<\/p>\n
December 20<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Chris took one final, wistful look at his apartment before he shut the door. It was like an island… a sanctuary away from all the lights and glitter and stupid happy songs that were everywhere he went. He made his way to his car, noting that the skies were gray… a perfect reflection of his mood. By the time he reached the hospital he was quite sure the day was going to suck. Just like they all had, since-<\/p>\n He shook his head, not wanting to finish that train of thought. It would be hard enough trying not to go postal with all the damned smiles he was bound to see on his fellow Atlantic staffers\u2019 faces. Gritting his teeth, he crossed the threshold to begin his workday.<\/p>\n \u201cHi Chris,\u201d Jack said, passing him the sign-in clipboard. \u201cListen, you never gave me a definite answer about tomorrow night. It\u2019ll just be a few of us, after shift, heading over to Green\u2019s for a few drinks and some laughs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo thanks,\u201d came the subdued reply. \u201cNot much in a partying mood.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack\u2019s eyes softened a bit. \u201cWell, if you change your mind, you know you\u2019re always welcome. Six thirty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, thanks,\u201d Chris said distractedly.<\/p>\n He walked away, not noticing his friend\u2019s look of sympathy.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2019Tis the season to be joooooo-llllllyyyyy!!<\/em>\u201d Brian grinned to himself as he stuck another sprig of mistletoe over the nurses station.<\/p>\n \u201cBrian! You didn\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n He turned to look down at Mandie. \u201cOf course, I did! It\u2019s Christmas time, and mistletoe is a must because we need some major love in this emergency room!\u201d<\/p>\n Mandie couldn\u2019t help but smile. \u201cOkay, good idea. Maybe I\u2019ll try to get JC under one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnder one of what?\u201d JC wondered, coming up behind her. When he saw Brian\u2019s work, he scowled. \u201cLittrell, quit it. Not everyone wants your holiday cheer.\u201d<\/p>\n Brian\u2019s loony smile didn\u2019t disappear. \u201cOh, JC. I think someone needs a little holiday loving<\/em>!\u201d he cheered in a sing-song voice.<\/p>\n \u201cHe better,\u201d Mandie said, poking JC\u2019s side. \u201cAnd, maybe if he\u2019s good, he\u2019ll get some holiday loving.\u201d She took the chart he held and headed off towards an exam room.<\/p>\n JC\u2019s scowl deepened as he watched Brian hum his way off the chair he\u2019d been using. \u201cMistletoe and wreaths,\u201d he muttered, remembering the one Brian had tacked to his office door. \u201cWhat\u2019s next? Brian in a Santa suit?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, JC! You\u2019re absolutely right!\u201d Brian turned, grinning widely. He\u2019d heard all of his colleague\u2019s griping and vowed to bring holiday cheer to the man\u2019s day. \u201cI get to dress up and go to the children\u2019s ward on Christmas Eve. You should come! I\u2019m sure I could find an elf suit somewhere. Let me see, where could I get an elf outfit from?\u201d He tapped his chin, deep in thought.<\/p>\n Not wanting to get sucked into his co-worker\u2019s holiday schemes, JC escaped. Snapping his fingers, Brian turned. \u201cI know! Wait\u2026JC?\u201d He looked around and, not seeing the other doctor, shrugged. \u201cMaybe Nick could play the elf,\u201d he said to himself, spotting the med student and waving him over.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not doing it,\u201d Nick said as soon as he saw the light in Brian\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n Brian\u2019s shoulders slumped slightly. \u201cI get it. No one wants to be Santa\u2019s helper on Christmas. It\u2019s okay.\u201d He shrugged and pulled out another sprig of mistletoe from his sack. \u201cSince you don\u2019t want to help with that, could you stick this up in that doorway over there?\u201d He gestured. \u201cYou\u2019re taller than me, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick shrugged. \u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n Chris was kept hopping the entire morning; a multiple victim car accident, a few broken bones, a woman in false labor, and two hysterical patients didn\u2019t give him any time to dwell on his earlier thoughts. It wasn\u2019t until he was instructed to take his lunch break that he even noticed the disturbing change in the staff lounge.<\/p>\n Mistletoe. Bunches of the stuff. And garland… someone had strung yards of it along the walls. The myriad teeny tiny blinking lights on the artificial tree, nestled in the corner, gave him an instant headache. And, of course, someone had programmed endlessly looping Christmas tunes through the sound system.<\/p>\n He fought the urge to scream.<\/p>\n \u201cBah, humbug,\u201d he muttered instead. \u201cScrooge had it right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cScrooge?\u201d<\/p>\n He turned around, surprised. Feeling a blush color his cheeks, he cleared his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cHi Jaela. Um, yeah… didn\u2019t mean to say that out loud.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled. \u201cHoliday cheer getting on your nerves?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then some,\u201d he said, relieved someone understood.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is supposed<\/em> to be a fun, happy time,\u201d she said. \u201cBut try having a two-year old and five-year old twins and keeping presents secret.\u201d<\/p>\n Chris grinned, despite himself. \u201cNo thanks. I like kids, but they get so hyper this time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t I know it,\u201d she said, fixing herself a cup of coffee. \u201cChristmas eve and Christmas morning are fun, but I\u2019m not sure it makes up for the stress of the rest of December.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially this<\/em> December,\u201d he commented. He winced a second later when he realized what he\u2019d said. When he glanced at Jaela, though, he saw understanding.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, he\u2019d want you to try and have a good time,\u201d she said gently.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose,\u201d Chris said. \u201cBut… Jae, it\u2019s only been two weeks. I keep expecting to see him just around the corner. I mean… I can remember last year so clearly, when we had the staff party…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Dr. Littrell dressed up like Santa, but his pants kept falling down because he lacked the proper girth?\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled. \u201cYeah, that… and how much fun it all was. How much Lance and I laughed when people kept getting caught under the mistletoe. How mad Brunson was when she found out someone had spiked the punch…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe turned seven shades of purple,\u201d Jaela said with a slight chuckle.<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t stop her from sneaking a cup when she thought no one was looking,\u201d he said. \u201cI swear, Lance made dumb jokes about that for at least a week.\u201d His expression fell. \u201cI\u2019d give anything to hear one of his lame jokes again, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d she said. \u201cJust… treasure those good times. Be grateful you have those memories. And try to think of what Lance would want you to be doing right about now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019d probably be kicking my butt, telling me to get on with it already. He\u2019d want me to make the most of the holidays.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds like good advice.\u201d Jaela tossed her now empty cup into the trash can. \u201cAlthough I know it\u2019s easier said than done.\u201d<\/p>\n She left, and Chris let out a long sigh. He knew she was right; Lance would want him to move on. And she was also right about it being easier said than done. For the moment, he knew that his best bet would be to stay busy and not to dwell on what he\u2019d lost.<\/p>\n To that end, he tossed away his empty instant-noodle cup and headed back to work.<\/p>\n Nick smiled as the little girl got her new crutches and hobbled away on them with her father happily. A spunky girl who had broken her leg climbing up trees in the middle of December. Reminded himself of what he had been like growing up. Always hyper, always outside, always trying to do exactly what he was told not to do. When he was happy at least.<\/p>\n He sighed as he heard Brian sing Christmas carols happily as he decorated the halls of that particular room.<\/p>\n \u201cSo Nick, what are you doing for Christmas?\u201d Brian continued humming. He was beginning to drive the staff crazy. Well, more specifically, Holli, Dr. Chasez, and Elizabeth. The whole thing was amusing, really. Besides, Brian did seem to keep the sick children in brighter spirits, like the cancer patients. The man would be a good father someday.<\/p>\n The young blonde\u2019s eyes shifted away. \u201cProbably working.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cActually, I don\u2019t think they\u2019re scheduling you, but I could be wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n He shrugged. \u201cMaybe I will anyway. I\u2019m going to take my break.\u201d He left immediately to escape the conversation and headed down the hall.<\/p>\n Nick heard a laugh and turned to spy Isabel talking to Bianca Parker down the hall. A smile immediately appeared on his face once more. It was funny how she seemed to have that effect on him so easily.<\/p>\n He slipped into a room, after shifting one of the many mistletoes Brian had hung about the halls to the door frame, and waited for her to come down. He grinned as she turned and started walking in his direction. As soon as she was in reach, his arm snuck out, grabbed her, and pulled her to him under the mistletoe. She squealed in surprise, her coffee brown curls bouncing about, her eyes sparkling with surprise and laughter.<\/p>\n \u201cNick!\u201d She swatted him playfully. \u201cYou scared me, and if Dr. Brunson sees us fooling around, she\u2019ll have our heads on a platter. She\u2019s in a bad mood because of what\u2019s happening with Ivory.\u201d<\/p>\n He just smirked. \u201cWell, it is now beyond our control.\u201d He pointed up at the mistletoe. \u201cShe hasn\u2019t gotten Dr. Littrell to pull them down yet, and I doubt she will.\u201d He pulled her in for a sweet kiss, deepening it as it continued.<\/p>\n A loud crash disturbed them, and they both jumped, thinking it was someone who would get them in trouble\u2026 until they discovered the other young, curly-haired med student who jumped when they did. Justin, just crashing into something.<\/p>\n Nick shook his head. How Justin Timberlake had gotten into medical school was beyond him. It was a hard road to get to this point, and it seemed like Justin didn\u2019t see or respect that. It sort of rubbed Nick the wrong way.<\/p>\n \u201cNick? You okay?\u201d Isabel asked softly.<\/p>\n There he\u2019d gone again, letting his thoughts take over. Nick shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m fine; let\u2019s go get some food.\u201d<\/p>\n They strolled along to the caf\u00e9 together, holding each other\u2019s hands, their fingers interlocking sweetly.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what are you doing for Christmas?\u201d she asked him. \u201cI\u2019m going to have to deal with this big family thing.\u201d She made a playful face. \u201cCrazy excited family, good food, my aunt will take over the kitchen, make tamales on Christmas Eve\u2026 what about you?\u201d Sometimes her family pushed the pressure on her, but around the holidays, they were always a blast.<\/p>\n There was that annoying question again. \u201cProbably working.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs your family coming up when you get off?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably not.\u201d<\/p>\n Isabel frowned a bit at the abrupt tone. What was bugging him? Before she could ask him, however, Mariah approached them.<\/p>\n \u201cThere you are, Nick. You have a call.\u201d<\/p>\n He sighed, \u201cAn important one, right?\u201d He watched her nod. \u201cAll right, I\u2019ll take it.\u201d Nick turned to Isabel and put on a smile. \u201cI\u2019ll meet you there after I get the call, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. But hey, why don\u2019t you join my family for Christmas, since yours isn\u2019t coming down?\u201d<\/p>\n Nick smiled at that. \u201cI\u2019d love that. Let me go handle this call, and then we can go back to our earlier activities.\u201d His eyebrows wiggled in a playful, exaggerated way. He kissed her nose cutely before following Mariah to the phone. He watched Isabel go and picked up the phone.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Mom?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNickolas, why aren\u2019t you down here yet?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMom, I\u2019m here working on my ER rotation; I can\u2019t afford to come down. You know what this means to me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re acting like your father, abandoning us the first chance you get.\u201d<\/p>\n His ocean eyes blazed angrily. \u201cI am NOTHING like that.\u201d He tried to keep his tone down when he saw that his miniature outburst had attracted some of the nurses\u2019 attention. He saw Susan watching him until she saw he noticed and then immediately looked away.<\/p>\n \u201cThen come home, get control of your siblings and-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t that your job? I\u2019ve worked for this for years, Mom, I can\u2019t lose it by going back to do what dad should have done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you even care about us anymore?\u201d He heard her voice crack and knew she was about to cry.<\/p>\n \u201cMom, Mom, I\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m sorry, of course I care. I love you guys, you know that. I just can\u2019t come down right now. I gotta go\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She sniffed. \u201cDon\u2019t forget your responsibility to this family.\u201d<\/p>\n He sighed again. \u201cI won\u2019t, Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n Walkin\u2019 in a winter wonderland\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n The lyrics seemed fitting as Joey walked into the ER that afternoon, a few minutes before his shift was scheduled to begin. In just a day, the department had been transformed from its usual bland sterility into a showcase for every Christmas decoration imaginable. Following the trail of garland and fake snowflakes to the admit desk, Joey knew one thing \u2013 Brian Littrell had been working that day.<\/p>\n The doctors typically left any holiday decorating up to the receptionists, the housekeeping department, the nurses, or whoever would do it. Brian was the exception. For the last few years, he\u2019d headed the unofficial Christmas decorating committee, making the ER look more festive than any department store in Oceanside Mall. The \u201cScrooges\u201d of the hospital \u2013 Holli Brunson and her ER cronies, Elizabeth O\u2019Brien and JC Chasez \u2013 always complained, but the rest of the staff and the patients seemed to enjoy it. Joey certainly did. He liked Christmas decorations; he just hated putting them up. Thanks to Brian, he got to enjoy the festivities without raising a finger, which was ideal in his book.<\/p>\n \u201cI see Brian\u2019s been here,\u201d said a voice behind him, and Joey turned to see Kylie and Josh walking in, hand in hand.<\/p>\n He grinned. \u201cLooks like he has.\u201d Looking at the couple more closely, he wondered, \u201cHey, what are you guys doing here? Not working today?\u201d Neither of them were in their usual EMT uniforms; they both had jeans on underneath their winter coats.