Closed Christmas Ceilidh

[Graeme Fergusson]

Dating Abby was incredibly easy, they'd never been hard, but it was surprising to him just how easy it was. She was kind and generous, beautiful and determined, a brave and amazing woman whom he knew he had fallen for, hard and without much hesitance. Certainly in the last few months things had gotten better and better, with Abby no longer working herself to the bone, they were able to have more time, both as a family and just with each other. He very often found little ways around the agreement, allowing him to do a little more for her. Whether she noticed it or not. The one problem for him was that he didn't get to see her every day. He saw her often enough but it wasn't the same.

For this date, which was nearing their one year anniversary, he had brought Abby to Scotland, to the local little pub a half hour walk from the house. The kids were happily with his mother, surely causing havoc to the household, though, his mother did not mind at all. Graeme had been invited to the local ceilidh at the town hall or pub. It was a muggle affair and one where the few of Graeme's very old school friends who were still about and a number of older couples. He had dressed for the occasion wearing something fun formal, and he marvelled at Abby who'd been put in a dress by his mother. The place was warm and inviting, the music was loud, there were people dancing, people playing instruments and drinks all round. It was the midst of winter, but for the warmth within the walls of this place no one would notice.

This was the proper local community, with likely Abby being the sole tourist even though she wasn't. Graeme had his arm around her as he greeted a few people before he glanced at her, "Can I interest you in a dance?" there had been a stop in the music as the new dance was announced, and dancers being called up. "The guy calling people up he'll go over what we need to do," Graeme assured her, since this wouldn't be regular dancing.​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

If you had asked Abby last year to quit not one but two of her jobs to spend more time with a man, letting him pay for- well, for anything, Abby would have laughed in your face. Abby had never meant for this to happen. She had sworn she would never need anyone ever again, she would raise her son and be a good mother and she would never let anyone else into her heart.

But that was before she had met Graeme Ferguson. Never in her life had Abby known someone so kind, so strong. Graeme was the perfect definition of a gentleman. He was a wonderful man, a wonderful father. Both to Fraser and to Zerrin. She knew she loved him, she loved him with every piece of her heart, but she had been too shy to actually tell him that.

She wouldn't tell him as much, but her life was so much better now that she was spending time with him and the boys. Tonight was just another example of that. She proudly wore the dress his mother had given her, tucked into his side with her hands resting gently on his ribs, leaning into him anytime they weren't moving. She smiled through every introduction, enjoying the lively and warm atmosphere of this place. She looked up to Graeme, smiling at his question. "After you," She gestured grandly, following him over to the others.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme appreciated how much Abby was willing to do these things. He knew something like this event would be daunting to anyone, having to come into a community you did not know at all and have to speak with them. Graeme was doing most of it, but he would never down play the way Abby was able to keep up with it.

Graeme was glad she wanted to dance. He hoped she'd like this type of night, since it was one which happened often enough and he would enjoy finally having a partner at them. "We'll probably get separated, and someone here will spin you too fast, but it'll be okay," he assured her as he took a starting position in amongst the rest of the couples as a ceilidh caller began explaining the dance, since no one ever remembered them. Graeme made sure to explain anything that might not make sense to Abby and demonstrated some of it too, But the song started up and there was no turning back.​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby giggled as Graeme pulled her into the crowd, hopping up to give him a kiss on the cheek before the dance started. "I think I can handle it," she teased him. The dance started before she knew it. It was loud, chaotic. She was separated from Graeme almost right away. Abby had an absolute blast. She had no idea if she was even dancing right, but the whole thing was so chaotic it flew by in a blur. Before she knew what had even happened she had fallen back into Graeme's arms. She giggled, collapsing against him breathlessly.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme was more than sure that Abby could handle it, but it felt only right to give her a little warning before things got started. He was lost in the pattern of dancing immediately but kept an eye on Abby as he did so, not letting her get too lost. It was useful to be able to see her and make sure that she wasn't getting too overwhelmed with it. The song eventually drew back to a close and he was lucky that his last partner of the song was Abby herself. He held her as she collapsed against him and then smile.

