Nerys watched as Molly ran around in circles throwing silver strings
at a tree. A tree that Miles had set up in one corner with a lot of
mumbled swearing. Nerys, though was baffled. She frankly could not
understand why Miles, Keiko, Molly and Yoshi were so excited. Nor
could she work out why her lover, Jadzia had insisted that they had
to be here. Sure, Jadzia had said that Christmas was very important
to the O'Brien's and a time for the family to be together, but she
wasn't quite sure what the family was celebrating.
It was supposed to be the birth of some baby in a barn on Earth in
the middle of winter. But it also had something to do with a fat, old
man who went around delivering presents to quite a few kids. And it
had something to do with sacrificing a tree and decorating it before
eating as much as you could without getting sick. Or at least that
was what Nerys thought it was about after Jadzia had tried to explain
it to her. But as she watched the O'Brien's bicker and laugh, watched
as Jadzia lifted Yoshi up and twirl him about, as she watched Molly
dance about, she thought perhaps Christmas was about this. Being with
those you loved, sharing with them, and that participating in the
weird traditions was just something you also did at this time of year.
Nerys walked toward the family, hugging Yoshi as he came to her,
kissing his forehead as joy swelled up in her. She had a family now.
A family that chose to include her in their lives. A family that
welcomed the love of her life into their home. She turned to Jadzia,
reached up with one hand to cup her cheek, and smiled.
"Are you two going to kiss?" Molly asked.
"Probably later." Nerys answered.
"But you're standing underneath the mistletoe!" Molly protested.
"We're standing under what?" Nerys asked.
"Mistletoe." Jadzia answered, pointing up. "When two people stand
underneath it at Christmas time, they're supposed to kiss. It's a
tradition."
"Oh. Okay." Nerys grinned. "That's a tradition I could get into."
Jadzia laughed and Nerys leaned up to kiss her and wondered whether
they could get some mistletoe to hang up in their quarters.
The end.