<\/p>\n Kylie shook her head, grinning back. \u201cNope. We\u2019ve got an appointment in OB,\u201d she said, her hand slipping inside her coat to rest on her stomach.<\/p>\n \u201cOhh\u2026 cool. Well, good luck!\u201d said Joey, nodding to both of them. With her red hair, dark green coat, and pregnant glow, Kylie looked like she could be a Christmas decoration herself. Josh squeezed her hand tighter, and they hurried around Joey, eager to get upstairs for their appointment. Smiling as he watched them scurry off, Joey continued his leisurely pace, in no real hurry to get to his station.<\/p>\n \u201cSleigh bells ring, are you listening\u2026 in the lane, snow is glistening,\u201d<\/em> he sang in his smooth baritone as he strolled up to the desk. Mariah was bending over to get her purse from her workstation. He stopped to admire the view of her delectably round ass, hugged by tight black pants, and the few inches of her smooth, tanned back that showed as her red blouse rode up. \u201cA beautiful sight,\u201d<\/em> he continued behind her, \u201cwe\u2019re happy tonight\u2026 walkin\u2019 in a winter wonderland.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Mariah straightened up and turned around, a seductive smile on her scarlet lips. \u201cI see you noticed the decorations,\u201d she said, gesturing around.<\/p>\n Joey nodded, but he couldn\u2019t take his eyes off her. Stop it, stop looking at her that way<\/em>, he scolded himself, knowing he had to end this, but he couldn\u2019t help it. She was a knock-out; any man would have a hard time not staring. \u201cBeautiful,\u201d he commented, not just referring to the d\u00e9cor.<\/p>\n She smiled and brushed against him as she sidled around him. \u201cWell,\u201d she said, slowly pulling on her jacket, \u201cI guess I\u2019m off. You should have plenty to keep you busy; it\u2019s been a little crazy in here today. I guess the holiday rush applies to everything, even emergencies.\u201d She zipped the form-fitting leather jacket up slowly, her hand drifting from just below her waist up to her chest, where the usual amount of cleavage was showing. He watched its path hungrily, still unable to look away.<\/p>\n All of a sudden, she let out a little squeal. \u201cOh! Oh, no! Look, I got my hair stuck in my zipper!\u201d she exclaimed, tugging gently at the long lock of blonde hair that seemed to have somehow woven itself into the metal teeth of her zipper. \u201cIt won\u2019t come out! Oh, Joey, help me, please!\u201d<\/p>\n Joey took a step towards her, reaching for the zipper, but she took a few steps back, still fiddling with it. He came after her, saying, \u201cMariah, hang on, lemme look at it. I can\u2019t do anything if you don\u2019t-\u201d<\/p>\n She looked up suddenly, and then she gasped. \u201cJoey! Look where we\u2019re standing,\u201d she said with a giggle, her eyebrows raised to the ceiling. He followed her gaze up and saw the sprig of mistletoe hanging directly over their heads.<\/p>\n In his head, he celebrated and cursed her all at once, realizing she had lured him to this spot on purpose. His eyes bored into hers as they met his. Did you have to do that?<\/em> he chided her silently. Do you want everyone in the ER to realize what we\u2019ve been doing? Do you want Mel to know?<\/em><\/p>\n But it was too late to get away now. Nick, who had just slammed the phone down at the desk, suddenly spotted them and crowed, \u201cOhh-ho, look who\u2019s under the mistletoe! Kiss, kiss, you two!\u201d His blue eyes twinkling wickedly, the blonde med student puckered his lips and made exaggerated kissing noises, suddenly seeming a full decade younger than his twenty-four years.<\/p>\n Joey rolled his eyes and felt his face getting hot. It wasn\u2019t that he didn\u2019t want to kiss Mariah; Lord knew he loved kissing her, which was exactly why he didn\u2019t want to be in this position now. If she kissed him the way she kissed him in her apartment, he was terrified everyone would see. Not just see them kissing, but see, really see<\/em> exactly what was going on between them.<\/p>\n But there was no time to get out of it; Mariah wouldn\u2019t let him. Before he knew it, she had taken his cheeks in her red-clawed fingers and pulled his face down to meet hers, kissing him deeply on the lips. Her arms encircled his neck in a vice-like grip, keeping him in the kiss for much longer than he would have liked, knowing that Nick and God knew who else were watching.<\/p>\n \u201cMuah!<\/em>\u201d exhaled Mariah as she finally released him, grinning mischievously as he staggered back, his fingers traveling to his lips. He rubbed them, and his fingertips came away red from her lipstick. Guiltily, he glanced over his shoulder at Nick, who was staring wide-eyed, the boyish, taunting expression gone from his face.<\/p>\n \u201cWow<\/em>,\u201d Nick said simply, once Mariah had slung her purse over her shoulder and click-clacked away on her heels. \u201cThat was\u2026 Wow<\/em>, dude.\u201d<\/p>\n Joey slumped into his chair, ducking his head behind the computer screen. \u201cYou can say that again,\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n Behind the glass window that separated Trauma room 1 from the admit area, Melissa reached up to close the blinds, trying hard to blink away her tears before she turned back to her patient.<\/p>\n \u201cYou both must be so excited, huh? This time next year, you\u2019ll have a baby to spoil with presents,\u201d Dr. Melanie Reyes said as she readied the ultrasound machine for Kylie\u2019s visit.<\/p>\n Josh grinned. \u201cYou bet! I mean, I\u2019ve already got a list: a tricycle, one of those basketball hoop things, and, if we can afford it, a laptop. You can never get started with education too soon, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Kylie rolled her eyes and patted his hand. \u201cJosh, I don\u2019t think a baby who\u2019s barely a year old will be able to work a laptop, a trike, or play basketball. Heck, I don\u2019t think he, or she, will be able to crawl by then, either. Right?\u201d she asked Melanie.<\/p>\n \u201cVery true. Most babies crawl around seven or eight months, sometimes even nine. So, I\u2019m afraid a tricycle and basketball equipment will have to go in storage, Josh. Kylie, let\u2019s lift your top here, so we can get started, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Kylie shifted the bottom of her sweater up and leaned back, Josh\u2019s hand clutched in hers. They were going to hear their baby\u2019s heartbeat today, and she was full of nerves and excitement. She couldn\u2019t believe she was going to be a mother soon, but that was life. Unpredictable, right?<\/p>\n Melanie ran the sensor over Kylie\u2019s belly, and, slowly, the first sounds of life reverberated through the room. Thump, thump, thump, thump.<\/em><\/p>\n Josh felt amazement flood him. The baby had been an idea before now, but, being able to hear its heart, it suddenly became much more real to him. He was going to be a father\u2014a good one, he told himself and tightened his grip on Kylie\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n She looked up at him and grinned. \u201cThat\u2019s amazing! Josh, it\u2019s our baby\u2019s heartbeat! I can\u2019t wait until we do the sonogram and can see it, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you-\u201d He swallowed. \u201cDo we want to know what it is? Girl or boy?\u201d<\/p>\n Kylie watched Melanie fiddle with the setting on the machine and shook her head. \u201cLet\u2019s make it a surprise. It\u2019ll be more exciting that way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, if you can stand another surprise,\u201d Melanie interrupted them, \u201cI have one for you. Just listen to this.\u201d<\/p>\n She ran the sensor over Kylie\u2019s belly again, and they heard the heartbeat again. But then\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cJosh! It\u2019s two! There\u2019re two heartbeats!\u201d Kylie gasped.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? But\u2026 oh, God. Two? Twins?<\/em>\u201d Josh gaped at Kylie and Melanie. \u201cWe\u2019re having twins?!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCongratulations,\u201d Melanie said enthusiastically. \u201cAnd Merry Christmas, too! What a present!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d The shock was slowly disappearing and a grin broke out on his face. \u201cKylie, we\u2019re gonna have to get two of everything, now. Twins!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTwins!\u201d Kylie echoed. She pressed a hand to her belly and thought of her child\u2014no, children<\/em>, she corrected herself. Merry Christmas, for sure!<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Mel,\u201d said Joey, when Melissa appeared with a wheelchair to whisk away the little girl in ice skates who had just come in, carried by her father. She was the third skating injury he\u2019d seen in the three hours he\u2019d been on duty.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah?\u201d asked Melissa, her voice brusque. He wasn\u2019t surprised by its tone; he knew she was busy. Just as Mariah had warned him, the ER had seen a steady stream of patients all afternoon and into the evening.<\/p>\n \u201cGot time for a break in a while? I was thinking of grabbing dinner soon,\u201d Joey said, patting his rumbling stomach.<\/p>\n Melissa hesitated, her hands gripping the handles of the wheelchair. She glanced at the clock, then at Joey, the expression on her face odd. Finally, she said, \u201cSure. Lemme just get her set up in one of the exam rooms, and then I\u2019ll be back.\u201d Before he could reply, she leaned over to the little girl in the wheelchair. \u201cOkay, sweetheart, let\u2019s get you back to a room and get these skates off so the doctor can look at your ankle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSee you in a while!\u201d Joey called, as she pushed the girl away, the father worriedly following at her heels.<\/p>\n True to her word, Melissa was back in half an hour. \u201cCafeteria okay?\u201d Joey asked, when she didn\u2019t say anything.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s fine.\u201d Her voice was distant. He assumed she had other things on her mind, though he had no idea what.<\/p>\n They walked out of the ER and followed the hallway to the large cafeteria, where they each grabbed a tray and got in the a la carte line. \u201cSo, how\u2019s your shift going?\u201d Joey asked, desperate for conversation as they made their way slowly through the line.<\/p>\n Melissa reached for an apple. \u201cSwell,\u201d she said flatly.<\/p>\n \u201cSwell<\/em>?\u201d Joey repeated, laughing. \u201cI sense some sarcasm there. It\u2019s been a little crazy, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA little, yes,\u201d she said vaguely, leaving him to frown and wonder what her tone was implying. He knew it was implying something<\/em>; she was acting weird. But then, women did that. Sometimes he just couldn\u2019t figure them out.<\/p>\n As they neared the cash register, he noticed a small cluster of mistletoe swaying right over the spot where you stood to pay. \u201cLook, mistletoe,\u201d he commented, nudging her shoulder. \u201cGuess we better put this together, eh?\u201d He pointed to their two trays.<\/p>\n She turned around, her expression humorless. \u201cWhy? Going to kiss me the way you did Mariah earlier?\u201d she asked sharply.<\/p>\n Joey winced. Nick said something, didn\u2019t he? Little prick<\/em>, he thought. \u201cWhat, have you been talking to Carter or something? \u2018Cause whatever he said, I\u2019m sure he was just playing around. We ended up under the stupid mistletoe together, and well, it\u2019s tradition \u2013 it was just a little peck; it meant nothing,\u201d he insisted, surprised by how smoothly the lie rolled out of him.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, is that so?\u201d Melissa raised her eyebrows. \u201cJust a little peck, huh? Didn\u2019t look like that to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Joey swallowed hard. \u201cWhat do you mean? You telling me you saw<\/em> it?\u201d<\/p>\n Melissa had reached the cashier. Clearing his throat, Joey pushed his tray up against hers and told the woman, \u201cThis is all together.\u201d But before she could start ringing up their suppers, Melissa pushed her tray another inch down the counter.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s not. Just this tray,\u201d she countered, touching her own.<\/p>\n The cashier\u2019s eyes flitted between them, but finally she nodded and started punching in Melissa\u2019s food. \u201c$4.18,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Melissa pulled a wad of cash from her billfold and counted out four dollars. Handing the cashier the bills and a quarter, she said, \u201cKeep the change,\u201d and picked up her tray.<\/p>\n The cashier gave Joey a funny look as he sighed and pushed his own tray ahead. \u201c$6.63,\u201d she said when she rang up his dinner, and he absently pulled a five and two ones from his wallet, stuffing the change she gave him into his pocket without bothering to count it.<\/p>\n Melissa had already started walking off towards the wide area with tables, at which a few of their colleagues were scattered. Joey hurried to catch up, his soda wobbling precariously on his tray. \u201cYou saw it??\u201d he asked breathlessly when he finally caught her.<\/p>\n Melissa whirled around, her blue eyes pure ice. \u201cYes, I saw it,\u201d she snapped. \u201cWe must have different standards for kisses, because that was not<\/em> what I would consider a \u2018peck\u2019 by any means. If that was a peck, you must not feel anything towards me at all, because all I get are \u2018pecks\u2019 from you.\u201d<\/p>\n Joey sighed. \u201cOkay, okay, it wasn\u2019t a peck. But it wasn\u2019t my fault! She kissed me! I couldn\u2019t exactly stop her; I was just as shocked as you!\u201d Well, the first part was true, and he supposed he had been shocked, but there was still a lot he wasn\u2019t telling her. He wondered if she could see the lies written all over his face. He could feel it getting warm anyway.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, oh, I see,\u201d said Melissa, her voice rising. \u201cYou\u2019re the victim here; I get it. It was all her<\/em> fault. It\u2019s not like you had any part in it\u2026 I know you would never<\/em> want to kiss her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI-I don\u2019t!\u201d Joey lied.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, no, of course not. When you stare at her ass or her boobs every time she\u2019s in the same room as you, you would never think of kissing her. When she flirts with you, and you flirt right back with no regard to me… you wouldn\u2019t want to kiss her then, would you? Oh no, I\u2019m sure that thought\u2019s never<\/em> crossed your mind. It\u2019s not like you don\u2019t sit there and watch her every time she whips that tube of red lipstick out of her purse or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n Melissa normally wasn\u2019t the sarcastic type, but somehow she\u2019d mastered the art without Joey ever knowing. \u201cMel\u2026\u201d he started, but he was glad she interrupted him because he had no idea what he would have said next.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d she warned, gripping her tray tightly, her eyes flashing right at his. \u201cBefore you say anything else, I just want you to answer one thing for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Joey swallowed. \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n Melissa spoke slowly, her voice low. \u201cI need to know\u2026 Was this the first time you kissed her?\u201d<\/p>\n He had been lying to her so long that it seemed only natural to keep it up. But as he looked around the cafeteria, desperate for some way out, and saw the Christmas wreaths with the white candle lights inside, giving off such soft, serene light, he knew he couldn\u2019t keep doing this to her. It was Christmas, and New Year\u2019s was just over a week away, and he didn\u2019t want to start the new year off in a relationship that was full of dishonesty. He had to come clean with her. From there, the ball would be on her court, and she could play it as she wanted.