Home For Christmas, a twilight fanfic

My Christmas fic for this year! Probably not the only one, but it's the one I worked like crazy on. It may be a little hard to follow, but I hope it's good! It's only rated for some language and implied events, but it's not nearly as mature as Learning, Trusting, Loving, if that's any indication to how mature it actually is, which is not a lot. I don't own anything you recognize, but I made up the bedtime story, so...ya.

Present Day, Late Night December 22nd

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are preparing for takeoff. Please buckle your seat belts. We will arrive in Seattle, Washington at approximately two AM Pacific Standard Time." The static filled voice of the flight attendant filled the air in the first class department.

I had eight hours before I had to face my family for Christmas. It wasn't the family I was worried about. It was the absence of the boyfriend I had been planning on bringing home. A week before our departure, I'd stopped by his dorm room to bring him some Chinese takeout, only to find him in quite a compromising position with my best college friend. What started as a flight for three (my 'best friend' being agnostic and having no plans with her family for the holiday break) ended as a call to my family to cancel two tickets. My parents decided to trade the coach tickets in for a first class, since I was already stressed enough without sitting on a rock for eight hours. I was mostly concerned about facing my old friend, who had apparently gotten quite a crush on someone from high school, and was planning on asking her to Christmas dinner, according to his last E-mail to me.

"Are you okay?" a little girl asked me across the aisle. "Mommy says you're nervous."

"Bailey, we don't bother nice ladies," her mother chided, looking apologetically at me. "I'm so sorry. She kept asking me why you were tapping your fingers together and I had to tell her something or you'd have to face her curiosity. I hope that's alright."

I smiled at the little girl and her mother. "It's fine. Yes, sweetie, I'm just a little nervous about flying."

The little girls wide blue eyes studied me. "I was scared of flying, too. But my mommy told me that's the only way we can go home so Santa can find me, so I'm not scared anymore."

"Of course! Santa would be sad if he couldn't find you," I said, making her mother smirk. "You seem like such a nice little girl. I'll bet your name is the first on his list."

"Really? Your name should be there, too! No one in the city would talk to me! Mommy says they don't know what hospital reality is."

"Hospitality, Bailey," he mother corrected, making an apologetic face at me. "Bailey, don't you want to leave the nice lady alone?"

The little girl looked puzzled. "But she's nice. And she didn't even tell us her name yet. How can we be friends if we don't know her name."

I extended my hand to her. "I'm Nessie."

"Toni," the mother said, smiling and shaking my hand. "Bailey seems to like you. She likes anyone that'll talk to her about Santa."

"She's so adorable," I said, making the little girl grin. "She reminds me of my friends niece. Her name is Claire and she adores Santa."

"I have a friend named Claire! Me and her love Santa! We want to be elves when we grow up!" Bailey squealed, looking delighted.

I thought for a moment, that statement ringing a bell. "You wouldn't happen to be from Seattle, would you?"

"We live in a suburb of it," Toni said.

"Would her friend Claire happen to be Rebecca and Jason Delta's daughter?"

"Small world," she said, smiling. "Are you friends with her twin sister?"

I grinned, shaking my head. "No, their younger brother. Jacob had me convinced they were evil witches until we were twelve and they moved out."

"Nessie! Are you Claire's aunt Nessie? Mrs. Rebecca told Mommy that you get to be her aunt even though you and her uncle aren't married because he has the hots for you!"

"Bailey!" Toni gasped. She collected the little girl in her arms. "We don't say things like that. You weren't even supposed to hear that, missy."

"What are the hots?" the child persisted, making me turn blood red.

I tried not to let it get to me. Jacob and I had been friends since we were small children. We'd tried dating a time or two, but it only ended in arguments and not talking to each other for a month. After Kyle cheated on me with Ronnie, I wasn't sure if I should date again. It had only been a week, and now this little girl had me rethinking my feelings for Jacob. Again.

"Why don't you go to sleep, Bailey," Toni suggested, sensing my discomfort. "I think Miss Nessie is tired."

