welcome

[Terra Moberly]

December 21st
6 pm

Thank Dumbledore for apparition. Without it, Terra's plans for Jack's return would have been ruined. All of London was snowed in, and the world outside Jack's apartment windows was a snowstorm of white. But Terra had managed, thanks to magic. Everything was just about perfect.

Jack never celebrated Christmas. In his life, he'd never waited up for Saint Nick or sung christmas carols. Terra had been appalled to hear this. Christmas was the happiest time of the year. All her life, her father had gone to painstaking ends to ensure that the house was decked in lights, there was a tree covered in strings of popcorn and tinsel, and that Christmas carols were played almost non-stop until New Years. And Terra was determined to bring a little bit of this Christmas spirit into Jack's cramped apartment.

He'd left three days ago, intending to return the evening of the twenty first, and told her she was welcome to stay. So she did. She occupied herself by cleaning his apartment to start--she didn't add anything or take anything way, and she didn't rearrange furniture, as she knew these things would weird him out. She simply tidied it up a bit. Unclogged the tub drain, washed the dishes sitting in the sink, and got rid of the mold around the pipes under the sink. That sort of thing. By the time she was finished, the apartment looked magnificent, and she was ready to start decorating.

She started with the tree. Moving a few pieces of furniture, she made a spot for a medium-sized tree and apparated to a tree farm to get one. Her father and she had been getting their tree from this old wizard gentleman for her entire life, and with the help of his grandsons, two very handsome looking wizards in their twenties who were very disappointed to find out she was taken (though she really didn't know what exactly she was at the moment), she set it up in the perfect spot in the apartment. Next came time to buy lights and ornaments. Luckily, she knew a good duplication spell, so she bought about a dozen ornaments and duplicated each one a couple of times. The ornaments were magic, of course, which meant that the nativities moved in their little glass globes, the angels flew up and down the branches, and the slutty Mrs. Claus cartoon-ish ornament she'd gotten as a gag for Jack winked and swayed her hips as she hung from the branch.

Next came the stockings. Two hung from the fireplace, one red and one green. One which said ’Baby Mama’ and one which said ’Baby Daddy’. This avoided the awkward ‘what are we?’ question while still being funny. Next she’d draped some tinsel along the fireplace and some shelves, then some along the back of the toilet for good measure, and she was done. Now it was the twenty first, all there was to worry about was dinner. So she’d splurged and bought him his sole Christmas present, other than the decorating: a grill. And she’d set it up and she’d cooked hamburgers in it. She had all the fixings laying out on the table so he could put whatever he wanted on it. He ought to be home any moment, and the burgers were on the grill, making the whole place smell delicious. She wore an off-the-shoulder white sweater, under which her baby bump was only slightly noticeable, and khaki slacks. Underneath this, she wore new Christmas lingerie that Stasia had helped her to pick out, but that would come later. For now, the only thing on her mind was Jack’s Christmas surprise.

[Jack Liare]

“Meester Jock we ‘ave arrived.”

“Awesome, Kwan.” Jack pulled the cover from his eyes (that he only wore when flying alone) and yawned, “Thank you.” He fished in his back pocket for some bills and pulled out a one hundred dollar bill, American currency, “Wish the kids Happy Kwanza for me, yeah?” The large African pilot grinned at Jack’s British phrasing and, after getting it, Jack punched the man in the arm.

“Merry Chreestmas, Meester Jock”

With a grin Jack looked back from the hatch of the plane, “Bah humbug.”

Jack Liare had never celebrated Christmas. Not once. He’d grown up with the decorations, the outlandish presents, the stupid carolers. One year the police had brought Jackson III home when the carolers had been to cheery. All he’d done was remind them what it was like to have snow thrown down your coat and a snowball to the ear. Some people were just overly sensitive. So without any emotional ties to the holiday December 25th was just another day. New Years on the other hand….

The taxi pulled up to his building and Jack got out with a groan, pulling his duffel bag along behind him. He looked up at his window and saw the light on and a silhouette of a girl with messy wavy hair walked past. Surprisingly (not really) a smile came to his lips. Terra was here. This gave him a boost of energy and he hurried out of the cold, upstairs and onto their his floor. When he reached the door Jack paused, leaning his ear against it and listening for anything. Oh wow it smelled amazing! Without hesitation he pushed the door open, stretching and closing his eyes as he stepped through, “I smell burgers.” He dropped the bag and opened his eyes.

