Britt Christmas 2014: I'll Be Home For Christmas
Another Christmas fic I forgot about -- sort of a sequel to my 25 Days of Multiverse prompt! I wrote this for my friend Britt (a big fan of my Forgotten Vows Verse and an Alice RPer) for Christmas 2014. While I always imagined Victor and Alice getting out of Whitechapel as soon as they can (they can't stand living there, and who can blame them?), I also always imagined them making a pilgrimage back to the Home around Christmas-time to give some presents to the kids and see how they're doing. Sure, they trade snark with the children all the time, but they still do care about them. And I wanted to reassure everyone that everyone's favorite orphan, at least, was getting the happiest ending available to him.
“Part of me can’t believe we’re going back to Houndsditch so soon after finally escaping it.”
“Honestly, I feel much the same,” Alice admitted with a chuckle, leaning up against her husband. “But it’s for a good cause – and besides, it’ll help us be properly grateful for what we have now.”
“I think I’m quite grateful enough, but you’re certainly right about the ‘good cause’ part.” Victor patted the bag of toys and clothes sitting by his side in the cab. “The children will be shocked by the sight of us carrying gifts, I’m sure.”
“Only for about two seconds,” Alice smirked. “Then we’ll be swept away by a wave of grasping little hands. You know how they are – you gave me cake once.”
Victor laughed. “Well, I suppose I’ll just have to put my long arms to work once – what’s that?”
Alice frowned as he suddenly moved closer to the window, peering out at the street before them as they finally turned onto Houndsditch’s road. “What’s what?”
“There’s another carriage outside the Home!”
“Huh?” Alice took her own look. Sure enough, there was a surprisingly handsome two-seater with a fine bay roan horse sitting outside the front gates of the orphanage. “Well, that’s peculiar…I’d suggest fellow philanthropists, but they never bothered with Houndsditch before…” She knocked on the roof of their cab. “Stop here, please.”
The driver obligingly came to a halt right behind the other vehicle. Victor helped Alice out of the cab, then paid the driver as she wandered over to inspect their mystery carriage. Both two-seater and horse were completely unfamiliar to her. “Curiouser and curiouser…maybe Dr. Wilson’s having company over?” she suggested as her husband grabbed their sack of goodies. “I mean…it couldn’t be anyone – well.” She rubbed her arm as old memories she’d hoped not to think about today pushed their way into her mind. “You know as well as I do.”
“Better,” Victor muttered, shivering. “But you’re right, it simply couldn't be one of – those. The children are safe now; otherwise, we wouldn’t have left.” He absently picked at his tie. “But who could Dr. Wilson–”
“Victor! Alice!”
Out of nowhere, Charlie appeared, hugging them both around the legs. “Dr. Wilson said you were coming, but Abigail and Elsie didn’t believe it!” he informed them, grinning wide. “And Reggie had bets going – he owes me sixpence now!”
Alice laughed, ruffling his hair. “Well, I’m glad you had faith in our appearance, at least! Merry Christmas, Charlie. It’s good to see you.”
“How are you?” Victor asked. “And things here at the Home? We were just wondering who owns this carriage – has Dr. Wilson made some new friends in the city?”
“Oh – um–” Charlie fiddled with his fingers, suddenly unaccountably shy. “That – that actually just might be my new mum and dad.”
Alice gaped at him, eyes wide. His new – A glance at Victor proved her husband was just as stunned. “Oh Charlie…that’s – that’s fantastic.”
“Yes,” Victor finally managed, eyes bright. “Well then…perhaps our toys won’t be as exciting as we thought.”
“You brought toys?!”
“…or maybe so.”
“Honestly, I feel much the same,” Alice admitted with a chuckle, leaning up against her husband. “But it’s for a good cause – and besides, it’ll help us be properly grateful for what we have now.”
“I think I’m quite grateful enough, but you’re certainly right about the ‘good cause’ part.” Victor patted the bag of toys and clothes sitting by his side in the cab. “The children will be shocked by the sight of us carrying gifts, I’m sure.”
“Only for about two seconds,” Alice smirked. “Then we’ll be swept away by a wave of grasping little hands. You know how they are – you gave me cake once.”
Victor laughed. “Well, I suppose I’ll just have to put my long arms to work once – what’s that?”
Alice frowned as he suddenly moved closer to the window, peering out at the street before them as they finally turned onto Houndsditch’s road. “What’s what?”
“There’s another carriage outside the Home!”
“Huh?” Alice took her own look. Sure enough, there was a surprisingly handsome two-seater with a fine bay roan horse sitting outside the front gates of the orphanage. “Well, that’s peculiar…I’d suggest fellow philanthropists, but they never bothered with Houndsditch before…” She knocked on the roof of their cab. “Stop here, please.”
The driver obligingly came to a halt right behind the other vehicle. Victor helped Alice out of the cab, then paid the driver as she wandered over to inspect their mystery carriage. Both two-seater and horse were completely unfamiliar to her. “Curiouser and curiouser…maybe Dr. Wilson’s having company over?” she suggested as her husband grabbed their sack of goodies. “I mean…it couldn’t be anyone – well.” She rubbed her arm as old memories she’d hoped not to think about today pushed their way into her mind. “You know as well as I do.”
“Better,” Victor muttered, shivering. “But you’re right, it simply couldn't be one of – those. The children are safe now; otherwise, we wouldn’t have left.” He absently picked at his tie. “But who could Dr. Wilson–”
“Victor! Alice!”
Out of nowhere, Charlie appeared, hugging them both around the legs. “Dr. Wilson said you were coming, but Abigail and Elsie didn’t believe it!” he informed them, grinning wide. “And Reggie had bets going – he owes me sixpence now!”
Alice laughed, ruffling his hair. “Well, I’m glad you had faith in our appearance, at least! Merry Christmas, Charlie. It’s good to see you.”
“How are you?” Victor asked. “And things here at the Home? We were just wondering who owns this carriage – has Dr. Wilson made some new friends in the city?”
“Oh – um–” Charlie fiddled with his fingers, suddenly unaccountably shy. “That – that actually just might be my new mum and dad.”
Alice gaped at him, eyes wide. His new – A glance at Victor proved her husband was just as stunned. “Oh Charlie…that’s – that’s fantastic.”
“Yes,” Victor finally managed, eyes bright. “Well then…perhaps our toys won’t be as exciting as we thought.”
“You brought toys?!”
“…or maybe so.”