Disclaimer… I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or its characters, but they do star in my fanfiction for the enjoyment of others. I asked Santa for the rights, but it just didn't happen this year.

A/N: Mori came in second in the poll and here is his holiday story. This will have some Christmas as well as New Year's themes. During the holidays I heard Vince Vance and the Valiants' All I Want For Christmas is You and originally I thought to use it for my Kyoya/Haruhi story, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to use it for Mori/Haruhi. This story will be a couple of chapters long as well. Enjoy, and if you haven't seen the Kyoya/Haruhi Christmas story it is titled An Ouran Nutcracker Christmas.

Chapter 1 – Santa Didn't Deliver

Haruhi sat in her father's living room surrounded by most her friends and Christmas wrappings. Everyone around her was smiling and enjoying everything wonderful that came with the holiday. Yes, everyone around her, but not her. Something was missing and she felt the absence acutely. Mori had left Japan with his father to discuss business with a new client a week before Christmas, promising his her he would return in time to spend the holiday with her… and in the end he was forced to break that very promise. His father had ended up with the flu and could not travel, which delayed their return; and then the client's home they were staying at was high in the mountains of Colorado and they got buried. It wasn't his fault, and yet, Haruhi couldn't help but be disappointed.

As she sat there and watched her friends, a small smile appeared on her face. Mori was missing this and he would have enjoyed watching the twins tease Tamaki and then watching Tamaki's reaction; for although it happened time and time again, it was still funny. Wiping the tear that fell from her eye, she gazed out the window and silently wished for the wild host's return.

"Don't worry Haru-Chan, Takashi will be home as soon as he can," Hunny told her gently noticing her melancholy mood. None of the hosts had been scheduled to come over to her house Christmas morning, but Ranka was so worried about his daughter, he called in the troops (and yes, that did include Tamaki).

Forcing a bigger smile, Haruhi nodded, "I know he will." Her eyes turned to the tree where several presents still lay under it. There were just some things she refused to open until he returned. Christmas would be celebrated when Mori got back and they could open their presents together.

Thoughts of the tall man swirled in her head and her forced smile suddenly decreased in size, however, it was no longer fake. In high school, Mori had been her savior, rescuing her from Tamaki and the twins countless times; and sometime during her second year in college, he had become her boyfriend. It had all transitioned and happened before she ever realized it. They had hung out and talked, and he helped her study since he had already taken some of the classes she was currently taking, and one night everything was solidified. He had taken her out to celebrate the passing of their finals and for her making the dean's list, and when the maître'D sat them down, he commented, "Your girlfriend is very beautiful." Mori had smiled and replied as he looked directly at her, "Yes, she is." That night when he had walked her back to her dorm, he kissed her goodnight. They were in the middle of it before they knew they had even begun. It had been so natural… so them. And now they had been in this relationship for almost two years, and surprisingly their friends had supported them from the beginning because there was no denying what was between Mori and Haruhi.

"Yes, your Christmas will be slightly delayed, but it will only be a minor inconvenience," Kyoya attempted to reassure his friend.

The others sweat dropped unsure of his way of comforting the brunette. Clearing his throat, Tamaki tried as well, "Have you talked to Mori-senpai lately? I'm sure he is missing you. Why if he didn't then he wouldn't be worthy enough for my little girl!"

"Whose little girl is she?" Ranka growled and lifted Tamaki off the floor, throwing him into the wall.

Haruhi face palmed as she mumbled, "Another hole to fix."

"Don't worry honey. I'm sure Takashi is trying his best to get home as quickly as possible," the father patted his daughter's head.

"I know he is, dad."

"And until then, you have us!" Hikaru and Kaoru were suddenly at her sides and rubbing her cheeks with theirs.

Tamaki pulled himself out of the wall and tried to keep as much distance as possible between him and Ranka. "Get away from her you two demons! She doesn't need your comfort! She has me!" He would have grabbed the girl in question, but her father was standing behind her and the blond had a healthy (respectful) fear of the man who was currently dressed in a glittery green wrap dress that probably looked better on him than most women (the fear learned through years of saying the wrong thing and ending up in the wall. Sometimes the hosts wondered if any of the plaster was still original or if everything had been redone since knowing Tamaki).

