GW Robichaux

[Note:Takes place before the Winter Solstice Thread]

One last opportunity to wear that little black dress and spend and evening in the company of loved ones, and Meredith had more than enjoyed going to the symphony with GW. It certainly helped when your boyfriend had connections, and obtaining tickets to the sold out event had been not only a surprise to the brunette but a fantastic idea to spend one last night together before the pair parted ways for the holidays.

A flight first thing in the morning had prevented the reluctant Meredith from staying out too late, though every last moment counted with the handsome Cajun as they left the symphony and headed back towards her house. "Thank you.. for that totally wonderful surprise," Meredith said to her boyfriend as they walked with her arm linked with his on their way back to their vehicle, "I couldn't think of a better way to spend an evening together."

GW refrained from mentioning a better way he thought they could spend an evening together and smiled at his girlfriend. She looked fantastic in that black dress, and he was confident that he was the envy of every straight man at the performance that night. He'd dressed up for the occasion as well, wearing a tailored black suit with a colorful red tie to liven the outfit up a bit. He figured Lorne wouldn't think it flashy enough, but it suited GW just fine.

"I'm glad you had a good time, Mere. I did too. De symphony is always a nice treat, an dey outdid demselves with dis performance, you bet." Just because he focused on traditional folk and country tunes for his own work didn't mean he was ignorant of the wonders of classical music or that he didn't appreciate them. "I tink we should make it a tradition, don' you?"

They'd be heading back to her place once they reached his truck, Meredith's flight was an early one and she'd have to be up well before sunrise to make it to the airport and go through all the headaches involved with flying these days. GW's own flight back to Louisiana didn't depart until early afternoon, so he had plenty of time. His Christmas gift to her was safely tucked under her tree back at her apartment, wrapped up and topped off with a silver bow.

"I definitely think so," Meredith replied with a smile, armed tucked snugly into the crook of his elbow, the click of her heels on pavement resounding in the nighttime air as they reached GW's truck. She loved the way he looked in his crisp black suit, and even though she largely favored his rugged appearance, still got weak in the knees at just how incredibly smart he looked.

And even though she'd enjoyed herself immensely with their fancy night on the town, Meredith was dying to get home namely because she was incredibly eager to give GW the two presents underneath her small Christmas tree. One much larger than the other, but both equal in sentimental value. She had known since the beginning of November what she was going to get him, so thankfully she didn't have to fret about it too much.

The drive back to her place hadn't been a long one, and when they reached the small apartment complex, Meredith was getting kind of excited to discover exactly what was in that box he'd slipped under her tree. "I really think you're going to like your gifts," she said to GW with a smile as they got out of the truck and headed up towards her front door, "In fact, I know you will."

"'Is dat so?" he asked with a curious smile, "Dat's good. I'm sure I will whatever dey are. I tink you'll like yours too." his voice teased her just a bit. It was far too early in the relationship for a ring, but he doubted she suspected what he could come up with when he put his mind to it.

It was only a few more minutes before they were through her front door, and GW helped her out of her coat. They hadn't really needed outerwear when the sun was up, but despite the ostentatious displays of water, Las Vegas was still a desert town. Once the sun went down it tended to get cold rapidly in the desert during the winter.

"I'll put away de coats", you get comfortable."

"Sure thing," Meredith replied as she shrugged herself out of her coat as GW slipped it off her shoulders. Feet kicked themselves out of black stiletto pumps and the brunette's feet fell flat on the floor, leaving her standing a little less taller than before.

Her feet made no noise as she crossed the small hardwood expanse between her front hall and the living room, and Meredith flicked on a lamp on her way. The little Christmas tree which she had set up for merely aesthetic purposes was perched on a small wooden table, and even on top of that it still only came up to Meredith's chest. It was a cute little tree, artificial of course, and she had decorated it with random things she found around the house like small teddy bears, spare and never-worn jewelry, and little tediously handcut paper snowflakes. An unused roll of film had been artfully wrapped around the tree like garland (the photographer's touch which made it Meredith's own), and in and amongst the makeshift ornaments were baubles which held tiny photographs; One of Lorne, one of Elian, and one of herself; and on the very top branch of GW because every tree needed it's angel.

Meredith had plugged in the one string of white lights which she had draped around the tree, and admired it momentarily with her hands on her hips before she was satisfied enough with her work of art before she sat down on her couch and waited for GW.

GW put the coats away in the hall closet and crossed over to Meredith's living room. He still had to shake his head at the tree and the way his picture was on the top. When he'd first seen it and heard Mere's explanation he'd laughed himself silly, one thing he wasn't was an angel, but if his girlfriend thought that who was he to criticize?


He settled onto the couch next to her and slipped his feet out of his dress shoes "Ahhh..." he exhaled in relief. They may be less damaging than heels were to women, but most men's dress shoes weren't made with comfort in mind.

"You ready fer your present, Chere?" he asked Meredith, his eyes twinkling as he anticipated her reaction.

Meredith grinned widely. "Oh, I'm more than ready," she told him as she clapped her hands together eagerly. But the brunette was quick to get up before GW did, and she snatched one of his presents from underneath her little tree and handed it to him. "But you have to open this one first."

This present GW should have expected. You date a photographer, you're more than likely going to receive a print at least once in your relationship. The photo in particular was a black and white shot that she had taken of an architecturally unique building in the outskirts of town. The low angle made the image somewhat dramatic with a darkened and moody sky and she'd framed it with a thick black and sturdy frame. "Open it! Open it open it open it!" she urged him anxiously.

