~Happy Holidays everybody!!! Just a little Christmas story that begged me to write it. I don't own Chris or Alex, (although Santa is on his way and I've been good this year ;) All other characters are mine. I don't know anything about Chris' family; this is just what I came up with. But if anyone knows anything about him, I'd love to hear it. Please Review… they make the best presents. Thank you.~
~A Christmas Wish~
It was white and fluffy and falling from the sky in an endless capacity. Chris was sitting curled up in his favorite green armchair at his parent's house in Detroit. He could remember a time when he loved the snow. He used to run around outside in the very first snow of the season trying to catch the delicious flakes on his tongue. He and his sister would make the best snowmen and raid their mother's closet for old clothes to put on their creation. Then they would hurry inside for their mom's world famous hot chocolate. The secret was the marshmallows, they weren't the lame dried up ones that usually came prepackaged. She used the real ones, the ones that melted on just the top of the warm chocolate underneath making a gooey layer of white fluff. Those were the good old days. The carefree days when all he had to worry about was getting to bed before Santa got to his house. Santa Claus never had to deal with canceled flights because of the falling snow.
Chris idly traced the brim of his cup of hot chocolate, once again glaring at the fat white flakes out the window. He hated white. It was so plain and sterile looking. No personality. So unlike the boy it had trapped in Chicago.
"Stupid connecting flights," Chris muttered. "Stupid T.V. commercials."
"Honey, why don't you come over and make the popcorn strands with us?" His mother called from the sofa.
He sighed, flopping his chin onto his fist. "No thanks."
His mother shook her head; a few pieces of golden hair fell out of her classic twist.
"Gammie, why don't Uncle Chris wanna make the popcorn lines with us?" A small voice asked.
Chris glanced over at his niece sitting on the floor in front of the sofa. The little girl was happily holding the string her grandmother was threading the edible decoration with.
"Well sweetheart, Uncle Chris was expecting a present and the snow storm won't let it get here."
"But the snow can't stop Santa, why won't Uncle Chris get his present?" The little girl's big blue eyes scrunched in confusion.
"Santa isn't bringing this present. It was supposed to come on a plane, like your daddy did a few days ago."
"Oh," she nodded. Ash blonde curls swished around her tiny shoulders. "Was his present Uncle Alex?"
Her grandmother smiled warmly at the child's insightfulness. "Yes sweetheart. But he's stuck in Chicago because of the snow."
Chris sighed once again when he heard the reminder that Alex would be unable to join the family as was the plan. He left Orlando on Tuesday as soon as he was able and made the flight home for the holidays. Alex had to stay behind a day to touch up his spot in a commercial for Impact and that extra day seemed a fine time for a blizzard to blow in. His flight was forced to land in Chicago and no more outgoing flights were available. Chris took little comfort in the fact that his boyfriend was spending Christmas Eve in an airport. He just wanted Alex in Detroit with him so they could help trim the tree, get drunk on egg nog and sing Christmas carols with his family. Another glare outside told him the snow wasn't even letting up, and it didn't look it was going to anytime soon. He wished he'd agreed to stay and wait with Alex then at least they'd be trapped together. But the young brunette insisted that he go home and be with his family. It was only a day and then he'd be there… Yeah right.
Feeling something tug on the sleeve of his hoodie he looked down into a pair of big beautiful blue eyes.
"Uncle Chris," the little girl began, "Will Uncle Alex come when it stops snowing?"
The young blonde man sighed again. "I hope so munchkin."
"Me too," she frowned.
"Breyer, you can come cut the cookies out for Santa now," Chris' sister called from the kitchen.
"Comin' Mama," she smiled brightly. She ran ahead a few steps then spun around. "Wanna come make the cookies with me?"
"Of course he does," his mother supplied for him.
"Come on," she squealed and dashed into the kitchen.
"Mom," Chris whined having no intention of moving from his post by the window.
"I know you're upset honey, we all are. You know how much we love Alex, but we also love you too. Now that little girl has been waiting for weeks for you to come home and you will cheer up and spend some time with this family."
"Come on Uncle Chris," Breyer yelled from the kitchen.
His mother fixed him with the look, and took up the decorating again.
"I'm coming munchkin. Don't start without me," he peeled himself out of his chair and headed into the kitchen.
His mother simply shook her head.
"'Bout time," his sister, Nicole, greeted. "You want to make the angel?"
"Sure." He took the metal cookie cutter and pushed it into the sugar cookie dough next to Breyer's Santa Claus.
"Guess what Uncle Chris," the little girl beamed.
