Work Text:
The Facts Of Life
I'll Be Home For Christmas
OhioExPat
Prologue
I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love
Even more than I usually do
And although I know it's a long road back
I promise you
I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
Los Angeles, Christmas Eve, 1993
Blair Warner couldn't remember being so lonely on Christmas Eve. As much as she loved her job with Warner Industries, the fact that she had to spend Christmas Day on the Left Coast due to a operational emergency in the corporation's Los Angeles office had sent her into a depression. She didn't let it affect the job she had to do, but this Christmas wasn't supposed to be this way.
This was to have been her first Christmas celebration since she and her longtime best friend Joanna Polniaczek had come to terms with the fact that the were in love with each other. They had moved in together in Blair's opulent Manhattan apartment that July. The Corporate Executive and the NYPD Police Officer made quite a pair-one that no one could have foreseen when they met just over a decade earlier.
She wanted nothing more than to be with Jo. She still felt the heartache of having to tell Jo two days earlier that she had to go to L.A.
I
Two Days Earlier
Joanna Marie Polniaczek, an officer in the New York Police Department had one of her blessed days off this beautiful late fall day in The Big Apple. She couldn't remember being this excited about Christmas in years. It wasn't that she had never had some wonderful Christmases past with her parents and/or her close friends, but she had never anticipated one like this one.
She and Blair Warner, her Princess, would be spending their first Christmas together as a couple. Even though she had to work an early shift Christmas day, she would be home by 1pm, and then she and Blair would have the rest of the day together.
She couldn't wait. In fact, Blair should be home any time now from her last day of work before her week long Christmas vacation. Sure enough, twenty minutes, Blair came through the door, Jo waiting for her.
“Heya blondie”, Jo said, going up to her lover and wrapping her in a squeeze, bringing her lips to Blair's. The blonde's lips were a little cold, but Jo didn't care about that. “How was life in the ivory tower today, babe?”
Blair hugged Jo harder, knowing that Jo would be less-than-thrilled with the news. “Oh, it was a normal, crazy day at Daddy's company.”
As she broke the embrace, Jo noticed the forced smile on Blair's face. “What's wrong, Princess? You look like Santa left you a lump of coal in your stocking.” Jo smirked at her girlfriend.
“Oh, you're not far off, Joey”, Blair said, trying to keep things light. “We have any tea or coffee to warm me up?”
“Sure, Blair, I have a fresh pot of coffee. Want me to get you some?”
Blair smiled and kissed Jo's cheek. “That's be great. Then we'll sit down and I'll tell you about my day.”
In a matter of moments, both woman had fresh, hot coffee next to them as they sat on the sofa in the living room. Blair's trepidation was still clearly visible.
“Okay, spit it out, blondie, what's botherin' ya?”
Blair took a breath, looking right at Jo. “Joey, you're gonna kill me for this, but Daddy called me this afternoon and informed me we have a huge operational emergency in Los Angeles, and, well...what I'm trying to say...”
Jo's face lost it's glow, her eyes going dim. “You're tryin' to say he's sending you to Los Angeles over Christmas-is that what you're sayin'?”
Blair sadly nodded. “Yes, sweetie, that's what I'm saying.” Blair could see the hurt and anger on Jo's face. “Joey, believe me, I certainly didn't volunteer for this, and it is a big emergency. I have to go.”
Jo got up from the couch, turning away from Blair. After a few moments, she turned back around. “Couldn't your father send someone else. I mean, for cryin' out loud, he knows this is our first Christmas together as a couple!”
“He knows that, and he's told me to tell you he'll make it up to you somehow, but I'm the best person to take care of this issue. Honey, I have to go.”
“Goddammit”, Jo remarked sotto voce. She sat back down close to Blair, whose head was hanging down, tears in her eyes. “I ain't mad at you, Princess”, Jo said, obviously still hurt. “I understand you have an important job, but jeez, our first Christmas together? This ain't fair.”
“It sucks”, Blair said in an angry voice of her own. That was enough to make Jo actually laugh.
“Damn, blondie, I've definitely corrupted you, haven't I?” She became serious. “So there ain't no way around this? You gotta go to L.A?”
“Yes”, Blair replied, still in the grips of her own anger. “I sure as hell don't want to go. I wanna be with you.”
Jo cupped Blair's cheeks and turned her face toward Jo's. “I know ya do, babe.” She kissed Blair deeply, knowing Blair was just as upset as she was. “But you gotta do what you gotta do. Just like I can't shirk my job, ya know? When do you leave?”
“I'm on a flight at around Noon tomorrow”, Blair said, stopping the tears. “You'll...you'll take me to the airport, won't you?”
