A/N: I'm so glad this is finally done! I love doing Secret Santa but this was hard.

Merry Christmas and I hope you like it, Tozz. This is for you! This also means I'm your Secret Santa!

Fall 26:

In the Town Hall a voice could be heard murmuring numbers, but no one was visible in sight. Stacks and stacks of paper covered the entire counter, blocking the two people from behind.

"Where did all these papers come from?" Elli questioned as she picked up half a stack and causally looked them through. The date written on each appeared to be from ten to fifteen years ago.

Gill looked up from his paperwork and glanced over at the pile of papers Elli held. One date in particular caught his attention.

"These were clearly not here on Saturday when we closed," she shuffled through another pile when something caught her eye. "Why is there a photo here and why does it have…?"

A look from Gill silenced her and she went back to looking through the different piles.

Elli had left the photo on top of the pile of papers right next to his work station, when Gill knew for certain that Elli wasn't looking he would sneak a glance at it. Each time, little bits of memory from his childhood would flash in his mind.

In the picture were two young boys, around six or seven years old. They both had cheerful smiles on their faces and looked truly happy. One of them had pale peach coloured hair and the other had light blonde hair, almost silvery. The boys were sitting on the steps up to Waffle Square, holding hands. Someone in a Santa suit stood behind them, hugging them both.

The longer Gill looked at it, the narrower his eyes became. He remembered that day perfectly; it was one of the best memories he had as a young boy.

"Ah Elli, thanks for volunteering yourself to organize those papers." Gill snapped back to the present time as he heard his father's annoying too jolly voice drift down the stairs. He took the photo and placed it under his own stack of papers to keep it out of sight.

Gill hoped his father wouldn't come down. As much as he loved his father, the Mayor had a tendency to talk more than necessary. If his father caught as much as a glimpse of the photo, there would be a long conversation involved, mostly including Mayor Hamilton talking about the time known to him as "the good old days".

xxx

Gill took out the picture and studied it once more. The blonde-haired boy looked nothing like him even though it was. The other boy was Chase, his best friend when they were young. Gill flipped the photo over. "Merry Christmas to everyone, love Gill and Chase" was etched messily on the back. Chase's name was crossed out with a blue crayon.

The two of them had been best friends, until Gill started hating him when they were still kids. He still had a grudge against him even now, thirteen years later.

He remembered the day he had started hating Chase just as clear as the day the two of them had became best friends. The days that followed seemed just as vivid.

It was Christmas day and Gill's family had invited Chase over so the two of them could play and compare Christmas presents, as they did every year. Gill's mother, Hamilia, would make her delicious homemade cookies. The two of them would playfully fight over who got to eat more, while Hamilton and Hamilia laughed at them before bringing more out.

Unknowingly, that year was the last time the two of them would spend together and munch cookies.

On Christmas day of the next year, Chase was in a bad mood and had taken it out on Gill at his house. Chase never smiled that day until he spotted the cookies resting on Hamilton's table. Happily, Chase shovelled them up leaving a very upset Gill. Unfortunately no more cookies could be made, since they had no more ingredients and the stores were closed for the day.

Throughout the whole evening Gill would glare at Chase. But that wasn't all. When it was time to leave, Chase gave Gill an awkward hug, apologized and promised that next year the two of them would share the cookies. Alas, that was not the case.

In early spring of the following year, Hamilia became really sick and unfortunately passed away. Hamilton was sad and miserable, as would be expected, but he stayed strong for Gill. It was Gill that took her death hard.

The cookie incident and the death was what spawned his dislike of Chase.

When Chase heard of Hamilia's death, he too became cheerless and semi-depressed. She was like a mother to him and Hamilton, his father. His own parents had left him in Yolanda's care when he was barely one year old.

The first time Chase and Gill saw each other after Hamilia's passing; Gill proceeded to yell at him angrily. "I hate you Chase! It's your entire fault! Now I will never get to see my mother again. I…I miss her…" Gill would cry.

"The last memory I have of my mother is her trying to stop you from eating all the cookies. It's your entire fault!"

The whole exchange replayed over and over in his head. Each memory and each pained retort. Christmas that year had been filled with pain and many unshed tears. No one knew what to say to Mayor Hamilton and young Gill. The whole Island seemed to be covered by a blanket of grief for the family. No presents were exchanged, no words spoken and Gill swore he would never forgive Chase.

Afterward, without a word to anyone on Waffle Island, Chase left. All of his belongings where left behind except some clothing and a picture; which made Gill even angrier and he felt betrayed.

