Merry Christmas!

All I Want For Christmas Is You

"Randall! Get up, get up!" Helen yelled from their master bathroom. She ran out and shook her husband, who was still tangled in their bed sheets, a pillow thrown over his face.

"Yes, honey" he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

"Get up! Eli will be here any second! Get up!" she whispered-yelled at him. Randall groaned and got up, his bones cracking as he stretched.

"Alright, alright…I'm up" he yawned and dressed in slacks and his best blue striped button up. Helen ran down the stairs, checking in on their daughter, Clare making sure she was still asleep. She giggled quietly and ran to the kitchen, immediately making coffee and breakfast before her soon-to-be son-in-law soldier came home from Afghanistan. She whipped up omelets, pancakes, eggs and bacon in what seemed like two minutes and set the table for the four of them. Randall leaned against the counter smiling, trying to remember the last time he's seen his wife so happy. She ran around the kitchen frantically, giggling to herself. She grabbed my hand and raced us back to the room and as soon as we plopped down on the bed, Clare's door squeaked as she got up.

"We have to wait for the perfect time" Helen whispered to Randall as she lay back down on the inviting bed. "The perfect time…"

*Clare's POV*

I heard clanging and clattering downstairs but didn't really think of it in any way. It was probably just my mom being crazy…as always. I rolled over on my stomach and buried my head in my pillow. It's Christmas Eve, and Eli isn't here. Eli is my fiancé…overseas at war in Afghanistan. I got up then, suddenly tired of sleeping. I dressed in tan boots, black leggings, and one of my cheesy oversized Christmas sweaters. I smiled to myself as I pulled it over my head. I checked my hair in my full-size mirror and I dropped my smile. This will be the first Christmas I haven't spent with Eli since I was 15. Fifteen.

I sighed and opened my door and walked downstairs. The aurora of breakfast attacked me and I smiled, knowing my mom would do something like this on Christmas Eve. I poured myself a cup of coffee and made it to my liking. I hopped up on the counter and sipped my coffee. My parents came down the stairs, my mom smiling big—and creepily, I might add—at me.

"You okay Mom?" I asked her, raising my eyebrow questioningly.

"Why, of course, sweetie" she smiled brighter. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked. I nodded at her, ignoring her oddness as I do every day.

"We have an early birthday present for you, sweetie" My Dad told me. I smiled at him.

"Really? What is it?" I asked.

"Well, it was too big to wrap so, I'll just bring it out her" Dad disappeared for a moment and I peered into the hallway.

"Dad, what are you-?" And then he stepped out, a bag on his shoulder and one in his hand. I gasped, my heart stopping and for a second, time stopped; Earth stopped. I stared into his emerald green eyes and that smirk I've grown to adore began to creep on his face. I was about to hop down from the counter when, Eli dropped his bags and ran to me. I wrapped my legs and arms around him and he picked me up, spinning me around. His arms gripped my waist tightly and he pressed his lips to my neck repeatedly. I giggled and squeezed him tighter.

"Eli," I whispered. He smiled against my neck and set me back down on the counter, not letting go.

"I love you" he whispered. I smiled and pulled away from his embrace to press my lips against his. He squeezed, my waist kissing me harder and I smiled.

"Ahem" My Dad cleared his throat. I pulled away from Eli and blushed. He winked at me and turned to my parents.

"Eli!" My mother squealed. Eli smiled and hugged my mom and my Dad, quietly talking.

"We have breakfast ready!" My mom squealed. "Come!" she jumped and practically ran to the dining room.

"Sure, be there in a second" Eli called. He turned his back on me and began rummaging through his bag. He came back with a box wrapped with a bow on top.

"I got this for you in Afghanistan. I hope you like it" he whispered. I smiled and took the present from him. "Merry Christmas" he whispered to me. I smiled and looked at the present. I looked back at him and ripped the bow off, placing it on his shirt-clad shoulder. He chuckled.

"What are you doing?" he asked, still chuckling. I smiled at him.

"You're my present this year" I told him. He looked up at me and smiled.

"I'm okay with that" he responded to me. I smiled at him and he pulled me off the counter. He grabbed my hand and we walked to breakfast with my parents.

All I want for Christmas is you.

:D And before you ask, yes, that one scene was from the coffee commercial. (: I thought it was so cute and totally saw Eli and Clare. (:

Thanks!