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There was only one thing to say about Zodiac’s style of ice skating…. WOW. Crissy gilded easily watching the hot mess that was Zodiac. Every time she reached out to help she was waved away. She wanted to help her get steady but the woman, much like herself, was stubborn. When she flew into the bush and her bottom side was the up side of her, Crissy skated over to the woman and helped to right side her up before too many had seen the unmentionables that she was going to be mentioning later on in the evening. Since Crissy often ended up on end that Zodiac just had, she didn’t laugh. A bonus for her, but she did wear a smile.

She helped Zodiac stand, and when she was not rear end side up and on her feet, Cristiana moved in close and kissed her nose. “No matter how you do things, even when you are trying to teach the foliage to skate, you still do it gracefully. How about this time you let me help you?” She gave her that doe eyed look, “You should know I got you.” It could be taken many of ways, and she did mean all of them but this one time, it was meaning she wanted to help.

It wasn’t the first time she would teach someone to ice skate. So she offered Zodiac a hand so they could skate together. The look she gave the woman was pure admiration. She tried to say without saying that it was okay, even clumsy the woman sat high on a pedestal that she completely deserved, and could do no wrong in her eyes. Of course she wasn’t delusional enough to think Zodiac never did anything wrong, quite the opposite, she knew and chose to think of it as growth. Like now, instead of plunging head first into the bushes, Crissy just adored the woman to pieces. “I know you can do this as amazing as you do everything else and I am willing to help you every step of the way.” And she really was. Which was a first. “Shall we do this together?”

Not only was she holding Zodiac but showing her the swan like grace of gliding along the smooth zambonied ice. Her hand loosened, still held on, to Zodiac’s hand as she noticed the skates being parallel together or criss crossing over the right spots to make the turns. With smooth easy strides she alternated balancing on either single blade trusting the sturdiness of them to suspend her in the movements across the frozen water.

The first steps her ankles had been wobbling. Now she was almost a pro! Like Cristiana, Zodiac caught on to things fairly quickly. Gaining some momentum, Cristiana lifted one leg behind her skating around Zo while holding her hand above her head. The other arm spread out eagle for balancing while she spun around Zo’s form on one skate. She spun, in small circles, drawing her legs together and crossing them. The spinning tightened, drawing as much of her body to her. Her hand in Zodiac’s, like that of a dancer, was barely holding on. When she stopped, she waited a moment for the rink and everything else to catch up to her.

Leaning in close, she whispered, “Yes, I know how to ride a horse. I would love to again.. Or a horse drawn buggy ride with you too.” As Zodiac sung into her mind, she hummed along.

While she hummed, some people nearby also began humming. And the people beside them. Soon almost everyone was humming or quietly singing. When it came time to stop though, she aligned the skates inwardly pushing outward to keep her steady as she slowed. It was more a show to let Zodiac see how to slow and stop, she kept her feet together like a penguin would and penguin walked besides Zodiac showing her how to stop and slow down.

When she seen Zodiac floating, she stopped fully with a slight skid that had flakes of ice on the sides of the blades. She eyed the woman staring her down before breaking out in laughter and shaking her head. No wonder Zo had gotten so good so fast. The cheeky temptress!

A spin had her skating backward, in front of Zodiac. “Let’s get our shoes on and see what else they have going on?” It was a question not a statement, seeing as Zodiac was being Zodiac, and no one even knew what an amazing woman she could be. If she have reversed time, there was so many things she would have done differently, one of them being letting Zo know how she felt sooner!

“It the most skatey time of the year!!!” She sang quietly joining in with her beloved female companion. She would enjoy it to the fullest, every moment she had with the woman. The woman never ceased to amaze her. She knew just what to get her for Christmas, using her Secret Santa to do it. A grin splayed across her face in a devious manner picturing Zo in it.

“Shall we my dearest one?” Because she couldn't imagine being any happier in this moment than with the one her heart melted for every time. She was convinced it is why no other relationship worked out for either of them, they always gravitated to each other.

Despite the emptiness she felt in the pit of her stomach, she allowed her lips to form that familiar smirk in response to his statement. His presence lightened her in a way not much had, and though it was but a small feat, it allowed her to relax - if only for the moment. Slipping her fingers beneath the strap of her bag, she tipped her head to the side as her gaze swept across the room. The familiarity of the ordeal would have left her stomach in knots if she allowed herself to dwell on it, and instead, she offered her sire a shrug at his words, her brow raising. “Can’t a girl get into the holiday spirit every once in a while?” The words had barely left her throat before she was choking on a laugh, shaking her head.

Working her tongue across a sharp canine, she used her free hand to motion to the crowd that surrounded them, even as a familiar voice cut over the rest. “I figured this place could use a little --- excitement. These events always get so dull.” As she spoke, her hand dropped to pat at the bag that hung at her side, the motion causing the paint cans hidden inside to clink together. Leaving it at that, she followed his gaze as Charlie stepped from the crowd, her laughter causing Raegan to tilt her head to the side. Her bored gaze swept across the woman as she continued to laugh, before she shrugged at the look she’d received from Jesse. “I think someone might have inhaled too much over-priced perfume,” she offered, a quick spark of amusement in her eyes before it was gone.

She could only give a smile of response, a nod being given to show that she agreed. Her lighter colored eyes sought for faces among the crowd once more, unsure on how late she would stay. Now, she would at least have to hunt down the man later on, but as he wandered away, she made a mental note of his aura - locking it away in her mind and filing it. “Do we ever not?” It wasn’t something Every was used to just quite, the difference in height between her previous body and the one she currently occupied. As she moved to take a step in the heels she wore, the balance caused her to stumble briefly and the expression of displeasure was evident for only a moment before she straightened up. If she wasn’t careful, it’d appear the bonds broker was drunk and although she knew Mercy was a drinker, she didn’t feel the need to have it in the headlines. As it was, she could only decline going out so many times.

