Chapter Seventy-four

"Almost ready, my dear."

Anton stood in front of the bathroom mirror, combing his hair into place. He double checked that his dark blue shirt was buttoned completely and then brushed his hands against his faded jeans. After one last look in the mirror he walked out to the bedroom where she was. "You sure you're up to this, Bryn?"

She nodded, somewhat halfheartedly. Thanks to a body-shaper girdle, she was now able to fit into her old clothes. She still had some weight to work off, but felt surprisingly good considering. After shaving her legs, she'd put on a narrow skirt and a red ribbed turtleneck...until she realized that the shirt didn't quite want to stretch as much as she needed it to. Deciding on a button-down ivory sweater instead, she quickly put it on and then eased Max into a pair of comfy pajamas. Sitting next to him on the bed, she looked up at Anton.

"It's not that I'm not up to it...I'm just not sure it's such a good idea. I know we all need to celebrate Christmas, but..."

"But...you're upset about Lindy?" Anton said guessing. When Bryn nodded, he put an arm around her. "I know you don't want to hurt Lindy, but you can't do too much about her feelings. She's still adapting to being a vampire, and this is just another facet of it she'll have to face. Like feeding." He kissed her hair. "You are not responsible for how she feels, Bryn. You can help her, and be aware of them, but it's nothing you can control."

She pulled Max into her lap, tickling his chin. "I just don't want to be afraid to kiss my baby because I might be offending someone." She looked up at Anton, biting her lip. "At the hospital, when she handed him back so quickly...it hurt my feelings. I logically knew the real problem, but I couldn't help but feel like she was rejecting him. And what if her feelings never change? Do I always worry about showing him affection in front of her?"

"No, because I think if you do worry, it would make things worse." He squeezed her shoulders tighter. "When she thought she was in love with me, did you worry about showing me affection when she was around? I think her feelings will change, given a little time."

She exhaled. "I don't think I did." [I just invited her to sleep with you.] She leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling selfish and not at all proud of it. "I'm sorry I'm being a party pooper. My hormones are still screwed up. Forgive me?"

"Of course, my dear." He kissed her head again and gently stroked Max's cheek. "I think Lindy will become more comfortable the more she is around Max. And I know your hormones are still getting back to normal." He kissed her again. "So are you ready to go downstairs or do you want to wait a few more minutes?"

"I should check Max's diaper first." She stood up, holding the baby against her shoulder. "I used the breast pump to fill a bottle, just in a case he gets hungry while everyone is here. I don't know how he's going to do with a bottle, but I thought it might be nice if you could feed him too...not that you don't already." She shook her head. "Anyway, are we opening our presents to each other tonight, or tomorrow when it's just us? You pick."

Anton made a face, thinking about it. "I say we open them tonight. Unless it's something that needs to be opened when it's just us." He stood up and offered her his hand. "Are you ready to go, my dear?"

"Go ahead and go down. I'm sure my parents have already started entertaining everybody, but you should probably check on them. Unless you want to check Max's diaper instead?" She gave him a little grin. When he looked like he was starting to acquiesce, she waved him away. "Anton, go. You change his diaper all the time. It's time I did it myself. I'll meet you downstairs."

"Okay, my dear." Backing out of the room, he then went downstairs. And like Bryn had predicted, Bernadette and Steven were entertaining Alex, Walter, Jess, Chandra and Amanda. Jess grinned hello at Anton. "Hey there. Nate and Lindy will be over in a few minutes. We just cleared Anne and Michael through the front gate."

Walter got up from the couch to greet Anton and hand him a small box wrapped in bright metallic green. "They exchanged it with no problem. They even had one in the size you asked for."

"Thanks." Anton took the box and placed it under the tree with the other presents. "Bryn should be down with Max in a few minutes."

"I didn't get a chance to mention it earlier, but your tree is just beautiful, Anton," Bernadette said, looking at the tree from the living room. The tall Douglas Fir stood inside the curve of the stairs, draped with crystal icicles of various sizes, red velvet ribbon, iridescent white satin balls, hundreds of golden lights and dozens of frosted angels. The fuzzy white flannel skirt around the bottom billowed and pooled like snow-covered hills amongst the many presents. "The whole house looks wonderful, in fact. Even the dog."

He glanced over to see Petunia laying on the opposite side of the couch, looking somewhat sullen with her head on her front paws, her collar studded with silver jingle bells.

"Bryn did most of the decorating. I just hung things where she told me. And how did you get Petunia still long enough to put on those bells?"

"Oh, we talked her into it." Jess and Alex shared a snicker. "One of us had to sit on her to do it, but it was done. And it was a piece of cake compared to that." Jess gestured to the corner where Chandra was sitting with Honey, the Labrador wearing a pair of reindeer antlers and a big red bow was loosely tied around her neck.

Anton raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure that doesn't constitute cruelty to animals?"

"They seem to think so," Chandra said, standing up. "Neither one of the of them has moved since. I think they've become paralyzed by embarrassment."

Anton crouched down, patting his knee. "Petunia, come here."

The dog laid there, big sad eyes staring at him...her tail thumping on the floor in a weak attempt at wagging. Shaking his head, he walked over to her and patted her belly a few times, grinning as she rolled over for him. "Does anyone want something to drink? I think we have some cold pop in the garage, egg nog in the fridge, and I can make some coffee?"

"That's all been taken care of," Steven said. "I'll offer to go to a store and get some beer, if anyone wants some?"

"Oh Steven, you just want an excuse to get some for yourself!" Bernadette scolded.

