Disclaimer: I do not own Lost
Title: Christmas Mornings
Author: ReadingRed
Written for: DFaraday
Summary: Slight AU because of timelines and such. Aaron's off island Christmas Mornings.
Kate woke up with the sun. She relaxed in bed for a few moments enjoying what might be the last time she would ever get to do such a thing on Christmas morning. Aaron wasn't old enough yet to get out of his crib on his own.
Kate thought back to the Christmas's she had had as a child. Before her dad left they had always been magical, and the few times she had been able to spend Christmas with him had been just as good. The others, the ones she had spent with her mother and later her step-father… Kate quieted the thought immediately. There was no use letting memories ruin this day. It would be Aaron's first Christmas in the real world.
Kate wanted everything to be perfect for him. The house had been decorated since Thanksgiving, and she had been stockpiling gifts since April. Aaron was going to be so spoiled, Kate thought with a grin.
She rolled out of bed and pulled on a robe. Walking down the short hallway to Aaron's room Kate hummed a quiet tune. She pushed open the door to his room and couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her face.
Aaron was lying on his stomach, his hand curled into a fist by his face. He looked peaceful and calm, words that could only describe the lively boy when he was sleeping.
She decided not to wake him; the day would come soon enough. Kate left the toddlers room and went to the kitchen. Breakfast would be a simple affair she decided. Aaron wasn't picky but he seemed happier with the basics. He would gladly take Cerrios over French toast or homemade waffles. It was a one year olds prerogative she supposed.
Kate took her time getting breakfast ready. She took two bowls from the cupboard and pulled a box of Aaron's favorite cereal from the pantry. Setting all she had gathered down on the table she turned to get the milk from the fridge but before she could Aaron called out from his room upstairs.
"Momma! Momma, Momma, Mommmmmmmma!" Kate laughed to herself and went to retrieve her young son.
"Morning Buddy. Happy Christmas." Aaron grinned at her from his crib. He stood gripping the side of the crib tightly with his small hands. He reached up his arms in the universal way of children everywhere asking silently to be picked up. Kate obliged and Aaron was in her arms.
"You ready for presents Goober?"
"Yep, yep, yep." Aaron babbled in agreement.
She set Aaron down on his feet and together Kate and Aaron descended the stairs. When they reached the last step the doorbell rang.
" 'or bell Momma, 'or bell" Aaron chanted pointing to the front door.
"Yeah baby, that's the door bell. Who do you think would be ringing our doorbell on Christmas morning?"
Kate took Aaron's small hand in hers and they went to answer the door.
Kate pulled open the door and let out a gasp as she saw who was on the other side.
"Jack"
"Merry Christmas Kate."
/ / / / / / /
"Momma, Jack. Wake up! It's Kis'mas!" Aaron yelled as he entered the master bedroom.
Aaron climbed on the bed and crawled to the head.
"I'm glad he's so light." Kate thought when Aaron kneed her in the stomach as he made his way to their heads.
Jack and Kate, as if by silent agreement both played at being asleep. Aaron continued to try and wake them.
"Momma? You still 'sleep?" Aaron asked as he poked her shoulder. When Kate failed to respond the two year old turned his attention to Jack.
"Jack? Jaaaaaaack, wake up peas'. It's Kis'mas 'member?" Aaron said as he sat on Jack's chest.
Jack rolled onto his side, sending Aaron crashing onto the bed, laughing hysterically. As one Kate and Jack sat up and tickled the boy.
"Oh it's Christmas is it?" Jack asked.
"No, I don't think it is" Kate played along. "I think it's tickle Aaron day."
"Noooooooo" Aaron moaned in between laughs. "It" giggle "is" gasp for breath "Kis'mas!"
"Oh, well in that case, let's open some presents." Jack yelled.
/ / / / / / /
They had finished opening presents and Kate and Aaron were relaxing on the couch watching Heat Miser sing on The Year without A Santa Claus.
"Momma?"
"Yeah baby?"
"Why didn't Jack come? Aaron asked ignoring the TV and looking up at her with his big blue eyes.
Her heart broke when she noticed his eyes were shining with unshed tears.
"Oh baby. Jack…" She had no clue what to tell him. The boy idolized Jack. Aaron would ask every night for her to call Jack and ask him to come read Aaron a story. She knew she couldn't tell Aaron that Jack was probably stoned somewhere; he wouldn't understand what she meant even if she did. He was only three.
"Momma, where is he?" Aaron said bringing her out of her thoughts.
"Just a second Aaron, I'll go call him and he can tell you Merry Christmas, okay?"
Aaron let out a sigh that made him sound much too old to be only three. "Okay Momma."
Kate left Aaron on the sofa and went to the kitchen to call Jack.
She knew the number by heart. Jack picked up on the third ring.