A small snicker escaped her lips. No one could be around this group and remain despairingly (ok maybe not that bad) sad the whole time. Yes, she missed Mori and she wanted him here and it didn't really feel like Christmas without him, but at least she had her friends around and they were her family. "You guys really are goofballs!" After she wiped a few more tears (both happy and sad), she answered the blonde's earlier question, "Yes, Tamaki-senpai. I talked to him last night and this morning. He is trying his best to get out, but the snow is pretty deep. He even took it upon himself to shovel some of it himself. His dad tried to help, but he wouldn't allow it since he didn't want him to get sick again."

"See, even if he has to dig his way home," Kaoru simpered.

"He will do it for you!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"That's right Haru-Chan!" Hunny added excitedly. He could still see the sadness, (or was it loneliness) in her eyes, but now relief was also present. She needed this. She needed to be around her friends since her boyfriend had been delayed, and when Mori finally got home, they would all celebrate.

When the home phone started to ring, Ranka went to answer it, leaving the hosts to cheer up his baby. He may have a few issues with Tamaki, however, the blond cared for his daughter and they were friends. He was right to call in reinforcements… even if it included Tamaki. "Moshi Moshi, Merry Christmas!"

"Ranka, it's Takashi. Is Haruhi there?" The voice on the other end of the phone spoke.

"Yes. Just a second. The boys are here, so let me get her."

"If she's busy…"

"Don't even finish that sentence! I know for a fact my precious little girl will want to talk to you." He walked into the room and handed the cordless receiver to the brunette, "Honey, it's Takashi."

She didn't waste a moment of time. The phone was at her ear before her father finished her boyfriend's name, "Takashi? Is everything alright?"

No, it wasn't alright. He had more bad news to impart on her, "The car won't start and we can't get another one up here because of the snow and it is starting to come down hard again. I am going to be a couple more days."

"Oh. Ok. Well, it isn't something you can control. I know you will get home as soon as possible. I just want you to be safe. Don't try to do something that would get you hurt."

"I know." Mori probably would have done just that: taking a snow mobile, skiing down the mountain, running through the snow, forced a helicopter to fly in the snow… anything to get to the airport. He couldn't though. His father had been sick and he didn't need to be out in that weather, especially since Akira was starting to run a small fever again. "I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"We all miss you Mori-senpai/Takashi!" The other shouted in the room… well all but Kyoya.

Taking the phone from the brunette's hands, Kyoya spoke, "Don't worry Mori-senpai. We will watch over Haruhi until your return."

"Thank you, Kyoya. I appreciate it."

She took the phone back and tried to hold in the tears as she said, "I love you, Takashi."

"I love you too. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"You have to be. New Year's is next year and who will I kiss at midnight if you're not here." Haruhi was joking… kind of. The rate this return trip was going, he might not be home for New Year's.

"I will be there. I pro…"

Cutting him off, she told him, "Don't promise. Just come home safe."

"Hai. Tell everyone hello for me. I will call you later."

"Okay. Bye." As soon as the line went dead, she lowered the phone and the tears she fought so hard to hold in started to fall. She didn't care when or how, she just wanted him home in one piece. Wishing to Santa seemed silly and childish, especially since Christmas Day was already here, but she closed her eyes and silently prayed, "Please Santa, kami, whoever, bring him home. That's all I want."

Tamaki felt it his duty to lift his fellow hosts spirits, for the whole room felt a little down since the phone call (understandably so). Standing to his feet, and immediately falling because he slipped on a banana peel that happened to be lying on the floor, he proclaimed from his position on his back, "Never fear Haruhi, we will never leave you until he returns."

"Don't worry Haruhi, Ranka, we will return home when we are done here," Kyoya corrected his friend upon seeing the murderous look on Ranka's face and Haruhi's dread.

"MOMMY!"

The twins started laughing and Hikaru chortled, "The boss got schooled by mommy!"

"We aren't even in school!" The blond ranted.

Everyone face palmed and laughed. Yes, it truly was hard to remain down when surrounded by these… these… um... these special friends.