Post by ebonyviper on Dec 15, 2007 16:40:58 GMT -5
A White Chrystmas: Snowed In
by EbonyViper (aka EboneeV)
DISCLAIMER: Cars and everything related to it belongs to Disney Pixar. I make no claims to the movie's plot, characters, setting, and storyline. Ebony Sanders, Kestrel, Falcon, Sapphire/Julia Weathers, Amber Weathers, Ricardo Sanchez, and Delfina Thompson all belong to me. Aron and Daniel Verant belong to Elizar. Kendall Massey, Dawn Hurley and Liska Jennilek (sp?) belong to Evangeline. Phoenix and Gryffin Grayston, Wilton, Bianca, and Kitt StreamLiner belong to Insane Pirate Dragon. There is no copyright infringement intended. I'm doing this for fun and because it's the holidays and I'm in the Christmas Spirit.
NOTE: Santa Claus has been renamed Santa Cars and Christmas has been renamed Chrystmas (Chrysler) to fit in with the Carsverse.
It was snowing lightly outside and as she looked out her bedroom window at the falling flakes, Sapphire felt a bit chilled. She shivered a bit and shifted her weight on her sleeping pad to find a more comfortable position.
She looked up and smiled as a familiar dark-blue and orange Pontiac GTO nosed open the door and peered in.
“Hey, Kitt,” she said softly as he came inside and gave her an affectionate nuzzle.
“Hey, Sapph,” the GTO smiled back, “How's the baby doing?”
“Well,” Sapphire sighed, “She's stopped her rimkicks for now, but I'm feeling totally exhausted and sore.”
Kitt settled down beside the expectant Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, rubbing her swollen side gently with a tire. He remembered that about five months ago, Sapphire had come to him one day and nervously told him that she was in term. With his help, she was able to work out a way to announce the good news to both their parents, Strip and Lynda Weathers and Wilton and Bianca StreamLiner, as well as their friends, who were all delighted and had congratulated both her and Kitt on finally starting a family.
As she gradually advanced in her term, Sapphire had to cut back on what she normally enjoyed doing. When she grew heavier and started to show, she became slower. She had to make the decision to take maternity leave from the circuit as she couldn't deal with such high-intensity stress in her condition, nor could she deal with Chick Hicks, what with how uncontrolled her hormones and emotions were now.
“Well, at least you can rest up for a few hours before the party begins tonight,” the GTO replied as he gave her another nuzzle.
“Yeah,” Sapphire agreed as she shifted again to get more comfortable, then wincing as the baby within began another rimkick session, “Just as soon as our little girl settles down.”
Kitt continued to rub Sapphire's swollen side, until the rimkicks tapered off to quietness. The cobalt Trans Am settled back down again and nestled against Kitt's side as best she could, falling asleep soon after as she watched the snow fall softly and silently outside her bedroom window.
* * * * *
“Amber!” Lynda Weathers called up to her younger daughter, “Are you ready yet? Your sister's party starts in an hour!”
“Coming, Mom!” came the teenage voice and soon a scarlet-red Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z rolled down the ramp where her parents were waiting.
The teenage Camaro had spiffed herself up, polished her sheet metal to make herself more presentable at the party, and looked rested up for once.
“You look beautiful, Darlin',” Strip Weathers smiled at his daughter, “Julia has been pretty much looking forward to seeing you lately.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Amber smiled back, “At least I get to have a week off from classes this Chrystmas.”
“That's good to know,” replied Lynda, “You've been studying hard and have been getting good grades that you deserve a break.”
“Heh, Julia gets longer because she's in term,” Amber said, but she didn't sound jealous when she spoke, having learned that being in term was a delicate condition for Sapphire to be in, “Does she know when the baby is due?”
“When I spoke to her last, she said that she thinks it's going to be around mid-March next year,” said Lynda.
Amber nodded and smiled at both of her parents, glowing with pride that she was going to be an aunt, despite still being a teenager, “Can't wait. Anyway, Mom. Dad. Let's get going so we don't have to make her wait.”
* * * * *
The pounce on her hood was enough to wake up the sleeping black Dodge Viper. Ebony Sanders snorted and shook her front. She opened shining emerald eyes to peer at a pair of brown ones staring back at her.
