AN: I know this is a while from the Entangled series but I was going to post it closer to the holidays and was taking my time writing it. This takes place maybe a month or two after the end of Entangled III :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing, like normal
Last night on Christmas Eve they had Hayley, Harold, Shaw, and Fusco over for their own mini Christmas bash. She forced John, Taylor, and Simon into horrendous Christmas sweaters on purpose and all three of her boys whined nonstop through the night about taking them off. She did so enjoy embarrassing her boys, especially John, in front of everyone. Simon was allowed out of his much earlier than the two grownups. Hayley got a kick out of the ugly sweaters, taking photos of Taylor in his with his little brother and posted them to her Facebook. Taylor complained he could never show his face to their friends again. But once they had gone through all the jokes they could, she let them out of them and she had never seen John and Taylor change so quickly in her life.
Dinner had been takeout, they all talked or played on Simon's XBOX One, and then gift giving had been an experience in itself. Harold was banned for life from purchasing any single one of them presents because the man had given them about a lifetime worth of presents in one damned night! Harold had given her boy and his girlfriend, Hayley, a ten thousand dollar check each for a shopping spree, apologizing as he didn't know what teenagers liked. Then sprung it on the kids that he set up a trust so they could go to any college they desired, the kids cried before they had hugged Harold so hard she thought they were going to crush his bones. Simon had wondered what was wrong with 'Hee-lee' and T.
Then it was Simon's turn to be overloaded as he opened his gifts from Uncle Harold which were toys galore. Thank god they had made up a completely different list for the billionaire so he couldn't buy the same toys for Simon as her and John. But the most beloved toy to Simon was a tricycle with TMNT decals. Simon begged John to take him outside to play with it. But it had snowed so her husband decided to let their son use the damn thing in the house! She kept repeating; boys will be boys, in her head over and over again while she glared at John. But Simon's laughter as he tried to 'catch' daddy was too cute to put a stop to it.
Finch decided to surprise the adults in the room with brand new cars which left them a little speechless, as he was like their own personal Oprah Winfrey. He tailored his choosing in their cars in their personalities. She got a red Jaguar XF which was expensive but she loved it. Shaw got a speedy yellow Aston Martin, Fusco got a blue BMW convertible, and John was given a silver Mercedes-Benz S Class Coupe. Her kid was stoked that he would get to have John's barely used old one and she gave hers to Hayley as they needed reliable transportation for school.
After Finch played Santa everyone was kind of in a need to dial it back. So as they exchanged gifts she realized her, John, and Fusco all had the same idea; giftcards. But not Shaw, no, hers were all gag gifts. Aunt Shaw had chosen the exact moment during her gift giving time to pick up Simon so no one could kill her since she used Simon as a shield. Joss still had the urge to skin her alive for the box of glow-in-the-dark condoms she gave her son and Hayley received Trojans that were tailored for her pleasure! The teens had laughed while Joss tried to figure out the right way to murder Shaw.
The only gift that wasn't sexual was Simon's, thank god. Simon received a set of expensive toy guns, claiming that if he wanted to kneecap like his daddy when he was older then he had to start shooting guns even if they were toys. Harold and Fusco received coupons to Here's Titties for half off on a lap-dance, which Shaw claimed was a score because the place was stupid pricy.
She had been next in line to receive the 'Shaw's Gift of Horrors' and promptly tried to hide the adults' only board game she received from the little sex freak from Simon who wanted to play. John looked ready to throttle her as they had to sidetrack Simon. And for John he received a prescription for Cialis so he was ready when he needed to be for her. Needless to say they wanted to kill their friend and they all agreed to never exchange gifts with one another ever again, leaving it just to the kids.
After their friends finally managed to leave, Taylor had left to escort Hayley home and Joss and John tried their level best at getting Simon to go to bed so Santa could come. But Simon wouldn't relax because he wanted to see Santa, so by the time Taylor came back home Simon wanted T to play with him while they waited. Taylor had tried to run Simon ragged to get the boy to fall asleep. Finally the miracle happened and sleep beckoned their precious boy and Simon fell asleep, so they could put out presents and with the amount of gifts they had purchased for Simon, Taylor, and one another it took nearly an hour, even with Taylor helping.
And they just finished.
Joss leaned against John's back with her arms wrapped around his midsection as they stumbled into their bedroom. "God, Joss, getting Simon tired enough to sleep so we could put the presents out from Santa is nearly worse than boot-camp, it's nearly 5 AM." John muttered as he eyed the alarm clock on the distant nightstand. She chuckled as she reluctantly let go of him so they could change into her pajamas.
