wheelsy_sheriff | (no subject)

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(no subject)

[after this and this]

He's gone the entire morning and it's mid-afternoon when the truck backs into the driveway.

The screen door bangs open and there's a knocking on the other side of the door that sounds like he might be kicking it, he is, and a muffled, "Kate!"

Waiting outside on the porch is Bill and a pine tree that's attempting to smother him against the front door.

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"Sure -- this can't be that hard, right?"

And, between the two of them, it's not; the tree is set in place and fairly straight within a few minutes.

Bill straightens up from tightening the screw posts and brushes his hands off.

"There. See, nothin' to it. Now we'll just get it in the window, if that's where you want it?"

He takes a step to start moving furniture to clear the space out but pauses to make sure with her, first.

"It'll look great there."

She follows him to help move the chair and scoot over the couch.

"Can I, um, ask how this morning went? You don't have to tell me specifics or anything, I know it's personal, but ... was it okay?"

He knew the question was coming but he wasn't sure how he was going to react to it. Even though it went all right he's still not pleased about the idea of therapy.

This time though there isn't that sharp flare of anger that he's felt with its mention like there has been up until now. There's irritation at the thought of it, but it doesn't show as strongly.

He still doesn't want to talk much about it.

"It was all right. We talked the whole time," Meaning he didn't leave early like before, "an' she's pretty nice I guess."

He brings the tree over and sets it in place.

"That's good."

The sudden sting at the corner of her mouth keeps her relieved half-smile in check.

"I'm glad it was better."

She's more than willing to let the subject drop as she turns to the box of decorations.

He turns from the tree back to her with a nod, catching the partial smile, "Yeah, me too."

Looking down at the box he holds up a hand.

"Hang on, lemme get that other stuff."

Heading out to the truck he comes back with two bags of stuff including new Christmas lights, a couple boxes of shiny glass ornaments, a gold garland, hooks and a (opened) box of candy canes.

"Didn't think you'd feel like sorting through the tangled mess of lights I got out in the shed so I bought some new ones an' a few other things. Should still be plenty of usuable stuff in that box there, too, so I figure we outta have enough."

Her face brightens and she reaches for one of the bags, pulling out the box of ornaments and placing them on the couch.

"These should go on first," she says, lifting the box of lights from the bag.

She's opening them when she spies two empty slots in the box of candy canes and chuckles.

"I hope you don't mind sharing those candy canes with me and the branches."

Looking over from pulling the wrapping off of the garland he smiles.

"Of course. Those ones I just... taste test. Let's get those lights on."

He nods to the lights in her hands and moves over to the tree.

She unwinds the lights from the packaging and plugs them in (all the better to check their placement on the branches); after a couple of circles, she hands over the neatly looped strands.

"You're taller, sheriff."

He takes the lights from her, and promptly drops them. So much for neat.

Picking it back up he wraps it around the rest of the tree. There is some bunching and gaps but with Kate's help they get it sorted out.

"Not bad, like how it's even." When he does it himself that's not usually the case. "I think you outta be in charge of the garland, too."

He hands her the shiny golden strand to start it off.

She winds the garland around the base of the tree and works it halfway up before handing it to Bill.

"I think you only like me for my eyeballing skills."

"Well damn, you finally figured me out." Bill mock sighs as he takes the garland and starts to wind it around the top of the tree.

"What happens now that you know the truth?"

He glances at her while making a loop with the garland, both for her reply and for help getting it right.

"Oh, I just hold it over your head for the next few years."

She's smirking as she makes a few minor adjustments.

"It'll come in really handy around my birthday."

To say nothing of Christmas. And Valentine's Day.

He laughs and gives a half shrug.

"Well, I guess that's just somethin' I'll have to learn to live with."

Stepping back he looks over the tree and nods in approval.

"So far, so good."

"somethin' i'll have to learn to live with"

Warmth settles in her stomach.

We're going to be okay. We have to be.

"Yeah," she agrees, stepping back to admire their handiwork.

She hands over one of the boxes filled with ornaments.

"I can't let you near the candy canes, though."

"What? But that's my area of expertise." He argues as he starts hanging the ornaments on the tree.

"I'm practically a pro."

"At eating them."

She's chuckling as she pulls ornaments from the second box.

"Nah." He shakes his head.

Beat.

"Well, maybe one or two of 'em. But, I had me a bowl of candy beans earlier though so really, I'm good. You can totally trust me with those."

He gives her his best reassuring, innocent, smile and hangs another ornament.

She hangs a wooden Rudolph and peeks around the tree.

" -- that's a lot of jelly beans."

A beat.

"Unless it was a small bowl."

"Well really it was only like half a bowl." He amends, testing branches to find one sturdy enough to hang the plastic snowflake he's holding.

"And it was small... ish."

"Mm-hmm."

She selects a tiny snowman from the box at her feet.

"I was going to make pizza tonight, but if you're full ... "

"Not at all, I am totally up for eatin' pizza."

Said quickly as a penguin goes up.

"Just not candy canes, 'cause those are filling."

"Only if you're sure."

She's smiling as she glances at the box from the shed, then steps over to dig through its contents.

"These are adorable ... "

"Sure I'm sure."

He flashes her a smile and hooks a Santa Claus onto the tree.

He's trying to unhook a reindeer from an elf when she speaks.

"What?"

Glancing up he looks back to his hands then does a double take when he realizes what she's talking about.

"Oh! Wait, those are..." Embarrasing. And it's too late because she's already seen them.

"Sweet," she finishes, grinning as she lifts out a Popsicle-stick frame with fossilized Froot Loops surrounding the photo of a much-younger Bill.