Page 14 of The Alien Who Saved Christmas

Oh, spaceship tree,

Oh, spaceship tree,

How space-y are thy branches.

From “Oh, Spaceship Tree”

A Christmas Carol for Non-Earthlings by Sadie Malone

Sadie woke up in a much brighter mood. Fresh from the deepest sleep she’d had in weeks and having a plan to escape this planet, she felt positively rejuvenated.

It was Christmas Eve, and she was determined to salvage what was left of the holiday.

She’d been terrified and depressed for the last month, so she’d written off enjoying even a moment of her favorite time of year.

But now things were looking up. Now she had Xane.

She suddenly wanted to show him all her favorite parts of the Christmas season.

“We should decorate a tree.”

Xane didn’t seem to hear her, his gaze fixed on the overcast orange sky.

Plumes of sand were blowing all over the desert, cutting way down on visibility.

It wasn’t too bad where they were, but it was definitely a raging purple dust storm closer to the town.

“This weather is good for us. Most men will stay indoors. That gives us more time to remain hidden, while we wait for the Vipri to awaken.”

They were in the control room, which was the biggest space on the ship.

It had an oblong windshield thingy that afforded a depressing view of the arid landscape.

The room itself was filled with countless buttons, weird-looking monitors, and bizarre, liquid-filled tanks that glowed with glowing moss.

When she was in there, Sadie did her best never to touch anything.

She had no idea what any of it did, and they’d probably need it to fly in outer space. Breaking it would be bad.

“We should decorate a tree.” She repeated in a louder tone.

Xane looked her way. “What?”

His otherworldly turquoise eyes did funny things to her chest. Talking about her parents the night before had reminded Sadie of childhood bedtime stories her mother used to tell her.

About her mom first seeing Sadie’s father across that parking lot and feeling her heart go boom .

Like it was starting to beat at the proper rhythm, for the very first time, because now she’d found the other half of it.

“A tree.” She shrugged. “At Christmastime, humans bring trees into their houses.”

“Why?”

“So we can decorate them with pretty ornaments.”

“Why?”

“I have no idea, but it’s important.” She gave a firm nod. “Trust me. It’s Christmas Eve, and we need a tree.”

Xane made a face. “No, we don’t.” He was looking much healthier today. He’d even found a makeshift shirt. But he was still in a grouchy mood. It was just his default setting. “I doubt trees even grow on Corono.”

“We’ll have to improvise with a festive bush or something.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I don’t joke about Christmas, Xane. You’re lucky we don’t have twinkle lights or I’d be stringing them on your antlers.” It would look adorable.

Xane ignored that Martha-Steward-level idea. “You wish to search for a bush … to bring aboard the ship… and decorate it.” He recapped slowly, like maybe he was misunderstanding her.

“No, silly.” She beamed at him. “I want us to do that.”

He frowned, still not loving the plan.

Sadie wasn’t bothered by his attitude. That morning, she’d woken up safely held in his four massive arms. Since he’d still been on his side of the mattress, she could only assume she’d moved against him in her sleep.

He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, when she opened her eyes, Xane had been staring down at her with a hypnotized expression on his face.

A girl could get used to that.

“Is it dangerous to go outside? Because of the sandstorm?”

“It is far enough away that it poses no real risk, but it is still a ludicrous idea.”

“It’s tradition.” She told him. “Husbands and wives celebrate holidays together. I mean, I’m pretty sure we’re not married…”

“We’re married.”

“…but I’m positive if I was married, my husband and I would have a Christmas tree.” She finished with a mike-drop kind of smile. “What do you say?”

His frown deepened. “I say you are attempting to influence me, so I will carry out your insane dictates.”

“Is it working?” She made a show of pouting out her lower lip. “Come on, Xane. Please? Help me save Christmas.”

The big guy was kind of a pushover in the face of her teasing. “This is ridiculous.” He grumbled, even as he trudged towards the door. “You are not going outside. I will get you a bush, if you desire it.”

