Title: HSU, Happy Christmas, Grinch
Author: Dorotea
Rating: G for Grinch
Timeline: With the Christmas fics
Author's Notes: I really had intended to fit more people in, but I have relatives swarming all over asking me what I'm writing and if it can be published! LOL So, I'm sorrry for everyone left out, but I wanted to get this posted before the New Year and tomorrow we're going to my parents' house and they finally have an internet connection, but it is so slooooooooooooooow! Happy Holidays to all and thanks for all the fun!
Archive: Yes, please, sending txt attachment.

"I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true"
The Pogues, 'Fairytale of NY'

Dorotea sat in the General's office, on the edge of his desk. She sneezed. "Ugh," she said, blowing her nose into a tissue, "I can't believe I'm getting a cold right before Christmas!"

The General patted her leg. "I'm sorry, perhaps you should go see the Nurse."

Dorotea lifted a brow. "Um, yeah, right. I don't need bandaids and she probably wouldn't open the door for me for fear I was trying to dum--- never mind, I'll pick some cold medicine up from Target."

The General shrugged and handed her a nicely wrapped package. "Maybe your Christmas gift will make you feel better. Kendra said you needed one."

Dorotea ripped open the package. "A book! ' 101 Mistake-Proof Spells'!" Dorotea slid forward on the desk and hugged him. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome. It says mistake-proof, but be careful, please. Please?"

Dorotea nodded. "Of course! Here," she said handing him a small, badly wrapped package with a crooked bow. "A little something I made."

The General eagerly opened the package and pulled out a silver amulet, with strange carvings and words on it. "It's er, a very nice...it's very nice."

"It's an amulet to ward of Princesses. You won't have to worry about them anymore. I gave one to Qui-Gon too."

"Thank you, Dorotea. That is a very practical gift."

~*~

Dorotea walked into the Library, blowing her nose. Pelham was pouting while playing 'White Christmas' on the organ and Xanatos was playing Elf Bowling. Jen was wrapping long, rectangle shaped boxes at the desk. She was quite sure the bright, cheerful decorations were multiplying and she scowled as waded through the packages to get to the spiral stairway.

She was snuggled in bed, pouting and moping when Xanatos came in a few minutes later.

"Managed to pull yourself away from Elf Bowling?" She asked him bitterly.

"Managed to pull yourself away from the do-gooder?" He sneeered.

Dorotea rolled her eyes. "I just gave him a present, as if you would even care who I did."

Xanatos stretched out on the bed beside her as she edged away from him. "Aha. You're pouting because you think I don't care who you do."

"I'm not pouting! I'm sick."

"You're pouting. Pelham is pouting. I'm tired of all this pouting, I'm sure we can find something better to do," he purred, stroking the Librarian's cheek and brushing a kiss across her pouting lips.

"Um," Dorotea struggled to stay focused on what she was pouting about. "Do you care who you do?"

Xanatos murmumed something into the Librarian's neck.

"Answer the question!"

Xanatos lifted his head. "I care who you do and I'm not on prowl anymore than you are."

"Good enough," Dorotea said pulling the greysider closer.

~*~

Dorotea handed the Dean a paper bag. "Merry whatever."

Dean eyed the bag suspiciously. "You bought me a Christmas present?"

Dor nodded. "Open it. It doesn't bite."

Emmy opened the bag cautiously, she pulled out a heart-shaped candle. "A candle?"
She asked wondering if it had been spelled to explode when she lit it.

"Well, I've noticed you seem to be lacking in heart. I wanted to get you a real one, but Pelham wouldn't let us break into a morgue or dig up a corpse. Again."

Emmy raised a brow and opened her mouth to inform that she most definitely had a heart, just no patience for princess behavior, but the Librarian was gone.

~*~

In the Clinic the Nurse was looking at the beautiful dresser that Cic had given her for the third night of Chanukah. She ran her hand along the smooth wood and then slid on top of. "Seems very sturdy," she said to her beloved servant.

Cic lifted a brow, grinned and lunged at the Nurse. "Let's test it."

The dresser was indeed, very solid.

~*~

"It's noon, are you getting out of bed?" Xanatos asked the Librarian, who was buried under layers of blankets.

"No, I'm thick."

Xanatos pulled back the covers and thrust a bottle of cold medicine at Dorotea. "Take this. Pelham is wrapping more presents, so we better get downstairs and start opening them or we won't finish before the New Year's Party."

"Pelham is wrapping more presents? Did he leave any for the other shoppers?" Dor asked as she took a swig of the cold medicine straight from the bottle.

"I don't think so," Xanatos said as he opened the closet. "Let's see, it's a festive holiday -- what would you like to wear -- black or black?" He said pulling out two different, black dresses.

Dor shrugged. "I don't care," she said flatly.

Xanatos sighed and tossed one dress back in the closet. "I think Pelham would prefer the velvet on you."