"What?" He finally managed to put some enthusiasm in his voice.
"Mama said that I can go outside while the cookies bake and go sledding."
"Really? That sounds like fun."
"Uh huh. Will you come out with me?"
Chris actually smiled. "Yeah I will."
"Yay!" Breyer jumped on the little stool she was standing on to reach the counter.
"Careful baby don't fall," her mother warned putting a hand on her back.
"I won't Mama. Can I go put my snow pants on now?" She asked hopefully.
"Do you want to finish cutting the cookies out first?" she asked.
"Oh yeah," Breyer grabbed another stencil.
Chris watched as she pushed the reindeer shape down into the dough. He used a wreath this time.
"Uncle Chris, why can't Uncle Alex just get a ride from Santa? His reindeer fly in the snow."
"Um…" Chris looked to his sister for some help on this one.
"Well…" She began, "Ya see Santa is very busy tonight and-"
"And I didn't write Uncle Alex down on my Christmas list 'cause he was supposed to be here," Chris jumped in.
"Exactly," Nicole picked up. "So Santa doesn't know that Alex is stuck at the airport."
"Besides, I don't think he'd fit on the sleigh with all the presents," Chris finished.
"Oh," the little girl nodded in complete understanding.
"Why don't you go get your snow pants on now baby, we're almost done," Nicole suggested.
"Okay. Be right back Uncle Chris," she jumped down and ran to the guest bedroom that was designated as hers.
"Alright munchkin," he replied. "Wow, thanks for having my back on that one, I didn't know where I was going with that."
Nicole laughed and sipped her red wine. "You had the whole list thing ready, that was good."
"Yeah," Chris shrugged.
"I miss him too," she said after a second. "It sucks that he couldn't get here, I'm sorry."
"I know. I'm sorry I'm such a downer," he shook his head. "We've spent other Christmases together, there's nothing real special about this one. I just wish…"
"That you're other half was here with you I know," Nicole smiled. "All Christmases are special. You want to be with everyone you love."
"Yeah," Chris hung his head.
"Hey," Nicole put her arm around him. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm sure he's just as miserable without you. Probably more so, you're not stuck at the airport on Christmas eve."
"Gee thanks Nic. That makes me feel a lot better."
"It'd totally be something he'd say," she rolled her blue eyes.
Chris chuckled in spite of himself. "Yeah it would be."
Suddenly the front door opened and more voices floated in. Chris rushed out of the kitchen, but all tentative hope was crushed when he saw his father and his brother-in-law carry the grocery bags in.
"I don't care if the house is on fire and we need a fire extinguisher, I'm not going back down to that damn circus," his dad bellowed handing his bag off to Nicole so he could kick off his snowy boots.
"Charlie," his mother admonished. "Language."
"Er… sorry," he fumbled. "Where's the munchkin," he glanced around the room.
"Upstairs getting ready to go out sledding, but still."
"Jesus woman she can't hear me," Charlie rolled his blue eyes.
"It's alright Renee, she's heard worse once or twice," her father smiled taking his bag into the kitchen.
"Still, I don't want her picking up those words," Renee insisted. "It's bad enough you use them," she fixed her husband with a raised brow.
"Oh, you used to like some of the stuff I said at one point," Charlie leaned down over the sofa and grabbed his wife sides.
Renee jumped and dropped the garland she was working on. "Now look what you've done," she tried to glare but when Charlie moved in for a kiss she gave in with a giggle.
Chris turned away from the display; his parents were still so in love they acted like a couple of teenagers. Usually he thought it was kinda cute, but now it just confirmed his loneliness. He sought the safety of the kitchen, but stopped short. Nicole and her husband were embraced underneath the mistletoe kissing sweetly. He sighed and implored Breyer to hurry up so he could escape.
"Ready Uncle Chris?" His one wish was granted a second later. Breyer descended the stairs in her pink snow overalls. Her matching pink boots were left untied. She plodded over to him, pushing her pink princess hat up out of her eyes she beamed up at him. "Will you tie them for me?"
He couldn't help but to laugh. "Sure kiddo." He scooped her up easily and put her down in his favorite armchair. He bent down and tied her boots.
"You ready baby?" Nicole asked over his shoulder.
"Uh-huh," the little girl nodded excitedly, but that quickly turned to a slight glare. "Daddy, those are Santa's cookies."
"Oh, I was just testing them out darlin'. You and your mama sure made some tasty cookies," Peter winked. "Santa won't mind once he tastes them."
"Mama?" The little girl asked not quite convinced.
