finally deciding there was no understanding why guys did some of the things they did.
Isabel stood and looked at the girls. "More coffee?"
Maria and Liz both nodded and shook their heads at the guys before turning their attention back to their conversation about past Christmases. Between the three of them they had plenty of stories to share and as the afternoon wore on and the guys finally collapsed on the furniture in the living area to watch TV, the girls continued to reminisce and bond over holiday memories even as they created new ones they would look back on in years to come.
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The fire was crackling in the wood-burning stove, throwing off heat and lending a cozy ambience to the room. Edward was settled in his chair, enjoying the comfort provided by a piece of furniture that was nearly as old as Brian. He watched his wife for a few minutes as she made small talk with his mother and aunt, grateful for her ability to so easily do something that was so foreign and unnatural for him.
He tolerated visits from Aunt Connie with a lot more ease than he did visits from his mother, but when they came together his aunt had a way of insinuating her opinion about the strained relationship between mother and son and he couldn't say he appreciated it. Some things simply couldn't be mended but unfortunately that didn't stop her from trying. He knew she meant well; he just wished she wouldn't meddle.
His fingers unconsciously tapped out a rhythm against the side of his beer bottle, keeping time with the tune Eddie was playing on his new electric guitar. His youngest boy couldn't decide whether to stick with the electric or acoustic guitar and he continued switching between them. The kids had made out like little bandits, but as much of a hassle as it was to spend hours assembling and wrapping gifts every year, this was what made it all worthwhile. Sitting back and watching his kids enjoy their hard-earned presents.
His gaze shifted to Brian. His oldest and of course, the coolest if his opinion of himself was to be believed, had reacted to his own presents with the exuberance and enthusiasm of a child and it had brought tears to Julia's eyes. As soon as the boy had realized he wasn't acting like Mr. Cool he'd tried his best to cover, but he'd given his mother more happiness in those few minutes than he would ever know. He had donned the personalized Red Wings jersey he'd been given and now he was busy channel surfing. The new hockey skates he'd received were close by and every once in a while he'd reach out and his fingers would ghost over the protected blades.
He was contemplating tickets for an early April game at "The Joe" in Detroit when his thoughts were interrupted by his baby girl. Maggie was tugging on his hand, her wide blue eyes focused on him as she directed her question at him for what had to be the fourth or fifth time in the past two minutes or so.
"Daddy, is it time for me an' Puppy to wait in the kitchen with Miss Cindy for Michael an' Maria?"
"I'm sure you'll hear them knock when they get here, sweetie," Julia said with a smile.
"But Mama…" she trailed off as she shifted to resituate the yellow Labrador puppy and Miss Cindy.
"That's two of the young people staying with you?" Candace asked, the question directed at her son.
Edward sighed quietly. Even the attempt at making simple conversation grated on his nerves but he forced a smile and nodded. It was times like these when he really missed Julia's parents. He wasn't the type to enjoy big crowds, but having her parents around at Christmas had given him a buffer between him and his mother.
"Granma Candy," Maggie giggled, "you 'member I told you all 'bout Michael an' Maria."
"Oh, that's right, dear, you did, didn't you?" Candace smiled at her granddaughter's openness, regretting that she didn't that level of ease with her son and probably never would.
Edward relaxed back into his chair when his youngest picked up the conversation with the ease her mother approached such situations with. Well, he might not have Julia's parents around this year, but he did have six guests who would provide a nice buffer, he thought. His mind wandered to the next day, the much anticipated – if only for fathers – day after Christmas when things would fall back into a normal, quieter routine. Fishing trips with the boys and meals of leftovers he'd make that week, giving Julia a chance to rest a bit in the holiday aftermath. He took a drink of his beer, absentmindedly listening to Maggie go on and on about her Captain of the Guard and almost missing it when a sharp knock sounded on the kitchen door. He sat up straighter and glanced at his wife.
"I'll get that."
In spite of his longer legs and his desire to leave the room, Maggie managed to beat him to the door, her speed no doubt fueled by her excitement at introducing her new puppy to their guests, Michael in particular. She pulled the door open and before Michael had so much as gotten his foot over the threshold he had been attacked by a bundle of golden fur.
Puppy, as he would be known until a suitable name could be bestowed upon him, barked and growled at Michael. The puppy reared up on his back legs, his stocky body twisting slightly before his front paws landed on the floor at Michael's feet while his rump stuck up in the air. His tail snapped back and forth like an out of control windshield wiper as he growled and snapped at a shoestring.
