This fic was inspired by recent viewings of "The World Is Not Enough" and "Season's Greedings," both of which featured actress Denise Richards. It occurred to me that there's no reason her two characters couldn't be the same woman, and that, through Jimmy's NIA connections, they might just meet again.

MARRY CHRISTMAS

by Pam Jernigan <jernigan@bellsouth.net>

Jimmy Olsen entered the hotel lobby and looked around for his father. It had been a few years since the last time father and son had spent any time together, and Jimmy was cautiously looking forward to the evening. The NIA agent had mentioned that he had something important to communicate, and hinted that he might be around more in the future -- Jimmy didn't quite know what to make of that, but he tried to keep his hopes up.

"Jim! Over here!" Jimmy turned his head to see his father beckoning him from across the room, and he hurried over to join his dad at one of the small conversation areas. After an awkward moment, they shook hands, and Jimmy sat down on the hotel couch, facing his father on a matching couch across a low coffee table.

"So, Dad ... good to see you."

"That it is, son, that it is ..." Jack Olsen kept glancing around the room, and Jimmy noticed that his father had a seat that faced the entrances. Old spy habits seemed to die hard, but then, he supposed that if the habits died, so might his dad, and he didn't want that.

"Are you in town for long?"

"Well, actually ... yes, I think so. See, the big news is...." Jack scanned the room once more, then focused on Jimmy and smiled broadly. "I've quit the agency."

Jimmy blinked. "Wow, really? I thought you loved it!"

Jack shrugged ruefully. "I loved it, but it didn't love me. I wasn't fond of the idea at first, but it's grown on me -- there were a lot of things I couldn't do before, that now maybe I can. Like spend time with you."

"Wow," Jimmy repeated, slightly stunned at the thought. It had taken him a while to get used to the idea that his dad was an NIA agent, instead of the cover stories he'd always been told, and now he'd have to adjust his thinking again. He smiled suddenly. "I'd love to spend more time with you, Dad!"

Jack smiled, settling back into his seat, his gaze flicking out into the crowd again before returning to Jimmy. "I was hoping you'd say that." His voice lowered, and his eyes dropped. "I know I haven't been much of a father -- and I can't make it up to you, I know, but ... I was hoping we could start again. At least we might be friends?"

"Well, we can sure give it a try--" Jimmy broke off as his dad rose to his feet, smiling over Jimmy's head in warm welcome. Jimmy turned, and almost fell off the couch as he beheld a stunning young brunette.

"Hello, Jack, sorry I'm late," she began, then caught sight of Jimmy. "Is this your son?"

Jack guided her around to sit on the couch next to him and said proudly, "Christmas, meet James Olsen. Jim, this is my ... friend, Dr. Christmas Jones." She flashed him a look full of hidden meanings, but Jimmy was too distracted by another puzzle. He frowned at her, and asked "Haven't we met? Yeah, we did! You used to work at the Daily Planet for a little while!"

"She did?" Jack asked in some amazement. "It's not exactly her field."

"She did," Jimmy confirmed, then hesitated. "But you didn't go by Christmas, you said your name was Angela?"

Under the interested looks of both Olsens, Christmas blushed and explained, "Well, a few years ago I spent some time interning there, but it didn't take me long to realize it wasn't the job for me, so I went back to school and finished my degree in nuclear physics."

"Oh," Jimmy said blankly. "Did the stuff with the Space Rats scare you off? It's not usually that weird around the Planet -- well, not always, well -- um, anyway, I'm sure nuclear physics is much less exciting."

"You'd be surprised," she replied, smiling slightly. "And I went by Angela because I got tired of the jokes about my name -- especially considering that I went to work there in December! So I used my middle name -- my mother actually christened me 'Christmas Angel'." She shook her head indulgently. "I love my mom, but she's not all there sometimes."

"So, you're a doctor now ..." Jimmy tried to imagine this. "And how'd you meet my dad?"

"Through a mutual friend," Jack explained. "And I can't give you many more details except for his name."

"Bond," Christmas intoned, her mouth twitching with humor. "James Bond. He's a heck of a guy, I have to admit, but ... he had a little bit of a problem with commitment."

Jack smiled fondly at her. "So I was able to steal her away -- you see, Jimmy, she's the other reason I don't mind retiring."

Jimmy stared at his dad in dismay as the implications began to sink in. Angela -- Christmas -- was an old *girlfriend* of his, for pete's sake. Surely his dad didn't mean to....

Jack watched his son and sighed. "I can see you've guessed -- I hope you'll be able to accept it in time. I honestly had no idea you two had known each other."

"I should have realized," Christmas said mournfully, "But I just never imagined -- I'm so sorry that this comes as a shock to you, Jimmy, I always liked you ... we were just never meant to be together."

Jimmy looked from one to the other. "Are you guys saying what I think you're saying?"

Jack nodded. "Jimmy ... meet your new stepmother."

Christmas smiled brightly. Stunned, Jimmy remembered the first time he'd met this woman -- he hadn't been able to say anything coherent then, either. Almost inaudibly, he muttered, "I guess this means I'm not in charge of it."

THE END <g>