Gill shook his head to clear his mind before placing the photo carefully in his coat and heading off. He needed time to think. It had been years since he had thought about that day and his dislike towards Chase.

Winter 1:

"Hey Gill; Pascal's boat is coming back from the city. I wonder who it is this time" Elli remarked cheerfully.

Gill glanced at the calendar hanging on the back wall and realized that it was Winter 1. Ever since the new farmer, Angela, had arrived at Waffle Island three seasons ago, newcomers had started coming to the Island or returned, as in Phoebe's case.

"Why don't you go check out who it is and bring them back here? They will need to sign the registration papers and write down their information for the resident cards," Gill replied, his hand gliding across each sheet of paper as he wrote the date.

"Sure, I'll go take a look. Be back soon, see you Gill," Elli said cheerfully before walking out the door.

After Elli left and his pile of paperwork diminished to half, Gill took out the photo from his pocket and looked at it again. Since it was rediscovered three days ago he couldn't stop thinking about it. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Chase afterward and where he was now.

xxx

Gill was at his desk, reading over the exports and imports of Waffle Island for the past season when he heard the closing sound of a door.

"So who is it this time, Elli?" Gill questioned without looking up.

"……"

No one answered him so he looked up seeing none other then Chase standing in the doorway. Gill stared at him wide eyed before his eyes became narrow.

"Chase" Gill stated his voice unwavering and emotionless.

"Gill" Chase replied, his tone matching Gill's.

"What are you doing back here!?" Gill spat out, glaring at Chase.

"Is it illegal for me to come back here?" Chase rolled his eyes. "It's none of your business, either."

"How dare you come back, especially after that?"

"Get over it, Gill. It wasn't my fault that your mother died, okay? I didn't cause her to get sick. Stop blaming me and get over it! It's been, what, thirteen years? Don't you think it's time you move on with life?" Chase retorted.

Gill glowered at him but didn't respond. Why was he still mad at Chase? Why did he dislike him so much because his mother's death, even though Gill knew it wasn't his fault?

"I know it wasn't your fault, Chase. I have moved on! But this photo," Gill took the picture in question from the table and placed it a few centimetres from Chase's face. "Gets me thinking about my childhood and all the times I've spent with you. Because of you, the last memory I have of my mother before she got sick was of the look on her face as you devoured her cookies. I can still clearly see in my mind the look she had when I started crying and you were smirking," Gill said, his voice laced with sadness and bitterness.

"How was I supposed to know that your mother was going to die and that was the last Christmas that you would be able to spend with her? How was I supposed to know that I couldn't keep my promise? It's not like I could see into the future."

"I'm not talking about the promise, Chase. I could care less about that," Gill said as calmly as he could. He wasn't even sure what he was blabbing about nor why he held a grudge against Chase the whole time. "Yes, I'm mad at you about that Christmas day but that's not all. Why were you so mad that you had to take it out on us that day?"

"I didn't take it out on you."

"Technically speaking you didn't. But that day, that memory and the look on my mother's face…" Gill trailed off as he felt tears forming in his eyes. He tried blinking them away; he didn't want people to see him cry, especially not Chase. Gill couldn't have Chase think he was weak.

Chase rolled his eyes and sighed. "Look Gill, I didn't come here to argue with you. Elli told me I had to sign some papers. That's all I came to do, so can I please have them? Then I'll be on my way and out of your life."

"Here are the papers you need to sign." Gill handed Chase the papers and a pen, silently watching him as he read them over and signed.

He took the papers back and looked at Chase, sadness filling his eyes. "You'll never be out of my life, Chase. It's too late for that." Swiftly Gill walked upstairs to the library leaving Chase standing before the reception desk, confused. Gill seemed different from what he remembered thirteen years ago.

Winter 5:

Chase sighed as he absent-mindlessly stirred the pot of potato soup. Four days had passed since he had seen Gill last, minus the thirteen year gap and he still couldn't stop thinking about him. Not in that way, mind you, but Chase wondered what Gill meant about it "being too late" to have him out of this life.

It had been troubling him and kept him from sleeping at night. Chase wanted to know but with Gill, well he wouldn't be the one to tell, especially since their personalities clashed.

Winter 10:

Gill sat at his desk staring at the pile of endless paperwork. Surprisingly he wasn't working, instead he just stared at the page, the words eventually blurring together.

Since the first of winter when Gill saw Chase for the first time in thirteen years, he couldn't stop thinking about him. The memories of his childhood kept replaying in his mind. The photo kept reminding him of that last special Christmas.