“But I want to come, too!”

“No.” One clawed finger jabbed her way for emphasis. “You stay right here.”

“You said the sandstorm posed no risk.”

“No risk for normal beings, like Rtaharions. Too much risk for small beings like you. Your skin is too delicate.” He headed out of the room. “I will be back in ten minutes.”

“Fine.” She decided to pick her battles. “I’ll find decorations for us, then.”

“I am getting you a bush, but I am not decorating.”

“Well, not until we make the ornaments.” She assured him, as if he’d said something silly. “Hey, do aliens have glitter?”

They didn’t. They did have paint, though. By the time Xane got back with a brown, thorny bush, Sadie had already cut apart some old papers and coated them in vibrant colors.

Xane shook the sand from his hair and blinked at all the art supplies she’d scavenged. “What in Gloth’s name are you doing?” He choked out in a hushed tone.

“I’m making paper chains for our tree.”

“With ancient maps of the Eighth Galaxy .” His voice rose on the last words, like maybe she would get why it mattered if he said it louder.

Nope. She was still clueless.

Sadie glanced down at her red and white craft project. “Are they-- like-- valuable?” She guessed.

Xane closed his eyes. “They were.” He intoned sorrowfully.

“Well, how was I supposed to know that? They were the only paper I could find.”

“Ancient.” He reiterated dryly and dumped the twisted mass of menacing vegetation onto the floor. “I found you this feerin bush. Is it sufficiently festive?”

“It’s amazing, Xane. Exactly like Rockefeller Center.” She assured him, even as she side-eyed the creepy bramble. It looked like something out of a wicked witch’s cursed garden of horrors. “Thanks so much.”

He grunted. “Just avoid its mouth.”

“Right.” Sadie winced a bit. “Um… Why don’t we start by painting it green?”

Several hours later, the rabid bush’s glow-up was complete.

It certainly wasn’t a Douglas fir, but it didn’t look half bad to Sadie.

Paper chains and cut-out snowflakes dangled from the branches.

She’d done her best to make alien-gingerbread cookies out of food pills.

She’d even found some little laser-dot thingies to add for lights.

Whatever they were, Xane had winced a bit when she fastened them in place, but she’d also caught amusement in his blue gaze.

“What do you think?” She asked, standing back to admire her holiday handiwork. The star on the top was a little crooked, but it was the best she could do. The bush kept trying to bite her when she adjusted it.

Xane sat in one of the control room’s chairs. It was intended for way smaller aliens. He barely fit. Also, the golden fabric on the back of it was missing. Sadie had needed it to make the lopsided star.

“Your decorating is not as hellaciously awful as I anticipated.” He allowed, his four arms crossed over his chest.

She sent him a grin, pleased with that glowing praise. “About time you felt some Christmas spirit.”

A small smile curved his mouth, as he took in her happy expression. “Being around you, I feel more than I ever expected, Sadie.”

Her cheeks flushed in pleasure. It had been a long time since she’d had someone to spend Christmas with. It shocked her how natural it felt to celebrate it with Xane.

“Now what?” He asked.

“I don’t know. I mean, everything is happening so fast.” She bit her lower lip. “I feel super drawn to you, but I need time to consider things, before I agree to any kind of serious relationship.”

His brows soared. “I meant what’s next for your feerin bush.”

“Oh.” Sadie blinked and looked back at the tree. “Um… well, nothing.” She cleared her throat. “It’s all done. If we were on Earth, now we’d put presents under it.”

“Why?”

“It’s how humans exchange gifts on Christmas. Kids get lots of them. But adults get some, too.” She touched the base of her throat, remembering. “One year, my dad got my mom a silver locket with her initials on it. She loved that. She never took it off.”

“My brother gave me a necklace once.” Xane said quietly. “It is an heirloom of my people. The 1 Medallion.”

“Sounds very mystical and Indiana Jones-y.”

“It’s worn by the most valuable member of our line.”

“Like the leader?”