"Aw, Mommy! Can Miss Nessie at least tell me a sleepy time story?" she asked, pouting.

"I don't mind if you don't," I said, making sure it was okay with her mother.

"You're an angel," Toni said, smiling. "Okay, Bailey, one story, then right to sleep, young lady."

"Okay, Bailey, I'm going to tell you a story about a prince and a princess my mother told me when I was little," I said, finding myself pulled into the past, into a Christmas long, long ago.

Thirteen Years Ago

Two young children, a girl and a boy, stood in front of a fire, their families watching as they finished singing their song. "And a partridge in a pear tree!"

The spectators applauded, making the children grin in delight. It was amazing that the six year olds had enough patience and stamina to sing the entire song with minimal mistakes. The children bowed and curtseyed and blew kisses.

"Okay, kiddos," one of the men said, standing up. "How about we get into our pajamas and open one present each, then we'll set out the milk and cookies for Santa and go to bed."

"Uncle Emmett, I don't have my pajamas!" the little girl said, confused. "And Jake doesn't either, I don't think."

The little boy nodded in agreement. "I left mine at home like Nessie."

"Well, I guess we have to give you two presents then," a blonde woman said, producing two packages from behind her back. "Me and Grandma made them for you."

The children ripped into their presents, finding matching flannel pajamas with red plaid patterns.

"Thanks Aunt Rosie!" the little girl said, grinning and running to hug her father's sister. "Thanks Grandma!"

The little boy politely thanked the two women, then went with Emmett to change. When the two children were changed and getting cookies from the kitchen, the little boy's father spoke quietly to the family.

"Thank you all so much for including us," he said lowly. "Things have been wild since Sarah passed. Rachel and Rebecca can't even stand to be with anyone but each other. You saw how they went to bed at eight. I think the last time Jacob managed that was when he had the flu last year."

"Billy," a woman in her mid-fifties said gently. "You and the kids are always welcome."

"Thank you, Esme," the man said, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

The kids ran back into the room before anymore words could be exchanged. They were matching down to the ribbon used to tie back their ponytails. Billy refrained from asking why his son was wearing a bow, deciding to live and let live for Christmas, and instead wheeled himself to the coffee table to help the children set up. He pulled the two kids into his lap and held them still while the other adults found their early gifts.

When presented with matching boxes, they ripped into them, revealing videos.

"The Grinch!" the little boy cheered, holding up the box. "See, Dad? I got The Grinch!"

"I got Frosty!" the little girl said, showing the boy. "See? We can watch them when we have our sleepover Friday!"

"Yeah!"

The little girl's parents brought over a third, large gift. The woman said, "Here's a special one for both of you. Edward, can you get the scissors?"

Edward nodded and went to the kitchen to get a pair. The children slid off of Billy's lap and stared in aw at the gift.

"Why is it so big, Bella?" the little boy asked, the little cogs in his head turning.

"You'll see, Jakey," Bella laughed, playfully tugging on his ponytail.

When Edward got back, everyone crowed the children, watching them rip into their new gift. Edward cut the bows off and helped them reveal a box with a picture of a small castle on it.

"We got a castle, Jake!" Nessie squealed, grinning in delight.

"Now you can be a forreal princess and I can be a forreal prince!" Jacob said, grinning back. "Thank you…. Who gave this to us?"

"We all did," a sprightly young woman said, grinning. "Grampa and Uncle Jasper are going to build it tomorrow."

"Alice, would you please gather the paper while Carlisle get's a trash bag?" Esme said, hinting to her husband to do as she said.

When the trash was cleaned up, it was time for the children to go to bed.

"I don't wanna sleep with the twins," Jacob grumbled, pouting as his father tried to coax him into his sisters' room for the night.

Bella knelt down to look at the drowsy little boy. "How about you and Nessie have an early sleepover. Would you like that?"

His face brightened up. "Can I Dad?"

"Sure, sure," Billy laughed, passing him off to Bella. "Night, son. Love you."

