Ryan & Josie FF

[glitterglue-21.livejournal.com]

By: Molly
Name of Story: Baby
Name of Chapter: A Christmas Eve Visitor
Pairing: Ryan & Josie
Rating for Chapter: PG
Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Rights To Any Of The People In This Story or The Show Whose Line. This Story Is Purely For Fans
Summary Of Chapter: Josie Gets A Visitor The Day Before Christmas

Chapter 3: Christmas Eve Visitor

The effects on the Christmas drink wore on throughout the 23^rd of December and left Josie semi-paralysed with migraines throughout the day. Her sleep pattern was constantly interrupted by images of Ryan’s face near hers. His warm breath emitting white clouds as his breath tickled her nose last night. They were centimetres from touching. Even now she could feel him holding her. Steadying her frame in the deserted street as the snow began to fall. His hands formed an epicentre on her arms, sending chills radiating through her. Was this the fact that she wanted him to let go. Or was it that she wanted his hands to stay?

****

Christmas Eve came all to soon for Josie. She had missed a whole day wallowing in self pity of her self inflicted hangover. It was 10am when she padded downstairs. It was and had been snowing and fresh piles of white were stacked on the street outside.

“Typical Christmas.” Josie said to herself, spooning cocoa into a mug. Josie’s house had no Christmas characteristics about it. No tree, no stockings. She had bought all the required elements weeks beforehand but they stood idly at the foot of her stairs. Crackers, mistletoe, wrapping paper. But she failed to see when she would go and buy presents and deliver them now, on Christmas Eve.

Settling down on the sofa, Josie flicked the TV on. She cupped her mug of hot chocolate, warming her hands on the emitting steam. She left the TV on a breakfast show and let the images flicker on the screen, however her mind was absent. Again she drifted back to last night. How could she forget. Maybe she imagined it. Or maybe she was taking this whole thing a bit too far. Maybe he was just balancing her. Stopping her from falling flat on her face. So that’s what she decided. He was just helping a stupid drunk woman get inside her house without injury. Nothing to it. It was then Josie felt a knot tighten somewhere within her chest.

Nothing to it.

That was that.

Her mind wandered for minutes until a sharp slam of the letter box echoed down the hall. She sipped another mouthful of her hot chocolate and wrapped her dressing gown tighter around her. A solitary white envelope sat on the mat. No stamp just her name. Perching herself on the stairs, she eagerly ripped the card from the envelope. The looped handwriting stared back at her.

To Josie,

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas. I hope you get everything you want.

Lots of love Ryan

X

PS. We should meet up during the holidays for another night out.

Josie studied the letter and smiled at the singular kiss at the end. “Meet up again” she read aloud. She positioned the card on a table in the hallway and went to the door. Shit! Ryan must have deliver that by hand…

Opening the door she hurried out barefooted in the snow to her front gate. Her feet were red from the iciness of the snow but she made out a tall figure huddled against the bitter wind making it’s way down the street. Her heart leapt.

“RYAN! RYAN!” she yelled climbing a little higher onto the gate for better visibility. The figure rounded the corner at the end of the road. “Ryan…” She ceased her calling and jumped down, scolding her excitement. Her heart was racing and her face was red. Slowly she walked back down the path, kicking loose piles of snow out of her way, as she reached a door she heard footsteps approaching, crushing snow down with each step.

“Josie? You call me?” Came a voice from down the road. Josie hurried back down the path, “Yeah.” She called just as Ryan arrived at the gate. For a moment they stood in silence, observing each other from a few feet. Ryan was holding onto the wrought iron gate while Josie stood in a mound of snow, hugging her shivering frame. Ryan was dressing in a brown coat done right up to his chin, a woolly hat was pulled down over his hair, leaving only his facial features peering through. Josie smiled and exhaled, delivering a puff of white mist into the air. “I read your card. Thanks.” Ryan smiled a tight, embarrassed smile and looked at the floor whilst kicking a bit of snow, like an schoolboy. “Yeah well, you’ve gotta be polite seeing as it’s the season of goodwill and all…” Josie smiled and leant over, opening the gate for him. “Come on in, I’ve got some hot drinks if you want anything to warm up with.” Josie suddenly grew red herself, silently laughing at her choice of words. Ryan moved away from the gate as though it was on fire. “Actually Josie…I was going to the travel agents now. I wanted to see if I could get a flight going into America tonight in time of Christmas.” Josie must’ve looked hurt as he quickly added “Sorry, maybe this afternoon or something?” Josie smiled a brave beam which disguised her disappointment, “Yeah, sure. Good luck. Hope you get a flight.”

Ryan gave her a polite smile and wave before leaving the gate. Josie hurried back in from the cold, her feet were burning with pain from the ice. Her eyes winced with pain as she rubbed them.

“Shit, shit, shit!” she cursed, tears stinging her eyes. But she didn’t know why she was crying.