I promised it, you waited, and now you've got it! Just in time, too! Right on Christmas!! My very first S/L oneshot! Hope you like it!!
Someone's Special Secret Santa
The entire junior class of Lindbergh High was abuzz with excited chatter, for they knew that in just one quick week they were going on Christmas Break, and many of them had exciting plans ahead of them and knew that they were going to have the time of their lives!
"Ladies and gentlemen, settle down BRRAAAWWWK! !" Miss Fowl announced as she walked into the classroom, "I have exciting news for all of you! As you probably know, next Friday is our annual Christmas party, but there's something you don't know about it: we're going to exchange gifts to each of our Secret Santas!"
"Excuse me, Miss Fowl," Jimmy pointed out, raising his hand, "But we haven't purchased anything for anyone, much less selected anyone to purchase or fabricate an item for."
"I'm getting there BRAWWK...,"she replied, retrieving a bowl from her desk, "Each of you will select a name out of this bowl when I call your name, which will be your Secret Santa!"
They each came up to pick a name out of the bowl as they were called upon.
When Cindy heard her name being called, she obediently walked up and selected a name. She then returned to her desk, sat down, and unfolded the slip of paper, hoping against hope it was Libby. But, when it was completely opened, she saw that it was Jimmy! I just HAD to get Neutron... she thought sarcastically, rolling her eyes at him, then secretly added mentally, He IS pretty dang CUTE, though!
When Jimmy's name was called, he drew a name and retreated to his seat, then opened the piece of paper in hopes that it was Carl or Sheen, but it turned out to be Cindy. Gas planet, it's Vortex! he told himself, then managed a tiny grin as he added secretly, I will admit; she IS pretty attractive...
In a strange turn of events, Libby got Sheen, Sheen got Libby, and Carl got Britney. The rest picked random names out of the bowl.
When school had let out for the weekend at 3 that afternoon, each student began brainstorming about what to get their Secret Santa.
As Cindy arrived home that evening after getting back from karate, she heard a familiar ringtone resound on her phone. She pulled it out of her pocket, pressed "Talk", and answered it, saying politely, "Hello. This is Cindy. Who's calling, please? ?"
It was Libby on the opposite end. She just laughed at her friend's formal greeting, then replied, "Cin, ya know it's me. You don't have to go all formal on me, girl!"
"I know, Libs. But did you forget I'm studying to be an attorney? I have to sound formal over the phone when I have that as a career. It never hurts to start practicing that!" Cindy informed her with a laugh.
"Yeah, I did," Libby told her, "How could I forget that? !
"Anyway, the reason I called was 'cuz I can't figure out what to get my Secret Santa, Sheen."
"Duh! Get him something that's related to that stupid DOLL of his!" she remarked, giggling.
"Action figure, Cindy... An' that's too predictable. I wanna get him something special, somethin' he'll never forget through his ENTIRE life," Libby corrected her firmly, explaining her intentions.
"Don't tell me you're into that stuff, too, Libby!" Cindy exclaimed, hardly believing her ears.
She just rolled her eyes sarcastically, saying, "It tends to rub off on me after a while. Just a LITTLE!
"Besides, I dunno what else to get him..."
Her best friend just sighed in defeat and admitted, "Well, then, I dunno what to tell ya, Libby. Good luck finding that one special gift for Sheen!"
"Thanks, Cin. I'll need it... 'Bye!" she concluded, and hung up.
"Well, that was a complete waste of time," Cindy muttered under her breath, putting her phone away. She then headed into her house to brainstorm about what to get Jimmy some more.
Meanwhile, Libby had proceeded to head from the living room couch upstairs to her bedroom so she could brainstorm easier. Music nearly always helped her think more clearly, so she shut her bedroom door behind her and turned on some Katy Perry and other similar artists using her iPod placed securely in her iPod dock. She lounged in one of her fluffy lounge chairs and thought, Gettin' him somethin' UltraLord-related is WAY too predictable... Just what else IS there to get for him? ! A Candy Bar certificate isn't authentic enough, either... She changed into one of her special Christmas outfits as she thought this over.
A knock on her bedroom door interrupted her thoughts, accompanied with a familiar voice telling her, "Libs, come down and start helpin' me with some decorating, please!" It was her mom, Danielle Folfax.
"Oh, hey, Mama! Sure, I'll be right down!" Libby replied sweetly, getting up from her post, shutting off her music, and heading downstairs. A large display of several opened cardboard boxes filled to the brim with all sorts of Christmas Decor greeted her at the bottom of the stairs. She approached one of them, reached in, and pulled out part of the puffy gold-and-silver foil garland. Decorating the house again for Christmas sure brought back some pleasant memories...
