Posted by Fleet Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Haul out the Holly
Ian walked down the hall chugging his coffee like it was his last meal and he was a dead man walking. In his mind that is what it felt like. It had been the worst three days he could remember in his life. His thoughts didn’t drift to fixing it or ways to improve the situation which was typical of him. He had a single minded focus on why did he have to have two of the most difficult women in the galaxy in his life.

Both of them had two as a recovery date. Jessa was two years. Kelly was two weeks. One was going to be a marathon and the other a sprint but wasn’t in the physical shape to win either. His only option was lace up the sneakers and start training.

Entering sick bay he heard the rhetoric as soon as the pneumatic doors swished open. “Good luck. It’s been a long night and she is in rare form,” Lauren took the cup out of Ian’s hand. “You know the rules. No weapons, no screens, limited reading,” she read off the protocols in place. “This,” she held up the cup, “she could knock you out and then come after us with it like a shank.”

“Yeah,” Ian handed it over and then gave Lauren a sloppy kiss on the cheek. “You know though you are the best. Can’t live without you. Backbone of the ship,” Ian walked backwards shouting platitudes at Lauren with his lopsided grin. “We need you,” he imitated the cheesey recruitment speech and finger point starfleet ads used to encourage enlistment.

“Go deal with her becuase I am done babysitting,” she waved him off before absent mindedly polished off his coffee and walking to her office.

Approaching the door he took a breath. Despite what Rinker said, he had to lay down some authority. “You,” he walked in with a firm tone and no nonsense demeanor, “are gonna knock the bull crap off and get your crap together. I am done with the yelling and temper tantrum’s.” Standing over the bed he glared back with a look that said he was on his last straw so try him.

“Who do you think you are talking,” she snapped back instantly feeling the tension triple in her body. You have no idea,”

“Zip it,” he leaned against the wall crossing his arms. “You have had a carptastic couple of days and things are definitely not going your way but face it you are stuck with the situation Miss Bordeaux so learn to like it or it will only get worse

Kelly fought the half smile looking at her husband. This was why she loved him and found him so attractive. She liked a man with a backbone and sometimes she didn’t want to always be in control. Still this was not the time or place to delve into flirty banter. “Ian if you don’t get me a cup of coffee I am going to lose my mind.”

“Becuase I got something better,” he slowly approached her bed

“Better than coffee,” she looked at him skeptically.

“Yep I got Christmas. Handing over a PaDD he had smuggled it, Ian sat down next to her in the chair.

“You smuggled a PaDD in but you can’t smuggle in a cup of arabica?” Her tone was playful but also slightly testy.

“Focus,” he snapped his fingers rapidly at the screen. “It is December 8. We are literally at the threshold of the twelve days of Christmas. Baby we need to exit this year on a high note.” Ian’s excitement was almost infectious as she looked at what Ian had created so far. “Okay I agree you can’t just sit and recover. Ain’t going to happen but it’s not like you can slip into that starfleet issued boots and skirt that make me go wild so you plan the First Annual Atlantis Christmas,” he said happily.

“What’s this subtext,” she pointed to the really tiny text that looked like a disclaimer.

“Happy hannaukah. For Lexi,” he shrugged it off. “I say we do it up. Huge. Go all Norman Rockwell and those Galaxytime movies you watch only you aren’t finding a new love or looking for love in some far off town or lonely stateroom ,” he chuckled getting a grin from the lazy plot lines those movies always held.

“Wait,” Kelly looked over the plans. “Are you suggesting we throw up emergency cots in the deck six Reck room and sleep like we are refugees for Christmas?”

“No I am suggesting we act like one huge family and spend Christmas Eve as a giant family. Come in Kelz we all do it. Go home for the holidays. Sleep on half deflated air mattresses in musty basements telling everyone we are so glad to be there. Only this time we don’t have our parents. Remember last year when your Uncle Lewis kept yelling at me that the little lightd aren’t twinkling Ian? Huh huh remember that. Cause I do and it was so much fun,” Ian faked a smile leaning back and tapping his chest for emphasis. His actions caused Nelly to laugh and Pat his arm as she began to study the plans. “And we don’t have to spend it with our parents,” Ian waggled his eyes.

Seeing Kelly starting to buy into the idea he picked up his summary. “I will cook the food. Nash is going to play Santa. Jacen is going to run the workshop and replicate the toys. Styxx and her crew love to blow up things so I will get them to set up a firework display and maybe some inside light show,” his excitement started to run away with him.

“Ian this says you want her men to jet pack across the hill to simulate Santas sleigh arriving. I am not sure Styxx and her crew are going to wear brown EVA suits and antlers,” Kelly raised an eyebrow.

“Details details,” Ian waved it off. “We have time for that all later.

Kelly.

TO. Be Continued.

OCC: Okay so with the holidays coming you know The command crews stance on the Atlantis. Have fun and relax however you do it. But sometimes you do want to get away from the crowds and noise so I am going to start a Christmas thread that is independent of the two stories going on now. If you want to join go for it. If not that’s okay too and take a break.

I am speaking for the entire Atlantis command crew when I say thank you for all your dedication, effort, and devotion to each other and our little slice of literary heaven. Know that we appreciate you.

I will start a thread when I get off work moving this along.

Kate

If you are interested in participating let me know.
Jobs filled:
Santa = Nash
Music = styxx
Bar= Evrilla
Lights = jacen drayke

If you have a creative idea let me know

Kate