Glass & Roses (BBC Ghosts)

|xxiii|

S3E7: He Came!

(A/N: its such an euphemistic title 💀)

Another Christmas meant that Alison was in charge of putting up all the decorations around the house. Lucille had counted about 17 pine trees of varying heights placed around Button House  - Mike had not been happy with the amount of decoration, but Alison was being pressurised by some very enthusiastic ghosts (see: Kitty's consistent begging and Fanny's sighs that rivalled Thomas' when he wanted attention). Lucille didn't mind the festivity, and all the Christmas lights gave the house some much needed glow; besides all the ghosts seemed to be in much happier spirits when the Christmas season came. She wasn't busy trying to break up fights between Julian and literally everyone else besides Robin - this is technically untrue, Robin ignored Julian for 2 weeks in September when Julian said an offhand comment about cavemen... Lucille wasn't pleased with Julian's whining about Robin; nor was she pleased when Julian whacked her around the head when she called him out for acting like a teenage girl.

Alison was putting up the last of the holly tinsel by the entrance hall, with somewhat helpful guidance from both Captain and Pat. Lucille was just there wishing she had popcorn as she watched the chaos.

"No, no. Down a bit." Captain ordered. "Down. No, it has to be at head height."

"Erm, I find that term offensive." Humphrey called from where he was perched atop one of the Christmas Presents. 

"Is that tree slanted?" Lucille questioned, staring at the offending item, back turned away from Alison. "It looks bent."

"Down! Is symmetry too much to ask?" 

"Where's the tinsel?" Pat asked, talking over the Captain.

"Guys, please!" Alison scolded, turning to look at them. "Whoa!" She wobbled, having to hang on an old painting of Fanny, and ripping it.

"Oh, no!"

"What was that?" Lucille questioned, turning from where she was turning to figure out whether the tree was slanted. She looked at Alison's guilty face, then to the ripped painting of Fanny. "Oh, no."

"Oh, no." Alison turned, holding the hammer in her guilty hands.

"Ooh." Pat adjusted his glasses.

"Guys, what'd I miss? Is it a good thing?" Humphrey called.

"Very much the opposite."

"Yes, I got that, Lucille." Alison glared at her, before she stepped off the ladder.

"Just saying, no need to get snippy with me." Lucille raised her hands. "Though, you might want to try and get that fixed before Fanny finds out. She is rather fond of that one, actually."

Alison gave her one last withering look, before she moved into the main sitting room where Kitty was playing with a toy Santa that was making a jingle. Lucille stuck her tongue out at Alison's back.

"Lucille." Pat admonished, catching Lucille's gesture.

"Alison has done worse to Fanny." Lucille shrugged. "Come on, Humphrey. Let's move you so you don't get lost again." Lucille squeezed past Captain and scooped Humphrey into her arms.

"Oh, thank you ever so kindly." Humphrey hummed. "Mind if I go near the fireplace?"

"Not at all, Humphrey." Lucille carried Humphrey to where he wanted to go.

"Katherine, I assure you that Father Christmas is not reeeaaalllly in the habit of appearing before Christmas Eve." Captain said to Kitty, clearing deciding not to break the whole 'Santa isn't real' thing to the girl. "I mean... I think what you saw was one of his elves. On a reconnaissance mission... to... to... to recce the terrain before the primary operation."