"So, now we just have to do that over and over for the rest of the night or we can get some drinks," he joked lightly, they could very well dance the whole night away, but it was probably only right to get some drinks. "We can come to the next one with the boys, do you think Zerrin would wear a kilt?" he asked her, he knew he thought of Zerrin as as much his son as Fraser, but he didn't know if that sort of thing would interest him. ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby giggled, shaking her head. "How about a kiss first, and then some drinks?" She countered, smiling brightly. She waited for his answer, before giggling and heading for the bar. "I haven't had drinks in so long," She whined, falling onto a bar stool. She giggled again, even more as she was served a drink. "Hey Graeme, I bet you're even more handsome the more I drink," She teased him. She smiled at his question. "Graeme, Zerrin would love nothing more than to feel closer to you and Fraser," She reassured him. "He absolutely adores you," She reached out for him. "We both do," she murmured.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme laughed lightly and moved in to kiss her, as she had asked, before taking her to the bar. He wondered what sort of things she liked to drink. "As you've seen, drinking is very much considered part of my job," he knew that wasn't actually the case but there was a large drinking culture or well, a social culture since so many of them lived close enough by for it to happen, and there was always a need to celebrate or commiserate. He motioned for the barkeeper and then glanced to Abby, "What do you drink then?" he asked her, letting her pick her drink while he went for the Torabhaig Whiskey, knowing its first barrells were still being opened now.

He took the glass and then glanced back at her. "I know, but I don't want him to feel like he has to, like wear a kilt, if he doesn't want to," They had a good relationship and he was keen to make sure Zerrin was happy, he should certainly ask Aonghas to add Zerrin to the family's books so that he could access some inheritance, it wasn't like Graeme was using his own. "And Fraser and I adore you both," he told her taking her hand in his. He leaned into her to kiss her, "Certainly, I'm a very lucky man for such a beautiful girlfriend," he had never imagined he'd find anything like this when Maya left, and yet this was real and he knew it..he was so love with her. ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby giggled, ordering a strong but fruity cocktail, and a few shots. She tried to get Graeme to do them with her, giggling even more when they were down. "Are you kidding? Zerrin has taken every book the library had to offer about this country and everything that might even remotely tie into you and Fraser. You're both family now, he wants to be part of your culture, your lives." she giggled, reaching up to brush his hair back.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme looked at the shots she'd bought skeptically. "Come on, I'm in my thirties," he still took the shot and did it with her. Graeme didn't like doing them, but he was fairly practiced at it. He laughed lightly, "Next time he's in Scotland I'll take him to the Fergusson family archive, we've so many books on the family," he told her. "The Fergusson line goes way back, it's actually why we technically spell the surname wrong," Graeme told her with a little smile. he didn't have much for his family who at all turns turned out to be the worst kind of people. Or well before his brother had taken over, but he was still bitter of the treatment of Rory.

"He's a good kid," it was something he said before but it was always true. Zerrin was a good kid and he was thankful for the boy being in his and Fraser's life. It helped that Fraser and Zerrin got on like a house on fire. "Fraser is gonna miss him a whole lot when Zerrin goes off to school," he told her with a little smile. He took a little sip of his drink and took a moment to look at her. "You are beautiful," he told her, unable to stop the fond smile on his features. "I know Skye can be dark and bleak during winter, but hopefully it's not putting you off it too much," ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby giggled. "Don't be such an old man," she teased him. She giggled at his words, smiling. "He'll be so thrilled," She told Graeme. She blinked at his words. "You spell your name wrong?" She asked him. She was distracted as he spoke about Fraser missing his brother once he went off to school. She smiled gently. "I worry about that," She told him, sighing. "Fraser will be sad. Zerrin will be lonely. The poor boys," she pouted, slamming her drink before turning back to Graeme, holding up her arms.

"Dance with me, Grae," she slipped off her stool, giggling as she stumbled into him. "And you're gorgeous," she teased him, tracing her hands up his chest. She giggled at his words, shaking her head. "It's beautiful, silly. Like... homey. Big and strong and homey and pretty. Like you," She giggled, leaning into his chest.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme nodded with a little smile, "The moderrn Ferguson name only has one S, but we're an old family line, so the name has never been changed," Graeme told her, it wasn't that big a deal, and usually led to people spelling his name wrong. He finiished his drink as she talked about it and though it was probably a bad idea to but he might ask Liusaidh to look out for Zerrin in his first year, but she was a little unreliable so perhaps the wrong choice. He finished his drink, after all a dram of whiskey was never that much.

Graeme nodded lightly and put down the glass, he stood up and took her hand to get them both back out to the dancefloor. He smiiled at her compliments of the place. He wanted to ask her to move to Scotland but he knew that would be a tall ask, that her job and Zerrin's home were in New Zealand. He just danced with her slightly and knew that very soon the music would pick up again and there would more lively dancing. The time past like nothing, everything was so much easier with Abby but truly the evening passed like nothing, and soon the place was closing up, finishing with the usual auld lang syne, which was an amazing end. But now they were outside.

