This is for me ^-^ and for bookwormiam2010 so please don't touch!
>:3 We don't want to you get grubby finger prints on our work.

----------

He walked into the office, giving cold glares to the still happy people around him. Holidays were okay for them, they sat at home, got fat, wasted time, laughed with those around him. Spending a week alone at home trying to do extra work, with everyone around you asking you If you're having a good time was not his Idea of fun.

Sitting at his desk, a man opened the door. "Did you have a good holiday?" The smirk on the man's face showed instantly that he was taking the mick, which made him even more angry. He picked up a stress ball from his desk and threw it hard at the man's head. Unfortunately, he was too quick and shut the door, causing the un-bouncy object to just drop to the floor harmlessly.

Soon it was christmas, and he had more people to deal with. 'Christmas cheer' and 'Christmas wishes'. It was a drug, it fooled them all into spending money on people they didn't even care about, it made the lazy and neglectful of their work and studies. It was a stupid time, for stupid people.

He knew even then, being at home wouldn't even bring him peace from the noise and the stupidity, because it came right to his door, into his work place, asking for money, and giving nothing but 'good will'. Good will did not pay the bills, good will had never got anyone anywhere. Certainly not for money.

(Hope that was okay ^_^)

Christmas was here! Well not quite she still had a few weeks yet but still. Christmas was coming! Aria couldn't keep the bright smile of her face as she walked into the office. She was aware she was late but she really couldn't bring herself to care. This was the only time she'd been late. Surely he woudn't bite her head off for that!Of course the office rumors said other wise but thats all they were-rumors.

How ever even knowing that she couldn't help glancing around as she slid behind her desk quickly trading her comfortable tennis shoes out for her respectable office shoes. She groaned staring down at her black heels. Black and grey. White and black. Why was it that there was never any color in this place? Especially with the holidays coming up? Where in the world was the Christmas spirit? Sure she could see a few tiny fiber optic trees set up on her co-workers desks but that was it. It was..pathetic!

Her mom would have laughed her butt off if she'd seen what her daughter co-workers though of as decorations. Aria sighed softly a somewhat dreamy expression com ing over her face as she though of home. She already knew where she was going for the holidays-her mom's house. If one wanted to see the Christmas spirit in full force that was the best place to go! Bright dancing lights, childish art work from her child hood days. Home cooking, warm fires...

Aria shook her head opening her bright green eyes and blinking a few times. She had to snap out of it. She had to work..other wise she wouldn't be going home for the holidays which was unacceptable. It was her favorite time of year and it meant going home! Away from the city and the hustle and bustle. it meant going home to a place where she knew everyone and they really knew her. She was definitely going home to Bethlehem this year..just like all the others. With a final sigh Aria pushed away from her desk and stood up straight smoothing her slim delcate hands over her skirt before making her way towards the dragons lair.

She came to a standstill outside his office door reaching up to adjust her auburn tresses making sure they were pulled back out of her face in its ever present bun. Except for today instead of using her usual solid black clip she'd used a red one with a sprig of holly connected to it. Exhaling slowly Aria stooped to pick up the stress ball before she stepped into his office after knocking. "Good morning sir. How was your Thanksgiving?" she asked with a soft lilt of her head. She knew that was a mistake but maybe..just maybe he'd have something nice to say. Maybe this would be the year where he'd be..well less Scroogey.

He looked at her for a moment. Could he hit a girl? Could he? No. His stress ball was still on the floor, and he didn't want blood on his carpet. "If you say one more thing about thanksgiving, if anyone says one more thing about fecking thanksgiving, I will turn off all the power and you can do your work in the dark, by hand like they used to at that time and christmas before, seeing as your such a fan of pathetic traditions!"

He looked back to his work. "What did you want anyway? Was that all you came here for? To waste my time?" He had already noticed that she was an overly cheery girl, and obviously not very smart to have ignored what everyone else must have told her. He then noticed the red shiny thing in her hair. He didn't look directly at her, just kept working. "Get rid of it." He didn't care if he hadn't explained to her what, she must already know.

Black and white suited him fine, and if that was good enough for him, it was good enough for them. Black and white were the colours of success and properness. They were also cheap, and that made him happier. More money, more money to save and store and count. Bigger and bigger goals to aim for, bigger amounts to give him pride and comfort.