Dor grimaced, she had been avoiding her nobleman since he had returned. "I don't want to see him. I think I'm just going to stay in bed." She flopped back and pulled the blankets back over her head.

"Dorotea, you can't spend all your time in bed or your filth-ridden car," Xanatos said, pulling the covers back. "Why don't you want to see Pelham? He's not mad at you."

"Exactly. I dumped him and he doesn't even care!" The Librarian sniffled.

Xanatos sighed heavily, wishing he could mind-trick the Librarian into a better mood or at least out of princess mode. "He cares, but he understands why you did it. You love him, he loves you, so get over it. NOW! And show a bit of bloody holiday cheer."

"Bah humbug!"

"I have something that will cheer you up," he said.

"I'm not in the mood."

"No, not that. Well, yes that, but after I give you your Christmas present. Just a minute, I'll be right back," Xanatos said.

The Librarian sat up. "You mean you really bought me something?"

"Yes, I have it in a rotisserie oven in the crypt," Xanatos said as walked out of the bedroom.

The Librarian slumped back into bed. "He roasted me a chicken for Christmas? Well, hopefully it's that princess, Bijoux."

Rowan slunk into the room, wearing a festive red ribbon and looking none to happy about it and jumped on the bed, where Dor pulled off the ribbon with a frown. "Poor kitty!"

 A few minutes later Xanatos walked in carrying an object wrapped in a bright and cheerful Winnie the Pooh baby blanket.

Dorotea sat up , twirling the ribbon as Rowan pawed it. "What is that?" She asked, rather nervously.

Xanatos grinned and placed the bundle in the Librarian's lap. Dorotea cautiously unwrapped it to find a rather large egg. "Um, hmm, er, um, wow, um, an...egg?"

"A dragon egg."

Dorotea coughed as Rowan sniffed the egg disdainfully. "Oh. My. God. I knew I shouldn't have let you read the Harry Potter books."

Xanatos sat down on the beside the shocked Librarian. "I love the Harry Potter books. Harry is perfect -- pale, black hair, scarred. Once that boy turns to the Dark Side he will be a magnificient hero."

"Yes,um, but a dragon? Where did you get a dragon egg? How big will it get? Does it breathe fire? We live surrounded by very flammable books. Where are we going to keep it? What if the Dean finds out about it?"

"He's not a large breed, only about 20 feet fully grown."

"20 feet long?"

"He does breath fire, but we can keep him in the crypt and teach him to control the fire-breathing."

"Good, I don't want Rowan to become a crispy kitty."

"And as far as the Dean, she won't find out. And if she does, who cares?"

Dorotea stared at the egg. "I can't believe you got me a monster for Christmas!"

Xanatos nodded, obviously pleased with himself until he noticed, one large, perfect teardrop rolling down Dorotea's face. "You don't like it?"

"I love it! It's wonderful, thank you," she sniffled.

Xanatos sighed in relief as Pelham walked in with an armful of presents. "What is that?" Pelham asked, eying the egg suspiciously as he put the presents on the bed.

"A dragon egg," Dorotea said.

Pelham arched a brow. "With a dragon it?"

"Yes," Xanatos said, gently picking up the egg and rewrapping it in the fuzzy blanket. "I better put back in the oven, it has to stay warm. I already decided on a name, Draco."

Xanatos walked out of the room and Dorotea and Pelham sat in an uncomfortable silence. Finally, Dorotea said, "I'm sorry about, you know, giving you to the Nurse. I, I...was just trying to be nice."

Pelham laughed.

"What?" Dor protested.

"You weren't trying to be nice, m'lady. You just didn't want me to leave you, so you took a premptive strike."

Dor made a face. "Well, yeah, I was calling her bluff. But I did want you to be happy. And if she ended up happy too, that was okay."

Pelham's mouth curled up at the corners. "I'm very happy with you and Xanatos, Dorotea. I don't want anyone else, it was just harmless flirting."

"I'm a bit jealous, sometimes, aren't I?"

"A bit, but I find it lovely that you care. You have nothing to fear from me my love. I will never leave your or betray your trust."

Dorotea nodded. "I know you wouldn't. I'm not so sure about Xanatos..."

Pelham laughed. "Xanatos is Xanatos, you have to accept him the way he is. Decide if he's worth it.

"Of course I'm worth it," Xanatos said as he reentered the room, joining his lovers on the bed.

Dor arched a brow. "Hmm..." she hummed, as if she were in deep thought about the matter.

Xanatos smirked at her. "Yes, love?"

"I guess you're worth it," she sighed. "And if you do anything you shouldn't I can always curse your wanger."

"You're such a witch," Xanatos said leaning in to kiss her on the lips.

"Should we go open the presents?" Pelham asked.

"The presents can wait," Dorotea said, grabbing her EA's.

It was a very Merry Christmas in the Library.