Title: One Bright Star
Author: Julia
Rating: the American Dental Association said it caused cavities...
Follows: Emmy's Round and Round
Not beta'd, bad me! All mistakes are mine, mein, mien! ;)

~*~

Cold.

Fallen leaves crunched underfoot as she hiked along, breath puffing out in wisps of white.

Snow had just fallen on the campus grounds, and there would probably be more by morning.

Perfect.

The woods were silent. The muted silence of snow falling, drifting softly down in huge flakes of pure white that caught the faint moonglow and reflected it in fairy light.

Her boots scrunching in the snow and leaves the only sound in the entire forest.

Pristine.

Crystal.

Cresting the hill, Julia turned and a smile slowly curved her mouth.

So beautiful.

She could see the grrls moving through the hallways and in their rooms, decorating, laughing, chatting about the day's events and speculating on how long the Diva and the General would go without a spat.

Not very good odds on that.

What was life without a little drama?

HSU provided a lot of Not Boredom.

Wreaths hung on the doors, snow was just beginning to blanket the buildings with a thick quilt of snow and the once-green lawns were pristine white.

Lights twinkled from the little cottage where Dande and the Mahstah lived, looking like something straight out of a Kinkaid painting.

How to capture this? To gather in that feeling and sense of home and family, laughter, bickering, teasing and camaraderie so present at HSU?

It was asking a big job of one little camera.

Setting the tripod, Julia locked the camera on top and contemplated the view for a long time.

The moon drifted out from behind the clouds to give the falling snow a silvered, ethereal look, contrasting beautifully with the warm golden glow cast by the windows of the buildings.

Snapping a series of consecutive shots, Julia stopped as the clouds again covered the moon from view like a jealous lover shielding his beloved.

Carefully covering the camera again, Julia shivered and started the hike back down the hill, towards campus.

Snow was sticking to her hair and face now and she laughed at the dual sensations of stinging cold and warmth as the flakes melted against her skin.

The hike back to HSU was quick, as the temperature fell, she walked faster.

She turned once she stood on the porch and looked back, smiling softly as the snow began to cover up her bootprints.

Resting her tripod against the building and tucking the camera away underneath, she walked out onto the white stretches of lawn now slumbering under their cold blankets and looked up.

Dizzying watching the snowflakes dance and swirl down towards the ground, landing on her face. She laughed and caught several on her tongue, lifting her arms out to spin in place.

Now the world spun and she tumbled to the ground, still laughing, staring up at the fairy flakes.

Snow fell soundlessly.

Music drifted out of the buildings, and she recognized Burl Ives singing 'Silver and Gold'. Ruldolph.

December.

Such a magical time of year. Celebrating light. Celebrating love.

Moving her arms and legs, Julia carefully stood and turned to look at the angel. Snow was blurring it already as the flakes drifted down faster, harder.

"Watch over us all, angel," Julia whispered.

"Julia?"

The grrl turned, surprised that someone was able to  sneak up on her without her hearing.

She smiled at the General, imitating his tone and accent. "Obi-Wan?"

His smile was one of slow, warm amusement. "What are you doing out here? It's freezing. You're covered in snow."

Snow that would soon melt, leaving her wet, and cold.

"I was dancing with the snow fairies," she replied, holding out a hand to watch more snow drift down.

His look was the usual one she saw. 'You're a bit wack, aren't you, but I love you anyways...' Reaching out, he took her hand. "Come along. The fairies have work to do from the looks of it, and you're just mucking about in it." His teasing smile and a squeeze on her hand increased her smile wattage.

"I got a photo of the campus from the hill." She shrugged as he led her up to the porch. "A December memory."

Obi-Wan watched as the grrl paused and turned to look out across the lawn, to the woods once more.

Not in any big rush.

Living in the now as he had told them all to do so often.

With a contented sigh, Obi-Wan stood directly behind her, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace.  "I thought you were a creature of dawn and light."

Slanting him a look, she smiled softly. "Magic exists in dawn and dusk, if you seek it." She leaned back.

Both were silent for a long while, watching their world being blanketed, cleansed in a baptism of white.

"I was going to read Dicken's 'Christmas Carol' out loud, in front of the fireplace," Obi-Wan told her softly. "Interested?"

Julia snuggled back, nodding. "I'm there!"

He kissed her cheek, nuzzling her ear. "Don't be late then, mesmerized by the snow fairies."

She nodded as he left her to go gather the rest of the grrls.

"God bless us all, every one!" With a quickly blown kiss to the night, Julia gathered up her camera and tripod and hurried inside to the warmth, love and mayhem of home.

~*~

END