Notes: Based on prompt 34. This one is unbeta'd, so apologies for any mistakes.

December 2018

Logan stares down at the letter in his hands, a puzzled frown marring his features. He has no idea how some kid's letter to Santa Claus ended up being delivered to him at North Island Naval Base, and when he saw it earlier, his immediate reaction was to ignore it, maybe try to do the 'return to sender' thing, but then curiosity won out and he opened it up… and found that once he started reading it, he couldn't put it down.

Dear Santa,

My name is Daniel and I'm in the third grade. What I really, really want for Christmas this year is the Avengers Hero Inventor Kit. We don't have a lot of money at home and my mom can't afford to buy one for me, so it would be really awesome if you could pull some strings up there in the North Pole and help us out.

From,

Daniel Harrison

P.S. My dad died when I was a baby, and my mom has been sad ever since. I want her to be happy this Christmas, so if you can bring her a new husband, too, that would be awesome.

Logan finishes the letter with a small smile on his face, then checks the return address. It's from an elementary school here in San Diego. He should just reseal it in the envelope and put it back in the mail so it actually makes it to wherever letters to Santa end up these days, but something stops him.

Something that's telling him maybe he should help this kid out. Not with the whole 'new husband' request, obviously, but it's not like he's strapped for cash. He can certainly spare the money to buy this kid his, what was it... an 'Avengers Hero Inventor Kit'.

He folds the letter back up again and opens up his laptop.

Well, your letter might not make it to Santa, kid, he thinks as he pulls up a browser window and starts searching for the Inventor Kit, but at least I can make this part of your Christmas wish come true.

A week later, about thirty minutes before the school day is due to start, Alexa White, third grade teacher at Ocean View Elementary School, studies the large box sitting on her desk in bewilderment. It's addressed to her, with a return address of North Island Naval Air Station, which is what has her puzzled, because she's certainly not expecting anything from the base; hell, she doesn't even know anyone in the military.

Pulling a pair of scissors from her top desk drawer, she carefully cuts through the tape sealing the box and pries open the lid. Inside sits a brightly-wrapped box, with a red ribbon tied around it and a tag proclaiming 'For Daniel', and two envelopes, one addressed to her, and the other to Daniel Harrison, one of the kids in her class… which has a North Pole return address on the back.

She reaches for the envelope with her name on it, slides her finger under the flap, and pulls out a neatly-written letter.

Dear Ms. White,

I know this is a little out of the blue, but Daniel's letter to Santa somehow ended up in my mail last week, and since I wasn't sure how to make sure it got to the big man himself, I figured I could help out a little. Make the kid's Christmas wish come true.

Inside the wrapped box is the gift he asked for in his letter, as I understand his mom can't afford to buy it for him. Your name and school were listed on the return address, so if you could make sure he gets it, that would be very much appreciated.

Regards,

Lieutenant Echolls,

NAS North Island

"Wow," she murmurs, taken aback by the thoughtfulness of this Lieutenant Echolls.

Not many people would go to the trouble of helping a kid out like this rather than simply sticking the letter back in the mailbox or even in the trash.

"You're a lucky boy, Daniel."

She folds the letter up again and slides it back into the envelope, before placing it in her purse and then locking the box away in the small storage cupboard in the corner of the room. She'll give the gift to the boy's mom when she sees her at the end of semester parents' evening tomorrow.

"You'll be pleased to know that Daniel has been doing well over the last few weeks," Alexa tells the boy's mom the next evening. "He's getting good grades in class, and he's very social."

"That's good to hear." Ms. Harrison smiles. "I know he hasn't had it easy with the move to San Diego this summer."

"Oh, no, he's a delight to have in my class," Alexa assures her. "And that reminds me, actually. I received a surprise delivery for him yesterday."

"A delivery?"

"Yes." Alexa nods, sliding her chair back and moving over to the store cupboard. She retrieves the box and places it down at the side of her desk. "As I'm sure Daniel told you, a couple of weeks ago, the class wrote letters to Santa."

"Yes, he did," the boy's mom confirms. "He's been anxiously waiting for a reply."

"Well, it seems that Daniel's letter got misplaced and instead of being delivered to Santa, it ended up in someone else's mail," Alexa explains. "Well, that someone else read the letter and very kindly decided to help out."

"Really?"