“You guys...” her voice sounded a bit groggy, a side-effect of being on antibiotics for the past two weeks to help her combat a terribly high fever, “I'm trying to sleep...”
“But we're s'posed to go to Auntie Sapph's and Unca Kitty's party tonight,” said three-year-old Kestrel imploringly.
“That's not until seven this evening, Kes,” Ebony said, picking herself up, “and you two are getting too heavy for me to carry you both on my hood anymore. Get down, please.”
“But it's already six, Mama,” said Falcon, “You slept lots today.”
Ebony blinked as Falcon told her this little piece of information. She looked at the clock that hung on the wall of the hotel room that she and Kendall had rented out for the week while they were in Roanoke, Virginia for the holidays. It did indeed show that it was six o'clock in the evening, just like Falcon had pointed out to her.
She looked at her son admiringly, “I didn't catch that. You are very smart, Falcon. Now why don't you and Kestrel go wake up Papa and we'll get going?”
The twins grinned at each other mischievously, almost conspiratorially, and trotted over to the sleeping blue Honda NSX and unexpectedly pounced on him.
“Whoa! Help! I'm being attacked by little, laughing boys!” Kendall Massey woke with a start and laughed when he looked into the pair of light brown eyes belonging to Kestrel and Falcon, “Now what did your mother say about jumping on peoples' hoods?”
“Mama told us to wake you up, Papa,” said Kestrel apologetically, “We wanna go to the party! It's almost time.”
Kendall smiled, then stood up and shook the sleep out of his frame. He dipped his front to let the twins jump down and nuzzled them with the affection of a proud father, a role that he had gladly taken on. He then turned and nuzzled the Viper who had become his mate.
“Okay,” the NSX chuckled, “We'll go now.”
“Yay!” cheered the twins as they followed their parents out the door of the hotel room, dancing in the softly falling snow as they headed for Sapphire's Roanoke mansion.
* * * * *
Kitt had helped Sapphire down to the Dining Hall where the Chrystmas party was going to be held. Since she was not going to be moving around very much, Sapphire settled on resting on the pad that had been set up for her. It was in a good position and it allowed her to see the entire room and everyone in it.
There was a long table on one side of the room where the food for both cars and humans had come earlier than all the other guests with their own cooking to compensate for the lack of human-related nourishment.
Sapphire did know that neither she nor her vehicular brethren were unable to consume such human-made food, but thought it was a good idea to employ a human cook s the humans were becoming a regular fixture of this world and they would have to need some provisions for them. She knew that Phoenix Grayston, her model-sister, was already doing that because of Delfina's and Aron's occasional visits to the Firebird Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
“Where are the humans now, Kitt?” Sapphire asked as she shifted a bit to get comfortable.
“Outside having a snowball fight,” answered Kitt, “They pummeled me with snowballs when I went to check on them.”
Sapphire almost laughed at that memory when she had seen the GTO come back inside covered with snowballs, but wisely kept her amusement to herself.
“Could you go bring them in?” Sapphire asked, “I'd do it myself, but... as you can see I can hardly move right now.”
“Sure,” nodded Kitt.
* * * * *
Soon, the party was in full swing after everyone had arrived and had begun to mingle and converse with each other. A good number of guests had come over to Sapphire's nook to see how she was doing, including hers and Kitt's parents and her sister, Amber. Just about everyone wanted to touch her swollen sides and she allowed them to do so, including some of the humans, who were still a little awed to see sheet metal swelling and bending in that manner in which they have never known or seen before in their lives.
There was Chrystmas music playing in the background. The guests were gathered in small groups and Sapphire could hear the snippets of conversation that were drifting over to her nook.
A tall pine tree stood in the center of the room decorated with colorful ornaments, sparkling garland, silvery tinsel, and slowly blinking white lights. A snow-white Chrystmas star with gold and silver streamers sat at the top. That seemed to be the center of attention at the party and everyone was commenting on how gorgeous it was and how well it fitted the tree.
“Beautiful tree, Sapph,” commented a black, tuned Viper who had just come up with Kendall and the twins.
