42Written by Corvis and Perpetual Lurker (RIP her profile) for the Very Cullen Christmas Collaboration Challenge thingy. Thanks to jandco and withthevampsofcourse for posting the challenge!
Christmas Wish
I walked to my truck with a smug look on my face. I was hoping that my plan was going to work, that I would finally be able to put one over on Alice. I sighed as I realized that it was never going to work, she was going to know what it was.
As I drove to Edward's, I wished the heat in my car was remotely warm. Despite the chill, I found myself actually sort of happy about the encroaching holidays. I bought Charlie a new gun belt. I was sort of dismal as I couldn't think of anything else to get him, but figured he'd appreciate the practicality of it. I made Jasper a CD, something I would never do for most people, but I had put on it a lot of the songs that calmed me down, and I just had to hope he appreciated at least the sentiment. Alice had assured me that he would understand the thought behind it.
Emmett was proving to be difficult. After the CD player he had gotten for me, I wasn't sure what to get him. I could just get him a gift certificate from the sporting goods store, but that seemed to me a cop out. I pulled down the lane to the Cullen house and pondered. As if hearing my inner turmoil, the vampire in question strolled out of the garage. On a whim I called him to the car.
"Hey, Bells, what's going on?" He asked.
I wondered why he wasn't out hunting with the others, but either way I was glad he was there. "Get in." I said.
"Huh?"
"You heard me, get in." I said, trying to look menacing. I knew it was a failure as he erupted into laughter.
"Are you kidnapping me?" He asked, getting into the truck of his own will.
"Yes, actually, I am, now cooperate." I said.
I always considered Emmett like a big brother to me, and he always had treated me the same. What was a little kidnapping amongst siblings? Alice did it all the time. I just needed some sort of leverage. Brute strength was not something I could wield over him. I laughed at the thought.
"What's so funny?" He asked as I pulled away from the house. I had time to get back before I was meeting Edward.
"I was trying to imagine actually kidnapping you." I said. He laughed at the thought as well. "Doesn't seem very likely."
I scowled. I changed my mind as I drove, deciding to try a different tack of the kidnapping. "Tell me about yourself. You think I'm hilarious for some reason or another, I mean, it's only fair that I should know something embarrassing about you."
Emmett laughed again. "Coercion? I thought so much more highly of you, Bells." He said.
"Aw, come on, play along!" I said, taking the next turn wildly. Emmett had to reach over and pull the steering wheel to get us back in contact with the road. I gasped, too late to do anything about it.
"I suppose I can tell you something if you manage to keep us on the road. I wouldn't want to have to carry the truck back to the house." Emmett said, not bothered by the near accident at all. I turned my head to look at him, but his cold hand was already turning my chin away so I would keep an eye on the road. His hand stayed for a moment longer than I thought it would and I was taken a little by surprise at how softly his hand had touched my face. I shook my head and focused on the road. He continued to talk.
"I'll play along, I guess." He said. "After all, as my captor, you're calling all the shots."
"Darn right." I said weakly.
He chuckled and looked deep in thought. "Does it have to be embarrassing?" He asked.
"Humiliating. How many times have I tripped and fallen in front of you?"
"Too many to count." He pointed out. I glared, keeping my eyes on the road. We were almost to the sporting goods store.
"I don't know." He said, grinning. "There's not many things that embarrass me."
I groaned, pulling into the deserted parking lot of the Newton's store. "I knew you were going to be difficult."
"Well, I can't make this easy." He said, getting out of the car and coming around to open the door for me. I let him help me out of the cab of the truck and walk inside. I couldn't help that it was icy and he was sure on his feet. That parking lot was dangerous. "What exactly are we doing here?" He asked.
"Buying you a present." I explained. "What did you think? I have no idea what to get for you."
"You kidnapped me to get me a present?" He asked, grinning.
"Well, it seemed like a better plan at the time!" I said defensively. "And a lot more personal than a gift certificate."
He raised his eyebrows at the word personal, but I blamed my imagination. Now that he and I were out and alone together, personal was not what I planned on being with Emmett.
I changed the path of the conversation back to what we were there for. "Now, what do you want?" I asked, pulling his arm and leading him down the aisle. "A tent?"
"To sleep in?" He asked, laughing.
"Ugh. A lantern?"
"I don't need light."
I walked past the display of canteens and he laughed out loud, the sound booming around the store. I couldn't help the fluster on my face. We passed the sleeping bags in the same manner.
"A gun?" I asked, knowing that this was not turning out to be a good idea, despite all the "camping" trips Emmett went on. I glared at him. "Are you having fun?" I asked as he tried to contain his laughter.
"Sorry, I'll try not to." I couldn't help but laugh. It was such a change from Edward's pensive mood, it was almost infectious. Almost. I went back to looking through the aisles. Camouflage vests. Fishing line. Deer urine. Ugh.
"Well, I'm at a loss." I finally admitted.
"Bells, you don't have to get me anything." He said, coming closer and looking more serious than I had ever seen him. "I just wish…"
He let his eyes trail to something above us. I groaned out loud. I was going to kill Mike Newton. And shove that sprig of mistletoe so far up his…
"You know what that means?" Emmett asked.
"No."
"It's tradition!" Emmett said, laughing again.
"No."
"Seriously, Bells, you can't afford any more bad luck."
"No."
"Just once, and I promise you won't have to get me anything for Christmas. And I'll tell you something that Alice is planning."
"N.. What? What is Alice planning?" I asked, suspiciously.
He didn't say anything, just pointed to the sprig of horror above us. I hoped she was planning to help me kill Mike. I was curious.
"Fine. One small peck. And it's in the name of holiday cheer." I said, drawing my line in the sand. Well, snow. Whatever.
Before I could change my mind, Emmett's cold lips were pressed against my own. I stiffened, but he didn't pull away. If anything, his mouth grew more demanding. That was a change. I felt his arms snake around my waist and my hands were on his massive shoulders. How had those gotten there?
I went to pull away from him, this was bad, this was wrong, but he became more insistent. I gasped as his tongue found its way into mine, and I gave up my fight momentarily stunned. It was such a change. Usually when we got this far, Edward pulled away. Not Emmett. He felt my moment of weakness and took that chance to pull me closer to him, off the floor so he wouldn't be leaning over me. I was kissing him back. When did that happen?
I broke away from him, his breathing ragged, mine the same. I was still being held off the floor by him, and I was still dazed when he set me back down. I held onto his arm, not sure of my feet anymore.
"Jees, Bells, that was…" He trailed off again.
"You were going to wish for something." I said suddenly. "And tell me what Alice was planning. And something embarrassing." Gah, I couldn't even make coherent sentences.
"Alice is planning a Christmas party for you. And something embarrassing, a bear got the best of me and bit me."
"How's that embarrassing? You killed it, right?"
"Yeah, but I couldn't sit for a week."
I paused for a moment, looking to make sure I heard him right. I nearly choked as I comprehended what he had said. Laughter again filled the aisles of the store, but this time, it was all mine.
"And the wish?"
"Nevermind that." He said, putting his hand over mine as we walked out of the store. He helped me across the ice and to the car.
"You're not getting off that easy." I said once we had started down the road back the way we came. "I'm still in charge here."
He laughed, but seemed to give in. He reached his hand over the seat and rested it on my knee.
"I wish I had seen you first."