I AM (Connor X OC) - DBH

Chapter 58 - Christmas - Part 2

I quickly made my way towards a children's toy store, and purchased a few dolls, and some long books for Margot to read. It wasn't long, while looking for a gift for Christen, before I got a call from Nick.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Where are you at? I need some technical support, Bolts."

"The mall."

"The mall? Are you...shopping?" Nick asked surprised.

"Define...shopping," I evaded.

"Ugh. Cryptic..." Nick groaned. "I'll pick you up, but be ready to do some work!"

"I'll see you soon, Nick."

"Love ya, sweets."

"Love you too," I said calmly. I hung up the phone, and waited until Nick came to pick me up.

"We have got shit to do!" He announced. I swore for a moment he was taking me back to Jericho but he made a sharp turn away from it. We drove about half a mile out until we arrived at a nice house.

"So...I was thinking what do I get Christen for Christmas. Then I realized that maybe I should just give her something that I really want...like her not being in my house," Nick said calmly. "Listen, I love my sister but I cannot for the life of me...stand this for another year."

"You bought her a house?" I asked nervously.

"I rented her one!" Nick announced cheerily.

The best Christmas gifts are the ones you have to pay for!

"Anyway, I need you. Like to look at the house and make sure there's nothing wrong with it before I sign the lease," Nick said gesturing to the house as a whole.

"Oh sure," I agreed.

I opened up the car door and climbed out. Although, there was ice on the driveway, and this whole walking thing is rather new, so I immediately slipped and fell.

"Uh...Bolts? Where'd ya go?" Nick asked. I could hear as he closed the driver side door.

"Getting there," I said, using the car door handle to pull me up.

"Did you..." Nick said, starting to laugh. "Slip and fall?"

"Just...just a little," I said brushing the snow off of me.

"Man, I love deviants," he said taking his next steps very deliberately as to not slip and fall himself. We...carefully...made our way to the front door, and I immediately noticed the care Nick took in choosing the home. As I examined each room, I noticed exactly who he thought about. The entire living area was open with not much clutter, so Margot could easily traverse it. The office was directly across from the Master bedroom, perfect for Christen. The child's room was directly across from another small room, perfect for Fiona and Margot. There were no stairs, and the garage was attached. Their life of inconvenice would be so much easier.

"You did great, Nick. I don't notice any issues with the house," I explained.

"Really?" He asked excitedly.

"Of course. You really thought about your sister. It sounds so silly to say, but it fits them."

"That means a lot coming from the person who I can trust the most to be impartial," he said taking a deep breath. "I need to sign these papers...am I taking you back to my house?"

"No...I'm going to take a taxi back to the mall," I explained. Looks like I have more shopping to do.

I arrived back at the mall, and with new thoughts, bought new furniture for Christen's new home. I remembered the mural that Fiona was painting, and she won't be able to paint the walls in her new home, so I bought her an easel and several canvases to be delivered to the new home. And I felt this check burning a hole in my pocket. $25,000...

I addressed it to the person who needed it most, and placed it in a Christmas card. I finally remembered...

Connor...what do I get Connor? Remembering what Nick told me...and what Connor would probably say...I headed off to run the appropriate errands.

When I arrived back at Nick's house, I simply crashed into the small cot he gave me, exhausted with what exactly Christmas is...

~

There's only two days until Christmas...and with this being my first time experiencing deviancy, it's quite a strange thing. Watching everyone obsess over it...and don't get me wrong I am too...but it's weird. Humans...they're weird.

That morning I left early before others woke up and headed to Jericho. I have...news...to share with Markus. I went to The Basement and as I was walking back to his office, I saw North.

"Charlotte?" She greeted confused. "Markus told me about what happened."

She ran towards me, and in the nature of Markus himself, she took my hands. "I never trusted non-deviants. Their situation? It's unfortunate, but we couldn't afford the risk. So let me just say...welcome. How's it treating you?" She asked, finishing off with a soft giggle.

Was that...somewhat of an apology? A thank you? I don't know...but it was one of those two. I smiled at her. "Really good," I answered. She smiled back.

"I heard you and Connor get along really well," She said, with a smirk.

"It's hard not to get along with someone who...is so patient," I answered.

"Yeah. I could tell he's patient by the way he didn't leave that hospital for a month," She said sighing deeply. "I begged him just to even help out in The Basement but he was terrified something would happen and he would miss it."

"Yeah," I answered softly. "But he's so much more than...a gigantic romantic gesture. I think if I didn't even feel that way about him, or if he didn't feel that way about me, he would have done the same thing. He would treat me the same way. He would still be Connor. I mean...he's more than just patient in a waiting sort of way...he's particular and specific, but he'll always listen and-"

"I know, I know," North interrupted smiling and laughing as she did so. "He's amazing."

"Thank you, North," I said sighing deeply at my own self.

"Are you on your way to my husband?"

"Husband...?" I begged to question.

"Oh...right. A month," She said thinking. "Okay...well...Markus and I are..."

"Oh!" I exclaimed. I had only been out a month...and North and Markus had gotten married? Wait...they were dating?

"I know things moved really fast, but so did this whole revolution...and well...when you know...you know," She said sighing.

"No! I super understand! I just...I didn't know! I didn't even know you guys were dating! Wow! Wow..." I trailed off awkwardly.

"Listen," she said chuckling. "I know. You don't know what to say...I know. Just...shh...and head up to Markus.'

"Okay," I said. I walked away and headed up the stairs. North seems like the type I should get to know. Like...ignoring her wouldn't be terrible, but I would miss out on something. I don't know how to read these gut feelings yet. Deviancy...it's hard.