Discovered in a Christmas Cracker - Day 17: Christmas Wishes

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Happy Holiday's everyone! I've a fic to share...



(cover-art by the fabulously talented snailbones Thanks, luv!)

“Damn Cowley. Just like him, eh, Bodie? Calling us in on Christmas Eve – first Christmas we’ve had off in years. Had plans, I did. And they didn’t include searching through a dingy flat looking for nutters and then getting blown up! Yeah, ok, I’ll stop whinging. It’s just that I was going to give you a real Christmas – dinner with all the trimmings – and yes, before you ask, a real Christmas pudding with rum sauce. Aw, never mind, mate. It’ll keep. Provided they find us – and where the hell are Anson and McCabe? I called it in! They should’ve been right behind us.

“Should’ve been easy. There were only two of the soddin’ villains. You chased the one in here and I went round the back. I let Control know where we were. Then I heard the gunshot. Wasn’t your gun. I was careless, mate. Barrelled in through the back door, set off the blast and found myself buried under two floors. Heard the two thugs runnin’ out; laughing they were. I couldn’t move, me leg’s pinned under a beam. Heard you moving about. Was never as relieved as when you lay down next to me, tellin’ me I was safe. I was safe – as if you were never in danger. Berk! I must’ve blacked out for a while. Sorry. I’m back now.

“You look rough mate. Bit bloody around the edges. Me? Oh, ‘m fine. Leg’s broken, I think, so I’m going to need you to help get me out of here. Gonna need some help digging out from under all this debris. But not yet. You rest a bit, yeah?

“Shame about this place. Might’ve been too quick to call it dingy. Looks like someone had it all set for Christmas. Ruined now. There’s tinsel all over, broken ornaments scattered about, angel on the floor instead of on top of the tree, and a few presents seem to have made it. Don’t see any stockings though. Ah ha! Even a sprig of mistletoe caught up in your jacket. Here – don’t fret, I’ll get it. Save it for later, yeah? When we’re a bit more comfortable and can put it to better use. One of the better parts of the holiday, mistletoe is...

“‘ang on for me ok sunshine – think I’m gonna conk out again. Pain’s getting...



“Sorry, didn’t mean to drift off and leave you on your own. Feeling a bit knackered myself and its getting cold in here, Bodie. And where did all the snow come from? Bomb must’ve opened a hole in the roof. You’re lookin’ a bit festive, mate – snow in your hair. Here, let’s brush that off, shall we? Let’s move in a bit closer too- we’ll both be warmer if we share a bit of heat, yeah? You’re like a bloody hot-water bottle, you are. Always hot. Comes in handy from time to time. Oi, see what I said there – come in hand! – Sorry, sorry, sunshine. Not funny, I know. Can’t seem to think straight – thoughts wandering all over. Here, rest your head on me shoulder and I’ll just wrap my arm around here – ahh – that’s better. Warmer? Good.

“Hear the bells? St. Pauls, that is. My mum brought me there once, year before she died. I was nine. Happiest Christmas I’ve ever had. She was beautiful, all dressed up in her finest. You’d’ve laughed at the little scruff hiding behind her skirts – she even made me wear one of me dad’s old ties. Hated it as much then as I do now – maybe more. She’d saved for months to pay for our train tickets to London. She took me to Harrods and we spent hours just lookin’ in the windows. Never seen anything like it. The fairy lights and decorations and all the toys! We had some chocolate biscuits and some hot cocoa and pulled a few crackers she’d hidden in her handbag. Don’t know where she got them. They weren’t as pretty as the ones in Harrods’ window, but I didn’t care. Couldn’t stop smilin’ – either one of us. Christ, she was beautiful, Bodie. I wish you could’ve known her. I think she would have liked you. Then we went to St. Paul’s. She said it was something she had to share, something I should see and remember. I think she knew – ah well, never mind that. Bloody eyes are burnin’ - must be the dust from the blast. I can still see the church all decked out for the holiday, can hear the choir singin’ hymns, can see me mum’s eyes shining and hear her laugh – she didn’t laugh much - and the bells - means its midnight – means - Happy Christmas, Bodie.

“You asked me back in the car, what I wanted from Father Christmas. Was all a joke then, wasn’t it? Not so funny now. If there is a Father Christmas, I’d ask – well, really, I just want you to wake up, mate. Please. That bump on the head shouldn’t be enough to keep you down. Bodie? C’mon mate - don’t want to be alone. At Christmas – or ever again.

“Hold still, mate. You’re getting restless, hurts my leg. Gotta-"

“Shut. Up. Doyle.”

“Bodie! You’re awake?”

“Course I’m awake – how could anyone sleep through all your nattering?”

“Sorry. Was worried -”

“I know. Ah, don’t pout. Long face like that – Father Christmas will pass you by.”

“Already got what I wished for, didn’t I?”

“Ah, Raymond. None of that; don’t have my handkerchief handy, do I?”

“Pillock. You all right?”

“Head hurts, but I don’t think I’m concussed. How about you?”

“Leg’s pinned down, maybe broken. I really can’t feel it.”

“Let me see if I can free you. We need to get somewhere warm.”