Holy shit.

He paused, jaw going slack and eyes going wide, “Holy fuck I think a snowman and Santa Claus threw up in here.” He took a couple steps in, “Terra have you seen this?!” There was teasing in his tone and he smirked a little. When she came into view his smirk grew to a grin, “You know, now you won’t be able to get out of staying for Christmas. There’s no way I’m staying with fairy tree and garland monster all on my own.”

[Terra Moberly]

When Jack stepped through the door, Terra's face split into a huge grin. She set down her spatula and moved around the grill, hiding it (as though her tiny frame could hide anything, let alone something the size of the grill). His eyes were closed, giving her a moment all to herself to do a couple of things. First she reacted in a way far too girly to do he was looking. She grinned, she bit her lip, and she pulled down the sleeves of her sweater in balls in her palmsas she clasped her hands in front of her. Secondly, she looked him over. He really was so attractive. He wasn't her type generally; she usually stayed away from perfect because perfect led to arrogance, something which Terra got plenty of from Angevin.

When he opened his eyes and saw the flood of Christmas decoration his apartment was swimming in, Terra watched him closely. Did he like it? She hoped he would; she'd be aggravated if she went through all this for nothing.

As he teased her, she gasped, covering her mouth as she looked around. "They really got you good, didn't they?" But she couldn't hold it long; she was too excited. She broke and smiled again, moving forward toward him. "What do you think?"

"You know, now you won’t be able to get out of staying for Christmas. There’s no way I’m staying with fairy tree and garland monster all on my own.”

Terra was shocked at how easily the two of them had fallen into this arrangement. They weren't together, per se, but they were together most of the time. They weren't dating, but he was taking her places and paying for everything--once, she had fought him for the bill and managed to get the (poor, flustered) waitress to split it for them. From then on, Jack had started calling ahead and giving them his credit card number. Terra had started to get suspicious when no check ever appeared at their table.

But he couldn't stop her from spending money on him for Christmas. And he wouldn't dare return it, she'd make sure of that. No time like the present to start in on the guilt.

"Happy Christmas!" she said, putting one hand on his chest and kissing him on the lips. She couldn't help but glow with excitement as she turned, hand sliding to his shoulder, and squeezed his arm a bit in her anxiousness. For the effect, she just had to say it again. "Happy Christmas!!!"

Into his ear, she had to add, "The present is the grill. Well, and the hamburgers. I tried to make them as greasy and disgu--American--as possible." She couldn't help but tease him as she let go of his arm and moved over to the grill to flip over the burgers. "They're almost done."

[Jack Liare]

The whole relationship had never been Jack’s thing. It wasn’t the whole ‘don’t dog it till you try it’ situation either. Been there. Done her. Never going back. At least, that’s what Jack would have said just about a month ago. Even with the news that he’d knocked up the Moberly chick he wasn’t interested in anything more than a fuck-around friendship. But then the kidnapping and the almost dying and the miscarrying thing. It had been a lot. Any guy would have come out of it with a little bit of pity for the girl. And so far that’s all Jack had chalked this all up to.

Pity.

So much pity that he practically refused to let her leave. He refused to let her pay. He refused to let her do more than clean up after herself and take her vitamins. Jack was actually starting to want her around. And it wasn’t just so he could make sure this girl was capable of handling his baby, eating right and taking her vitamins when needed, staying on her potions and getting enough rest. No, he knew Terra was capable of all that. But he wanted to be near to her. He wanted to see her half empty shampoo and conditioner bottles litter his shower, her razor sitting next to the milk and honey all natural body wash she used. He loved the way his bed smelled after she’d slept in it, the cute way she’d wrap her leg around him when she’d come onto him, the way her hands would slide up over his chest when she’d kiss him goodbye in the morning. It was those stupid things that made him weak in the knees not the whole baby thing.

