25 Scenes of Christmas

Jailhouse Rock

**Willamena Mourning**

There was a loud 'CLANG' sound, before a metallic rolling as the bars were pushed aside.

"Willamena Mourning." Called the officer.

A young, dark-haired girl stood, walking out of the cell.

The officer walked with her towards a door marked 'EXIT'.

Stepping out to the waiting area, Willamena sighed. In front of her was a tall, broad man with curly chestnut hair.

"Willa." The man greeted, attempting a smile.

She walked past him and dropped into a chair.

"Mr. Sterling." An officer called. "The car has been impounded, it can be retrieved Monday to Friday, 8:30 until 5." He passed over a business card with the information.

Another officer set a clear evidence bag on the counter. "Ms. Mourning's belongings."

Mr. Sterling nodded, "Care to come sign for these?" He called over his shoulder.

She got up, taking the pen from the officer and scribbling her name on the line. Dropping the pen onto the counter, she ripped open the plastic and began replacing her items in her pockets.

The officers looked between the pair of them.

"Please refrain from driving 100 miles per hour, Ms. Mourning. Especially in a 55."

"Sure thing, Officer." She snapped. Turning, she bumped into Mr. Sterling on the way out of the station. "Let's go, Rick."

She managed to be two feet ahead of him the entire walk to the parking garage.

He barely managed to get his keys out and unlock the doors before she began yanking at the passenger side door.

"What is his excuse this time?" She demanded as soon as he shut the driver's side door. "Is he out of town again? Or just too busy at the office to come bail his only daughter out of jail?"

"Tell me you didn't get arrested just for Elijah to come bail you out." He snapped back at her.

She seemed to sink even further into the leather seat.

"Willa --."

"Just take me home."

He turned the key. "Pick somewhere else."

"What?"

"Paige is pretty pissed off at you."

She fixed him with an incredulous gaze. "I'm her daughter!"

"You're lucky they even let me bail you out of jail!" He cut her off. "You were doing nearly double the speed limit!"

"Sorry, I couldn't find anything better to do with my night."

"No, Heaven forbid you decide to take in a picture film."

"Heaven does forbid, Emmerich, I'm half demon. And 'picture film'? How old are you?"

"I am not answering that." He stopped at a red light. "Where are we going?"

"You mean since neither of my parents want to see me?" She propped her feet up on the dashboard. "I don't care."

He nodded.

She finally looked up as the lights surrounding the car changed from yellow streetlights to red and green. "The mall?"

He parked the car and got out.

She followed him out of the car. "Why are we at the mall? What're you going to trade me in for an undamaged model?"

"Shut up, Willamena." He ignored her all the way to the food court where he ordered two coffees. "Every year, I get to go out and pick your Christmas presents."

"And birthday presents," She provided, taking a coffee from him. "Graduation presents, apology gifts, random monetary trinkets whenever Elijah bails on being a father." She looked up at him, "What do I get since my father left me to rot in jail? A car? I think this is car worthy."

"Anyway." He wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from getting lost in foot traffic. "I figure I might as well let you pick out your own Christmas present this year."

"You're serious?"

He nodded, taking his wallet out of his pocket. Opening it, he produced a shiny black credit card. "All yours."

She smiled. "You are going to regret this."

Before he could answer, she had grabbed the card in one hand, and his arm in the other.

5 hours later, after they had been through every store in the building, and purchased something in nearly every single one, they walked out.

Emmerich had to set down an armful of bags to fish his keys out of his pocket. "I'm going to have to lower the seats to fit all of this stuff into the truck."

"Nonsense." She opened the backdoor and started shoving bags across the seats. "I guess you want the card back."

He shrugged, tossing the rest of the bags into the hatchback. "Like you said, your dad owes you."

"Have you decorated your apartment yet?"

"You want to decorate my place?"

"I have to do something while I lay low for a while. Mom has a 3 to 4 day process time for shit like this."

"So you're going to just crash at mine and decorate?"

"And watch picture films."

"We can't fit anymore in the truck, Will."

"Buying me a new car is sounding better and better, isn't it." She smiled up at him as she got into the SUV.