"No, Puppy," Maggie scolded joyfully as she scooped him up off of the floor, "this's Michael an' he knows Santa."
But Puppy didn't seem to care about Michael's elevated status, making his opinion known when he leaned forward and nipped at the man's coat.
"Smart dog," Kyle muttered as he shoved his way past Michael, nudging him far enough out of the way that the rest of them could get inside. The mouthwatering scent of too many good things to name greeted them, carried on the warm air and welcoming them inside.
Michael ignored him in favor of crouching down to Maggie's level, soaking up her warmth and love when she launched herself into his arms for a hug. He gave Puppy a good rub and a scratch behind the ears when his wiggles of protest finally made his mistress move back. Between the jingle bells on the dog's red collar and the ones decorating the elf outfit she was wearing again it was hard to tell which of them was making the most noise. "Bet he's gonna be a good guard dog."
"Yeah, like you'd know a good guard dog if you ever saw one."
He just smirked at the grumbled words and shot a look at Kyle over his shoulder. "I'm thinkin' maybe we should get Isabel one. Somethin' that'd protect her at night, keep the boogeyman away."
If it weren't for the fact that Maggie was right in plain view Kyle would've flipped him off. But, as it was, they had a young audience so it'd have to wait. Instead, he turned and let his gaze wander over the veritable feast laid out on every available surface. The extra leaves had been added extending the tables' length and it was draped with a festive Christmas tablecloth and decorated with candles and some kind of greenery with flowers at its center. To the side another smaller table had been set up in a similar manner.
Max was helping Liz out of her coat when his gaze shifted to Isabel where she stood, taking it all in with a level of enjoyment that hadn't been there before. Oh, she'd enjoyed taking the helm for Christmas on the Lake and of course, overseeing the Christmas Eve festivities, but now there was a peacefulness in her that had been missing. He watched her reach out to Kyle, her hand resting briefly on his shoulder as she directed his attention to the Christmas-themed dinnerware and the mistletoe-shaped napkin rings that encircled the silverware next to each place setting. He had a feeling the guy couldn't care less about any of that, but his body language spoke volumes when he shifted slightly into her space at the contact.
"Isn't he just the most adorable puppy," Maria enthused as she joined her boyfriend and Maggie.
Puppy's nose traced a path along Maggie's arm, inhaling deeply every inch or so, snuffling loudly when he reached the bend in her elbow and burying his nose there. She giggled and hugged Puppy tighter for a moment before she stepped back, giving Michael room to rid himself of his winter gear.
"Looks like that letter to Santa paid off," he said as he leaned over to untie his boots.
Maggie's eyes widened as she nodded. "Santa left Puppy with Aunt Connie and Granma Candy. There was a box with shiny green paper and a big silver bow an' can you guess what was inside?"
"Hmm…" he pretended to think about it for a minute, smiling to himself at the impatient jingle of little elf feet. "Oh, I know." He glanced at her and winked. "Pooper scooper."
She laughed and shook her head with a long, drawn-out, "Noooo."
"You'd think Santa would've thought of that." He pursed his lips and tried again. "Oh, I know. I've got it this time. Flea collar."
"No!" she laughed even louder.
"I give up. What'd Santa leave in that big box with shiny green paper and a big silver bow?"
"Puppy food an' a note from Santa."
He stood and toed his boots off, placing them on the rug beneath the line of hooks where the others had already hung their winter gear and placed their boots, wondering how they'd managed to move so fast. He was straightening up when he heard footsteps and he turned to see Julia come into the kitchen. She was dressed in black jeans and a red sweater that really showed off the string of pearls hanging around her neck. He paid little attention to Isabel's comment about how lovely the woman looked with her new pearls, but as his searching gaze moved to Maria, seeking his own less recent gift of pearl earrings, he caught sight of Edward's chest puffing up with pride at a well chosen gift and he could relate to that feeling. Okay, technically he hadn't picked them out, but he was the one who had given them to her.
"Dinner's all ready," Julia said, her cheeks still showing off the slight blush that had graced them in response to the memory of Edward gifting her with the pearls. "We're just gonna let the turkey rest before carving it up. Why don't you come into the living room for a few minutes?"
"Why's the turkey resting?" Michael muttered to Maria. The stupid thing couldn't be tired. It was dead and roasted.
Maggie giggled and pressed Miss Cindy into the crook of his arm. "You're so funny, Michael."