“Thanks,” Sapphire replied softly, shifting a bit, “Dad and Wilton picked it out and I like it.”
Ebony nodded, “Good choice. Now I'm gonna have ask Ken for a tree like that from now on.”
“Next year, Honey,” Kendall chuckled and gave the Viper a nuzzle.
“Not that I don't think that your picks aren't good,” added Ebony as she returned the nuzzle, “I loved the Chrystmas trees you picked out.”
Kendall smiled at Ebony, looking into her large, emerald eyes. “Did I ever tell you how much I love you?”
“Many times,” murred the Viper, “but I wouldn't mind if you told me again and again.”
The NSX held out a mistletoe in his antenna and grinned, “I love you, Ebony. Come and give your favorite video game tycoon a kiss.”
Sapphire smiled and laughed, “Ah ha! Caught under the mistletoe, eh? Now you have to kiss him!”
Over at a makeshift table, Delfina smiled as she watched Ebony give in and kiss Kendall underneath the mistletoe that the NSX was dangling above them both.
“Those two are really having fun with that mistletoe,” she said to those sitting with her.
Aron, sitting beside her, smiling knowingly. He had used the same trick on her last year. The party had been, thankfully, held at Ash Mountain. While Delfina had been hanging out by the koi pond chatting with Phoenix and Ricardo, he had snuck up behind her. Phoenix saw him approach, but had caught a few stray thoughts from him, but had wisely remained silent. Just when he was one foot away, Aron had slipped his arm around Delfina's slim waist, pecked her on the cheek, and told her that he loved her.
Delfina had been surprised and then pleased when Aron did this. She was even more surprised when he presented a mistletoe above her head and this time they both kissed each other at the same time. On the lips.
“Indeed,” Aron replied, nodding in agreement.
He rested his hand on top of Delfina's, thus getting her attention. “Delfina?”
“Hmm?” Delfina turned to look at him.
“There's something that I wanted to ask you,” said Aron.
“Oh, what's that?” Delfina now looked at him more attentively.
“I wanted to--”
But Aron never got to finish what he wanted to say to Delfina when an excited shout came from one of Ebony's children.
“Snow!” Kestrel bounced around excitedly and pointing, “Look, Mama! There so much and it's so white!”
Ebony came over to the window where her son was standing up on his suspension and peered outside. Her eyes widened in surprise and she made the same exclamation as Kestrel.
“It's more like a blizzard out there,” she said, “Looks like we're gonna be stuck here for awhile.”
Phoenix and Ricardo pulled up and looked out at the wintry night. Snow covered just about everywhere and everything. It would be impossible to drive anywhere now.
“Looks like you're right, Ebs,” said the black Trans Am, “We're as good as stuck here.”
The Viper looked a little disappointed, her twins mirroring her expression, then she gave a mischievous grin and turned to Phoenix.
“What are we gonna do now, Nix?” asked Ebony.
Phoenix grinned back, picking up on the Viper's thoughts, and answered, “The same thing we do every night, Ebs.” She curled her antenna and thrust it up in the air, “Try to take over the world!”
“Or, at least, Sapphire's mansion,” added Ebony, with a mischievous glint in her emerald eyes.
Delfina, along with Aron, Daniel, and Liska, came over to the two laughing cars. She leaned forward, her arms crossed, and gave both Ebony and Phoenix a look.
“I think you two have been watching too many Pinky and The Brain episodes,” she told the Viper and the Trans Am.
Ebony and Phoenix looked at each other and then turned to Delfina. They gave her a single-word answer, “So?”
Delfina just rolled her eyes and sighed, deciding to just drop it, “So, anyway. What are we going to do about being stuck here?”
Sapphire had managed, with much effort, to stand up on her tires, despite being five months into her term, and had slowly rolled over to where the Viper, Trans Am, and the humans were at. They turned and noticed her, and could tell that the stocker was already looking worn out.
“I think I can solve your stuck problem,” she told her her guests, “There's a couple of guest rooms that you all can use while during your stay here and wait until all that snow melts.”
“Oh, thanks,” nodded Ebony, “I wouldn't want to go out in all that snow right now anyway.”
“Neither would I,” agreed Phoenix, who turned to the stocker, “Thank you, Sapphire.”
