Room 406, Sunday morning

[izzyalienqueen]

Isabel sat on her bed writing an email to her parents explaining why she wasn't going home for the holidays. Doing it by email felt like cheating, but at least her mom wouldn't be able to make her feel guilty like she would have if they talked on the phone.

As she typed, she sipped at a peppermint mocha. There's a second mocha and a box of assorted pastries from J,GoB sitting on the desk, (next to a print out of a newspaper article she's trying not to think about) all part of the lure she'd mentioned when she left a message last night.

Occasionally Isabel would glance at the open doorway expectantly.

[The mocha is for chasingsnitches but anyone else is welcome to stop by for a doughnut. Occasional SP due to RL.]

Comments

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I know you didn't," she assured him. "So can I hug you or would I hurt you?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"You can hug me," he said. "I'm sore but not so much that I can't be hugged."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Rough week then?" Isabel asked, as she did just that.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"It wasn't a pleasant return trip home," he said and hugged her back.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Damn," she said softly. Isabel stepped back and returned to her bed, taking a seat and motioning towards the extra mocha and the space at the foot of the bed. "That's for you. Peppermint because of the season. Do you want to talk about it? Or should I ramble on about my adventures this week? Or do you want me to find some incredibly silly movie to watch on the laptop and we can just relax and be quiet?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He took the offered mocha and the offered seat. "Thank you. And I'm not really ready to talk about a lot of what happened. So, tell me what you did this week."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"No problem, if or when you do, I'll listen if you want to talk." She crossed her legs and balanced her chin on her hands. "Let's see, I tried to keep Jack from worrying, I wrapped Christmas presents, and then I went off to Tortall for the weekend. And came back a few hours after I left believe it or not. Oh and I became a mom."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"You and Jack both had children while I was gone," Cedric said, blinking.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"That's because we both have Ethics." She pointed to where Benjamin was sitting in his open lunchbox on the desk. "That's Benjamin."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric peeked over and smiled. "I heard about Bob last night. And now I meet Benjamin. Whose your partner?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Bel's supposed to the daddy. I had a hell of a time in Tortall breaking Angel's brain when I tried to explain that," Isabel grinned. "Angel thought we'd actually had some sort of alien demon love child. Of course I might have deliberately led him to believe that."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He laughed and tried to cover it behind his hand. "Alien demon love child? I've missed so much."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel smiled, pleased to see him laugh. "You also missed cookies and the decorating thereof. I made Aeryn put the sprinkles on them."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"I missed cookies?" He tried to look suitably stricken.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You did," she nodded sadly, reaching for the bakery box. "But here's the best J,GoB has to offer to make up for it."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He still tried to look sad but that didn't stop him from digging into the bakery box. "Thank you."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"No thanks necessary. It's just good to see you smile." Isabel leaned back, relaxed and content. "You're staying now? For the holidays?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he said. "I hadn't planned on leaving on that last little trip but yes, I'm staying. I've been barred from the beach though."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I can understand that," she nodded. "No beach without an escort to keep you out of trouble. I worry the next time we won't be so lucky." Frowning, Isabel mentally pushed that thought away. "I'm sticking around as well. Things with my brother are still a little to tentative for me to risk seeing him in person. Since we're all going to be here, I think we need to do a traditional Christmas morning together."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"What's a traditional Christmas morning for you?" he asked.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I think you might like it," Isabel said with a small laugh. "It involves hot chocolate, cookies and sitting around the tree opening presents in comfy pajamas."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"That does sound nice," he said. "I don't know if I've ever seen you in your pajamas," he said with a grin.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

She laughed, "You're not missing much. They're mostly flannel and bulky. When I lived at home I never knew when my brother or Michael were gong to wander into my room. And it's the same here. When we make it to Mexico I promise I'll bring something more appropriate."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Oh, good," he said and laughed. "As long as they're comfortable, who cares what they look like, right?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Well I got new ones for this Christmas. They have penguins on them," Isabel said, with a tone that implied this was vitally important.