Through These Times

It was snowing outside. Actual snowfall. snowflakes were drifting down from the clouds above so fast that it was building up to be quite the snowstorm outside. The whole world was coated in white, like icing upon a cake, making it seem so much brighter. It was probably freezing cold outside, but inside the home, it was snug and warm. It was like the scene from a Christmas card, with the tree in the corner, all decorated and lit up. Cards from friends and family were all neatly placed around the large mantle, the fire burning away. It was nights like these that would be remembered forever.

In the Stewart household it certainly would be.

It was a week away from Christmas Day, and tonight there was a planned gathering of friends and family. Madeline and Jonathan were in the kitchen, preparing the large buffet that was probably going to be devoured in a matter of moments once everyone arrived. There had been a few cancellations, and some people had been unable to make it, but they were still expecting a full house. Even with the weather, and the possibility of it become worse as the night drew on, people were still likely going to turn up. Roxie and Zephyr had turned up yesterday with a bag filled with presents, saying that they'd love to come and join, but they had a flight to catch, and wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Christmas carols were currently playing on the radio system in the lounge. When Madeline became pregnant with Jake, they moved into a house in the suburbs. It was a little farther away from the school than the adults would have liked, but the house was much larger than the apartment Madeline had before the twins were born. not to mention there was a huge garden out back, and the neighborhood was very friendly. Christian was sitting Indian-style on the couch, watching the flames dancing in the fireplace. His sister was around, and Ainsley was sitting on a beanbag that looked big enough to eat her, combing the hair on her toy horse. There were sounds of someone knocking on the door, and voices in the hall. It seemed that more people were arriving.

"Well, don't we look like a wet weekend?" chimed a voice, breaking his thoughts. Then a weight landed on the space beside him. There was snow in his brown hair, and his nose was red from the cold. Blue eyes that seemed almost clear looked at him, and a grin spread over pierced lips. "So what's got your underwear in a knot?"

Christian chuckled softly, tilting his head to look at the older male sitting beside him, ruffling his fingers through his long hair and shedding snow, and now droplets of water all over the couch, and him. "Hello to you too, Roo."

Reuben kept the lazy smirk on his lips, leaning back against the cushions, stretching out long legs before him. "So there's this thing, right, and you totally have to dance naked to get in, but you totally have to do it, otherwise you'll never get laid for the rest of your natural life," He nudged Christian in the arm with his elbow. "My Dad's done it, we should totally do it too."

Eyebrows furrowed, unsure of what exactly it was that Reuben was talking about. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Lazy smirk turned into a toothy grin. "Why Christian, I thought you'd never offer!"

"Ben, be good," came the voice of the young man's father, dropping a bag onto his son's lap. "He's talking bull again. Just ignore him, Chris, it's what I do." And there was the briefest glimpse of a sly smirk on the older man's lips.

"But Daaaaaaad!"

"No buts. Now go ask Maddie where she wants you to put the gifts."

Roo stuck his tongue out at his father, but did as he was told, slipping off the couch and taking the bag with him, heading off to find Christian's mother.

Christian looked up at the mathematician. "Hello Alastar. I didn't think you guys would be able to make it."

"Morgan would kill me if I didn't show," he said to the teenager, sitting down beside him. "David's here too. Hopefully Jon can keep him from flirting with your mother too much."

Chris let out a soft chuckle. Al and David had been together for as long as he could remember - apparently they had gotten together long before he was even talking. Al was a very reserved man, while David was almost like his direct opposite. Well, they did say that opposites attract. "My Dad's not here yet. I hope he isn't riding his bike in this weather." Brown eyes glanced to the window, watching the snow falling down from the sky. "Is it cold out there?"

"Freezing. We were going to detour and pick Bailee and Jenny up, but the snow was just too bad where they live. I'm surprised if they can even get out their house."

Resting his elbow on his knee, chin slipped into his hand. "Maybe Dad won't be able to make it..."

There was a friendly pat to his shoulder, and he looked up to see Al offering him a kind, friendly smile. "He'll come. You're his family, he'll go anywhere and brave anything for you."

Christian found himself smiling back. He was going to thank the older man, when Ainsley climbed off her beanbag and wandered over to them, wanting to show Al her new horse. Al looked a little bemused, having very little experience when dealing with girls, but he tried his best, asking those questions adults asked children, such as "What's it's name?" and other such things. Leaving Al to keep his little sister company, Christian stood up from the couch, stretching to work the muscles in his back. Taking another glance to the world outside, he headed off to find the source of all the voices, which lead him to the kitchen.