"Yes." Alexa smiles, patting the box. "In here is the gift that your son asked for in his letter. It's all wrapped up and ready to go, along with a letter from 'Santa'. I thought maybe you could put it under the tree for him to open on Christmas Day."

"Wow, seriously?" Ms. Harrison's eyes widen in a mixture of surprise and awe. "I mean, this is great. It's just… well, forgive me for being cynical, but I'm not sure whether to be grateful or suspicious that some stranger is sending gifts to my child."

"I did briefly have the same thought, but they included a letter for me as well, explaining why they'd sent it, and it does seem genuine to me. It is the season of giving after all, and the gift did come from a Naval officer."

"Really?" Ms. Harrison reaches out and pulls the box towards her, opening it up and peering inside. "Wow, maybe miracles do really happen." She turns to Alexa. "Daniel's been after this Avengers Inventor Kit for a while now, and I'd love to give it to him, but it's completely out of my price range. He told me that's what he asked Santa for, so if that's what's in here, this could make his whole year."

"I hope it does." Alexa smiles as she rises from her chair. "And thank you for your time this evening. Ms. Harrison."

Daniel's mom returns the smile, standing as well, and reaching out to shake Alexa's hand. "Thank you for all your hard work, Ms. White. I know Daniel really enjoys having you as his third grade teacher."

Ms. Harrison goes to pick up the box, but then pauses, her eyes widening as she stares at something on the outside.

"Everything okay?" asks Alexa.

"What?" Ms. Harrison seems to shake herself out of it, her head turning to face Alexa. "Oh, yes. Sorry. Everything's fine. Thank you again, Ms. White."

Ms. Harrison leaves the room, box in hand, and Alexa watches her go with a soft smile. It's nice to know there are still some good people in this world.

It's early on Saturday and Logan is busy shovelling down the breakfast burrito he grabbed on his way home from his morning run when there's an impatient pounding on his apartment door. No doubt it's Lefty trying to drag him into playing basketball with the guys on their squadron again.

"Okay, okay. I'm coming," he mutters, placing the burrito down.

Wiping his hands as he makes his way through the apartment, he pulls open the front door.

"Geez, hold your horses, dude—" He stops short, mouth falling open in shock as he registers who's on the other side. "V-Veronica?"

"What the hell are you doing sending gifts to my kid?" she bursts out without even a hello.

She's glaring at him, jaw clenched, her hands curled into fists at her side… but Logan can't seem to help staring at her. He hasn't seen her in more than eleven years, and despite the anger currently contorting her features, she looks incredible.

"Um, what?" He blinks a couple of times, mouth opening and closing, as her words slowly register. "You have a kid?"

"You," she points a finger at him, "are up to something. What game are you playing, Logan?"

"I, uh…" He glances around helplessly. "I have no idea what you're talking about. You're the one who just showed up at my door out of nowhere after eleven years. How did you even know where I live?"

She narrows her eyes at him, gaze flashing, though after a moment, her hand lowers to her side and she straightens, her anger seeming to deflate as she studies him in confusion.

"I, uh…"

Logan watches her carefully for a moment, before opening the door a little wider. "Look, why don't we start over?"

She nods slowly. "Okay."

"Hi, Veronica," he starts, pasting on a smile. "What a surprise. It's been a while. Would you like to come in?"

"Hi Logan," she plays along. "That would be nice, thank you. Sorry for dropping in unannounced."

She steps inside his military-assigned apartment, looking around as she moves into the living area, and Logan shakes his head as he closes the door behind him. This is the weirdest thing that's happened to him in years.

"Can I get you something? Coffee? Tea?" he offers awkwardly.

"No, I'm good, thanks."

"Okay." He gestures for her to take a seat on the couch and he settles in the armchair opposite. "So, what are you doing here, Veronica?"

"You really don't know?" She seems puzzled.

"I really don't." He makes a circling motion with his hand. "Please, enlighten me."

She eyes him suspiciously for a moment, before sighing. "Okay, here's the thing: I met with my son's teacher on Thursday and she handed me a gift for him. It had arrived in the mail, from someone who'd accidentally ended up with his letter to Santa. Your name, and this address, were on the return label."

"Shit, seriously?" Logan's mouth drops open. "That was your kid?"

"It was." She nods. "It is."

He shakes his head in wonderment. "I had no idea."