So when she exclaimed at him and kissed him he couldn’t help but smile. He slid an arm around her back lazily and leaned down to kiss her back. She was so pretty. Jack had never noticed it before, never taken the time to appreciate her awkward pretty features. Big eyes, her adorable nose (which she always insisted was too big when he’d say anything), wavy dark hair that made her amazing eyes look amazinger. And then her lips. Besides her perfect hip bones (his first obsession) Jack was obsessed with them. They were so perfect and kissable and…indescribable.

"The present is the grill. Well, and the hamburgers. I tried to make them as greasy and disgu--American--as possible."

Jack grinned, “Oh yum! Side of lard for me please.” He followed her to the grill and started investigating, “Wow! Terra this is amazing. …this probably means I should have gotten you something. Fuck.” He smirked at her and started back towards the door. His bags were nearby and he unzipped the corner pocket, pulling out a velvet box. “Hm. What’s this?” He held the box out to her. Inside was a silver chain, attached were three birthstone babies, a boy and two girls. The boy’s center was a ruby, then an empty one, and the third was an emerald. Once she’d opened it he spoke quickly, “You can take the boy one off. It’s…it’s mine. The empty one is for,” he glanced down at her stomach, “Kensley. We’ll fill it when she finally shows up.”

[Terra Moberly]

“Wow! Terra this is amazing.”

Terra grinned happily as he eyed the grill. “The man at the store guaranteed me it was top of the line, but you never know with them. I think I’m an easy sell. Oh, shut up.” She rolled her eyes but she had to laugh. Jack’s suggestive comments were growing on her, weirdly enough. Of course, she’d basically put that one on herself.

“This probably means I should have gotten you something. Fuck.”

Uhhh…Was he being serious? Because if he was, she had seriously gone overboard. And while she wouldn’t return the grill…she’d be sort of miffed. It was Christmas, after all, and…

She knew that smirk. She returned it, realizing she’d fallen to one of his tricks again. She pursed her lips, unable to hide her smirk, as he went back to his bags. She busied herself with getting the burgers off the grill and onto their buns. She was just leaning over the table to set the plates when she felt him move up behind her. She straightened and turned to see him holding out an open velvet box. Three little people. A boy and two girls…well, it was clear who they represented, and Terra didn’t know which place to look. The fact that the one representing Kensley was empty and would soon be filled with July’s birthstone. Or perhaps June’s. But hopefully July’s. Hopefully she was on time. Or the fact that he had put himself on there. With Terra in the family. It wasn’t just like Kensley was in the middle, the only thing holding them together. Terra was in the middle, and Jack was still there.

“You can take the boy one off. It’s…it’s mine.“

Terra lifted her eyebrows in a surprised as she looked up from the necklace to him. “Oh, is that who it is?” she teased, breaking into a smirk a moment later.

“The empty one is for Kensley. We’ll fill it when she finally shows up.”

She could have made a similar comment on Kensley’s figurine, but she didn’t. Instead, her expression softened as she touched the smallest figure. “It’s beautiful.” Her eyes lifted to Jack again, smiling gratefully. Holding the small box in one hand, she put her arms around his neck in a hug. “Thank you so much.” Jewelry wasn’t usually Terra’s taste; she didn’t wear a lot of it, but jewelry which had meaning was completely up Terra’s alley (she’d been wearing her African beaded anklet for six months now). Pulling it from the box, she held it up to Jack and turned around, gathering her wavy hair over one shoulder so he could put the necklace around her neck. She turned her head to look over her shoulder. “This must have been expensive.” She gave him that familiar exasperated ‘you really shouldn’t have’ look, but this time it was tinted with that girlish ‘I’m saying you shouldn’t have but I’m just saying it to be polite’ look. She loved his gift, that much was obvious.

“Alright. Let’s eat.” She moved over to the table and sat down, only to jump up a moment later. “Drinks! You want water or milk or…” She opened the fridge and looked into it. “Or Dr. Pepper?” She looked over her shoulder at him, bent over to look in the second to last shelf in the fridge, and for his sake she wiggled her behind a bit as she looked at him over her shoulder with a knowing smile.

