An EFC Christmas: We Wish You A Merry Christmas

by Seven

Disclaimer:  Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company.  All rights reserved.



Note from Author:   Sorry this took so long, I had several draft ideas and decided to go with cute and fluffy. Takes place in mid-S2, after Doors begins running for president.



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Liam sat on the chair opposite Lili and Augur, on their sofa. Lili watched the two of them, as Liam's green eyes grew wider and wider. It was cute, Lili thought, that he was so engrossed by the stories of Christmas...

Augur was continuing, a little faraway smile on his face. "And my grandmother always made hot cocoa when we came in from the snow, and then there were Christmas carols..." A sheepish grin crossed his lips, as he lowered his head.

"What?" Liam asked, snapping out of his reverie. "What are carols?"

Augur shot a panicked look at Lili, who shrugged a little. "Well, uh... carols are songs sung... I'm... I'm not certain why they're sung." She laughed, slightly sheepish, slightly embarrassed.

"Do you know any?" Liam pressed.

Augur nodded. "I know... uh, 'We Three Kings,' the one about figgy pudding..." Augur began to hum, somewhat tunelessly.

"We won't go until we've got some, we won't go until we've got some, we won't go until we've got some, so bring some out here!" Lili warbled, slightly off-key. Liam was now staring at them both as if they had lost their minds.

Augur shrugged, biting his lip. "Um, Liam... how about I lend you a cassette?" he offered. "You can practice it for..." He paused, forehead wrinkling a little. "What are you doing this Christmas?"

Liam frowned, searching his memory. "Uh.... I don't know. Probably just working around the Embassy."

"Companion agents have to work holidays?" Augur asked, appalled, drawing back a little. "Criminal, nay--heinous!" "Well, we don't HAVE to, but most do anyway," Liam said, looking a little saddened. "I don't feel pressured, but I don't really have anything to do at Christmas."

"That is unacceptable," Augur announced, getting to his feet. He spun to face a computer console. "Computer?"

Holo-Lili flashed into view, dressed in a simple red mini and a Santa Claus hat. A plate of cookies was balanced on her hand as she smiled at the hacker. Augur cast an uneasy look at Lili, who was giving him a sideways glare.

"Season's greetings, Augur," Holo-Lili purred. "Season's greetings, and all that," Augur said distractedly, waving a hand. "Bring up homefile 4." "Which view, sir?" Holo-Lili inquired, shifting a little and causing the miniskirt to ripple. "Bird's-eye view, summertime," Augur ordered, smiling.

Liam leaned forward for a better look, and Lili firmly planted a hand on his forehead to shove him back. "No holiday fun," she warned.

"Party pooper," Liam grinned.

Lili tweaked the tip of his nose, then turned as a holographic picture of a sprawling brick house appeared in front of Augur. It was flanked by a giant expanse of pine trees and a large pool, rippling in the sunlight.

"Behold, my country estate," Augur intoned solemnly, folding his hands.

Liam's already-wide eyes went round with astonishment. He shifted a little higher on the couch to see it. "Wow!" Lili clucked her tongue and put her hands on her hips, an approving smile crossing her face. "Nice one, Augur. Certainly better than the place you were holed up in before."

Augur nodded his shaved head in agreement, keeping his hands folded. Frowning seriously, brow crinkled, he bowed his head until his fuzzed chin touched the colorful shirt. Then he slowly raised his face to Lili, with an expression worthy of a Roman sculpture. Liam began to snicker at the seriousness he saw.

Lili had to restrain a grin at the completely somber look on his face. "And I would be honored if the two of you... would be my guests... at this house," Augur said, his eyes drifting shut, "on the blessed day of Christmas." "Only if you stop talking like that," Lili quipped, as Liam lurched against a pillow and buried his giggles in the red fabric.

Augur's solemn, almost sleepy face broke into a wide grin. "Deal. I'll pick you up on the 23rd, in front of the Flat Planet."

****

The Flat Planet was festooned with red and green, a few silver bells highlighting the effect. A huge sign in the front announced, "Closed--NO EXCEPTIONS!" Lili shifted in her winter coat, feeling herself begin to sweat as she slung her duffel bag over one shoulder. "Liam, what's taking so long?"

"I forgot my gloves!" a voice yelled from the back, as Liam emerged, wrapped up in two thick sweaters and a round fuzzy cap adorning his head. His green eyes sparkled with delight as he looked around, smiling.

"Can't go romping in the countryside without gloves." Lili smiled and rumpled his cap affectionately as the two walked out into the icy air. Lili gasped a little at the sudden sting in her throat, her breath clouding in front of her. Liam dropped his bag to the sidewalk and quickly locked the door.

Lili blew out her cheeks, hugging herself as Liam began to put his keys away. "You're in for a wonderful time, Liam," she said, looking up and down the street. "I guess this is your first Christmas, huh?"

"Mm-hm," Liam agreed, bouncing a little. "Too bad there's no snow."

"Well, we're traveling a fairly long way... and it's not Christmas yet," Lili replied, but the slight tone of disappointment in her voice belied that she, too, was unhappy about the lack of snow.

It was the only disappointment, she tried to console herself. When Liam had confessed total ignorance about Christmas, just after Thanksgiving, Augur and Lili had both been startled, remembering that Liam was so much younger than he looked. He had watched and listened, spellbound, as Lili had rattled off the history and traditions of Christmas. It was only as Augur had described his own childhood Christmases that she began to realize how empty her own had been...

The honking of a car broke her from her reverie, and Liam uttered a whoop of delight. A small bright red sedan, spray-painted with stripes of yellow and blue, zipped over the curb and almost over Lili's toes. As she jumped back, a green-enveloped blond head stuck out of the window with a wide smile. "Hi, y'all!" she chirped.

"Suzanne!" Liam exclaimed, as Lili raised one foot and massaged her sore toes, hopping a little to keep balance. "You're coming too?"

"Yeah," Suzanne grinned, as the door popped open. She slid back in as Liam sat down next to her. Augur, wearing bright a bright golden hat and red jacket, swayed back and forth in the front seat. "My family is going to Australia, and I wouldn't make it there in time for Christmas. Besides," she smiled, "I don't like seeing Santa Claus in shorts."

"Santa who?" Liam asked, as Lili hobbled around the car and threw herself in the front seat. The tiny car leaped ahead, tires squealing.

TO BE CONTINUED