<\/p>\n He took a deep breath and held it. Then, letting it out in a rush, he answered, \u201c\u2026 No.\u201d<\/p>\n Melissa\u2019s face crumpled.<\/p>\n Swallowing, Joey knew he had to explain himself, or at least try. \u201cIt was an accident at first. Well, sort of. It happened during Hurricane Cortney\u2026 when we had the black-out, remember? We were in the lounge together, and I tripped when the lights went out and sort of\u2026 fell-on-top-of-her,\u201d he mumbled quickly, his eyes dropping. It was true, but Melissa probably wouldn\u2019t see it that way. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to, and by the time I realized it, she\u2019d already made a move and started kissing me. I\u2026 I know I should have pushed her off, but I was just\u2026 shocked, and I\u2026 I guess I let it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou fell<\/em> on top<\/em> of her?\u201d Melissa asked skeptically. \u201cWhy not just say she tripped you and made you fall on top of her, Joey? Since it seems to be all her fault.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, you know what she\u2019s like! She flirts with every guy in this hospital!\u201d Joey defended himself, momentarily forgetting he was really just as much to blame as Mariah was.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but I don\u2019t see every guy in this hospital falling all over her \u2013 literally \u2013 and making out with her under a mistletoe in front of everyone<\/em>!\u201d Melissa spat, angry tears springing to her eyes.<\/p>\n Joey hung his head. He wanted to retort that they hadn\u2019t been \u201cmaking out,\u201d but what was the use? The truth was, maybe he hadn\u2019t exactly made out<\/em> with Mariah under the mistletoe, but they certainly had many other times when Melissa wasn\u2019t around. He was a cheater, a rotten cheater, and she was on the verge of finding out just how rotten. He was definitely going to be on Santa\u2019s naughty list this year, that was for sure.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, I\u2019m\u2026 I\u2019m sorry, Mel,\u201d he said quietly. Then, looking around, he realized they were still standing in the middle of the cafeteria, and a few people were watching them by now. Embarrassed, he leaned closer to her and asked in a low voice, \u201cCan we at least go sit down or something and, you know, talk about this? People are starting to stare.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well, they stared when you and Mariah were under the mistletoe, too,\u201d Melissa snapped unforgivingly, refusing to meet his eyes.<\/p>\n He closed his eyes and nodded, knowing he deserved that one. With his eyes still closed, he mumbled, \u201cOkay\u2026 you\u2019re angry\u2026 I understand. You have every right to be. You and me\u2026 I think we need some time apart.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you breaking up with me?\u201d Melissa\u2019s voice rose. \u201cYou shove your tongue down another woman\u2019s throat in the middle of the ER, and now you\u2019re<\/em> breaking up with me<\/em>? I<\/em> should be dumping you<\/em>! But I guess that\u2019s probably what you want, isn\u2019t it? Then you\u2019ll be free to do whatever you want with Mariah!\u201d<\/p>\n Joey kept his eyes closed, bracing himself. He couldn\u2019t say anything.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just gonna stand there and not say anything?\u201d Melissa demanded, her voice growing angrier still. \u201cWell, FINE! Consider this your gift then \u2013 we\u2019re through. I can\u2019t take this shit from you anymore, Joey! You\u2019ve been flirting with her and undressing her with your eyes for months<\/em>. Now you can go drag her under the mistletoe and do it for real! Merry fucking Christmas!\u201d<\/p>\n Joey opened his eyes just in time to see her dinner tray flying towards his face. On instinct, he raised his arms to shield himself, but his reaction came too late; the tray dropped and caught him right in the chest, while her sandwich smacked him across the face, and her apple ricocheted off his forehead. That was going to leave a mark.<\/p>\n Merry Christmas indeed<\/em>, he thought sadly as he stood in the middle of the cafeteria, painfully rubbing his forehead, hardly aware of the slimy chunks of chicken salad clinging to his cheeks or the fact that every pair of eyes in the room was now trained on him.<\/p>\n December 24<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The short straw. He couldn\u2019t believe he\u2019d drawn the short straw. He always ended up drawing the short straw.<\/p>\n Life wasn\u2019t fair, or at least Justin Timberlake\u2019s life certainly wasn\u2019t. First he\u2019d gotten stuck working on Thanksgiving, and now here he was, trudging into the ER for his Christmas Eve shift.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to need one of you to work on Christmas Eve,\u201d Dr. O\u2019Brien had addressed the three med students last week. \u201cIt tends to get pretty chaotic in here; people are out shopping, traveling, cooking\u2026 lots of accidents happen. We\u2019ll need a fully-staffed ER. I don\u2019t care which one of you it is; I\u2019m just expecting to see one of you here on the 24th. Decide for yourselves and let Joey know so he can add it to the schedule. You can draw straws, if that\u2019s what it takes.\u201d<\/p>\n They\u2019d settled for drawing tongue depressors. Nick had snapped one in half, and naturally, that was the one Justin had drawn. He\u2019d even gotten a splinter from the jagged bottom, which Addie had had to dig out with his finger with a pair of tweezers.<\/p>\n Yes, life sucked, and so did this Christmas. Bah humbug<\/em>, thought Justin, feeling like a regular Scrooge as he passed through the ER doors.<\/p>\n The ER looked like an all-out winter wonderland, courtesy of Dr. Littrell, who\u2019d decked the halls with boughs of holly, swags of garland, strands of lights, sprigs of mistletoe, paper snowflakes, snowman cutouts, Santa and reindeer decals, and, at the nurses station, even a fully-decorated Christmas tree and a Santa that started singing and dancing whenever someone passed by it.<\/p>\n It certainly didn\u2019t fit Justin\u2019s mood, but he couldn\u2019t help but smile as he saw Joey hastily reach over and slap the \u2018off\u2019 button on the dancing Santa just as Dr. Brunson emerged from the elevator. When he noticed Dr. Scrooge herself looking around at the decorations in disgust, Justin ducked into the staff lounge and out of her line of sight. The last thing he needed was an unnecessary confrontation with Brunson today. It was bad enough that he had to be here at all.<\/p>\n As he hung up his jacket and scarf in his locker, trading them for his lab coat and stethoscope, Justin thought about Britney. They had planned to spend Christmas together. He\u2019d even told his poor mother in Tennessee that he wasn\u2019t going to be able to make it home for the holidays because he knew she wouldn\u2019t want Britney to come. Britney had talked about them both traveling to Louisiana to spend Christmas with her family, but there wasn\u2019t enough room for guests in her parents\u2019 trailer, and with medical school bills and a waitress\u2019s salary, there wasn\u2019t enough money for a hotel either, let alone the traveling expenses. And so they\u2019d counted on spending a quiet Christmas together here in Atlantic City, just the two of them.<\/p>\n It really wasn\u2019t such a bad idea; in fact, Justin had been looking forward to it. Especially Christmas Eve. He\u2019d bought an early Christmas gift for Britney last week, a sheer red teddy with white feather trim around the bottom and a matching thong. It looked like what Mrs. Claus the stripper might wear, and Britney had been saving it to wear for him on Christmas Eve. She hadn\u2019t been too pleased to find out he would be working yet another holiday and wouldn\u2019t be back till late on Christmas Eve, assuming there were no major traumas that kept him at the hospital even longer.<\/p>\n Adjusting his stethoscope around his neck, he closed his eyes briefly and prayed, Please God, don\u2019t let anything too bad happen on Christmas Eve. And if you do, please make sure it happens closer to St. John\u2019s so we don\u2019t have to take it. It\u2019s Christmas; I really want to get home to my girlfriend on time tonight.<\/em><\/p>\n Satisfied, he slammed his locker shut and walked back out into the merrily-decorated hallway.<\/p>\n She hated tiptoeing around the hospital. Metaphorically speaking. Everyone knew she was under review by the hospital board, and Holli Brunson had used every opportunity to snub her\u2014starting with the decrease in her workload. They hadn\u2019t suspended her while she was under suspicion, but, instead, they\u2019d simply cut the number of shifts she had per week.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich is completely unfair,\u201d Ivory muttered under her breath as she headed in for her Christmas Eve shift.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t that she didn\u2019t like to be home and relax, it was that she didn\u2019t have much to do when she was home. At least, not when Brian was still working. He\u2019d been nothing but supportive, but she wondered if he, too, believed she was guilty. He\u2019d never say it to her face, but, occasionally, she\u2019d caught him studying her with a serious expression on his face.<\/p>\n Shrugging it off, she moved through the ER and into the lounge. The first thing she noticed was the Christmas decorations, which hadn\u2019t been up when she\u2019d last worked, several days ago. \u201cBrian has been here,\u201d she said to herself, smiling. Brian was always hyped up about Christmas and had already turned her apartment into a Christmas wonderland, complete with a singing Santa, trimmed Christmas tree, and lots of garlands draped over everything<\/em>. It appeared the hospital was now under his siege.<\/p>\n Ivory stored her belongings and, when she left the lounge, she spotted him deep in argument with Brunson. He was also wearing a Santa suit, a beard, and a white wig. The beard had managed to slip off his chin, though, while he gestured wildly with his Santa hat.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s for a good cause! Besides, I\u2019m supposed to have a break now, anyway,\u201d he was telling Holli as Ivory drew near.<\/p>\n \u201cBe that as it may, I still don\u2019t understand why the ER looks like a circus,\u201d Holli told him in a stern voice.<\/p>\n Brian rolled his eyes and grinned when he saw Ivory behind Holli. \u201cDuh. Because it\u2019s Christmas! Have you no Christmas cheer, Dr. Brunson? Everyone has Christmas cheer! Don\u2019t you have Christmas cheer, Mariah?\u201d he asked the receptionist manning the admit desk.<\/p>\n Mariah smiled brightly at Brian and Holli. \u201cJingle bells, jingle bells!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSee!\u201d Brian pointed to her. \u201cYou\u2019re missing out, Dr. B. The mistletoe and garland is absolutely necessary. As is my trip up to the children\u2019s ward.\u201d He adjusted the beard and slid his hat over his head. \u201cI\u2019m off! Ho, ho, ho!\u201d<\/p>\n He brushed past Holli and caught Ivory up in a hug. \u201cMerry Christmas, baby! Santa has thirty seconds to find out what you want for Christmas,\u201d he told her in deep tones, his blue eyes dancing beneath the bushy white wig.<\/p>\n Ivory laughed, ignoring the way Holli\u2019s eyes were boring holes in the back of her head. \u201cCan I just have a kiss, Santa? That\u2019s all I really want.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Well, that\u2019s easy enough. Tell me, dear, have you been a good girl this year?\u201d He wiggled his eyebrows, causing her to giggle.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope so, Santa,\u201d she said sheepishly.<\/p>\n Brian shrugged, enjoying the way she played along though the chief was glaring at her. He hated that she was being investigated and wasn\u2019t allowed to work to her full capacity. Still, he knew it was something he couldn\u2019t fix, but he could take her mind off of it for a few minutes and make her smile.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I guess I can give you that kiss. Smile pretty, darling.\u201d He cupped her face and brushed her lips with his. \u201cMmm. Tonight, seven o\u2019clock, my place,\u201d he murmured against her lips. \u201cBe there. I promise it\u2019ll be good.\u201d He let her go then and, fixing his beard again, turned to head towards the elevator. \u201cHo, ho, ho! Merry Christmas everyone!\u201d he called over his shoulder, causing more than a few people to smile appreciatively.<\/p>\n Ivory watched him go, glad he could put some cheer in her day, then turned to look into Holli\u2019s disapproving face.<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Harnett. The board wishes to speak with you again on the twenty-seventh. You will be at my office by nine AM. Is that clear?\u201d<\/p>\n She bit back a groan and nodded. \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Lily! Why don\u2019t you hop on up into Santa\u2019s lap?\u201d Brian held out his arms for the little girl with the bandanna wrapped around her head. Leukemia, Brian knew, and smiled at her hesitation. \u201cIt\u2019s okay, honey. Santa just wants to know what you want for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded and cautiously allowed herself to be lifted into his arms. \u201cAre you really Santa?\u201d she asked, her large brown eyes studying him curiously.<\/p>\n Brian grinned. \u201cOf course, I am! And this is Santa\u2019s helper, my elf friend, Justin.\u201d Brian gestured to the med student he\u2019d managed to snag for the role. Justin shifted uncomfortably in the green tights, red, fuzzy costume shirt, a felt, green hat, and pointy shoes with bells on them. Brian stifled a chuckle at the younger man\u2019s obvious embarrassment and turned back to Lily. \u201cHave you been a good girl this year, Lily?\u201d<\/p>\n Brian had been expecting an enthusiastic nod from his last visitor, but instead, Lily\u2019s eyes filled with tears. \u201cI don\u2019t know!\u201d she wailed. \u201cI\u2019m sick, and my hair went bye-bye! I don\u2019t wanna throw up anymore! And, I-I wanna go home<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n His heart broke a little, and he held her close, rubbing a soothing hand over her back. \u201cIt\u2019s okay, Lily. Shh, honey, don\u2019t cry. I know it\u2019s tough being sick all the time, but the doctors at the hospital are going to help you feel better, I promise.\u201d When her crying continued, Brian shook his head at the nurse who offered to take the little girl and, instead, gestured to Justin. Justin nodded, surprisingly seeming to understand the little girl\u2019s predicament, and picked up the sack Brian had brought with him. \u201cHey, Lily, would you like an early Christmas present? Would that make you feel a little bit better?\u201d<\/p>\n She sniffled and looked into his eyes. He wondered what she\u2019d seen for she nodded after a moment and wiped some of the tears from her cheeks. \u201cUh-huh. Please?\u201d<\/p>\n Brian smiled. \u201cThat\u2019s a girl! Justin, why don\u2019t you give Lily the present we brought all the way from the North Pole for her?\u201d<\/p>\n Justin knelt so he was eye-level with Lily and smiled as he held out a wrapped box. \u201cHere you go, Lily. Merry Christmas!\u201d<\/p>\n She took the box from him and, unwrapping it, she squealed and launched herself at him. \u201cThank you!\u201d<\/p>\n Brian laughed as Justin\u2019s discomfort was obvious as he patted the little girl\u2019s back awkwardly. \u201cWhat about Santa, Lily? Don\u2019t I get a hug?\u201d he wondered, pouting a little.<\/p>\n Lily wrapped her little arms around him and giggled. \u201cThanks, Santa! Thanks Justin! I\u2019m gonna go play with my present now!\u201d<\/p>\n The two men watched her go before Brian chuckled and patted Justin\u2019s shoulder. \u201cYou did good, Timberlake. Thanks for helping me out.