[Jack Liare]

Jack wasn’t sure what Terra would think of the gift. She wasn’t the sappy sort but it was pretty special. It was kind of his discreet way of saying…well…that she was his. If she wanted to, of course. Though after all these Christmas shenanigans he was pretty sure she was all for it. It had freaked him out, buying the charms, and he’d bought and returned the boy one about 5 times before just buying it and putting it away where he couldn’t see it anymore. There was no commitment being verbally spoken so Jack figured it’d be okay. She wouldn’t force him to wear khaki slacks and polos or fast for stupid causes just because he’d bought her a necklace.

“Oh, is that who it is?”

Was she seriously teasing his gift? Jack rolled his eyes, “It could have been your other baby daddy, you know.” The long running joke wouldn’t get old anytime soon. “Do you like it?”

“It’s beautiful.”

Insert sigh of relief here. He instantly wrapped his arms around her lower back when she hugged him. These hugs were getting better every time he got one.

“Thank you so much.”

“It’s no—“

“This must have been expensive.”

He scoffed, “Oh please.” Expensive had a whole new meaning to them now that his gallery was open again. He let go of the hug and moved into the room, loosening the tie he’d had to wear to his business meeting that morning and unbuttoning his button down. As she listed off his drink options he sat on the bed and pulled off his shined shoes and socks, only glancing over once he was comfortable, and just in time to see that wiggle, “Terra Moberly! You tease.” Jack grinned at her, “I hope that’s a G-rated preview of dessert.” He gave her an eyebrow wiggle and stood up. “Oh! I almost forgot!” Without an explanation he hurried into the closet, “Now, this isn’t as good as it could be. I need to redo it but I wanted it to be finished for Christmas. Might as well give it to you now, right?” He slid a painting out of closet after him and sighed, “Okay, ready?” Without another moment of waiting Jack turned it around. On it was a naked woman, obviously Terra. She was well along in her pregnancy with a hand on her stomach. Inside the womb was visual and the curled up fetus had her hand pressed against the inside of the womb, the same place as its mother’s. “Well? It’s supposed to be you.” He pointed at the baby, “And that’s Kens.”

[Terra Moberly]

Terra wasn't at all surprised when Jack brushed off her comment about the expense he'd gone to in buying her Christmas gift. In fact, she'd heard it so many times, she could practically mimic his scoff and 'oh, please' like a parrot. Jack had grown up rich; there was no novelty to it. Terra had grown up pinching pennies; not poor, but not affluent, either. And she was still that way. The grill she'd bought him had been a good portion of her money.

She had to glance him over as he loosened his tie. It was nice to see him dressed up for a change--and he looked good in it. The buttondown suited his broad shoulders and well-built frame. She'd have to try and get him to wear them more often.

“Terra Moberly! You tease. I hope that’s a G-rated preview of dessert.”

Terra smirked as she straightened, looking over her shoulder at him. A few months ago, she would have thought a guy who would make comments like Jack did was scummy. Then again, a few months ago she wouldn't have gone shaking her behind in said guy's face. She'd knocked it before she'd tried it, and while Jack certainly said things at times that were grotesque, he wasn't a one-dimensional guy. As he was about to prove with his second Christmas present for her.

“Oh! I almost forgot!"

Terra forgot about drinks as Jack suddenly stood and moved toward the closet. What could he have up his sleeve now? She hoped it wasn't more presents--all she'd gotten him was the grill. She couldn't dream of keeping up with his spending.

"Now, this isn’t as good as it could be. I need to redo it but I wanted it to be finished for Christmas. Might as well give it to you now, right?”

Terra started to smile excitedly as she moved toward him and the closet. He'd made something for her? Well, that was perfectly acceptable. In fact, she couldn't wait to see what it was. Luckily, she didn't have to wait long.

When he turned the painting around, Terra's heart stopped, her eyes staring unblinking at the most beautiful painting she had ever seen in her life. Her eyes focused in on her stomach, her hand pressed against the hand of her little girl, and her eyes pricked with tears. Her hand lifted to cover her mouth, then lowered to her chest, where her fingers found the necklace and started to play with the charms, something which would become a habit of hers. She moved closer, eyes flitting over the painting, taking in every detail. She kept going back to the hands. "Jack," she said softly, awe in her voice. "It's beautiful."