“It's my day off, and if it means I can spend a little more time with ya, then you know I will, Blair.” She kissed Blair again. “I'll just miss you so damn much on Christmas Day.” Finally the tough girl from The Bronx shed her own tears. “It ain't gonna be Christmas without you.”
The next day, Jo, as promised, drove Blair to Newark International Airport, the two of them sharing a tearful goodbye at the security checkpoint.
“You're gonna call me tonight-and tomorrow night, right blondie?”
Blair laughed through her tears. “For the fiftieth time, yes, Joanna Marie, I will call you. If I don't I'll be even more miserable.” Blair cupped Jo's face. “You know how much I desperately love you, my barbarian?”
Jo nodded with sadness in her eyes. “As much as I desperately love you, my Princess.”
One final long, demanding kiss, and Blair turned toward security without a backward glance, knowing if she looked back, she'd break into sobs.
Late That Night
“Blondie!” Jo smiled as she answered the phone, knowing who was calling that late. “How'd your flight go, babe?”
“First Class is never a bad way to fly, Joey”, Blair said with a smirk Jo could almost see.
Jo snorted. “Maybe you'll let me try it one time. I ain't never flown in First Class. So are you putting the fire out in Los Angeles?”
Blair filled Jo in, at least as much as she could about what was going on, Jo actually sounding fascinated by what Blair was having to do. She knew she couldn't live in a Corporate environment like Blair did, but she had always found what Blair did at Warner Industries very interesting. Blair knew Jo was no dummy, and Jo usually caught on fast.
That took a little more than thirty minutes for Blair to give Jo a rundown.
“Jeez, Princess, you gotta be beat after running around like that all day. I wasn't wrong in saying your almost putting out fires.”
“You know I don't want to be here, love, but I will admit I'm good at what I do, just as I know you're good at being cop. It isn't the work that's bothering me-it's being so far away from you.”
“I get it, Blair. I really do. I don't begrudge ya the work, but like you said, I'd rather you be on this coast, not that coast doing it. Just...just keep puttin' that fire out so you can get back home to me as soon as you can?”
“I'm doing my best, Joey, I swear. I'm miserable here without you. I'd rather be home, ravaging you in bed.”
Again Jo laughed. “Hope no one's listenin' into our call. They might get seriously turned on by that kind of talk.” They both laughed. “But the truth is I'd rather be makin' love to you right now, instead of getting ready to go to bed, even if I have to work tomorrow morning.”
Blair knew it was past Midnight back east, and knowing her lady needed to get some sleep before work in the morning, moved to terminate the call. “Then in that case, Officer Polniaczek, I will release you to get a decent night's sleep before hitting the beat in the morning, is that understood?”
Jo snorted. “Understood, O Captain my Captain!” Jo could almost see Blair roll her eyes.
“A barbarian to the end”, Blair said with her own snicker. “Seriously, get a good night's sleep Joey. I love you more than anything in the world, babe.”
“Right back atcha, Princess”, Jo said, trying to keep the loneliness out of her voice. “I love you more than anything-and miss you even more than that.”
“I'll call you tomorrow night, love. Sweet dreams.”
“Sweet dreams to you too, Warner. Love you babe.”
II
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
Christmas Eve day, Blair barely had time to think about Jo, as the problems in Los Angeles, which also affected their entire U.S Pacific operation, had yet to be solved. True to her word to both Jo and her father, when it was time for work, she concentrated on her work. She was clearly making headway, but knowing where she was-and where she wasn't-on this Christmas Eve, gnawed at her.
By that night around 8pm Pacific Time, Blair was exhausted from the days' work, but her mind left work behind for a while, as she kept her promise to call Jo.
“So I'm just frazzled, Joey”, Blair said, actually laughing about it, knowing she had done damn good work that day. “But things are looking up here.”
“That's my Corporate Executive, blondie.” Blair laughed delightedly on the other end. “Remember when we were younger, I always gave you grief about being a blonde in every way?”
“How could I forget, grease monkey”, Blair retorted. “It was the cause of some spectacular fights between us.”
Jo laughed, knowing that's what she wanted to hear. “I know, it was so much fun.” They laughed together again. “But what I mean is your as smart and as tough as they come, babe. Your dad picked the right person to get things put back together.”
Blair was actually very touched by Jo's words. “That means a lot to me, Jo. It really does. I think a lot of that mindset I got from you over the years. I really do.”
“I won't argue with ya, sweetheart, because I happen to agree. But we've both rubbed off on each other since we met. It's the reason why we realized that we were more than friends.”
“And I can't argue with that, Joey”, Blair said with a giggle. “I'd rather be doing some other rubbing right now, if you get my drift.”
“Don't go there, Princess, you'll get us both all hot and bothered. Save it for when you get home.”
Blair laughed again. “Spoil sport”, she said in her “uppity” Blair voice, as Jo called it, making Jo laugh in return.
