First Thanksgiving

Cagney was perched atop a bookcase, looking like an interior decorator had said "Place cat here". He had kept a wary eye on Bronx since the gargoyles arrived. He relaxed a little when he heard Elisa coming up the stairs.

"Hi guys, sorry I'm late." said Elisa as she entered her apartment.

"Ach, dinna fash yourself, lass." responded Hudson "We've no been here long."

"Yeah, only a couple of minutes, Elisa. What's cooking?" queried Broadway. "Sure smells good!" Brooklyn smirked at his brothers question while Elisa hung up her coat.

"That's dressing you smell, plus the ham." answered Elisa. She had set the oven to slow cook the ham, and keep every thing else warm while she'd had dinner with her family, she hoped everything was done. She had set the range to keep the stock pot at simmer, to cook the ten pounds of potatoes. Elisa had a good idea of how much her winged friends could eat. "There's turkey in the oven, too." She headed for her kitchen.

"Sounds like you're preparing quite a feast. Who's it for?" asked Brooklyn.

"Why, you guys." Elisa answered, surprised. She locked her gun away.

"We were wondering why you asked us here." Goliath intoned. "What is the occasion?"

Elisa stared for a moment. "It's Thanksgiving." At her friends blank looks she realized the problem. "Ah, right. Sorry, the holiday's only been around a few centuries, and it's an American holiday anyway. It's a day set aside to celebrate the blessings of the year." She thought a moment. "I think the Canadians picked it up from us, but I'm not sure." She checked the potatoes. Good, they're done, but not overcooked. "People get together with their families, have a big dinner, that sort of thing."

"You just came from being with your family, I'll bet" stated Lexington.

"Except for my sister, Beth. She won't be home until Christmas break." And a long distance phone call just isn't the same. thought Elisa.

"Need any help, Elisa?" Broadway volunteered.

"If Broadway's going to help, we'd better too. Otherwise none of the food will get to the table" Brooklyn jested.

"Hey!" Broadway protested.

Elisa laughed. "Sure. Brooklyn, you can mash the potatoes. Broadway, let's see if you can slice a ham. Lex, you can help me set out the rest of the food."

"What about us, lass?" asked Hudson.

"There's only so much room over here, you and Goliath can help set the table." Elisa instructed Brooklyn in the art of potato mashing. "Careful, it's hot" she warned.

As he and Hudson carefully set out the dishes, Goliath brooded. What do we have, to be thankful for? We've lost our clan, our home, our very time. He tried not to think about Demona. Goliath had discovered that finding out someone you loved had become a monster was worse than their dying. We are the last of our kind. When we are gone, the race of gargoyles will be extinct.

Another part of him replied We are alive, and together. He recalled the joy he had felt discovering that, when they had awakened after their thousand year sleep.

He looked towards Elisa, who was giving Broadway pointers on carving. And we have a trustworthy ally, a true friend. Elisa had guarded him throughout that day in the park, surely at some risk to herself. And she had saved his live for certain, later that night. Yes, she is the best friend we have ever had.

The table set, he and Hudson helped Elisa and Lex place the food on a side table Elisa had set up. He glanced at the bookcases in Elisa's living room. A thousand years ago, books had to be made by hand, and so were expensive and rare. Elisa's library would have befit no less than a baron. And the library annex next to the clock tower would be the envy of kings. When he first saw it, he had thought of the fabled library of Alexandria. He could spend decades and not read all of it. He had never dreamed he would ever see so many books gathered in one place.

Every thing set, they sat down for the meal. Elisa had saved the bone from the ham (with a nice portion of meat on it), plus some other scraps for Bronx. Elisa said a brief prayer while the gargoyles waited respectfully, then they dug in.

We have never done this before, Goliath realized. Sat down as humans do, and share a meal with a friend. He glanced at Elisa, then remembered what she had said earlier '... get together with their families ...'. A few hours ago she did this with her family. She is treating us as family. As clan. And it didn't seem strange. When did we start thinking of each other as family? he wondered. It doesn't really matter. What matters is that we do have things to be thankful for, after all.

"This is a good custom." Goliath stated.

"Aye, lad." Hudson agreed. The Trio nodded.

"Glad you approve." Elisa smiled.

"A toast" Goliath proposed, "to family."

All lifted their glasses. "To family" they chorused.