"Yeah and what's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with what?" Lindy and Nate, who was carrying Liam, came through the front door, followed by Michael and Anne.

Alex smiled hello. "Steven was just offering to go on a beer run for us."

Michael shook her head. "Not tonight. There are drunk driving checkpoints set up all over the place. And they're being really strict this year about alcohol in the car.

Jess rested her chin on her hand. "And how would you know, Mikey?"

"Er...that's what I've been told, sis."

Jess rolled her eyes and turned back to Bernadette and Steven. "This is my older brother Michael and his wife Anne. Who also was Bryn's doctor during the pregnancy. Mikey, Anne, this is Bryn's parents Bernadette and Steven."

"Nice to meet you," Steven said, nodding at both of them.

Bernadette took a more direct approach. She shook Michael's hand vigorously. "It's nice to meet you, Michael." Without a second glance, she moved on to Anne, pulling her into a boisterous hug and patting her on the back. Much larger than Anne, both in height as well as weight, she nearly squeezed the breath out of the doctor. "Thank you so much for taking care of our babies. It means a lot to us. I wish I'd had a chance to say it sooner." She pulled back, holding Anne's shoulders, the big grin on her face so similar to Bryn's. "I'm just pleased as punch that you're here."

"Thank you," Anne said. "I wish all my patients had been such a joy to work with." She looked around. "Where is Bryn anyway? She is recovering okay?"

"Yes," Anton said, gesturing upstairs. "She's checking Max's diaper and should be down in a few minutes." He stood up and walked over to Lindy. "How are you doing?"

"Better than I was the last time I saw you," she admitted. "I'm sorry if I was rude at the hospital. It just hit me unexpectedly."

"It's okay, Lindy. I understand."

Bryn stepped down the stairs carefully, one arm securely holding Max and the other gripping the railing. As she reached the last landing and started stepping down, she noticed everyone staring her. "Why do I suddenly feel like Scarlett O'Hara?"

That brought a round of chuckles from everyone. Anton stood up and helped her to the couch, hovering over her and Max every step of the way. Everyone took seats, or perched, or found spots on the floor for them. "So are we ready to start opening presents?" Jess asked. "Or are there any family traditions anyone wants to observe first?"

"What about Belsnickel?" Steven asked, a mischievous grin on his face.

Bryn looked up, her eyes narrowing. "Dad, that's terrible."

"What's Belsnickel?" Nate asked.

"It's an old German tradition. More of an Amish folktale, I guess, about this man called Belsnickel, Santa's brother. Only he was like an evil Santa, a creepy old man, who would bring switches to whip the naughty children."

"Hey, it worked to keep you in line, didn't it?" Steven said.

"It did not. I didn't believe a word of that stupid story. I was more scared of John." She looked back at the group. "Part of the tradition is that Belsnickel can show up any time during Advent, so John was always hiding behind doors and corners to jump out and scare me. Finally, I just punched him."

Steven laughed out loud. "I never heard that part."

Shaking her head, Bernadette passed Steven a small gift bag which he quickly passed on to Anton. "We did get you a little something from home," she said. "You can use it every year until you need a new one."

Bryn watched Anton pull the tissue away, taking out a large white candle. The sides were carved and frosted with glitter, angels with large white wings in amazing detail. "Oh, Mom, it's beautiful." Looking at Anton, she said, "We can put that in our window. It signifies lighting the way for baby Jesus on Christmas Eve."

Anton turned the candle, looking at the intricate carvings on it. "Yes, thank you. It's very beautiful." He carefully placed the candle on the end table where it wouldn't be knocked off easily. Getting up from the couch, Anton went to the tree and pulled out a wrapped box. "We were going to ship this back to you originally, but it arrived late." He handed the box to Bernadette.

"Oh. You two didn't have to get us anything," she said, opening the box. She lifted off the gift-wrapped lid, pulling away the wads of tissue. "We really--Oh! My Lord, these are gorgeous!" She stared at Bryn and Anton, her mouth open. "I've been wanting good dishes like this for years."

She showed the box to Steven, who shook his head. "Yep, she has. Good dishes, new cabinets, and a gas stove."

"Oh Steven, hush!" Holding up the delicate china, a yellow ribbon surrounding a white center, decorated with blue lilacs, and gushed. "Oh, thank you. It's too much, and I love it!"

Bryn grinned. "Don't worry, Dad, there's more. We also got you a one year delivery of Grade A steaks."

Steven perked up. "Now there's a good use for your fancy dishes."

"Don't you dare!" Bernadette said, holding the plate to her chest. "These are for company."

"What company?"

Biting her lip, Bryn leaned over and whispered to Anton, "I think they like it."

"I'd say so," he whispered back. To the rest of the room he said, "Okay, who's next?"

"How about us?" Jess grabbed a small package and handed it to Anton. "We were going to give this to you when Max was born in January, but we figured you could start reading it now. Oh, and it should work for daytime as well."

"Work for daytime?" Anton opened up the box and pulled out a book. "'Sleeping Through the Night: How Infants, Toddlers, and Their Parents Can Get a Good Night's Sleep' he read off the cover. And beneath it was a round silver picture frame." He smiled at the werewolves. "Thanks, I have a feeling we'll definitely be needing these."

Bryn grinned, nodding. "We need them already. Thank you." Gesturing towards the tree, she said, "If someone wouldn't mind handing those out, there's presents for everyone."

Anton leaned over, quietly saying, "Which picture did you include?"

"The one with the red background." In each of the family's packages, her parents' larger and wrapped separately, she'd included a framed photograph of herself and Anton, taken by Danika when she was pregnant. "We may have to replace them, now that Max is here."