Sapphire nodded as Kitt came up to support her, letting her lean against his side so that she could take that extra weight off of her tires, “You're welcome.”
Kestrel, Falcon, and Gryffin looked up at Sapphire inquisitively. “Will Santa Cars be visiting tonight, Auntie Sapph?”
“Sure he will,” Sapphire replied with a tired smile, “He always comes here. Count on it.”
“Yay!” the three car children cheered and danced happily to the amusement of their parents.
* * * * *
Once all the guests have been given accommodations, the party wound down and Sapphire was helped back to her bedroom by Kitt and Amber. It had been a long day and a satisfying night.
Sapphire's and Kitt's parents cleaned up the Dining Hall, preparing it for the next morning: December 25th, Chrystmas Day.
“So, what do you think about the party?” asked Kitt gently as he settled down next to the expectant stocker.
“It was enjoyable,” replied Sapphire, giving a bit of a yawn, “I loved it... but it tired me out...”
Kitt yawned too, “I enjoyed it too, but I agree with you there, Sapph. Let's get some sleep.
Sapphire nodded, then winced as her daughter started up the rimkick sessions again. The stocker snorted irritably, but the rimkicks subsided once Kitt began to rub her swollen sides gently with a tire.
“Thanks, Kitt...” Sapphire sighed with relief. She sprawled out on the sheepskin rug, trying to get as comfortable as she could, sighed again and closed her eyes, finally drifting off to sleep.
“You're welcome, Sapph,” whispered Kitt, nuzzling her, and getting comfortable. He drifted off to sleep as well.
* * * * *
Nuzzling Delfina's neck as they lay together in the guest room that they were given, Aron murmured into her ear that he still wanted to talk to her.
“Delfina, before Kestrel interrupted us, I wanted to ask you a question,” he said softly, breathing into her ear.
“What is it?” Delfina asked in an inquiring tone.
“I love you,” murmured Aron.
“I love you, too,” answered Delfina.
“But,” Aron held out his hand, touching her shoulder lightly, “that's not all. I want to be with you for a long time while we're both alive.”
Delfina turned over on her back and onto her other shoulder to look at Aron more directly. “Are you asking what I think you're asking me?”
Aron nodded, “Yes.”
Delfina didn't pause for a minute. “I will,” she replied, wrapping her arms around Aron and kissing him. Then both pulled the thick nightcover over themselves for privacy.
* * * * *
It was Chrystmas Day and the children were filled with joy when they discovered a lot of presents under the Chrystmas tree. Sapphire lay in her nood and watched calmly. She was amused when her father came in pretending to be Santa Cars himself.
Amber had leaned over to her and whispered, “Remember when we were little and Dad used to do that with us?”
Sapphire nodded, “Yeah, we thought he was the real deal.”
“And so do these children,” Amber pointed out.
“Well, it makes them happy,” agreed Sapphire.
“I bet it would make your little one happy too,” said Amber, resting an antenna on her sister's swollen side.
“Yeah,” Sapphire nodded in agreement, “After she's born, though.”
“Right,” said Amber.
Both sisters watched as their father, or Santa Cars, handed out little presents to the dancing, laughing children, some of which were humans.
Dawn came and sat next to Delfina, noting the older woman's apparent attention and intimacy with Aron. She smiled, but said nothing. She could tell instantly what was going on between those two, knowing that Delfina treated her like a foster sister as well. Besides, it was Delfina who had stuffed that snowball down the back of her winter coat during that snowball fight yesterday evening.
I will get her back later, she thought, but managed to keep her thoughts concealed from Delfina, since the woman was a magic-user/shapeshifter.
After “Santa Cars” left, the children went to their parents to show them the presents that they had received from the disguised sky blue ex-racer.
* * * * *
It was about three more days before the snow began to melt enough to allow travel again. The guest said their good-byes and left, wishing everyone else a Merry Chrystmas, but not before thanking Sapphire for inviting them to the party and providing them with temporary accommodations while they were snowed in.
Once again, the Roanoke mansion was quiet and Sapphire was given a chance to finally rest without interruption or without having to worry about anyone. Kitt lay next to the cobalt Trans Am, keeping her company and watching over her sleeping form.
Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night.
by EbonyViper (aka EboneeV)
DISCLAIMER: Cars and everything related to it belongs to Disney Pixar. I make no claims to the movie's plot, characters, setting, and storyline. Ebony Sanders, Kestrel, Falcon, Sapphire/Julia Weathers, Amber Weathers, Ricardo Sanchez, and Delfina Thompson all belong to me. Aron and Daniel Verant belong to Elizar. Kendall Massey, Dawn Hurley and Liska Jennilek (sp?) belong to Evangeline. Phoenix and Gryffin Grayston, Wilton, Bianca, and Kitt StreamLiner belong to Insane Pirate Dragon. There is no copyright infringement intended. I'm doing this for fun and because it's the holidays and I'm in the Christmas Spirit.
NOTE: Santa Claus has been renamed Santa Cars and Christmas has been renamed Chrystmas (Chrysler) to fit in with the Carsverse.
It was snowing lightly outside and as she looked out her bedroom window at the falling flakes, Sapphire felt a bit chilled. She shivered a bit and shifted her weight on her sleeping pad to find a more comfortable position.
She looked up and smiled as a familiar dark-blue and orange Pontiac GTO nosed open the door and peered in.
“Hey, Kitt,” she said softly as he came inside and gave her an affectionate nuzzle.
“Hey, Sapph,” the GTO smiled back, “How's the baby doing?”
“Well,” Sapphire sighed, “She's stopped her rimkicks for now, but I'm feeling totally exhausted and sore.”
Kitt settled down beside the expectant Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, rubbing her swollen side gently with a tire. He remembered that about five months ago, Sapphire had come to him one day and nervously told him that she was in term. With his help, she was able to work out a way to announce the good news to both their parents, Strip and Lynda Weathers and Wilton and Bianca StreamLiner, as well as their friends, who were all delighted and had congratulated both her and Kitt on finally starting a family.
As she gradually advanced in her term, Sapphire had to cut back on what she normally enjoyed doing. When she grew heavier and started to show, she became slower. She had to make the decision to take maternity leave from the circuit as she couldn't deal with such high-intensity stress in her condition, nor could she deal with Chick Hicks, what with how uncontrolled her hormones and emotions were now.
“Well, at least you can rest up for a few hours before the party begins tonight,” the GTO replied as he gave her another nuzzle.
“Yeah,” Sapphire agreed as she shifted again to get more comfortable, then wincing as the baby within began another rimkick session, “Just as soon as our little girl settles down.”
Kitt continued to rub Sapphire's swollen side, until the rimkicks tapered off to quietness. The cobalt Trans Am settled back down again and nestled against Kitt's side as best she could, falling asleep soon after as she watched the snow fall softly and silently outside her bedroom window.
* * * * *
“Amber!” Lynda Weathers called up to her younger daughter, “Are you ready yet? Your sister's party starts in an hour!”
“Coming, Mom!” came the teenage voice and soon a scarlet-red Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z rolled down the ramp where her parents were waiting.
The teenage Camaro had spiffed herself up, polished her sheet metal to make herself more presentable at the party, and looked rested up for once.
“You look beautiful, Darlin',” Strip Weathers smiled at his daughter, “Julia has been pretty much looking forward to seeing you lately.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Amber smiled back, “At least I get to have a week off from classes this Chrystmas.”
“That's good to know,” replied Lynda, “You've been studying hard and have been getting good grades that you deserve a break.”
“Heh, Julia gets longer because she's in term,” Amber said, but she didn't sound jealous when she spoke, having learned that being in term was a delicate condition for Sapphire to be in, “Does she know when the baby is due?”
“When I spoke to her last, she said that she thinks it's going to be around mid-March next year,” said Lynda.
Amber nodded and smiled at both of her parents, glowing with pride that she was going to be an aunt, despite still being a teenager, “Can't wait. Anyway, Mom. Dad. Let's get going so we don't have to make her wait.”
* * * * *
The pounce on her hood was enough to wake up the sleeping black Dodge Viper. Ebony Sanders snorted and shook her front. She opened shining emerald eyes to peer at a pair of brown ones staring back at her.