"Pajamas, John." she muttered when he went to get into bed in his underwear. Joss flung him the Christmas pajama pants she specifically bought him and he glared at the horrendous pjs. He tugged them on and she smiled as they collapsed into bed.
"Hopefully Simon sleeps in till noon." John admitted. He was tired. It was fun having Christmas but who knew that a child just wouldn't go to sleep because of some fake person coming baring gifts?!
She snorted. "I don't think so. I say we get an hour tops." She admitted, before exhaustion overtook them both and they fell asleep.
John felt a tap on his arm which stirred him to life. And the moment that happened he heard Simon's tiny voice.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy," the incessant chant was accompanied by impatient taps on his hand. John lifted one eye peering at Simon whose little face greeted back at him. His blue eyes sparkled, he had a large grin on his little face and he began bouncing. "Santa, daddy," he squealed as he pointed to the door.
Joss yawned. "Go wake up your brother, Simon," she suggested, her voice rough from sleep. John reluctantly opened his eyes as Simon squealed running for the door yelling for Taylor. "That should buy us some time to lay here for a couple more minutes," she muttered.
He rolled over to look at his wife. "What time is it?" he asked, closing his eyes.
"Five forty-five A.M."
He groaned. "We just went to bed forty-five minutes ago." He yawned heavily. "New rule next year, no getting up before the sun comes out," he grumbled burying his head under his pillow.
"It is Simon's first Christmas, John. We knew this was going to happen," Joss reasoned as she slowly sat up. "I need coffee," she sighed and then smiled at John who was hiding beneath pillows and blankets. She reached under the blankets, grabbing him. "Rise and shine, John." She raked her fingers across his sides, he grabbed at hers trying to shove them away.
"No," he said sounding close to laughter. She burrowed closer to him, pulling her hands free to tickle him. He lifted his head, sending the pillow falling to the floor. He easily pinned her hands to the mattress. "You're lucky Simon will be here any second," he whispered huskily, kissing her soundly before rolling over and sitting up. She got to her knees to wrap her arms around his neck, rest her chest against his bare back, and laid her chin on her arms.
"Hmmm, more like you are lucky," she purred in his ear before kissing his cheek. He grabbed her arms and hefted her up on his back. She laughed as he turned. Simon was back, holding a groggy Taylor's hand. "Merry Christmas," Joss said as John let her slip down to her feet, and she walked from behind him.
"Merry Christmas!" and then all sleepiness fled as Taylor escorted Simon down the stairs while John and Joss followed, slower, as she tugged on a robe and John tugged on an undershirt to wear.
Simon's ecstatic squeal brought smiles to the adults' faces as he took in the living room. Under the large artificial tree were tons of presents, so much so that the presents spilled out all over the living room. There were several for Taylor, him and Joss, but most of the presents were for Simon.
"Look at what Santa brought you Simon," Taylor said and Simon was bouncing in happiness but suddenly it was gone as he whirled around with tears welling up in his eyes.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Joss wondered softly as she got down to his level, as he wrapped his arms around her neck, now crying. She looked at John worried, why was he crying? He should be happy and he had been just a second ago. She listened to him whimper, cry, and say something about Santa forgetting them. "Just bless his little soul." She lifted up with him in her arms, letting him cry it out gently rubbing his back.
"What's wrong?" John asked as Simon immediately lunged for him, still crying, and John took him into his arms.
She smiled as she shook her head still rubbing his back soothingly. "Simon baby, look at momma," she commanded softly as she leaned into John's shoulder with Taylor standing next to her. Simon sniffled as he lifted his head out of John's neck, tears falling down his face.
"Santa didn't forget T, momma, or daddy. Santa brought us presents too."
"He-did?" he whispered, hiccupping.
"Yes," she assured with a sweet kiss to his cheek. "I promise you, baby, Santa didn't forget us." He nodded his head, the tears drying up, and the smile was back. John weaved around the presents sitting down on the couch, before plopping Simon lightly on his butt on the floor.
But Simon immediately popped back onto his feet, climbing onto John's lap, choosing his seat to open presents. Taylor flopped down beside John, yawning. Joss decided she had been unofficially elected the person that handed out presents, which was fine by her, she enjoyed getting to have that job. She selected a small box for Simon and a small present for Taylor. Simon ripped into the wrapping paper much slower than Taylor who had already opened his present, oohing about the movie they got him. They waited and waited for Simon to finally peel enough paper off the box to see that it was a new TMNT action figure.
