North (A Robert Downey Jr Fanfic)

"White Christmas"

"Imagine the punches you can do...each one with excellent speed and power. See yourself practicing both the right and left with perfect technique...Breathe...good. Now cross!"
Thud!
"Sloppy! Again!"
Smack!
"Better. Again...three in a row this time."
Smack-thud-smack!
"They're going to be a lot harder on you than I am, son. You'd better start getting strict on yourself, or get your wife to be strict on you."

What on earth? she thought. Quietly, she crept down the hallway of the B&B, devoid of guests, save for Robert's father. It was Christmas Eve morning and they'd opted to stay in the new house for the holidays while he was visiting. The was a certain skirmish happening downstairs and she intended to figure out why.

"Sloppy! Again!"
"Hah!" Smack-smack-smack!
"Again!"
Smack-smack-SMACK! Oof!

She made it to the top of the stairs that overlooked the foyer to find the two Roberts, apparently sparring in the middle of the house and in dangerously close proximity to their Christmas tree. It was clear that Robert Junior was a little rusty, as his father had him laid out flat on the plush rug. Robert Senior caught her presence and brightened immediately.

"Vanessa, my dear! I was just telling Bobby here that he needs someone to toughen up on him."
"Looks like you've got that under control, sir."
"What happens when I'm gone, eh?" he queried as he helped his son up off of the floor.

Robert took a swig from his water bottle and toweled off his sweat dampened hair. He had been growing his hair out so he had a head full of dark curls, which was Vanessa's preference. He gave her a wink and left the room. When he was in martial arts mode, he wasn't one for chit chatting.

"How did you sleep?" Vanessa asked.
"Like the dead, darling. My room is perfect, Vanessa."
"Good. If there's anything you might need, just ask."
"Don't you worry your head over me. I'll ask housekeeping if I need something. That's what you hired them for, right?"
"Yes but I like to be involved. At Chip's I did everything, cleaning, turndown, all of it. It's hard for me to delegate," she explained as she started toward the kitchen. "Coffee?"
"I'd love some. Dawn already fed me breakfast. That woman is quite a chef."
"She really is. I'm so lucky to have her. She followed me all the way from Wisconsin, you know."
"She told me. She also said that you have yet to name your business and she's wondering what's taking you so long," he teased her as they each chose an armchair that awaited them near the fireplace.

Vanessa sipped her coffee and contemplated the idea. She'd thought about many different names for her business but nothing ever felt right. It was different than Chip's lodge so to her, that name was off the table. It didn't fit.

"Yoo hoo! You in there, Vanessa?" Bob signaled to her, waving a hand in front of her face.
"Yes, sorry. I get lost in my thoughts sometimes," she shrugged and took another swig of her coffee.
"Bobby has told me a lot about you, dearie but I want to know more. Tell me your story."
She blanched, "My story? Uhhh-" Her throat tightened and an anxious chill crept over her skin. She had no idea that Robert's father didn't know about her entire backstory, not that it really mattered. Suddenly she felt herself wishing Robert was sitting next to her to lend her some strength.

"I hope I'm not being presumptuous," he offered warmly. "I just want to get to know my daughter in law, Vanessa--"
"Annie."
"I beg your pardon?"
"My name used to be Annie. My life before--"
"Before?" he furrowed his brow and settled back into his chair. Preparing for a long story, Vanessa assumed.

Here goes nothing, she thought.

Out it came, much more easily than it ever had before. Robert Senior clung to every word she spoke, every single detail kept him at full attention. Each time she regurgitated her horrifying past she became more and more numb to it. She had her therapist to thank for that. She was freed from her demons, keeping only fond memories from her life before, her life as Annie. No more fear of public places, no more nightmares and if she was lucky, no more panic attacks for a very long time. When she finished speaking, she slumped against the plush leather of her chair, deflated. Tired.

"My god, woman. Bobby was right, you really are something to behold. Your strength--"
"I'm so lucky to have him. Your son saved me."
"Seems to me you saved each other."
"So you were Annie before and now you're Vanessa."
"Annie Lucille is still in there. Deep down. She's part of me. She's the one that always wanted to do more but couldn't, she didn't know how. She wanted to love and be loved...to be a wife and a mom. She always made sure to take care of the people she loved. I've always hung on to that. That's why this--this place is all of my dreams wrapped up in a big old bow. I've got Robert by my side and I feel like this is really the right place for me. I'm so lucky."
"Well, you've got quite a handle on taking care of people. Whether you're Vanessa or Annie Lucille--"

Her heart skipped a beat and she slammed her empty mug down on the coffee table, giving Bob a start. With his help, she'd had a revelation and landed on a name for her business.

"Bob! Thank you. Thank you so much!" she jumped up, kissed him on the forehead and left him completely slack-jawed as she scampered out of the room.

***

"May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white..." Bing Crosby's smooth voice permeated the air in the huge house, touching every surface, filling every corner. Robert's father was asleep in a recliner in one of the sitting rooms, full from dinner and tired from the Christmas festivities. Penny and Taylor had long since retired and were fast asleep, Chris and Dawn were as well.

Robert and Vanessa shared a large armchair that sat between the sliding door walkout and the fireplace, a perfect snuggling corner. The reflection of Christmas lights twinkled on the surface of the pool water and the cloudless sky let the moon illuminate everything, including the Pacific Ocean in the not too far distance.

"Merry Christmas, Ness. I love you," Robert whispered as he left a gentle kiss on her shoulder.
"I love you too, Bobby. Thank you."
"For what?"
"For this--" she gestured to the house around them, "for loving me...for saving me...for everything."
He said nothing, just pulled her close and pressed a kiss on her lips.

"I've been thinking," she said quietly.
"That's dangerous," he said with a smirk, to which she swatted him on the leg.
"I'm serious," she sat upright and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Okay. Let me have it."
"I think I'm ready to have another baby," she said quietly. His eyes bugged.
"What?"
"A baby. Let's have a baby."

He let out a loud whoop and cupped her cheeks in his hands, searching her eyes to make sure she was serious.
"Are you sure, Vanessa?"
"I'm sure. I love you so much and I can't stop wondering what it would be like to have a child with you. Are you sure about a fourth child--"
"Fifth."
"Is there a child you've failed to mention?"
"I consider Penny one of my own you know, whether she thinks of me as a Father or not. She's as important to me as my own children."

Wordlessly she climbed up onto his lap and peppered kisses all over his face, neck and chest. Her heart was full yet again, Robert simply exceeded any and every expectation she'd ever had.
"Hold that thought. We need to toast before things get too hot and heavy," he said as he eased out of the chair and went to the kitchen.

He was clattering around as he always did in the kitchen and all she could do was laugh when she heard the clanging of metal utensils and glass as well. After a moment she heard the distinctive POP of a champagne bottle and he returned with the crystal flutes from when they'd gotten married, hers was filled with pink bubbly champagne and his with water.

"A toast, Missus Downey."
"To?"
"The future, sweet thing. To our child that is yet to be and to the grand successes of Annie Lucille's Bed and Breakfast."