The car was parked just off a quiet street, the dashboard illuminated by the soft glow of the radio dial. Snow was falling in slow, lazy flakes, blanketing the world outside in a deceptive calm. Inside, Rick sat in the driver’s seat, his eyes trained on the building across the street, scanning for any sign of movement.

“This isn’t exactly what most people picture for Christmas Eve,” Rick said, his voice low and gravelly. He glanced over at you with a faint smirk. “I’m guessing you had other plans before this?”

You shrugged, adjusting your scarf as you sipped from a thermos of lukewarm coffee. “Nothing as exciting as sitting in a freezing car with you.”

Rick chuckled, the sound warm despite the cold air swirling around them. “Well, if we’re lucky, this’ll be over quick. If not…” He gestured to the back seat. “We’ve got provisions. Merry Christmas, right?”