A/N: Another one of my old stories, wrote for a friend. Please Review!
It was cold. The snow drifted through the whispering pines. The Cold north wind brushed against the tops of trees making them dance and sway. The woods were quiet and cold, as everything is in the heart of winter. It was cold outside, but inside the tiny cabin it was warm. The big pines that made up the frame, never swayed in the wind, and never danced in the breeze, they only stood tall watching over the small, but growing family. The small cabin was currently home to three permanent residence, one well loved visitor and one still preparing for life out in the little cabin. The one in charge sat inside, next to the fire, in a rocking chair. Carefully humming a tune so old, even the flames themselves swayed to the melody.
Bang... Bang... Bang…
Amelia stood up and carefully made her way over to the door, stopping to grab the shotgun above it.
"Who's there?" She yelled.
"Your one and only love." The slightly accented voice said.
She dropped the gun and threw open the door. Standing there with a pack on his and an ax of his shoulder stood her one and only love. She jumped into his arms, or as much as a nine month pregnant woman can.
She buried her face in his neck and began to cry. "I missed you so much Matthew."
He held her tight as she wet his shirt.
Matthew pulled back, "I missed you too."
Amelia wiped her eyes and suddenly grabbed his hand.
"Lets you get inside, you must have had a long journey." She tugged him through the door and took his pack as he put away his ax.
Matthew picked his way to the living room and stood next to the fireplace, letting the warmth wash over him like a wave. Amelia waddled into the living room and took both his hands. Their silhouettes stood like stones amid the dancing orange background. Amelia looked up into his violet eyes.
She brightened, "I have something to show you."
She pulled him along behind her as she padded across the floor to the stairs.
"Oh no you don't." He swooped up behind her and picked her up bridal style and started up the stairs. She held on to his neck and laughed lightly.
"Don't drop me I'm carrying precious cargo." Matthew smiled and stumbled over the last step. She hit his head gently, "Can you set me down now? I'm a old lady, I should be able to walk by myself, no matter how pregnant I am."
Matthew set her down and she swished her skirt as she tip toed across the Loft. She beckoned for Matthew to follow. Amelia stood over a small wooden cradle.
"Elijah has gotten so big since you left." She looked down at the golden haired boy, who slept gently under a hand-knitted blanket.
Matthew reached a hand out and gently stroked his son's face. He touched the little boy's hand, who immediately grasped it in a death grip, holding on tight. Matthew turned to Amelia, who was now sitting on their bed with a little girls blonde head in her lap. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked at Matthew with a small smile on her face. He picked up the little boy and came and sat next to Amelia, who laid her head on his shoulder. He buried his face in her hair. His question was muffled by her amber waves.
"How old are they now?"
She turned to him horrified. "You don't remember?" She whispered, just audible. Matthew looked at the floor never more ashamed in his life. She leaned on his shoulder again.
"Elizabeth is 5 and Elijah is 2."
He smiled, "Where would I be without you?"
She sat up and looked into his violet eyes. "Lost in the woods most likely."
Matthew laid the little boy down at the center of the bed and lightly lifted the little girl head from his wife's lap and kissed her on the cheek.
"Go get into your nightgown and I'll watch over them. " She smiled and attempted to get up. Matthew grinned, "Need some help?" She huffed and puffed out her cheeks. He stood up, pulled her off the bed and spun her.
"Let me go! I am going to get sick all over you!" With that she waddled down the stairs.
When Amelia finally climbed in bed, they were all asleep. She slipped in and was completely surrounded by warmth. Just as she was falling asleep a hand was lain on her stomach. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. We have so much to do." Amelia nodded and sank into the land of dreams.
The next morning Amelia woke up alone. No kids, no husband, but a couple of extra blankets. She was debating getting up when she heard little feet stomping up the stairs and soft giggles. She prepared for the worst. "Mama! Mama! Come see what Papa did!" Elizabeth was shaking her, her green eyes flashing with excitement. A smaller head appeared next to her's.
"Ya Mama! It is very big! Come and see!" Elijah announced, tugging at his Mother's blankets. "Oh if its big, then I guess I can come." Amelia quirked.
