Merry Christmas by Kris "Scarlett" Soltis DISCLAIMER: Okay, this story is a bit out of chronological order.....Lady Jaye and Flint are already together. It's a pure romance....there is no Cobra in here....If you are looking for a battle you are in the wrong place. Scarlett and Duke and all the other Joe characters belong to someone (probably Hasbro or something) but anyway they aren't mine and I am using them without permission. I hope I don't get sued because I am paying out of state tuition for college.....This is my first attempt at Joe fanfic in about seven years so be kind. Comments are welcome. E-mail me at ksoltis@udel.edu. Flames will be read and destroyed. MERRY CHRISTMAS "I'm sorry you have to work tonight during the Christmas Eve party" Lady Jaye sighed applying more lipstick in the ajoining bathroom. "I asked to work tonight. I don't mind missing the party. Hey, you better blot your lipstick" Scarlett replied turning to see Lady Jaye's reflection in the mirror. Lady Jaye laughed and grabbed a tissue. "I plan to do a lot of kissing under the mistle toe with Flint this holiday season." she slyly grinned and blotted as Scarlett requested. "I wish I had someone. It's hard being single around the holidays" Scarlett solemnly said with her eyes fixed on the wall. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." Lady Jaye trailed off plopping on the bed next to her friend. "No, it's okay. I'm happy for you and Flint." Scarlett answered focusing on Lady Jaye. "Well, we can exchange gifts after the party. I'll try not to be too late." Lady Jaye promised and came out of the bathroom. She stood in front of Scarlett. "Well?" Lady Jaye asked twirling around. She wanted Scarlett to comment on her new red dress. "You look great. Flint will not be disappointed" Scarlett smiled. Lady Jaye blushed. "I better get going. I'm meeting Flint in a few minutes." Lady Jaye nervously smiled while checking her watch. "Well I'll walk with you. It's about time for me to go on duty anyway." Scarlett replied and rolled off her bed. She ran her fingers quickly through her long red hair before leaving with Lady Jaye. It was a very boring night to be on duty. Nothing was stirring (not even a mouse). Scarlett was just glad that the banquet hall was down at the other end of the base. She couldn't here any of the festivities she was missing. Scarlett glanced at the clock. She only had ten more minutes to go before she was off duty. She sighed heavily and swiveled back and forth in the chair out of boredom. Scarlett jumped when someone cleared his throat to get her attention. She quickly spun the chair to see who was behind her. "Duke, you scared me." Scarlett laughed. "Oh sorry. How are things?" he asked. "Fine. There hasn't been a disturbance all night." Scarlett replied. "Good. Good" Duke mused. "How was the party?" Scarlett asked to be polite. "Eh...alright I guess. Flint ditched me for Lady Jaye as soon as we got to the door as expected." Duke gave a little laugh. Scarlett smiled and turned back to the console. "So, uh, when do you get off?" Duke asked. "In about...ahhhh...five minutes." Scarlett said checking the clock. "Would it be a problem to stop by my quarters after you get off duty?" Duke asked. "No....Is there a problem?" Scarlett asked curiously. "Oh no...I just have to, well just stop over okay?" Duke replied not wanting to say too much. "Will do." Scarlett answered switching to monitor another station. Five mintues almost flew by, unlike the rest of her shift which dragged on. Scarlett was very curious about what Duke had to speak to her about. She turned the corner and knocked on his door. Duke opened it immediately. "Come in" Duke smiled and motioned for her to enter. She slowly entered his dimly lit quarters. She noticed all the furniture was pushed against the walls and there was a blanket spread in the middle of the floor with a picnic basket on it. "Duke?" she asked quizzically. "Yeah, well, I know how much you wanted to go to the party even though you acted like you didn't. so I brought some of the party back for you." Duke answered. "Oh my, your the best." Scarlett laughed with surprised and gave him a hug. Duke guided her to the blanket where they both sat down on opposite sides of the picninc basket. Scarlett peeked inside as her stomach rumbled revealing her hungriness. Scarlett gave a little laugh and pulled back from the basket. "Appetizers?" Scarlett asked with a smile. "Well, I got what I could smuggle out of there. I couldn't exactly fit a ham under my shirt." Duke laughed in embarassment. "Those chicken wings smell really good." Scarlett smiled and pulled out a container of them. "Some wine to go with them?" Duke offered. He produced a chilled bottle from behind a table. Scarlett knew she shouldn't, but it was Christmas Eve. "What the hell...sure." Scarlett replied. Duke smiled and poured a glass for her and himself. "We should make a toast." Duke sighed as he handed her the glass. "To what?" Scarlett asked anxiously. She felt like the wine had already begun to take effect without her drinking it. "Good friends.....who are single on Christmas Eve" Duke smiled and raised his glass. "I'll drink to that." Scarlett replied and klinked her glass against Duke's. They both took a sip and then Scarlett began to eat the wings. The silence bacame uncomfortable so Duke began to tell her a funny story about something that happened to him when he first starting training for the army. He was glad Scarlett agreed to stop by. Duke had just revealed the punchline in his seventh story and the two had put two bottles of wine away. Scarlett bursted into a fit of giggles over the last story and the effect the wine was having on her. She covered her mouth to quiet her laughter. When she looked up again, Duke was gazing at her almost like he was in a trance. "Duke...Earth to Duke" Scarlett called and waved her hand in front of his face. He shook his head as if to awaken from a spell. "Oh sorry.....Were you saying something?" Duke asked silently scolding himself for not paying attention. "No....but it's late. I should be going." Scarlett decided after focusing on the clock. Duke got up as she started to clean up the blanket. "Leave it. I'll clean it up in the morning." Duke told her. "No, Duke, I'll clean..." Scarlett replied and went to get up and fell right down again. "Here, let me help you." Duke offered and put his arm around her waist and pulled her to her feet. "Thanks. I think I drank a little too much." Scarlett replied and swayed a bit. "I'll walk you back to your quarters." Duke said and helped her down the hall. A few moments later they arrived at Scarlett and Lady Jaye's quarters. The awkward silence returned. "Well here we are" Duke ended the silence. Scarlett nodded and triumphantly stood on her own. "Thanks for walking me back" Scarlett smiled. "No problem" Duke answered with the silence pushing it's way back in between the two. "So, uh , I see one of you has been decorating" Duke changed the subject as he noticed the mistletoe above the door. "Yeah, Lady Jaye put it up for Flint" Scarlett replied biting her lip as she wondered where this conversation was going. "Well, I'm not one for breaking the tradition." Duke replied coming closer to her. He got so close that Scarlett became very flushed and her heart was racing a mile a minute. He gently placed his hands around her waist and leaned toward her with his eyes closed and his lips slightly parted. The smell of him was more intoxicating than the wine. She wanted this more than anything. She put her hands on his forarms as his lips touched hers softly. Duke began to pull away, but Scarlett pulled him closer and kissed him back. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. They broke apart and Duke took her hands in his. "So much for our toast" Scarlett blushed. "It's after midnight. Our toast still rings true. We were lonely on Christmas Eve, but we found each other on Christmas." Duke smiled. They both tenderly kissed one more time before Scarlett headed into her quarters and Duke returned to his. It was turning into a beautiful Christmas after all.