"It'll be fine; don't you want to share with Daddy?"
"I just want Santa to have enough. He must get hungry."
"But he gets cookies at every house don't forget," Chris added.
Breyer seemed to think about this for a moment. "I guess so. Okay Daddy, you can have another one." She hopped out of the chair pulling Chris by the hand. "C'mon. C'mon."
"Let me get my coat on, I'll be right there." He hurried into his boots and coat, pulling a beanie from his pocket and putting it on. "Alright munchkin, let's go."
"Keep her out there a while, we have a few gifts to wrap yet," Nicole whispered in his ear on the way out.
"Some how I don't think that'll be a problem," Chris smiled as Breyer struggled with pulling the pink and white sled up the hill in the back yard.
He charged after her grabbing her around the waist and flipping her up into his arms, he took the rope in his other hand and hauled them all to the top of the snow covered hill. He secured one arm around her tiny waist and pushed off with the other. They inched forward before the sled took off flying over the glistening white powder. Breyer shrieked with delight pressing herself back into Chris as they neared the end of their ride. Chris laughed as she clapped her hands, bounced in her seat, and begged to go again.
"Please, please, please…"
"Alright, come on munchkin," he rolled out of the sled and began pulling it up the hill again. He couldn't figure out why it was heavier this time. He looked back and discovered that his niece was still sitting in the plastic toboggan enjoying a free ride.
"Oh no missy, you gotta walk up this thing too," he smiled.
"But you can be my reindeers like Santa."
"Now how can I be a reindeer, I don't have a red nose do I?" He asked bending down to her.
"Only Rudolph has a red nose, you can be Prancer."
"Prancer huh? Not even anyone cool like Blitzen or Comet?"
"Nope. You're Prancer," she affirmed.
"Well, in that case," he grabbed her and laid her in the snow and began to tickle her. "Is this what Prancer does?"
"N-no," she laughed. "Unc- Uncle Chris!"
"Tap out yet miss?"
She was laughing too hard to answer him at first, but finally, she screamed out "yes. I taps."
He grinned and pulled her up. "Bet I beat ya up the hill,"
Breyer scrambled to her feet and took off as fast as her little legs could trudge through the snow. Chris chuckled and began to go after her, very slowly.
"I won," she shouted. "I won."
"Wow, you're fast munchkin. I couldn't even keep up."
The little girl grinned. "Can we go again?"
"Hop on."
Chris lost count of how many rides they took down the hill, but eventually the sledding moved onto a snowball fight… hitting Uncle Chris with snowballs that is. Finally, the two snow bunnies went back inside to warm up and get ready for bed. Nicole was waiting by the door with a towel; she wrapped Breyer up in it and took her upstairs. Chris kicked off his boots and went to put some dry clothes on as well. He managed a shower and getting into his PJs before Nicole even got Breyer in the bath tub. He chuckled when he heard the little girl request more bubbles.
He sat cross legged on his bed in his old room just looking around at all the pictures and stuff his parents had left up. There was one sitting on the stand beside his bed from last Christmas. He and Alex were sitting beside one another on the sofa; the brunette had a lopsided Santa hat on and was using his hands to give Chris antlers. The blonde felt like an icicle was suddenly stabbing him in the chest and his eyes stung with tears. He blinked them away and put the picture down.
Suddenly his phone began to play a very familiar ring tone. He snatched it from the stand, nearly snapping it in half he opened it so quickly.
"Hey baby," was breathed in his ear before he even had the chance to say hello.
"Alex," he answered softly, the icicle instantly melting and the pain in his chest subsided.
"I can't believe I'm not with you right now," the younger boy replied. "What am I missing?"
"Me," Chris responded. He heard Alex sigh and regretted making him feel worse about the situation. "I'm sorry baby. Everyone's fine here, mom made those popcorn things and Nicole had cookie duty this year. Dad was bitching about going the grocery store; I swear mom purposely runs out of eggs every year just so she can send him down there."
Alex laughed. "She probably does. It happens every god damn year."
Chris smiled and lay back against his pillows. "Breyer was asking about you, she misses you."
"Aww man, I miss the little munchkin too. She in bed already?"
"Nic's got her in a bath right now. We went out to play in the snow; I don't know how many sled rides we went on. My ass hurts though."
Chris had to pull the phone away from his ear Alex laughed so loud. "What I wouldn't give to be able to make you say that."
Chris smiled. "Yeah I'm sure. Would you let me be one of the cool reindeer?"
"Um… sure babe."
"Breyer wanted me to be Prancer," the blonde explained.