Aria winced slightly and backed towards the door before she caught herself. She had two older brothers. She'd put up with their rudeness and much more. There fore she wasn't going to let some Grump ruin her mood. She chuckled softly at his threat and shrugged. "Well that would be bad. Not so much for us..but for you and all the other work-aholics in this place." she pointed out. Dang right she was a fan of traditions. What exactly was wrong with that? Maybe if he had a few traditions in his life he'd be a little different. Or so one would hope.

Aria pasted an overly innocent expression on her face. "Me? Waste your time? When have I ever done that?" she asked mockingly fluttering her lashes at him. Ok so she was trying for that whole southern belle bit..and it wasn't her thing. She was far from being Scarlet in Gone with the Wind. And he was no where close to being a Rhet Butler. Nope no where near it!

She blinked in mild confusion when he asked her to get rid of but it didn't take her long to figure it out. She shook her head stubbornly. "No. I like colors and I don't see how its wrong for me to bring a little bit of life to this place. Seriously..are you color blind or something? Are you a colorphobic? Just what is about you that makes you have such an aversion to anything besides black or white?"she demanded. Oops she'd went and opened her mouth..so much for not letting him ruin her good mood but honestly! It wasn't even that noitceable!

He stood up, and straightened his already pretty much perfect tie. "No. However, I'm your boss. If you don't get all the work done you're assigned, you wont be going home for Christmas, not with a job. If you want to be able to feed your family this month, I would suggest you either get straight to the point of the matter, or stop talking to me and do some work!" He slammed his fist down on the table, making the keyboard jump slightly.

He had seen her pathetic eye fluttering and almost plastic like charm. He had no interest in her, or in anyone else. People cost money. People had already hurt him, but not any more.

He sat back down, straightened his chair and then continued to type. "Things happened over the holidays. I need that report in two days, not three." He didn't show any sign of regret for this in his voice. That was because there wasn't any. She should have been doing it over the holidays, like she was meant to. It wasn't a large amount of work, a presentation for some important foreign businessmen. Businessmen who had not been slacking all week, business men he had to talk to all by himself.

Aria opened her mouth to argue her green eyes darkening slightly as she clamped her mouth shut. It was useless. The man was just so..infuriating! What did he have crammed up his butt anyway? Did he have some type of disease? Maybe it was life threatnening. That thought lightened her mood somewhat only to be replaced by guilt. Ok that was a low blow. That was just mean. The holidays were coming. What had happened to 'Good will to men'? Maybe it aplied to all men except him? She could only hope..

She nodded sniffly and turned to leave. She was not going to give him the satisfaction of blowing up. Like all red heads she had that temper...she just tried to keep it in check. And it was just itching to break free right now. he thought he was big bad and scary? Hmmph she could be scarier...ok that was a lie. But still she could hope! She shook her head as she stooped near the door to pick up his stress ball. She looked down at giving it a tight squeeze before she lobbed it towards him. She didn't stay to see if he caught or what. After all..she had a bloody report to do. And of course she had to start now becuase like a normal person she'd been having fun with her family.

Scowling she plopped into the chair behind her desk outside his office and promptly kicked her shoes off. He wanted her to type a report well fine but she wasn't going to do it with her toes feeling like they were going to fall off. Scowling she muttered softly under her breath before eventually she pushed all her anger away and settled into work. But it didn't work. it was too quiet. The man was a flippin' dictator! She glanced towards his office before looking at the small portable radio on her desk. His door was shut...and he wasn't listening so...grinning softly she turned on the radio and fiddled with dial until she found the station she was looking for. Christmas carols all day long. She set the volume on low before she got to work-for real this time. He was not going to ruin her holidays!

He sat at his chair, the stress ball back on it's marked place on the desk. He had stuck into his work, furiously completed spreadsheets and databases, calculated, writing and planning. He wasn't getting paid all that money for nothing. That's what all the other people were for. Christmas was not about gifts, or family. It wasn't about friends or food. It started when Christians started to celibate the birth of Jesus. It was to thank someone for working hard to make their world a better place.

In a smug way, that's how he saw himself. His work made life better for people. It also made him richer, but that was just a small reward compared to how much work he had to to. Also, when he thought to himself 'made life better for people' what he really meant was 'took money off people who needed it'. Either way, he was sure he didn't deserve all the hassle.

