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Erin > Fiction > Do Not Open Until X-Mas
Rush hour traffic was never exactly the best thing to contend with. It was worse when one was in a foul mood. Lance Bass's mood had gone way beyond foul in the last hour. So way beyond, in fact, as to be in the next galaxy. Gripping his steering wheel tightly, he did his best to distract himself so as not to forcibly ram into the green Volkswagen Beetle sitting ahead of him.
"It's incredible," Riane said. "This year I finally luck out."
Lance grinned, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms gently around her waist. "How so?"
She spun in his arms, her brown gems of eyes glittering with absolute delight. "This will be the first time I've been in a relationship over the holiday season. The absolute latest I had one into the year was November eighth."
He smiled, kissing her softly on the tip of her nose. "So this time you'll have someone to share them with."
She leaned into him then, resting her head gently on his chest. "Not just anyone. You. For once, nothing is going to come along and screw everything up."
The jarring noise of a car horn jerked him back into reality. The traffic was moving. What a shock. He hit the gas. She wasn't going to be happy. He knew it, because neither was he.
Riane stood at the stove, carefully stirring the cream sauce for the chicken she was making. He was heading over immediately after he finally finished up with rehearsals. The group, combined with his side projects, certainly took up a lot of his time, but she accepted it, because she knew there was no way to change it. He was going to be out of town a lot during the holiday season, and that fact made her almost indignant. But he was still going to be able to share the actual holidays themselves with her. Her mind drifted a bit.
"Do you know what I'm looking forward to the most?"
"What?" His green eyes sparkled with amusement. They still floored her every time she looked at them.
"New Years Eve. I've never gotten the proverbial midnight kiss."
Smiling, he bent down and kissed her lightly. "Just you wait, then. This New Years is going to be a night to remember."
There was a knock at the door. She smiled as she emerged from her reverie. "It's open!" she called. Right on time.
As Lance stepped in the door, Riane glanced over at him. Expecting to see his normal smiling face, she was surprised. He looked a bit glum... and more than a bit pissed off. Her nose wrinkled slightly. "What happened now?" She shook some cream off of the spoon she was stirring with.
Lance closed the door. "I'm being sent out of town for a month straight on meetings."
"Ugh. Nasty," she agreed, continuing to stir. "Where are they sending you? And when?"
He sighed deeply. "To New York. And I have to leave in three days."
"Three--" The spoon landed with a clatter in the pan as Riane turned around. "You're kidding. Please say you're kidding." It was already December tenth.
Lance looked at her almost mournfully. "I wish I were kidding."
Inwardly, she knew that her expression had shifted almost to that of a heartbroken baby animal. But she had absolutely no power to stop it. "I... but it's... a-and we..." Dammit! It was finally going to be the perfect holiday! But now...
He sighed for the second time in as many minutes, running his right hand idly through his hair. "I know, hon, I know. And believe me, I tried everything in my power to get out of it."
Riane swallowed, biting her lip. Her gaze turned downward and she proceeded to study the linoleum floor. "Well. So much for all that, huh?" It was taking all of her willpower not to just burst into tears at the spot. These things always happened to her, didn't they?
It was taking all of Lance's strength to not just go and cancel everything. He knew that he couldn't, but the look on her face was absolutely heartbreaking. He was hurting her, and all of the self-assurances that it wasn't his fault were not doing a bit of good. He exhaled deeply. "God, I'm so sorry. If you didn't have to work, I'd fly you out myself to spend it all with me over there."
"I know..." Riane glanced slowly up at him. A small smile blossomed on her face, although Lance could tell that it was forced. "It doesn't have anything to do with you. Or me. It rarely does."
He nodded. He knew that, although it was small comfort. "I know. I just... I hate letting you down like this."
It was Riane's turn to sigh. She walked slowly over to him. "Believe me, I hate it too." She gently rested her hands on his cheeks. They were warm. "But there's nothing either one of us can do."
Lance took a deep breath, looking into her eyes. "I know. But..."
She slid her hands back, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest. "But it still sucks."
He nodded, encircling her waist with his own arms. "It majorly sucks."
Riane was silent. She was practically pouting, and Lance couldn't say he blamed her. He gave her a kiss. "I'll find some way to make it up to you somehow." He had no idea just how he was going to do that, but he had to. He just had to.