"Oh, yeah," Kyle said with a roll of his eyes, "he's a real riot."
She shot an odd look at Kyle before looking back up at Michael, smiling when she saw him shift Miss Cindy deeper into the crook of his arm. "C'mon, I can interduce you to Granma Candy an' Aunt Connie."
Maria slid her hand into his and rubbed his arm when she felt the tension thrumming through him in spite of the smile he gave his little admirer. She knew he wouldn't like going in and meeting more new people, knew how much he'd rather be back at the cabin going over their plan to leave the next morning, and overseeing everyone's packing to make sure they were ready on time. But while she had no doubt he was mentally doing all of that, he was making this effort for his friends, his family, and one very special little girl.
She knew how much he appreciated everything the Stevens family had done for them, but this was seriously pushing him out of his comfort zone. Just spending the day amongst themselves, with only the six of them, could sometimes push the limits of his tolerance for gatherings of any kind, so add in their hosts and now a grandmother and an aunt and he was ready to rush the closest exit. She had a feeling he'd settle a bit during dinner as long as the attention wasn't focused on him, so she hoped Julia was right and it wouldn't be but a few minutes before they sat down at the tables that were dressed for the feast.
Michael caught the smile on his girlfriend's face, felt her fingers moving on his arm and keeping time with the music coming from the living room. He doubted she even knew she was doing it. Music spoke to her the way paint and charcoal called to an artist. It was ingrained in her soul and one way or another it demanded an outlet so that it could simply be. It was some Christmas song that she no doubt knew by heart but the moment they stepped into the room and the little bundle of raging hormones noticed her, the tune quickly switched to something a little more suited for a boy Eddie's age.
He could appreciate the music choice as the boy settled into Nothing Else Matters by Metallica and he almost laughed at the shocked and confused look on the face of the older woman standing next to him. Has to be Grandma, he thought with an internal snort. She looked down at what was probably sheet music, frowning in consternation as she studied it. He could even appreciate the fact that the kid obviously had good taste in the opposite sex, but that was as far as his appreciation of the boy's attentions toward Maria went.
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Kyle watched his friends as they sat around the table, more animated than usual as they talked and laughed. It was good to see them all so relaxed. Even Michael was more relaxed than normal, which was fairly unusual, but given the atmosphere and their friends' moods, it made sense. He knew him well enough to see the underlying signs of impatience that he was keeping a lid on in an effort to prolong their joy for the duration of the evening, but he was also ready to go. He could only imagine how foreign this was to his friend, but it spoke volumes that he was willing to endure it for the rest of them. Maria mostly, he conceded, but he was fine with that.
Michael had looked ready to bolt not long after they'd arrived, his discomfort notched up several levels as he was hit with introductions to the kids' grandmother and aunt, quickly followed by the presentation of filled stockings complete with new scarves and hats, and right after that had been the gift of luggage that had been brought by for them earlier by Big Dave. Apparently Mrs. Tony had gotten wind of what they'd done for the community and she'd insisted the man give them anything they might need. Thanks to Edward, their luggage situation – or the lack thereof, had become known to the storekeeper and he'd seen an opportunity to unload it.
Oh, the girls had expressed their appreciation for the fine gifts and he could only commend the ability of the fairer sex to gush over receiving a well-intentioned gift that they wouldn't give to their worst enemy. The luggage itself was certainly appreciated, it was just the fact that it looked like something he'd seen Grandpa hauling around as he followed Grandma into the house on one of their visits when he was little. He had a feeling the luggage would be getting a makeover the second they pulled out of the driveway.
His gaze shifted to Maria, not missing the way she reached over to place her hand on Michael's arm. The touches calmed him and seemed to soothe her at the same time. It was amazing to him how far they had come from the unstable relationship they'd had in the beginning. Just a few short weeks ago he wouldn't have seen this coming. It had been unspoken that they were together but not together. There was an ease between them now, an acceptance that hadn't been there before and it looked good on them.
He turned his head to look at Max and Liz, chuckling when he saw them talking quietly, their heads close together. She blushed lightly at something he said and pushed her shoulder into his chest but there was a smile on their faces. It was good to see that things between them were finally settling into something resembling normal. When things were right with the two of them the rest of them had to suffer with the overly-sentimental, romantic, and toothache-inducing sweetness that suffused their relationship, but even he would admit that he'd rather deal with that than the painful silences and distance that had been there for so long.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Julia came over to the table with a large baking dish that she placed before Edward. He sighed quietly at the familiar scent of cheesy potatoes complete with crumpled bacon on top wafted past him as she peeled the foil cover off. She patted her husband's shoulder and pressed a kiss to the top of his head before backing away to retrieve one last dish. The scent was as enticing as it was nauseating and he had to swallow down the urge to excuse himself from the table.