A sudden knock at the front door interrupted her reminiscing, and Libby started to head there so she could answer it, but accidentally tripped and landed in the box with the foil garland in it, right inside the garland's coils.
Her mother noticed and wanted to know, giggling, "Are you okay, hon?"
Picking herself up while unintentionally letting the garland drape around her, she told Danielle, "Yeah, I'm okay, Mama. I'll get the door." She stepped over the remaining boxes, approached the door, and opened it. There, standing eagerly in front of her, was Sheen.
"Hey, Libs. I just came over to see what you were up to and-," he started to say, then really took a good look at her and blurted out, "Holy SMOKES, Libby! ! You look HOT! !"
"Oh, this little get-up? ? It's nothin', really...," she tried to convince him, but that was a huge understatement on her part! Her normally braided hair had been straightened to perfection; she wore a crown of white flowers accented with a few sprigs of holly, Christmas tree earrings, a strapless red leotard with a white faux fur trim, long gloves and thigh-high stockings that matched exactly, and red knee-high boots with a white faux fur trim that extended down to her ankles and stopped there.
"That there isn't nothing, Libby! It's most definitely something! !" Sheen complimented her, giving her a flirty look.
Right then, a chilly wind blew quickly past him, sending a large chill down his spine, despite the fact that he was wearing a thick jacket, earmuffs, and a fluffy scarf. "Feels like a fierce winter storm is on its way... Brrrrrr! !" he noticed, shivering a good bit.
"Libby, honey, you're lettin' all the cold air in. B'sides, this tree isn't gonna decorate itself, ya know!" her mom reminded her.
"Sorry, Mama!" Libby apologized, then offered, "Please come inside, Sheen. It's gettin' cold out there!"
"Gladly!" Sheen agreed, and gratefully stepped inside with Libby shutting the door behind him.
"I'll take your coat if ya don't mind," she added sweetly.
"No, not at all, sweetie! Sure thing!" he agreed, and stuck out his arms behind his back so she could pull it off. She did so, and took his earmuffs and scarf, too, as he handed them to her. She folded the earmuffs and stuffed them into his jacket pocket, then hung it and his scarf on the coat rack near the front door.
Danielle looked over from stringing the lights on the tree and commented, "It sure is cold out there, isn't it, Sheen?"
"Whew, it sure is, Mrs. Folfax!" Sheen remarked, stepping over some boxes to make his way to the couch so he could sit down. He took a seat, then had a good look around and pondered aloud, "You guys have a lot of stuff to decorate with!"
That gave Libby an idea. "I know what!" she declared with a snap of her fingers, "Wanna help us decorate, Sheen? ?"
He jumped right up and exclaimed, "Anything to spend some quality time with my Libby-kins!"
Libby just giggled flirtatiously when she heard that. Then she took part of the garland that was still on her and offered it to him, saying, "Sheen, you take this end, and I'll untwist it from around me, 'kay? ?"
"Sure thing, Libs!" he responded, and held his end securely as she twirled gracefully to get it off of her.
"Beautiful, hon, just beautiful...," her mom told her approvingly, starry-eyed.
"Wow, Libs! You never told me you took ballet!" Sheen gasped, completely in awe.
"I took lessons in the 3rd and 4th grade, but after that in the summer between 4th and 5th grade was when I discovered my love for funk, hip-hop, break-dancing, and Graystar. I guess some of that ballet never really left me...," Libby admitted, blushing.
"Well, you really make it look awesome, Libs!" Sheen complimented her, taking one of her gloved hands and lovingly stroking it.
"Thanks, Sheen...," she told him, giggling, "You're makin' me blush!"
"Good. You're beautiful when you blush," he informed her.
"Oh, Sheen...!" Libby gushed, taking both his hands and gazing deeply into his eyes.
Her mother paused her decorating and said cautiously, "Okay, I can take a hint; I know when y'all wanna be alone. I'll go start whipping up a batch of Christmas cookies in the kitchen." She then retreated to the kitchen and began getting out supplies for baking.
"Good, we're alone now...," Sheen sighed romantically, and the 2 were about to kiss when a cell phone started ringing.
Libby picked up her cell phone from the windowsill that connected the living room with the kitchen and informed him, "Sorry, Sheen, I gotta take this..."
