Title: Sleep Tonight
Characters: Pete Townshend, Cady Kersey
Word Count: 607
Rating: PG [innuendo]

Summary: Pete & Cady spend their first Christmas together, in London.  Inspired by The Christmas Song.
 


 
December 24, 1967
London, England 


Staring at the package of chestnuts in his hand, Pete wondered exactly how one roasted chestnuts — and more precisely, what one did with them once roasted.  But he wanted this Christmas to be absolutely perfect, since it was his first one with Cady.  They had weathered touring with the band and making a new album.  This was the perfect time to prove to her how much he loved and appreciated her already.  If only he could figure out the bloody chestnuts.

“Hey, Pete, I was thinking we could — what are you doing?” Cady entered the living room.

“Well, um,” he glanced at her before focusing on the package again, “I thought maybe we could roast some chestnuts.”

She stared at him blankly for a long few minutes, “Um why?”

“Because it’s a traditional Christmas… thing.”

“Have you ever done it before?”

“Well no.”

“So, how are we going to roast them?  And where?  We don’t have a fireplace.”

His blue eyes glanced around, “Oh… right.”

Crossing over to him, Cady slipped the bag of chestnuts from his hands and set it on the coffee table.  Framing his face with her hands, her lips touched his.  Her lips touched his closed eyes and then his nose, finally bringing a smile to his face.

“We have dinner reservations, Pete,” she remarked.

“We do?”

She nodded, “Did you really think I was going to try and cook Christmas Eve dinner?”

“Well… I’m sure you would…”

“Come along, Pete.  Let’s get dressed and head out.”

Nearly an hour later, the couple sat in booth in the back of a restaurant.  Cady quickly abandoned her side of the table and snuggled up against him while traditional English Christmas fare filled the table.  They chatted happily while Pete attempted to explain the significance behind each dish.  Cady finally rolled her eyes and slipped a fork into his open mouth.

“I don’t need to know anything about the food, Pete, real or made up by you,” she declared. “I’m just happy to be with you.”

Chewing and swallowing the mouthful, he quickly leaned over and pecked her lips, “I’m happy to be with you too.”

“Good, because I’m not going anywhere… without you,” she smiled brightly.

Pete sighed, “Are you happy here?”

“Of course I am,” she quickly responded.  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Don’t you wish you were back home with your family?”

Cady struggled to not spray out her mouth full of wine, “No, not at all.”

“No?  What did you do last Christmas?”

She snorted, “Same as every day with Jimi: got drunk and high.”

He frowned, “This year is—”

“Already different,” she flashed him a smile. “Already perfect.”



Slipping keys out of his pocket, Pete unlocked the door to their apartment while Cady nibbled on his ear.  With a husky chuckle, he dropped the keys before inserting them into the lock, causing her to giggle.  As he bent down to retrieve them, Cady slipped her key out of her purse and unlocked the door.  Before he could protest, she pulled him into the apartment, kissed him, and closed the door.

“That was the best Christmas Eve dinner ever,” she muttered before kissing him. “Especially the mulled wine.”

He smirked, kissed her again, and turned to lock the door, “I’m glad you enjoyed it.  Shall we roast some chestnuts now?”

“Well, I was thinking about something else involving nuts…”

“The Nutcracker Suite?”

“No,” her pointer finger trailed down the buttons of his shirt. “Something… naughty.”

His eyebrows rose, “Oh really?”

“Mmmmhmm,” she nodded, turning around and heading towards the bedroom. “I think you’re going to find it hard to sleep tonight…”