Disclaimer: None of the characters, nor the song belong to me.

AN: Okay, so this is my first fanfic in quite a while. I decided to write because I've been in quite a Christmas-y mood lately. The song that I used was a version of "Opera of the Bells" by Destiny's Child, in case you want to listen to it. Please tell me what you think!

"Hark how the bells…sweet silver bells…all seem to say…throw cares away… Christmas is here…bringing good cheer…to young and old…meek and the bold," Laura Chapman sang as quietly as she could while still being able to hear herself. "Ding-dong-ding-dong…that is their song…with joyful ring…all caroling," she continued on with a single tear rolling down her rosy cheek.

She hoped her singing wouldn't wake anyone up, but she couldn't sleep and singing to herself was her only hope of getting some rest. That's what she always did back at home when dreams wouldn't come without a fight. She figured she simply had to coax them out of their hiding place, and singing was the only way to do that. Eventually, her sister got fed up with the constant murmur of sound coming from Laura's bed almost every night and moved into the guest room. Laura certainly didn't mind. That meant she could sing even louder, which meant the dreams would come all the faster.

Of course Laura knew that all this was nonsense (what intelligent girl wouldn't?) but she had been doing it since before she could remember and wasn't going to let a roomful of strangers stop her. In fact, they should have been thanking her. She gets rather crabby without the proper amount of rest.

Laura continued to sing while a few tears streamed down. "One seems to hear…words of good cheer…from everywhere…filling the air…gaily they ring…while people sing…songs of good cheer…"

Suddenly Laura had the distinct impression that she was not the only one enjoying this midnight serenade. She discreetly wiped the few tears away and sat up. She turned around but couldn't see anyone else awake. Of course, whoever it was could have very easily laid back down, but she decided not to worry about it, and to continue her song.

"On and on they send…on without end…their joyful tone…to every home…to every home…to every home." She stopped again. Now she knew someone was watching her for sure. The feeling of eyes staring intently on you and you alone is unmistakable, especially if everyone in the room is supposed to be asleep.

This time when she sat up, she did it very quickly so as not to let the perpetrator escape again. When she whipped around, she saw Sam trying to lay back down again. He couldn't, and wouldn't fool her again, though.

Once she realized who had heard her, she instantly felt her cheeks grow red. She sheepishly stood up and walked over to him. This is crazy, she thought, out of all the people here, Sam had to be the one to hear me singing.

She crossed the room and sat down next to Sam, who was also sitting up. She decided the best way to handle this situation was to get all the facts before hyperventilating.

"Sam," Laura said, "what exactly did you hear?" He, for some reason unknown to Laura, also looked quite embarrassed about the situation.

"Well, not much," he lied. "I mean, I did hear something…but, I mean, not much."

He knew that she knew that he was lying. He could tell by that very Laura-way she looked at him. She had this way of seeing into a person, and just knowing that they were being dishonest.

Sam said, "Okay, fine. You're right. I was listening to you. And by the way, you were amazing."

"No I wasn't," she replied. "I just sometimes sing to myself to fall asleep."

The two of them sat there in silence, just enjoying each other's presence and the warmth that that provided. Laura would have expected this to be awkward, but it was actually surprisingly comforting. She guessed that was just another sign that she was quickly falling in love with Sam Hall.

"So," Sam said, breaking the silence. "Why were you singing a Christmas song, anyway? I mean, there are a ton of other songs that I'm sure you like, and it's no where near Christmas time yet."

She said, "Christmas is my favorite time of year, and all this snow just reminded me of it. I figured I might as well make what's happening remind me of something that I love. And that song is my favorite Christmas song."

"You sang it beautifully. Why didn't you ever say that you can sing?" Sam asked.

That was an easy answer for her, "Because I can't."

That didn't suit him. "Well, if you want to deny it, then go ahead. I can't make you think what I think, all I can do is tell you how I feel."

He paused. She paused. There was a sense of expectancy. Laura knew something important was about to be said, and she was pretty sure it wasn't about her singing. She did, however, hope that it was about her.

Sam started again, "I think you should know that I joined the decathlon team…so that I could be with you."

That was it. That was what she had been wanting to hear since the moment she had laid eyes on Sam a few years ago. It was all she had dreamed about for years. All she had wanted for the longest time was him, and now she didn't know what to do with the fact that she could just reach out and have him. It didn't matter though; she had gotten what she wanted: her first crush, and first love.

This was it, what she had wanted all her life. It turns out that she never really cared about her studies, or school, or her future. All she ever really wanted was someone to have these feelings about, and for them to feel the same way. She just wanted to feel loved for once.

And now she did. She knew for sure that she was in love with Sam.

Laura leaned in towards him and gently pressed her lips to his. That's all it took for her to be in heaven.

She sang, "Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas," for him.