No matter how hard he concentrated on his work, he couldn't get anything done. His memories and Chase's voice always occupied his mind.

Frustrated with himself, he gave up and walked outside for some air. Standing to the side of Waffle Square was Chase, with his back to Gill. Seeing Chase made Gill nervous all over. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves he called out Chase's name, hoping to soothe his own mind so he could finally get work done.

"Gill, what do you want? I've tried my best to avoid being in your life as much as possible."

"I've told you, it's too late for you to be out of my life. That is not why I'm talking to you now," Gill took a gulp of air before continuing. "Since you came back to this island nine days ago, I keep getting flashbacks in my mind about our childhood. No matter the time, day or place they keep playing over and over again. I can't get rid of it and I also can't get any work done."

"That has nothing to do with me," Chase replied. He too was getting flashbacks of the times they had spent together and of all the laughs they had shared.

"Look Chase, I just want to figure this out. I want to figure out why the flashbacks are happening now."

"It's because I'm back, isn't it?"

"I believe that but… I still feel a grudge against you," Gill stated. "I do not know why but I do and that is what I have to figure out."

"Are you sure that you're holding a grudge against me? Are you certain it's not something else?" Chase reasoned. He didn't know what he was saying but the words seemed appropriate and they flowed from his mouth without his control.

Gill's eyes widened before narrowing. "What are you talking about, Chase?"

Chase shrugged and turned away. "I don't know but all I know is that this is something you have to figure out. I don't hate you. I know it was mostly my fault to make the last memory of your mother such a bad one, but I have apologized and now it is your job to figure out your own feelings. I have to get back to work," he replied flatly before leaving.

Gill watched him leave, his heart pounding slightly.

Winter 14:

"I heard from Elli that Chase has come back to Waffle Island," Mayor Hamilton announced to Gill. "Why don't you cook up something for him? You know, as a welcome home present" he suggest happily.

Gill looked up from his seat on the sofa in their living room to see his father grinning at him happily while waiting for an answer. "Father, today is the Thanksgiving Festival."

Hamilton looked at Gill, confused. "What does this have to do with giving Chase a welcome home present?"

Gill looked at him dully before trying to explain. Sometimes, he wished his father would think before speaking. "Father, if you have bothered looking into the history of Waffle Island as you should have, you would know that today is the day that people give cake to other people…"

"That's easy than. I'll go bake a cake now and you can give it to Chase" Hamilton replied, heading straight towards their kitchen ignoring the fact that Gill hadn't finished speaking.

xxx

An odd scent floated passed Gill causing him to walk into the kitchen. His father was standing over the table holding a knife. Tilting his head slightly, he could see his father scraping off the burnt edges and Gill had to resist bursting out in laughter.

He coughed to hide the fact he was laughing, and his father turned around to look at him.

"Ah Gill there you are. I finished baking the cake," Hamilton moved aside to show Gill the lopsided cake. "It's orange, Chase's favourite, I believe. Go on Gill, give it to Chase. He'll be happy to get something from you, you two are best friends."

"Father, Chase and I aren't friends…"Gill started but his father interrupted once more.

"Oh, Gill, I know that. I'm sure the two of you are more than friends." Hamilton's eyes had a suspicious shine to them.

Gill narrowed his eyes and took the cake while watching his father the whole time. Hamilton's grin became bigger and wider.

xxx

Gill entered the Sundae Inn and made his way across the room to the kitchen, the box that contained the cake in his hand. His face flushed due to his crazy imagination of Chase's reaction, although most of them didn't make any sense at all!

"Why are you here, Gill? Did you figure out why had a grudge against me?" Chase questioned casually as a confused Maya watched nearby. Gill ignored his question and handed him the box.

"That is from my father and has nothing to do with me."

Chase looked at Gill suspiciously before opening the lid. Peering inside he spotted a lopsided cake with missing edges. Chase looked at Gill and raised an eyebrow. "Is this supposed to be a cake? All the edges are missing and," Chase took off a small piece and ate it before his face contorted to a look of disgust and pain. He had to force himself to swallow it. "This also tastes horrible."

Gill smirked before replying. "Like I said, my father cooked that."

Before Chase could reply, Maya interrupted. "Awww that is so cute!" she giggled. "Especially since today is Thanksgiving. I wish someone would give me a cake."

Chase gave Gill a what-is-wrong-with-you look but Gill just shrugged. "My father decided that today shouldbe the day to give you a cake, even after I explained to him about Thanksgiving."