“No. It doesn’t go to the strongest or the highest rank, but to the person the previous owner decides is the most important.”

“The one they most love.” Sadie translated.

He scoffed. “This word means nothing to Rtaharions. The 1 Medallion designates the individual who must always be protected. Our father gave it to Hathgarr as a boy, and Hathgarr later gave it to me. As I told you before, he believed I was weak.”

“I doubt that’s why he gave you the special MVP pendant.”

“My brother is very difficult to deal with. He thinks me odd and wanted to ensure the other Rtaharions would shield me from disaster. Half the reason I became a soldier-for-hire was to escape his constant smothering.”

“And how did that decision turn out for you?”

Turquoise eyes caressed her face. “At this moment? I would say it has turned out extraordinary.”

Sadie slowly smiled at him.

It was Xane’s turn to clear his throat and look back at their makeshift tree.

“In general, however, my reaction to Hathgarr’s overbearing ways was not wise.

I was younger and more willful. I did not think my actions through.

Were I to see my brother again, I would embrace him and apologize.

” He paused. “Well, I would embrace him, at least. I would wait to apologize until he apologized, because most of our arguments were his doing.”

“That’s a lot of personal growth.” Sadie deadpanned.

Xane nodded wisely.

The control room’s overhead lights flickered and suddenly went dark.

Sadie’s eyes widened. “Uh oh. What happened, now?”

“You stole the ion-fuses for your decorating project.” Xane nodded towards the laser-dots which still blazed brightly on the tree. “I will fix them all later.”

Sadie relaxed, because he didn’t seem worried. With the swirling sand outside blocking the sun and the stark interior lighting turned off, the spaceship felt much cozier. The laser-dots on the tree provided the only light, making everything private and special.

Moving closer to Xane she sat on the arm of his chair. “This feels more Christmas-y anyway.”

“Does it?” He asked softly.

Sadie tilted her head sideways to rest on his wide shoulder. “Yep. This feels perfect.”

His two right hands moved, sweeping her off the arm of the chair and into his lap.

“Xane!”

He dipped his head to breathe in the scent of her neck. “Now, it feels perfect, wife.” He rumbled.

Shit. It kind of did.

“I’m not really your wife.” Sadie muttered anyway. She didn’t leave the cradle of his arms, though. It was very comfortable.

Xane was silent for a beat. “This holiday bush is your custom.” He nodded towards the Christmas tree, his eyes on her face. “I do not fully understand it, but its meaning is very real to you.”

Sadie nodded. “Yes, of course it is.”

“The marriage customs of my people are very real to me .” He went on. “You do not fully understand them, but that does not make them fake.”

Sadie’s brow wrinkled, thinking that over.

Xane’s fingers traced along her back, like he couldn’t help touching her. His breathing took on a slightly rougher cadence when she didn’t pull away. “I ask that you acknowledge that according to all interplanetary laws… I am your husband.”

She curved her body closer to his, considering his words.

He swallowed thickly, as she cuddled into his hold.

Another hand found her hair, his claws brushing it like he still expected her to shove him away.

When she didn’t, his tentative touch grew surer.

The purple scrunchie holding her ponytail got stolen right off her head, so he could run his fingers through her ordinary brown curls like they were golden strands of magic.

“Fuck.” He whispered thickly. “You are so beautiful.”

“You really think so?”

He gave her an incredulous look. “It’s empirical fact that you are the most beautiful woman in the known universe.”

Sadie stared at him.

Xane stared back.

“Maybe.” She finally decided.

He shook his head. “Again, there can be no possible dissenting opinion on your beauty. It is obvious to all.”

“No, I mean…. Maybe on this planet, according to the customs, you’re my husband.”

Xane froze, as if he knew that was a tiny bit of capitulation from her. “ Definitely your husband.” He corrected, but he didn’t sound annoyed. He sounded excited.

She looked back towards the tree, unwilling to bend any further. If you gave the alien an inch, he took a mile. “Maybe.”