"Not even like Dasher," Alex chortled. "That's rough. Man, the gay reindeer."
"Shut up," Chris giggled. "How's the snow on your end?"
"Still coming down pretty heavy here, what's it like there?"
"It's actually slowing down."
"Good. Maybe I'll be able to dig myself out of here by morning." Alex sighed. "This blows. I fucking miss you."
"Tell me about it. I shoulda just stayed with you, at least then we'd be together."
"Yeah but you would've missed Christmas with your family baby. I know how much that means to you."
""Well, it doesn't mean much this year. Half of me is stuck in Chicago," Chris sniffled cursing the water standing in his eyes.
"Baby please don't," Alex begged. "If you start then I'm gonna ball and I don't think the other people camping out on the floor with me would appreciate me sobbing."
"Sorry," Chris rubbed his eyes. "I just miss you. This is the first Christmas we've been apart since we started-"
"I know," Alex interrupted. "And it will be the last. I wish I could be there baby."
"I know."
His door squeaked opened and a soft knock brought Breyer into his bedroom. She was dressed in her princess pajamas and her curls had been corralled into a braid.
"Night Uncle Chris," she waved.
"Hey, c'mere a sec munchkin," he called.
She crawled up onto his bed and sat cross legged facing him. Chris pushed the speaker button on his phone and held it in between them.
"Hey B," Alex greeted.
Her small heart shaped face lit up brighter than the tree downstairs. "Uncle Alex!"
He chuckled. "Yeah, how are you kiddo?"
"Good. Santa's coming!" She shouted into the phone.
"I know. Are you excited?"
"Yeah! I wanted to stay up and see him but Mama said he wouldn't come if I did."
"Well she's right, he only comes when you're sleeping, and he knows when you're awake. There's no fooling Santa," Alex replied.
"I just wanted to tell him where you were so he could give you a ride here. I miss you."
Chris' mouth fell a little and he wanted to grab his niece in a hug and never let her go. Alex sighed heavily and Chris could hear the tremor in his voice.
"I miss you too B. Now you better get to bed if you want Santa to come."
"Okay, I love you Uncle Alex. Merry Christmas." She stood on her knees and hugged Chris wishing him the same sentiment.
"Do you think I'd fit on the sleigh, 'cause at this point I'm willing to try anything," Alex said when Chris got back on the phone.
"I'm sure Santa could find room, considering you're the only present I want this year."
A beep sounded and Alex cursed. "My battery is going dead, great!"
"It's late anyway. You should try to get some sleep baby," Chris advised.
"Unlikely. But I guess I should let you go before it dies completely. I love you."
"I love you too. Merry Christmas baby."
"Merry Christmas."
Chris waited until Alex had ended the call and finally dropped his phone. He pushed the heels of hands into his eyes attempting to stop the tears that wanted to fall. He growled and threw his pillow across the room.
"It's not fucking fair!"
"Well you're right there," Nicole came in, carrying two mugs. "Breyer told me she talked to Alex. I'm sorry he couldn't be here Chris." She handed one of the mugs to him.
"I know." He took the drink but rested it on his knee, "I really don't want this. Hot chocolate isn't going to help anything this time."
"That's why I spiked some coffee with Kahlua. A poor substitute I know, but," she shrugged.
He glanced down at the beverage and smiled up at his sister, "thanks Nic."
"No problem. We're gonna build a fire downstairs and roast some marshmallows if you wanna come down."
"I'll be down in a minute."
Nicole nodded and left her brother's room. Chris took a sip of his coffee and cocked his eyebrow. Leave it to Nicole to use more Kahlua than coffee. He plugged the charger into his phone and then went downstairs. The adults partook in a few more grown up beverages and enjoyed each other's company around the fire. Renee and Charlie were the first to retire, claiming someone was going to have to get up with Breyer at the crack of dawn. Nicole and Peter lasted a while longer, Nicole was reluctant to leave her brother all alone, but they finally headed off to bed. Chris grabbed a blanket and settled on the sofa. He wasn't ready to go up to an empty bed and decided to relax by the hearth for a while.
"Maybe I'll see Santa," he mused.
His eyes grew heavy as he watched the logs in the fire fall in on themselves. He fought sleep for a bit, but the battle proved too great and he was soon fast asleep.
xxx
He was sure he hadn't been sleeping that long when he jerked awake. He swore he heard something, a thump. He strained his ears listening for it and just when he was sure he was dreaming he heard it again. He sat up quietly, peering over the top of the sofa. A figure was engulfed in the shadows by the front door. Chris squinted against the dark but couldn't make anything out. He watched the figure hang something up on the coat rack and finally turn around and walk into the soft glow of the Christmas tree.