"Looking for an excuse to have your picture taken again my dear?" Anton watched as everyone ripped into the packages." There were a lot of ooohs and ahhhs from the werewolves as they pulled out the picture.

Bryn passed Max over to Anton, then rubbed her stomach. She'd been feeling crampy ever since the baby's delivery, as her body readjusted to normal conditions. She just hoped it went away soon. Giving him a small smile, she leaned back against his shoulder, wanting to see the werewolves' reaction to the illustrated book she'd bought for them.

Jess pulled out the large coffee table book filled with different artist's depictions of wolves from the prehistory to the present. "Oh my God, Bryn," Jess said, flipping through the pages. "Where did you find this?"

"The same place I bought--" She stopped abruptly, remembering that the other present hadn't been opened yet. "I, uh, special ordered it. It was out of print for a while. I'll give you the address of the store later, if you want it." She sat up a bit, pointing out, "There are a few more things at the bottom of the box, one for each of you, including Chandra."

"Okay." Jess sorted through the paper, passing out the envelopes. She peeked into hers, and raised an eyebrow at Bryn. "I thought this was a present for me, not for the guys." The werewolves compared notes among each other. Jess and Chandra got gift certificates to Victoria's Secret. Amanda one to Old Navy. Walter's and Alex's were to Macy's men's department. "Thanks a lot, Bryn, Anton," Alex said. "You shouldn't have done so much."

Bryn blushed, glancing at Anton, wondering if she had indeed gone overboard. [This is what happens when I spend someone else's money.]

Deciding they could always discuss it later, she said, "Who's next? I think there's something for Liam over there, if you can get Petunia to move her butt."

Lindy got up after placing Liam firmly in Nate's lap and nudged Petunia. Looking mortified at every jingle, she slunk over by Honey and settled down. "The big one, Bryn?" Lindy asked.

"Yeah."

Lindy scooted the box over to where she and Nate were sitting. Putting Liam down on the floor with the present, she and Nate started unwrapping the present. Liam quickly caught on and started tearing the paper away. "Ooooh... look at this." On the side of the box was a plush zebra attached to rockers.

Copying his Mama's facial expression, Liam stuck his lips out and made a round 'O' out of them. His "Ooooh," however, was much more high pitched and sounded more like "hoohwa!" Nate snickered, ruffling the boy's hair. "I swear this kid is going to grow up to be a comedian." He pointed at the zebra Lindy was removing from the box. "Look, buddy, all you need now is a cowboy hat!"

Walter grinned. "In that case, open the box from us." He handed over a large box to Lindy. She opened it and pulled out a large, pale blue cowboy hat. "Here, Liam." Grinning, she put it on Liam's head. Unfortunately, it was a little too large and sank down to cover his eyes. "Oops."

Nate tilted the hat back, the picked Liam up and sat him down on the plush zebra's back. At first the boy was more interested in the reactions of those around him. But after a moment, he let out a squeal and began kicking his feet excitedly. When the toy began to rock back and forth, Liam's grin was a mile wide. Alex pointed out one of the smaller boxes under the tree. "I think that one is for the two of you, Nate, Lindy."

Lindy picked up the box and handed it to Nate. "Do you want to open this or should I?"

"I'll do it," he said, grinning at her. He ripped at the paper more excitedly than Liam had on his own toy. Pulling the lid off the box, he looked inside. "Wow, it's a..." He tilted his head. "It's the nicest one of these I've ever seen. Um...what is it, exactly?"

Amanda grinned. "Pick it up by the string at the top."

Lindy did, the metal ringing pleasantly together. "It's beautiful." The small painted wolves rang against the metal tubes. At the top of the wind chime, another painted wolf sat on its haunches, baying at a crystal moon threaded further up the cord. "Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks guys. This will be nice on the patio out back. We've been thinking about decorating out there." He put the wind chime carefully back into the box, then reached for another small box under the tree. Handing it to Lindy, he smiled. "I think Santa left this one for you...a little early, I guess. I think he dropped it off on his way to Europe."

Smiling, she edged a nail underneath the tape and peeled the wrapping paper away. She gasped wen she saw the black velvet jewelry box. "You didn't!" Her grin grew wider as she opened the box. "You did!" Her smile was almost as bright as the heart shaped diamond earrings. While not matching in size, in clarity and color they were almost identical. She threw her arms around Nate's neck and kissed him soundly. "Thank you!"

He kissed her back, holding her close, not really caring that anyone was staring at them. He ignored the giggles and clearing throats. Only when he swept his hand down towards her ass, and she squirmed against him, did he reluctantly pull away.

"Jeez," Chandra said, her nose wrinkled, "I thought we were gonna have to get the hose."

"Hey, that was the best thank you I've gotten in a long time. I had to take advantage of it."

"Somehow I feel like we all took advantage of it," she said, mock shuddering.

Amanda giggled, and Bryn grinned.

Lindy, blushing slightly, handed a heavy box over to Alex. "I hope you like this."

Alex opened the box and pulled out two tissue wrapped pieces. Handing one to Walter to unwrap, he revealed what looked to be a replica of a lower half of a chest decorated with Egyptian hieroglyphs. Walter's half was the lid, graced by black jackal accented with gold. "Wow. This is gorgeous."

"That is very pretty," Bryn said. She noticed that neither she nor Lindy had looked at each other for longer than a second or two. Feeling ashamed by that, she stood up, grabbed another present from under the tree, and handed it to Lindy directly. "This is for both of you."

