merucha: Waterlily in a vintage fade mode (Default)
Merucha ([personal profile] merucha) wrote2009-12-21 05:00 pm

A Fallout Christmas (Fallout, Part Thirty)

Title: Fallout Christmas (Fallout Part Thirty)
Author: Emma
Characters: A whole bunch of folk.
Rating: Starts PG, but hey, it’s got Jack in it!
Disclaimer: Oh, please. If I owned them, would I let some of those idiots write the scripts? And if I were making any money off them, would I be where they could find me?
Author’s Note: This transformed itself from a plot bunny to a plot tribble. Fallout was meant to be a simple CoE fix-it fic. Except it keeps breeding!
Author’s Note: Cawl Cennin is Welsh leek soup – one of the multiple ways of using leeks in Welsh cooking. Many, many versions but here is one that’s a stew: http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/food/pages/cawlcennin.shtml and here’s one with cream: http://www.fastrecipes.com/recipe/cawl-cennin-a-hufen-(leek-soup,-creamed)-welsh-2009051729891/

Link to previous parts here


“Jack! Answer the door!”

“I’m finishing the tree!”

“If you want cawl cennin for a first course tonight you will get your lovely arse to the door!”

“Do you really think my arse is lovely?”

“Jack! Open. The. Damn. Door.”

Humming a syncopated version of Winter Wonderland, Jack obeyed Ianto’s distinctly enunciated command. “Well, hello, lovely people! A happy Christmas to all. Welcome to Chez Jones!”

Tish sniffed at Jack's mouth like a wolfhound. “Have you been dipping into the eggnog already, Jack?”

“Nope. Not even a nip of Penderyn all afternoon. I've been putting up the Christmas tree and it's my life's worth if I break even one of Yan's antique ornaments. In, in! Packages under the tree, as tradition will have it.”

“My antique ornaments?” Ianto came out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel. “You're the one who showed up with two dozen Victorian paper maché cornucopias and a box full of Waterford crystal pieces.”

“I didn't take you for a collector, Jack,” said Tom Milligan.

Jack shrugged. “I had forgotten I had them. When I bought my first place in Cardiff they were in the attic. After I sold the house I put them in deep storage. Turns out the bomb they put in me couldn’t even dent the doors in that side of the Hub. I had Gwen send them on. It’s been a long time since I had a tree.”

Kathy had been investigating the tree. “You filled the cornucopias with sugared almonds?”

“Tradition.” Ianto said. “And the fact that I hate candied fruit.”

Martha entwined her arm with Ianto's. “So, what's the schedule for the rest of the week?”

“We leave for Cardiff early tomorrow. Lunch with Gwen, Rhys, John, and Andy. Then Christmas dinner with Rhi and the family. Grandfather and Donna are joining us.”

“Maybe.” Jack said darkly. “He tends to miss dates.”

Martha laughed. “Don't I know it. He's promised to come to our New Years' Eve party. I keep telling Tom we should expect him to arrive in three years or so.”

“Oh, I don't know,” Kathy said with a sly grin. “He's been keeping rather close these days.”

“I've noticed,” Tish said. “Family and a certain redhead, I think.”

Tom, Jack, and Ianto exchanged a thoroughly male look.

“Matchmakers,” Tom muttered.

“Well,” Jack said philosophically, “they have a very limited field these days.”

Tom looked at them with undisguised glee. “Are you two making a formal announcement, then?”

“Don't you start!” Ianto grumped. “We will be ready when we're ready and not before.” His cell phone rang. He said yes… yes… and then hung up. “Here, you two help me finish setting the table while those three finish saving the world one engagement at a time.”

Jack grabbed the silverware. “Um… Yan? We have too many place settings.”

“No we don’t.”

“But….”

“Get the door, Jack.”

“Doorbell isn’t,,, ah. Be right back.”

As Jack reached the door, he could hear giggling and whispering on the other side. Curious, he flung the door open, and found himself with an armful of boy.

“Hello, grandpa!”

“Steven!” He looked up at the woman, wary. “Alice?”