"Alex." Chris' breath caught in his throat and he wasn't sure if he was watching a dream or not.
"Hey baby," the young brunette smiled falling down beside him on the couch.
"What are you doing here?" Chris grabbed him swallowing his answer in a kiss that made the boy's toes curl. "How did you get here?"
"I couldn't not be here for Christmas babe. Once I knew I wasn't flying out of Chicago I rented a car and here I am," Alex explained wrapping his arms around the blonde's waist with no intention of ever letting go.
"You drove all the way from Chicago? Babe, that's like four hours."
"About five and half with the weather."
"You really drove five and a half hours just to be here at Christmas?" Chris asked in astonishment.
"Well no not just for that. There was this too," Alex leaned in and captured the blonde's lips again. He reached up to brush against Chris' cheek in a blatant caress, languidly pulling away, but leaving his palm to cup his cheek. He watched those ocean blue eyes sparkle in the low Christmas lights for a second, knowing that the trip could have been five and a half days and he would've made it just to see them. "I had to give you your present," he whispered.
Chris shook his head, "this is enough. You're here."
Alex smiled gently, but untangled his arms from Chris to dig in his back pack. He pulled out a neatly wrapped square box. The paper was red and shiny with an ornate golden bow on top.
"What is it?"
"Open it," Alex pressed it into his hands.
Chris stared at it for a moment and then carefully began to tear into the package. He kept glancing up almost making sure Alex was still there, but he finally got it unwrapped revealing a bluish gray box. He lifted the lid and gasped. A silver chain rested on a bed of plush white cotton. A small delicate charm was nestled near the bottom of the box. Chris carefully picked it up, holding it in the light to really look at the charm threaded on the chain. The letters C and A were intertwined glinting in the multi colored lights.
"This is beautiful. When did you-"
"I didn't have to stay to re-do the commercial," Alex revealed. "This wasn't going to be ready by the time we left. I had to wait for it."
Chris's jaw dropped. "You… This…" Easy tears sprang to his eyes. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you. Here, let me put it on," Alex charily took the necklace and opened the clasp. Chris turned around so it could be fastened.
Alex wound his arms around Chris' waist drawing him closer. The blonde laid his head back against his chest and closed his eyes contentedly. Alex was lazily rubbing Chris' hip and happily obliged when the older boy begged a kiss.
"Merry Christmas baby," Chris mumbled against Alex's lips then captured them again. "I'm so glad you made it home."
"Me too," Alex began to trail kisses down Chris' neck. The hand that had been rubbing his hip began to inch its way lower and the blonde all but purred.
"Baby, bedroom… now."
Alex moaned his approval and gathered his boy into his arms. He carried him upstairs where they proceeded to make up for lost time under the mistletoe.
xxx
The snow was falling heavily outside in the gray light of early morning and Chris had just fallen asleep snuggled securely in Alex's arms with his head was resting on his chest. Alex had just stopped running his hand through Chris' blonde hair finally being over taken by slumber.
Suddenly their bed was hit with an earthquake. Breyer bounced up and down on her knees rousing any who dare not realize that Santa had come.
"Ugh! Cool it B." Alex whined.
The little girl gasped and lunged at the brunette. "Uncle Alex," she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and squeezed for all she was worth.
"B… Can't breathe," he spluttered gently pushing her off of him.
Her bright blue eyes were shining up at him and he had to glance over at Chris who was quietly watching the reunion.
"Santa really brought you!" Breyer was full of wonder. "I asked him before I went to bed if he could just bring you here for Uncle Chris and me… And he did, he did!"
Alex and Chris shared a smile, "Yeah he really did B."
She looked between the two boys for a moment and Chris said, "Let's go see what else he brought you munchkin. You head down and we'll be right behind ya."
She hurried off the bed and ran for the door. "Hurry up."
Alex chuckled and fell back onto the pillows. "We're seriously getting up aren't we?"
Chris yawned but answered positively. "Yup. She'll back in here in ten minutes if we don't."
Alex yawned himself and grimaced at the thought but got up. They retrieved the articles of clothing that had been discarded last night and made it to the top of the stairs. Chris tugged on the younger boy's wrist. Alex turned toward him with a quizzical look. Chris pointed to the mistletoe hanging above them. With a smile Alex leaned in to kiss him.
Before they even parted, Breyer shouted from the living room, "Uncle Chris, Uncle Alex, hurry up!"