The airport was fairly busy. Pre-holiday traffic was beginning to grow, along with the assortment of business travelers trying to get last-minute deals done before the holidays. Lance was almost jealous of them all. Because chances are, these people would all be sharing the holidays with the people they loved. He made a quick mental inventory of his bags, making sure he had everything he needed. Everything except for her. He glanced back at Riane who was following him. He could tell that she was reluctant to actually see him off, but she had come anyway. "I'm going to miss you."
The look in her eyes indicated that only sheer willpower was keeping her from breaking into sobs, throwing a tantrum in the middle of the terminal, or both. She managed a tight-lipped smile. "I know. I'll miss you too."
He nodded, smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. Although he was probably trying to reassure himself as much as he was reassuring her. "I'll call you every day. I promise."
Riane shook her head. "You don't have to. Handle what you need to handle." She paused slightly.
"I'm going to anyway. Because it's something I need to handle."
She nodded once and walked over to his carry-on. Unzipping it quickly, she pulled a plain white envelope out of her pocket and placed it inside. "That's your Christmas present. Don't open it until then."
Lance glanced over at the bag as she zipped it back up. "Okay. Do not open until Christmas. Got it."
"Final boarding call for United Airlines Flight 650 to New York City. I repeat, Final boarding call for United Airlines Flight 650 to New York City."
He found himself looking back at Riane, her eyes brimming with tears that she was refusing to shed. He took a few steps towards her before holding her tightly, murmuring into her hair, "I love you, Ree."
She bit her lower lip, burrowing her head against his shoulder. "I know. And I love you too." He nodded, pulled back slightly, and gave her one last soft kiss before turning and boarding the plane.
Riane managed to wait until Lance was well out of sight before finally letting the tears trickle down her face. She quickly wiped them off with a hand before anyone noticed. How am I ever going to last a month?
Lance sat in his seat in first class, staring vacantly out the window. He took the flight to New York often enough to be considered pretty much a regular. A flight attendant named Bridget passed by him, checking on the passengers. "Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Bass?" Lance glanced up at her, and he didn't look remotely as cheerful as he normally was on the flight. He just shook his head, and returned to staring down at the ground. How am I ever going to last a month?
When you're cooped up in meetings for ten hours a day, one day seems much like the next. Lance's days passed like a blur for almost two weeks, with his promised daily calls to Riane being the only real break in the monotony. Before he was really entirely aware of it, Christmas day had arrived. Lance rolled out of bed. He had another meeting that day. He still couldn't believe it. He was convinced that someone out there had it in for him. He headed in the direction of the bathroom to shower, but then paused. His present. Now was as good a time as any. He pulled his carry-on from the closet and withdrew the envelope. He sat back on the bed and opened it, pulling out a letter which he unfolded to read, smiling slightly at her unruly handwriting which he could tell she'd struggled to make as neat as possible.
My dearest --
This is going to be a hard letter for me to write. I've never quite been able to explain how my feelings correspond to my actions, especially to you. I just feel like I need to try, and maybe writing it down will be easier than saying it.
His eyes softened slightly as he continued to read.
You already know I don't have the world's greatest self-esteem. I don't have anything against myself, but I certainly don't see myself in the glowing manner that you do. I've been told I'm overly humble, and duck compliments; naturally that habit goes into overdrive around you, and sometimes it probably seems like I'm avoiding your affections. The truth is I've never felt like I deserve the kind of love you've given me.
"You do," he murmured to an empty room. "You deserve that and more." But he kept on reading.
I know that isn't how love works, but I can't help feeling like I should be giving you something more for everything you've given me. Of course, far be it from me to tell you to stop. I'm as addicted to you as I could ever be to anything else. Just your touch comforts me more than all the sweet words in the world from anyone else; there is never anywhere on this earth I'd rather be than with you.
He smiled.
I've never loved anyone as deeply as I do you, or felt so deeply loved. And no matter how far apart we are now, something in me knows I am closer to you than I ever could be to anyone else. The warmth of your arms comforts my body; your voice, my mind; and your love, my soul. The greatest gift I can ever give you is my thanks, because I owe so much of who I am and what I have to the love you have given me.
Forever-
Riane
Lance blinked a few times before he finally realized that he had tears welling up in his eyes. He shook his head ferociously. "What the hell am I doing here?"
