A/N: This is connected to Lost and Found Story. So some cold notes if you haven't read the other story... It's AU set Christmas time a year after S3 year. Tom and Sasha are married, Sasha gave birth to triplets three months ago; the newest and cutest Chandler additions.. Mike and Beth (OC) are together and raising Kaito and his daughters.
Christmas Found
Christmas Eve,
"You look really pretty Beth." Mia told her as she waited downstairs for Mike. He was taking twice as long as her to get ready for the Christmas Eve ball but then she had it easier. She straightened her hair, put on some make up, a little lipstick before she threw on her dress. The same dress she wore as bridesmaid at Sasha's wedding.
"Thank you, now you going to be ok tonight at Aunt Sasha and Uncle Tom's?" Beth asked as she put in her earrings. Soon Debbie would be there with Frankie, the woman was brave to babysit so many kids but in saying that, half of them were old enough to look after themselves. Still, all the parents were grateful.
"Yep, I'm going to Mrs Debbie with the babies." Mia informed her as she and Kaito stood in front of her. Kaito was dressed in a polar bear onesie that just accentuated his adorable nature. There was something incredibly funny about watching a tiny polar bear walk and crawl around the place.
"I'm sure she will love the help." Beth said with a smile as it was the first time in since the BBQ that all the adults would be going out. It would be Sasha's first night away from the triplets which was going to be amusing to see given how utterly in love and deeply attached she was to her babies. Beth couldn't blame her as Rose, Emory and Jed were freaking adorable.
"Ok, I'm ready." Mike said as he came down the stairs, Beth's heart skipped a beat as he looked incredibly handsome in his dress blues.
"Are we going to open a present?" Mia asked, Mike checked his watch and gave a nod.
"Ok, 1 present before we go." he told her, he smiled as he watched Kaito and Mia race to the tree. Sienna put down her book and sat up on the lounge. It was officially their first Christmas as the last one had slipped under the radar due to all the heartache and grief. So this year was a proper celebration.
They had a large tree covered in ornaments and lights, there were far too many presents but they were in hiding while just a few sat underneath the tree. But Mike had been bitten by the Christmas Spirit and gone overboard much to the delight of the kids. It was worth it to see their faces light up in awe and the smiles that came after.
He moved to the tree and crouched down making sure Kaito didn't unwrap every present in sight. They already had experienced that situation as originally they had wrapped and placed all the presents under the tree but Kaito had come along and thanks to Mike being distracted by a phone call... well, the kid had managed to unwrap them all in 5 seconds flat with much glee.
"Sienna." Mia said as she handed her sister a present. She went back to the tree and picked up one for Mike. "Daddy." she said.
"Thank you." Mike said, he pulled a box out from the tree and passed it to Kaito.
"Kaito, for Mommy." He told him, Kaito smiled as he took the box. Just as it looked like Kaito was going to rip the paper, Mike stopped him, "No, it's not for you. It's for Mommy." he told him. Kaito frowned but did as he asked as Mike gently pushed him in the direction of Beth who was chuckling.
"Come here, we'll open it together." Beth told Kaito, he raced to her as she sat on the floor. She pulled him into her lap and placed the present in their lap.
"Kaito." Mia said as she passed the present along and then she found hers. "Me!" she said.
"Ok, get into them." Mike said as he wondered what they were waiting for. He smiled as he pulled out a Christmas pattern t-shirt. He looked around watching the kids enjoy their presents and murmur their glee before he looked to Beth who with Kaito's help unwrapped his newest stuffed toy before they both tore at the wrapping of her present.
"I wonder what it is." Beth said to Kaito, he didn't seem to care as he loved the sensation and noise of tearing paper. Beth opened the box and pulled out the tissue box to find a small velvet box.
She looked to Mike and quirked an eyebrow and smiled as they both had a pretty good idea of where this was going. She opened the box and her smile fell into one in awe of something beautiful.
"It's beautiful." Beth told Mike as she looked at the super delicate and minimalist engagement ring nestled in the box. It was 1.8mm band with a 4mm round cut diamond flanked by six 1.5mm diamonds. It was a beautiful and subtle ring; she loved that he choose for her.
