Taken

Happy holidays

Richie couldn't sleep.

He spent most of his time staring at her resting peacefully on his bed. He spent the night sitting and looking at her from his lounge chair, he couldn't believe it. He actually got her. He's been tuning into news outlets and broadcast since he touched base home waiting for news to break about Gotham's sweetheart being snatched in the night. Part of him was dreaming about the panic and chaos in Wayne manor, how poor little Bruce maybe losing yet another member of his clan.

Richie chuckles, not enough ransoms money in the world would be enough to Richie if he couldn't see Bruce Wayne's worried face. The sunlight peaks through bud curtains ever so slightly, shining directly on Jade fast asleep on his bed. He saw her shift in her sleep and immediately he got up and closed the curtains tightly.

"What the hell did I do?" He finally whispered to himself. He gripped the curtains a bit tighter before releasing them. Slowly, he turned to the resting girl. Her hands were still tied together but he had placed them beneath her head and wrapped her in a blanket for warmth. He finally sat beside her, his hand held up in the air. He was hesitant, she wasn't his gift. She was Roman's, yet something felt different. He grasp the concept of not liking her, he hates her in fact...

His finger pushed back her curl from her face, then gently made his way to check her pulse. Sighing in relief feeling it there and strong. "She's just a heavy sleeper..." A brief knock was heard at the door and it made Richie jolt. "Richie? Richie!!" The constant twisting at his locked door made him anxious and he stood up immediately. "What Quinn??"

"It's time! Why is your door locked??" Quinn twisted at the door again. "Don't! Worry about it! Just gather everyone else and text me when everyone's downstairs!" "Uh, okay I guess" He waited a brief moment after hearing her footsteps track down the hallway and down the steps. He turns back to Jade, then at his dresser. He had did some DIY in his spare time, picking up a hair comb that he had hot glued the bow onto. "It's almost showtime" He whispers as he gently pulls her hair back to stick in the makeshift hair bow within it.

With the ding of his phone, it was time. He picked her up wrapped within the blanket and held her in his arms. He unlocks his door, carefully not to hurt her. Peering outside his door, turning his head left and right. He heard laughter from downstairs followed but an amused Mickey. "Really Billy?"

Richie made his way quickly to Roman's room, trying his best not to wake the sleeping girl. He opens his door quietly and quickly entered, gently shutting the door with his foot afterwards. Then, he set everything up. He placed her in the middle of the bed, bringing the blanket down somewhat to reveal the ribbon wrapped around her wrist and once again carefully propped a pillow beneath her head. He stared at her one last time before he backed away. "It's time.."

He tip toed out of the room, closing the door behind him silently. He made his way back to his room to grab the candy bag and card. A smirk appeared slowly on Richie's face as he slowly walked down the spiral steps. Almost everyone had opened their gift, Mickey had an limited edition record from Alison's early day recordings, Quinn was gifted a new makeup kit and eyeshadow palette, Charlie was given a directors cut of some movie he adored, Jill was happy to see a new knife sharpener kit, and Amber couldn't help but smile at the new sweater she was eying at the mall not that long ago.

That left Billy, Stu, Roman, Richie, and Ethan to be gifted. "How are we doing this?" Richie asked as he took his seat on the couch. "You're going next! Since it took you sooo long to prepare on what you got!" Quinn flicked her hand at her eldest brother, earning her an eye roll. "Alright...My gift is to Roman" He tosses Roman the bag of Candy along with the card. "Merry fuckin Christmas, it costed me two fifty five and some change"

Roman looked at the bag of Reese's pieces and the gift card, looking back up at Richie with a blank stare. "This costed you two hundred dollars?" "Two hundred fifty five," He corrected with a grin. He leans back in the seat and motions towards the card. The Christmas card was a holiday card Jaden Wayne did a year ago, Roman already had this one. He opens it up to read Richie's handwriting.

"What does it say?" Stu asked curiously. "Read it out loud!" "Happy Holiday's Roman, magic may not be here but something else is, check your bedroom for a once in a lifetime gift" Roman looks at Richie with a skeptical stare. "What the fuck did you do?!" He immediately got up and went up the staircase. Everyone sat in silence for a bit before scrambling behind him, everyone was so curious on what could this gift be.

"I swear to god Richie!" Roman stormed down the hallway to his room. "If you fucked something up-" There he finally stood in his doorway, opening up the door as wide as possible. Words fell out of his mouth as he held onto the door handle, staring at the angel laying on his bed softly snoring away. Richie leans over his shoulder and into his ear,

"Happy holidays"