Alternate Universe "MCAT"
Thanks to Sherry for MCAT
Summary: It's Christmas…'nuff said! Oh, and that this takes place after the events of Sherry's Fire and Rain.
JD stepped back from the fresh tree in the corner of the home he, Nettie and his children shared. Nettie was away for two days, visiting a friend. The children were with Max and Walter at Vin and Kelli's…a suggestion by Vin when, after dragging their younger brother out to cut a fresh tree, the others realized how much JD was struggling with the onset of Christmas.JD's girls had just celebrated a birthday without their mom, something that had weighed heavily on the young MCAT agent's heart and who, since then, had been dreading Christmas.
Christmas without Casey just simply couldn't be Christmas…could it? Casey's ongoing treatment for her breakdown was showing some success, but, for now she had cut JD and her children off completely, only allowing Nettie to visit her. Her physician assured JD it was only a temporary situation.
JD wasn't so sure.
Sighing, he sat down on the couch and stared at the tree. His heart just wasn't in this, which made him feel guilty as hell. His kids deserved Christmas, with all the pomp and ceremony that went with it, but decorating the tree…that had been his and Casey's job, right from their first Christmas as a married couple and living with Nettie.
He picked up the whiskey bottle he had pulled out earlier and poured himself a generous glass, holding it at an angle to enable him to stare through it at the roaring log fire. Gazing wistfully at the sheepskin rug in front of the hearth, JD was transported back to a happier Christmas.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER
Casey watched her husband stretch to place an ornament on the tree. Husband…she still felt giddy at that thought…that she, Casey Wells was married to the young ATF agent she had fallen in love with from the first day she met him. Her heart skipped a beat as the glow from the fire outlined his dark hair and pale, handsome features, a different feeling altogether generating deep within her as his shirt rose with his efforts, revealing his toned flat abdomen.
Knowing Nettie was on her annual visit to her friend in the city, Casey smiled, walked over to close the drapes, then to the front door to lock it, switching off the main lights before sashaying slowly back toward JD as she began undoing her blouse.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Just managing to place an ornament on one of their tree's higher branches, JD flicked on the tree lights. Turning as the room darkened, only the firelight and tree lights shimmering to cast eerie shadows. He expected Casey to be at his side. Instead, he saw her a distance away, but closing the gap as she walked toward him, her blouse half undone and a look on her face that made the young agent's heart flip.
“Casey?”
In seconds she was with him, her blouse open and hands reaching to assist her husband with his shirt. While she worked her magic, JD reached inside her top to undo the clasp of her bra, smiling at the little sigh from her as his hands brushed her skin. Together, they pushed the clothing off their partner's shoulders, Casey slipping delicately out of her bra before they embraced, heated, naked skin melting against each other as they kissed, deeply.
Lacing her hands around JD's neck, Casey rubbed against him, smiling through her kiss at the effect it was having at the front of his jeans. Breaking apart, JD planted kisses down Casey's arched neck.
“We're…supposed…to…be…trimming…the…tree…”
She gasped as he took one of her breasts in his mouth and bit the nipple before sucking at it, allowing him a delicious long several seconds there before touching her hands to either side of his face and bringing JD into eye contact.
“Make love to me,” she breathed.
Not needed to be asked more than once and kissing her deeply, JD took them gently to the floor, laying out his wife on the hearth rug as he firstly undressed himself, then slowly and teasingly undressed his wife, taking note of every arch, sigh and moan as skilful fingers touched her eager body into heightened awareness.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Casey gazed up at JD, her hand reaching up to push back the dark hair that threatened to hide his face from her as it fell forward. She loved when it did that and, entwining her fingers in the dark tresses, pulled him down toward her for another kiss.
JD stared at Casey with such love in his eyes. She looked beautiful, laid out there, the firelight playing off her skin and hair, giving her a glow that set JD's senses on fire. Allowing her to pull him toward her, JD draped his primed body over his wife and kissed her, tongues playfully wrestling and sucking before he focused his lips on her heated, quivering body.
Casey moaned and sighed with pleasure as her hands traveled down his back to hold tight to his butt cheeks. Her legs opened and she stroked his calves with the heel of her foot.
Feeling Casey open up to him, JD lowered his body and penetrated her, the pair crying out softly as he went satisfyingly deep when her legs wrapped around his waist. Growling out as she bit and licked at one of his nipples, JD, resting on his forearms began a tongue and lips assault on every part of her upper body as he moved gently inside her, teasingly building her need before the magnificent conclusion to their coupling.
Silhouetted against the orange/yellow glow of the fire to one side of them, its light softening their features in the darkened room, the pair moved together, speed building as they grew nearer to their pinnacle. Casey gasped and moaned as deep long kisses became fervent, her heart soaring as JD called her name softly and whispered ‘I love you' before taking her to the place only she and JD knew as theirs, a place of ecstasy, lights, crashing waves and a love so deep it touched their souls and reduced them to tears.