He didn't hate Christmas… exactly. But there were other holidays that he'd much rather celebrate. New Years' Eve for one, now there was a holiday he could get behind. Kick back on the couch and watch Rudolph's Shiny New Year with a beautiful blonde hybrid. Or the Fourth of July with beer and fireworks out on the lake. It might not be the most ambitious of ideas, but right now he'd take either of them over the feast laid out before him.
He was pulled out of his musings when Maggie started chattering to Michael and he forced himself to listen, hoping it would shove down the memories that were trying to surface once again.
"When Big Dave came over to bring your big present Mrs. Dayna and Michelle came too an' she brought her new puppy. He's black and she named him Coal." The little girl's eyes twinkled and she giggled as she continued. "He's Puppy's brother an' Santa brought him for Michelle. Oh, an' guess why she named him Coal, Michael!"
As always, he noticed that any time the guy interacted with the little girl he relaxed to a certain degree. Michael stopped with a serving spoon piled high with homemade mashed potatoes halfway between his plate and the bowl so he could look at her. He had to applaud anyone who could actually get the guy to so much as pause when he was fixing a plate or eating.
Michael shot a small smile at Maria before looking over at Maggie where she sat at the smaller table with her brothers in spite of her numerous attempts to convince her mother she should be allowed to sit at the big table with the grownups. "Just a guess, but is it because he's the same color as the coal Santa leaves in the stockings of kids who aren't on the nice list?"
"Guessing you'd know all about that," Kyle muttered under his breath and then jerked back when the comment earned him a kick under the table that would leave a bruise for certain.
Kyle rolled his eyes when Maggie grinned and nodded, oblivious to the fact that her knowledgeable hero had just kicked the hell out of him. A very un-Santa-like behavior he was sure. He was leaning over to rub his leg as unobtrusively as possible when Julia returned with one last dish that she placed in the empty spot in front of Michael.
Whoever said revenge was a dish best served cold couldn't have been more wrong, he thought when he saw the sickly green tint that momentarily passed across Michael's features at the sight of green bean casserole. Personally he hated it, but based on the look on his good friend's face, his dislike of the stuff went so much deeper. It didn't matter how anyone cooked it or how they dressed it up, to him it was always gonna look like something a camel with a bad sinus infection coughed up. "Wow, Julia, I have to admit I'm not a big fan of that particular casserole, but you have just made Michael's Christmas! He was just saying earlier that he was really gonna miss that this year and here you've gone and made it. Will you look at that, buddy?" His eyebrows did a little forehead dance as he nodded, enjoying the rare opportunity to have the upper hand.
"Julia, you've done enough work, woman," Edward said as he reached for her hand and gave it a small tug. "Sit down and let's eat."
Julia allowed him to urge her into her seat. "Say grace and afterwards I'll just grab the rolls so they're nice and hot, right out of the oven."
In spite of their silent war, Kyle and Michael exchanged a look as everyone around the table bowed their heads respectfully while Edward said grace. He could remember his grandma always insisting that his grandpa said grace before meals, but it hadn't really been practice in his own home unless his grandparents had been visiting. He knew without asking that it had never been a part of Michael's upbringing so it was just one more foreign concept to endure as they celebrated Christmas with the Stevens family.
Afterwards while Julia went to get the rolls Edward stood to carve the turkey. He shifted things to make room, sliding the dish of cheesy potatoes over to rest directly in front of Kyle's plate and he reached for the platter holding the large turkey. He nodded when Brian showed up at his elbow with his plate, reminding him that he wanted one of the legs. It wasn't long before Eddie showed up on his other side insisting that he wanted the other one. He quickly placed the legs on the boys' plates and sent them back to their table, uninterested in listening to them bicker over which one could eat an entire turkey leg the fastest. He glanced at Kyle and used the carving knife to motion to the potatoes. "Go ahead and serve yourself."
"I think I'll just have mashed potatoes and gravy," Kyle said with a shake of his head. He wasn't sure he could stomach the others, not today.
Edward nodded and went back to carving. "Dark or white?"
"Ham, I'll just have ham."
