Disclaimer: I own nothing

Missing You on Christmas Eve

The milk was still not boiling.

Frowning down at the smooth white liquid, Lacus rubbed a bit of her robe between her fingers, the stress of the day feeling rather like a rock on her shoulders.

She had been hoping that the Christmas Eve charity visits would be easy ones but instead everywhere she went someone was taking the attention away from the missions and the people who were actually important and putting it on to her.

Plus the questions they had asked her had been very rude and far too personal.

Even after a long hot shower, the memory of some of the comments made her feel dirty.

She had hoped sleep would make the day sort of melt away but sleep had refused to come.

Thus, the hot milk in hopes of it soothing her.

Of course what she really wanted was Kira.

But his mother and sister had requested his presence in ORB for the holiday and given it had been several months since they had seen each other she had insisted he go.

The moment he had gone though it had felt like a part of her heart had just disappeared.

Hugging herself tightly as the creeping loneliness that had been her constant companion ever since he left came back to bother her once more. Lacus stared down at the unchanging milk wishing she was anywhere but there.

With a suddenness that made her feel like she could take flight from her skin, a hand reached out and turned up the heat on the burner while a voice she had not expected to hear for many more days commented.

"Lacus, this will never heat if you leave it on simmer."

Spinning around, Lacus beheld Kira's beloved face with blurry eyes not even realizing that she had launched herself into his arms until his had tightened around her.

"Lacus, Lacus, what's the matter sweetheart? Did I startle you? I'm sorry!"

Shaking her head vigorously against his henley clad chest, Lacus whispered. "You're really here, right? I'm not dreaming?"

Drawing her a little away from him, Kira looked down at her with tender and concerned eyes as he wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"Next time, I am ignoring every single thing you say when it comes to anything that might part us, and of course I'm here. Like I would want to celebrate Christmas without you."

Letting out a little laugh, Lacus moved forward so that she could rest her ear against his heart once more before saying in a shaky voice. "I'm so glad you came home."

Pressing a kiss to the shell of her ear, which cause her to squeak a little, Kira said. "Me too, sweetheart."

Tipping her head up for a more proper kiss, Lacus suddenly took a deep breath and asked."Do you smell something burning?"

Christmas Eve was saved in the end. The milk sadly, was not.

Thank you to Setsunakou for the great beta.