"You're more beautiful." he told her as he picked the ring out of the box. "I know you're aren't much for jewellery but I hope this is alright." he told her.
"It's perfect." Beth told him.
"Perfect enough that you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" he asked her.
"You don't need a ring for that as my answer is and always will be 'Yes'." she told him with a smile as happiness overwhelmed her. He smiled as he pulled the silicone ring off and replaced it with the engagement ring. She picked up the discarded ring and moved it to her right hand before he gave her a quick and passionate kiss as the kids cheered.
"They will be ok. There's plenty of milk in the fridge and freezer. Ashley, Sienna, Mia and Debbie have got this covered." Tom assured Sasha as they both looked down at their babies who were sitting in their bouncer chairs. The only thing that kept them all calm and helped their gas, which was proven when Emory farted loudly and smiled at them. The fart was so loud it woke up a dozing Rose who made a 'WTF?! Did that come from me?' expression on her face while Jed was gnawing on his hand completely unaffected by it all.
"Emory's all you." Tom told Sasha jokingly.
"Is your speech ready for tonight?" she asked him, changing the topic as she was not going to argue over who was responsible for their gassy children or who had them last.
They all looked fairly identical in features at the moment as they wore the same white onesies. They had the same blue eyes and looked like mini versions of their father but there were some differences. Jed and Rose had her dark brunette hair while Emory was a copper redhead. They didn't know where it came from but some recessive gene had popped up. It was a blessing given Rose and Emory were identical twins.
"I think so." Tom said a little tense as he wasn't sure he was the best man for the job but the President asked him to. She smoothed the collar of his shirt and jacket making sure they sat properly. He looked so handsome in his well tailored black dinner suit. She just felt sorry that he didn't feel comfortable wearing his uniform but he told her that it didn't feel right to wear the uniform when he walked away from it. So she didn't push it. "Have I told you, how beautiful you are?" he asked her.
"All the time but I never get tired of hearing it." Sasha told him, she had to admit it was good to know Tom loved her beyond her looks as she was not as svelte as she used to be. The triplets had definitely wrecked her body as her stomach was a saggy mess, she was covered in stretch marks that she was pretty sure no amount of healthy dieting or exercise would fix but it was worth it. All of it had been worth it as they had three healthy 3 month old babies.
"Good, I love the dress." he told her, she smiled as it was her wedding dress except she put the original black leather belt on the dress and thanks to Sophie; her hair and make up were beautifully done as Sasha just didn't have the motivation or energy to put herself together like she used to. She also got distracted by the triplets a lot... so she was not afraid to outsource certain aspects of her life to others.
"Thank you, it's pretty much the only dress that fits at the moment." Sasha told him.
"Still looks good." he said as the doorbell rang. He gave her a quick kiss and went to answer the door. Sasha turned to the babies.
"You three be good tonight." She told them, she wished she could stay home and stare at their cute little pudgy faces all night but she had promised to go with Tom. She really needed to learn to not be a helicopter mom. So she crouched down and kissed their foreheads and rose to her feet drinking in one last look before she left.
An hour later,
It was two years since they all sat in this room. Tom still remembered the Inauguration Ball as if it were yesterday; the celebrations and happy faces of the Nathan James crew. Tonight, it was different, everyone was a little more weary, the grief was palpable in the air as they all tried to find the joy in the event. Yet, all they could think about were the people missing from the room.
He stood at the podium looking down at the Nathan James crew, as all of them were in attendance tonight as well as some new faces as spouses and family members joined them.
"Good Evening, Everyone." Tom said, a hush filled the room as everyone stopped talking and looked his way. It was difficult to stand there as it was well over a year since he walked away from the mission from the crew. "Thank you for all for coming tonight, as we're all well aware; today marks the 2 year anniversary of when the Nathan James landed in St Louis with the cure." he said taking a brief pause as he looked at his speech and it just didn't feel right. So he packed up the cards and placed them into his jacket pocket.
