Chapter 1

Liz is sitting in front her computer in the kitchen, a large mug of coffee half-empty next to her, she has her head in her hands, she taps frenetically with her foot against the chair, making a metallic sound at every contact between her and the object.

"Hello, beautiful… are you okay?" Criss just came into the room and puts his hand on her shoulder, she looks up at him, and smiles, she seems exhausted.

"Yes, I am…" He leans toward her and gives her a kiss. She slides her arm behind his back, and pulls him to put her head into the hollow of his shoulder. His warm calms her a bit. He runs hi hand in her hair: "Are you sure?" "Yes, it's just… you know…" she sits up straight. "With all that Christmas stuff it remembers me that my family again, doesn't want me to come for the holidays, and it hurts…" She sights. "Actually, I didn't think, it would hurt this much." He puts his hands on her hips, he comes closer to her. "At least, you have me…" He smiles. "Sure" she takes his chin in her hand and kisses him again. "I have you, my elf prince…", she frees herself from him and gets up. "Coffee?" He sits looking at her work on her computer. "Yes.", she takes the coffee pot and pours him a full cup, and then she completes her own cup. She notices that he is reading what it's on her screen, as she sits, she says: "Oh it's just some ideas from the next year sketches." She scrolls the pages, and sighs. "I don't know if I will keep them to be honest…"

"I like the first one about that crazy dad who wants to exchange his baby for a dog…" She laughs, and her look goes away into the emptiness. "Yeah, I wish I could exchange a baby…" He frowns at her, she feels his surprise, she looks at him and corrects herself: "I mean, at least it would mean that I have a baby!" He takes her hand. "Come on we will get through it, you are no longer alone, and with the wedding and everything, we will have a little Criss Lemon, or a little Miervaldis Chross next year, I promise!" She takes a deep breath looking at him, smiling at his positivity in front of everything.

"I love you." She feels his hand hold hers stronger, and as he pulls her toward him, he whispers: "I love you more." Their lips meet and it's a more intensive kiss, a true love kiss like she likes to give him, she would like that it will never end.

Suddenly the sound of The Imperial March rings out in the room, Liz picks up her phone: "Yes, Jack?" Criss giggles when he hears the name of Jack, actually he thinks that the theme of the darkest prince fits perfectly the man, well done Liz!

"What? Again! Oh my… Yes, Yes, I'll be there. Oh? Okay, thanks." Liz hangs up and turns over Criss. "Tracy and Jenna had a fight in an after-party yesterday and they need someone to prove that they are not responsible for their acts." She stands up, gulps down her coffee while closing her computer, and kisses Criss on the cheek. "I'll be back soon." He grabs her free arm. "Hey?" he pulls her against him and takes her neck in his hands. "I need a true love kiss again…" She smiles, and closes her eyes to appreciate the unreal moment he is giving her.

Liz has time to put away her computer when her phone rings out again. "Yes, I'm on my way Jack, I just get out from my apartment", she goes downstairs, and as she arrives at the entrance she sees a big black limo in front of the door. She puts her hat, and pulls up her coat collar, it's freezing outside.

When she goes out, the car door opens and she rushes into it. Jack is here, wearing his usual tux and what seems a new grey coat, he looks very elegant in it.

"Hi Jack" He looks at her while she closes the door and sits comfortably in the seat. "You look terrible Lemon!" She tries to reply, but her brain refuses to work on that one, she just sighs and smiles "I'm happy to see you too, Jack…" He looks her up and down; she has the feeling to be observed through X-Rays. She runs a hand in her hair, and moves her look away toward outside the car.

"Are you okay?" she hardly successes to hide her feelings, but her choked voice lets her down. "Ye-es…" Pull yourself Liz! She takes a deep breath, but the fatigue, the cold and the Christmas atmosphere gets her. Her eyes slowly fill up with tears. Jack knocks two times on the tinted glass, the car stops almost straight away.

Jack comes closer to Liz, he sits across from her. She looks at him; the tears have begun to flow on her face. "What's happened Elizabeth?" She looks at him, and shakes her head. "Nothing." She tries to wipe her eyes, but the tears become more considerable. She can't help to cry in front of Jack it's too much to handle. Jack takes her hands; they are surprisingly warmer than hers. "It's okay, Elizabeth, it's okay…" she sniffs. "It's just… I struggled so much to have the work I dreamed of all my life, and… now… when everything is going well in my life I have to struggle again to… to carry out something that it should be natural for me… I begin to believe that I don't deserve to be a mom Jack, and… and it's killing me…" She sniffs again; she takes away her hands from Jack and grasps an old Kleenex in her pocket. "I'm sorry, I didn't sleep last night, and I must be very tired…"

She looks at Jack; he has his weird look half worried, half amused. "You know Lemon, I didn't think I could say this one day, but I think you will be a great mom, and you deserve more than everyone to have a baby…" She smiles. "Thanks Jack, this is the nicest thing you've ever said to me…"

Few hours later.

Liz is in her office, she tries to work on her computer, but she can't stop thinking of what Jack said to her. Gosh I wish Christmas Miracle exist…

Suddenly, her door opens violently and Tracy comes in. "You know mama Liz that is because I hate you, because you're my fictional, old, hairy mother-in-law!" She rolls her eyes. "Sure… What do you want Tracy, I don't have any time for this…" Tracy suddenly begins to shout and goes away. "That's why I need to do wrong things for you to recognize me!" Liz stands up but he is already gone. "Tracy, wai…" She groans and sits on her chair; she is so tired she probably could sleep on her laptop right now. She closes her eyes and put her finger on the top of her nose to relax. After a few seconds she hears the door closes, she opens her eyes, it's Jack, he sits on one of the edge of the armchair which is in front of her. "What are you still doing here Jack? You shouldn't spend more time with Liddy for Christmas?" She takes the cup on her desk, and drinks a sip of a already cold beverage, she gives a grimace in disgust.

"I could ask you the same…" She looks up and frowns. "I don't have any child Jack…" He folds his arms. "You have Criss." She looks down and nods. "Yeah…" He stands up and comes in front of her putting his hand on her desk. "You have to trust him Liz…" "I…" "Really, I mean in a sexual way…" She raises one finger to make him stop, but he ignores her. "He is perfect for you Liz, but you have to trust him, and try to have fun when he gives you pleasure…" She winces. "Gross Jack! This is not a discussion I want to have with you!" She shouted, and she breathes harder now. She tries to calm down. "And for your information, I can take pleasure!" "Good!" Jack stands up straight. "So this baby will come soon, then…" He gives her his challenge look, she frowns. "Sure." She clears her throat. "And I will begin right know." She stands up, closes her computer, and goes around her desk, she takes her coat, and looks at Jack before leaving the room. "Merry Christmas Jack."

She leaves. Jack has a satisfied smile on his face. "Merry Christmas, Lemon."