"No problem, babe. Do what ya need to do," Sheen told her, taking a seat on the couch.
"Thanks...," she said gratefully, then answered the other line and added, "Hello? Is it you, Cin? ?"
"Yes, it's me, Libs. The reason I called was to warn you about the weather for this afternoon and evening...," Cindy replied, concerned.
"Okay... What about it?" Libby responded, a little lost. Cindy nearly never called to talk about the weather, unless it was something SUPER serious.
"Libs, just look out your living room window! It's INSANE out there! !" her best friend exclaimed.
"What?" she asked, walking up to her living room window, "It's just a little wind- Oh, my GOD! ! It's a freakin' blizzard out there!"
"I know, Libby!" Cindy gasped, astonished, "I took a quick measurement with a ruler a few minutes ago, and it's ALREADY an inch and a half!"
"I'm surprised our power hasn't cut off yet, but it probably won't be long before that happens!" she estimated, extremely worried. After taking a few moments to calm herself, she added, "So... Ya found anything fo' your Secret Santa?"
"Libs, this is gonna be a hard one this year...," Cindy sighed, "I got Jimmy..."
"That's easy!" Libby informed her, "Just get him somethin' science-y or hi-tech, or a combo of the 2!"
She let out a sigh of disappointment as she explained, "That's just it, Libby. There isn't anything out there that he doesn't already have in some advanced form that he's invented..."
Libby gave that a few moments of thought, then told her, "You're right, Cin. That is a tough one. Hmmm... I know! How about some cologne? Guys go crazy for the stuff!"
"I'll try to remember that. Thanks...," Cindy concluded, "I gotta go, Libs. my mom wants me to help her with dinner."
"Okay, talk to ya later, Cin. 'Bye!" she responded, and hung up.
"So...," Sheen spoke up after a few moments, "That was Cindy?"
"Yeah... She called to warn me about the weather. Come to think of it...," Libby informed him, turning to face her window again, decked out with lights and a fake pine needle garland around its border, "Just listen to that wind howl outside and watch that snow blow around like CRAZY! ! It is definitely not safe to be out there in this weather! WHO in their right mind-? !"
A knock on her front door interrupted her with a loud pounding. "Dang! ! They're persistent!" he observed.
"Who wouldn't be in this kinda weather? ! Would ya be a dear an' answer it, please? I'm gonna go help my mom in the kitchen," she requested, headed in that direction.
"Sure, babe," Sheen agreed, and made his way to the door, the pounding increasing rapidly. "I'm comin'! I'm COMIN'! !" he exclaimed, and opened the door.
A cold rush of icy wind greeted him, but despite that fact, he could still make out who was at Libby's front door. He was shocked to discover that it was none other than Jimmy and Goddard at the door! "Jimmy? ! What the heck are you doing here? !"
Shivering despite his thick coat, gloves, and earmuffs, he replied, teeth chattering, "L-Let us i-in, and I'll t-tell you!"
"Come on, then! The warm air's escaping! !" Sheen urged, quickly ushering him in as he carried Goddard, then shutting the door behind him rapidly.
Jimmy gently set Goddard on the floor, then removed his outerwear and hung it on the coat rack, just as Sheen had done. As he went to take a seat on the couch, Sheen additionally offered, "Mind if I turn up the heat some?"
"PLEASE do! Goddard needs it!" he thankfully agreed, still chilled a bit as he took a seat.
"Is that why he's moving so slow?" Sheen wanted to know as he turned up the thermostat, then took a seat next to his best friend.
"He needs an external heat source to power up properly," Jimmy explained, "However, due to the weather's current condition, my house is currently without power, and, as a result, heat. My dad is too cheap to afford a back-up generator, and the one for my lab is on the fritz, and has been for quite some time now. And even if it wasn't and we had power, my lab's door is frozen solid, so I couldn't get in even if I tried...
"My parents are out of town for the weekend, and I've yet to earn my driver's license so I'd be able to go get firewood for our fireplace, but I unfortunately cannot.
"Mr. Estevez is at a mechanics' convention; Carl and his parents are vacationing in Guatemala; and Cindy's parents don't allow visitors until they're completely decorated for the holidays, and that could take DAYS.... This was my only option, as a result."
When he finished, he turned to face Sheen, and he had fallen asleep out of boredom. Jimmy just rolled his eyes, then shook his shoulder gently while saying, "Sheen, Sheen! Wake up; you fell asleep while I was speaking...again."