Smirking at the stupidity of Gill's father, he turned around and took out a piece of shortcake. "Well I suppose I'm obligated to give you something back. Take this."

"Why are you giving that to me, I wasn't the one to give that sad excuse of a cake to you…"

"Awww, the two of you are so sweet. I wish I can find a guy like that for me," Maya stated with a dreamy look in her eye, ignoring the glares from Gill and Chase.

"I'm not taking that, Chase. Give it to my father."

"Just take it Gill and put this mess of a cake behind us. I always knew this was a stupid holiday" Chase grumbled while Gill looked like he was being tortured as Maya continued to giggle.

Winter 25:

"Well Gill, do you have any plans tonight?" Mayor Hamilton questioned.

"No" Gill responded. Every year since that day his father would always ask him the same question and every year the answer would be the same.

"How about you invite Chase over tonight?" Hamilton asked, a smile hanging on his lips.

"Why would I invite Chase over?"

"Oh, no reason, I just thought since that you two haven't seen each other in years that you will have a lot to talk about."

"……"

"Great! I'll go talk to him at the Inn now. I hope he still likes potato soup." With that said, Mayor Hamilton rushed out, waddling like a duck.

Gill sighed and nestled back into his seat, cracking open his book but he couldn't concentrate. Why did he still have a grudge against Chase? These past days the grudge didn't seem to exist. Now to Gill, the reason behind the grudge was because of Chase leaving, leaving him behind…

xxx

"Gill…"

"Chase…"

Silence filled the air but Hamilton didn't seem to notice the awkwardness that followed it as he continued smiling.

"It's been a while since you've been here, hasn't it Chase? I hope you still like potato soup!" Hamilton chirped before rushing them towards the dining room and spooning everyone a bowl of soup.

"Thank you," Chase cracked a fake smile. He had hated potato soup ever since his childhood.

xxx

"I'm sure the two of you have a lot of catching up to do, so I'll just leave you two alone. I have to talk to Yolanda about something." Hamilton ran or attempted to and almost crashed into the wall.

"Well Gill, have you figured out why you have a grudge against me? It's almost been a month" Chase began, hoping to get this topic out of the way. This topic always seemed to be the cause of awkward moments and tension.

Gill took in a deep breath of air and nodded. "Yeah, I thought it through. It's because of you, when you left, when you left me…behind."

"Does that mean it isn't because of what turned out to be the last memory of your mother?" Gill nodded, the meaning of the flashbacks and the memories finally making sense.

Silence filled the air once more. The two men looked at each other and smiled, the first time in thirteen years. "I think it was because you left without a warning and even though I was mad at you for making a promise you couldn't keep, I was madder that you left me alone," Gill explained. "I felt betrayed that you left without a word to anyone, except Yolanda. I thought we were best friends and yet you left without telling me anything. I had just lost my mother and then I lost my best friend."

Chase nodded in understanding. "I was mad at myself too and I wanted to come back but I guess these years have taught us something."

"Why did you leave, Chase? It wasn't my fault, was it?"

"No it wasn't your fault. I guess I felt……like I didn't belong here. I guess I needed some time away to think. I was young at the time, it's expected to make dumb mistakes but I did learn."

The two of them looked out the window. An array of stars covered the whole sky, illuminating everything, making it shine. "Do you want to look at the stars outside?" Gill invited hesitantly. It had been a while since the two of them had done anything together.

"Are you asking me to the Starry Night Festival, Gill?" Chase asked teasingly.

"Yes I am. So do you want to come or not?"

"Yeah, I do," Chase answered before retrieving a box from the floor. "Have some of these while we watch the stars."

The two of them walked outside with Chase holding the box. They stood on the porch of Gill's house and stared at the sky. Chase grinned as he opened the box and poured the contents out onto the palm of his hand.

Different shaped cookies lay on his palm, the icing glistening in the starlight. Gill took a heart shaped cookie, a smile blossoming on his face as he read the writing on it. Gently breaking it in half, he gave it to Chase who took it happily.

One half was eaten by Gill, the other by Chase. The words "Best Friend" were written on the cookie. They looked at each other and a warm feeling –a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time- crept throughout his body. Together they watched as even more stars appeared above them, each shining brightly.

In time, their hands managed to intertwine and they looked exactly like the photo holding Gill's best childhood memory. That is, without the Santa behind them and they were older.

"Merry Christmas…"

A/N: I hope that wasn't too bad and it at least made you happy? This was my first time writing something like this.

If you don't like it, I'd be glad to write you something else. Sorry if it isn't really Christmassy but I tried to make it fluffy.