\u201d<\/p>\n Justin shrugged. It had<\/em> felt good. \u201cNo problem, Dr. Littrell. But, next time, could you make Carter do this instead?\u201d<\/p>\n The little jingle bells on his shoes jangled with each step. Justin looked down at the bright green, curly-toed monstrosities and scowled. He had to admit, dressing up like an elf for the kids upstairs on the pedes floor had felt good\u2026 while he was on the pedes floor. But now that he was back in the ER, he felt like an idiot.<\/p>\n Everyone was staring at him as he walked by, trying to hide their smirks, and he felt his face getting redder and redder. Soon it was going to match the brim of the stupid felt hat Brian had crammed over his curls.<\/p>\n He couldn\u2019t wait to get back to the lounge so he could get out of this crappy costume. Although<\/em>\u2026 Justin thought on sudden inspiration, looking down at the festive attire\u2026 maybe he could sneak this stuff home to wear for Britney. It would go well with her sexy Santa outfit. Maybe we could do a little roleplaying<\/em>, he thought with a smirk, rounding the corner to get to the lounge.<\/p>\n He had no more set foot into the sanctuary of the lounge when a voice called, \u201cHey, Twinkletoes! Come here, I\u2019ve got a patient for you!\u201d<\/p>\n Scowling, Justin turned to see Dr. Parker standing a few feet away, looking amused and harried at the same time. \u201cI can\u2019t see patients looking like this; I gotta change first,\u201d he whined.<\/p>\n \u201cToo bad. It\u2019s not called the Emergency Room for nothing, Twinkletoes \u2013 I mean, Timberlake.\u201d The doctor winked, and Justin flushed redder, wishing the floor would just suck him up right now, starting with his jingly feet. \u201cEmergencies come first; now come on<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Justin knew he had no choice; Dr. Parker was his supervisor. God, I\u2019m gonna be glad when my ER rotation is over next month<\/em>, he thought, grudgingly following her to the patient.<\/p>\n He quickly discovered that his patient was not<\/em> an emergency, just a regular pain in the ass dressed in a Santa suit. The man looked less like Santa than scrawny little Brian Littrell did, slumped over in a wheelchair, mumbling incoherently and reeking of booze and cigarettes, his bedraggled-looking beard under his chin. He was sporting a blackening shiner on one eye, and his nose was red and bleeding.<\/p>\n \u201cNose like a cherry, they say,\u201d joked the policeman standing next to his wheelchair, handing the drunk a fresh tissue to stop the nosebleed.<\/p>\n \u201cShut up,\u201d slurred \u201cSanta,\u201d barely swiping at his nose. \u201cI didn\u2019t do nothin\u2019\u2026 just tryin\u2019 to\u2026 to enjoy my Christmas Eve. Yoooou\u2019d wanna\u2026 have a few drinks, too, if you\u2019ere ringin\u2019 them little bells on the corner all day. I can hear \u2018em ringin\u2019 all the time\u2026 all the time\u2026 even when I\u2026 sleep\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n On the word \u201csleep,\u201d the drunk fell forward in his chair, passing out. The police officer rolled his eyes at Justin. \u201cHave fun with this one,\u201d he said, starting to walk away. Then he stopped and looked back, doing a double take at Justin. \u201cHey, you two know each other?\u201d he asked, looking between Justin and the drunk Santa he\u2019d just picked up with obvious amusement.<\/p>\n Justin rolled his eyes and grabbed the handles of the wheelchair, jerking the drunk guy towards the nearest open room before the officer and Dr. Parker could have some more fun at his expense.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, make sure you get a BAL on Mr. Claus there!\u201d called the officer behind him. \u201cOnce you mop him up, I\u2019m gonna take him straight over to the county jail and book him for public intoxication. Guy started a fight in the middle of a bar on Jefferson, dressed up as Santa, on Christmas Eve! He\u2019s gonna spend Christmas morning in the slammer; that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, yeah,\u201d Justin muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes as he pushed his patient into Exam 3. Why did he always get stuck doing the dirty work?<\/p>\n \u201cMore eggnog?\u201d Brian held out another cup to AJ, who shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo thanks, Brian. I think if you\u2019d spiked the stuff, I\u2019d be falling over drunk by now because I\u2019ve had so much. If I see more eggnog, I might throw up,\u201d AJ told him.<\/p>\n Brian shrugged and pushed his beard back on straight. The thing kept slipping so the mustache was over his lips. He\u2019d just have to buy a better one for next Christmas. \u201cEggnog, anyone else?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll have some,\u201d Addie offered, making her way towards the refreshment table that had been set up in one of the hospital\u2019s lounges for the staff Christmas party. \u201cEvery time I drink eggnog, it reminds me of Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n Brian grinned. \u201cThat\u2019s the spirit! Merry Christmas!\u201d He waved Harry and Siara over. \u201cHey, you two! There\u2019s a little bit of eggnog left. Get it while it\u2019s still here!\u201d He leaned conspiratorially towards them. \u201cAnd before someone spikes it, of course. I don\u2019t know if I can trust the doctors here, you know. They know how to get their hands on those chemicals and all.\u201d<\/p>\n Siara rolled her eyes, but Harry grinned. \u201cWell, don\u2019t talk to me, Doctor<\/em> Littrell. I\u2019m just a measly EMT; I\u2019d never do something like that. But I\u2019ll take some before we get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat! And, Har, I have your Christmas present at home. Let me know when I can bring it by.\u201d<\/p>\n Harry frowned. \u201cI should be home tomorrow, so, when you come, I can give you yours, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYay! Presents!\u201d Brian waved his arms around and laughed. \u201cDon\u2019t you love Christmas, Siara?\u201d<\/p>\n She frowned. \u201cI do, but I think you\u2019re going a little overboard, Brian.\u201d<\/p>\n He gaped at her. \u201cOverboard<\/em>? There\u2019s no such thing as \u2018overboard\u2019 this time of the year. You need more spirit! Have you found the mistletoe yet?\u201d he asked, wiggling his brows at them.<\/p>\n Harry chuckled. \u201cMaybe. You did good this year,\u201d he told Brian. \u201cI came down into the ER, and the place looks like Santa\u2019s elves attacked it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey might have.\u201d Brian grinned and checked his watch. \u201cWell, I have to leave this awesome party now. Ivory\u2019s coming over tonight,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n Siara nodded. \u201cHow\u2019s the investigation going?\u201d<\/p>\n Brian tried not to let the thought ruin his mood. \u201cIt\u2019s going. She\u2019s not so happy, which is why I\u2019m going to spend tonight making sure she forgets all about it. So, I gotta go!\u201d He patted Harry\u2019s shoulder and headed for the door where he stopped. \u201cMerry Christmas, everyone!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMerry Christmas, honey!\u201d Mr. and Mrs. Evans, Jaela\u2019s parents, said as they hugged their daughter. Jaela had invited her parents and her in-laws to celebrate Christmas at their home. Jaela placed her parents\u2019 coats on the nearby coat rack, placed the Christmas gifts under the tree, and led them to the living room, where Paul\u2019s parents already sat with her three children. Jaela smiled as Joshua and Alexandra showed them their art and crafts projects from kindergarten and saw that Paul\u2019s mother was bouncing two-year old Rayna on her knee. Joshua was the first to see Jaela\u2019s parents and ran towards them.<\/p>\n \u201cGrandma! Grandpa!\u201d Joshua yelled as he hugged their legs. Mr. Evans picked him up and hugged him back.<\/p>\n \u201cHey there, Josh! Merry Christmas!\u201d he said. Alexandra ran to them as well, and Mrs. Evans gave her a hug in return.<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019s my little Allie today?\u201d she asked. Alexandra hugged her and enthusiastically showed off her pretty dress and art projects from school. Jaela smiled and walked to the kitchen to check on their dinner. She had barely started to stir the gravy when she heard footsteps behind her. Jaela turned around to see her mother staring critically at her.<\/p>\n Oh no\u2026 did I do something wrong?<\/em> Jaela thought. Even though they\u2019d had Christmas at her home a few times before, Jaela was still nervous about making the Christmas Eve dinner perfect.<\/p>\n \u201cJaela, the gravy\u2019s fine. Sit down,\u201d her mother said, pulling a chair from the kitchen table. Jaela sighed as she sat down.<\/p>\n \u201cIs everything okay, Mom?\u201d Jaela asked. Her mother took Jaela\u2019s right hand.<\/p>\n \u201cJaela, I may be old, but I still remember fixing Christmas dinner for my parents and for your father\u2019s parents, and trust me, it\u2019s not worth all the stress. Is everything okay?\u201d her mother asked.<\/p>\n Jaela subconsciously looked down. She didn\u2019t want to ruin her mother\u2019s Christmas by telling her everything that was going on with Paul. She looked at the clock. It was 6:00 PM. He should have been home by then. Jaela nodded and swallowed all the doubts she had.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Mom\u2026. I\u2019m fine. Don\u2019t worry about it,\u201d she said, although she barely believed it herself.<\/p>\n \u201cDani, do you want to put the star on top of the tree?\u201d Howie called. He smiled as he immediately heard the sound of his daughter\u2019s footsteps running into the living room. He unearthed the star from underneath the various other Christmas ornaments his family had collected over the years.<\/p>\n \u201cHere you go,\u201d he said, handing it to her. \u201cOkay, you ready?\u201d<\/p>\n Dani nodded and giggled as Howie lifted her up. She painstakingly placed the star on top and, after she had positioned it for several seconds, allowed Howie to place her back on the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen will Rita be here?\u201d Dani asked, grinning, fully aware of the question her father planned on asking Rita that night.<\/p>\n \u201cSoon. She called earlier; she\u2019s just finishing up her shift at the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow come you didn\u2019t have to work on Christmas, Daddy?\u201d Dani asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI got lucky,\u201d Howie said honestly. This was the first Christmas in several years Howie had managed to escape working, and he was extremely thankful. He cherished what little time he got to spend with his daughter, which was even less than normal since the divorce.<\/p>\n \u201cListen, why don\u2019t you go grab the present we got for Rita, and I\u2019ll help you wrap it?\u201d Howie said.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Dani said cheerfully and took off through the house again. The \u201cpresent\u201d was an ornament that Howie had had made with Rita\u2019s name on it. Everyone in the family had one, even Dani\u2019s mother, although hers had gone with her after the divorce.<\/p>\n Dani returned. She held the ornament in both hands, cradling it as if it were precious gold. Howie took it from her with a slight smile.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d he said. \u201cI bought a little bag especially for this. It should be in the bag in the den with the other Christmas stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll get it,\u201d Dani said and hurried away. She returned triumphant a minute later. After wrapping it carefully in tissue paper, Howie placed the ornament in the bag under Dani\u2019s supervision.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, we\u2019re all set,\u201d he said, leaning down to place it under the tree. \u201cAnd not a minute too soon; Rita should be here any minute.\u201d<\/p>\n As if Howie had said the magic words, at that moment, the doorbell rang.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll get it!\u201d Dani said excitedly.<\/p>\n A smile forming on his lips, Howie followed his daughter to the door. Dani pulled the door open and revealed Rita, her head barely visible over the tall stack of presents she was holding.<\/p>\n \u201cHere, let me give you a hand with those,\u201d he said quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Rita replied gratefully, allowing him to remove some of the packages. \u201cAm I late?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, just in time. Dani and I were just finishing up the tree.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow was your shift?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot bad,\u201d she replied. \u201cDr. Littrell kept everyone\u2019s spirits up. He\u2019s been hanging mistletoe everywhere and singing Christmas carols all day. He even dressed up as Santa for the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat sounds typical for Brian. He loves this time of year.\u201d Howie smiled. \u201cWell anyway, the food\u2019s ready. I guess we can go ahead and eat.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m impressed,\u201d Rita said. \u201cYou cooked this whole meal by yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDani helped, and besides, I love cooking. It wasn\u2019t a big deal.\u201d<\/p>\n The three of them sat down to the meal Howie had prepared. Rita returned the smile Dani gave her as Howie\u2019s head was bowed in prayer, thanking God for allowing Rita to join them for Christmas dinner. It was almost as if the little girl knew something she didn\u2019t. But in the end, Rita shook it off as Dani just being excited because it was Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n After dinner, Howie told Rita rather nervously, \u201cI\u2026 we,\u201d he added with a glance at Dani, \u201chave a present for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t that supposed to wait until morning?\u201d Rita asked<\/p>\n \u201cWell, this one\u2019s special,\u201d Howie said. Reaching into his pocket, he removed a black velvet box.<\/p>\n Rita took it, smiling, and opened it. Her eyes immediately filled with tears when she saw the ring. \u201cOh my gosh\u2026 Howie, it\u2019s beautiful\u2026 I don\u2019t know what to say!\u201d<\/p>\n Rita glanced up to see Howie on one knee. \u201cSay you\u2019ll marry me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2026 Yes, I will!\u201d Rita said tearfully.<\/p>\n Dani squealed with delight as she watched her father kiss his new fianc\u00e9e.<\/p>\n She then retrieved the wrapped ornament from under the tree and allowed Rita to hang it between Howie\u2019s and her ornaments.<\/p>\n Back at the hospital, JC signed the orders and handed the clipboard back to Chris. He watched as the nurse wheeled the gurney out of the small room and thought, not for the first time that night, that more than a few people were having lousy Christmas Eves.<\/p>\n At least he wasn\u2019t alone in that respect.<\/p>\n From Chris\u2019 subdued behavior, and a few casual comments, he also knew that he wasn\u2019t the only one that found the entire Christmas cheer thing to be annoying. If he thought he could get away with it, he would have either throttled Littrell, the self-appointed \u2018Spirit of Christmas Present\u2019, or locked the man in a closet until New Year\u2019s. Well, what was done was done. Brunson would have the decorations down within a few days.<\/p>\n He stripped off his gloves, tossed them into the bin, and washed his hands. Most people hated working on Christmas Eve, but he didn\u2019t mind. He\u2019d worked last Christmas Eve as well. After all, he had no family to speak of, at least none he wanted to be around, and he hated dwelling on memories of holidays past. Christmas hadn\u2019t been all cookies and cheer, even as a child. It was a holiday he simply wanted to get through. ER duty kept him busy, and not caught up in memory land. It worked out well for everyone involved.