Waking up with a jolt and a sudden snort, he shook his head vigorously and returned to reality, then apologized, "Oh, sorry, Jimmy... Could you explain yourself again?"
Jimmy opened his mouth to speak, but Libby stuck her head through the kitchen window and spoke up for him, putting in, "No need, Neutron. I heard the whole thing... I'll explain it to him."
"Oh, thanks, Libby," he told her, then added sarcastically, "It's better for him to hear it in a way he actually understands..."
"Oh, brother...," she griped under her breath, emerging from the kitchen, then she explained it in simpler terms.
Sheen heard it all with a look on his face that told her he understood every word.
Jimmy just rolled his eyes sarcastically and muttered under his breath, "Sometimes it's hard being a genius...
"Just what am I gonna get Cindy as a Secret Santa gift? ! I can't make her anything yet, since our power's out and my lab's generator has been on the fritz lately..."
That was when Libby spoke up and informed him, "Uh, Neutron? Mind if I say somethin'?"
"Sure, I guess," he admitted, "What is it, Libby?"
"I couldn't help but overhear your predicament with this Secret Santa business," she told him helpfully, "So, you got Cindy this year, did ya? ? Well, bein' her best friend, I happen t' know what makes her tick, so to speak... She enjoys staying in shape as one of her hobbies. Her favorite scent is Japanese cherry blossom. An' her fave movie genre is sci-fi adventure. Think you can handle that, Neutron?"
"Yeah, thanks, Libby," Jimmy thanked her after thinking a few moments, "I'll figure something out, I'm sure." Then a sweet aroma caught his attention that originated in the kitchen with him gasping in awe, "Oh, my God! What is that enticing scent? !"
"Oh, my mama's makin' some Christmas cookies in the kitchen," Libby politely explained, gesturing in that direction with her thumb over her shoulder.
"They're outta the oven and cooled off now," her mom interjected from the kitchen, "Wanna help decorate them?"
"I'm a failure in the creative areas, Mrs. Folfax...," Jimmy hastily admitted, getting up and walking up to the kitchen doorway with his hands in his pockets and a shrug of his shoulders.
"Hey, it doesn't have to be a work of art; they'll all still taste great when we're done!" she offered.
"I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll pass on that notion," he politely told her, heading back to the couch and taking a seat.
Finally warmed up from the thermostat, Goddard cocked his head a bit, then lept up onto the couch next to his master and gave him a couple licks. Jimmy took notice right away and said, "Feeling better now, Goddard? ?"
The robotic dog jumped up a bit and barked a couple times, signaling he was back to normal.
He rubbed his head playfully and remarked, "Good BOY!"
Jut then, a faint crash resounded from just down the street. That immediately got Goddard's attention, so he displayed what caused it and where it was located on his screen, paired with low-pitched whining on his part.
Jimmy took notice of this and wanted to know, "What is it, boy? Do you need some-?" Then the display on his dog's screen got his attention, with him exclaiming, "Jumpin' Jupiter! !"
His little outburst got both Sheen and Libby's attention right away. Libby ran up to him from her post in the kitchen and Sheen woke up with a jolt from his light nap, turning to face his friend. Slipping her long gloves back on since she was done in the kitchen, she gasped, being the first one to speak up, "What exactly just HAPPENED, Neutron? !"
"Well, according to Goddard's readings," Jimmy informed them, "An ice-laden tree has just fallen near the Vortex vicinity!"
"Oh, my God! ! Oh, shit, I hope Cindy's okay!" she stammered.
Sheen ran up to the front window and peered out, glancing to his right and straining his eyes to attempt to see through the extremely windy, snowy, and icy conditions, then pointed to an approaching figure while saying, "Geez, that person is really fighting these harsh weather conditions and stubbornly trying to get over here!"
Libby hurried over and tried to make out who it was, as well, then pointed out, "Hey, I think I know who that is, since they're clearly female!"
"Are you SURE about that, Libby?" Jimmy warily asked, looking outside, as well, and seeing the female figure fast approaching the house.
"Of course, I'm sure, Neutron! Dammit! Look! She's at my front door!" she snapped as the guest at her doorstep began pounding the door violently. Groaning with a sigh as she walked up to the door, she griped, "I'm comin', I'm COMIN'!" She opened it and a rush of cold air greeted her along with her guest, whom she found out was Cindy! "Cindy! I'm SO glad you're alright!" Libby happily proclaimed, opening her arms for a hug.
Shivering despite her fluffy coat, gloves, and earmuffs, Cindy hissed, "J-Just l-LET me I-IN first, L-Libby! !"