"Yay, tuttles!" he squealed and handed it to John to open.
"Hold on Simon, you have like a million more presents to open," Joss said, picking up the small box putting it on the floor beside them. She handed one to John, Taylor, and Simon before picking one up for herself. The special ones were placed behind the Christmas tree to be opened last.
They went through opening presents slowly, oohing and awing at what Santa brought Simon. He had gotten a ton of toys but they had also purchased him new clothes too. Taylor had gotten video games, movies, and some new clothes himself. She had gotten perfume from John and Taylor, Taylor got her favorite, while John had purchased a new scent that smelled amazing. She had gotten a new flat iron from her kid, John had gotten her a spa day that sounded divine.
John had been extremely hard to buy for, both her and her kid had gone out together while he was stuck on bed rest, without a clue as to what to buy a man that didn't want anything. So they had gotten him a bunch of gag gifts at first, some cologne but ultimately found a good gift to give the man as their final gift. It was a collaborative gift from her and Taylor while the gift she got from Simon was specifically from the baby.
The presents dwindled and soon they were left with the special ones. She and John had gotten Taylor a custom made portrait of him and Hayley from a picture she took of the two teens a couple months previously. She knew her son found the woman he would marry eventually, so, may as well show that they welcomed Hayley into the family. Taylor had been touched and loved the portrait so much and he was going to hang it in their bedroom at the apartment they were going to share together while going to college.
Simon's special gift was just a really expensive toy. He was too young to get into the sentimental gifts and next year's they decided to get the boy a puppy. Taylor gave Joss his special present which was the most beautiful sweater ever imagined. She couldn't wait to wear it. Her boy knew how to spoil her.
Joss watched John lead Simon to the tree to grab his special gift to momma. He grabbed the present and handed it to Simon. "Give your present to momma," John murmured. Simon carried the present that was about half his size over to her.
She smiled as she took it and him into her arms. "You'll help momma open it," she murmured as she sat Simon on her lap and the present in his. She began opening the present with little help from Simon. She frowned when she found a brown box, eyeing John who had to put whatever gift he got her from Simon in it. Thankfully there wasn't too much tape and she easily got the box open. "What did my sweet boy get me?" she asked as she pulled out something hard.
Joss smiled as she eyed the large plaster heart with Simon's name and his footprints and handprints. Her eyes misted over. "It's precious. Thank you Simon, I love it." she hugged her son hard, sniffing as the tears slipped down her cheeks.
"I knew she'd cry," John murmured and she glared at him.
Well it was their turn now to turn John into a puddle of mush since she knew that her husband was a giant marshmallow on the inside.
"Come on Simon let's give daddy your present to him," she suggested as she slid the beautiful gift from Simon on top of her sweater from her other son. She stood up with Simon in her arms and carried him to the tree before setting him on his feet. Simon crawled to grab the small present she pointed to and then ran to John. "Now, John, Simon chose this for you all by himself," she said as she turned around to watch John and Simon. Taylor stood up and hurried over, grabbing his cell phone to snap a picture.
John took the present. "Is that true, Simon?"
The little boy nodded his head, "Yea." Joss eyed Taylor as Simon bounced on the balls of his feet while he watched John open the gift from him before climbing onto John. Simon had fallen in love with John from the moment he picked him up out of that godforsaken closet and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that John fell in love with Simon then too. These two were meant to be father and son.
John got to a small box and he eyed Joss, then Simon, before he opened the box and stared. Inside it were Sterling Silver dog-tags which were engraved on the front with 'Father' and on the other it had Simon's picture with his name engraved on it. She made sure it had Simon Davis Warren prominently displayed. John looked up and she saw what it meant to him as it was written all over his face.
"I love it, Simon." Simon smiled so wide at daddy's happiness. He hugged Simon hard and whispered he loved him. Joss smiled as she leaned her head against her son's shoulder as they heard Simon's little voice tell daddy he loved him too.
Her son snapped a couple photos of them which made her intensely happy. "Now it's our turn to further turn him into a puddle of mush, Tay," she whispered as she gave John a private moment with Simon as he held Simon who snuggled into the embrace. Taylor grinned as they grabbed the present that coincided with Simon's gift.
Joss and Taylor walked over and she slid next to John and Taylor on the other side as Simon helped put the dog tags around daddy's neck. "One last present John." she commented. "It's from me and Taylor."
"Sorry love, I have one for you too that's just from me and not the boys," he said.