"Night, Dad," Jacob said, kissing his father on the cheek and scrambling into Bella's open arms. "Love you, too."

In Nessie's room, the children giggled and hid under the covers of her full sized bed. They bounced around and finally sat still when Bella promised to tell them a bedtime story.

"Once upon a time," Bella started softly, the four little words drawing the children in like moths to a flame, "there was a beautiful princess. She was friends with the handsome prince from the neighboring country, but their parents weren't so sure it was a good idea. If they were to fight, their countries would fight, and that would only cause sadness for everyone.

"When it came time for the princess to find a suitor, the king and queen held a big birthday ball. The princess danced and danced and danced with many, many lords and knights, but no one seemed to be able to sweep her off her feet, so the party ended and she had no suitor. A few months later was Halloween, and the kind and queen thought that maybe a she could find a suitor in a costume ball. She danced and danced and danced with many, many lords and knights, but again, no one swept her off her feet, and she was saddened by leaving the ball without a suitor.

"Finally, a the king and queen threw a Christmas ball, and decided not to make her search for a suitor if she didn't want to. The danced with all the knights and lords, but it was not they that swept her off her feet. The prince's family decided to attend the ball with their friends, and he decided to ask his best friend to dance, because he couldn't find a lady who could have been his own true love. The prince and the princess danced and danced and danced for many, many hours, and found themselves under the mistletoe. As per tradition, they shared a kiss, and the princess was swept off her feet.

"The kings and queens were happy to find that their children had finally found suitors. The kingdoms soon joined and the prince and princess became the king and queen of their now large country. The new king and queen had a celebration ball and invited everyone they could. And they danced and danced and danced for many, many hours, and they lived happily ever after."

Present Day, Extremely Early December 23rd

"You're an angel," Toni repeated, startling me into present day.

I saw that little Bailey had fallen asleep, and Toni was happy. "It's okay. I forgot I even knew that story."

"Well, I adore it," she said, smiling. "It's perfect for a little girl."

I smiled and settled into my seat, and for the rest of the long flight, I couldn't get my mind off of-

"Jacob!" I shrieked, jumping into his arms.

He was picking me up from the airport, and I was surprised to see him.

"Nessie!" he returned, swinging me in a big circle. He kissed my cheek, then hugged me tight. "I missed you."

My hold on him tightened. After nearly eight hours of thinking of him, actually touching him was like a drug. "I missed you more. College guys suck."

Jacob rubbed my back, not letting me go. "That guy was a dumbass for letting you go. C'mon, let's get some food in you and you can tell me all about college and everything I've missed since summer."

"You're on," I said, grinning at him when he released me. "Wait, it's two in the morning. Why did you come? You should have slept and let me drive myself home like a big girl."

"No way," he said, crossing his arms. "I haven't seen you in way too long. I want to hang out with my best friend after not seeing her for three and a half months."

I grinned wider, jumping to kiss him on the cheek. "I love you, Jakey-boo."

He couldn't resist to crack a grin. "Love you more, Nessie-boo."

He wrapped an arm around me and we walked together to baggage claim, gathering my many bags.

"Whoa, babe, you moving back?" he joked, weight lifting the largest bag, showing off his intense strength.

"Thinking about it," I said completely seriously, shrugging. "I have no reason to stay away."

"You got into a great college."

I shrugged again. "There's a better college closer to home. I could transfer and live at home. I'm sick of being so far away."

He helped me finish with my bags, and we got to his truck before he brought it back up. "Is it because of that jerk? Don't give up because of him."

"It's not him," I said, looking out my window. It seemed like it'd be a white Christmas with the weather they were having. "Well, finding him in bed with my friend's a good excuse, but I've been thinking about it since I left this year. One year was enough for me. Now I'm constantly homesick and I want something to come home to, ya know? With Kyle I could have had that, but he wanted what I wasn't going to give, and I wanted what he found stupid."