Lindy started unwrapping it, tearing away the paper. She quickly revealed a framed canvas, a painting Bryn had done. It could have been her, but it wasn't quite right. The eyes were a shade too light, the hair was a shade too dark, and the cheekbones less pronounced. She frowned at the picture, the face somewhat familiar, but she wasn't sure from where.

"Lindara..." Nate stared over her shoulder, rubbing his chin. He let out a shaky sigh, looking up at Bryn. "It's beautiful."

Bryn gave him a half-smile. "I wasn't sure if you'd recognize her or not. I barely remember what she looked like."

"Who is Lindara?" Bernadette asked.

"An old friend, Mom." She squeezed Anton's hand. "Someone we owe a lot to."

Lindy slipped her arm around Nate's waist and squeezed it tightly. "Thank you, Bryn. Thank you so much."

Jess, seeking to ease the intensity of the moment, handed her present to her brother. "Here, Mikey, Anne. Good luck finding it."

"Finding what?" Anton asked.

"It's a silly game Jess and I play." Michael was unwrapping the present as he spoke. "One year, our grandmother gave me stuffed teddy bear. I thought I was too old for one. Well, next year, my little sister decided that I wasn't too old for one, and gave me another, just before I left for college. Every year since, there's been a bear somewhere in the present she's given me. And there it is." He held up the dreamcatcher, and pointed out the carved stone bear fetish in the web.

Nate grinned. "Wow, I guess we know what to get you from now on."

Michael narrowed his eyes, still smiling.

Handing over their own gift to their obstetrician and her veterinarian husband, Bryn said, "I think there might even be a bear or two in here."

Michael and Anne opened up two identical calendars, one for each of their offices, of babies and puppies playing together in various photographed settings. And true to Bryn's word, February had the puppy and baby playing tug-o-war over a stuffed teddy bear.

Anne and Michael gave Bryn and Anton a thin, flat package. They opened it to find a calendar of Bull Massif puppies, a few of them dead ringers for Petunia. "Poor puppies," Lindy said. "Nobody thought to get anything for them," she said, looking at a still mortified Petunia and Honey.

After saying her thanks to Anne and Michael, Bryn looked at Lindy and said, "I got the dogs something." She pointed to a stocking hanging on the mantel. "There's something in there for both of them, even a catnip toy for Montel."

Patting Anton's thigh, she stood up and got another package, this one obviously heavier than it looked. Setting it down next to him, she said, "Wait a minute. There's something to go with it." With that, she stepped over his legs and hurried around the couch to head towards the library. She came back carrying a large, heavy, flat and obviously encumbering framed picture. Keeping the back to everyone else, seeing as it wasn't wrapped, she excitedly said, "Okay, open the other one first."

Handing Max to Steven, Anton began unwrapping the first package to reel a box with the name of a rare book store he sometimes sold books to. Pulling the box open, he lifted out four books, the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. "The British first printing from the 50s, if I'm not mistaken." And in excellent condition." Carefully, he checked the inside cover of The Two Towers to confirm it, and then smiled warmly at Bryn. "Thank you, my dear. It's just what I wanted."

"You're welcome." She bounced lightly on her feet, grinning. Turning the picture in front of her around, she revealed a professionally matted and framed poster, from the Lord of the Rings movie, the Fellowship of the Ring. The poster included all of the major cast members, even the wraiths. Bryn gave an excited little squeal. "It's signed by the cast and director...and even Enya, who did the music for the movie. I know we haven't even seen the movie yet, and you don't know if you like it or not, but...well, I just thought this was kind of cool."

"Cool doesn't begin to describe it, my dear. I love it. Thank you." He briefly kissed her lips. "This is going up in my office," he said studying the poster closely. Carefully he placed the poster by the side of the couch. Grabbing the small box that Walter had given him earlier, he presented it to Bryn. "For you, my dear." She smiled, stepping around the couch to sit down, beckoning him to sit with her. Once he was settled, she scooted close to his side and pulled the ribbon on the small box. It was about the size of a jeweler's ring box, she estimated. She saw that she was correct when she revealed the velvet, hinged box underneath. Poised to open the box, she teasingly said, "Is this a macaroni ring to match my necklace?"

"Maybe," Anton grinned. "Why don't you open it and find out?"

She cracked back the lid and found out it was indeed a ring. The deep blue topaz had been cut into a heart and had a tiny diamond accent near the top. "A birthstone ring? Topaz isn't my birthstone."

"No," Anton said, putting his arm around her and squeezing. "It's Max's."

"Ohh...it's beautiful!" She shifted her fingers, letting the light in the room reflect off the facets. Grinning, she placed her hand against his cheek and gave him a lingering kiss. "I love it, Anton. Thank you." She smiled again, then reached out her arms. "Let me see my gorgeous boy." As her father handed the baby back over to her, Max kicked his feet and let out a happy coo. Bryn kissed his soft cheek and held him close. "This was my best Christmas present."

Alex handed a box to Amanda. The teenager opened it and eagerly rummaged around the tissue paper inside it. She pulled out the latest No Doubt CD, as well as a smaller box. "A navel ring?" she said, blushing as she looked inside it.

"Yeah," Jess said. "We thought you might get bored with the one we're not supposed to know you have and want to change it every now and then."

Bryn felt herself blushing as well. "I didn't say a word."

"Thanks Bryn," Amanda said. She looked up at her mother hopefully, holding the smaller box in her hand. "Does this mean I'm not in trouble?"

"Not in the least," Jess said sternly. "We'll discuss it later on."

Lindy smiled sympathetically at her sister, recognizing her mother's tone of voice all too well. She passed Nate her present. "I think you'll enjoy this."