<\/p>\n Plus, with Mandie working up in surgery; any chance of a pleasant evening vanished with her absence.<\/p>\n He wondered if she would be working on the patient he\u2019d just sent up to her floor; another stupid mishap involving a ladder, a roof, and lights had produced a fractured pelvis, broken leg, and a substantial concussion in a man who was certainly old enough to know better. All in the name of holiday cheer.<\/p>\n JC shook his head. Stupid holiday.<\/p>\n He left the room and got a cup of coffee, taking advantage of the brief quiet. He finished in time to see Chris exit the elevators and nod a greeting.<\/p>\n Before he could say anything, the ER doors burst open and he rushed to greet the paramedics as they wheeled a victim inside.<\/p>\n \u201cHit and run, victim was crossing the street when a car ran a red. Female, age twenty-two, in and out of consciousness, abdominal and leg trauma indicated…\u201d<\/p>\n He took in the vitals as the young woman was brought to the nearest trauma room. He began his assessment before the gurney had fully stopped; as Chris and another nurse hooked the woman up to various monitors, he focused on a few unusual aspects of her condition.<\/p>\n Her pulse was rapid; not unexpected, but it was a bit too high for an unconscious person. And her color… it was off, but he couldn\u2019t quite nail it. She was pale, but her skin had a strange tinge. Could it be a factor of the cold?<\/p>\n As the monitors came online, he shifted his attention to the readouts. Oxygen saturation was far too low…<\/p>\n An examination of her torso revealed massive bruising along the rib cage; gentle palpitation confirmed his guess of broken ribs. She wasn\u2019t able to take in deep enough breaths, thus the low oxygen count.<\/p>\n \u201cThree possible broken ribs, maybe four… check for fractures also, both sides. Bruising indicates internal bleeding, although there are no lacerations. X-ray, stat, then up to the O.R. She\u2019ll need exploratory-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I have<\/em> to see her!\u201d a shrill voice shouted from the hallway. \u201cI\u2019m her best friend! Where is she, where have you taken her? Oh my God<\/em>, her parents don\u2019t even know-\u201d<\/p>\n JC frowned. He heard someone trying to calm the obviously hysterical girl, but apparently it wasn\u2019t working.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t understand!<\/em> It was my fault she got hit; I was talking when we should have been really watching… No, I don\u2019t know her parents\u2019 phone number; we\u2019re spending Christmas break together and-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChris,\u201d JC said, clenching his jaw.<\/p>\n \u201cOn it, Doc,\u201d Chris answered, knowing the girl had to be handled quickly. Grabbing a clipboard, he left the room.<\/p>\n JC turned back to his patient, continuing his evaluation.<\/p>\n Chris took the young girl by the arm and steered her out of hearing range of the room where JC was working. In a calm, firm voice, he caught her attention.<\/p>\n \u201cYour friend is being looked at by one of the docs right now,\u201d he said. \u201cYou need to amp down a bit so we can get some helpful information.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut she-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh… Amber. Amber Gleason. What-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAmber. Okay. Now, let\u2019s get some basic stuff down. Tell me about your friend… what\u2019s her name?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChloe… Chloe Faith Morgan,\u201d she said, then burst into tears.<\/p>\n Chris wrote the information down, then handed the sobbing girl a tissue from a nearby box. \u201cCome on, Amber, keep it together. Dr. Chasez is a great doc, Chloe is in the best hands. The more you tell us, the more we\u2019ll be able to help, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Amber nodded, blowing her nose miserably. \u201cS-sorry,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s okay,\u201d he assured her. \u201cNow, tell me what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe were shopping, you know? We\u2019re roommates… in college, I mean… and since my family is kinda far away, she invited me to stay with her at her folks\u2019 place. See, we go to-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou were shopping, and went to cross the street, right?\u201d he interrupted.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yeah, we had just come from Caputo\u2019s, that little shop that sells Italian shoes and these awesome purses-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe street?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe were crossing the street, headed for a pipe and tobacco shop, Chloe\u2019s dad smokes a pipe, see, and-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAmber.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d the young girl said, sniffing. \u201cWe waited for the cross light… I know it was on \u2018walk,\u2019 so we did… It was cold, though, so we didn\u2019t pause for a second before starting like we normally would. We were talking about… about…\u201d She clenched her fist and gave a frustrated noise. \u201cI can\u2019t remember what it was!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Chris said. \u201cWas Chloe on the outside?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, she was on my left side, and then out of nowhere- we were about halfway across- this huge car just comes zooming down the street, not even slowing down, and-\u201d A sob caught in her throat. \u201cIt never stopped! It just hit her and kept on going!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWas she conscious after she was struck?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe… she was moaning a bit, and her eyes were squeezed shut… there was traffic, I was so scared that we\u2019d get run over by someone else…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut she wasn\u2019t really ever awake?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Amber said shakily. \u201cEven when I screamed her name, she didn\u2019t wake up!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow long was it until the paramedics got there?\u201d<\/p>\n She twisted the tissue in her hand. \u201cI… I don\u2019t know, it seemed like forever, then all of a sudden there were cops and the ambulance and all these people-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, that\u2019s all right. Now, do you have her home phone number? Address, date of birth, stuff like that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot her home phone, just her cell… but- oh, I have her purse! There\u2019s got to be something in there, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood, very good. Why don\u2019t you look through it and I\u2019ll check with the doc, see if there\u2019s any news, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n Chris left the girl rifling through a small purse and re-entered the ER room. JC was just stepping back from the now-stabilized woman.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s headed up to O.R. right after x-ray,\u201d the doctor said. \u201cHer vitals aren\u2019t that bad, we stabilized her fairly easily. Oxygen helped; I think she should be okay for surgery. Who\u2019s on call there tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Richardson, I think,\u201d Chris answered.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019ll do,\u201d JC said. \u201cI hope he didn\u2019t have plans tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe ready to go?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, they\u2019re waiting to take some films. Can you take her or should I get someone else?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll find someone, her friend out there has some information I need to finish getting.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFine,\u201d JC said. \u201cAnd Chris?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, doc?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks for handling her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo problemo,\u201d Chris said, exiting the room with a nod.<\/p>\n Tiredly, JC looked down at the pale woman and sighed. Yet another person who wouldn\u2019t be enjoying Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n Happy holidays, indeed.<\/p>\n Kevin topped off Elizabeth\u2019s glass and handed it to her with a smile. It wasn\u2019t often that she drank alcohol, but Christmas Eve eggnog was a traditional exception.<\/p>\n \u201cI wish you could join me,\u201d she said, giving her boyfriend a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cMe too,\u201d he said, settling back onto the couch. \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll have better luck on New Year\u2019s Eve and won\u2019t be on call then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, no drinking, but…\u201d She gave him a sly glance. \u201cThere\u2019s no rule against other things.\u201d<\/p>\n He raised an eyebrow. There was no mistaking the \u2018come hither\u2019 look in her sparkling eyes; he wondered if the eggnog had been spiked a bit too much. \u201cI suppose not,\u201d he said, putting an arm around her shoulder.<\/p>\n She snuggled close as she sipped her drink. \u201cIsn\u2019t it beautiful?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt sure is,\u201d he answered, looking down at her.<\/p>\n \u201cI always hate the fuss that comes before Christmas,\u201d she said, watching the twinkling lights on their tiny tree. \u201cBut when it\u2019s finally the night before… it all seems right.\u201d<\/p>\n Kevin smiled. It was unusual to find Elizabeth so relaxed and amiable, especially after a full week\u2019s shift in the ER. He decided he liked it. A lot.<\/p>\n Several minutes elapsed without conversation; the softly playing carols from the stereo and the bright lights made words unnecessary.<\/p>\n Elizabeth finished her eggnog and took the empty glass into the kitchen… no excuses for clutter, even on Christmas Eve… and returned to the couch. There, she surprised Kevin by straddling his lap.<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d he said, grinning. \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled rather wickedly. \u201cThis<\/em> is a very needy woman,\u201d she said, kissing him intently. \u201cIt\u2019s been a while,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n \u201cMmm,\u201d he murmured, returning the gesture. \u201cIt has. Between my schedule and yours-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLess talk,\u201d she instructed. \u201cMore action.\u201d<\/p>\n Kevin was surprised at her passion. It had been a very long time since she\u2019d been the slightest bit interested in making love. Lately, they\u2019d had more fights than sex. He\u2019d chalked it up to stress and hectic rounds at work…<\/p>\n She began unbuttoning his shirt, and he abandoned his train of thought. This was a side of Elizabeth that he hadn\u2019t seen…. or felt… in a long, long time. Being no fool, he went gladly with the flow. It didn\u2019t take long for things to really heat up.<\/p>\n He had just unhooked her bra when it happened. He froze, praying that it had been his imagination. But then it sounded again.<\/p>\n Beep… beep… beep…<\/em><\/p>\n Elizabeth moaned in protest when his hands stopped, but he couldn\u2019t ignore the noise.<\/p>\n \u201cPager,\u201d he muttered into her hair.<\/p>\n \u201cMmph,\u201d she said, lifting her head. \u201cIgnore it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m on call,\u201d he said with a groan.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re third on the list,\u201d she said, nibbling at his neck.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to answer, you know I do,\u201d he said, slightly frowning.<\/p>\n \u201cLet them call number four,\u201d she protested, drawing back unhappily.<\/p>\n \u201cElizabeth, you know I can\u2019t do that,\u201d he said, shifting slightly under her. \u201cI have a responsibility-\u201d<\/p>\n A flash of anger glinted in her eyes. \u201cThat\u2019s always the problem,\u201d she said. \u201cWhy can\u2019t we enjoy ourselves once in a while? Just us?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause we\u2019re doctors,\u201d he said, pushing her completely off his lap. \u201cIt comes with the territory.\u201d<\/p>\n She suddenly stood, hands clenched at her sides. \u201cFine, go ahead and call.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not getting into this now,\u201d he said, reaching for the nearby phone.<\/p>\n \u201cNo kidding,\u201d she said. She shrugged her blouse back on and began buttoning it up.<\/p>\n Kevin groaned, but dialed without comment. He watched as she stormed out of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cAtlantic, Hayley speaking,\u201d came a familiar voice on the line.<\/p>\n \u201cHi Hayley, this is Kevin. I got a page…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re backed up in surgery,\u201d she said at once. \u201cDr. Caldecott and Dr. Emerson are already in the middle of procedures and we\u2019ve got two more on their way up. The last one is critical.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be there in ten minutes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll have a room prepped for you,\u201d she promised, then hung up.<\/p>\n He quickly found his shoes and adjusted his shirt, mind already on the short trip ahead. Grabbing his jacket, he pocketed his pager and hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cLiz, I\u2019ve got to go, they\u2019re backed up and I don\u2019t know how long it\u2019ll take. Hopefully I\u2019ll just have to do a single procedure…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr, more likely, you\u2019ll be there all night,\u201d came the bitter reply from the vicinity of their bedroom.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be like this,\u201d he said, a bit of anger rising in his own voice.<\/p>\n \u201cLike what, a normal woman?\u201d she called. A second later she stalked down the hallway, fully covered in a thick robe.<\/p>\n He clenched his jaw, trying to stem his annoyance. \u201cWe\u2019ll talk about this when I get home.\u201d He pocketed his keys and reached for the doorknob.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t bother to wake me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n With a sigh, he left the suddenly cold apartment.<\/p>\n By 7:30 PM, the Miller\/Evans family dinner was underway, and everyone was enjoying the meal. Joshua, Rayna, and Alexandra were playing with the toy Santa\u2019s that were being used as decorations at the kid\u2019s table, and the adults were sitting at a larger table next to them. Paul\u2019s place was still vacant, as he still hadn\u2019t come home yet.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything\u2019s excellent, Jaela! I may just have to take some of your recipes home with me!\u201d Paul\u2019s mother said. The adults chuckled, but Jaela couldn\u2019t bring herself to really enjoy the meal. She was starting to get worried about Paul. He used to call if he would be late, but the phone hadn\u2019t rang once the entire evening.<\/p>\n She felt her mother\u2019s hand on top of hers, and looked back at her mother. By looking at her eyes, Jaela knew her mother could tell she was stressed and worried. Jaela tried to smile, but she could barely even do that anymore.<\/p>\n Suddenly, they heard the front door open and loud footsteps enter the hallway. Paul was home.<\/p>\n Jaela rose from her seat and saw that Joshua and Alexandra had stood up.<\/p>\n \u201cDaddy\u2019s home!\u201d they both said excitedly and started to run towards the front hallway. Jaela, knowing that it would be better if she saw what kind of mood Paul was in first, stopped them and squatted down to their level.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, don\u2019t you want to tell everyone about your field trip to the museum?