Chapter Text
When I was growing up in Connecticut, my dad used to say, ‘Life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan.’ I used to think he was referring to him and my mom, who had died when I was only a little girl. It never occurred to me until I was much older that he was actually referring to MY life.
He tried to be brave, always look happy around me... but I could tell he really missed her. My own memories of her were a bit hazy, so I’d question him about her every so often. One time I asked my dad when he knew he was TRULY in love with my mom. He got this big smile on his face as he thought for a moment, then replied, ‘Sarah, your mother gave me a special gift. She gave me the world.’
...Actually, it was a globe with a light in it. But... for the romantic that he was, it might as WELL have been the world.
Well, the first time I saw HIM, he didn’t exactly give me the world - it was a train ticket stub (...here in remote Montana - where I live NOW - we don’t have those fancy automated ticket machines like more densely-populated areas). But... I looked forward to it at work, every single day. He started coming to my station counter between 8:01 and 8:15am every morning, Monday through Friday, and he was just... what was he? ...Mysterious, I think is the word I’d use to describe him. Mysterious, yet... alluring.
Tall, definitely at least six feet. In his late 30s, maybe early 40s based on the slight crinkles beginning to form on his face. An imposing but not over-the-top build. Always wore a green camouflage army jacket. I’d catch a glimpse of the name tape every so often - ‘SEED’, above his upper pocket. Undercut hairstyle (buzzed short on the sides, longer on top), mustache, and beard the color of rust. Some small scars and rashes on his face... this man has definitely seen some battle. But... I still considered him handsome, in his way.
He’d lumber over, combat boots thumping with every step, drop the ticket stub on my counter, and then continue on to the train platform. We didn’t make eye contact often - and in the brief moments in which we DID... there was just something about those blue eyes of his. I felt like he had a lot of interesting stories to tell.
We’ve- well, we’ve never actually SPOKEN, but... I know someday we will. I just know it. And someday... I’ll find a way to introduce myself, and it’s gonna be great - just like my rugged, mysterious soldier.
“Forty-five dollars for a Christmas tree, and they don't deliver? You order $10 worth of chow mein from Mr. Wong’s, and they bring it to your door. Ugh!”
Sarah grunted as she braced one of her booted feet against the wall beneath her apartment window, struggling to pull up the rope attached to the tree outside - which was currently dangling precariously between her window and the pavement below.
“Oof, I should've gotten the blue spruce. They’re lighter,” she grumbled. As she took a step back with her other foot, she accidentally slipped on the rest of the rope on the floor and landed smack-dab on her butt. It was only instinct that she used her hands to cushion her fall... but unfortunately, that also meant letting go of the rope that was holding up the tree.
She watched in horror as it happened, almost in slow-motion: the rope flew out the window, followed by a loud thump and the sound of breaking glass.
“Sarah!” came an annoyed shout from downstairs.
She gritted her teeth and inhaled sharply. Damn it.
" 'Nature of claim: Christmas tree through window'. ...How’m l gonna put that on my insurance??"
Adelaide Drubman (or ‘Addie’, as she kept insisting Sarah call her), was Sarah’s sassy landlord who also lived in the apartment directly below hers . She sat back from her kitchen table and crossed her arms, lips pursed and fixing Sarah with a scowl that barely hid her mild amusement at the situation. “They’re still pissed about the fire we had when Hurk Jr. barbecued in the stairwell!”
“I-I missed that one,” Sarah said, hoping her landlord wasn’t completely mad at her despite the circumstances.
“Oh, great sausage,” Addie replied, the corner of her lips starting to turn upwards.
Sarah sighed and gestured at Addie’s broken window with the top of Sarah’s tree still poking through the frame. “Look, I-I’ll pay for this, I swear.”
Her landlord sighed and waved a hand at her nonchalantly. “S’okay, Sarah. My boyfriend Xander knows a guy in the glass business - he’ll get this sorted out.”
Sarah nodded gratefully, then suddenly remembered. “Oh!” She reached into her sweater sleeve and pulled out a small gift box she’d tucked away before coming downstairs. “l almost forgot - Merry Christmas.”
“Aw, Sarah...” Addie smiled and took the box from her. “You- you didn't have to do that, sweetheart.”
“Well, l wanted to.” Sarah returned the smile and started heading for Addie’s apartment door.
Addie looked down at the box in her hands and shrugged. “l haven't even gotten to my shopping yet-”
“Hey, Momma. Could l give that bottle of ‘McHelen 57’ whiskey you got from Cousin Sharky to my probation officer?”
Addie’s grown son Hurk Jr. strode into the room, and Sarah resisted the urge to grimace. For as... ‘flagrant’ as Addie could be at times, Hurk Jr, well... there was no real nice way to say that he was a bit... ‘simple’. He wasn’t a bad guy, just... ‘cringey’ sometimes.
“Don’t you see we've got some company?” Addie reprimanded her son. “Say ‘hello’.”
