Just Imagine...

Torchwood Traditions

Sam couldn't help but wonder why they had agreed to have the party at Gwen's flat rather than her house. Not that there was anything wrong with Gwen and Rhys' cozy little apartment, but it wasn't quite big enough for everyone. Sam was starting to feel claustrophobic, and Tosh and Owen weren't even here yet.
Perhaps it would be best to start at the beginning.
It was Gwen and Rhys' first Christmas as a married couple, and to no one's surprise Gwen had practically skipped into the hub one morning and announced that she wanted them all to attend a Christmas party at her place on Christmas Eve. Sam was ashamed to admit she'd had to take a moment to conceal her amusement at the scenario that popped into her head of the conversation Gwen and Rhys would've had to make this official. Of course, everyone had agreed right away, and there had been a cheerful, excited atmosphere in the hub as December twenty fourth approached.
That was two weeks ago, now it was Christmas Eve and Sam was standing in Gwen and Rhys' kitchen, staring out the window above the sink at the swirling snow outside, illuminated in orange by a nearby streetlight, the flakes seeming to cut through the shadows of the night. There was already a foot of snow on the ground and even though Sam was happy to spend the evening with her newfound family, she wasn't exactly looking forward to the drive home. Or the bitter cold wind that seemed to slice through her no matter how many layers she wore. Or the wet chill that still had a grip on her bones as she stood there in the kitchen. God, it was times like this that made Sam really miss her homeland.
"You alright, Sam?"
Sam turned to see Ianto standing behind her, looking worried. Sam smiled at him.
"Yeah," she said, "just missin' my family a little. Around this time of year we'd all get together and have a big party like this. My mother and my aunts would spend the day baking, me and my cousins and siblings would try to guess what our presents were," she swallowed, realizing there were tears in her eyes, "sorry," she sniffed, wiping them away, "I'm bein' sappy."
"Quite alright," Ianto murmured, offering her a handkerchief that matched his bright red tie (Sam had never seen someone so color coordinated), "tell me more. If you want."
Sam wiped her face.
"Well, we'd always have our own little dance, out in the yard," she said, "and then my Uncle Felipe would get so drunk he'd stumble into the pasture and try to put pants on all the horses."
Ianto huffed a laugh at this, and Sam grinned tearfully at him.
"Then there was my favourite part," she went on, "we'd all go back inside and cuddle in front of the tv and watch the first two Home Alone movies. We'd all seen them about a hundred times but everyone would still laugh loudly enough to be heard from miles around. I always sat on my Abuelo's lap, and when I got too old for that, I sat next to him. Sometimes I fell asleep in his arms and he'd carry me to bed. That is... until he died. We stopped having Christmas parties after that."
Ianto nodded sympathetically.
"It was the same way in my family after my Gran died." He said.
Sam, not knowing what else to do, suddenly hugged him. Ianto seemed taken aback by this but slowly put his arms around her as well.
"I know it's Christmas Eve and I shouldn't be sad," Sam murmured into his shoulder, "I've got Jay, my three little kids, Jack, you, Gwen, Owen, Tosh... even Rhys. But I guess I still miss it. The way things used to be."
"I know," Ianto replied, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Sam said, pulling out of their hug and wiping her nose on her sleeve, not wanting to get her snot on Ianto's beautiful handkerchief, "I'll be fine. I promise. I feel better already just for talking to you."
Ianto smiled.
"Just an idea," he said, "when you go home tonight, or maybe tomorrow morning, why don't you call someone in your family? Your parents, your brother Daniel, your little cousin Lea?"
Sam nodded in agreement.
"I just might do that. Gracias, Ianto. Thank you."
"There you are!"
Sam and Ianto both turned to see Gwen greeting a snow-covered Owen and Tosh at the door.
"It's about time!" Gwen was saying.
"Don't, Gwen," Tosh warned, "Owen's a bit grumpy this evening."
"Look at me, I'm covered in snow!" Owen exclaimed at the same time, "and it's bloody freezing outside!"