Her eyes narrow. "You didn't?"

"No." He shoots her a bemused look. "Why would I? The letter was from a kid named Daniel Harrison and it had a San Diego elementary school return address on it. How the hell would I have known he was your son?" He gives a shake of his head, before shrugging. "Look, I just wanted to do something nice for a little kid at Christmas."

"Really…" Her voice is calmer now, more accepting.

He gives her a small smile, and a nod. "Yes, really."

She looks down at her hands. "Oh."

"Veronica, I didn't even know you lived in San Diego, let alone that you had a kid, " he tells her. "Last I heard, you'd run off to Stanford, never to return."

"Shit, I'm sorry," she says, looking embarrassed. "I just barged in here, guns blazing, making assumptions."

"Veronica," he says again. "I wouldn't ever go behind your back like that on purpose. If I'd known that the letter was written by your son, I would have looked you up… asked if it was okay first."

She lifts her eyes to his, studying him thoughtfully, before she says, "Wow, you've grown up."

"Yeah, well…" He shrugs self-consciously. "Had to happen sometime."

"Well, uh… thank you for sending the gift," she adds, sounding a little awkward. "I couldn't have afforded it on my own."

"Yeah, I know."

She straightens, looking suspicious. "You do?"

"Yeah, uh, Daniel mentioned in his letter that his mom didn't have the money to buy it for him. That's uh, kinda why I wanted to help."

"Oh." She looks down. "Well, I mean, it's not like we're poor. It's just, being a single mom, and everything… I have to budget."

"Right." Logan nods in understanding, remembering the letter. "Of course."

"What do you mean, of course?"

"Oh… well, the letter also mentioned that your, uh, husband… passed away a few years ago."

"Shit, Daniel," she mutters softly, rolling her eyes, "what the hell are you telling strangers about me?"

Logan can't help but smile. "I think he just wants you to be happy."

At that, her head snaps up and she frowns. "What exactly did he write in this letter?"

"Oh, nothing much," he assures her. She doesn't need to know about the whole 'new husband for my mom' thing. "Just that, really."

Silence falls between them, and in the quiet, reality suddenly sinks in. Veronica Mars is actually sitting in his apartment. Grown up, mature, and it seems, widowed Veronica Mars. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, causing her head to lift in his direction, and as she looks at him speculatively, he realises he's still wearing his running gear.

"Listen, uh, I should go take a shower," he says, gesturing to his dishevelled appearance. "But feel free to make yourself at home while I'm gone."

"Oh, uh, actually, I should probably get going." She shifts forward on the couch, getting ready to stand. "I don't want to impose on your time any more than I already have."

"Hey, no," he says quickly, reaching out a hand to stop her. "Don't go. Not yet." At her inquisitive expression, he explains, "We haven't seen each other in eleven years, Veronica. I'd like to catch up."

"I don't know, Logan." She seems to hesitate. "I only came by to say thank you fo—"

"No you didn't," he cuts her off with a smirk. "You came by to chew me out."

She looks down at her hands sheepishly. "Yeah, okay, I did. But now I'm saying thank you."

"You're welcome," he allows. "But I'm still not letting you leave that easily."

Veronica cocks an eyebrow. "What, you gonna hold me hostage or something?"

"No." He smiles. "But I would appreciate it if you would stick around for a while. Just let me shower real quick first, okay?"

She narrows her eyes at him for a moment, before giving a relenting sigh. "Okay. I'll stay. But just for a bit."

"Thank you." He beams at her. "I'll be right back."

Logan disappears into his bedroom, leaving Veronica sitting on the couch, the room suddenly silent around her. She blinks, shaking her head, unable to believe what's happening right now. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she was happily settling into her new San Diego life, spending her days getting to grips with her new job, making sure Daniel was doing well at his new school, and preparing for Christmas. But then she received that box from Logan yesterday, and suddenly everything had gone off-kilter.

She wasn't really thinking straight when she left Daniel with a neighbour this morning, got in her car and drove out here to the base. All she knew was that Logan Echolls was interfering with her life again, after more than a decade with no contact at all, and she needed to find out why. What she hadn't expected to find was that he was completely clueless; that he'd had no idea Daniel was even related to her, and that he just wanted to make a kid's Christmas wish come true.