The way Hurk eyed her up and down - the way a hungry man might look at a steak - made Sarah want to shudder a little.
“Hey there, Sarah. Nice, uh...” He extended a hand out towards her, searching for the right compliment (that likely wouldn’t earn him a smack from his mother).
Sarah stared at him somewhat apprehensively, waiting.
“...Sweater,” he finally decided.
Sarah smiled politely and nodded. “...Th- thank you,” she murmured, trying to pretend she hadn’t seen his eyebrows waggle at her suggestively.
Addie made a small noise akin to a snort and pointed across the room to a liquor cabinet. “lt's over there, Hurk,” she drawled. She & Sarah watched Hurk cross the room to where she’d indicated, while Addie got up and moved next to Sarah.
“Sarah, you’re a nice girl,” Addie said quietly, raising an eyebrow. “You know... Hurk Jr.’s still single.”
As Hurk squatted down to inspect the bottom shelves of the cabinet, the waistband of his jeans sunk, revealing... more of his lower backside than was ideal.
Sarah’s mouth twisted - partly because she was turned off, partly because she was trying not to laugh. “Yeah, it's a... shocker.”
Addie sighed and shook her head, giving Sarah a sympathetic look.
“Hey... ya can’t blame a mother for tryin’.”
Sarah removed her winter coat and plunked herself down at the bar inside ‘The Spread Eagle’ with a soft grunt, eager to unwind after a long day. The dark-haired gentleman behind the bar nodded when he saw her.
“What’ll you have?”
“Oh, the ‘usual’ ”, she replied, rubbing a hand against her forehead with a sigh.
The bartender looked unamused. “And what’s that?”
“...Burger... Coke...” She tried not to raise an eyebrow at him - a guy with a ponytail usually wasn’t someone whose patience you’d want to test - but she was normally here at least once a week (if not more) to get a bite to eat after her shift, and almost always ordered the same thing - so she was a little surprised he hadn’t had it memorized it by now. Oh well.
“Sarah! Sarah, Sarah, Saraaahhh...” a voice called gleefully.
“Hi Jerry.”
Jerome Jeffries, her boss, sat down next to her with a soft laugh. “I’m glad to find you here!” He reached into his coat and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “l am recommending you for ‘Employee of the Month’!” He made eye contact with the bartender and lifted his chin towards him. “The usual.”
The bartender nodded and smiled, no questions asked as he headed to the back to put the orders in.
Sarah tried not to scowl at him, but then directed her attention back to Jerome and smiled. “Really? I didn't know there was an ‘Employee of the Month’.”
“Oh, yeah!” He unfolded the paper and adjusted his glasses before he began reading. “ ‘Supervisor Jerome Jeffries nominates Sarah Rook for ‘Employee of the Month’. Sarah is never tardy, always works holidays - even if she has worked the previous holiday.’ ” He paused and peered over the top of the paper at her hopefully as he continued. “ ‘Just because she worked Thanksgiving, Sarah is also willing to work on Christmas too’...”
“Jerry-” Sarah shook her head vehemently. “I'm not working Christmas.”
“But you’ll get a nice plaque with the mayor’s stamp on it!” he countered.
“l didn't vote.”
“You might get a special mention at the ‘Testy Festy’ opening ceremonies.”
“Ugh, I hate ‘bull bits’.”
“Did l mention extra holiday pay?”
“l hate you.”
“Sarah-” Jerome placed a hand on her arm gently, looking a bit desperate. “Look... Nadine is sick, and Tracey can't switch because she’s got some big family thing, and l promised my family I'd be there for them this year.”
“...This stinks, Jerry,” Sarah pouted, feeling herself fold faster than Superman on laundry day.
“l know it isn't fair, and I can't make you do it. But Sarah, you’re the only one...” he stopped, looking apologetic.
“...Without family,” she finished with a sigh. She wasn’t about to force someone with obligations to take her place, but...
...Damn it.
Sarah finally hung the last of the ornaments on her Christmas tree and took a step back to admire her work. Not too shabby. Hearing gentle footfalls behind her, she smiled softly. “What do you think, sweetie? All pretty for Christmas Eve?”
She turned and looked down at the approaching chocolate brown cat, his amber eyes wide as he took in the soft glow of the colored Christmas lights.
“...Mrow?”
“Well... you have been very good this year, so I suppose I can give you your present early.”
Pulling a small, thin box from under the tree, she opened it up and held it out for him to sniff curiously.
“What do you think, Cheeseburger?”
The cat blinked at her a couple times, then raised a paw and batted at her hand gently.
“All right, gimme a second here...” She took the new cat collar out of the box - blue with a little bow tie and miscellaneous burgers printed on the fabric - and gently secured it around his neck. “You look very handsome in it, Mr. Burger.”
“...Rawr.”