He settled the box in front of him, tearing off a corner and then showing the torn strip to Liam. Still wearing his cowboy hat, although saucily tilted over one eye, excitedly grabbed the ripped paper and tore it off completely. Nate held him, his eyes widening as he saw what was underneath. The black box sported a glowing green 'X' that was very familiar to him. As soon as he saw the X-Box label, he leaned over and pressed his lips to Lindy's.

"Wow, baby, this is really cool!" He pulled open the box, seeing that she'd also included several games. "Halo! Cool!" His grin nearly split his face. "I can't wait to go home and set it up!"

Anton pushed a large box toward Nate. At a loss as to what to get his brother, he had talked to Lindy about what his interests were. When she mentioned astronomy, an idea formed in his head. A quick trip to a nature and science store turned up exactly what he had in mind. He just hoped Nathaniel didn't already have a telescope nor that particular book on astronomy.

Nate looked up at him from the floor, momentarily holding his gaze. Pulling the heavy box in front of him, he carefully opened it without Liam's help. His eyebrows rose as he saw the pictures on the side. "Oh, wow..." His words were quieter this time, full of awe and surprise. He read the description on the box, a smile growing on his face as he saw how deluxe the telescope was. He quickly flipped through the book as well, before saying, "Anton, this is great. Lindy and I had been talking about creating a space on the roof where we could look at the stars...this is even better. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Nathaniel. I was hoping that you would like it." He was a little surprised when Nathaniel silently handed him a thick envelope tied with a wide, bright red ribbon. Curious, he untied the ribbon and pulled out a sheaf of papers, all written in Russian. His eyes began scanning the writing, and when he realized what it was, he almost dropped it. Mouth slightly open in shock, he looked up at Nathaniel, speechless.

"I thought you might want that back," Nate said, simply.

Anton couldn't say anything for a moment. Finally, he managed to say, "How?"

"I've been paying taxes on it for...well, for centuries. First I kept it for the mistakes I'd made, to remind myself. Then I kept it because I thought I deserved it. Because our father never gave anything to me, so this was all I had left. I almost sold it once or twice. I talked myself into keeping it, because I knew that would drive you crazy. Now, I'm giving it back. Because it was never mine in the first place."

"What is it?" Bryn asked curiously, looking at the sheaf of papers.

"The property in Russia. Ivan's property. There was once a very large wooden castle there. When I first arrived, they were converting the walls to stone, making the place even grander and more forbidding than it already was. It wasn't finished by the time I left and was damaged...by riots." He swallowed heavily. "But it was later rebuilt, and then rebuilt again after the cold war ended. It may be smaller now, with less land than it once had, but it still belongs to Anton. I think all of the necessary paperwork is there. You'll just need to sign it...the next time you're in Moscow."

Anton swallowed, almost not believing his ears. Never, since he had fought his way out the keep, Brinley at his side, had he seriously entertained the idea that he would ever go back, let alone own the property. Yes, he had daydreamed about returning to where he had been raised, but never acted on them. Over the years, he had thought about it less and less, but the 'what if' had always been with him, leaving a small ache in his heart. And when he and Nathaniel reconciled, he didn't allow himself to ask what had happened to his homeland. If Nathaniel had sold it, or if it were in Natasha's name, he didn't think he could have borne it.

He looked over at his brother, tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Nathaniel. Thank you so very much." He tried to put all the gratitude he was feeling in those simple words. And it didn't quite seem enough.

Seeking to add a bit of levity to the moment, Nate said, "You're welcome. Just don't expect a castle every Christmas." The others around them chuckled a bit. "Seriously, Anton, it was yours to begin with. I'm just glad to know I've done something right for a change. Besides, I still expect you to invite us over for vacation every once in a while."

Anton gave him a grin through his tears. "I think that can be arranged."

Lindy leaned against Nate's shoulder to whisper in his ear. "That was a wonderful idea." She knew though it had been the right thing to do, it couldn't have been easy for him to do so. Too many bad memories could be easily dredged up, and opening of old wounds. But Anton seemed appreciative, albeit in shock.

Nate slipped his arm around Lindy's waist, pulling her close. He kissed her temple before murmuring, "Someday I'll take you there, and we'll find where that field once was, and I'll make love to you there again. Once in the daylight, this time in the moonlight. And this time it will be even better than it was before."

Lindy smiled at him and was about to reply when she remembered everyone sitting around them. Instead she contented herself with squeezing the hand resting on her hip.

Bryn scooted closer to Anton, holding Max on her lap. She rubbed Anton's arm, trying to coax him back to earth. She could hear Jess's family opening more presents, but she couldn't help but be concerned about her husband. "You okay, sugar?"

"Yes, I think. it was just the last thing I expected." Anton carefully tucked the letter besides the books Bryn had given him. "But I have to agree with you," he said, stroking Max's cheek. "This is the best Christmas present of all."

Max waved his arms, as if reaching for Anton, gurgling happily. Handing him over, Bryn smiled as Max snuggled in against Anton's shoulder.

Turning around to the group, Bryn said, "Is that everyone? If so, I've got some pastries, coffee, hot cocoa, egg nog."

Anton shook his head. "Nothing for me, my dear."

"The coffee sounds good to me, Bryn," Walter said.

"Same here," Alex added.

Jess started to get up off the couch. "You want some help with that, Bryn?"

"Yes, please."

While Jess and Bryn went to the kitchen, Nate glanced at Lindy. Leaning closer, he whispered, "Do you still need some time to adjust to them having a new baby? Because I've noticed that both you and Bryn aren't exactly chatty tonight."