It was not him who needed to 'learn the meaning of Christmas' either. It was them that needed to stop thinking about themselves, letting the world go to waste and ruin around themselves. They probably also gave money to the homeless out on the street, so that they could buy more alcohol. He remembered last Christmas a small girl saying to him that they will die other wise. He had simply shouted in her face that it was good, and would decrease the population.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la. Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la, la la la la!" Aria was n ow happily singing along with the radio. She'd tried being quiet. She really had but th is report was just so boring and long winded..she needed something to do besides write it! Sure she'd managed to get one measly page done but she still had to proof read it and then she had to do another whole page and the conclusion. It was torture! Not to mention she was somewhat technoligically challenged today. or m aybe her computer was just demented.

And of course no sooner had she thought than the dang thing switched off....and deleted all of her work. Her mouth dropped open as she stared at the blank screen. No...no....NO!!!!!!!She pushed away from her desk in a fit of anger and stood up walking towards his office. Of course she was no barefoot her normally pretty smiling face was anythign but cheerful or happy.

She didn't even bother to knock on his office door as she whirled in her tiny frame trembling with anger. "I thought you were going to supply us with new computers..you know ones that don't shut down at the blink of an eye." she got out between gritted teeth. Yes it was something silly to get mad over..but her wotrk! She'd been moments away from being halfway done and the stupid thing had just shut off! Now she was going to really have to bust her tail to get it done..again!

He didn't look up, he knew she was upset. "That's for listening to Christmas songs at work I'm sure." He kept typing. He didn't care about the computers breaking, his never did, and he had the same one as they did. Just because they couldn't keep theirs in working order didn't mean they needed new ones.

New computers was money wasted, money that should be saved for the business investments, not flash technology. Either way, she would have to go back and do it again and he did not care whether she was happy about it or not. It made no difference to him. He saw he maybe...half an hour a day? If that? He didn't care about her, or about her needs or wants. She was just someone to do the work he needed doing, and even then he would probably have to go over it afterwards to make sure it was okay.

He waved his hand, trying to send her away. He was trying hard to write in Russian, and it was admittedly giving him a slight headache. He didn't need her shouting and stomping her feet. She was like a child, you ignored them and let them grow up. That's what he had done, he had grown up early and now he was wealthy. That's all the mattered.

Nothing. Not a 'I'm sorry let me see what I can do.' Not even a 'Kiss my butt.' nothing! She waited just a few more moments before she let out a sound of obvious frustration. She wasn't the only one. She knew that for a fact because everyone had some issue with their dang computer! Only no one else would speak up about it. Well she didn't have that problem at all. "Are you even listening? How am I supposed to do your work if the flippin' computer wouldn't even stay on?"" she demanded hotly.

And...still nothing. Her scowl deepened as she glared at him before she stomped behind his desk and pushed him away from his computer. Once he'd given her enough room she dropped onto her knees and moved under the desk looking at the jumble of cords with obvious confusion before she grabed the whole lot of them and pulled. She smirked as she heard the soft him of the computer diminish to nothing. There now he had no power and hopefully he hadn't saved his work either. ha! Revenge could be so..sweet at times.

She crawled out from under neath his desk and dusted her skirt off while struggling to keep the smug grin off her face and failing. yes that had been childish...and it had probably cost her job. And her trip home for the holidays. And her tiny cramped apartment..and her freedom. And...oh sweet baby jesus just what had she done? Her pale skin paled further as her actions suddenly made themselves clear. Oh crap.

He didn't let himself get riled up, it just wasn't him. "You're lucky I saved all of that as you came in. Still, If you want your computers to work better, I'll fix that." He walked up to a metal panel in the corner, and pressed a large button. "You can now go and explain why they're going to have to get through the rest of winter without heating, and if anyone complains you can then tell them," He was raising his voice, but that's only because he knew everyone was listening. "why they will be spending their Christmas UNEMPLOYED."

He turned and plugged in his computer again, before turning it on and sitting down. "Now, if you excuse me I have work to make up for, and so do you." He cared not for that woman, and wished desperately that he could fire her, but that cost him money, he would have to hire a new person and that took time. No, It was better she just learnt her place. Stupid girl. He had enjoyed her face when she realised she could have just lost her job. When she realised how much power he had over her.