"So he cheated on you because you weren't giving him any?" Jacob asked, sounding kind of angry. "God, why are men idiots? I know I'm a man but still. I can admit I'm an idiot. I'll bet he didn't even apologize."

"Uh, he said, 'I can explain' and I said 'I'm sure there's a logical reason you're doing my best friend' then I left." I didn't even sound bitter. It was amazing how great Jacob made me feel by just sitting next to me. "I think I made quite an impact, especially when I left his door wide open for the crowd that'd gathered at my yelling to see."

"God, I love you," Jacob laughed, his anger evaporating. "I can totally see you doing that."

"What about you?" I asked, nudging him. "Got a lucky lady?"

"Well, you were the last girl I really kissed, if that tells you anything," he said, a bit distantly. I took it to mean that the girl he had a crush on rejected him. "Forks is a pond, and I really feel no desire to make it out to the sea, so I'm just waiting for the right fish to show up."

I giggled at his analogy. "Billy's rubbed off on you."

"I know," he groaned, making me giggle harder.

About five minutes from my house -after the two hour drive- we stopped at a twenty-four hour diner. The waiter got us coffee and breakfast, and we sat and talked and ate for nearly an hour. It was nice to talk to Jacob, and I didn't know how I'd be able to leave at the end of my break from school. When he pulled up to my house, my parents were still asleep, so we sat in my living room and talked more for an hour before my father finally woke up.

"Why didn't you wake me up, love?" he asked, hugging me tightly.

"We weren't waiting for long," I assured him, burying my face in his chest and inhaling his scent.

"Thank you for getting her here safely, Jake," my father said, kissing my head. "I still can't believe you volunteered to get her at two in the morning. Hell, I still can't believe she wanted to fly that late."

"Because the next flight wouldn't get me in until six tonight." My voice was muffled against his nightshirt.

I heard light footsteps, then another pair of arms were around me, bringing my family into a group hug. "Oh, my baby's home."

"Momma!" I turned in his arms to hug my mother in turn.

"Oh, baby, you have to catch us up!" she demanded, urging my father and I to sit down.

"I'll come back later, Ness," Jacob said, starting to stand.

"No, Jakey, stay," my mother protested. "Unless she's already talked your ears off."

Jacob smiled, then sat back down. "Nah, I think they still have a good hour or so."

Jacob fit in so easily with my family. He always had. We talked with my parents for a long time, and they finally set me free to go to my grandparents' house. On the way, I was brought into yet another memory from childhood.

Seven Years Ago

"Nessie, please be careful!" Edward called, watching his daughter swing higher and higher on her jungle gym.

"Daddy, Jacob and I can fly!" the girl cried, letting go and flying through the air. She landed gently on the grass of her backyard, making her parents feel much better.

A boy landed next to her, and the two giggled as they ran back to repeat their little performance.

"Maybe the swing set wasn't a good idea," Bella said, winking at Billy, who was enjoying the spectacle as well.

The children immediately halted their actions and quickly became 'interested' in the seesaw attachment. The Christmas had been eventful, and the two twelve year olds were thrilled with their finds. It was the day after Christmas, and the two were thrilled to have an entire day together. They got into minimal trouble throughout the day, and that night they played on the pullout couch bed, acting up until Bella promised a bedtime story, once again. Again, it was the story from that Christmas so long ago.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. She was friends with the handsome prince from the neighboring country, but their parents weren't so sure it was a good idea. If they were to fight, their countries would fight, and that would only cause sadness for everyone.

The two pretended to be asleep, but the moment Bella left, they were whispering deviously.

"Do you think I'm the princess?" Nessie asked Jacob, her mind beginning to comprehend more than a fairy tale.

"I'll bet you are," Jacob said seriously. "I wonder who the prince was."

"I bet it's you."

"I don't know…"

The girl pouted. "Why not?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know. I can't dance, that's why."

"Well if I'm the princess someone has to be the prince," Nessie pressed, looking thoughtful.

Jacob simply shrugged, once again.