Which, if she's honest, is what's niggling at her; because it doesn't seem like something the Logan she used to know would do. Then again, he isn't the same nineteen-year-old boy she left behind all those years ago. He's an adult now; a grown-up. Hell, apparently he's even a lieutenant in the US Navy.

Veronica hears the sound of water running in the other room, and she exhales slowly, finally standing up and taking in her surroundings. Logan's apartment is small and basic, and not at all what she imagined for his place of residence. There are a few personal touches here and there—a pile of books on a table in the corner, a laptop, a small stereo with some CDs beside it, and some photos on the mantelpiece—but really, this place could be anyone's.

One of the photos catches her eye and she crosses the room to take a better look. It's Logan, at his Hearst graduation, a banner behind him claiming 'Class of 2011'. He's standing proudly in his robes, diploma in hand and a small half-smile on his face, almost like he's embarrassed to be having his photo taken. She can't help the smile that tugs at her lips at his expression. Turning to the next photo, her eyes widen as she realises what she's looking at. There's Logan, standing in front of a fighter plane, wearing a flight suit, with aviator shades perched on his nose and a helmet tucked under one arm. He looks like he's just stepped out of Top Gun.

"Well, fuck me," she murmurs to herself. "Logan's a fighter pilot. How did that happen?"

The next picture shows him dressed smartly in a white Navy uniform, posing for a professional shot in front of a blue-grey background. It's a nice photo, but it just seems odd to see him looking so sharp and pristine. The photo beside it, though, seems much more fitting for the Logan she used to know. He's standing on a beach, clad in board shorts and a tight US Navy t-shirt, posing with a group of people. On his left stand two guys she doesn't recognise, one of whom has his arms around a tall, slender brunette, and to his right are two more girls—both blonde—and what appears to be Dick Casablancas on the end. Logan is smiling widely for the camera, looking relaxed and tanned as he hugs one of the girls against his side.

Veronica feels a stab of jealousy as she studies the photo, as she notices how happy and carefree he looks. It doesn't seem fair, that he gets to lead this awesome, fun, incredible life, while she's a single mom, trying to raise her son and have a career at the same time. Hell, she ends up working overtime most weeks, just to give Daniel the life he deserves.

With a quick shake of her head, she turns her attention to the final photo on the mantel, which is another picture of Logan in his flight suit, but this one looks like it was taken in a canteen or something. He's sitting at a table and has his arm slung around the neck of another guy in a flight suit, as he gives him a noogie. Both of them are laughing.

"That was taken on the ship a couple years ago." Logan's voice startles her as he joins her in front of the mantelpiece. "We were on deployment in the Persian Gulf."

"So, you're really in the Navy?" She tears her eyes away from the last photo to look up at him.

"Really am." He nods, giving a small smirk. "Joined up after college. Needed some discipline in my life."

"You seem to be doing well for yourself," she acknowledges.

He shrugs. "It wasn't an easy ride, but yeah, I guess I am."

"It's good." She nods. "I'm uh… I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." He averts his gaze, looking down for a moment, before lifting his head to look at her again. "So, you're a mom now, huh?"

"I am," she says. "Daniel just turned eight. I got pregnant senior year at Stanford—during Christmas break. A happy accident, I guess you could say."

"And you got married to his dad?" He looks a bit apprehensive asking the question.

"Yeah, Chris and I eloped during Spring Break," she tells him. "I was about three months gone at the time. We were way too young, but he didn't want our child born out of wedlock-he was traditional like that-so we got married."

"Were you happy?" he asks, his eyes dark and serious.

"Yeah, I was." She nods. "I mean, I don't know if we would have stayed happy, but, then, I never got the chance to find out."

Logan's hand slides into hers and she straightens in surprise at the warm touch.

"What happened?" he asks softly.

"He, um…" She swallows, the memories slamming into her. "We had just moved to New York; he'd gotten a job in the city, so we packed up and moved across the country. We'd been there a few months when it happened. It was just a stupid accident. He was on his way from work one evening, and this car took the corner too fast and didn't see him on the crosswalk. He died on impact."

"God, Veronica, I'm so sorry."

"Daniel wasn't even two. He barely remembers his father." She shakes her head, swallowing down the lump in her throat. "I couldn't stay in New York. I had no job; I couldn't take care of us. So, I moved back home to Neptune and we lived with my father."

"I didn't even know…" Logan murmurs.