Here it came. The big bang for sure. She coudl hear it now. "YOU ARE FIRED!!!!!!" Yup she just heard her entire career going down the drain. Along with her hopes of a holidays raise...oh man she wasn't going to be able to go home. Because there was no way he was going to pay her after this. And if he did it wouldn't even be enough to buy the necessities. What the heck had she been thinking!? Oh that was easy..she hadn't been thinking at all. She'd had a childish impulse and she'd be danged if she hadn't followed it.And worse yet? he'd seen her at her worst. he'd seen just how immature she could be and she'd showed him just how badly she needed this job..this day just wasn't getting any better.

She gulped softly and nodded her head bowed in embarassment as she walked towards the door. Yup she'd been put in her place..way down at the bottom of the business ladder. No she was lower than that. She was deep underground. her mom was going to kill her-with kindness of course-. None of the Well's kids had ever missed a holiday at home. She was going to have to claim to have some deadly disease just to avoid getting the 'eye'. Not the 'you're dead to me' eye.It was worse..it was nicer..it was...pitying! It meant she was going to end up caving and taking her mom's offer to pay for her ride down there. Nope! it wasn't happening! She was so screwed...

She kept her head bowed as she stepped out of the office. She could feel the dirty looks she was getting. As if this place hadn't been bad enough before. Now it was freezing on top of everything else. But hey..the computers worked. Ok so optimism wasn't an option now. Just what was she going to do? She wasn't resorting to butt kissing nope. She'd never been good at it and there was no way in heck or any where else that she kissing her bopsses butt just so she could get back in his good graces-if he even had any.

But even as she was thinking this she knew the opposite. She was going to do it. She wanted to go home and she wanted to do it without her parents help. And to do that..well she was going to be stuck kissing butt for god knew how long. Yup...Happy Holidays indeed.

He didn't mind that he was now a tiny bit colder either. He had always enjoyed the cold, it was cold at home too so he was used to it. Maybe, everyone would be working a little bit harder now, trying to get work finished that little bit faster. Trying to get out of the cold to their nice cosy houses.

He had almost laughed when she left, she had done something stupid, had tried to be different to everyone else. She tried to break away from the pack, but had only ended up punishing them and herself. Maybe she would just quit, that would be good enough. Seeing as everyone would blame her for the could, for the extra work that he might give them.

Also he supposed they had someone else to hate. They would want to out do her, to show that their way was the better way. He wanted people to learn his way was right, that they were stupid and that they should stick to their own places. For once, it looked like he wouldn't be the only one still working through Christmas. For him, it was just like every other day, but much more annoying.

He wondered then as well, would she just shut up and try and get on with work, or would she dig herself a deeper hole? Maybe she would try and apologise, or actually get lots of work done. He doubted there was anything he could do that would be worth giving her time off. Then again, he thought for a moment. Was it illegal to keep people there over Christmas?

He would have to look into that some time. If not, it was certainly something he would consider. Other wise, maybe just lack of pay and double shifts would be enough to keep her in her place, stop her trying to be a big girl again.

Why him of all people? of all the people to make herself an enemy of you'd think she'd have enough common sense to just shut her mouth and do what she was told. But then again that'd always been a weakness of hers. She'd never taken kindly to her brothers pushing her around and trying to make her do what they wanted. She'd hated and now she head to deal with a boss just like them. How had she gotten back at them? Through pranks..and ok they'd gotten her back but still! Why did she have to deal with the same crap now? She wasn't a little girl anymore! She was a grown up-even if her actions didn't always prove it.

Sighing tiredly she sank behind her desk quickly and quietly booting up her computer. She had work to do. First thing? The report of course. maybe if she worked fast enough..maybe he'd forgive her? ha! Yea right but he did appreciate hard workers..and he also appreciated the fact that said hard worker got the work done quickly. Well from now on she'd bust her tail to both of those things. Starting now. Without her Christmas Carols..and without the usual day dreams of home. Sending a glare towards his offive she immaturely stuck out her tongue at the closed door before she began pounding out her report her fingers pressing down much harder than necessary on her key board.
(Minor time skip)

Aria had no idea long she'd worked all she was that she couldn't feel her finger tips and it was dead silent in the office now. Where had everyone gone? Had they left for the day or was it lunch time? Her stomach growled loudly in response and she winced placing a hand over her stomach. What did it matter? She wasn't going to be buying lunch..or dinner anytime soon. All of her measely pay check had to go else where. She groaned flewing her fingers before she began rubbing her hands together in some attempt to bring some warmth into her hands. This sucked. Royally!

