The Librarians And the Advent List

Dec 11

It was a Sunday and Jacob was in the Annex. Unless the clippings book went off, Baird had been very adamant about all of them taking weekends off. That is not, to say, he wasn't in the Library more than he wasn't. But today he wasn't there to save the world or lose himself in an art portfolio. Nope, today he was here because Cassandra needed his help.

His help decorating the Library for Christmas.

Cassandra had said she wasn't going to leave the decorating to the last minute this year. Baird had just rolled her eyes and told Cassandra to do whatever she wanted. So she'd enlisted the men of the Library to help her out. But as Stone found when he arrived, only Flynn had shown up. Jones had said he was going to come help, but so far he'd managed to find some excuse not to. Though, Stone reflected, after last year in which Cassandra had basically run the kid ragged, he really couldn't blame him.

They'd often compared Baird to a drill sergeant but she had nothing on Cassandra on a Christmas decorating mission. Up and down stairs, hauling and holding boxes of decorations, hanging up garland and stockings and wreaths, he and Flynn had a workout.

Finally the boss let them take a break while she trimmed the tree. He and Flynn all but collapsed into chairs and watched her.

"She really takes this Christmas thing seriously doesn't she?" Flynn asked, turning to Stone.

Stone nodded, "yep. And I got talked somehow into her crazy Christmas bucket list. Every day a new thing."

Flynn chuckled. "Like an advent calendar, only instead of chocolates, she's got you running up and down stairs."

"Pretty much, yup. I still don't know what I was thinkin'."

Flynn looked over at the redhead hanging ornaments on the tree. She was wearing a green dress over candy cane striped tights and a red petticoat peeked out from under her skirt. He then looked back over at the younger man who was staring at his ginger co-worker with a fond expression on his face.

Flynn chuckled knowingly. But all he said was, "I can't imagine."

Then Cassandra was calling for them and they were back off to finish.

Later, they ordered pizza for dinner. Flynn got a text from Baird after his second slice, so he took off for the night.

Jacob leaned back on his chair, taking a sip of his beer. "I know Flynn and I whined a lot today, but I gotta tell ya Cassie, it looks real fine in here."

She blushed slightly, "thank you, Jacob. And thanks for all your help."

"Any time, Cass." And he meant it.