The air was fresh and crisp, the clouds had entirely cleared and it was an exceedingly starry night, the moon wasn't too bright, but the night was cold, not too much wind. It was calm, he felt the warm buzz of the alcohol and he glanced down at Abby. He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders and put his arm around her. He took a long inhale of air and then let it out slowly. "God that was fun," ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

The night passed practically in a blur, a mix of dancing and drinking and just having a good time. She shivered as they stepped out into the cool night air, humming happily as he placed his jacket around her. She held it close to block off the chill, snuggling into his side and giggling again. "It really was, wasn't it?" She rubbed her cheek against his chest. "Thank you for bringing me out tonight, Grae, I had a great time," She pressed up on tiptoe, kissing the underside of his jaw before turning to look out at the night. "God, it's beautiful," she sighed happily, leaning heavily into Graeme.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme let her lean into his side, and he nodded in agreement and had to give a little smile at her words. "There is no one I would rather bring," he looked out over the town, over the countryside, the empty dark land, and yeah, it was a rather beautiful night. He thought of New Zealand for a moment, for Hogwarts and how much he had missed nights like this. "Yeah, I used to miss this place like crazy when I was at school," Graeme told her with a fond tone and he glanced at her, leaning into his side and felt the rushes of warmth and love that he felt for her.

"I love you Abby," his tone was warm and it came out less like a grand declaration but as if he'd just had the most stressful day and suddenly walked into the warmth and security of his home. Graeme had never imagined that he would fall in love again, that he would find someone who just worked within his life, the loss of Maya, the break down of that marriage for seemingly no reason and the fact she had hidden Fraser from him had hurt him in more ways than he cared to admit, but those parts of him felt nearly non-existent when he was with Abby, as they spent together, as he got to know her and her family.

"You don't have to say it back, I just...I love you," he assured her because he knew that people said it at different times and he didn't doubt that she liked him enough that it might be in the future. ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby smiled, shutting her eyes and snuggling into Graeme. "I bet. I'll miss it too," she giggled. She was relaxed into him, just enjoying his warmth and his presence. She knew she was a bit drunk, but that didn't matter. She was with Graeme, she was safe.

She wasn't prepared for what he said next. Her heart skipped a bit, and she opened her eyes, pulling back to look up at him, eyes wide. "What?" She breathed, more than the alcohol coloring her cheeks now. She let out a breathless giggle, pushing up on tiptoe and pulling him down so their foreheads were touching. "Say it again," Abby giggled, brushing her fingers over his jaw.

"Silly Grae," She cooed happily, shutting her eyes. One hand cupped his jaw, the other drifted up into his hair. She sighed happily, pressing close and giggling again. "I love you, too," She murmured, pressing up to steal a sweet kiss. "Of course I do, silly,"

Abby felt absolutely blissful, content, nuzzling against him. She giggled, tracing her fingers up his jawline. "Sweet Grae," She purred, stealing another kiss. "Let's go back to my place," Abby purred, opening her eyes to smirk playfully at him. "Your mother has the boys. She said she's not expecting us back until tomorrow afternoon. Let's go to my place," She offered.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme gave a little laugh as she moved to pull his head down, he let it happen, he knew he'd perhaps been a bit nervous about saying it if she wasn't quite there yet, but having said it, it had been easy and one he could do again. But before he could, she was saying it back and he felt his heart flood with warmth and love for her. Feeling so good about all of this, and it wasn't just the gentle buzz of the alcohol that made him feel like this. Graeme smiled to her leaning into the kiss and letting her words just wash over him more. He laughed lightly, and nodded at the offer, it would be a wild switch, from winter to summer, from the late night to the midday but he didn't mind, he wanted to go back to her place and knew they would figure out when they needed to be back for the boys. "After you sweetheart,"​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby giggled, pulling Graeme along with her and back to her place. The sudden light was blinding, but she quickly forgot it altogether. It was dark again when she woke up. Abby yawned, wincing at the pounding of her head. She slipped out of bed, warm in Graeme's shirt, and went to her dresser, looking for some pain meds to try and help with her hangover. What she found though surprised her. Sitting in her drawer was an old, dusty copy of her manuscript. Abby glanced to Graeme, seeing he was still asleep, and turned on her small lamp. Just enough light to see but not enough to disturb him. Perfect.