Veronica shrugs. "Why would you? You were off joining the Navy and flying planes. We weren't in each other's lives anymore."

"Maybe we should have been," he says softly. "You were my oldest friend, Veronica. I know we had our problems, but God, we've been estranged for longer than we were ever friends."

She frowns, working it out in her head, realisation dawning. "You're right, we have. And that's my fault. I'm the one who left town, who cut you out of my life."

"But it was the right thing to do," he counters, causing her to look up at him in surprise at the admission. "We were a mess back then, Veronica, both of us. We weren't capable of being in a healthy relationship, and if you'd stayed, we'd have only ended up ruining each other."

"Wow." She blinks. "Can't say I ever expected those words to come out of your mouth."

He gives a soft chuckle. "Yeah, me either, but I've managed to gain some perspective over the last few years. I've worked through a lot of the shit I was going through as a teenager."

Veronica just stares up at him, in a mixture of confusion and disbelief, to which he gives a self-conscious shrug. "What?"

"I'm still trying to get my head around this new, adult you," she admits. "It's disconcerting."

"I'm right there with you, Veronica," he says with a smile. "I mean, you, a mom? I'm struggling to picture it."

"Took me a while, too," she jokes. "But you know what? I love it."

"I can imagine…"

The conversation tails off then, and Veronica realises their position, standing close together, holding hands, and she takes a step back, slipping her hand from his and turning away.

"Sorry," he murmurs quickly.

"It's okay." She shakes her head, though she looks anywhere but him. As she glances around the small apartment, a thought occurs to her and she frowns. "Logan, it's December 22nd… where are all your Christmas decorations?"

"Oh, I, uh…" Out of the corner of her eye, she sees him shrug, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I don't really celebrate the holidays anymore. I usually spend Christmas either on base or on deployment, or sometime, Dick and I head to the beach for the day. But he's in Cabo with his latest flame this year, so I guess I'll just be hanging out here."

"Seriously?" Veronica turns to him with wide eyes. "Logan, you can't spend Christmas alone."

"Sure I can."

"I mean it," she insists. "You should at least be with friends over the holidays."

"It's okay, Veronica," he says. "Really. I'm used to it."

She presses her lips together in thought, the idea coming to her easily, though she's not entirely sure it's a good one.

"Look, you should spend Christmas with us," she says, the words spilling from her mouth before she can stop them.

"Oh, no… that's okay," he repeats, shaking his head. "You don't have to do that. I'll be fine here."

"I'm serious, Logan," she tells him, even as she debates the wisdom of this decision. "You'd get a home-cooked Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings, and you might even get to see Daniel's reaction when he opens your—uh, Santa's—gift." Logan still looks doubtful, though she can see his resolve gradually starting to slip. "Please?"

"Okay." He nods eventually. "I'll spend Christmas with you. But only because you said please."

"Great." Veronica smiles widely, reaching for her purse and pulling out a pen and a notepad, and scribbling something down. "Here's our address. Come by any time from nine. I'll try to hold Daniel off from opening your gift until you arrive, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Thanks." Logan takes the piece of paper from her, taking a look at it before carefully folding it in half.

"We'll exchange gifts in the morning, after you arrive, and then my dad's coming over at lunchtime for Christmas Dinner and after that, it'll be an afternoon and evening of Christmas movies and eggnog."

"Wait, your dad?" Logan looks a little panicked. "Pretty sure I'm not his favourite person. Are you sure you really want me there?"

Veronica shrugs, seemingly not bothered. "You're my guest. He's just gonna have to deal with it."

"If you say so." He looks a little pained, though he's quick to cover it with a smile as he sucks in a breath and glances up at her again. "It's been good to see you, Veronica."

"You too, Logan." She smiles. "Look I'm sorry about just barging in here earlier."

"It's fine," he says, with a small smile and a dismissive shake of his head. "Bygones."

"Thank you for what you did for Daniel, too," she adds. "It'll make his Christmas."

"I hope so."

Logan pulls up outside Veronica's house at precisely nine o'clock on Christmas morning. There doesn't seem to be any sign of life inside, but she did tell him to arrive any time from nine, so he climbs out of the car, grabs the bag of gifts he brought with him, and steels himself as he walks up the path and knocks on the door. There's no movement at first, but then he hears Veronica's voice asking Daniel to get the door, followed by the sound of feet pounding on the floor. The door finally swings open to reveal a small, skinny boy with messy dark-blond hair, wearing a reindeer sweater and cartoon pyjama pants.

