Title: If Only In My Dreams A/N: This story is a Secret Santa Christmas present for I 3 Thursdays on the JelloForever Forum. It was beta'd by the lovely Tromana. (Thank ya, ma'am for all your hard work!) It is a five chapter story, and I hope y'all enjoy it!
Author: Divinia Serit
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing them!
Prompts: Lisbon Hurt/Comfort, Something Good (The Sound of Music)
Chapter One
Tidbits of wrapping paper littered the floor while half-full champagne glasses were scattered around file covered desks. Crumbs covered various surfaces, and a half-eaten snowman cookie lay in a crumpled napkin. The crooning voice of Frank Sinatra lightly echoed throughout the room originating from the CD player tucked away in a forgotten corner. A small Christmas tree twinkled in another corner, each ornament featuring a black and white mug shot of each agent. Someone had been creative with the decorations this year.
She had volunteered to clean up, so that the others could get home to their families. Minelli protested, arguing that she had taken the duty the last three years in a row. She raised an eyebrow and asked if his wife was waiting for him. He huffed a response knowing she was dead on, as usual. This year he was taking his granddaughters to the candlelight Christmas Eve service and he didn't want to be late. Placing his hand on the shoulder of his favorite agent, he pulled her into an unexpected hug.
"Merry Christmas, Lisbon," he said gruffly before leaving the building.
A melancholic smile crossed her face as the rest of the agents left the office rushing home to crackling fireplaces, warm mugs of hot chocolate, and loving families. A few, of course, dashed off to the nearest store to urgently purchase that last minute gift. She realized that even Jane had left while she swept the remaining food into a large trash bag. She hoped that he wouldn't wallow in self-pity, but she wasn't sure where else he would go or what kind of plans he had. Then she wondered why that bothered her so much. She collected the remaining glasses and poured the contents down the sink, watching as the bubbling liquid sparkled on the stainless steel. The faint strains of 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' carried into the small break room and she paused for a second. Singing along softly, she continued to pick up the trash that had been tossed haphazardly by excited agents that had acted like children at the thought of presents.
Glancing around the empty office, she heaped the overflowing trash bags in the corner for the cleaning crew to pick up later. Picking up an unopened bottle of wine that had been stashed in a cabinet, she grabbed a clean glass and headed towards Jane's couch. She laughed mirthlessly at the thought. When had she started to think of the couch as Jane's? Settling into the soft leather, she poured herself a glass of wine. She closed her eyes at the tart taste as it trickled down her throat before opening her eyes to watch the sparkling lights that reflected around the office.
It wouldn't hurt for the decorations to stay up a few more days she decided as she swirled the wine in her glass around. There was something strangely hypnotic about Christmas decorations. They filled her with a sense of peace and she wasn't quite ready to go home to her dark house just yet. She had stopped decorating long ago; she hardly saw the point when she rarely had the time to enjoy them, let alone put them up and take them down. She had mailed her brothers and their families presents weeks ago, and she already had two small boxes labeled 'Do not open till Christmas!' resting on her kitchen table.
Draining the glass, she slowly stood up and gave the room one last once over. It would be presentable enough for the skeleton crew working the holiday shift. She flicked off the lights, locked a few doors, and headed to the stairwell. Wrapping her jacket tighter around her, she buried her hands in the pockets and strolled to her car. It was a clear night and the stars dotted the velvet sky. The streetlights cast an ethereal glow on the sidewalks and the scent of pine wafted throughout the air as her footsteps echoed across the pavement. Her breath came out in smoky wisps and she was hit with the memory of trying to puff out different shapes while chasing her brothers around the yard.
With a heavy sigh, she slid into her car and cranked it up letting the heat warm her chilled hands. Leaning her forehead against the steering wheel, she debated what to do when she got home. She had a couple of frozen dinners left over that would be easy to heat up, and the elderly woman who lived next door had brought her some ham, green beans, and homemade bread the day before. Maybe she'd watch an old movie - she was feeling especially partial to Julie Andrews lately. There was nothing like Maria and the Captain to whisk away her thoughts to the mountains and hills and focus on someone else's happiness for a change.
Her breath caught in her throat and she wondered what would happen if she actually had someone to come home to. Maybe next year she'd try and get a few days off to spend the holidays with her brothers. She was proud of how they had all created new family traditions and memories, even if she hadn't been able to create any for herself. Quickly wiping her eyes, she turned on the radio and pulled out of the parking lot. There was a mug of hot chocolate waiting for her at home and she'd splurge on an extra large helping of marshmallows and maybe add a peppermint stick.
She drove carefully, her eyes focused on the road ahead. The night was beautiful, and every house she passed seemed to be decorated with a plethora of wreaths and twinkling colored lights. The effect was mesmerizing. She cursed as a SUV swerved around her, crossing the double yellow lines, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. She frowned. She was already going five over the limit and the road conditions were not the safest. Out of nowhere, a large dog appeared in front of her, its silhouette frozen in her headlights. With a gasp, she jerked the wheel to the right and cursed her luck as she hit a particular icy patch. Skidding off the road, she breathed a small prayer as her car crashed through the metal guardrail and flew down the steep embankment.
She could feel her seatbelt digging into her skin as she was thrown forward, her head cracking against the window. The belt tightened and she was pulled back against the seat her head whip lashing violently. She could taste blood in her mouth as she fought with the wheel before crashing into an unknown solid object as the car flipped over. The last thing she remembered was the windshield exploding into a million pieces, glass flying everywhere as a branch punctured through the passenger seat. Then, the world went black.