"It's the day people like to remember of when the Nathan James saved the world from one of the most prolific outbreaks of history. But I don't agree with that assessment. To me; it was the day that after months of hard work and heart ache we finally beat the odds. We finally won after so many losses/ Yes, we had our small victories but the true gift was Doctor Rachel Scott and her hard work. We were the patrons and the messengers of her work, her cure that was created through her bravery and incredible ingenuity." he said speaking from the heart.
"I think it's what made her death so brutal and a horrible injustice of the cruel world we live in. Without her, without the many lives of friends, family and siblings in arms lost..." he paused to find the words "Without them and their sacrifices, we would never achieved as far as we have. We never would have driven ourselves so strongly to succeed. To commit so deeply to the mission and accomplish it." he said, he noticed the nodding of heads and people looking as he felt.
"I won't lie, I didn't want to come up here because I knew I bring down the party. Something, I've accomplished in less than a minute." he said sardonically, chuckles rippled through the crowd. "I feel honoured to be in your presence, proud of what we all had accomplished together in the past. But I also feel a great sadness weigh within me as I stand here tonight." Tom said as he spoke from the heart and scraped whatever speech he had. "I feel the loss of our friends, family and siblings in arms everyday. I know I'm not alone, I know many of you are with me when I say let's raise our glasses to them." he said, he picked up the glass of champagne he'd brought to the stage with him. "To Doctor Rachel Scott, Kenneth 'Tex' Nolan, Frankie Benz, Ravit Bivas..." Tom said every name of every fallen soldier from the Nathan James crew that they had lost since the beginning of their journey to date. "We will hold them in our hearts and live for them, live the time they have given us well." Tom said,
"Here, here." a few people said as they all took a sip of their drinks in honour of their fallen friends and family.
Tom took a long moment letting them all process how they felt, how he felt before he spoke again. "Now, I can't speak for the dead but I do know Tex fairly well to know he'd hate for us all to be sitting around moping. He as I'm sure as the rest would want us to celebrate our victories and the fact we're all still alive to enjoy an open bar and good food with one another. So in their honour, let's have some fun as I don't know about any of you but I only have a sitter until 11pm. So I'm living large tonight! Cheers." Tom told them all with a smile as he raised his glass once again, laughter rippled through the room and many applauded while others joined in drinking.
"Here, Here!" many called out as Tom left the stage to rejoin his table as the President went up to give his speech. He didn't know why but he felt a great weight lift from his shoulders.
"Andrea, you're coming over for Christmas lunch right? You never RSVP'd." Sasha said to Andrea as they had just finished the speeches and now the dance floor was open. But many were a little busy with the dessert bar and the open bar to get down and boogie.
"Yes, I'll be there with a plus one. Sorry for the short notice." Andrea told her.
"More the merrier." Sasha said with a smile as it was a potluck lunch. So there was going to be enough food to go round. She was just glad Andrea would be celebrating with them as she was family.
"I'm sorry, what's that?" Andrea asked pointing at Beth's hand artfully changing the conversation before anyone could ask about her 'plus one'.
"What this?" Beth asked with a grin as she flashed her engagement ring. Mike chuckled as Sasha and Andrea practically squealed in delight over their engagement.
"Oh my god! Congratulations!" Sasha exclaimed.
"Thank you!" Beth said.
"Geez, couldn't you find a tinier diamond?" Andrea quipped at Mike's expense.
"I love it." Beth told her as Mike didn't rise to the bait.
"That's all that matters and it is a beautiful ring." Andrea said as she was happy to see Mike and Beth so obviously happy with one another.
"Good speech." Mike told Tom as the man sat returned to their table and sat down.
"Thanks. So what are we congratulating?" he asked.
"Mike and Beth are engaged." Sasha told him.
"You know, Russell can officiate the wedding right here and now." Tom said gesturing to Jeter who was smiling in his chair. He wasn't one to play into Tom and Mike's antics as he preferred to watch it play out.
"I can." He told them.
"Gee, what a shame. We don't have a licence." Mike told him as he and Beth already talked about when they were going to get married which was not tonight.