She smiled nervously. “Ifan… I’ve been talking to him, and he said…”

“We’re going to stay in your flat and you’re going to move in here with Ifan,” Steven was bursting out with excitement, “and Mom has a new job with some people called UNIT as li….li….”

“Liaison,” Alice prompted.

“As liaison with a whole bunch of other people, and I’m going to go to school here in London.” He peeped over Jack’s shoulder. “Hi, doctor Martha.”

“Hello Steven. Welcome home!” She extended her hand. “Want to look at the tree? There’s sugared almonds in the cornucopias.”

He ran trustingly to her. “Yeah!”

“I hope it’s all right,” Alice said. “Ifan said… “

Jack enfolded her against his chest and nearly wept as he felt her arms go around his waist. “It’s more than all right, Alice. Welcome home.”

[identity profile] rox712.livejournal.com 2009-12-21 10:15 pm (UTC)(link)
I really don't know what to say first...

Thank you for this wonderful Christmas present. I didn't want to ask you about Fallout anymore, you know, pain in the neck and all that. So, you read my mind.

Beautiful reunion. Great to see how domestic they are and I hate candied fruit too.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
And a Merry Christmas to you! Fallout has another story coming as soon as I work out the whole plot...

[identity profile] aeron-lanart.livejournal.com 2009-12-21 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
What a lovely Solstice present!
Nice to see some more of this universe.

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! Solstice... solstice.... BACK YOU EVIL PLOT BUNNY! BACK, I SAY!!!

[identity profile] aeron-lanart.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Does the bunny like chocolate? *whistles innocently*

here bunny, nice chocolate

[identity profile] cen-sceal.livejournal.com 2009-12-21 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
That's just a lovely, warm update. I can't even pick a favourite bit, it's all beautifully Christmassy.
Thank you for sharing!

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you for reading! It was really hard to "freeze-frame" an instance -- I nearly went with the "meeting of the two families" in Cardiff -- but I thought, no, this makes more sense, considering what comes next.

[identity profile] cen-sceal.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"what comes next"? this worries me! I'm looking forward to it though :)
ext_41651: Ianto shiny with mobile (Default)

[identity profile] fide-et-spe.livejournal.com 2009-12-21 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh how nice. I had nagged you enough about Ifan. I do love this and how it keeps on giving with the fix it.

Hope you got my email?

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! There's more coming as soon as I work out the plot. I did get your email, thank you! Final proofreading this weekend and then.... Monte Cristo is put to bed until posting day.
ext_116536: (Default)

[identity profile] beth-mccombs.livejournal.com 2009-12-21 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Adorable. Completely adorable.

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!
rhianona: (bounty hunter)

[personal profile] rhianona 2009-12-22 12:14 am (UTC)(link)
aw... this is so adorably sweet!

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you... I only serve the sugar-laden stuff during holidays! :D

[identity profile] luvinthe88and20.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
Lovely And adorable the same time.

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!

[identity profile] missthingsplace.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 01:41 pm (UTC)(link)
I have absolutely no idea how i missed this wonderful fic ... i've just read it all from the beginning and i love it :)

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! It started as a simple fix-it fic and it grewed... and it grewed... and it grewed... the thing is like kudzu!

[identity profile] jsks.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 01:47 pm (UTC)(link)
merry christmas to you and the happy places you take us all.

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-22 02:38 pm (UTC)(link)
And to you!

[identity profile] teachwriteslash.livejournal.com 2009-12-23 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
Oh I love this fic ... I saw the new chapter last night and could not read it (Stupid Hotel Wifi) but I have a REALLY LONG DSL cable now and am slowly catching up!!!

Grins at fic!

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2009-12-23 02:22 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm glad it made you grin -- I think we all need grins right about now...

[identity profile] queixo.livejournal.com 2010-02-20 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
emma!! just found this. love it!!!

[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com 2010-02-20 04:54 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! As soon as I have some time, I'll have to create a master list for these stories...
gramblossom: (Default)

[personal profile] gramblossom 2013-04-11 03:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Just finished up to this point of your Fallout verse, Loved it! Is this where you ended it?? I scrolled through the archives, but did't see it! Thanks for sharing!