“By the way, Princess, look at your watch-it just turned Midnight here at home. Merry Christmas, baby.”
That made Blair cry a little. “Oh, Merry Christmas, honey. I love you so much. I so wish I were there. But you know I'm there with you in spirit.”
“I know you are”, Jo said with a sweet softness, which wasn't normally her style. “I can feel your love in my heart. You know I gotta work in the morning, so I better go to bed so Santa can do his work.”
That cheered Blair up. “Let him know we were both good girls this year-except for, uh, some naughty nights?”
Jo laughed loudly. “Will do, Blair. Maybe we get bonus points for the naughty part this year?”
At 2am in Los Angeles, Blair received a call from the overnight crew for Warner in Los Angeles. Blair had tasked the overnight folks to continue to work on the problems facing the office, and the work had paid off.
The Overnight Duty Officer informed Blair that they had finally solved the operational issues that had been plaguing the office and slowing down the rest of the West Coast offices for more than three days. The woman on the scene asked Blair if she wanted to come in first thing in the morning and go over everything before leaving that night.
Blair had a better idea in mind, a smile coming to her face.
5am, New York City
Officer Joanna Polniaczek arrived at her precinct right on time, working only until Noon that day. Had she known Blair wouldn't be home for Christmas, she might have bagged some Overtime. It was too late to put in for that now, unfortunately.
The day was blessedly quiet, which didn't always happen on Christmas Day. There were a few minor domestic disturbance calls, and a few robberies at some of the places that remained open on the 25th, but all of the calls she went on had been resolved peacefully enough, Jo returning to the precinct around noon to type up her report for the day, then she could head home.
He mother, Rose Polniaczek, was in Florida visiting relatives, and her father, Charlie, was on a cross-country haul driving his 18-wheeler. She might give Mrs. Garrett a call and at least wish her a Merry Christmas. She also knew Tootie and Natalie weren't in the area for Christmas, so Jo sullenly headed to what would be her empty apartment.
Some way to spend Christmas, she thought glumly. An empty apartment with Christmas decorations. Whoop-de-doo.
Jo unlocked the front door to the apartment she and Blair shared. When she had first moved in with Blair, the apartment had overwhelmed her. Their bedroom was bigger than the entire apartment her mother lived in in The Bronx-or at least damn close to it. Blair had allowed Jo a chance to redecorate the large apartment to more represent both of them, not just Blair's tastes, and it had become a real home for Jo. The fact that she shared it with the woman she loved made it more a home than anything.
But today her heart was heavy as she turned the key...
But as she stepped in, music started to play from the stereo system in their living room. The rich, angelic voice of Karen Carpenter wafted through the air.
I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
At first Jo wondered if she had left the system on when departing for work, but...
I never listen to the stereo or watch TV before leaving for work. What the...
As Jo entered the living room, her eyes went wide, a look of astonishment on her face: over by the Christmas Tree, under a very large mistletoe that had not been hanging there that morning...
“Blair?” Was she hallucinating or something?
“Merry Christmas, Joey”, the blonde said, the most breathtaking smile Jo had ever seen on her lover's face lighting up the room. “I took a corporate jet back here this morning. They have things under control in Los Angeles, so I, uh...”
Jo's own electric smile lit up the room, as she moved toward Blair, who was planted directly under said mistletoe. Without a word, she moved right in front of Blair, grabbing her and planting a demanding, loving kiss on the other woman's lips, the intensity of their embrace and kiss further heating up the room. It lasted for several minute.
“My God, Princess...you made it back on Christmas. I thought...”
Blair put two fingers on her lover's lips. “They could finish without me. I had somewhere more important to be on Christmas Day-with the woman I love.”
Blair started the kiss anew, wrapped in Jo's arms, both of them crying soft tears of happiness.
“Princess...this is the best Christmas gift I've ever been given”, she said tenderly, running her hands through Blair's golden hair. “Not just that you came home to be with me today, but because we're a couple, and that we love each other. I've loved you for years, and to have you in my arms today? It's a Christmas miracle.”
“When did you get so eloquent, my barbarian?” Blair delivered the line with a devastating sarcasm, catching Jo off-guard.
Jo had to laugh. “When did you become like a chick from The Bronx with such sarcasm, blondie?”
They both laughed for a moment, but then looked deep into each others' eyes.
“Merry Christmas, Joanna. I love you with all my heart.”
“Merry Christmas, Blair. Ditto from me. When do we open the presents?”
Blair grabbed Jo's hand, her eyes shining with desire. “After you and I unwrap each other?”
The walked slowly to the bedroom, knowing what was to follow, the stereo still playing that beautiful song.
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only, only in my dreams
May you all have a Christmas full of Peace, Love, and Happiness