She took it from him carefully like it was the most precious gem in the entire world, looking down at it. Jack continued to shock her with how much there was to him underneath the surface. No man who could paint like this, who had the passion for the art and the drive to finish a piece, not to mention the vision to paint something like this, could be bad.

After she'd memorized every detail, she set it on the couch carefully and turned to him, wrapping her arms around him in an embrace. "Thank you so much. It's--I'm speechless." Her eyes moved between his, shaking her head a bit, before she kissed him, the kiss steadily deepening. "You are amazing. An amazing artist."

[Jack Liare]

For any artist, getting their work critiqued was a big deal. There wasn’t anything more excruciating then the opening of a gallery, watching everyone explain their likes and their dislikes, their hates and their loves. Usually Jack would be busy enough to keep from hearing the bad parts. But now, presenting this art to her like this, there was no escaping the bad parts. And, for whatever reason, this painting mattered more than any other had in the past. Probably because this painting was for someone he lovedmore personal than any others.

So Jack watched her face, her movements and her expressions carefully. In all honestly he’d never painted something specifically for someone. He’d never had a reason to. Prudence painted for herself all the time. Giving her a painting would be like giving a mathematician a calculator. But he knew Terra would really appreciate it. She wouldn’t notice any inconsistencies in his brush strokes or color palette. She wouldn’t care that the hands of the baby were just a little bit too big. In fact, her response was phenomenal. His nervous smile grew wider as she stared at the painting.

"Jack, it's beautiful."

He smiled, “I’m glad you like it.” He let her take the painting and stood back, pushing his hands into his pockets, “If you need anything changed just…I can do it. Don’t worry about hurting my feelings.”

"Thank you so much. It's--I'm speechless."

Easily, his arms looped around her in return. “That was the effect I was going for. You talk too mu—“ She kissed him before he could finish and it was no burden at all for him to kiss her back. She was, after all, the most kissable girl he’d been with in a long time.

"You are amazing. An amazing artist."

“I’m glad you finally realize I’m multitalented.” Jack hugged her again, nuzzling and nibbling her neck for a second before standing up straight again, his hands on her hips as he spoke, “I’ve been thinking, Terra,” here come the butterflies, “you don’t really have anywhere to, uh, to hang that.” He looked at the painting, “I could keep it for you. Keep it safe. Or…” he paused, letting go of her and pushing his hand back through her hair, “Or I could buy you a house.”

[Terra Moberly]

“I’m glad you finally realize I’m multitalented.”

“Oh, you’ve got lots of talents,” Terra said, her comment suggestive without her tone dripping of it. Terra was subtle when it came to her own little comments--she never said anything trashy, so she would never look trashy. Her small hands rested on his arms as his hands moved to her hips, which he seemed to like especially. He was always paying attention to them, at least. She couldn’t help but feel comfortable in this situation. In his arms. It was Christmas, a time of families, so it must have been that making her think about them in terms of such a thing. Of her and Jack. Being a family.

“I’ve been thinking, Terra. You don’t really have anywhere to, uh, to hang that.”

Ah, right. Because she’d moved out of her apartment. And was basically living at Jack’s. Well, and at her dad’s a day or two a week, so she didn’t feel like she was completely smothering Jack with her post-kidnapping-emotional-plus-pregnant-hormonal-ness. Terra had always been an independent woman, and she didn’t like depending on him. But she couldn’t deny that she was starting to do just that more and more. She scrunched her nose, nodding. “That’s true.”

“I could keep it for you. Keep it safe. Or…Or I could buy you a house.”

Blink.

Blink blink.

Her head tilted toward him as though she were sure she hadn’t heard him right. She gave a single laugh of disbelief, continuing to blink at him. “Wh…what!?” She had to laugh again, eyes looking down as she tried to process the idea. Hmm, how to deal with this gingerly… “I don’t really need a house all for myself, Jack…Well, yes, and for Kensley, but…” She didn’t meet his eyes as she tried to put into words her thoughts. “It would be lonely, though. It‘d have to be close to London--no. No. You‘ve spent way too much on me already.” She shook her head, smiling as she shifted back, trying to inject some humor into the situation. “You’ll buy me a house but you’ll stay in this cramped apartment with its fold-down bed? You mystify me, Jack Liare.”