"Okay, okay!" her best friend agreed while ushering her in and shutting the door behind her.
After Cindy had placed her things on the coat rack, she turned to face Libby and said, arms outstretched, "NOW I'll take a hug, Libs!"
"Awesome!" Libby told her, and the 2 embraced eachother in a friendly hug.
Once they'd finished, Cindy finally took notice of Libby's other guests: Jimmy and Sheen. "Neutron? Ultra-Freak? ! What are you morons doing here? !" she barked, walking up to them with her hands on her hips.
"Well, Vortex, I had to since my power's out and my lab's generator has gone awry, and secondly, everyone else was either out of town, like my parents, or too busy to accept visitors, like YOU and your family...," Jimmy tried to calmly explain to her while attempting to keep his cool, and quickly failing at it, "I had to go SOMEWHERE to raise Goddard's core temperature in this freezing-cold weather! !"
"Oh, YEAH!" she snapped back at him sarcastically, "Even a fish could've figured THAT one out!"
"Pukin' PLUTO! Again with the senseless mockery!" he barked, rising out of his seat and stomping up to her, "Would you just cease with the mindless, childish taunting? ! It's really not getting us anywhere; it never has!'"
"And it never WILL; I know, I know, Neutron...," Cindy finished for him, emitting a sigh of defeat, "In fact, let's just END all this idiocy right here, right now! Ugh...! Truce, Jimmy? ?"
"You're right, Cindy...," Jimmy agreed, holding out his hand in a gesture of peace-making, which she shook gratefully, "Truce..."
"Cindy's givin' up to picking a fight with Neutron? !" Libby gasped after witnessing the whole thing, then reached over and felt her forehead, asking, "Girl, do you have a temperature-? Dang! ! You're burnin' UP!" She then rapidly removed her hand and immediately rushed off to find a thermometer, then returned moments later with one.
"I had a feeling something was wrong with me, but in my stubborn nature, I tried to ignore it... I knew I should've taken the necessary precautions when my little cousin sneezed on me, but I was too busy helping with dinner to notice. Shit! And now an iced-over tree fell over and landed on our generator, trashing it! So I had to come here to get warm...," Cindy sighed, taking a seat on the couch.
Her best friend followed her right away and sat beside her, saying while holding up the thermometer, "Cin, quit your jabberin' an' lemme take yo' temperature, please!"
"Okay, sorry, Libs...," she told her, letting her friend place it under her tongue for a few moments, then heard it beep.
Libby removed it and read aloud the digital number display, "One-hundred-one-point-five... Jeez, Cin!"
"I know, Libby! I know...," she snapped, sniffling a bit, then exclaiming with a sneeze, "Uh-oh! Here comes anoth-... Ah, ah, ah-ah-ah-CHOO! !" Whew, excuse me..."
"Bless you!" Jimmy interjected from the nearby armchair Mr. Folfax often used, "Don't worry; I'm already immune to the strain you currently possess..."
"Thanks... I don't feel so good...," Cindy griped with a sniffle, slumping down in her seat.
"You poor girl!" she gasped, then instructed, "Just lay down and wait here while I getcha some blankets an' a pillow, 'kay?" She dashed off first to the utility closet, then to the guest bedroom and grabbed what Cindy needed, then just as quickly returned to her friend in need.
Laying down by that time, Cindy gratefully lifted her head while Libby put the pillow underneath her, then laid back down again as she was covered with a couple thick blankets. "Thanks, Libs...," she said thankfully, sniffling.
"Hey, what are best friends for-?" Libby started to say, but was interrupted by a sneeze, "Ah-choo! Excuse me- AH-CHOO! ! Dammit! I think I caught your cold! Suddenly, I don't feel so good, either..."
Sheen came back from helping Mrs. Folfax decorate to find Libby sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch while holding her forehead. "You don't look so good, babe," he observed, munching on a decorated cookie.
"DUH! ! Ya think? !" she spat at him. Then she got up and apologized, "I'm sorry, hun. I guess this thing is makin' me irritable somewhat... Just help me to my bedroom, please..."
"Sure thing, Libs!" Sheen agreed, and swept her off her feet and carried her up with his arms under her legs and behind her back while she draped one of her arms around his neck.
"Wow, Sheen, even when I'm sick, ya never cease to impress me...," Libby informed him as he carried her into her room and gently laid her on her bed, then she handed him the thermometer and added, "What's my temperature, sweetie?"