"Ello?" Jack's voice came through the line. Kate said nothing. "Hello? Kate? Kate is that you? Please Kate say something." Her heart broke, she wanted him back more than anything else in the world, but until he was clean she couldn't have him around her son.
"Kate? Kate, I'm clean."
/ / / / / / /
"Gramma?"
"Yes Sweetheart?"
"When can we go back to California? I miss Momma." Aaron was four years old and this was the first Christmas that he would spend without his mother. Being four years old Aaron didn't notice his grandmothers face fall or the pain his simple statement caused her.
Carole Littleton didn't know what to do with her grandson. She loved the boy, that much was obvious, and she was certainly young enough to keep up with the energetic boy. It was other things that gave her pause when it came to Aaron.
For instance every time he referred to Kate as his mother she wanted to shout at him. To tell him that Kate was not his mother, Claire was. She wanted to make him forget about Kate, but she loved him enough not to do that.
Carole knew that from Aaron's perspective Kate was his mother. She had raised him since he was just two months old. Kate had been with him much longer than Claire ever had, and Kate had done a great job parenting the child. Aaron was healthy and well adjusted, from his perspective the only thing that was wrong with his life was that his mother wasn't in it.
"I know you miss your Momma" Carole forced herself to call Kate his mother. "I'm sure she'll be back soon and then you can see her, I promise."
"I know she'll be back soon. I asked Santa to bring her home to me, but I think he might've gotten confused. I forgot to tell him to bring her here. I bet he took her home to California and Jack."
Carole hated herself for doing it, for getting her grandson's hopes up but she couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth.
"Well it's only Christmas Eve, maybe Santa will bring her to you tomorrow."
The grin that spread across Aaron's face was the biggest she had ever seen. The thought of seeing his mother again made the boy happier than she had ever been able to. It was at that moment Carole Littleton knew that if Kate ever came back, she wouldn't stop her from taking the boy back. Aaron Austen belonged with Kate.
"Kate, we'll get there in time. I promise" Jack said, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.
They were on a last minute Christmas Eve flight. Oceanic flight 276 L.A. to Sydney. They were going to get Aaron.
Jack, Kate, and all the others from the past had been thrown forward in time after the blast. It was not long after that when a ship showed up. It had been searching for the Ajira crash.
Kate and Jack were in agreement that the first thing they would do when they got off the boat and back to civilization would be to track down Aaron and get him back. It wasn't hard to find him. Carole wasn't hiding. She had taken the boy home to Australia.
So there they were, flying towards Australia and Aaron, Kate doing her best to make the plane go faster, Jack doing his best to keep Kate calm.
The plane landed after much too much time in the air, according to Kate. She and Jack got the first rental car the man at the rental office offered. They ran to the car in the parking garage and raced to Carole's house.
It was noon and they knew that Carole and Aaron would be awake. They pulled into the driveway of a modest one story home. It was cute, Kate had worried that Aaron might be living in squallier; her imagination had gotten the better of her.
They walked to the door, and Kate took a moment to steady herself before Jack knocked on the door. Kate reached out and took Jack's hand, needing his reassurance and the knowledge that he was with her.
Carole answered the door with Aaron at her side. The boy stood in shock for a split second before it registered with him that his mother was here. He bolted from the doorway and into Kate's waiting arms.
"Momma!" Aaron exclaimed as he buried his face in Kate's shoulder.
"Aaron" Kate said before kissing Aaron's forehead. She looked the boy over, searching his face and body for any differences. He was a little taller, but not much. His hair was shorter; Carole must've had it cut. His eyes were as blue as ever, his skin still tanless, even though he lived in a sunny place, first California and now Australia, how the boy never tanned nor burned amazed Kate.
"Jack, Santa brought you too?" Aaron asked looking over Kate's shoulder to Jack.
"Yeah, buddy Santa brought me too. He said he wanted you, me, and Kate together for Christmas."
/ / / / / / /
It had been a year since Jack, Kate, and all the rest had made it back from the island, this time for good, and a year since they had travel to Australia to get Aaron. And once again it was Christmas morning at Kate and Jack's house.
The small family was gathered in the living room taking turns opening Christmas presents. There were two gifts left, one for Jack and one for Aaron.
"Go ahead and open them together" Kate said. "They're kinda joint presents."
Jack and Aaron ripped the wrapping paper off their gifts. Both took a moment to stare at what was inside.
"A shirt momma?" The five year old said disappointed.
"Kate?" Jack asked holding up the items he had received. He too had gotten a shirt, except it was much too small to ever again fit him.
In his hands Jack held an infants onesie and a pregnancy test. Aaron shirt proclaimed "I'm a big brother!"
"Jack, I'm pregnant."
Jack leaned over and kissed Kate. While Aaron made a disgusted face and turned to play with his toys, Jack whispered.
"This is the best Christmas ever."