Christmas Wishes

Rikki's POV

"I understand… no I'm not upset," I said hiding the sadness I felt.

"I'm really sorry sweetie but there is nothing I can do," my father said over the phone at the Atlanta Airport in the USA.

"I know, really I do," I said. "I just wish it didn't have to be snowing in Washington DC.

My father was stuck in Atlanta for his connector in Washington was snowed out. Here the sun was bright and worm as the winter Holidays were starting. His trip was only to be two days, then we would spend Christmas together. Now I just wish Washington had this sun while we had the snow, even if it meant the dreaded cold and not going outside for days.

"I'll be home as soon as I can, then we'll have a Christmas together," He said before hanging up.

I looked out over the water. It shimmered in the bright sun. I still couldn't believe I was left alone on Christmas. Bella had gone off with her family to visit her grandmother across the country, and Cleo was with her new Step-mother's family two hours away. Zane and his father went to Paris as Lewis was in America for his studies. Will and Sophie were gone to stay with their grandparents in New Zeeland, they left this morning.

I took this time to get away from everyone I didn't know, heading deep underwater for Mako. Even the beauty of the world only my friends and I could see. Fish were swimming happily as they didn't know of the pains of the human world as I did. Dolphins frolicked around, enjoying their time, before it was up. The colors of the underwater world lightened my mood, just a little bit.

Soon I came to the cave I was looking for. I swam up, looking un to the strange new waterfall, trickling from nowhere as Lewis had said. I got out and dried myself off, letting my orange tail transform back into my short, pale legs.

I sat there for a while, thinking of what I would be doing if my father were here. We would be making cookies or burning them, for neither I nor my father are good cooks. We would be putting lights on the tree and wrapping presents for each other. My father would be fighting with his mother as to why he nether visits on Christmas and I would be putting up with his twin sisters and their annoying little brats, who would be calling to try to get us to come stay with them for New Years, never happened before, will never happen now.

Just then I saw a figure coming out of the entrance of the pool. I recognized her at once.

"Bella?" I asked when she had surfaced. "I thought you were with your grandmother?"

"I was supposed to, but she came down with a fever, so they left me here, so I wouldn't get sick," Bella explained. "What about you, I thought your dad got home today."

"So did I, but the plane and weather thought otherwise. Did you know it's snowing in Washington DC?" I asked with a pout.

"So I guess we're both alone," Bella said pulling herself up as I helped dry her off.

"I guess so," I said with a sigh.

We stayed put on Mako as long as we could, no use in going back to where we were alone. We talked a little about other Christmases we had, but at least all over those we were with family not hiding at an island no one's been to since, well ever.

As we sat I could have sworn I heard the sound of rocks tumbling above us, but I just reminded myself we were in a cave and animals are above us.

All of a sudden, Bella and I jumped to a sound so unexpected it scared us. A crash had come from the land entrust to the cave. We slowly made out way to the opening that lead down to our favorite hideaway. There, lying on the floor, all bused and beat-up, was Emma Gilbert, my best friend I had not seen or heard from in months.

Bella gave out a scream, for she had yet to actually see or hear about Emma. Emma pulled back a little at the sight of Bella but smiled a little at the sight of me.

"Oh, Emma, what on earth happened to you?" I asked getting down to inspect the damage done to her.

"I can't remember everything," She admitted. "But I was kidnapped, by a man. He left me on a boat for days and abused me. Some parts are blank but I do remember after what felt like a week, I jumped ship and ended up here, on the beach, I've been trying to get down here ever since last night, but I can't feel my lags and my arms and hands are in pain."

"O-My-Gosh, Emma, are you alright," I asked my friend helping her to her feet and back to sit on a rock. "You don't look ok."

Bella stayed back, still freaked out from just seeing her here. She watched as I checked and talked to Emma to see all of her injuries. There was nothing too bad, mostly sprains and burses, but she seemed dehydrated and tired. All I could think about was how we needed help, but none could come, for the boys were gone.

"Hello, Bella," We heard just now from the entrance.

"Will?" I asked Bella, who confirmed with a nodded that, that's who it sounded like.

Just as suspected, Will walked up into the open space of the cave.

"What are you doing here, I thought you and Sophie were to be in New Zeeland by now?" Bella asked.

"We were, but our flight got… canceled," He said slowing down as he noticed Emma. "Who's she?"

"This is Emma, my friend, who moved away from here before school started," I answered. "She has been hurt, badly and kidnapped."

"That's terrible," Will said taking a look at Emma. "If we can get her to my boat, I can take her back to the main land to a Hospital."

"That's a good Idea, Emma, you need to be seen by a doctor," I told her.

She agreed quickly and the three of us helped Emma back to the beach and into Will's boat. Then He took her back to the main land as Bella and I followed in the water.

Once at the Hospital, a doctor took her admittedly as another called the police and her parents. The police arrived quickly asking a now bandaged Emma what exactly happened. Will, Bella and I stayed close by as she answered every question and got word that her family would be there as soon as possible.

After all the mess cooled down, Bella and I got to be alone with Emma.

"So neither of you have anywhere to go for Christmas?" She asked as we nodded.

"We were both just going to be on Mako if you didn't come around," I admitted.

"Well at least now you aren't alone," Emma said trying to find some bright side to everything. "And thanks to you neither am I."

"In some way, we all got our Christmas wish, even if we didn't know about that wish this morning," Bella said with a smile. "You are no longer on that boat, and safe and we aren't alone."

"I guess we could say this is a lucky Christmas for all of us," I said as the others smiled as to agree with me. It was a lucky Christmas with a Christmas miracle that none of us saw coming.