Sighing tiredly she flexed her fingers before she hit the print button. She'd finished the report..and she hated it. She'd hated every boring moment of typing it. But she was done now...and she'd probably have more. No doubt the man had a years worth of reports piled up for her by now. heck he might have more than that. What had she done to deserve this? Oh yea...she'd pulled his plug..and she hadn't even gotten the tiny satisfaction of him losing his work. It was unfair!

Pushing away from her desk Aria stood up taking the time to put her heels back on before she grabbed his report and made her way to his office. She knocked softly on the door before peaking hesitantly inside. "I finished the report Sir." she murmured keeping her gaze lowered on the floor. She didn't want to see that smug look on his face. heck she didn't want to see him at!

He took it, flicked through it then put it on his desk. "I'll expect you here early." He didn't have anything else to say to her. That small mishap may have affected her whole month, but to him it was just one measly moment. Every day he had to deal with someone thinking they knew better then him, or trying to change something.

He left every night at near eleven, and came in at near five. He lived just down the street, in a small house. It was nearly always dark, the curtains drawn. He didn't care about much, but the darkness was comforting, it was cheap and it was proper.

"Night." He turned, and went back to his work, but then noticed after a minute that she didn't seem to be too happy to leave. He was too nice, much too nice. "You want to enjoy Christmas?" He pointed a large stack of work. "Get that done, and you can go home. I mean get it done well. If I check it during the 'holiday' and It's wrong...you're fired." He turned back to his computer. He wasn't doing it to be nice, he was doing it to get more work finished.

Aria winced softly but didn't argue. Early..she despised early. Why? Well for starters it meant leaving her nice warm cozy bed..and coming to freeze her butt of here. What a lovely way to wake up.She nodded stiffly and hesitated to leave. Was that it? Was that all? Or was he just baiting her and luring her into a false sense of security before he really slammed her?

Nope..he wasn't going to do anything. Huh that was odd. She had been positive he was going to give her enough work to-ah never mind. He was giving her work. She groaned inwardly seeing the large stack but upon hearing his words she felt..well hopeful. She nodded offering him a wan smile as she stepped forward taking the stack off his desk and turning to leave. "Thank you.." she murmured politely.

She wasn't thanking him for the work..well she was and she wasn't. The more work she did the bigger the paycheck hopefully. And she wasn't worried about doing her work wrong. After todays screw up she didn't have time to worry about that. She had concentrate on doing things right. She walked towards the door only to stop and look back at him a curious expression on her lips. She shouldn't ask....but she was going to anyways. "Excuse me sir..." she stopped biting her lip uncertainly.

Well it was too late now. She'd have to come right out and ask him. She was already skating a thin line as it was. But surely there had to be some reason for him to be so cold during the holidays. Didn't he have a family to spend the holidays with? Someone that could wipe that ever present scowl off his face? Well duh! The obvious answer that question was no. he didn't even have any picture in his office and there wasn't any clutter..there was nothing that added personal warmth to it. In a way the office was much like it owner.

She blinked pulling herself out of her thoughts and blurted the first question that came to mind: "Would you like to come home with me?" her cheeks flushed at just how..weird the question sounded. "Wait I didn't mean it like that! I meant for the holidays! I mean if you want to.." she babbled her blush growing brighter. Oh jeez! Why didn't she just open her mouth and fiish sticking her high priced black pump where it belonged!?

He was going to stand up and shout at her, but something tugged at him and he just turned away from her. He couldn't believe he was actually thinking about it. Christmas had always been a time for work. He knew why he worked, and he knew why he was trying to ignore the merry theme and joy that other had.

He turned back round. "Maybe one day." He shouldn't be doing this, the last woman he had even remembered the name of broke him. Now he spent every Christmas working for money, working for distraction, working for the sake of working. A long time ago there had been merry Christmases, and something close to a family.

It hurt him deeply to think about it, but maybe it was time to spend one day creating a new memory. Maybe he could rub off on her, teach her to think for herself but not annoy people quite as much.

"Yes, one day, maybe a few days before Christmas. For a little while..." He closed his eyes and then sighed. "Go home, come back tomorrow early...go before I change my mind!"

