Remembering The Past
Title: Remembering the Past (A Christmas Ficlet)
Author: mlady_rebecca ( mlady_rebecca @ livejournal . com )
Fandom: Anita Blake
Type: Ficlet
Disclaimer: I don't own any of LKH's wonderful characters. Just borrowing them for a few moments. For entertainment purposes only.
Rating: PG-13?
Pairing: none
Spoilers: none
Written: 12/02/2004
Author's note: Includes a flashback/ memory scene.
Archive: http://home.comcast.net/~mlady_rebecca/ab_fics.html
It was Christmas Eve. The night was clear and crisp. The moon was nearly full. A new snow covered the world in glittery white.
Nathaniel inhaled the scent of pine. His gaze fell on the tree branch he had found in the empty Christmas tree lot. It had been left behind. He remembered a cartoon where a little boy had picked out the scrawniest tree in the lot. The lonely branch reminded him of that tree. Nathaniel pulled out a lock of hair and wound it around the branch, before planting his tree in a snow drift.
He was cold and lonely and terribly sober. Even the dealers found someone to spend Christmas with. The closest he had gotten to Christmas cheer was the john in the Santa suit that wanted him to dress up like an elf. At least he smelled clean. He even gave Nathaniel a candy cane.
Nathaniel sucked on the peppermint stick as he drew random patterns in the snow. He didn't like being sober. He heard his brother's laughter in his head. At least his brother was laughing tonight. Usually he was crying out in pain. Only the drugs would drown out the pain.
Nathaniel huddled deeper into the worn quilt. "Merry Christmas, Nicholas!" he whispered, before drifting off to sleep.
*******
It was Christmas Eve. The night was clear and crisp. The moon was nearly full. A new snow covered the world in glittery white. Nathaniel inhaled the scent of pine as he gazed across the snow covered lawn to the welcoming tree line. Part of him, his beast, wanted to escape into the woods. To run free.
Footsteps echoed behind him. Anita wrapped a warm handmade quilt around his shoulders, before wrapping her arms around his waist. She lay her head against his back.
"Why are you out here in the cold? The rest of the pard is here. Zane is inside spiking the eggnog you made. Jason and Gregory are singing Christmas carols. They are a bit off key."
"Sounds wonderful."
He turned in Anita's arms and looked down into her dark eyes. "Thank you for letting me decorate for Christmas. For agreeing to have everyone over."
"You're welcome." She tugged on the quilt. "Now come in and enjoy the party."
"I'll be in in a minute."
Anita hurried back into the house, hugging herself to drive back the cold. Nathaniel watched the gathering through the window. Cherry and Zane were dancing in front of the Christmas tree. He watched Anita settle down on the couch leaning back into Micah's embrace. The spot on the other side of the couch was empty. His spot. He finally had a home and a family again.
On his way back to the house, he found a pine branch lying in the snow. He pulled a lock of hair free and wound it around the branch before planting it in a snow drift. "Merry Christmas, Nicholas!" he whispered, before going back in to join his new family.