It was Christmas Day. Sarah was sitting in her booth working. And she was a bit cranky about it. She watched as a smiling couple and two giggling children descended the stairs of the train platform and headed out to the parking lot. No one else was seen around the station - not that Sarah could blame anyone. Surely most people had already done their traveling for the holidays to see their loved ones, or were simply taking their own cars today. She sighed and stretched her limbs out in her seat. It was going to be a long day.
So distracted was she in her minor self-pity, that she didn’t even hear the approaching crunch of boots in the light layer of snow outside her booth, nor see the broad-shouldered figure heading her way. A ticket stub slid through the opening at the bottom of her ticket window, and it was only when she heard a slightly gruff-sounding voice that she happened to look up at her customer.
“Hey.”
When her glance met with the familiar blue eyes of the soldier she’d come to expect every morning (with the ‘SEED’ army name tape), she froze like the winter air outside.
The soldier smirked a little and gave her a slight nod. “Merry Christmas.”
By the time Sarah had uttered a startled, “Uh- ah-”, ‘Mr. Seed’ had already continued past her and onto the train platform.
She watched his retreating form for a couple seconds, dumbstruck, then blinked as her senses finally flew back to her. Grimacing, she smacked herself in the forehead a few times with the heels of her palms.
“Stupid!” she hissed furiously, all the things she could have said reverberating painfully in her brain. “...‘Nice coat’... ‘Merry Christmas to you too’. ‘You’re handsome’... ‘will you marry me?’ …’I love you!’” she finished with a groan, face-planting on her counter.
Taking a deep breath, she sat back up, shaking her head slightly. The distant sound of conversation caught her attention again.
“Heyyy, look who it is! ‘Mr. Army Man’ from the bar the other night!”
“Buzz off guys, not today.” (That was her red-headed mystery man.)
“Hey, nice coat! Looks nice and warm...”
“Listen - I don’t want any trouble, and I’m sure you don’t either-”
By the time Sarah looked up at ‘Mr. Seed’ again, she saw two other young men that appeared to be harassing him, her view partially obstructed by one of the train platform’s pillars. One of the newcomers grabbed at the soldier’s coat aggressively, and ‘Mr. Seed’ shoved him back - but then lost his balance and fell back onto the train tracks below.
“Oh!” Wide-eyed, Sarah gasped and didn’t think, just reacted. She flew off her chair and threw open the door of her booth, then raced down the platform towards where the man had fallen.
“Shit!” one of his aggressors exclaimed, while the other pulled on his buddy’s arm. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” the other yelled, and they bolted past Sarah the opposite way.
When Sarah reached the train tracks, she spotted the man sprawled out on his back on the tracks below, eyes closed.
“Somebody help me, please!” she yelled over her shoulder, not sure if anyone was even around to hear her, then crouched down at the platform’s edge. “Sir? Sir? Are you okay? Can- can you get up?”
No response.
“God... sir? This is not good,” she moaned. She took a deep breath and lowered herself down to the track, then knelt beside him. “Oh, God, mister, um, can you-”
She tried shaking him a little, but still no response. “Are you breathing?” she asked, more to herself than him. Leaning over his body, she brought the side of her face up to his mouth - minorly relieved when she felt his breath warm against her cheek (though his breathing was shallow). She caught a faint woodsy scent, perhaps some kind of cologne he was wearing.
“God, you smell good,” she murmured, pulling back to look down at him again. His name tape under his winter coat caught her eye as she moved aside and a small light bulb in her brain clicked on. “Mr. Seed!” she called out, hoping maybe if he heard his name, it might help. “Mr. Seed, please wake up. Please-” She stroked his hair a little, praying it would evoke some kind of reaction from him. “Oh, God. Can you wake up? Can you hear me?”
The sound of a distant horn made her eyes flicker upwards and she did a double-take when she saw a train approaching further down the same track, heading right for the two of them.
“Oh God!” she cried, her gaze darting back down to the man. “Wake up!!!” She turned her head momentarily, growing more and more desperate by the second. “Somebody help me, please!” she shrieked. “Mr. Seed?” Her hands tugged at his coat collar in desperation. “Mr. Seed! There's a train coming, and it's fast! We need to move!”
Her options were rapidly running out as the train got nearer and nearer. Though its brakes engaged with ear splitting metallic screeches, she just knew it wasn’t going to stop before it reached them. She had to do something - and if she wanted to prevent them both from being overrun and crushed, she had to do it NOW .
“Oh God!”
Summoning all the strength and resolve she could possibly muster, she gripped the front of his coat as closely and tightly as she could, then rolled them both over the side of the tracks to safety - just as the train flew past them with a deafening roar.
It was several blinks and deep breaths later before Sarah realized that she hadn’t actually died in that moment. They were both still alive, for now.
A low grunt shifted her focus back down to the man underneath her. His head moved from side to side a little and his eyes squinted open, looking up at Sarah blankly.
“...H-hi,” she managed to stammer out.
His eyes rolled back in his head, and with a small huff he was out once more.
Sarah stared down at him for a few seconds, then exhaled and sagged against him, utterly exhausted.