Logan smiles down at the kid. "Hi, there. I'm Logan."

The kid looks confused for a moment, before his expression clears and he gives a shy smile. "You're Mommy's friend who's here for Christmas."

"I am. And you must be Daniel." He crouches down so he's at eye-level with him and holds out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

The boy stares at his outstretched hand for a couple of seconds, before gingerly reaching out to shake it. His hand is tiny in Logan's, but he grips it tightly and Logan is suddenly struck by how similar he is to Veronica. They have the same blue eyes, same open smile… same strong handshake.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Logan," says Veronica, appearing in the hallway dressed in a knitted sweater with a picture of Santa riding a unicorn on the front. She's wearing a tinsel-lined Santa hat as well. "I see you've met Daniel."

Logan stands smiling at her. "And I see you're still embracing the festive spirit."

"Yeah, well." She shrugs. "It is tradition, after all. Come on in."

"Thanks." He steps inside the small, modest bungalow and holds up the bag in his hand. "I brought some last-minute gifts."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that," she says quickly.

"I wanted to," he assures her, following her into the living room, which is decked out in garlands hanging along the walls and a Christmas tree haphazardly covered in lights, tinsel and hand-made ornaments, some of which he recognises as being Veronica's from when she was younger, while the others must be Daniel's.

"You can put them under the tree if you like," she tells him. "We haven't started opening them yet."

"Okay. Sure."

He lays his gifts under the tree, beside the small pile of presents already there, and takes a seat on her slightly threadbare sofa while Veronica fixes some coffee. Daniel slides onto the couch beside him.

"Hey, buddy," Logan says, feeling a little awkward. "Are you having a good Christmas so far?"

"Uh huh." The kid nods eagerly. "Santa came last night, and he left me a gift and a letter."

"Did he now?" Logan tries not to smile as Daniel points to the familiar box and envelope on the floor.

"Yep. Mom says I can open it first," he says, his eyes sparkling. "But I had to wait for you to get here."

"Well, I'm here now," says Logan. "But let's just wait until your Mom comes back, okay?"

"Okay." Daniel nods, before turning to Logan, looking excited. "So is it true that you're a fighter pilot? That's so cool!"

Before Logan can answer, Veronica reappears, carrying a two mugs of coffee. She hands a one to him, then takes a seat on the other end of the couch.

She grins, turning to them. "So, are we opening gifts or what?"

Veronica observes the chaos around her with a smile. There's wrapping paper scattered across the floor, and Daniel's gifts are piled up in the corner. He's not concerned with most of them, though; what has his full attention is the Avengers Hero Inventor Kit he got from Santa. He's even persuaded Logan to help him set it up and is now animatedly explaining to him how it all works.

The look on her son's face when he opened the gift was incredible—not just because he finally got his dream present, but because it came from Santa himself, not to mention that it came with a personalised letter, which he won't even let her read.

Logan also gave Daniel an F/A-18 Super Hornet model plane kit—"that's what I fly", he told them both with a grin—and then presented Veronica with a gift she wasn't even aware she needed, but is very much appreciative of: two $100 gift cards, one for Target and the other for The Gap. She even managed to scrape together something for Logan over the weekend. It was difficult to know what he would like these days, given she doesn't even know him anymore, but he seemed to like the books and 'Trust Me, I'm a Pilot' socks she picked out at the mall on Sunday, so everything seems to have worked out.

Her dad arrives just after twelve, armed with side dishes and even more gifts, and though he's pretty shocked to see Logan in her living room, once he's recovered, he seems to take his presence pretty well, and even spends a good portion of the afternoon asking him all kinds of questions about the Navy and flying planes.

After dinner, when they're all feeling full and warm, they return to the living room with glasses of eggnog and mugs of hot cocoa, and settle in to watch Elf (Daniel's favourite) and The Year Without a Santa Claus (Veronica and Keith's favourite).

About halfway through Elf, Veronica gets up to top up their glasses and grab some snacks and Logan follows her into the kitchen. He leans against the counter, watching her for a moment, before he speaks up.

"I've had a great time, today, Veronica," he says. "Thanks for inviting me."