Still shuddering through their orgasms, the pair clung together, kissing tenderly before JD moved onto his back, bringing his young bride with him to lie on top of his now glistening body. Their embrace tight, they lay there sweaty and sated as Casey rested her head on JD's chest, kissing it delicately, before settling into a deep, happy slumber. When they awoke, the fire was barely glowing and the tree was still only half decorated, but they shrugged it off as they made love twice more before showering and heading for bed.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
PRESENT DAY
JD hadn't realized how hard he was crying until the tumbler in his hand almost slipped from his fingers. Tears rolling down his face, he gazed long and hard at the amber liquid as it glimmered in the firelight, finally swiping away the moist trails on his cheeks, to take it back in one fast gulp. Coughing, he leaned over and poured himself another, the only thought now, to deaden the ache in his heart. As JD touched the glass to his lips, the doorbell rang.
At first, he thought to ignore it, but a familiar voice called out to ‘move his ass, before theirs froze out here', and, wearily the young tech got up off the couch, placed his tumbler on the coffee table next to the whiskey bottle and went to unlock the door.
JD's mouth dropped open to see his six brothers standing on the porch, their breaths white as they exhaled frigid air.
“'Bout time.” Buck griped, pushing past JD and into the hallway, “I just seen a brass monkey looking for a welder…it sure ain't the weather to be standing around on porches.”
“Sorreee…” JD responded, “I wasn't exactly expecting company.”
“So I see…”
JD's head snapped around to see Chris standing next to the coffee table and holding up JD's abandoned glass. Unable to hold Larabee's gaze, JD's eyes dropped to the floor, causing him to miss the flash of concerned looks from his family.
“Vincent tells us you have a rather large tree to decorate,” Ezra stated, stripping off his coat and scarf to lay them over a dining chair.
“Figured you'd need a hand,” Vin winked.
“I guess I could,” JD said, brightening, “it wasn't going too well.”
“Well, let's get to work, then,” Josiah grinned, handing off his coat to Nathan who quickly added them to the growing pile Ezra had started.
“Coffee, guys?” JD asked.
“Thought you'd never ask.” Buck's muffled answer was due to his head being deep inside the box filled with decorations.
Grinning now, JD went into the kitchen area and hit the button on the already set-to-go coffee maker.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Chris looked at the others, gesturing to the whiskey. “Looks like we got here just in time.”
“I don't reckon JD'd do something like this,” Nathan reasoned.
“Was it just me, or could the rest of you smell it on him as we entered?” Ezra asked, saddened by the nods.
“Let's not jump to conclusions,” Buck insisted, checking JD was still out of earshot. "We have no reason to think he's doing this…we've never smelt it on him before.”
Chris agreed. “But everyone starts somewhere, Buck. Maybe we got the timing just right, this time.” He smiled as JD entered with a tray of seven mugs.
They all sat down to savor the hot pungent brew. JD looked around at them all and sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he cradled his coffee mug in his hands.
“Uh…I…I promised after…well, you know…I'd always be honest with you.” He glanced around at them before returning his gaze to his coffee. He sighed.
“Decorating the tree…it…it was always something Casey and me did together…Nettie always let us…it, kinda became our ‘special Christmas thing'. It brought back a lot of memories and…” his shoulders slumped, “and I let it beat me.” He looked at them all. “If you guys hadn't turned up tonight…I dread to think…”
Chris stood, approached and squatted down in front of him, placing a hand on JD's knee. “Well, let's just leave it at that. We're here now…and we want to help. Just promise me…promise all of us, you won't let it get like this again. We're just a phone call away, kid.”
Offering a tight smile JD nodded. “I promise.” His smile widened as he looked at them all again, suddenly realizing Buck was now right at his side and squeezing his shoulder.
“And…thanks.”
“Let's get to it, then,” Josiah boomed out, moving to rifle through the box Buck had earlier abandoned.
Vin stood and approached. “Was plannin' on takin' a ride out in the mornin'…you wanna come with?”
“Just us?” JD wondered, also standing while nodding anyway. He smiled as Buck's arms came around from behind and pulled him back.
“Well, if you insist,” Buck cut in. “I reckon we could get this lazy bunch o' reprobates out of their warm cozy ladies...uh, beds, to join us.”
They all laughed…and nodded…then proceeded to trim the tree.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Early next morning, JD was dressed warmly and about to head out to Vin's. He glanced at the tree. It looked wonderful, a job done well, and with love…just as it had been in the past.
He smiled as he thought about his teammates, his friends…his brothers, wondering if he was overdramatizing his thoughts on how it felt as if they had saved his life, last night.
And…maybe they had just started a new tradition.
Only time would tell.
The End