“I’ve tried, Bodie. Probably best to leave it. Help should be on the way. Anson and McCabe were right behind us – Ahh, fuck, Bodie – don’t!”

“Ok, ok. Steady, Ray. We’ll wait a bit. But if it gets much colder, we’re going to be in trouble.”

“You could go for help.”

“And leave you here on your own? No way. I’ll give the lads a little more time to find us. If we leave here, we leave together.”

“Nothin’ but a big softie, you are.”

“Don’t disparage my character, Raymond. Remember it is Christmas. Little boys are supposed to be on their best behaviour. That means being nice to their mates.”

“I am nice, Bodie. Shared my best Christmas with you. We’ve got time, let’s hear about yours.”

“Trust me, Ray, yours was better.”

“Humph. Don’t tell me, then.”

“Stubborn sod, aren’t you? You’re shiverin’ mate. Let me turn a bit, here; rest your head on my shoulder. I’ll put my jacket-"

“Stop arsing about, Bodie. Let’s hear it!”

“All right, all right, you’re a bloody–minded git, aren’t you, Doyle? Well, Christmas at my home was what you saw in Harrods’ windows, mate. Big fancy trees, pretty packages, fairy lights and holly wreaths, nuts and dates and crisps and chocolates round the house, the Queen’s Speech - all the trappings – none of the feeling. Empty promises. I’d’ve traded it all for a few hours like you had with your mum.”

“I thought that might be the way of it. That’s why I wanted – Bodie, did you hear that? The roof-”

“Probably just old Father Christmas and his sleigh, yeah?”

“Don’t make jokes, Bodie. I think the rest of the roof is going to come down on us. You best find help.”

“Told you before, Ray, not leavin’ without you.”

“Bodie, I’m pinned under all this. No point in both of us-”

“Doyle! I’m not leavin’ you here. Get that through your woolly head. Now, take a deep breath, sunshine. I’m going to try to move this beam off your legs. What the hell? Shit, the roof is comin’ down. I’m sorry, Ray, this is gonna hurt like hell, but we have to get out of here.”

“Bodie...”

“On three, mate. One – two-”

“Christ, Bodie!”



“Passed out again, did you? Well, that’ll make things easier. Here we go. Fuck, it’s no good, Ray. I can’t move this on my own. I hear - is that your R/T? Buried underneath you? Ha, old son, salvation waits. This is 3.7. Can anyone hear me?”

“Bodie, where the bloody hell are you? Is Doyle with you?”

“Language, Anson. It is Christmas.”

“Bodie, where-”

“We’re in the warehouse, near the back. Doyle’s injured. I need help to get him out. The roof is starting to come down – those reindeer are a bit heavy this year.”

“Be right with you, mate. Ambulance is on its way – we called when we heard the explosion and lost contact with you.”

“Hurry it up. We’re freezin’ in here.”

“Running all the way, Bodie.”



“C’mon, Raymond. Wake up. Visiting hours are almost over and the good sister is already giving me the eye. Hospital rules and all, she says.”

“Bloody irritatin’, that is.”

“What?”

“Whatever you keep sticking in me lug-hole.”

“Just trying to wake Sleeping Beauty with a sprig of the season.”

“Eh?”

“Something you had in your hand when we finally got you out of that warehouse. You wouldn’t let it go. Mistletoe.”

“Know a better use for that than cleanin’ me ears.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, c’mere and I’ll show you.”

“Hmm, nice, but naughty, Raymond. Father Christmas won’t be pleased.”

“Told you before, already got what I want. Now get back here with that!”






Title: Christmas Wishes
Author: Merentha
Slash or Gen: slash
Archive at ProsLib/Circuit: sure!
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the lads; no copyright infringement intended
Notes: Big thanks to anna060957,moonlightmead,maddalia,and to my cover artist snailbones *g*

Comments

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Oh, look, I have time to read! And a nice story it is, too--poor lads. But they found each other through it all, which makes everything right. I enjoyed the exchange of Chrsitmaes past, and what is really important to them both. Not to mention the whole self-sacrifice, we're going down together thing. *g* Thank you!

And, ooh, lovely art work to accompany it! Thank you both, and happy Christmas!

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading and commenting. Glad you liked the story - and the artwork is lovely, isn't it! Happy Holidays!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you from me too *beams*

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

Sweet and h/c for both, right up my alley. Shut.Up. Doyle. made me chuckle, but I have to remind Bodie that if he was unconscious for that long, then he is concussed, no two ways about it.

Their different childhood Christmas memories were lovely and poignant.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thank you! (We'll have to send Bodie back to med school! *g*) I'm glad you enjoyed their memories. Happy holidays!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Nice! I was actually quite worried for a while but I suppose I should have known it would all turn out right for Christmas! I like the way you use dialogue and stretches of monologue to tell the whole story. The lack of narrative gives it all an immediacy and intensity that are very gripping.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

lack of narrative gives it all an immediacy and intensity
Thank you so much for that. I was quite worried that it wouldn't read well. I know there are people who don't like strictly dialogue stories - so I was a bit hesitant. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

P.S.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Snailbones' art is wonderful!!