"I'm glad you came," she says. "It's really good to see you again, Logan."

"Yeah, same," he agrees. "I've missed you."

Veronica freezes midway through pouring the eggnog, her heart stuttering in her chest. Of course, she's missed him too, but actually hearing him say it out loud seems to make it more real.

"I've, um… I've missed you, too," she confesses.

"Yeah?"

He moves closer, but she forces herself not to react, keeping her gaze focused on the drinks before her.

"Veronica…?"

"Uh huh?"

In her peripheral view, she sees him smile. "Can you look at me, please?"

She closes her eyes briefly, her heart pounding, before steeling herself and turning to face him.

"Logan, I—" she starts, but her words trail off when he lifts his hand and tucks her hair behind her ear.

The gesture is so familiar, so much of a reminder of what they used to have, that it makes her want to cry. His hand cradles her jaw, his thumb brushing against her cheek, as his head lowers towards hers. She knows what's coming, but she's powerless to stop it… because, God help her, she actually wants this. She wants to kiss Logan again, wants to relive how it used to be, wants to feel something again.

He moves slowly, his eyes questioning, making sure this is what she wants, before his lips finally touch hers. The merest brush of his mouth against hers is enough to spark the energy and passion that has been lying dormant within her for years, and before she can think about what she's doing, her arms are around his neck and she's tugging him closer, sinking into the kiss.

"God, Logan," she murmurs breathlessly when they finally part, dropping her head to his chest and trying to calm the frantic beating of her head.

"I know," he replies, his hand coming to the back of her head and cradling her against him. "I'm sorry."

"No." She shakes her head against his shirt, before looking up at him. "Don't apologise. It was good… it's just…"

"It's just that there's eleven years of distance between us," he finishes.

"Yeah," she agrees. "But, I've really enjoyed celebrating Christmas with you today, and Daniel seems completely besotted with you and your planes already."

"I noticed." He flashes a grin. "He's a great kid."

"He is." A smile spreads across her face. "I love him so much."

"Listen… I have to confess something," he says softly.

"What?" Veronica's smile turns inquisitive, mixed in with slight apprehension.

"Daniel didn't only ask Santa for an Inventor Kit in his letter," he admits. "He wanted something else as well."

"He did?"

"Yeah." Logan nods. "He said you'd been sad since his dad died, and he wanted you to be happy again."

"He said what?" She looks surprised. "But, I am happy."

"He doesn't seem to think so," he says, giving a sheepish grin. "So, he asked if Santa could bring you a new husband."

"Oh, geez." Veronica's eyes slide closed as she groans. "I seriously need to have a word with that kid."

"I think it's sweet," Logan says, suppressing a grin at her embarrassment. "And okay, maybe a new husband was overreaching a little, but I don't think wanting you to be happy is too much to ask."

Veronica opens her eyes, looking up at him. "No, I guess not."

"Are you happy, Veronica?" he asks. "Really?"

"I guess." She shrugs, avoiding his gaze. "I mean, I love Daniel with all my heart, and I enjoy my job. I'm building a good life here now."

"But…?"

"I don't know," she says. "I certainly never pictured myself as a single mom, trying to make ends meet. To be honest, I never really pictured having kids or getting married at all, but then I met Chris, and Daniel came along…and for a while, life was awesome."

"Yeah."

"Of course, it didn't last," she continues, "but then, that's life."

"You shouldn't have to settle for less just because 'that's life', Veronica," he argues.

The words hit a chord deep inside her, one she's been trying to ignore, and she sighs. "Yeah, I know."

"Look," he says, "I don't want to presume anything about what makes you happy, but I want you to know that I'm here. You know, if you ever want to hang out, or have someone to talk to, or whatever. Even if it's just as friends."

She looks up at him, takes in his features, noting how much he's changed in the last eleven years. He's leaner now, having lost the baby fat, and more muscular, and the almost perpetual smirk has been replaced with a much more serious and genuine expression.

"I'd like that," she says eventually. "I'd like to get to know you again, Logan. I really have missed having you in my life."

"Same here."

Their gazes lock for a long moment, before Logan suddenly swoops down and kisses her again, his arms wrapping around her back and hugging her close.

They're so caught up in each other that neither of them notices the small figure standing in the doorway, a wide smile on his face.

Maybe Santa really will make all his wishes come true this year.