“It means hard working, does it not?” A useless tidbit, but it helped with meeting ‘new’ people. “Try having the identity crisis I am.” Every snorted quietly into the red head’s mind before she offered her arm as soon as the two males walked off. “We shall.” The brunette confirmed. Her gaze drifted to the laughter, her lips twitching in amusement before she mentally reached out to Jesse’s mind long enough to say, “Well, don’t you still clean up nicely” unable to help herself when it came to teasing the tattooed man. It helped, really, for herself alone that the difference in her mental voice had yet to transition entirely into Mercy’s higher one. She wondered how often it would last.

As the photos would be taken, Every couldn’t help but make a face in one of them by crossing her eyes and sticking out her tongue when the photographer asked for something amusing - she knew she could come across as cold, but sometimes it was better to be silly, and then offer a sincere, bright smile for the second. In the year that had begun to draw to a close, the shadow had learned that it was sometimes better to laugh at herself and just appreciate the simple things. Later, she would likely wonder why she’d made the face, but it would still make her chuckle over time. This year, the woman didn’t begin singing with the chorus. Instead, she began to quietly listen to sway idly with the sound, observing. “Looks like the spiders aren’t here this year.” She finally said into Amalea’s mind, “I’m not entirely surprised after they threw vampires under the bus quickly.”

It had been a month prior to Christmas when Cristiana had fallen asleep last year. She knew it was between her birthday and Thanksgiving, but not the exact date. She had woken long enough to give a gift but although the thought was there, it wasn’t as good as being there for the woman. It was something she was reminded of, sadly.

Things were a lot better now. She was in a more stable place than she had been last year. It wasn’t fair of what she did, falling asleep to not face things but more so being upset as she was and keeping distance from Zo until she was sure there was nothing residual left of the past feelings. Except hurt. There was hurt in the way thing ended, not that did. That was for the best. However, she was still his sire and in her heart she knew chances were he would never wake up for them to talk about it and move on. That was the worst part, not being able to fully end it and let go of the guilt completely. She was no angel in the ending, or hell ever. Yet, it was still something she would have done because she was asked to keep it between the two and not tell anyone. Why should she have picked one over the other childer?

Now that was all over and in the past, long over. It was dug down deep along with the guilt of it on her part. She may never get to apologize and have her childer back. Simon was owed an apology for her yelling at him over this. They just had a different kind of relationship that you didn’t apologize for anything in. Maybe it was why he didn’t wake up.

She looked at Zodiac as the music came to an end, and clapped along with the crowd listening to the choir of children go from Oh Holy Night to Jingle Bell Rock. It was a lovely display from the local school to get involved in the event of the holiday. When Zo motioned toward the tables she motioned to avoid the food. She could eat but she wanted to try something with Zodiac, soon but not yet.

“Darling what I really want, instead of television watching, is for us to wave and say goodbye and prepare ourselves for our own little celebration.” She gave the woman a cheeky grin and wiggled her eyebrows. She would have to stop and get the presents she got for Zodiac and Ginny too. There was one of her places that she knew Ginny did not like to go, so she hid some presents there for them.

“I cannot wait for you to see what I bought for you. Do you think we can dip out and start our own … more private…” She leaned in like she was whispering but really gave a soft purr against her cheek and neck, “And get some quality time alone together.”

She gave a look around the room and while there was people she knew, they hadn’t gone above and beyond to draw her attentions, as much as she hadn’t to them. If she disappeared, they wouldn’t be the wiser. She came face to face with her, holding both Zodiac’s hands in hers, holding her eyes as well, “There is no place that feels more like home than to be with you, no matter where you are. If you want to stay here, we can stay but if we have shown enough face I am all up for disappearing because you are the heart of this holiday.” And she really did mean it.

Guess this party is dead and done

When Crissy suggested it was time to call it a night, she held up a finger for patience. As usual, she did not get the amount of packets right. Too few this time, while last year she went home with extras. Zodiac was judging who to tag with the last two. Several faces suggested themselves. A few new ones. She considered them all. She had never seen the woman who Amalea seemed to be stalking for some reason, but the gypsy concluded handing her a packet would be a waste. She suspected she could count on Amelea pouring poison in the woman’s ear on the subject of doing business with Zodiac. She quickly narrowed her mental list and made her final two contacts of the evening.

She then directed her full attention to Crissy and smiled. ”All done. The main reason I come to these anyway. Last year there were much more fireworks of sorts happening, and a most unusual visitor we had as well.” the barest hint of color managed to touch her cheeks as she took in what the woman was saying to her.

”Presents? For me? Thought I already got my present.” She leaned close till her nose was just touching Crissy’s. ”Wish you was here last year,” she began as she hooked her arm in Crissy’s and began to move to the front door to reclaim her cloak. ”There was a bomb scare, reindeer rustling, Two sides of a debate ready to have it out. Well, at least one side was sitting on ready. A puking paladin, one very pissed off man-mountain, a shady Santa, and a Drider. Half the room was kissing her *** and the other half wanted to kill her. I gave her a card for a free reading and the stuck up arachnid never showed. Typical.”

“So yes, let us go home.” She slipped on her cloak and fished her car keys from her purse. ”Sorry, I drove and I am not leaving the mini bus so it can be towed later tonight so you’ll have to deal with my driving. And you can be sure Ginny will find us eventually.” Crissy was right. Some peace and quiet spent with ones you cared for was always a winner. As she made her way to where she had parked. (The last thing Zodiac would ever do is trust an unknown with her mini-bus to park it and possibly help themselves to things inside.) she began to sing softly.

And somewhere on this night of nights, she’s looking to believe. Here among the ghosts on Christmas Eve.