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Yes - it is! I'm so lucky to have had her create the artwork for me! Happy holidays!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you! - can I blush now? *g*

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you can blush! If I really like a fic I turn it into a pdf for future re-reading and uploading to my Kindle via Calibre. So I did with this, and put your gorgeous pic at the top - and on Calibre it will work as the 'library' cover.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Oh wow - I had no idea it would do that - I'm chuffed as nuts now *g*

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Calibre lets you browse for a cover so of course you can go to anything you've saved on your hard drive. It then resizes it to fit and the results are quite impressive.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

I've never got into using Calibre as I still don't have an e-reader - oh the shame! Hopefully after Christmas I can get my hands on a spare Kindle, and then I can play! Thanks for letting me know you can do it too - I'm going to have fun!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I love using Calibre as my default library system - and I frequently buy either mobi (which cn go straight to Kindle) or pdf which Calibre converts happily. You then have a copy on your hard drive which is much easier to search (e.g. for quotations) than Kindle, and the library can be organised according to your ideas, and not Amazon's. And you can make notes. Plus the lovely library covers which are much bigger than the Amazon thumbnails and of course are in colour - I don't have a Kindle Fire! If you also have Kindle for PC and Adobe Digital Editions (both free downloads), your laptop can open anything with one click within Calibre. You do, however, need to download everything to disc regularly and back it up - a very easy process. It can then be uploaded to another laptop etc. and the notes, pics, etc. are all intact. Brilliant! It's worth spending a little time finding your way around the program.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm copying all this down because it sounds brilliant!

We're obviously going to be reading pretty much everything digitally before we're much older, and as much as I adore books I do most of my reading on the laptop as it is... anything that makes the whole thing easier and prettier and more intuitive is such a bonus. Thanks for all the advice - fandom is full of the nicest and smartest folk!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

I really must try all that. Up until now I use Calibre just to convert htm for my Kindle.
(I have a Kindle Fire too, but it's in fact too heavy to read comfortably...)

Thanks!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

At first that was all I used it for. Then I began to explore! :)

[sw33n3y.livejournal.com]

This was a rather beautiful shared moment for them and it was thrown into focus by the "shattered" Christmas setting.

I also liked the musings about their childhood Christmases.

Snailbones' illustration is just amazing.. and soo evocative!

Christmas kudos to both of you! :D

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the kind words! Glad you liked the story and the artwork was gorgeous wasn't it!
Hope you have a great holiday!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you from me too!

[milomaus.livejournal.com]

That was nice! Especially the end!
And the Artwork is fantastic, too!

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you - it's such fun to be given a fab story to play at making artwork for. *beams happily*

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

YaY! Well done, and thank you babe - I love it to bits, and it's so much fun to watch something come to fruition so perfectly.

And thank you for asking me to do some artwork - it fought me every inch of the way, but it was the best fun *g*

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It was fun wasn't it!

[maddalia.livejournal.com]

Lovely story, lovely artwork. I enjoyed this story from the first time I read it, and you've polished it up beautifully. I like the idea of the lads in dire straits, swapping Christmas stories, Doyle talking to Bodie when he thinks he's unconscious, and the R/T being there all along! And a nice light-hearted ending too, because they always come out the other side of trouble with a sense of humour. Thanks for a great read!

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked the "finished" version. Thanks for your help along the way.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much - isn't it a brilliant story?

[lillianorchid.livejournal.com]

That was a wonderful story! Thank you so much for sharing! :D The artwork looks fantastic as well. Goes with the Story so well. :)

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

The artwork is perfect, isn't it! So glad you enjoyed the story, too! Thanks for letting us know.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you from me too!

[lillianorchid.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! :D

[etain-antrim.livejournal.com]

Nicely done. You had me convinced it was Bodie H/C until it wasn't and great accompanying art, too.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I had terrible arguments with the artwork, so I'm really pleased that it worked okay for everyone in the end *g*

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the story and the artwork!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

I've just realised I managed to reply before you had a chance to - I'm so sorry, I've no idea how I did that! I'll slap myself for being so rude.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

No slapping required! *g* You can respond whenever you want!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

This is very intense and thrilling. For some time I was a bit worried... - but it's worth reading twice to enjoy it properly
once you know what it's all about! :-)

And there are even some 'funny/touching' moments.
"Bomb must’ve opened a hole in the roof. You’re lookin’ a bit festive, mate – snow in your hair."
A heartwarming h/c story!

The art is stunning as well!

Thank you both.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Firle! I like to keep you guessing - for a little while at least! *g* Glad you enjoyed it. And snailbones artwork is stunning. She did a great job!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

And thank you from me too!

[margaret-r.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this, you've made excellent use of dialogue to tell us a very tense and intimate story about the lads. Thanks for the great read:)

And the art work is gorgeous!

(sorry, had to edit to add that because I forgot to in original comment)

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the kind words!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Thank you from me too!

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

I'm finally sitting back to enjoy the full calendar and I quite enjoyed your story. I was worried a wee while, but our lads prevailed!! Thank you!!!

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

It is a wonderful calendar, isn't it! Thanks so much for commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed the story!