Aria's green eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She'd expected him to yell at her to tear her a new one...and he hadn't. He'd said yes. No he's said maybe..but still! He'd given her a somewhat positive answer.She blinked and snapped out of it a soft smile making her lips curls upwards. Maybe..maybe he wasn't too bad. But he was still horrible. She shifted the papers in grasp and nudged the door open with her hip.

"Yes sir. Good night." she said civilly as she shut the door behind her. She had no clue what had possessed her to invite him but by george she'd done it..and she was still alive. And now..now he was possibly coming home with her..to see her family. Oh crap. She slammed to a stop her cheeks flaming. She wasn't married..heck she was even dating and if she brought him around her mom..oh dear lord. Her mom was going to be playing match making the whole time! And yet..if it meant getting him out of the office..it couldn't be that bad.

It was just a few days. A few days with her family from the office. And for him..well for him it would be a chance to just ignore work and heck possibly be nice to others. Smiling faintly she paused at her desk to grab her jacket and other items she'd need to do her work at home. She sighed glancing down at the pile before she pushed them into her tote bag. So she'd have to work a little more tonight and get up early tomorrow..she'd live. Because she was going home! Casting a final glance around the place she left.

He watched her go home through his blinds and then started up his work again. Had he really just agreed? To spend time not only with a girl, but a girl he didn't even know. He supposed though that he deserved a second chance. Not everyone could be like she had been could they?

He had worked so hard, for so long, yet she still hadn't left him alone. He knew where she was too. Happily married, in a tiny one room apartment. He had just wanted to give her more...but that was a long time ago now. He wasn't looking for anything in the way of even a friendship between him and the girl, but maybe...maybe he could trust females again.

Maybe he could try and be a little bit less cold. He couldn't live for ever, and he had started to realise that although money was a perfect aim, he had realised a long time ago that he hadn't been happy since he was about twenty...4
(Sorry I'm not writing very much, I'ma little distracted)

Home!She was home for the holidays! She squirmed in the back seat of her brothers truck. Yes her brother's truck. She didn't have her own ride but then again who did in the city? She squirmed in her seat watching all the familar sites roll by. "Are we there yet? C'mon! Hit the gas! Go! No one's around..c'mon one more point on your liscense won't hurt! Please..." she begged.

Under normal circumstances she wasn't this wired but she'd been stuck in plane and she'd been kept away from home.She wanted to see her mom and her dad! She'd let her boss (what is his name? You haven't said what is it yet..) sit up front. She figured he might actually relax just a little around her brother. It was impossible to dislike him. The only reason she disliked him was because she knew that under all that southern charm lurked a child of satan..or at least a great-grand child. Point blank her brother was from being an angel.

"Are we there yet?" she whined childishly. yes she being annoying but she hadn't seen her brother in what felt forever..she had to make up for it somehow.

(Oh I didn't did I >.< I've been doing that a lot lately actually...)

Why? What possibly could have possessed him to agree? He was going to someone's for Christmas, he hardly knew them and he was sure he would end up choking and dying on the amount off good will flying around already. They hadn't even got there yet.

He had also decided, being in a different country, relying on someone and their family for help meant he was going have to grin and bare ever stupid thing they said or did. He should have stayed at home, alone. At least there Christmas only ventured up to his front door. Here, it was all over him.

He leant over a little to the girl, trying his best to be agreeable. "Thank you..." He didn't look at her as he said that, hardly meaning his words. "I still haven't told you my first name. Jacob by the way." He supposed it would look odd if she kept calling his sir all the time...

However, she was being insufferably cheerful, annoying and energetic. It was giving him a splitting headache, and if they had been back in the office he would have fired her on the spot for acting like that. He had been right before. She was ridiculously childish.

Aria blinked in surprise as her boss told her his first name. Jacob..."It sounds so..normal. I figured you would have had a much more uptight name..I mean..you don't look like a Jacob. You look like Eugene....or maybe an Edward?" she mused before shrugging it off. For a moment she'd seem almost adult like as she ceased her bouncing and whining. But it was short lived.

Her excitement only grew as her brother turned the truck onto a familiar road. Home! An incandescent smile graced her face as she looked at the familiar house in front of them as her brother parked. It was large but not mansion large. Just large enough for a family to be raised in. Around it there was a picket fence-yes her childhood home was nothing if not quaint but growing up in a small country town would you expect any less from a country girls home? Nope!

