She got that feeling in the pit of her stomach again. Not exactly dread, not exactly excitement, not really happiness. It was more like bleak curiosity. Another Christmas in her family, wonder what that'll be like. She always had to guess, because even though the events could be predicted, you never knew how they were really going to transpire.

Standing outside the hospital felt a little bit better. She was hit in the back by the real world, where people's mothers collapsed to get attention and beautiful young wives married old, wise gentlemen.

She was sure there was something in the air tonight. Resilience.

'Going back to the Lemons?' a voice asked.

'What?'

She turned around and found Jack holding a fluffy red jacket ready for her.

'Your family, you're going to go visit them, aren't you?' he asked again.

'Well, it's not like they could ever top tonight, so I think I will be drama-free for one holiday season.'

'You left this in the ward,' he said, handing her the jacket.

She grabbed it rather forcefully.

'Thanks.'

'And there will never be a drama-free holiday season, Lemon. It's what they were invented for. For people to finally vent the crap they've saved all throughout the year.'

'It's comforting to hear that somehow,' she said smiling. 'Makes Christmas have a higher purpose.'

He chuckled. 'Yes, indeed, a higher purpose.'

She sighed and pulled him into a hug.

'It's going to be okay. Colleen is going to be just fine and so are you,' she said, tapping his back.

'I know. That's what I'm afraid of,' he joked.

'And you'll see, pretty soon Avery and your mom will find reason to unite against you and you'll all be one happy family. Just like the Lemons,' she said, trying to sound cheerful.

'Yes, I can't wait to be like your family,' he said, rolling his eyes.

'Hey, you're not like my family, you're in my family. My dad has probably saved you a sweater already,' she said, looking down embarrassed.

Jack's smile reached his eyes. It was comforting to know he would always have that.

'We are lucky, Lemon, to have people to drive us insane,' he said, putting an arm over her shoulders and pulling her to his side.

'Yeah. We really are.'

'We're lucky to have...each other,' he spoke softly, his breath coming out as a whisk of smoke in the cold winter air.

Liz leant her head against his shoulder and pulled back some unshed tears.

Weird, she thought. Stop being emotional, you turd.

She would have wanted to say something to save the moment, but Jack had already pulled away and was going back inside.

'Merry Christmas, Lemon.'

Don't go yet.

'Merry Christmas, Jack. See you in the new year,' she said, covering her face with her jacket to brush away the stupid tears.

'I suppose you will...' he said wistfully, before disappearing from her sight.

Liz walked down the street that night with a bus ticket in her hand and a luggage bag in the other, dragging her feet through the slosh, feeling better and worse about Christmas.

The lights in town were beautiful. Somewhere up there, Jack would toast with Avery by the fire and talk about their favourite Republicans.

The snowflakes fell without even touching her hair or her clothes. She looked up at the white night sky.

Jack Donaghy was doing the same. Only the sky from his apartment window was much darker.

He was thinking of her. Would she be safe on that bus ride? Would she be happy home?

Would he see his Lemon walking in his office again?

Of course he would. Why wouldn't he, after all?

It was only that, for a brief moment, he had felt a strange evening chill. He had felt unsure about the future. And he had felt loss.