Minutes later, he found himself furiously repackaging all his luggage, and making a cell phone call to his most immediate administrator over this entire debacle.
"Charles, I'm going back home."
"The fuck you're going back home," the insistent baritone on the other side of the line said, "You have a meeting in two hours!"
Lance found himself getting annoyed. "Cancel it. Because in two hours I am going to be on a plane. It's fucking Christmas day. Nobody should have to work on Christmas day. In fact, I'm probably right in guessing that whomever the hell I had a meeting with is bitching about having to have a meeting on Christmas day. Just. Make. It. Happen."
Charles sighed. "I'll work it out. You know, you're not exactly giving yourself a reputation for reliability here."
Lance narrowed his eyes. "I already have a reputation for reliability. One incident is not going to completely screw up the remainder of my career. Besides. I always have that whole singing thing to fall back on."
There was a pause. "Whatever, kid. I... have yourself a good Christmas." Before Charles hung up, he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "Damn cocky pop stars."
Lance clicked off his cell phone. "Scrooge." He grabbed his bags and headed to check out. He doubted that there'd be much problem getting a seat on a Christmas day flight.
He was right, of course. The plane was all but vacant. There were hardly any other travelers at all. Apparently Bridget had volunteered to work a flight that day, because she arrived shortly with the beverage tray, a slightly puzzled smile on her face. "Weren't you going out for a month?"
Lance grinned. "I was. But I had a change of plans. It's Christmas. There are more important things to worry about."
Bridget grinned herself as she poured Lance a Sprite. "That there are." She set the cup and can on his tray table, pausing a moment. She smiled softly. "She'll be glad to see you."
He grinned. "That's what I'm hoping for."
The plane landed at 1:30. He grinned to himself as he headed to where he had parked his car. This was going to be the Christmas surprise to end all Christmas surprises. He unlocked the door, climbed inside, and pulled out onto the almost empty streets. Grabbing his cell, he dialed Riane's familiar number.
She picked up. "Hello?" She sounded a bit sleepy.
Lance grinned. "Merry Christmas, Riane."
He could almost hear her grinning back. "Ohhh. Merry Christmas to you, too." There was a slight rustling sound on the other end of the phone. Apparently she was clearing off wrapping paper or something. "So how are you doing?"
"As well as can be expected," he said, grinning as he drove, "given that I still can't believe I'm not there with you right now."
"Well, at least we can talk," she noted. "God bless modern technology, right?" She didn't mention the letter. She probably figured that if he'd read it, he knew, and if he hadn't yet, he would.
"Yep. Three cheers for the telephone system." Now, it was time for phase one. "Oh!" he said as if he'd just remembered something. "You're going to be home all day, right? I'm having my present delivered, and I just wanna make sure that you'll be there to get it."
Riane sounded amused. "I don't have anywhere else to go." She paused for a moment. "Your mom sent me some fudge."
Lance laughed. "Great. I hope you enjoy it. She makes some great fudge. It's, like, a Christmas tradition."
She laughed in return. "That she does. Makes things a little easier."
And then, phase two. Lance quickly shifted the phone to his other ear as he waited at a red light. He lifted his free hand and knocked lightly on the window immediately to his left. "Dammit," he muttered. "They're here already. Listen, babe. I have a meeting to go to. I'll call you back as soon as I get out. I love you."
"I love you, too, baby. You remember that."
Excellent. She'd fallen hook, line, and sinker. "I will. Talk to you soon." He hung up the phone. "Sooner than you think." He grinned. Time to call in a few favors.
A half an hour after Lance had to hang up, Riane was curled up on the couch with a bag of microwave popcorn watching Mickey's Christmas Carol. It wasn't really so bad, being alone. He was going to call her back later anyway. It wasn't as if he was gone forever. There were just two more weeks, and then she'd be able to see each other again. They'd catch up on what had happened over the month that he was gone, and-- She sighed. She wasn't fooling anyone, least of all herself. She missed him, and Mickey Mouse was really a poor substitute.
As she was popping another piece of popcorn into her mouth, there was a knock at the door. "Coming!" she called as she stood and wiped buttery grease off on her jeans. She headed to the door and unlocked it. Pulling it open, she saw a middle-aged delivery guy wielding a clipboard. On a dolly next to him was a seven-foot-tall box, wrapped in shiny green wrapping paper with a red ribbon.