"Then why don't you two get all cuddled up on the couch, eh?" Sam teased. Ianto snickered, nudging her arm with his elbow.
"You," Owen said, pointing an accusatory finger at her, "I'm still mad at you for tricking me into eating those spicy heart candies!"
"Oh, they were not that spicy, ya big baby," Sam half-scoffed, half-laughed, rolling her eyes and folding her arms over her chest, "you're just mad cuz ya fell for it."
"Anyway," Gwen cut in before the situation could escalate any further, "come inside, both of you. We're trying to decide what Christmas movie to watch."
She herded them all into the living room, where Jay, Jack, Rhys, Sam's two daughters, Hanna and Alexa, and her son, Lucas, were waiting for them.
"So A Christmas Carol is definitely out," Rhys sighed, "Miracle on Thirty Fourth Street?"
"Not unless you wanna see Jack cry." Ianto said, sitting down next to his boyfriend.
"I didn't cry!" Jack exclaimed indignantly, "I had an eyelash!"
"You had several dozen 'eyelashes'," Ianto responded, "Sam, you mentioned a couple movies earlier, what were they again? The ones you watched with your family when you were younger?"
"Home Alone," Sam said, "and the second one, but-"
"Oh, I'd love to see those again, Sammy!" Jay cut in, ocean blue eyes sparkling, "we've never watched them with the kids before."
"I've never seen them either." Rhys put in.
"Why don't we watch them, Sam?" Tosh asked.
"I'm not taking any more suggestions from her." Owen muttered.
"Home Alone it is!" Gwen exclaimed.
Sam opened her mouth to protest but Hanna, Alexa, and Lucas leaped onto her lap before she could say anything.
"I don't think we have those on DVD." Rhys commented.
"Just flip through the channels on tv, it's bound to be on somewhere." Gwen told him.
Sure enough, they found the original movie just as it was starting, and it was playing back-to-back with the sequel.
Two hours later, they were all roaring with laughter. Sam couldn't remember the team ever being this happy together and it filled her with joy.
"Alright," Sam sighed when the movie was over, wiping tears of mirth her face, "we'd better get the kids home, Gwen, it's getting late."
"Aww!" Hanna complained.
"We're not tired!" Alexa protested, only to contradict herself with a huge yawn.
"C'mon now, darlings," Jay murmured, "the sooner you get home and into bed the sooner it'll be morning."
"SANTA COMIN'!" Lucas exclaimed, throwing his little arms up in the air, causing everyone to laugh again.
"Gwen, Rhys," Sam said as everyone exchanged goodbyes for the evening and began heading out the door, "thanks for this. I didn't realize how much I needed it."
"You're welcome, Sam." Gwen said, hugging her. Sam laughed shyly, before letting her go and hugging Rhys on a spur of the moment impulse. Rhys seemed shocked but not displeased.
"I love you guys." Sam said, taking a step out the door.
"We love you too, Sam." Gwen murmured with a radiant smile.
Outside, Jack was chasing Hanna, Alexa, Lucas, and Ianto across the parking lot, pelting them with snowballs and laughing maniacally. Tosh and Owen were a little further ahead, strolling contentedly through the snowdrifts, one might even say they were hand-in-hand. Jay was waiting for her by the door, cast in the orange glow of the streetlights, with a dusting of snowflakes in his bubblegum pink hair. He smiled at her the moment they made eye contact and Sam felt her heart flutter.
"Damn," she murmured, "did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"
Jay laughed melodically.
"I get it, because I'm an angel!" He said.
"Well you sure look like one."
"Thank you."
They leaned together and kissed, linking arms as they started the walk through the snow to the car.
"Think we should invite Jack and Ianto to spend the night at our place?" Sam asked.
"The kids would love that," Jay said, "y'know, Sam, I think you've started a new Christmas tradition for us."
Sam shrugged, looking up at the snowflakes as they fell.
"Perhaps I have." She murmured.
"I'm glad."
Sam looked at Jay now and grinned.
"Me too."
"Merry Christmas, Sam."
"Feliz Navidad, Jay."