"I'm okay...I think," she whispered back. She leaned bit against him. "I was hoping I could have a few minutes alone and talk with her, but it doesn't look like that will happen tonight."

"Well, would you mind if I held Max?"

She shook her head. "No. If you can pry him away from his parents, that is."

Sitting back, adopting a bored expression, Nate loudly said, "No, Lindy, I don't know when everyone else is going to get to hold the baby."

Anton rolled his eyes gently rocking Max in his arms. "All you had to do is ask, Nathaniel." He stood up and walked over to the small divan where Nate and Lindy were sitting. "Here, he'll probably need to be fed soon," he said, passing his son to Nathaniel.

Lindy swallowed while she looked at Nate holding the baby. There was a little ache in her heart as she looked at Max, but she was also so happy for her friends that they were given this gift. And the fact that she was able to raise Liam. She smiled down at the little boy, who was trying to climb up on the toy zebra.

Liam let out a couple of whimpers, reaching with his arms. Lindy leaned forward and lifted him into the saddle, rocking the toy back and forth.

With Max settled in his lap, Nate held his little arms and began speaking with a high-pitched voice. "Hey...hey, Aunt Lindy!" He waved Max's arm. "Aunt Lindeeeeeee! Don't you wanna hold me? Pick me up. I need a gorgeous blond babe to hold me. Come onnnn! Get me away from this weirdo! He's freaking me out! Auntie Lindeeee!"

Lindy grinned and laughed, shaking her head at Anton's raised eyebrow. She held out her arms. "Give him to me." As Nate passed Max over, Lindy settled Max against her chest. "Hey there, Max," she said softly. "You may not believe it now, but your Uncle Nate isn't a complete nut. Or at least we like to hope that."

Nate, rolling on to his back on the floor, snorted. "You may hope so. I happen to like being nuts."

Liam seemed to agree as he squealed and tipped right off his zebra. Gasping, Nate caught him just before he hit the floor. Lifting the boy up and flying him backwards, settling Liam on his stomach, Nate shook his head. "You're a little dare devil, dude. You better watch out. I don't think Mommy wants you to be a stunt double."

"I don't think so." Lindy looked over at Anton. "So is this little rascal," she lifted her arms slightly to indicate Max, "keeping you awake during the day yet?"

"No, and hopefully that won't happen," Anton responded.

Lindy shook her head. "You do like to dream, don't you?" She looked down at Max and smiled. "I think your daddy's in denial. Yes I do. Yes I do."

Nate closed his eyes, his lips curling. "Mmm, a full night of sleep. That sounds wonderful. I can't remember the last time we had that." He opened an eye to peer at Lindy. "Of course, if *someone* would let Liam stay in his crib when he wakes up, instead of responding to every little whimper, maybe we could sleep all night."

"Who exactly are you referring to, Nate? You're just as guilty about that as I am."

"Hmmph."

"Nate, would you like anything from the kitchen?" Bryn asked, handing out Walter and Alex's coffees.

"Yeah. Whatever pastry you have, and a hot chocolate with cream in it, so Liam can have some."

She nodded and headed back to the kitchen, leaving him looking up at Lindy's narrowed eyes. "You're going to get him all hyper and sugared-up."

Calling out from the floor, Nate said, "Here's another thing you get to look forward to, Anton. 'Mommy knows best'."

"Only because we do," Jess called back from the kitchen.

Anton shook his head. He was watching Lindy, who seemed a lot more relaxed and at ease holding Max than she had been the night before. And when Lindy's eyes caught his, he was pleased to see her give him a small smile before rocking Max in her arms.

In the kitchen, Bryn wiped her hands. "Jess, I think I can finish up in here. Thanks for your help." She nodded towards the living room. "Why don't you go hold Max? I'm sure he'd love to finally put a face to that voice."

"You sure, Bryn?" When Bryn made a shooing motion, Jess grabbed a cup of hot chocolate for herself and wandered out to the living room. Stepping around Nate on the floor, she sat down on the same couch as Lindy. "Mind if I hold him for a few minutes?"

"Go right ahead, Mom." Lindy passed Max over to Jess a bit reluctantly.

Jess held Max tight against her chest. "Hey there," Jess said softly. "Do you know who I am?" She felt a surge of recognition at the sound of her voice. She wasn't sure if she was happy or worried that their mental connection was still going strong. She gently stroked his head and took a deep breath. "Welcome to the family, Max."

He stood looking in the mirror, his lip curled in an Elvis-like sneer. Supposed to be getting undressed, but completely unaccustomed to having so much time to himself, he couldn't help but goof around. Stripping for himself in the mirror, thrusting his hips like a Chippendales dancer, he whistled out the tune of 'Low Rider'.

"The low ri-der is a little higher..."

Keeping his eye on the bathroom door, waiting impatiently for Lindy to come out, Nate grooved to his own beat.

Lindy checked herself in the mirror one last time, adjusting the bustier fractionally. She had bought it on the spur of the moment while out Christmas shopping, and now was trying to steel up her nerve to actually show it to Nate. [God! What was I thinking?] But still she didn't remove the white faux furred trimmed red bustier nor the similarly trimmed thong panties. Red heels and a Santa cap completed what little there was of the outfit. Taking a deep breath to center herself and trying not to feel ridiculous, she opened the door to the bathroom.

"The lllllll--" Nate gulped, stopping mid-song. "LLLLindy!" Stunned, he could only stand there staring at her, shirt unbuttoned and hanging limply, pants puddled around his ankles. Fighting his way loose from the constricting denim, he took a few clumsy steps towards her, his eyes never leaving her. He scratched his head, words escaping him. "Oh...wow."