\u201d she whispered to them. Both sets of little eyes lit up. The twins turned around and told everyone their story. Jaela, on the other hand, walked around them and went to meet Paul.<\/p>\n Jaela half-ran to the front hallway and saw Paul kicking his shoes off in a violent manner. Jaela knew it was a bad sign.<\/p>\n \u201cPaul! Where have you been? Dinner started twenty minutes ago! And you were supposed to be home an hour and a half before that!\u201d Jaela asked quietly. Paul gave her a dirty look and walked upstairs. As he turned towards the stairs, Jaela smelled the air around him. It smelled highly of liquor and women\u2019s perfume. He had been with that other woman.<\/p>\n Jaela followed him up the stairs, still saying nothing.<\/p>\n Once in their room, Paul had taken off his shirt and looked in the closet for another one. When he was putting on his new shirt, he looked straight at Jaela.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d he asked angrily. He was having an issue with a button on the front of the shirt.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to know where exactly you were, Paul. You were late, so I want an explanation,\u201d she said, surprisingly calm.<\/p>\n \u201cI was at the office. Didn\u2019t you see the note?\u201d he growled. He soon forgot about the shirt altogether and left it open for the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cThen why do you smell like liquor?\u201d she asked. This question seemed to hit Paul hard, and he walked up to her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy the twenty questions, bitch?\u201d he asked. Jaela gasped. What had happened to the nice, loving man she married? \u201cOh, not so comfortable when you\u2019re not asking all the questions, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you just call, Paul?\u201d Jaela cried. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was busy at the office! We were swamped!\u201d he said, getting louder by the minute.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, what was I supposed to believe? There was no phone call, no voice message, no anything! The only thing I had was a little note saying that you had to go to work for an emergency! And that was at God knows WHEN because you were gone when I woke up! Do you know how hard it was to try to explain to your parents \u2013\u201d Paul groaned.<\/p>\n \u201cMy parents are here?\u201d he said. He sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPaul! You\u2019ve known for MONTHS that they were coming! YOU were the one who invited them! For the record, my parents are also.\u201d Paul angrily grabbed the knob on the end post of their bed.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I have to be nice to the in-laws, too??\u201d He grasped the knob even tighter.<\/p>\n \u201cPaul!\u201d she gasped. At every family event, Paul seemed to love her parents. Was that all a lie? Jaela walked over to her husband and tried to hug him, but Paul pushed her off immediately.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! I\u2019m thirty-three years old! I don\u2019t need you to \u2018mommy\u2019 me!\u201d he yelled.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you should act more like I-\u201d Jaela didn\u2019t get to end her sentence before Paul slapped her hard on the face.<\/p>\n Jaela was stunned. Neither of them moved for a moment.<\/p>\n Before she could stop them, the tears fell from her eyes. Jaela blindly grabbed her makeup kit and opened the bedroom door so she could go to the bathroom.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, and Merry Christmas, Paul,\u201d she cried as she closed the door behind her.<\/p>\n Kevin was scrubbing up when Hayley joined him in the pre-op area. As she put up the x-rays, she gave him run-down on the young girl being prepped nearby.<\/p>\n \u201c…and Dr. Chasez warns that there might be liver or spleen damage,\u201d she finished. \u201cX-rays aren\u2019t very helpful, I\u2019m afraid…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll the whited-out areas indicate massive bleeding,\u201d he said, nodding as he studied the films. \u201cWe can\u2019t wait for an ultrasound or scan. Carol,\u201d he called to the woman at the head of the gurney, \u201cis she ready?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Doctor,\u201d the operating nurse said. \u201cI\u2019ll get her hooked up to the overhead monitors in just a second.\u201d<\/p>\n He turned to Hayley. \u201cWell here we go again,\u201d he said as she helped him don his gloves.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s hope we can make this a merrier Christmas for her, huh?\u201d Hayley said.<\/p>\n He nodded, and together they entered the operating arena.<\/p>\n \u201cClamp,\u201d he said as he looked through the magnifier. An instant later the instrument was in his hand. He carefully maneuvered the clamp as he called for suction. \u201cOkay, it\u2019s clamped… sponge,\u201d he requested.<\/p>\n Hayley\u2019s steady hand held the gauze sponge in place, clearing the area of blood.<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d he muttered, surveying the surrounding tissue. \u201cSuture number zero, please.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNumber zero,\u201d Carol repeated, handing him the requested item.<\/p>\n With deft skill and a delicate touch, he repaired the bleeder and scanned for further hidden damage. \u201cVitals.\u201d<\/p>\n Hayley read from the monitor display, then turned her gaze back to Kevin. He was frowning behind his mask.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s got to be something else,\u201d he said. \u201cBP is too low, with the unit we\u2019ve given her already she should be up higher. Unless…\u201d He gently probed a new area. \u201cSpleen looks intact… I\u2019m not seeing any blood there…\u201d He drew a deep breath.<\/p>\n \u201cDoctor, what are you thinking?\u201d Hayley asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThe slight laceration on the liver has been repaired… maybe we missed something.\u201d He moved tissue with ultimate care. Then, he saw it…<\/p>\n \u201cHave the blood gasses come back yet?\u201d he asked, focusing on the anomaly he\u2019d found.<\/p>\n \u201cNot yet,\u201d Hayley answered. \u201cThey\u2019re backed up in the lab…\u201d She leaned over and followed where his gaze was locked.<\/p>\n \u201cTumor,\u201d he confirmed. \u201cNo wonder it didn\u2019t show in the films, it was obscured. Let\u2019s do a biopsy on this one-\u201d He stopped, his sharp eyes finding something else. \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n Hayley saw his eyebrows crease.<\/p>\n \u201cLook,\u201d he said, indicating a new area. \u201cSee, to the left?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnother tumor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid so.\u201d He inhaled deeply. \u201cThis… I\u2019m not liking this.\u201d He made a small noise as he discovered yet another mass where it didn\u2019t belong, this time near the stomach.<\/p>\n He looked up, meeting her hazel eyes for a moment. She had no trouble reading his thoughts.<\/p>\n \u201cI want a rush on the biopsies,\u201d he said, his voice low. He fell silent as he began removing samples.<\/p>\n Half an hour later, he stepped back.<\/p>\n \u201cWell done, Doctor,\u201d Carol said, giving the surgeon a nod.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks to the both of you,\u201d he said to the two women. Tiredly, he exited the operating room.<\/p>\n Later, after a reluctant Dani had been put to bed (Howie had finally managed to convince her that Santa wasn\u2019t going to come as long as she was awake), Howie sat on the sofa, huddled in a blanket, holding Rita in his arms. \u201cWell, what do you know,\u201d Howie said with surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Rita asked and then followed his gaze out the window. \u201cOh my gosh, it\u2019s snowing! We haven\u2019t had a white Christmas in years! I\u2019ve always loved snow; it reminds me of the fairy tales my mother used to tell me when I was a little girl.\u201d<\/p>\n Howie smiled and pressed his lips to her forehead. Her description was perfect. It was like a fairy tale. He could see them clearly living happily ever after.<\/p>\n Hayley found Kevin in the doctor\u2019s lounge, eyes closed and leaning back on the small couch. She knew he wasn\u2019t asleep, however.<\/p>\n \u201cI have the biopsy results,\u201d she said in a soft voice. His emerald eyes opened.<\/p>\n He knew what he\u2019d find before he read the papers; a minute later, he lowered the pages and leaned forward. \u201cDamn,\u201d he said, rubbing his eyes.<\/p>\n Hayley sat next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. \u201cYou okay?\u201d<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t answer at first. She watched as he struggled with a reply.<\/p>\n \u201cThis kind of thing is always so damned hard,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d she said, voice full of sympathy. \u201cI can come with you; the family is in the surgical waiting room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI…\u201d he cleared his throat. \u201cI\u2019d like that, thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n When he didn\u2019t rise, she simply waited.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s so young,\u201d he said, pain lacing his words.<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s Christmas Eve, for God\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not fair<\/em>,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cIt never is.\u201d<\/p>\n He stood, struggling to compose himself. Seeing how hard it was for him, Hayley stepped forward and gave him a long hug. After a second\u2019s hesitation, he returned it, glad she was there.<\/p>\n They made the short journey together, neither one really ready for the revelation. Fifteen minutes later, the news had been delivered and a family had been changed forever by two simple words.<\/p>\n Hodgkin\u2019s Lymphoma.<\/p>\n Cancer. Too far advanced to combat. Spread throughout Chloe Morgan\u2019s body, cutting short her far too brief life. Extinguishing her hopes, her dreams, her future.<\/p>\n Sometimes, Kevin Richardson hated his job.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd there we go\u2026 great job, everyone,\u201d Risha said to the rest of her team. She had finished her last patient for the night \u2013 Alison Matthews, a woman in her mid twenties who had some bleeding in her brain from a severe concussion she\u2019d received when she accidentally fell and hit her head while trying to hang last-minute Christmas decorations. It had been a close call, one of the worst concussions Risha had seen in some time, but Alison had made it through surgery and would recover nicely.<\/p>\n Honestly, Risha had been a little shaky ever since Lance\u2019s death. He had been one of her first patients here at Memorial, and with as surprisingly serious as her head injury had been, she\u2019d been scared that Alison might end up the same way. But after some reassurance and advice, she\u2019d been able to perform the surgery with flying colors. She wrote Alison\u2019s statistics on her chart, and Alison was wheeled to a recovery room.<\/p>\n Risha cleaned up in the scrub room and started to walk out. Instead of taking her normal route to her car, Risha decided to cut through the ER. In a way, it reminded her of her days as a med student. Back then, she couldn\u2019t wait to get out of there, but now she missed the hustle and bustle of the ER.<\/p>\n She started to sigh as she saw Chris walk towards her. Chris was nice and all, but all she wanted to do at the moment was go home. Maybe he wouldn\u2019t notice her\u2026.<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Risha!\u201d he said, finally meeting up with her. Risha put on a smile and faced him. It was the holidays, after all. She should be nice and be social.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Chris. What\u2019s going on?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cNot much. Are you going home?\u201d Chris asked as Risha started to put on her coat.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah\u2026 just got done with my last surgery. What about you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNah. I\u2019ve been trying to keep myself busy since\u2026 you know\u2026\u201d Risha nodded. She understood how Chris felt. It had been two weeks, yet it still felt like it was just the other day.<\/p>\n \u201cUmm\u2026 Risha?\u201d Chris asked. He seemed to be looking at something.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Risha looked around, trying to see what Chris was looking at.<\/p>\n \u201cLook up.\u201d Sure enough, they were underneath the mistletoe. Someone had thought of putting mistletoe near the exit.<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026 well\u2026 yeah\u2026\u201d Risha started to blush. She didn\u2019t really want to kiss Chris, even if it was tradition.<\/p>\n \u201cMust be one of Brian\u2019s\u2026\u201d she heard Chris mutter. \u201cHey, if you really don\u2019t want to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Risha was a little taken back. \u201cNo\u2026 it\u2019s okay\u2026 really\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one\u2019s around, you can just go\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou sure?\u201d Risha was pretty sure she heard a bit of sadness in Chris\u2019s voice. Did he really like her?<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s empty around here. No one would -\u201d Before Chris could finish his sentence, Shannon Chung, a cardiologist, walked around the corner and noticed both of them.<\/p>\n \u201cAWWW! You guys are under the mistletoe! You know the tradition!\u201d she said excitedly.<\/p>\n It must be a boring day in Cardiology if she\u2019s excited that much about mistletoe,<\/em> Risha thought. Chris and Risha looked at each other, and then Risha gave Chris a peck on the cheek.<\/p>\n \u201cMerry Christmas, Chris,\u201d Risha said as she walked out of the door.<\/p>\n By the time he pulled up in front of his apartment that night, Justin\u2019s Scrooge mood had vanished. There was no point in being annoyed anymore, now that work was over and drunken Santa Claus had been driven out of sight in a black and white \u201csleigh\u201d with flashing lights. It was Christmas Eve, and it was finally time for him and Britney to celebrate.<\/p>\n Putting his car into park, he shut off the windshield wipers and sat to watch for a moment as tiny snowflakes collected on the glass. It didn\u2019t snow much in North Carolina, so a snowfall on Christmas, even a light one, was especially miraculous.<\/p>\n Finally feeling in the Christmas spirit again, Justin shut off the ignition and climbed out of the car. The atmosphere outside was very peaceful and still, and the starry sky and the snow made it seem almost magical. He lingered in the crisp winter air for a moment before finally going into the building, eager to see Britney. He took the steps two at a time, fumbling with his keys as he approached his apartment. Britney had promised to be waiting for him there.<\/p>\n He unlocked the apartment and stepped inside. The lights were turned on, and the Christmas tree was lit as well, but Britney wasn\u2019t waiting for him in the small kitchen or living room. He looked around as he pulled off his jacket and tossed it over a chair. \u201cBrit? I\u2019m home! Merry Christmas, babe!\u201d he called, starting for the bedroom.<\/p>\n The door was closed, but it was his bedroom, so he didn\u2019t think twice before throwing it open. He blinked in surprise at what he found.<\/p>\n Britney was standing naked in the middle of the room, one of his pillows covering her front. Behind her, his bed was unmade. Her slinky Santa teddy lay next to it in a heap on the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cJusty! You\u2019re home earlier than I thought you\u2019d be!\u201d Britney exclaimed, her voice high. \u201cI\u2026 Well, what a nice Christmas surprise!\u201d She smiled, adjusting the pillow. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I wasn\u2019t ready for you\u2026 I wanted to have everything ready when you came home. I was just gonna get into that sexy Santa lingerie you got me, and then I was gonna finish turning down the bed so it\u2019d be all set for us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOhh,\u201d said Justin. Now it made sense why she was naked in his room, without him there. \u201cWell, I\u2019m sorry, babe. Lemme just change my clothes, and you can finish changing, and then we\u2019ll make some Christmas magic, eh?\u201d He winked, and she smiled wider.<\/p>\n \u201cSure! But uh\u2026 wait!\u201d she cried, grabbing his arm as he started for the closet. \u201cWait, don\u2019t open up your closet. I\u2019ve got presents for you in there; they\u2019re not wrapped yet!\u201d<\/p>\n Justin gave her a weird look. \u201cYou hid my presents in my<\/em> closet?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I was gonna just bring them over wrapped, but I ran out of paper, so I thought I\u2019d wrap them here while you were gone. Only I\u2026 I ran out of time, as you can see.\u201d She gestured to the rumpled bed. \u201cCan you just\u2026 just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded knowingly. \u201cIt\u2019s all right, I gotta hit the john anyway. Brian\u2019s eggnog gave me the runs. You should have a few minutes to do something with those; I won\u2019t peek.\u201d He winked again.<\/p>\n She wrinkled her nose. \u201cHow romantic, Justin.\u201d<\/p>\n He shrugged, giving her a \u2018When you gotta go, you gotta go\u2019<\/em> look, and went into the bathroom. As he sank down on the toilet, he heard her open the closet door and the sound of footsteps in the bedroom. Moments later, he heard the apartment door open and close. But he thought nothing of it and went ahead with the \u2018business\u2019 at hand, humming \u201cRockin\u2019 Around the Christmas Tree\u201d to drown out the unpleasant noises that followed.<\/p>\n Hayley watched as Kevin signed off his shift, noting that it was now officially Christmas. She added her signature to the list and the pair walked to the elevators in silence.<\/p>\n \u201cWanna go for some coffee?\u201d she offered.<\/p>\n He gave her a tiny smile. \u201cNo, thanks. I\u2019m beat, and I just want to go home, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded. \u201cI know. Kevin,\u201d she said, shifting from work mode to friend mode, \u201care you really okay? I know how hard a cancer diagnosis always is for you…\u201d<\/p>\n He cleared his throat, pushing raw emotions back. \u201cIt\u2019s harder for the family,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cTrue, but I know it brings back awful memories for you,\u201d she said. \u201cI just wanted you to remember that I\u2019m always ready to talk, or listen, if it can help.\u201d<\/p>\n He gave her a truer smile, then. \u201cI know that,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I know how lucky I am to have a great friend like you, Hay. But I\u2019ll be okay, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m sure you and Elizabeth have plans to help take this off your mind,\u201d she said, stepping out onto the main floor. \u201cAfter all, it\u2019s Christmas, right?\u201d<\/p>\n She missed the darkening in his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d he said, trying to keep his tone light. \u201cListen, have a great holiday and I\u2019ll see you in a couple days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMerry Christmas, Kev,\u201d she said, giving him one last quick hug.<\/p>\n He watched until she was safely at her car in the parking lot.<\/p>\n \u201cMerry Christmas,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n Wrapping his jacket around him a bit more tightly, he headed for his own car, and home.<\/p>\n Risha unlocked the door to her apartment and sighed. Since she\u2019d been so busy with work, she hadn\u2019t decorated the place. She hadn\u2019t even gotten a Christmas tree since moving to Atlantic City. She used to love Christmas time and went all out with decorating, but since she was by herself, she never really saw the point.<\/p>\n \u201cJohn used to love decorating, too,\u201d she muttered to herself, getting lost in her memories\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cJohn! Do we REALLY need that singing Santa?\u201d Risha asked while laughing herself to stitches. It looked silly, even when it wasn\u2019t singing.<\/em><\/p>\n John pretended to look hurt. \u201cRish! It\u2019s SANTA we\u2019re talking about here! He knows when you\u2019re sleeping\u2026\u201d John said as he turned on the singing Santa. He pretended to dance like the Santa in the aisle of the store, and Risha started to laugh at him. As they walked away from the Christmas items, Risha looked back at the singing Santa.<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Maybe it\u2019s not that bad\u2026\u2019 she thought as she jotted it down in her mental list of things to get John for Christmas.<\/em><\/p>\n Risha looked around her apartment again. It looked really sad. It was Christmas Eve, after all.<\/p>\n \u201cI know what to do,\u201d she said to herself. Risha grabbed her coat and purse as she walked out of the door.<\/p>\n Risha walked to a Walgreens that was down the street from her apartment. She walked in and immediately went to the Christmas display. She saw tons of stockings and cute cards (and even some singing Santa\u2019s) and finally found what she was looking for. A small Christmas tree. Risha smiled and grabbed one of them, along with garland, lights, a wreath, and ornaments. After paying, she happily walked home.<\/p>\n She got home and started to decorate the apartment. She placed the small tree on a small cabinet, and after it was decorated, she turned off the lights and turned on the Christmas tree. Everything sparkled and shined. She turned on the lights again and strung the garland around the cabinet and around the window. She also placed the Christmas wreath on the front of her door. After she put the wreath on the door, she looked at her apartment again. It looked a lot better than before. It looked warm and inviting. She turned off the lights, sat on the couch, and looked at the lighted up Christmas tree. It truly looked magical.<\/p>\n \u201cHave yourself a Merry little Christmas\u2026\u201d<\/em> she sang softly while watching the Christmas tree glitter and shine.<\/p>\n Entering the apartment as quietly as possible, Kevin Richardson was eager to put the night behind him. Wanting nothing more than to get some much-needed sleep, he crept down the hallway to the bedroom he and Elizabeth had shared for over a year.<\/p>\n On a day known for surprises, Kevin received a big one.<\/p>\n The door was not only shut, it was locked.<\/p>\n Blinking in disbelief, he tried to turn the knob again, but it wouldn\u2019t budge.<\/p>\n Elizabeth had locked him out of their bedroom.<\/p>\n For a suspended moment, he was at a loss. Pounding on the door wasn\u2019t the answer… if she was angry enough to lock him out, there would be a nasty confrontation for sure. He couldn\u2019t handle that, not after his disturbing stint in surgery.<\/p>\n What, then? With a bone-weary sigh, he turned and trudged back down the hall. His remaining options were limited to the floor or the couch. After a second he chose the couch, kicking off his shoes and whumping one of the pillows in hopes of making it softer. It didn\u2019t really make a difference.<\/p>\n He scrunched his tall frame into the confines of the couch, wishing once again that Elizabeth hadn\u2019t insisted on choosing furniture that focused on style rather than comfort. True, his over six-foot frame would challenge any couch, but still…<\/p>\n Despite his fatigue, he couldn\u2019t fall asleep. He finally got up after an hour, wandering into the kitchen in hopes of finding some remaining eggnog. Perhaps that would relax him enough to fall asleep.<\/p>\n The kitchen was, as usual, spotless. There was no trace whatsoever of the eggnog he\u2019d made earlier; no doubt Elizabeth had gotten rid of it soon after he\u2019d left. He settled for a glass of milk instead, supplementing it with several cookies from the tin his mother had sent them as a gift.<\/p>\n Thoughts of his mother naturally led to darker memories of his father; familiar, sharp pain welled in his chest as he remembered the final days of his father\u2019s life, unable to battle the cancer that claimed him. It was that singular, painful event that had propelled him towards medicine. Towards dedicating his life to healing, to helping.<\/p>\n He\u2019d worked hard to become the best doctor and surgeon he could be; he wondered if his father would have been proud of his accomplishments. His mom had reassured him countless times that of course he\u2019d have been proud, just as proud as she was of her youngest son.<\/p>\n He ate a bell-shaped cookie, savoring the wonderfully nostalgic taste of it. He remembered how awesome Christmases had been when he was growing up; how much fun and excitement there was around the Richardson home during the holidays. He could still see his father pulling his mother under the mistletoe that always was hung in the parlor doorway, making her laugh with his exaggerated eyebrow wiggling and subsequent dramatic kisses. Still see them dancing to Christmas carols despite her protest that dinner needed tending to… Still feel the love that radiated from them as they gazed into each other\u2019s eyes on Christmas morning, amidst the colored paper confetti storm he and his brothers always managed to create.<\/p>\n Although his father was no longer living, at least his mother had known many years of happiness with him. Kevin reluctantly admitted he had yet to experience that level of love.<\/p>\n He had truly thought that Elizabeth was the one; at the beginning, every touch was electric, every word profound, every glance, magic. She was beautiful, intelligent, and competitive… different enough in tastes and temperament to be interesting, but alike in all the important ways. She loved medicine, both the discipline and rewards that went with it; she understood dedication and pride in a job well done. She had introduced him to art films, modern paintings, and authors he\u2019d never even heard about. He\u2019d shown her the joys of home-style Southern cooking, classic movies and the intrinsic beauty to be found in hiking the surrounding countryside.<\/p>\n As he took a long drink of milk, he wondered how they had arrived at the place they were now. Earlier that evening, he had noted that it had been quite a while since Elizabeth had wanted intimacy. Thinking about it again, he realized that it had been a startling long time since they\u2019d expressed real passion. Lovemaking, when it had happened, had been more of a familiar comfort than an exciting exchange. More often than not, their evenings and days had been filled with silences, work, or tension.<\/p>\n What had happened?<\/p>\n He still loved her; that wasn\u2019t in question. But her reaction to the evening\u2019s events had made him re-examine their current connection. Obviously, Liz wasn\u2019t happy. It had to be deeper than a thwarted lovemaking session. No, something fundamental was wrong.<\/p>\n Finishing his snack, he took his glass to the sink, automatically rinsing it out and stacking it in the dishwasher. Certain he wouldn\u2019t be able to sleep, he curled up on the couch anyway. At least he could try and rest.<\/p>\n December 25<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Elizabeth rolled over, automatically reaching out to touch Kevin\u2019s side. When her hand met empty space, she woke fully.<\/p>\n It took a second for her to sort her thoughts… then, the evening came back in vivid clarity. With a groan, she put a hand over her eyes, belatedly realizing she had a roaring headache.<\/p>\n She had been anticipating a romantic Christmas Eve, just her and Kevin for once. No work, no arguing, none of the odd distance that had crept between them as of late. She had arranged the schedule so that neither one of them would be working. The fact that he was chosen to be on call had been a mere technicality.<\/p>\n She was sure that she\u2019d finally<\/em> gotten Kevin\u2019s interest; the way he\u2019d reacted to her advances was gratifying. But then, just when things were getting good, that stupid pager had thrown ice-water on the entire evening.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t understand why he seemed so eager to get to the hospital. Almost like he was happy for the reprieve. Without a second thought, he\u2019d turned away her advances and left her hanging. Unsatisfied, unfulfilled, unwanted. But then again, it had been an eternity since Kevin had truly seemed interested in her wants, her needs. In her.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t fair. She worked hard, gave her all to the hospital and her patients… surely she deserved a little happiness, a little satisfaction, in her private life. And yet the man she loved seemed ambivalent. Sure, he\u2019d been more than ready to have a little romance last night, but if she hadn\u2019t initiated the entire thing, would he have made the first move? Unlikely.<\/p>\n Standing, she waited for the room to come back into focus… her headache was brutal<\/em>… and wondered who had truly captured his interest lately. An answer popped up almost at once, and she frowned.<\/p>\n It was no secret that Kevin spent a lot of time with Hayley Aldworth. Hayley was attractive, outgoing, and apparently fun to be with. And the fact that he spent much more time with the surgical nurse than he did with his own girlfriend on a day-to-day basis didn\u2019t help.<\/p>\n Of course, Hayley would be attracted to Kevin. After all, he was handsome, respected, and well-off. She was single, and most likely saw Kevin as available. After all, it wasn\u2019t like he was engaged<\/em>.<\/p>\n Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. Sure, they hadn\u2019t made an official commitment, but they had an understanding. At least, she thought they did.<\/p>\n But the more she considered it, the more it made sense. Hayley was there. Nearly every shift, they worked together. He talked about her all the time; although he insisted they were just good friends, Elizabeth wondered just how close their relationship had gotten lately.<\/p>\n Wrapping the robe around herself, she tied the belt tightly and marched to the door. She had a few questions to ask of her so-called boyfriend.<\/p>\n It made her angry that he hadn\u2019t even knocked on the door when he got home. He probably hadn\u2019t even come down the hall… if he made it home at all.<\/p>\n She found him sprawled half-on, half-off the couch. Sleeping like he didn\u2019t have a care in the world. For some reason, it tweaked her anger.<\/p>\n Not bothering to keep quiet, she went into the kitchen and began making coffee. Hopefully, it would help clear her head. And if the banging woke him up, so be it.<\/p>\n The aroma of fresh brewed coffee propelled him out of sleep. Slowly, Kevin opened his eyes and abruptly winced as sore muscles announced their presence. So much for rest.<\/p>\n Awkwardly he sat up. He saw Elizabeth, back towards him, snatching a coffee cup from the cupboard. He briefly shut his eyes as he realized she was still in a mood.<\/p>\n \u201cMornin\u2019,\u201d he mumbled, trying to break the hostile silence.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t reply, save for clanking her cup on the counter. Groaning, he rose.<\/p>\n \u201cLiz-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho, exactly, answered that page last night?\u201d she asked, seemingly out of the blue.<\/p>\n \u201cHuh? It was Hayley,\u201d he said with confusion. \u201cAs usual.\u201d<\/p>\n Her shoulders tensed. Spinning around, she gave him an accusatory glare. \u201cNow there\u2019s a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d he said, coming fully awake. \u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean? She\u2019s my surgical nurse, of course she\u2019s the one that calls if she\u2019s on duty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you didn\u2019t waste any time getting to the hospital either, I bet.