He gently placed it in her mouth a few moments, then took it out when it beeped. "Whoa! It's 100.9°, Libs!"
"Dang...," she muttered, pulling the covers over herself, then additionally requested, "Would ya get me some orange juice an' cold meds? I'm headed to sleep, even though it's only 8:30 now..."
"Anything for you, Libs!" he informed her, leaving the room to retrieve them, then returning a few minutes later with some. He set them down quietly on her bedside table, for she was nearly asleep. He then silently left her bedroom, shutting off the light and closing the door quietly behind him.
As he made his way downstairs, he noticed that Cindy was also nearly asleep, but just for a moment, then it seemed to slip his mind as he went elsewhere in thought. When he was at the bottom of the stairs, he took notice of the vacant kitchen and announced to no one in particular, "I'm gonna have another one of those delicious cookies Libby and her mom made-! !"
"Sssshhh! ! ! Sheen!" Jimmy scolded him firmly in a low voice, "Cindy's trying to sleep!"
"Sorry, Jimmy!" Sheen apologized, lowering his voice as he walked quietly by them, avoiding the leftover boxes that still had decorations inside, waiting to be used.
Cindy opened her eyes a little after Sheen's outburst and held her head up a bit in an attempt to snap at him, but Jimmy laid his hand on her forehead and stopped her. "No need for that, Cindy," he gently reminded her, "Just lay back down and get some sleep. I'll make sure Sheen stays quiet so you can rest, okay? ?"
Giving in and laying back down again, she said gratefully, "Okay, thanks, Jimmy." She was asleep within minutes.
The bad weather continued to rage on throughout that night, weekend, and well into the following week. Meteorologists called it the winter storm of the decade. School ended up closing for the following Monday through Thursday, then opening again on that Friday. Cindy and Libby were very grateful for this, because they had several days to recover from the bad cold they'd contracted. Jimmy and Sheen cared for them the entire time, day in and day out, at both of their homes despite the raging weather.
The day school reopened was also the day the girls were completely well again, not to mention the day of the big Secret Santa party in Miss Fowl's class. The 4 teens had been too busy either being sick or caring for a sick person that they didn't get a chance to get a gift for their Secret Santa recipient, and when they all realized this on Friday, all 4 of them were in full-fledged "panic mode"!
As they sat in their desks anxiously waiting for 8 o' clock to arrive, they nervously discussed it amongst themselves.
Jimmy leaned over to Sheen, sitting directly behind him, and whispered, "I was so busy taking care of Cindy that I never got a chance to purchase something for her as a Secret Santa gift! Gas planet!"
"Neither did I for Libby, since was too busy taking care of her! Dammit! !" Sheen whispered back.
Cindy leaned over to her left and whispered to Libby, "I was too sick all this time to get something for Jimmy! !"
Libby nodded in agreement, saying quietly, "Neither did I for Sheen, since I was so sick! Shit! !"
Miss Fowl walked in and announced, "Alright, settle down, children. Now is the time to exchange gifts BRAAWK! ! You may staaarrt now."
Jimmy sheepishly turned to Cindy and explained, "Cindy, you were my Secret Santa, but since I was too busy caring for you all that time, I never got a chance to purchase or fabricate you anything. I'm so sorry..."
"Look, Jimmy... It's okay. Caring for me was a good enough present for me. Sorry I didn't get you anything since I was sick, and I was your Secret Santa, too."
"It's alright, Cindy! The opportunity to care for you was a good enough gift for me, as well," he reassured her, taking her hands in his.
Meanwhile, Sheen wandered over to Libby's desk, admitting, "Libs, I got you as a Secret Santa. Sorry I couldn't getcha anything, since I was caring for ya the whole time..."
Libby was truly touched when she heard that, so she replied sweetly, taking his hands in hers and pulling him much closer, "Oh, I don't mind a BIT, Sheen! Bein' cared for was the best present I've ever received, better than ANY music, or even Graystar!"
"An' the chance to take care of you's even better than all the UltraLord gifts I've ever gotten all put together! I love you SO much, babe! !" he exclaimed, gazing deeply into her chocolate eyes.
"Oh, Sheen!" She gasped out of her love for him, embracing him and gazing into his amber eyes, "I love you, too!" With that, she stood up and, for the very first time, they shared their first kiss!
But I'll find time to read it. 
Mostly cuz of the HUGE storm, concern for Libby's safety during it, and ultimately, him feeling it's his responsibility to care for her when she gets sick. 
