InsaneJournal

RP: Christmas Eve
Who: Everyone
Where: The chapel and then the rec room
When: Christmas Eve
Summary:

Leon had gone through the service much like a real Methodist service would have gone, using Christmas songs instead of hymns, going through the step in a very non ecumenical way to make sure everyone felt included, but really besides the Creed and the Our Father, everything else was pretty relaxed. The important part was the sermon, the part that made him uncomfortable. Sure, he could pretend to be a minister, but he wasn't one and there was a different quality when you were lying in front of God, but he could give them something he rarely gave people: a piece of the truth.

"If we were in a real church, you'd be listening to the birth of Jesus and the importance of his coming, but those of us who've gone to church through the years have heard those sermons more than ones, and those who don't go don't feel any comfort from it, so I'll tell you about a different story and the thanks given are not just to God. Like all story on Christmas, it starts with a boy born in Chicago, who spent a few years in Ohio and went back Chicago. We were Southern Baptists," he said, smiling at Savannah. "We had our church, the white folks had their own, even though we were all Baptists. Things weren't any better in Chicago. If anything the discrimination was worse. I was determined to get out of there. I started my career when I picked a college, but without knowing a sealed my faith. Everything became classified, my school, the military branch I belong to, the missions. Only a few people have seen my real file. Then there's a second life, a legent, a cover, a life that everyone else knows. Even my wife and kids only know what's in the second file. Only one person ever figured out that I couldn't be in the branch I said I was. When we came here, it was just another cover, another life, and then slowly people arrived, and suddenly I was responsible for people who never lived this life.

"Tonight we celebrate the birth of a man who gave everything for us, who died for us, but as any parent in this room and some who aren't parents know, giving your life for someone isn't the ultimate sacrifice. Taking a life to protect someone is the real sacrifice, and this is what I forgot. Some of us have done this so long that we don't remember why it's such a sacrifice, but watching many of the faces in this room reminded me of that fact." He stopped as Savannah got up and moved through the chairs to leave the house. It was time to bring this to an end it seemed.

"You've made this sacrifice, but tonight is a night of rebirth, a night where we rely on God's love and the love of the ones around us to take the first step, to move forward, because that sacrifice shouldn't be in vain, it shouldn't annihilate all the good that's in us. Each one of you has contributed so much to this team, but it's your personalities, your care, your love that has turned a group of people into something close to family and I want to thank you for that." He nodded toward Brian and watched him go, but this had been planned. "If we were in some other church, we would sing a last song and go home. I'm sure you're tired, want to get some rest for tomorrow, but before we do that, I have a little something as a personal thank you. If you could please, put your coats on and follow me."

He took his own coat and walked to the rec center. This was the reason why he had spent a lot of time with Brian, making more than a few trips into the city, but seeing the final product for the first time made it worth it. Much like at the base, Brian had used little to turn this into 'a club'. The living room floor was much the same as the other houses, but that's where the similarities ended. The walls were covered in shiny red wrapping paper. The kitchen's counter was a bar. There were two sectionals covered with colored fabrics. In the corner sat the stage: a drum set, a sax, a keyboard and a guitar with bows were standing there. Brian, with John's help, had sat up lights and speakers.

"I hear someone wanted a game room. In the small bedroom, we have a TV, game system, controllers and all of that. There's a small weight room where the master room should be. The last bedroom is a small movie theater with a giant TV, DVD, computer hook ups. This is my gift to all of you, and Mr. Hanna, yes, you can start playing for the night," he said with a smile.