"Ah, yeah. I have a delivery for a... Ryan Spencer?"
She barely even noticed the mis-naming. It happened to her enough. She was staring at the box. "Yeah. That's most likely me." It looked... painfully obvious. But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Right? Maybe it was a statue. Of something. Or maybe it was a refrigerator. Although why he'd get her a refrigerator was entirely beyond her.
Her speculating was cut short as the clipboard was shoved in her general direction. "Yeah. Sign the dotted line, please." Riane arched an eyebrow, but signed where instructed. He retrieved the clipboard. "Thank you, ma'am." He wheeled the package into the front room where he left it, pulling the dolly out behind him. With a gruff, "Merry Christmas," he departed.
Riane stood a moment, regarding the package silently. He wouldn't. He couldn't. Then what the hell is this? It has to be. But it can't be. She walked up to it, hands shaking slightly as she carefully peeled off the paper. The box had a flap right in front. She slowly peeled at a corner and peeked inside warily.
She didn't see anything.
Slowly blinking, she pulled the box the rest of the way open and looked inside. At the bottom of the box was sitting a small cuddly little white teddy bear in a Santa hat. It was holding a little envelope. She smiled in spite of herself. Just like him. She crouched over and picked up the bear, carefully opening the envelope. Inside was a note.
Riane-
I love you.
Merry Christmas.
-Lance
She smiled, running her fingers lightly over his signature. There was another knock. She held the bear tightly as she headed back to the front door, so blissful as to totally lose any curiosity as to who was knocking this time. She pulled the door open.
There was the clipboard again. And the delivery uniform. "Ma'am, most of the contents of your package appear not to have been packed. We're sorry for the inconvenience.."
She froze, staring. It wasn't the deliveryman from before. Not with that voice. Her attention rose from the clipboard as she found herself staring with shock into a very familiar pair of green eyes. The bear thudded to the floor as Lance grinned. "Merry Christmas."
With those two words, she started to sob. She flung herself into his arms, buried her head in his shoulder, and just cried. He wrapped those arms around her tightly, running his fingers lightly through her hair comfortingly. "I got your letter... and hopped the next plane out of town."
Riane sniffled slightly. "I-I wasn't trying to... to make you feel bad," she whispered. "I just... I'd been wanting to say that for a long time."
Lance just shook his head. "Oh, God, Ree, no. I don't feel bad. I feel wonderful. It just made me realize exactly what I was missing out on. I don't want to miss out on you. Especially not today."
She just hugged him tighter, tears not stopping. She couldn't find even the self-control, much less the words, to reply yet. But Lance was giving her all the time in the world. She just knew it. And she could still barely believe that she was actually in his arms.
After a moment, Riane finally managed to stop crying. She lifted her head and rested her chin on his shoulder. "You didn't have to do this."
He didn't let go. "I know I didn't have to. I wanted to."
She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his lightly. "When do you have to go back?" She was almost afraid to ask the question. She didn't want this moment ruined.
"I haven't decided yet."
Riane straightened again, her arms still around his neck. "So."
Lance smiled fondly. "So, I'm here now." He paused. "And they really don't absolutely need me until January."
She grinned. This was the best Christmas ever. She leaned up to kiss him softly, and then paused as she thought of something. Her voice took on an almost apologetic tone. "I ate all the fudge."
He laughed in response. "Trust me. I didn't come back for the fudge."
She laughed herself. "But it was your mom's. I would have saved you some."
He pressed his forehead against hers. "Don't worry, babe. Besides, she probably sent me some anyway."
Riane and Lance shared another laugh, and gave one another yet another of many Christmas kisses. Yes. Definitely the best Christmas ever.
"Five..."
"For once, nothing is going to come along and screw everything up."
"Four..."
"I've never gotten the proverbial midnight kiss."
"Three..."
"I'm being sent out of town for a month."
"Two..."
"I got your letter... and hopped the next plane out of town."
"One..."
"I don't want to miss out on you."
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
Amidst the streamers and confetti flying around the room of the New Years party, Lance and Riane were totally oblivious to their surroundings. They were wishing each other well, and there was no yelling involved. Nor even any words.
The kiss was enough.