Elizabeth pouted, but helped her Mother up none the less. They walked slowly down the stairs, Elijah complaining the whole way about going too slow. When they finally did get down stairs, there in the corner that was known as the knitting corner, sat a pine tree. Matthew was washing sap off his hands, when he saw his wife's face he smile.
"Do you like it?" She just nodded and silent tears made their way down her cheeks. Matthew laughed and pulled her tight to him.
"Shh…. Shh… Shh… We don't have time to cry." She glared, but wiped her eyes.
"What do we still have to do?"
"Well, I was thinking we could make maple cakes and Maple sugar candies. We also need to decorate the tree." Matthew replied.
Amelia shook her head "Are you trying to make up for last year?"
"We have to start going, or we won't finish before supper!" Amelia rolled her eyes.
"Fine, Let's go children, let's decorate the tree."
She turned to Matthew, "Go warm the syrup." Matthew kissed her cheek and headed for the kitchen.
Amelia sat on the couch admiring their handy work. The candles were fastened to the ends of each branch, burning lightly warming up the dark house a little more. The soft light flickered against the silvery tinsel, and lit up the neatly sewn ornaments. The stockings were hung by the chimney and the hard maple candies sat on the table covered by a cheesecloth on a metal plate. She sighed from her place near the fire. A few Christmases ago her mother had send them a soft chair, that she instantly claimed as hers. She sank farther into the soft cushions, letting them cradle her. A cool hand brushed against her cheek, she leaned into the touch and let him cup her face from behind.
"I think today was a success." Matthew said walking around the chair.
He kneeled down in front of her and laid his head on her stomach. "Talk to the baby, it can hear you." Matthew turned his head so his lips rested on her stomach.
"Hi baby, I am your Papa. I will see you soon." Amelia smiled and ran her hands through his long strawberry blonde hair. She hummed lightly and giggled as Matthew's talking her tickled her stomach. She tapped the base of his neck.
"I think it's time to go to sleep." Matthew stood up and offered her his hand. She leaned heavily on him as the walk toward the stairs and up them. On about the 12th stair of 25, her water broke. Amelia's eyes went wide and she looked at Matthew like a deer in a the middle of a wolf pack.
8 Hours Later and 5 Threats of Death Later
She was so small. Matthew looked down at the newborn in his arms. She was so tiny. Her tiny hand held on to his finger. So tiny and small… Amelia lay on a bed made of extra blankets near the fire, asleep from the 8 hours of labor. Her eyes fluttered, Matthew noticed and hurried quickly over.
"Help me up…" She murmured barely audible, Matthew held the tiny being on one arm and use the other to sit her up gently against her chair.
"Can I hold her?" she croaked.
"Maybe with some help…" Matthew mumbled. He carefully sat down next to her and set the baby gently in her arms. It immediately began to wiggle, try to find its food source. Amelia was more than happy to oblige, they watched her as she drank her fill of "Breakfast". She had soft red curls and when she finally opened her eyes they were the colour of dawn, pale violet with deep blue rings.
"Beautiful…" She whispered. "How about a name?" Matthew breathed.
"Ginger. Ginger Noel Williams." Matthew smiled.
"Perfect." With that Amelia fell away.
The next time she woke up, a pair of emerald green eyes looked down at her.
"Are you okay Mama?" Elizabeth asked.
"Fine," She croaked. "Can you go get your Papa?"
The little blonde nodded and ran out of her line of view. A few moments later she heard the creaking of floorboards and the sound of breathing. A few moments later she felt a weight next to her. Amelia turned ever so slowly to look at her husband.
"Where is Gin…." She was cut off when she saw the tiny baby lying in the middle of them. "What time is it?" She asked quietly, which was very unusual for Amelia.
"About noon."
"How was Christmas?" She looked into his eyes.
"We've been waiting for you." He answered. Amelia's eyes widened.
"WHAT! Well let's go then." She then commenced to try to get up. Matthew just laughed.
"No." He got out of the bed and walked to her side. He leaned and picked her up.
"No walking for you." Amelia smiled.