“You guys...” her voice sounded a bit groggy, a side-effect of being on antibiotics for the past two weeks to help her combat a terribly high fever, “I'm trying to sleep...”
“But we're s'posed to go to Auntie Sapph's and Unca Kitty's party tonight,” said three-year-old Kestrel imploringly.
“That's not until seven this evening, Kes,” Ebony said, picking herself up, “and you two are getting too heavy for me to carry you both on my hood anymore. Get down, please.”
“But it's already six, Mama,” said Falcon, “You slept lots today.”
Ebony blinked as Falcon told her this little piece of information. She looked at the clock that hung on the wall of the hotel room that she and Kendall had rented out for the week while they were in Roanoke, Virginia for the holidays. It did indeed show that it was six o'clock in the evening, just like Falcon had pointed out to her.
She looked at her son admiringly, “I didn't catch that. You are very smart, Falcon. Now why don't you and Kestrel go wake up Papa and we'll get going?”
The twins grinned at each other mischievously, almost conspiratorially, and trotted over to the sleeping blue Honda NSX and unexpectedly pounced on him.
“Whoa! Help! I'm being attacked by little, laughing boys!” Kendall Massey woke with a start and laughed when he looked into the pair of light brown eyes belonging to Kestrel and Falcon, “Now what did your mother say about jumping on peoples' hoods?”
“Mama told us to wake you up, Papa,” said Kestrel apologetically, “We wanna go to the party! It's almost time.”
Kendall smiled, then stood up and shook the sleep out of his frame. He dipped his front to let the twins jump down and nuzzled them with the affection of a proud father, a role that he had gladly taken on. He then turned and nuzzled the Viper who had become his mate.
“Okay,” the NSX chuckled, “We'll go now.”
“Yay!” cheered the twins as they followed their parents out the door of the hotel room, dancing in the softly falling snow as they headed for Sapphire's Roanoke mansion.
* * * * *
Kitt had helped Sapphire down to the Dining Hall where the Chrystmas party was going to be held. Since she was not going to be moving around very much, Sapphire settled on resting on the pad that had been set up for her. It was in a good position and it allowed her to see the entire room and everyone in it.
There was a long table on one side of the room where the food for both cars and humans had come earlier than all the other guests with their own cooking to compensate for the lack of human-related nourishment.
Sapphire did know that neither she nor her vehicular brethren were unable to consume such human-made food, but thought it was a good idea to employ a human cook s the humans were becoming a regular fixture of this world and they would have to need some provisions for them. She knew that Phoenix Grayston, her model-sister, was already doing that because of Delfina's and Aron's occasional visits to the Firebird Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
“Where are the humans now, Kitt?” Sapphire asked as she shifted a bit to get comfortable.
“Outside having a snowball fight,” answered Kitt, “They pummeled me with snowballs when I went to check on them.”
Sapphire almost laughed at that memory when she had seen the GTO come back inside covered with snowballs, but wisely kept her amusement to herself.
“Could you go bring them in?” Sapphire asked, “I'd do it myself, but... as you can see I can hardly move right now.”
“Sure,” nodded Kitt.
* * * * *
Soon, the party was in full swing after everyone had arrived and had begun to mingle and converse with each other. A good number of guests had come over to Sapphire's nook to see how she was doing, including hers and Kitt's parents and her sister, Amber. Just about everyone wanted to touch her swollen sides and she allowed them to do so, including some of the humans, who were still a little awed to see sheet metal swelling and bending in that manner in which they have never known or seen before in their lives.
There was Chrystmas music playing in the background. The guests were gathered in small groups and Sapphire could hear the snippets of conversation that were drifting over to her nook.
A tall pine tree stood in the center of the room decorated with colorful ornaments, sparkling garland, silvery tinsel, and slowly blinking white lights. A snow-white Chrystmas star with gold and silver streamers sat at the top. That seemed to be the center of attention at the party and everyone was commenting on how gorgeous it was and how well it fitted the tree.
“Beautiful tree, Sapph,” commented a black, tuned Viper who had just come up with Kendall and the twins.
“Thanks,” Sapphire replied softly, shifting a bit, “Dad and Wilton picked it out and I like it.”