Present Day, December 24th

"Okay, you each get to open one present," my Aunt Alice said, speaking to her and Jasper's two children and Rose and Emmett's two.

My cousins were much younger than me, since my father was so much older than Aunt Alice and Uncle Emmett, his younger siblings. The kiddies were aged from seven to twelve, and were fairly hyperactive, though not as much as I had been at their respective ages. When Rachel and Rebecca moved to college, they never came to Cullen Christmas again, so their children and their selves were absent. Jacob and Billy were there, though, and it was fun to be sticking to old tradition.

The kids were pleased by their presents, and when they went to bed, they wanted a bedtime story.

"Ness, you want to tell them your old favorite?" my father suggested, nudging me.

"I don't know if I remember it all," I said bashfully, though I knew it was a lie. I'd repeated it multiple times in my head over the last few days. I just didn't want to let on where my mind had been constantly since the plane ride home.

"I'll help," Jacob volunteered, standing up and offering me a hand. "I'm sure the two of us could put it together okay enough."

I couldn't shy away after that, and when Jacob and I settled down to tell the story, I was glad to know I wasn't the only one who remembered it perfectly.

Later on, Jacob and I sat by the fire, talking quietly. We enjoyed one another's company, cuddled together to keep warm.

"So who was this girl you were so infatuated with in your E-mails?" I asked him, snuggled into his side.

"It doesn't matter," he said, kissing my head. "You're my best girl."

I grinned to myself. "I've missed you so much, Jake. Guys are fake in college. I've been in need of a real person."

"I know what you mean. I've missed you, too. I might not let you go back."

"If I actually try to go back," I muttered, hiding my face in his chest. "I can't think of one reason to go back."

He rubbed my arm, resting his head on mine. "Me either. I love you, babe. You wouldn't believe how happy I am right now."

"I think I could guess," I murmured, my mind slowing down and a new memory jumping into my mind, overtaking me.

Two Years Ago

"This is going to be the last Christmas before college, Jacob," a young woman said, looking at a young man over her mug of hot cocoa.

Jacob put a hand on her knee, warming up her bare skin. She's oh-so-intelligently worn shorts as pajamas at her grandparents annual Christmas night, so when she and her best friend were the last one's awake, he was her only source of warmth. "But we'll always have Christmas together, Nessie. We'll see each other, I swear."

"I know," Nessie said, shrugging. "I guess I'm just sentimental. For some reason I can't get that old bedtime story out of my head. The one Momma told us for years, ya know?"

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. She was friends with the handsome prince from the neighboring country, but their parents weren't so sure it was a good idea."

"If they were to fight, their countries would fight, and that would only cause sadness for everyone," she added, smiling at the memory.

"She danced and danced and danced with many, many lords and knights, but again, no one swept her off her feet, and she was saddened by leaving the ball without a suitor. Finally, a the king and queen threw a Christmas ball, and decided not to make her search for a suitor if she didn't want to. The danced with all the knights and lords, but it was not they that swept her off her feet. The prince's family decided to attend the ball with their friends, and he decided to ask his best friend to dance, because he couldn't find a lady who could have been his own true love." It became a race to see who could recite the most.

"The prince and the princess danced and danced and danced for many, many hours, and found themselves under the mistletoe. As per tradition, they shared a kiss, and the princess was swept off her feet. The kings and queens were happy to find that their children had finally found suitors. The kingdoms soon joined and the prince and princess became the king and queen of their now large country. The new king and queen had a celebration ball and invited everyone they could."

"And they danced and danced and danced for many, many hours, and they lived happily ever after."

Jacob and Nessie smiled at one another, slowly getting closer to one another, but were interrupted when their lips were a hair apart.

"Nessie," Bella said, rubbing her eyes. "Will you fix up the plate for the kids benefit?"

Jacob waggled his eyebrows at Nessie before reaching for a cookie to take a bite out of.

"I think we got it, Momma," Nessie laughed, following suit.

Present Day, December 25th

"Nessie, aren't you gonna dance?" my littlest cousin asked, her wide green eyes studying me.