The instant the truck had stopped Aria had scrambled out of the truck pausing long enough to grab Jacob's hand and drag him after her. "C'mon Jacob! I've got some people I want you to meet." Home! Home at least! She pushed open the door and hauled Jacob in after her. "Mom!!!!! I'm home!!!!"

And that was when all chaos broke loose.

Jacob didn't like her talking about his name, and cringed when she said the name Eugene. At least she's being rather quiet. He went to smile, before she burst right into a huge grin and nearly pulled his arm off trying to get him to the house. She seemed so excited, so unnaturally excited, it almost hurt him. What was so exciting about seeing people you've already had to put up with for most of your life, and eating food until you became ill?

The house matched her, in his opinion anyway. Simple, quirky, much too cheerful. It looked like something a child would draw, or something that might be in some kind of horrible child's film. He couldn't believe he would be staying in that. It was so fake looking to him, that he expected all the furniture inside to be made of plastic, like a giant dolls house.

Even her voice was too cheery, but he just sighed instead of moaning about it. It was, after all, something he was going to have to get used to. Yet again his arm was wrenched away from the rest of his body and he was left trying to move forward while not landing face first on the floor. He had never heard anyone be so happy about seeing their mother...although it wasn't very often he was actually around anyone's mother either, so that was probably why.

Upon hearing the noise outside her kitchen Angelica Wells finished what she was doing and dried her hands. Smiling warmly she stepped out of the kitchen only to stop mid stride her identical green eyes going wide in astonishment. It wasn't the sight of her daughter that her stunned. Oh no. It was guest she'd brought home with her. Aria never brought anyone home. Sure she talked boisterously about her co-workers and friends in the city but this?

Shaking her head softly so that a graying tendril of hair fell out of her ponytail Angelica snapped back to the here and now. It could only mean on thing! Her darling baby girl was finally ready to settle down! But when on earth had she began this relationship? She'd never mentioned a certain someone on her sporadic visits. Unless...her daughter was a better actor than she'd thought. Or..oh no. What if she was pregnant?! No! She'd raised her children better than that. She'd sat down with each and every one of them at that crucial age and made sure that they understood the rules of having a roll in the hay. And by George by the time she'd finished with them they'd understood the rules perfectly. Placing a smile on her weathered face she held out a hand to Jacob.

"Well this is a surprise. Aria has brought a guest. I'm Angelica Wells. How ever everyone calls me Angel. You must be starving after your flight. If you'll follow me I'll be more than happy to fix that. I was just wrapping up lunch."

Aria felt a small lurch in her stomach as her mother froze. That wasn't right. Her mom didn't freeze up like that. Nor did her mom spend so much time wrapped up in her thoughts. Just what was her mom thinking? Had she done something wrong? She'd called to let her mom know she was coming. And she'd remembered to do all of her shopping. And...she'd brought Jake with her. That was the one thing she'd forgotten to tell her mom.

Uh oh. Big fat uh oh. Leave it to her mom think up the worst thing. 'What if mom thinks I'm pregnant? Oh man I'll never hear the end of it. I can't forget 'The Talk'! It was horrifying! Its scarred me for life. Just how does she expect me to do the horizontal mambo with any dude with her voice in my head retelling every gruesome detail?' she thought. She shuddered softly in revulsion and quickly steppe din after her mom introduced herself. "Mom this is Jake. My BOSS." she stated making sure to put a special emphasis on the word boss. "He decided he'd like to spend the holidays with us. I guess I forgot to tell you.." she mumbled quietly her eyes lowered on the floor as she waited for some response.

He knew that look, he didn't like it. At least he didn't have to make sure to introduce himself in the odd way that Aria had. How could anyone think he was in a relationship with her? She was insane and childish, unbelievably hard to put up with and also to understand. He was finding it hard to put up with her even being near him, and he wouldn't bring himself to think of ever, ever kissing her.

He smiled politely, not sure whether to shake hands with her or whether that was a little too formal. Families confused him, and hers did even more. They seemed to have some odd silent language, which he had no hope of understand. Her brother didn't help either. He knew how it was traditional for brothers to hate any man who went near their sisters, and the whole family and their house seemed made out of tradition like it was more common then oxygen around them.

(Will add more to it soon, just didn't have time to write much more. ^_^)