[Jack Liare]

“Oh, you’ve got lots of talents,”

“And don’t you know it, baby.” Jack gave a suggestive eyebrow wiggle, his sexy subtly far more inferior than Terra’s. He was bad at that. She, on the other hand, could make his pants constrict in a room full of people and no one else in the room would even realize she was being sexy. It was just the sort of girl Terra was. And while Jack appreciated it considerably it got a little awkward when they were out to dinner or out shopping. If she ever pulled that in front of family he really wasn’t sure he’d be able to forgive her….

“Wh…what!?”

Oh yeah. He’d totally done it.

The reaction she gave wasn’t exactly the one he’d been expecting. He’d offer to buy her a house, for fuck’s sake! Couldn’t she be a little more appreciative? Couldn’t she kiss him and hug him and tell him how wonderful he was just like she’d done with the other two gifts. Ungrateful bi—

“I don’t really need a house all for myself, Jack.”

“Well you’ve got Kensley.” Idiot.

” Well, yes, and for Kensley, but…”

Jack sighed, “But what? You need the space, don’t you? You’ve got to live somewhere and with your Dad would just be…well unacceptable. How would we ever fu—“

“It would be lonely, though. It‘d have to be close to London—“

Lonely?! Psh, he wouldn’t leave her alone for a second if she had a whole house for him to christen. “London? Okay, we’ll start looking tomorrow!”

”No. No. You‘ve spent way too much on me already.”

“Would you make up your mind, Woman?” The words were more light and teasing than demeaning and he started towards her, his hands placed loosely on her hips as she turned around. As she spoke he leaned down and touched his forehead to hers, smiling softly as he rubbed noses with her. It was an appropriate enough time to be cute and romantic, wasn’t it?

“You’ll buy me a house but you’ll stay in this cramped apartment with its fold-down bed? You mystify me, Jack Liare.”

He grinned, standing up straight, “Mystify,” He said, “That’s one I haven’t heard yet. But it works just as well as amaze or flabbergast or turn me on.” Jack shrugged as the rest of her words echoed in his mind, “Well, you know, I could always get myself a couch. A fold down TV tray to eat on. I don’t take up much more room than a dog would and I’m already house trained.” He went on in latin, “Ego mos permoveo in vobis.” Jack grinned, “See? I know cool party tricks too. I’m even so civilized that I can explain the differences between forks at a dinner table.”









Translation: I will move in with you.

[Terra Moberly]

As he rested his forehead on hers and rubbed their noses together, Terra had to laugh softly. The move was just so un-Jack-like. He was pulling a lot of those things lately, and it was leaving her wondering whether she'd had a wrong first impression of him. Maybe that playboy stuff was just an act. He was certainly a good guy now. Not only was he sweet, he was rubbing noses with her. If any guy who was less than a man than Jack was (for Jack was quite a man's man) had done that, which Terra had seen several times at Hogwarts, she would have laughed at them. In fact, she had laughed at guys like that. Several times.

But when Jack did it to her, whether it was the fact that it was happening to her or that Jack was being so sweet, it gave her butterflies.

“Well, you know, I could always get myself a couch. A fold down TV tray to eat on. I don’t take up much more room than a dog would and I’m already house trained.”

As he joked, behind Terra's grin the wheels were turning. Was he...was he saying he would live with her?

“Ego mos permoveo in vobis.”

The grin melted into confusion as she gave him a funny, but amused, look. "What? Did I just have a stroke?" she joked, wondering when Jack had learned Latin.

“See? I know cool party tricks too. I’m even so civilized that I can explain the differences between forks at a dinner table.”

She grinned again, her arms sliding around him. "You don't have to convince me. I was kind of, slightly, sort of maybe fishing for this anyway. And Dumbledore knows you've got plenty of money for it." She sounded for a moment like she was trying to convince herself, and finally, she relented. "Alright! Okay! Buy us a house!" She laughed at the insanity of it all, kissing him again, a warm glow filling her that she was pretty sure wasn't from the toasty fireplace or the hot grill. It was funny how quickly her life had gone from crisis to a potentially happily ever after.

[Jack Liare]

The end!!