\u201d<\/p>\n He scowled. \u201cNo, I didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n She gave him another glare and grabbed her coffee, turning her back on him as she went to sit at the small kitchen table.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you going to explain that glare?\u201d he said, his patience evaporating.<\/p>\n \u201cDo I need to?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDamn it, Liz, I don\u2019t want to play games. Either speak your mind or get a grip.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just say I don\u2019t like to be tossed aside.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTossed aside?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou knew I wanted to be with you last night, yet the second a call comes in you go running-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was on call!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou were third<\/em> on the call list, they would have tried the fourth if you hadn\u2019t answered. We could have had the entire night to ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Why does it matter where I was on the call list? Obviously I was the only one that answered the page, they were in need of a surgeon-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wonder if your Hayley even tried the first two,\u201d she snapped.<\/p>\n \u201cWait… my Hayley?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou heard me. Don\u2019t think I haven\u2019t noticed how much time you two spend together, Kevin. I\u2019m not blind, and I\u2019m not stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe work together!\u201d he exclaimed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about lunches, dinners?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we\u2019re working<\/em>,\u201d he grated. \u201cSometimes we grab a meal together; it\u2019s not a crime!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen how she looks at you,\u201d Elizabeth countered. \u201cWhen she thinks she\u2019s unobserved.\u201d<\/p>\n Kevin threw up his hands. \u201cThis is absurd, Liz. Where on earth do you come up with this stuff?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAsk anyone,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019ll tell you the same.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re… jealous? Of Hayley and me? Liz, there is no Hayley and me!\u201d<\/p>\n She refused to answer.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that why you locked the damned door on me?\u201d he said, coming around to face her. \u201cOver some ridiculous idea?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not ridiculous,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd stop shouting; I have a headache.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose that\u2019s my fault, too,\u201d he said. \u201cOr maybe it\u2019s Hayley\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou really disappointed me last night, Kevin,\u201d she said, putting down her cup. \u201cIt hurt, more than you can imagine.\u201d She sniffed. \u201cAnd it\u2019s not the first time. Things haven\u2019t been right for months now.\u201d<\/p>\n He stood there, unable to make sense of anything she was saying. He ran a hand through his hair. After a bit of pacing, he turned to her once again.<\/p>\n \u201cAll I wanted last night was to come home, crawl into bed, and put the day behind me. I was looking forward to today, to spending Christmas with you here. But I come home to find the door locked, and you on this ridiculous rant this morning. You know what? I\u2019m going to go take a hot shower and get into some clean clothes. Maybe by then you\u2019ll be able to tell me what it is you want.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked up, her golden-green eyes unreadable. \u201cI don\u2019t know what I want, Kevin,\u201d she said in a low voice. \u201cOr what I need. But… I don\u2019t think it\u2019s you. Not anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n With that simple statement, Kevin\u2019s heart broke.<\/p>\n He stood before the door, a pumpkin pie in his hand. He hoped it was a pumpkin pie anyway. Nick honestly wasn\u2019t sure.<\/p>\n He\u2019d spent the last two days trying to make what should have been a simple pie. First, it had been apple. After he\u2019d gone through four of those getting burnt all day Christmas Eve, he\u2019d given up on apple. His neighbors had even banged on his door asking if there had been a fire. All they had gotten in response, however, was Nick cursing the kitchen, loudly and colorfully.<\/p>\n After the apple debacle, he\u2019d considered cherry, but realized that would have been as hard as the apple.<\/p>\n He\u2019d then gone to the store, got a cooking magazine which had the recipe for a \u201csimple\u201d pumpkin pie, and bought the ingredients. Nick didn\u2019t have<\/em> to bring something, but he felt he should. He wanted to impress Isabel\u2019s family. Do something to show he really appreciated the invitation. It was obviously much better than yet another Christmas in his apartment alone with random phone calls from the people he wanted to avoid.<\/p>\n So after three more attempts that morning, the last one looked the least hazardous, and he went with that, hoping he wasn\u2019t going to poison his girlfriend\u2019s family.<\/p>\n Now here he was, standing in the snow, holding gifts Isabel and a pie in his hand, wondering how he was going to ring the doorbell with his hands full without setting anything down and wondering if he wanted to ring it to begin with. The blond groaned. The way this was going, he might as well sleep outside the door like a Golden Retriever.<\/p>\n As he debated this, the door suddenly opened, catching him by surprise. He stumbled back, slipping on the ice. The items flew into the air, and he raced to catch the pie. He sighed with relief when it landed safely in his hands. As he picked up the gifts from the snow, he looked up to see a giggling Isabel.<\/p>\n \u201cNick, what are you doing?\u201d She raised a brow at him, still full of giggles. He blushed furiously as he stood quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cI was about to knock on the door,\u201d he replied smoothly, wondering if his cheeks would stop being red any time soon.<\/p>\n More giggles. Nick watched her with a small smile he couldn\u2019t hide. It wasn\u2019t THAT funny. \u201cSure you were, Nicky Poo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNicky Poo?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf I\u2019m Izzy, you\u2019re Nicky Poo.\u201d She smirked. Her eyes spotted the pie. \u201cDid you make this?\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded modestly; maybe he didn\u2019t want to take credit for that just<\/em> yet. It hadn\u2019t been tasted, so it wasn\u2019t sure to be safe yet\u2026 \u201cI thought I\u2019d bring something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAww, this is so sweet!\u201d She took the pie and kissed his cheek. \u201cCome on in. Don\u2019t mind the fam; they can be a little loud.\u201d<\/p>\n Isabel headed into the kitchen and tasted a little bit of the pie. Her eyes widened. Were pumpkin pies supposed to have bones<\/em>? After pulling a tiny one out, she snuck the pie into the back of the fridge and pulled out the store bought pumpkin pie when Nick\u2019s gaze had shifted elsewhere. Sometimes, ignorance was truly bliss.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t be too bad\u2026\u201d Nick\u2019s mind wandered. Just before he had put that last pie in the oven, he\u2019d knocked a bowl over by accident\u2026 Those chicken wing remains didn\u2019t fall in, did they? He considered it\u2026 Nah, he doubted it strongly. He hoped. Well, it was too late now.<\/p>\n \u201cTrust me\u2026\u201d They heard a bunch of excited yelling, followed by a tiny crash. She laughed, \u201cThey can get that way.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick chuckled, \u201cI\u2019m used to loud\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Nick was NOT used to loud. It was twenty versions of the Isabel he knew: male forms, female forms, forms that only had a slight resemblance. All loud, vocal, talkative, and speaking mainly in a language he had no comprehension of. All reaching for food after the very quick prayer before dinner.<\/p>\n He looked over across the table, where Isabel\u2019s father, Adrian Rivera, was sitting. Beside him was Alicia, Isabel\u2019s sister. She was identical to Isabel; you couldn\u2019t tell the two apart at first glance, until you saw how Alicia looked a bit older, more adult, more self-assured, but not in the good way.<\/p>\n These were the doctors Iz had told him about.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, you\u2019re the Nick my daughter keeps talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n Oh boy, the father talk. The large family chattered on and fought over food animatedly with no notice to them. Nick sat up, trying not to let his eyes run away from Adrian\u2018s. The man had an air about him that made you feel you\u2018re not worthy of his presence. \u201cUm, yes sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Alicia smirked a bit. \u201cWhat do you do? All she talks about is how sweet you are. She doesn\u2018t discuss her job at the hospital much, only school.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick gave Alicia a look. Okay, perhaps it was too soon, but he didn\u2019t like her. She seemed too confident. His azure eyes glanced over to Isabel. She was looking down, eating quietly. It was such a sudden mood change, and it caught him by surprise. \u201cI\u2019m a med student, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust a third-year?\u201d The older sister nodded and ate the food. \u201cGood for you then.\u201d She smirked. \u201cIt\u2019s hard work; few can handle getting past that. I\u2019m a neurologist,\u201d she informed them all too smugly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou going to treat my daughter right, young man?\u201d Isabel\u2019s father stared Nick down, after having stayed quiet for a short while. It unnerved Nick a bit.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow about some pie? Nick made it for us.\u201d The table suddenly cheered, and Nick tried very hard to surpass a chuckle and thank Isabel mentally for the distraction. She gave Nick, Adrian, and Alicia each a piece before going down to serve the rest of the secretly-switched store-bought pie. She got a slice for herself and sat next to Nick to see his reaction.<\/p>\n He took a bite and blinked, his bright blue eyes showing his obvious surprise. \u201cI am a good cook!\u201d he said quietly to Isabel.<\/p>\n The young Hispanic woman smiled, silently reminding herself not to let the family taste the other pie. Isabel watched her father and sister closely. They were going to try and chase him away. She could feel it.<\/p>\n She grabbed Nick\u2019s hand and stood. \u201cWe\u2019re going outside for a walk.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at her and nodded in understanding as he rose as well, following her out the door before any of the family could say anything. On the way, he grabbed the main gift of the few he had brought for her. They put on their coats and went out, as the rare Christmas snow slowly fell upon them outside.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving fun?\u201d she asked, gazing at him gently.<\/p>\n He smiled and gave her her present. She opened it happily, to discover an obviously expensive charm bracelet with little medical tools and symbols between little hearts. It had a larger heart in the middle, and inscribed on it were their names and the day they had met. She squealed with joy, as she hugged him tight.<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t have to get me that. But thank you; I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n She handed him a small box as well. He opened it to find a necklace with a golden stethoscope on the end, glittering in the evening sun. On the back it said, Dr. Nickolas Carter.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI know we\u2019re not doctors yet, but I thought this would be an early sign of what we will be.\u201d<\/p>\n He pulled her close, kissing her deeply after putting it on. \u201cThank you,\u201d he said to her softly. Nick smiled; it was turning out to be a good day after all.<\/p>\n It was then that he heard the laughter of a family, and his whole demeanor changed. The two started walking, enjoying the overall serenity with the child\u2019s laughter being the only sound between them for several moments. His hand interlocked with hers as they walked along.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re so tense. What\u2019s been wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing\u2026\u201d He looked away again. Could he not talk about his family? It seemed horrible not to want to think of them on Christmas Day, but really, it was all he wanted. Was it a lot for Nick to ask for?<\/p>\n She stopped, grabbing his shoulders and turned him towards her. Her soft, caring coffee eyes looked determinedly into his sad, lost ocean ones. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? Could you just tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t understand, Iz.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTry me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just know you wouldn\u2019t, all right?!\u201d He moved away, watching a father and son happily build a snowman, revealing patches of dead grass as they rolled the light coating of snow into three balls. Something so simple, forever denied from him.<\/p>\n She sighed, wrapping her arms around him from behind, setting her head on his shoulder. \u201cIt\u2019s about your family, isn\u2019t it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just want a normal one, Iz. Is that a lot to ask for?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo family is normal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, trust me, your family is normal. Everyone\u2019s is, almost, compared to mine. Not having to grow up living in a rest home and then out of your car. Then when you finally get this tiny home in Orlando where no tourist would ever dare go near, your father acts like a chicken shit and leaves the first time a whore looks at him. I\u2019ve been the father since then to them. I had to raise my brother, my three sisters, my mother even \u2018cause after he left, she hasn\u2019t been the same. It took me forever to get here, Iz, and now my family seems to be falling apart again back home. My siblings are doing things I can\u2019t comprehend, and I don\u2019t know how to stop it. I can\u2019t go back to Florida, I can\u2019t give this all up, but I can\u2019t be like my father! I can\u2019t! I\u2019m not abandoning them, but I want my own life too! My mother keeps wanting me home, but I know once I go back, they won\u2019t let me leave\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Tears stung his eyes, and Nick was shocked at letting his emotions go so freely this time. He didn\u2019t even say it all. Yet, the pain of it wouldn\u2019t stop coming.<\/p>\n He let his loving girlfriend hug him, as the pain escaped his heart, through the tears coming from his deep blue eyes, and vanished into the Christmas night sky.<\/p>\n Episode 19: \u2018Tis the Season December 20 Chris took one final, wistful look at his apartment before he shut the door. It was like an island… a sanctuary away from all the lights and glitter and stupid happy songs that were everywhere he went. He made his way to …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":66,"menu_order":19,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-244","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/244\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":333,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/244\/revisions\/333"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/codeblue\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}+++<\/h4>\n
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Episode 20<\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"