"Ok, ok," GW laughed and tore the wrapping off of his gift. There was no surprise as to what it was, the size and shape gave away the fact that it was a photograph. No, the surprise was what the photo was about. "Hey, dis is pretty neat," GW told her, only fibbing a little. It was a fairly interesting looking building, and the angle of the shot combined with the clouds made it all the more striking. "Thanks Mere!" He gave his girlfriend a one armed hug as he regarded the photo some more, "I know just where t' put dis, you bet." Maybe his living room, he'd have to think about it when he got back from Louisiana.

He set the picture aside and rose from the couch to pick up his gift for Meredith. There were two gifts actually, but wrapped in the same box to disguise what he was giving her. Jewlery boxes tended to give themselves away if you didn't use a little misdirection, so GW had placed them inside a larger box and wrapped that one.

"You're welcome," Meredith told him after she'd waited with baited breath for his reaction to her gift. "I figured, you know, you needed something to put on the walls of your new home and all. What better thing than a Meredith Underhill Original." She pointed at the picture and grinned. "Only one in print, worth a bajillion dollars."

As GW set the gift aside, Meredith chuckled. "Okay your turn!" she announced, and waited anxiously to see what he'd put into that neatly wrapped box.

"Guess I'd better up my insurance den," GW joked back.

He truly must have had some of Meredith's karma power rub off on him when he stumbled across the tiny strip mall on the edge of town with a jewelry store going out of business last month. He'd hardly been able to believe his eyes when he'd seen the markdowns on some of the items, and had quickly snatched up a necklace and matching earrings for his girlfriend. The silver jewelry was simple but elegant and made with high craftsmanship, and a bargain that GW had found impossible to pass up.

"Merry Christmas Meredith," he told the brunette as he handed her the box "An tanks fer bein' a part o' my life." He held his breath as she started to tear apart the wrapping.

No matter how much of a tomboy any woman may have been, the gift of fine jewelry had always been a sure fire hit. Especially Meredith, who owned little in the way of it, had her eyes light up at the sight of the silver pieces which lay nestled inside two separate boxes. "Oh GW," she gasped, fingers lifting the necklace up to get a better look, "These are beautiful. This necklace.. these earrings. Thank you so much. I love them!"

She was already planning an outfit to wear with them inside her mind, figuring she'd put them to the test on Christmas Eve at her parent's house. Her sisters would undoubtedly be jealous. Even better.

Brimming with glee, she set the box down on the table before she slid her arms around his shoulders and touched her forehead against his. "You, GW, are the bestest boyfriend ever," she told him and then kissed him soundly, then withdrew her mouth. "Don't need to thank me for being a part of your life, babe, i'm more than happy to oblige." She kissed him again after that, longer this time for good measure, then pulled her mouth away from his and then grinned. "Okay, now for your main present," she told him as she pulled her arms off his shoulders and stood to grab the smaller box from under the tree, "You better be ready to be awesome-afied."

Meredith's reaction to his gift had GW calculating in his head just how many brownie points he'd gained for himself with the expenditure of a few hundred dollars. Quite a few it seemed, judging from the way she threw herself into his arms. GW kissed her back, and chuckled when she pulled away "Jus' don be expectin' dis every Christmas," he warned good naturedly, "I tink some o' yer karma power rubbed off on me fer dis one."

The Cajun took the small box from his girlfriend and started to unwrap it, curious as to what kind of gift it could be that had her so excited. "I'm ready, what we got here?"

Meredith wasn't about to let GW outdo her with his rather extravagant gift. She too, had a little something lavish for him in store. A heavy weight Swiss watch, stainless steel with a black onyx face, made to be strong and sturdy, but tasteful and unflashy lay waiting inside the box. When she'd seen it in the store, it had caught her eye almost immediately, and even though it was a man's watch, she'd almost wanted to buy one for herself. But she knew she had to get it, and the brunette had bucked up a little extra for it. Well worth every penny, at least she thought so, but hopefully GW did as well.

She waited expectantly for him to open the box, hoping he'd love his gift.

GW's eyes widened at the sight of the watch. He'd had a much cheaper Swiss watch that had carried him through Afghanistan and his time in England, but it had been lost years ago. This was something similar, but made from far better materials and a watch equally at home in the workshop or the boardroom.

He picked it up and examined it more closely, more and more impressed with the watch the longer he looked at it. GW turned to his girlfriend and demonstrated his pleasure in the gift by wrapping an arm around her and kissing her throughly, this had cost her a pretty penny and he was still a bit shocked.

A welcome relief as Meredith accepted the kiss, although quite certain of herself that he would love the gift regardless. An exuberant giggle as she pressed her lips against his, fingers running through his neatly styled hair to playfully muss it up. "I guess that means you like it," she chuckled then continued to kiss him.

They'd been apart from each other for longer periods of time, especially over the summer after Elian's death; but now that both Meredith and GW had become closer and better connected in their relationship, she knew that in the short time she'd spend away from him, the brunette would truly miss her boyfriend to bits and pieces.

So now in this last evening they would spend together before they flew off in opposite directions from the city they called home, Meredith kissed him like they would be apart for an eternity.

And after she felt she had given him a sufficient enough amount of that mouth-to-mouth gesture, she withdrew her lips to smile before she embraced him in a warm hug. "Merry Christmas, GW," she whispered into his ear. "I'm going to miss you."

GW hugged her back. "I'm gonna miss you too, Chere. But we'll be back here 'fore you know it." He would miss having her around, but it would only be a week or so before they'd be back in Sin City.

"Merry Christmas."