"Let me down." He set her down and she gingerly picked up the newest addition to their growing family. Matthew walked down the stairs and set his wife down gently on "Her" chair. Elizabeth and Elijah looked at their Mama and their new little sister.
"Why does she have orange hair?" Amelia looked at her daughter.
"Well I don't really know, but a couple of my uncles and my aunt have the same color." The older girl nodded.
"Can we open presents now?" The other blonde asked obviously bothered that they hadn't done it sooner.
"Yes let's open presents." The little boy hopped to his feet and ran to his stocking and pulled it off the nail. Inside he pulled out a new blue hat, a piece of red and white Christmas candy and a collection of small carved animals.
"You're next Liz." Amelia turned to her daughter. Liz went and pulled her stocking down. Inside it was a pair of new yellow mittens, Red and green striped christmas candy and a new rag doll. They turned to their Mama, "What did you get…" Elijah was cut off by a knocking on the cabin's door.
Amelia turned to look at Matthew "Were we expecting guests?"
Matthew's eyes hardened. "No." He walk over to the door and pulled the rifle from above it. "No we weren't." He pulled open the door and was definitely surprised.
Alice stared back at her daughter's husband. She glared actually, "Well can we come in?" She grumbled. Matthew was obviously dumbstruck. That made her happy.
He stepped away from the door and Alice proceeded through, closely followed by her husband. "Bonjour! Its nice to see you all again!" Francis called, brushing snow out of his hair.
"Where is mon Petit Amelia?" Matthew recovered from his shock.
"Shhh… She's in the living room."
"Well she should know better than to sit around instead of greeting a guest." Alice glared icily at the young Canadian.
"Well she is a little sore." Matthew replied looking at the floor.
"Being a little sore is no excuse…" She made her way to the living room. Alice stumbled into the living room still in her snow clothes and saw her daughter holding the tiny infant. She looked longingly down at the Ginger.
"How old?" Amelia looked at Matthew who shrugged.
"I think about…. Hmmm….. About 8 or 9 hours." Alice gasped and smiled.
"Let me get my clothes off, I want to meet my newest Grandchild." She walked back to the door and began to take off the extra frocks and socks she was wearing.
Francis laughed. "Does mon lapin have a new bebe?" There was a crying sound from living room. "I will take that as a yes." After Amelia's parents had finished getting situated, they sat together next to the big fire place. Francis held Ginger in his arms, humming a French lullaby. Alice sat next to her husband as the baby held her finger.
"She's so small…" She looked worriedly at Amelia, who just smiled sadly. "She was a little early, I think" Alice nodded and turned her attention to her other grandchildren. Elijah was sitting next to her nodding off slowly, curled into her side. Elizabeth was sitting in her father's lap, gently combing through her new dolls hair with her fingers.
Alice called to the little girl "Would you like to hear a story?" Alice was known for her fairy tails. The little girl nodded, cuddled into the warm that was her Papa and settled in for the long run.
That night after everyone was asleep, only Amelia and Matthew sat near each other enjoying the fire and their company. Amelia leaned into his arms and sighed. Matthew hugged her even tighter. She tucked her face in his neck.
Suddenly she got up "I forgot your present." She limped over to the tree. She pulled a soft white package from behind her.
Matthew looked at her. "You didn't have too…" He said quietly.
"Too late. Open it!" Amelia replied thrusting it into his hands. He gently unwrapped the white cotton, to reveal a pair of new mittens, strung between them was a silver ring.
"No…" he untied the string and gingerly took the ring off. Matthew looked at her as he slipped it on his left ring finger.
"Is it okay?" Matthew noticed the tiny snowflakes painstakingly engraved. The inside was engraved with the words 'Let it Snow'.
"It's perfect." He said slipping his hands back around his wife's waist "I have yet to give you my present."
"Hmm and what is that dear?" Amelia asked turning into her husband's neck once again.
"My present isn't a real thing. My present is that I am now head of the lumber camp and I now only have to work one season a year."
Amelia turned to him completely. "Truly, you are not kidding?" Matthew shook his head.
"This is the best Christmas." she laid back on her husband's chest.
"Yes, it's Christmas Time again." Matthew whispered.
She smiled.