Holiday Surprise

By Northstar

North sat curled up in her favorite chair reading a book and sipping on a cup of hot chocolate. There was a fire burning in the fireplace and it was quite cozy. This was the first day in what seemed like forever that she had some time to herself. Things had finally settled down in CLHQ after the Thanksgiving celebrations and now it was almost time to plan for the next holiday. She fervently hoped that that nothing major would happen to spoil it for the girls. Taking a sip of her drink she put her book down and thought of how she could make things special for everyone. A lot of the girls would be away from their families for the first time and it would be hard on them. The one drawback of working for Section was not having any family anymore. Real family anyway.

Getting up she went to the kitchen and placed her mug in the sink after rinsing it out. The hot chocolate had hit the spot and she felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. Opening her junk drawer she reached in and grabbed a pencil and a pad of paper. No time like the present to start making a list of things she wanted to do over the holidays and the gifts she wanted to get for everyone at CLHQ and Section. True, they were going to be drawing names for a gift exchange but as she was the 'mom' she could get away with getting a little something for everyone.

Turning on the stereo she picked out some Christmas CD's and placed them in the player and turned the volume down low. Nothing would get her more in the mood than enjoying the timeless classics from yesteryear. As the music started wafting through the room she sat down at her desk and started to compose her lists of things to do and get. She had been at it for a while and was pleased with what she had accomplished. She stood up and stretched getting the kinks out of her body from being slumped over her desk for so long.

North was just about to head for her kitchen for some more hot chocolate when she heard a knock on the door. Heading over and glancing at the monitor she was surprised to see Mick standing there.

"Hey Luv, how ya doing?" he asked as he stepped over the threshold and glanced around. "Hey I like what you've done with the place since I was here last."

"Hi Mick. I'm okay now that I've had a day to rest up. What can I do for you?"

"Well I was in the neighborhood and thought I would pop in and say hello to everyone."

"So in other words you didn't have a date for tonight, right Mick?"

Mick, looking sheepish, just grinned. "You know me too well my dear. But as a matter of fact I do have one but it's not until later. Besides I haven't been for a visit in so long..."

"And you missed us so much?"

"Yeah that's it. I missed you all."

"Okay Mick, enough with the BS. What's the real reason you're here?" North asked as she shook her head. Mick never stopped by without a good reason. Well good reason for him that is. He was a sweet guy for the most part but he did have certain eccentricities that irked her at times.

"BS? North you wound me. I don't understand you birds at all sometimes." he grinned good-naturedly. "Actually I was wondering what you all had planned for the holidays."

"Christmas?" Mick nodded his head as he made his way over to the couch. "Well, actually I was just going over some stuff to do with the holidays. I still have to go over things with Trace but I was thinking that we would have a party of some kind provided that no missions are on deck." North saw Mick's eyes light up and she realized that he must not have any plans. "Hey Mick, why don't you join us if you're not doing anything then."

"Really? Thanks Luv, I just may do that." he grinned almost looking relieved. "Oh, by the way Birkoff handed me the mail as I was heading up the stairs and when I told him I was coming to see you, he handed me this."

She took the pile of envelopes that he held out and thanked him. Setting the pile down on the coffee table she turned to him. "You want a cup of tea or hot chocolate or anything Mick?"

"No thanks. I really should be getting out of your hair. I still want to visit the other girls. Can't have them feeling left out now can we." he chuckled as he stood up to leave.

North, feeling like she wanted a bit of company headed downstairs to the kitchen to see if anyone was out and about. She herself had run out of tea so she made herself a cup. As she sat at the table she mulled over what she wanted to get the girls for a present. She started out with listing the names of the girls and when she was done that she started jotting ideas down beside each name. She was going to enjoy going out and getting some shopping done.

Having finished her first cup of tea she got up and poured herself another one. Her thoughts drifted to Mick and hoped that he would have a good time with them that Christmas. He seemed so lonely at times and North figured out that that was why he was the way he was with everyone. Being the clown and joking around to hide the fact that he was lonely.

Part Two

"Hey Mama Bear." Trace said as she walked into the kitchen looking for her fix of Dew.