Pleased at his reaction, she grinned at him, trying to project a confidence she didn't feel at all. "You like?" She wobbled a little as she turned in a circle. The heels she was wearing were a little higher than she was used to.

He nodded stupidly, shrugging his shirt off. Still dressed in socks and his briefs, feeling like a geek, he stepped closer and rubbed his hand over her now-fuzzy breasts. "Wow," he said, swallowing heavily once again. And because he couldn't think of anything else to do, he swiftly wrapped his arms around her and lifted her to his mouth, kissing her soundly as his hands kneaded her ass.

She moaned as she kissed him back. Her arms went tight around his shoulders and she stroked his back. When he lifted her up, she wrapped her legs tight around his waist, letting him carry her to their bed, tongues dueling all the way.

He started tipping forward, reaching out with his hand to find the bed before lowering them both on to it. Settling down heavily upon her, he kept kissing her, sucking on her tongue, even as he struggled to push off his briefs. Single-minded, all he could think of doing was joining himself with her body. Showing her how much she turned him on, how much she made him shake, the devastating and magnificent effect she had on his mind. He wanted her, and every cell in his body needed to show her.

She helped slide his briefs off, scratching his ass with her nails and smiling when he jumped. She had known her outfit would have an effect on him, but not one this strong. She had intended for her to be in charge during this encounter, but from the way he was kissing her and pressing her deeper into the bed, it didn't seem likely to happen. But she did manage to gasp out a question as he began kissing down her neck and running his hand up the inside of her thigh. "So tell me, Nathaniel. Have you been naughty or nice this year?"

"Naughty," he grated out, "and about to get much naughtier." His breath was coming in gusts, heated against her neck. She jumped as his finger hooked in the crotch of her thong, pushing it out of the way. He shuddered as he felt her moisture, lingering to rub his fingers around her clit. He flashed her a devious grin as she moaned loudly. Not wasting a moment longer, he poised his cock at the opening of her sex and thrust himself inside. "Oh, God...Lind..."

She shivered around him, gripping him tightly with her legs and her arms. Arching up to meet him, she squeezed his shoulders, pressing her body tight against his. Then she lightly trailed her nails up and down his back. She groaned at a particularly forceful thrust.

He knew he must've looked like a fool--dressed in nothing but white socks, already sweating and shaking visibly, bent at an awkward angle as he screwed his wife silly. His wife, who just happened to be dressed up like a elf from Frederick's of Hollywood. All right, not as trashy as that, but certainly as tantalizing. Sweat covering his brow, his too-long hair flapped in front of his eyes and slightly obstructed his view of her beautiful face. He bent to kiss her, ferociously, as if to devour her whole. She was his his his...the mantra roared in his head like the cheer of a football crowd. He slipped a hand between them, squeezing her barely covered, feather-clad, ample breast, moaning as he felt her nipple escape it close confines to rub against his thumb.

She squealed as his thumb stroked her nipple. Kissing back, she sucked on his tongue, her hand cradling the back of his head. Swinging her legs up, she locked her ankles above his back, drawing him in deeper. If she had known that her dressing up would get him this excited, she would have shown her outfit to him the day she bought it.

She was so damned sexy. He could feel her curves blossoming below him, cushioning his weight, softening each hard blow of his hips. She smelled incredible, from the light fruity smell of her shampoo to the rich spice of her perfume, all the way down to the heady, heated, musky scent of her wet sex. He sucked at her lower lip, using more pressure with his hips to grind himself against her clit. His fingers twisted and pulled at her nipple, coaxing it to a hard peak.

Her breathing sped up as she felt him rubbing against her clit. Kissing back she tried to thrust her hips against his and her breast against her hand. Lindy was amazed sometimes by her husband. He made her feel wild and wanton, brought out in her feelings and desires she had no idea she had. Before him, she wouldn't have considered looking twice at such a sexy costume. Now she was wondering why she hadn't bought one before. Especially when he began to twist his hips back and forth. "Oh Gawwwd..."

He grinned down at her, lifting one of her legs higher to give himself better access. Ducking his head, he moved to her other breast, firmly sucking her nipple, repeatedly letting it pop out of his mouth. Speeding up his thrusts, he concentrated on making her cum first, hoping he could last that long.

Moaning almost continuously, she used what little leverage she had to thrust upwards, meeting him. The throb in her breast was echoed by the throb of her clit and both were being urged on as Nathaniel continued to rub and suck on her. She let out a sharp cry and began to contract around his cock, waves of pleasure crashing over her.

He gasped, shuddering heavily as his own climax hit. He continued moving inside her, letting her muscle contractions milk his cock. Panting, he settled down on top of her and then rolled with her until he was on his back. He kissed the top of her head, his limbs going limp, and let out a heartfelt sigh. "Ohh, that was nice."

"I think nice is a bit of an understatement." Still panting lightly, she gently dragged her nails over his shoulders. She rubbed hr cheek against his chest. The bustier was digging in beneath her breasts, but she was too relaxed to take care of it yet. "So did you like your surprise Christmas present?"

"Mmm, very much." Lazily skimming his fingers over the white fuzz on her back, he smiled. "You know, traditionally, there are twelve days of Christmas..."

"True." Lindy leaned down to kiss and whisper in his ear. "But where am I going to find three French hens this late?"

He pinched her butt, making her squeak. "That's not what I meant, and you know it." He reached his arms out above his head, groaning and stretching like a lion with a full belly. "I'm beat. Well, Santa's Helper, got anything else planned for me?"

