Insomnia

EPILOGUE

Cade was all about Christmas. Every year, he was determined to make it better than the last. It made it all very bittersweet. It was just them two, maybe his mother or sister. Over the years, Cade was trying to pull his biological mother away from his father. He was convinced that this was the year she'd finally leave. Evie didn't have anyone left. The absence of family was felt.

Spry and athletic Cade was starting to feel thirty years old. He did too much wear and tear on his joints when he was younger. Doctors informed them that he'd probably have to get knee surgery later in life. He hated it all, denied it's existence, ignored any and all cautions to take care of his body.

Evie was there to keep him from jumping off roofs and doing tricks that would land him in the snow. Apparently, he was pretty good on a snowboard or any other board. Evie was having none of that. Skiing was fun, sure, but she faked being a newbie to keep him off the black diamond slopes. She flew into a rage one day after he'd crashed on a longboard and broken the thing in half.

She was his reason, he was her adventure.

Years passed, and the jigsaw pieces just melded together. She became his rational, his calm, and he became her assertion, spontaneity. They'd managed to get through some tough shit together, and even separated at one point. Evie had stormed into his hotel room, pointed out that she had crashed a wedding for him and he wasn't taking that back. She'd dragged him back to the house where they yelled at each other for another week. After that, they almost never argued with each other.

"You look very festive in your hat."

He looked up from the big Victorian fireplace, lights flickering on his head. It was a Christmas tree, complete with ornaments and lights. The obnoxious deer-humping sweater and red striped pajama pants rounded out the outfit.

"I bought you an outfit to match!" He exclaimed. "Deer having sex and all." He pointed to the collar on his sweater, which had a row of... well, you get the point.

"I'm not wearing that." Evie said with finality, leaning against one of the chairs.

He started grumbling to himself, evening out the stocking hangers. "I would've bought you some sexy little teddy but you don't want to wear that either."

No, she didn't. And for good reason.

She sank into the large armchair, sighing in relief.

"Your back still bugging you?" He questioned.

Evie nodded. "Lots of staring at old manuscripts, bent over a computer. Not great for the back."

He sat in the other chair by the fire. "You're still on that slave-ship log, right? You've spent a lot of nights on that one."

She nodded again tiredly. "They're in horrible condition. I'm doing my best - I just hate history being lost, especially since I literally have it in my hands. A museum has offered to take all the artifacts and make an exhibit out of it. I just really want to have all the names, if nothing else. What were you and your mathematic skills up to today?"

He shrugged. "Still coding."

She rolled her eyes. "Midas."

Cade pouted. "Stop that."

Evie laughed. "I'm sorry, because you don't turn any business venture you ever get into gold."

"I have one talent." He said. "And apparently it's making money."

She gave him a smirk. "Not your only one."

Cade tried not to appear too excited at the premise of sex for the first time in a week. She just managed to always be busy or tired. Not distant, just... he had no clue. She was something he couldn't hack, at the moment.