"You mean this?" Tom asked as Sasha opened her purse and pulled out a piece of paper. Mike plucked the paper from her and unfolded it seeing Beth and his own name on it.
"Where the hell did you get that?" He asked Tom incredulously.
"I put in the application and they approved it on the spot. Celebrity has it's perks." Tom quipped.
"Nice try, but we're not getting married tonight as we want our kids to be at the wedding." Beth said as Mike pocketed the marriage licence for safe keeping.
"No fun." Sasha said with a playful pout as she took a sip of her champagne.
"How much money did you all have on this?" Beth asked them all, Andrea gave a shrug as she looked too pleased with herself while the others looked a little chagrined.
"I bet that you'd guys would get married in the new year. Looks like I'm going to be getting a new welding machine in the new year." Andrea told them.
"I'm so disappointed in you all. Betting on us like we're a race horse or something." Mike told them.
"I was banking on New Years Eve. I'll cater it, if you do it." Joseph informed them.
"Nope." Beth told him as Mike shook his head at Joseph. Andrea smacked him in the arm and gave him a dark look.
"You're not supposed to bribe them." Andrea told Joseph.
"Tom and I figured we get you both drunk enough and caught in the romanticism of the evening you'd do it. But I realise that in my sleep deprived state that I forgot to take into consideration that you two are way too practical to be caught in the romance of Christmas Eve." Sasha said with a smile as she topped up Beth's glass of wine.
"Hey, I'm slightly offended by that." Beth said with a frown while many at the table chuckled.
"Same, I can be romantic and spontaneous." Mike said defensively, Beth nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, he always does the dishes and he made me Oreo ice cream with warm caramel sauce last week. It was very romantic." Beth said with lovesick smile which made many at the table groan or chuckled as they shook their heads. "It was and is!" she promised them.
"Next you'll be telling me he puts down the toilet seat for you." Joseph quipped to Beth.
"I have excellent marksmanship. So no need to lift the seat." Mike said smugly to Joseph before he took a sip of his beer while the others laughed and some cringed.
"Oh, I just didn't need to know that." Andrea said making a face.
"I know, I'm the perfect man and I'm no longer on the market. But I'm sure there is someone out there for you even if he lacks my good looks, marksmanship and other talents." Mike said with grin while Beth shook her head at him.
"Yes, I'm not sure how I will survive but I guess I'll just have to settle for an inferior man." Andrea remarked drily.
"Joseph is single." Mike offered, Andrea rolled her eyes as she wasn't going there.
"Hey, I am not inferior to you. I am your equal." Joseph griped in good humour.
"Of course not." Mike replied mockingly taking Joseph serious much to the amusement of those at the table.
Hours later,
Beth lowered Kaito into his crib while Mike tucked Mia into her bed. Kaito was fast asleep while Mia was nearly asleep. Sienna had said goodnight at the top of the stairs before disappearing into her room to go to sleep.
"Don't forget the cookies for Santa." Mia mumbled drowsily as he turned on the Christmas lights he had strung in the room a long with some child friendly Christmas decorations.
"I won't, now your Christmas lights are on. You have your reindeer. All good?" he asked as he made sure the reindeer stuffed toy was tucked into the bed with Mia.
"I'm good," Mia said with a big yawn.
"Yes, you are. Sleep well and we'll see you tomorrow." Mike said, he kissed her brow and watched Mia turn to her side and drift off to sleep. He moved to Beth's side and looked down at Kaito who was in Christmas patterned onesie that was covered cartoon snowmen. He smoothed a hand over his son's soft hair.
"He's growing so fast." Beth said as it was too late at night to wake Kaito up just to change him into
"Yeah, next week he'll be hitting me up for $20 and be dating some girl named 'Dusk'." Mike joked as they left the room and headed to their room. Beth snorted a laugh even though inwardly she wasn't ready for Kaito to be that old yet. "But that's years away. I say we get changed before we finish putting Christmas together downstairs." he suggested.
"Sounds perfect to me." Beth replied with a happy sigh.