"Maybe," she grinned saucily. "It all depends on what you're up to." She kissed his cheek and then his lips. Nibbling his lips, she stroked her hands over his arms. Slowly she started rubbing her groin against his.

He let out a low rumble, and started sliding his hands up and down her thighs. "I'm up to anything...as long as you give me a few minutes to recover." He kissed her again, then pushed her into an upright position. Lying with her straddling his hips, he shook his head as he stared at her. "God, you're beautiful. All you need is a few snowflakes in your hair, and you'd be the perfect snow bunny. My very own pinup girl."

She smiled down at him, resting her hands on his chest. "Only because you make me feel that way, Nate." She slowly started rubbing her hands in circles, teasing the dusting of hairs on his chest. "Before you, I never would have dreamed of wearing that black dress with no one around, let alone to some place like the Gathering. And I would never have bought something like what I'm wearing now." She leaned down and placed light kisses on the center of his chest.

"Lucky me." He cocked his head to the side, watching her through heavy-lidded eyes. "I think we should start buying you a new wardrobe. Shorter skirts, transparent shirts. Low cut necklines and plunging backs. And lots of naughty, lacy, almost-nothing-there panties. Sexy stockings, strappy open-toe shoes, bras that barely cover your nipples. And pearls. You need lots of pearls to shimmer against your soft skin." He made a pleased sound, lifting his hips beneath her. "Just the thought is making me hard already."

"So I see, or actually feel." She rolled her hips, squirming against is reawakening cock. Slowly she kissed her way lower, nibbling on his abs and navel as she worked her way down his body. She had to admit, the thought of his reaction to her in racier clothing was turning her on. "So what else would you like me to wear?" She kissed down the trail of hair leading to his groin.

He spread his legs slightly, giving her room to back up. Clasping his hands under his head, he closed his eyes. "A short, tight skirt with no panties underneath. That way I can just walk up behind you, bending you over a table and fuck you any time I want." He grunted, his cock twitching as she bumped it with her chin. His breathing sped up in anticipation. "A loose shirt, with no bra, so you jiggle when you walk. An elegant dress with a slit up the side, flashing your whole leg all the way up to the hip. Aaaaa--" He stopped, breathlessly, hoping she'd swallow his cock. She swiftly and cunningly avoided it. He sighed. "And another shirt made of nothing but tiny swinging beads."

"Mmmm...sound like we need to go shopping." She licked along the top of his pubic hair while scratching the inside of his thighs lightly. Lindy smiled to herself as he squirmed. "You already wear such sexy things. I can't take my eyes off your ass in those tight faded jeans of yours." Ducking her head, she licked a broad, wet stripe up the length of his cock. Anticipating the buck of his hips, she let his cock slip between her lips.

He fisted his fingers in the sheets, moaning loudly as he continued pump his hips. She let him keep up the pace for a little while, before firmly pressing him back to the mattress. Staring down at her, his mouth hanging open, he murmured, "You're too good at that, gorgeous."

She smiled around his cock, concentrating on setting a pace that would stimulate him, but not let him cum too quickly. She slowly swirled her tongue around the length of him and pulled back so she could stab the tip of her tongue into the slit. Moaning at the taste of him, she swallowed him again, taking him as deep as she could without gagging.

Nate closed his eyes tightly, trying to remain still, resisting his urge to thrust his hips, which might've choked her. His head was swimming, hazy with pleasure. He cautiously ran his fingers over her hair, softly at first, and then cupping the back of her head, guiding her movements. "Oh Lind...I love your touch. You drive me crazy."

Lindy continued to suck, moving lazily on his cock. She lightly traced her fingers over his balls and up and down his perineum. Grinning as she felt his legs squirm, she pressed his balls under her chin and started to hum.

He whimpered, his hips twitching with the need to thrust. He could feel his balls beginning to tighten up, pulling close to his body. Biting his tongue harshly was all he could do to keep from tossing her on her back and fucking her until they both couldn't move. Panting, he tried to lift her chin, pulling her mouth up a bit, as he started to buck his hips uncontrollably.

She rode out his thrusts, moving easily to his rhythm. Increasing her suction, she let him fuck her mouth, her finger rubbing around his anus. Rapidly she flipped her tongue against the underside of his cock, urging him to cum. She placed her other hand on his stomach, running her thumb along the trail of his hair that ran from groin to navel.

The circling of her finger was nice, but it was her tongue that finally made him lose control. He arched his back violently, yelling as he came. It felt as if his body, from the chin down, was out of his control. With three quick thrusts, his demons were exorcised and he sank back to the bed quivering. Breathing in gusts, he closed his eyes...a small grin curving his lips.

Gently she lapped at his cock, cleaning him up. After one last gentle kiss on the glans, she crawled up his body and nestled besides him. Resting her head on his shoulder, she grinned up at him, pleased with herself and his reaction.

He let out a soft purring sound, snuggling closer to her. He dug his head into the pillow and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "That was wonderful, gorgeous. Thank you." Lazy but happy, he kissed the top of her head. Then he yawned. "I'll be happy to let you have your turn, if you don't mind us taking a little nap first."

Lindy let out a yawn as well. "A nap sounds good, Nate." She thought about telling him that he didn't have to reciprocate unless he wanted to. She placed an arm over his chest, squeezing him tight. "Merry Christmas, Nate."

He smiled, stretching and then pulled the blankets over both of them. He rubbed his nose against her hair and kissed her forehead. "Merry Christmas, baby."

End Chapter Seventy-four