I smiled. "Maybe later, Lydia."

She shrugged and ran off to dance with her twin brother.

"Will you dance with me?" Jacob asked, squeezing me.

I was using him as a chair, enjoying being close to him. "I thought you didn't know how to dance."

He chuckled. "Well I guess I don't."

"Both of you need to learn how to, and quick," my mother said teasingly. "You're officially old enough to come to the big party tonight. The kids are hanging out with Leah and Embry."

"Isn't she about to pop?" I asked, confused as to why my pregnant aunt would want to babysit four more hyperactive munchkins.

"Embry thinks so," Daddy said, rolling his eyes. "She's really only six months in."

My mother's little sister (technically her stepsister, but no one really thought of them as less than true siblings, as they were fairly close) and brother-in-law were expecting their third child, and my Uncle Embry was slightly overreacting to everything that was going on because this baby was a surprise, as they hadn't been planning to have another after their second little hyper monster.

Jacob and I laughed, then stood up and pretended to do a little waltz. Later that night, we were actually having to dance at my grandparents' Christmas gala. It was fun, twirling around the room like a lunatic. When we got tired, we went sit in an unoccupied corner, laughing and talking.

"So is this not enough to convince you to stay?" Jacob joked, motioning to the room.

I leaned into the hand he'd placed on my cheek to get my attention, reveling in the familiar feel. "I think if I could stay here forever, I would."

"Then stay," he replied, completely seriously. His gaze, I found, had become intense and brooding. "Please."

My breath caught in my throat. "I want to. So badly."

Jacob scooted in closer to me. "You can."

I was taken aback by the intensity he was putting off. I couldn't even form a coherent sentence for a while. We finally decided we were too exhausted to stay any longer, and Jacob drove me back to my grandparents' house. We weren't the only ones home, but those home were already asleep, so we had plenty of privacy to sit by the fire in our pajamas and talk.

"The last few days have been so amazing," I said softly, cuddled into Jacob. "I don't think I can go back and feel comfortable."

"Nessie," Jacob said lowly. "I wasn't kidding when I asked you to stay. Please, Nessie. I can't stand to be so far away from you. I love you and I just can't take the idea of someone else getting you."

"I love you, too, Jacob," I murmured, tenderly taking his hand. "I can't stand being so far away, either."

Jacob sat up a little. "No. I mean I love you. I know it hasn't worked out in the past for us, but I can't just be your friend anymore. I was thrilled when that loser cheated on you. I won't lie. I don't want anyone else to love you like I do. Please tell me you understand what I'm saying."

I was shocked. Shocked at his confession, shocked at the timing, and shocked that I felt exactly how he'd described his own feelings. "Jacob, I… Jacob I love you, too. You're the reason why I can't go back. I can't be away from you. You haven't left my mind since I left Forks."

"You have never left my mind," he said lowly. "It seems like everyone knows I'm in love with you. Claire knows I'm in love with you, and she's four. I can't hide it anymore."

"Jacob, I can't fight my…" My breath became shallow and I found that tears had slowly escaped my eyes, only to be removed by the quick thumbs of Jacob. "…my heart anymore…"

His face couldn't have been more honest in portraying his raw emotion. "Please stay, Nessie."

"Kiss me and I'll never let you go again," I said lowly, leaning close to him.

Our lips met feverishly, and nineteen years of pure, unadulterated love poured out in a matter of moments. We sat in a close embrace, relearning what we never had the patience for in the past. Now was different. Now we knew what it was like to need each other. It was love, and it was Christmas, and it was beautiful.

"Jacob," I breathed softly, pulling my lips back minutely. "You're the prince."

"I'm the prince," Jacob agreed, wrapping me tighter in his arms. "And they danced and danced and danced for many, many hours, and they lived happily ever after."

I smiled softly before pressing my lips gently to his once again, glad that I'd never have to let him go again. I was happy and in love, all because I came home for Christmas.

A/N: Reviews, please! And Merry Christmas!

~Sidney