She frowned. "I thought we said no gift giving," she demanded. John's look pointedly fell to the gift she was holding. "Nu-uh, this is from me AND Taylor, it doesn't count." Besides that, it didn't actually cost all that much, it was more sentimental value than anything.
Taylor laughed. "It was your idea, mom, because John is hard to buy for," he pointed out and she glared at him.
"Hush you."
"Joss, I'm giving you my gift."
She frowned and was going to get back at him for buying her a gift when he said no gift giving. She didn't recall seeing any gift he got her, she would know as she could sniff gifts out a mile away, but for the life of her she had no idea what he got her. But she concentrated on giving John his gift and then figure out what he got her.
John slowly opened his present from them because Simon was hanging onto him. Joss ran her fingers through her baby's soft hair while she watched John open his final gift. John opened the box and she heard his breath hitch. It was a small wallet size portrait of her, Taylor, and Simon.
"Taylor and I knew that material possessions don't mean much to you and we wanted to give you something that you could always carry with you to know your family is always going to be there for you no matter what," Joss said.
"I love it and I love you three very much," John said quietly, eyes misty, and she leaned over and he kissed her warmly on the lips. He pulled back before hugging Taylor and her son held onto John for dear life.
John sat up and let Simon slide from his lap to cuddle next to Taylor before getting to his feet. He smiled as he walked away and Joss grew especially suspicious as he came back with a big box that she recalled seeing Harold bring last night. She hadn't remembered it until now. The box was big and she figured it had been for Simon until it disappeared. Now she knew why she hadn't been able to sniff out this gift from John, he had Finch hang on to it for him!
"My present to you, my love," John said quietly as he handed her the big box one handed.
Joss eyed the present suspiciously as she took it. It was a large box and she rattled it. "What's in it?" she demanded from her husband and he just grinned at her.
"There is one way to find out, darling, open it."
She grumbled as she looked over to her sons who were sitting on the couch watching them then back to her husband who was still looking at her innocently. She again rattled it but this time near her ear. It was light and as she shook it she didn't hear much of anything inside it.
She slowly looked down to the gift and started opening it, hexing her husband the entire time. She ripped into the mountain of wrapping paper knowing for damn sure that John had wrapped the damn thing himself. He had used too much wrapping paper and tape. She finally managed to get through the heaping piles of tape and paper to find a large brown box taped shut. Her son offered to go get a knife for her and she glared holes at John who merely smiled. Once her son was back she resumed trying to open the gift. It took her a minute to get into the box and she rummaged through the big box.
"John, there is nothing in this thing," she muttered.
"There's not?—are you sure, check again." John said pointing to the box and she glared at him as she looked down and rummaged through the mountain of tissue paper inside the apparently empty box.
"John, I don't see anything."
She looked up and blinked when John was kneeling at her feet. He was smiling so warmly and she looked down to his hand. "I know because I was holding it the entire time." he murmured. She stared at what he held in his fingers. It was a ring. She swallowed hard, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her life, and had to be expensive. "I know you said you didn't need a ring to know that I love you or to symbolize that we are married. But I wanted to give you a ring anyway, not a wedding ring, but something more special to you."
Joss felt him take her left hand and slowly slide the ring onto her finger. Her vision blurred as she eyed it seeing it had a row of Taylor's birthstones, Simon's, and one of John's.
"I love it." she whispered as she stared at the sparkling ring on her finger before looking up at John, sitting forward and kissing him. If she didn't have an audience, she was in the mood for something else at this moment but that could be later so she limited herself to a tender and sweet kiss.
"Hide your eyes Simon, momma and daddy are kissing," Taylor teased.
Simon giggled as he bashfully hid his eyes behind his hands and watched them through the cracks of his fingers.
She sat back as she laughed and cried. "I love you even if I'm mad at you for making me cry," she said as he rubbed her tears away.
"I love you, Joss. I love this life that you gave me with Simon and Taylor. I will treasure it for the rest of my life."
"And I will too," she agreed sentimentally.
Taylor took his cue at that to pick Simon up and meander over to the grownups at the sofa chair. He crouched down onto his knees and they circled one another into a large group hug and held on for a long while.
AN: Sorry for the long mushy story but I had to give Simon, John, Joss, and Taylor a fun little end to the Entangled III story. I do have another story for the Entangled Series but it will be just a oneshot which might set up a future big story, who knows. But that story that's coming might make ravenhusker happy :D
Thanks for being patient and reading this XOXOXOXOXOXOX