"Hey Trace. Ran out again I see." North acknowledged her as she noticed the crushed can in Trace's hand. "Anything new I should know about?"

"Nope or at least not this second. I did notice though that a fax was just coming in as I passed your office."

"Okay, thanks. I'll check it out once I've done my tea."

"So how are you feeling anyway North?" Trace asked. North had had problems with her arm after a muscle spasm laid her up for a few days.

North looked up from her cup that she had been cradling between her hands trying to gain some warmth from the contents. "Almost back to normal. My muscles are almost back to normal but I still get the tingling in my fingers from that pinched nerve. I hate having pain like that and I don't want to go through that again."

"I hope for your sake you don't either. You had us all worried about you but we're glad to see you up and about again."

"I second that North." Aly said as she came through the door. "Oh I went to update the mission log and this fax just came in," she said as she handed the paper to her friend.

North took it and quickly glanced at the words. Not much there other than the fact that there would be an upcoming mission that she would be required for. No other details.

Aly and Trace watched her face as she read the short message but got no clue from her expression. Trace of course couldn't help but ask. "Anything interesting?"

"Nah. Just the fact that we may be required for a mission soon. No other details." North answered as she handed the fax to Trace. "Cryptic as usual." she laughed.

"Are you up to it North?" Aly asked as she too noticed that North still didn't look the best.

"I will be. Hey guys don't worry so much about me. I've been through this before. Really." she said as she noticed the expression on their faces. "Trust me."

At this they all laughed as they had always said that no one should trust anyone who said 'trust me' at any time. "If you say so," they said.

"Well maybe I had better check my office to see if anything else needs looking after right away." North grinned as she got up.

Trace and Aly just looked at each other not saying a word until North had left the room. "Hey Aly, you notice that North has not been herself lately?"

"Yeah actually I have but between the bout of food poisoning she had and now the muscle spasm it’s no wonder. What she really needs is some time off and away from here. In fact, I think there are a few of us that would love to get away and relax somewhere."

"From your mouth to God’s ears Trace my dear." Aly agreed. "It really has been pretty hectic around here lately."

"Well let’s hope that no new missions come in and we can have a rest between now and the New Year."

"Yeah well we know that isn’t going to happen. Remember, North just got that fax that mentioned something about an upcoming mission?"

Sherry and DragonLady wandered into the kitchen and heard the last bit that Aly had been saying to Trace. "Hey. What’s this about a mission?" Sherry asked.

Trace was busy taking a swig of her dew so Aly piped up. "Oh, North just got a fax about an upcoming mission. There weren’t any details as usual."

Sherry and DragonLady just shook their heads. They had both just finished missions that had left them tired. "Well I for one," DragonLady stifled a yawn, "am not going out on another one until I am good and ready to go. I feel like something the cat dragged in and there is no way I am up to going out again."

Sherry nodded in agreement. "I am with you girl. Hey, why don’t we see if we can help Birkoff and Walter with the tree? I noticed they had just gotten it set up when I went by the party room."

The idea appealed to the girls and they made their way to see if any help was needed. They entered the room to find that there were a lot of their fellow sisters helping to put the decorations up on the tree. Rita and Curlly were putting decorations up around the room and Grace and Kit were going through the boxes of lights and getting them untangled. Walter and Birkoff were just sitting and watching the girls work.

Wendy came into the room just then and when she noticed that everyone else was busy she turned to Sylvia, who had come in behind her, and suggested that the two of them go and make some popcorn to string up on the tree. Sylvia who loved popcorn readily agreed and they both disappeared from the room without anyone really noticing that they had been there. Soon the aroma of popping corn pervaded the halls of CLHQ.

"Oh gosh. I smell popcorn!" Kit said as she sniffed the air. "I sure hope they made lots for the tree and for us."

Wendy and Sylvia chose that moment to come in with bowls of popped corn with butter drizzled all over and then a few more bowls of unbuttered popcorn and needle and thread.

It wasn't long and there was as much popcorn all over the floor as there was in the girl’s mouths.