"Figured you for a turkey man." He glanced up from the turkey to smile at his guest, turning deftly to slide a few slivers of thinly cut white meat onto Maggie's plate when she appeared next to him.
It was stupid how a conversation about turkey and cheesy potatoes was turning his stomach into a knotted mess. "Would you mind if I just stepped outside for a minute?" He tugged at his collar.
Isabel turned to look at him. "Kyle?"
He shook his head. "I'm fine, just a little warm." He rested a hand on her shoulder, unaware of the fine tremors racing through his frame. "I'll be back in just a few minutes." Before anyone could stop him or call him back he grabbed his coat and stepped out onto the porch. He rubbed his hands together and moved to the furthest end so that he was out of view, closing his eyes and lowering his head so that his mouth and nose were buried in the upturned collar of his coat so he could breathe in deeply.
"You've got to let this go."
His head turned sharply and he stared in wonder. He couldn't stop his hand from reaching out and trying to touch his fallen friend. "I knew she could see you," he whispered hoarsely and jerked his hand back when it moved right through Alex.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Kyle."
"I carried you and put you in that car!" he hissed. "You're dead because of…" He'd never said it out loud, but somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind, part of him had always wondered if he'd been strong enough to resist her mind games if Alex could've been saved.
"Because of you?" Alex shook his head. "Not because of you. I was dead before you ever even came into the picture that night. What Tess did to you is unforgiveable."
"What she did to me?" he asked incredulously. "Alex, I'm not the one who's dead!"
"No, you're not. You had some good memories that she was a part of and I know her betrayal tainted everything associated with her, but don't let it take your enjoyment of certain things away from you. You have every right to be in there eating the things you like and enjoying the company of your family and friends. If you let her take that away from you she wins and if there's one thing you can do for me, it's enjoy life's little pleasures without letting her memory suck the joy out of them just because she was there." He smiled sadly. "That and take care of Isabel."
"I can only promise to try as far as the first thing."
"You're doing a good job with the second," Alex assured him. "You complement each other well and in ways you haven't even dreamed of." He chuckled when Kyle's surprised gaze flew up to meet his. "No, I haven't intruded on your dreams and believe me when I tell you I'll steer clear of any inclinations I should ever have to do so." He reached out to place his hand on his friend's shoulder, turning him back towards the door. "Go on, they're worried about you and it's your Christmas too."
Kyle glanced down at the hand resting on his shoulder, amazed when he could feel Alex's grip for a moment. "How is it you're not resentful, Alex?"
He shrugged. "You're all alive and safe. It's not ideal, it's not what any of you ever saw in your futures," he chuckled and amended, "well, Michael may have seen something similar. The point is you're safe and you're heading into a future that while uncertain has so much potential you can't even imagine it yet. You're good about giving your friends advice, but sometimes you have to take it too."
"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" he asked cautiously.
"No. I was gone before you put me in the car, Kyle. I was too far gone at that point for Max to bring me back. Nothing that happened that night rests on your shoulders. The blame belongs to Tess and nothing will ever change that. They don't blame you for anything that happened that night." He shook his head. "I don't, they don't, and most importantly Isabel doesn't. Now go on before you end up having Christmas dinner out here on the porch."
Kyle chuckled and took a couple of steps before he turned to say something else but the spot where Alex had stood moments before was empty. He shoved his hands deeper into his coat pockets and stared out into the darkness. He buried his nose in his collar again and drew a deep shuddering breath as he closed his eyes and whispered a grateful thank you into the cold Christmas night.
Alex wasn't dead because of him.
He turned and went back inside, waving a hand to let Isabel know he was alright when she started to rise from her chair. Dinner was well underway and he quickly shed his outerwear and slipped back into his own chair, smiling when he saw that his plate had been covered with tin foil to keep the food warm. He glanced at Isabel and nodded. "Thanks," he whispered. He looked at the cheesy potatoes that had been put on his plate as he picked up his fork and after a moment he speared a bite and lifted it. This one's for you, Alex. He was expecting the potatoes to taste familiar, but while they were cheesy potatoes with bacon that was where their similarity to those he had always favored ended.
He dug into his meal with a renewed interest and he shrugged when he caught the look Michael shot in his direction. It was one of those looks that expressed concern and annoyance all rolled into one. It was an expressly Michael look, but it settled in response to his indication that he was okay. The others managed to keep the conversation rolling around the table and the focus quickly turned to different topics and left him to eat with a feeling of peace that he hadn't felt in a while.