Ebony nodded, “Good choice. Now I'm gonna have ask Ken for a tree like that from now on.”
“Next year, Honey,” Kendall chuckled and gave the Viper a nuzzle.
“Not that I don't think that your picks aren't good,” added Ebony as she returned the nuzzle, “I loved the Chrystmas trees you picked out.”
Kendall smiled at Ebony, looking into her large, emerald eyes. “Did I ever tell you how much I love you?”
“Many times,” murred the Viper, “but I wouldn't mind if you told me again and again.”
The NSX held out a mistletoe in his antenna and grinned, “I love you, Ebony. Come and give your favorite video game tycoon a kiss.”
Sapphire smiled and laughed, “Ah ha! Caught under the mistletoe, eh? Now you have to kiss him!”
Over at a makeshift table, Delfina smiled as she watched Ebony give in and kiss Kendall underneath the mistletoe that the NSX was dangling above them both.
“Those two are really having fun with that mistletoe,” she said to those sitting with her.
Aron, sitting beside her, smiling knowingly. He had used the same trick on her last year. The party had been, thankfully, held at Ash Mountain. While Delfina had been hanging out by the koi pond chatting with Phoenix and Ricardo, he had snuck up behind her. Phoenix saw him approach, but had caught a few stray thoughts from him, but had wisely remained silent. Just when he was one foot away, Aron had slipped his arm around Delfina's slim waist, pecked her on the cheek, and told her that he loved her.
Delfina had been surprised and then pleased when Aron did this. She was even more surprised when he presented a mistletoe above her head and this time they both kissed each other at the same time. On the lips.
“Indeed,” Aron replied, nodding in agreement.
He rested his hand on top of Delfina's, thus getting her attention. “Delfina?”
“Hmm?” Delfina turned to look at him.
“There's something that I wanted to ask you,” said Aron.
“Oh, what's that?” Delfina now looked at him more attentively.
“I wanted to--”
But Aron never got to finish what he wanted to say to Delfina when an excited shout came from one of Ebony's children.
“Snow!” Kestrel bounced around excitedly and pointing, “Look, Mama! There so much and it's so white!”
Ebony came over to the window where her son was standing up on his suspension and peered outside. Her eyes widened in surprise and she made the same exclamation as Kestrel.
“It's more like a blizzard out there,” she said, “Looks like we're gonna be stuck here for awhile.”
Phoenix and Ricardo pulled up and looked out at the wintry night. Snow covered just about everywhere and everything. It would be impossible to drive anywhere now.
“Looks like you're right, Ebs,” said the black Trans Am, “We're as good as stuck here.”
The Viper looked a little disappointed, her twins mirroring her expression, then she gave a mischievous grin and turned to Phoenix.
“What are we gonna do now, Nix?” asked Ebony.
Phoenix grinned back, picking up on the Viper's thoughts, and answered, “The same thing we do every night, Ebs.” She curled her antenna and thrust it up in the air, “Try to take over the world!”
“Or, at least, Sapphire's mansion,” added Ebony, with a mischievous glint in her emerald eyes.
Delfina, along with Aron, Daniel, and Liska, came over to the two laughing cars. She leaned forward, her arms crossed, and gave both Ebony and Phoenix a look.
“I think you two have been watching too many Pinky and The Brain episodes,” she told the Viper and the Trans Am.
Ebony and Phoenix looked at each other and then turned to Delfina. They gave her a single-word answer, “So?”
Delfina just rolled her eyes and sighed, deciding to just drop it, “So, anyway. What are we going to do about being stuck here?”
Sapphire had managed, with much effort, to stand up on her tires, despite being five months into her term, and had slowly rolled over to where the Viper, Trans Am, and the humans were at. They turned and noticed her, and could tell that the stocker was already looking worn out.
“I think I can solve your stuck problem,” she told her her guests, “There's a couple of guest rooms that you all can use while during your stay here and wait until all that snow melts.”
“Oh, thanks,” nodded Ebony, “I wouldn't want to go out in all that snow right now anyway.”
“Neither would I,” agreed Phoenix, who turned to the stocker, “Thank you, Sapphire.”
