Charlotte had been surprised when AJ invited her to join him and his boys to go see Santa at Macy's. Sure, they've become close over the last several months. Close enough for them to travel together, even when he has his boys. It's something that Charlotte has never seen AJ do with anyone since joining the WWE. When AJ asked if she wanted to join them, she was surprised. Of course, it didn't take her long to agree.
AJ shuts the SUV off before turning and looking at Ajay, Aiden, and Ace. "No running around," he says. "You will stay with Charlotte and I. Understand? Santa is watching. So you three better behave."
Charlotte climbs out of the SUV and meets everyone at the back of it. She smiles as she watches AJ helping Ace with his gloves. "Is this where you bring them every year?" she asks.
"Yeah," AJ answers as he stands up. "Seems this is where we usually are during this time. And then after the… you know… we sat and talked and agreed that I could continue this."
"That's good though."
"Charlotte, are you going to write your Christmas wish?" Aiden asks. He smiles up at her. "You should. We all do. We write our Christmas wish and put it on the tree!"
"Well, I think I could definitely write my Christmas wish. You'll just have to show me how to do it."
"Okay!"
"When do we write our wishes?"
"After we see Santa."
Charlotte smiles again when Aiden takes her hand as they make their way toward the line. She loves how excited the boys are and she's thrilled that she gets to be a part of this. She stands beside AJ as they stop at the end of the line with the boys in front of them. She looks at AJ. "Don't laugh at me. But I'm taking my phone out and I'm taking our picture."
AJ smiles at her. "Why would I laugh at that?" He slides his arm around her when she leans closer with his phone up.
She lowers her phone after taking the picture. "Thank you." She meets his gaze and a feeling flows through her that she's never felt with AJ.
"You're welcome." AJ smiles again. He hears the boys calling for them which finally makes AJ drop his hold from around Charlotte. "Yes, we're moving."
Charlotte watches as the boys walk over to Santa. She smiles when Ace stares wide eyed at the man. "Is he scared of Santa?" she asks AJ softly.
"No," AJ answers. "He's just always amazed by him."
"Are you going to write a Christmas wish?"
"I always do."
"Have any of them come true?"
"I guess you could say that." AJ smiles at her. "What are you gonna wish for?"
"I can't tell you, AJ. It won't come true."
AJ chuckles. "Oh right."
Charlotte takes a card and a marker before moving over to where the boys are. She sits down and watches as each of them write out their wishes. She glances up to see AJ standing behind the boys as he writes his own wish. She shifts a little so she can write her wish without anyone seeing it.
I wish AJ would see me as more.
She folds the card before stands up. "Okay, I am ready." She smiles at the boys. "Lead the way." She looks at AJ as the boys start walking over to the tree. "Think your wish will come true this year?"
"Of course," AJ answers. "Yours?"
"No." Charlotte shrugs. "But I have to try, right?"
"Right." He watches her. "Why wouldn't it come true?"
"I just know." She hangs the card on the tree where Aiden tells her too.
"Come with me. I want to put mine over here." Aiden takes Charlotte's hand and pulls her around to the other side of the tree.
AJ takes that time to grab a look at Charlotte's card. "I wish AJ would see me as more," he whispers. He glances down at his own card.
I wish I could tell Charlotte how I feel.
"Do it," AJ mutters.
"Hot chocolate!" Ace exclaims.
"Hot chocolate it is," AJ says with a smile. He hadn't planned on reading Charlotte's wish. However, after she mentioned it wouldn't come true he'd become intrigued. He never thought it would be about him. He never imagined she could actually feel the same way. Maybe he should have. Why would anyone want to continually spend time with him and his kids?
AJ comes to a stop with Charlotte when they move to the side with their drinks. "Ace, be carefully, Buddy."
"I will."
Charlotte raises an eyebrow when the boys start giggling. "What's so funny?" she asks.
"You're standing under the mistletoe," Aiden says with a giggle.
Both Charlotte and AJ look up to see that they are in fact standing under mistletoe. Charlotte's stomach falls at that. Great, now what are they supposed to do? She meets AJ's blue gaze.
"Well," he says softly. "Who are we go go against tradition?" He rests a hand on her hip as he leans in and kisses her softly.
Reaching up, Charlotte rests her free hand on his cheek. This is actually happening. There's actually something behind AJ's kiss too. It's not just a tradition for the mistletoe.
"I think both our wishes just came true," AJ whispers.