"Christian!" exclaimed a blue eyed brunet, wrapping strong arms affectionately around the teen. "Wow, you're getting bigger."

"You saw me on Friday. You teach me photography,"

David grinned. "I know, but this is the time when people tell you how long it's been since they last saw you, and bring you ample amounts of socks and underwear."

"If you've bought my son either of those, I hope that Alastar picked them out. I don't want to have some sort of kinky, edible underwear in my son's stocking," warned Madeline, waving a spoon in the older man's face, her other hand propped upon her hip, giving her a very threatening and menacing look.

"Damn, I knew I should have bought some edible underwear now!" the man teased.

"Morgan bought him some last year. It was quite a fiasco explaining it to Ainsley," Jon commented from his spot by the stove.

Madeline let out a heavy sigh, wandering back to what she was doing. "He buys his son kinky underwear, but keeps telling his daughter that she should never have sex."

"Oh, so, I'm allowed to buy him kinky underwear?"

"No!" came both the voices of Jon and Madeline. "Sometimes I worry if you're not worse than his father, David," Madeline added.

"David's my hero in the sex department," added Reuben from his perch on the only available space on the kitchen counter. "I get all my good pick up lines from him."

Madeline narrowed her eyes skeptically. "See, worse than his father."

Adults were crazy sometimes. Especially the adults that came visiting his house. Why his mother insisted on playing hostess was beyond him. Jonathan said that that was just who she was, and that he found that side of her endearing. It had been a staff gathering that had resulted in the twin's conception. They were memorable events, and usually something they all talked about for a long time to come.

"So where's Izzy?" Ben asked the room, since there were three members in the room that may have an idea of where Christian's twin may be.

"I think she's upstairs with Jake," the Scotsman replied. "He wanted help with his homework or something."

This caught Ben's interest. "What sort of homework?"

"Not maths," Chris replied quickly, attempting to steal one of the mini sausage rolls, only to have his hand swatted away by his mother. "I think it was French or something."

Roo pouted, crossing his arms at his chest. "I suck at French."

David chuckled softly, ruffling his adopted son's hair in a fatherly manner, causing him to whine and try to bat the larger hand away, only for David to switch hands and continue messing his hair up anyway. "Looks like you lost your chance to score with Izzy," he teased.

"I've still got Christian to try my chances with," Roo replied, grinning up at his father.

Chris threw the older male a look that screamed 'don't you dare even think that', which made both Reuben and David laugh. Even Madeline chuckled to herself, standing on tiptoes to whisper something into her husband's ear, which caused Jon to laugh too.

"I don't see why you guys think I can't get either Izzy or Chris to go out with me," Roo said, still pouting, thrusting out his chest as if he'd been offended by something they all had said. "Come on, Madeline, you know I'd be a really good boyfriend; to either of them."

Madeline deflected her son's hand away from the sausage rolls once more. "I'm not saying you'd be a bad boyfriend, I just think that they're still too young to be dating."

"We're seventeen," Christian shot in quickly.

"I was in my twenties when I started dating your father. That's how old you're going to be,"

"Don't you think that's a little strict, Maddie?" David asked, leaning against the kitchen counter beside Reuben, the pair of them having managed to expertly steal a plate of sandwiches from under the woman's nose and were now happily eating their way through it. "I think they should be allowed to spread their wings. I mean, Bailee were only young when they met, and now look where they are," he beamed happily. "I'm gonna be a grandfather soon."

"I got all my dating advice from David," Roo added, munching on a mouthful of cheese and ham sandwich.

"And somehow, I don't think that thought comforts her," Jon said, chuckling softly, pouring the mixture he'd been stirring over the top of a cake that sat on the counter nearby. Desserts were never his strong point, but he was getting much better.

"Oh come on, Madeline. Let me date one of your kids!"

Christian was trying not to laugh at the older male's persistence. He didn't know whether he was joking or not, Roo was a little hard to figure out sometimes, even if he did display his emotions for the whole world to see. "I think I'll pass on the dating Reuben thing," he informed them, trying his best to hold in his laughter.

"So that just leaves Izzy!" the twenty two year old exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Come on, I'll treat her real nice."

Slowly, a smirk spread across madeline's features. Wandering up to the young man, she lightly tapped him on the nose, standing so close she would seem threatening - if Reuben wasn't taller than her. "You can date Izzy. If, you get both Morgan's and Tetsu's permission"

Clear blue eyes widened at her, mouth falling open. "Oh shit, I'm doomed...."