Sapphire nodded as Kitt came up to support her, letting her lean against his side so that she could take that extra weight off of her tires, “You're welcome.”
Kestrel, Falcon, and Gryffin looked up at Sapphire inquisitively. “Will Santa Cars be visiting tonight, Auntie Sapph?”
“Sure he will,” Sapphire replied with a tired smile, “He always comes here. Count on it.”
“Yay!” the three car children cheered and danced happily to the amusement of their parents.
* * * * *
Once all the guests have been given accommodations, the party wound down and Sapphire was helped back to her bedroom by Kitt and Amber. It had been a long day and a satisfying night.
Sapphire's and Kitt's parents cleaned up the Dining Hall, preparing it for the next morning: December 25th, Chrystmas Day.
“So, what do you think about the party?” asked Kitt gently as he settled down next to the expectant stocker.
“It was enjoyable,” replied Sapphire, giving a bit of a yawn, “I loved it... but it tired me out...”
Kitt yawned too, “I enjoyed it too, but I agree with you there, Sapph. Let's get some sleep.
Sapphire nodded, then winced as her daughter started up the rimkick sessions again. The stocker snorted irritably, but the rimkicks subsided once Kitt began to rub her swollen sides gently with a tire.
“Thanks, Kitt...” Sapphire sighed with relief. She sprawled out on the sheepskin rug, trying to get as comfortable as she could, sighed again and closed her eyes, finally drifting off to sleep.
“You're welcome, Sapph,” whispered Kitt, nuzzling her, and getting comfortable. He drifted off to sleep as well.
* * * * *
Nuzzling Delfina's neck as they lay together in the guest room that they were given, Aron murmured into her ear that he still wanted to talk to her.
“Delfina, before Kestrel interrupted us, I wanted to ask you a question,” he said softly, breathing into her ear.
“What is it?” Delfina asked in an inquiring tone.
“I love you,” murmured Aron.
“I love you, too,” answered Delfina.
“But,” Aron held out his hand, touching her shoulder lightly, “that's not all. I want to be with you for a long time while we're both alive.”
Delfina turned over on her back and onto her other shoulder to look at Aron more directly. “Are you asking what I think you're asking me?”
Aron nodded, “Yes.”
Delfina didn't pause for a minute. “I will,” she replied, wrapping her arms around Aron and kissing him. Then both pulled the thick nightcover over themselves for privacy.
* * * * *
It was Chrystmas Day and the children were filled with joy when they discovered a lot of presents under the Chrystmas tree. Sapphire lay in her nood and watched calmly. She was amused when her father came in pretending to be Santa Cars himself.
Amber had leaned over to her and whispered, “Remember when we were little and Dad used to do that with us?”
Sapphire nodded, “Yeah, we thought he was the real deal.”
“And so do these children,” Amber pointed out.
“Well, it makes them happy,” agreed Sapphire.
“I bet it would make your little one happy too,” said Amber, resting an antenna on her sister's swollen side.
“Yeah,” Sapphire nodded in agreement, “After she's born, though.”
“Right,” said Amber.
Both sisters watched as their father, or Santa Cars, handed out little presents to the dancing, laughing children, some of which were humans.
Dawn came and sat next to Delfina, noting the older woman's apparent attention and intimacy with Aron. She smiled, but said nothing. She could tell instantly what was going on between those two, knowing that Delfina treated her like a foster sister as well. Besides, it was Delfina who had stuffed that snowball down the back of her winter coat during that snowball fight yesterday evening.
I will get her back later, she thought, but managed to keep her thoughts concealed from Delfina, since the woman was a magic-user/shapeshifter.
After “Santa Cars” left, the children went to their parents to show them the presents that they had received from the disguised sky blue ex-racer.
* * * * *
It was about three more days before the snow began to melt enough to allow travel again. The guest said their good-byes and left, wishing everyone else a Merry Chrystmas, but not before thanking Sapphire for inviting them to the party and providing them with temporary accommodations while they were snowed in.
Once again, the Roanoke mansion was quiet and Sapphire was given a chance to finally rest without interruption or without having to worry about anyone. Kitt lay next to the cobalt Trans Am, keeping her company and watching over her sleeping form.
Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night.