She flipped through a few pages, smiling at the feeling of nostalgia, but just set it on top of her dresser before heading to the bath, with the thought that a glass of water, some pain meds, a clean face and then some more sleep snuggled in Graeme's strong arms might just cure her hangover.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme had been quick to use some wandless magic to darken the room when they arrived, but it was quickly forgotten. He was slowly stirred from his sleep once it had become dark, he hadn't opened his eyes but heard Abby heading somewhere. His head throbbed in a familiar way and he opened them. He let himself smile, feeling so good about how the night had gone. He was sure it was now morning by his own internal clock. Graeme sat up and listened out for Abby hearing the bath going. He decided it was perhaps to him to make some coffee which would help soothe this for a little while. He got up from the bed, and noticed the papers on the top of the dresser. Curiously, since they were dusty and old looking, he picked it up. It didn't take the man long to figure out that this was quite possibly Abby's. He sat back down on the bed and began reading. ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby came back from the rest room after a little bit, feeling somewhat better. She smiled as she saw Graeme sitting on the bed. She crawled up behind him on the bed, laying her arms over his shoulders. She peeked over his shoulder, leaning her cheek against his hair. "Whatcha doin, handsome?" She cooed, resting against him. She blinked when she saw what he was looking at. "Oh, that old thing? It was just in my drawer when I was looking for pain meds, I can put it away," She reached out her hand, meaning to take the old manuscript from him.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme got lost in what he was reading, it was good, very good. Probably an expert would know how to tidy up some of the areas that he didn't know how to. But it was good, it was really good. He knew he hadn't gotten that far in it it, but he could see the obvious talent and skill which had gone into the writing of this thing. He was almost surprised at the dust it had gathered. He glanced at Abby when she rejoined him and smiiled slightly. "It's really good though...when did you write this?" the man asked, he wondered how long this had been sitting there and wanted to ask if she had any plans to pick it back up again, or if this was some long lost piece of work. ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby couldn't quite reach the pages from where she was and she didn't feel like moving from where she was cuddling Graeme to get it. She hesitated at his question, thinking. "Oh, it must be... I was sixteen?" She leaned into Graeme. "I was writing it before... well, before I became pregnant with Zerrin." She mused. "I haven't seen those pages since we moved in here after my parents passed and I put them in the drawer," She chuckled. "Just let me see, I'll throw them out."

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme held the papers away from where Abby was trying to reach them. It made sense, she had stopped writing them because she had become pregnant, had no support and thus no time to able to afford to write. "No, we can't throw this out," he told her looking at the pages. "Had Zerrin not been born....is this what you would've wanted to do...write?" he asked her, picking his words carefully, since he knew there was no changing the past, and Zerrin was such a gift to them, but he thought it time to ask, because he had the pages in front of him. ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby pouted as Graeme held the papers out from her, but didn't push the issue. She relaxed against him. "Well..." she hesitated. "I had... considered it," she offered slowly. "But... like I told you, I've just been... Zerrins mom for so long now, it's all I've focused on. Writing doesn't really pay the bills." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's not something I've thought about in a long time. I never even finished that silly thing anyway. It's missing the last arc." She shrugged, settling in and cuddling his back.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme knew it was silly to think backwards to some past that could never be attained but the present, this moment, as they delved into it, he couldn't see why she couldn't do it. Couldn't put a little more work in to. He didn't want to tell her to do it now because he could pay for everything, she was her own person and could make her own choices. "Well, you aren't alone in raising Zerrin anymore. If you wanted to pick up writing again, whether this or something else, you don't need to make it a job or anything, but just pick it up again, this is so good Abby," he told her, he wanted Abby to feel accomplished in life, not just Zerrin's mum. There was so much more to her and he sure Zerrin would feel the same. ​

 

[Abigail Cromwell]

Abby probably shouldn't have been surprised by Graemes words.Yet she was. Somehow he always managed to surprise her. With a flick of her hand, the papers flew from his grasp and settled back on her dresser.

Abby shifted into his lap, kissing him sweetly and running her fingers gently up and down his jaw. "I love you, Grae," she whispered, curling up against him and humming happily. She would think more about what he'd said later. For now, she just wanted to enjoy this moment with him.

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme let the papers go and just let himself look at Abby and just wrapped his arms around her as curled up against him and kissed the top of her head. "I love you Abby," he repeated back to her, this had so good, and there was more time for them to sleep and rest, and then get the boys later. "Come on we should get a little more sleep before we get the boys," ​