Memories

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Duane's the genius not me.

A/N- One shot series take two! Okay, so my first one shot about Halloween was a complete bunk but I'm trying again to write something that isn't complete bantha poodoo (excuse the Star Wars reference).

Please enjoy another spur of the moment one-shot and any suggestions or comments (that aren't flames) are welcome as I am new at writing one-shots.

This one is in extremely early anticipation of New Years and it's partly fluff and partly sad.

Have a great rest of the day!

-Don ^-^

Nita was really looking forward to New Years with an eagerness that could only be rivaled by her planning for it. It had been a rough year after her mother had died and this was the second year that Nita was going to have to spend New Year's Day without her. This year Nita was going to try to make some resolutions to hold herself as well as Dairine and her dad together. The only reason Nita wasn't feeling badly about New Years without her mom was because she wanted to try what Millman had suggested: remembering what she liked the most about her mother.

Nita pulled out the old photo album and flopped down onto her bed. She flipped through all the baby pictures and stopped at a picture of Nita's entire family together. Nita could tell from how young she was that this was taken when she was about nine years old and a very small Dairine was seated on her father's lap while Nita's mother had her arm around Nita who was grinning broadly. The picture was from the year the Callahans had gone to a festival to celebrate New Years and Nita remembered briefly that she'd eaten too much cotton candy and because of that they had to go home early. Dairine wasn't too happy about it so their mother had promised to take them back again another year.

But like most things, Dairine got over the need to go to another festival and since no one seemed to want to go again, the Callahan family never did. Nita touched the plastic covering for the photos, brushing over the picture at the festival. Then she turned the page and a more recent photo of herself and Kit sitting at the local pizza parlor appeared. Kit was in the middle of eating his slice of pizza and looked surprised at the camera. Nita on the other hand was simply smiling away with the straw of her coke in her mouth. The picture brought a small chuckle from Nita's lips. Kit was pretty focused when it came to food. Or anything for that matter, and his wizardry was no exception.

Nita sighed. This year was more family oriented and Nita knew that Dairine had wanted to go to the New Years festival like they had a long time ago. It was going to hurt. That much Nita was sure about.

The rest she planned to enjoy seeing as she hadn't done so well her first time there. She looked up as she heard the door to the house open and close downstairs.

"Nita!" Mr. Callahan called. Nita groaned and pushed herself up from her reclined position on the bed. She slid onto the floor and made her way downstairs. She smiled as she noticed Kit by the door.

"Hey," He lifted the bag in his hand. "I got the stuff you asked for."

Nita grinned. They were in the middle of a wizardry that had required a large amount of supplies, or at least more supplies than wizardry usually did.

"Great," She replied and gestured for him to follow her upstairs. Mr. Callahan watched them for a moment then made his way back into the living room where the sounds of a Baseball game came from the TV.

As soon as Nita was in her room with Kit she shut the door. Kit placed the plastic bag on Nita's desk then plopped down on the bed. He jumped up as the edge of the photo album jabbed him in the side.

"What's this?" He lifted the album and began to leaf through it. Nita sat down next to him and laughed when his face wrinkled at the sight of the photo at the pizza parlor. "I don't remember anyone taking a picture of me there."

Nita smiled, "You were eating, that's why," Nita replied, still laughing. Kit flipped back and landed on the page with the festival photo. He noticed Nita's expression and turned to look at her.

"You don't have to go to the festival, you know," He said.

Nita sighed. "I know." She glanced at the door then back at Kit. "It's just I feel like I have to be there for my dad and for Dairi, they've been taking it pretty hard since mom died."

Kit regarded her carefully. "What about you?"

Nita shrugged. "I don't know."

Kit searched his mind for words to say, and finding none he shifted the photo album off to the side. "This shouldn't be something you're forcing yourself to do, Neets."

Nita's eyes turned cold as she replied defensively, "I'm not forcing myself to do anything, Kit."

Kit sighed. He hated when she got like this, when Nita decided she didn't want to talk about something she wouldn't.

"Look, Nita," Kit said gently, "I don't have any idea what's bothering you or if it's any of my business, but," He met Nita's gray eyes, "I don't want you to feel like you have to shoulder everything your family's feeling right now, because you don't."

Nita nodded and her voice softened, "Sorry, Kit," She said in a subdued voice, "I'm just not sure if I'm up for this festival."

"Then don't go," Kit stated firmly. "If it's going to hurt you this much-"

Nita smiled, "Kit, I'll be fine. I've faced worse than this."

Kit didn't say anything in response to that because he wasn't sure if she was talking about how emotionally torn up she was about her mother or if she was talking about wizardry, though the two were still pretty intricately connected since Nita had used her wizardry to try to save her mother.

"Well, you know where to look if you need my help," Kit replied instead. Nita nodded wordlessly. Kit decided it was time to change the subject. "Let's get started on this wizardry. I have to be with my parents all day tomorrow so we should get most of it done. "

Nita nodded and went to get the bag.

The day of the festival Nita put on her better pair of jeans, the only pair without the holes and a shirt that Nita knew her mother would have approved of. Nita had been doing that a lot lately: trying to do things she knew her mother would have been proud of or been happy to see Nita doing.

So why can't I just smile? Nita asked herself as she made her way down the stairs. Dairine and Mr. Callahan were already by the door.

"Right, everyone ready?" Mr. Callahan asked. Nita nodded silently and Dairine grinned.

"Come on! We'll miss the parade!" Nita had to laugh a little at how young Dairine sounded and probably felt right now. The whole idea of the festival seemed to put both Dairine and Nita's dad in a bright mood. As they piled into the car, Nita stole a glance backwards at her room where the album still sat on her bed.

Once at the festival, Dairine had a plethora of things she wanted to do, so she ran off in one direction while Mr. Callahan turned to Nita.

"You can do whatever you want. I'm going to keep an eye on Dairine to make sure she doesn't set anything on fire. " Nita smirked at that. He held up his cell, "Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks, Dad," Nita said quietly. He smiled and gave Nita a one armed hug before disappearing.

This really wasn't what Nita had in mind for the festival. She'd imagined it being more of a family event but no one seemed to want to stick together at the moment. Nita made her way through the booths and stopped at the one selling kabobs. After getting one she sat down and ate it with a sullen expression. Not that she wasn't trying to enjoy the festival, she got up after finishing and went around to try the multitude of games in the surrounding booths, she won a bouncy ball when she tossed the white ball into one of the bowls set out and then didn't have much success at anything else so she went to sit down again at one of the picnic bench tables set out. She leaned heavily on one arm. If her mom was here they'd all be together. Nita sighed, that gaping hole represented the thing that was once was part of her and was now missing. Nita knew she wouldn't be able to fill that hole again.

"Here," Nita almost jumped as the voice came from behind her and a small ice cream cone was shoved into her hands. Nita's hand went around the cone and she stared blankly as a slightly Hispanic boy with bright brown eyes took the seat across from hers at the picnic bench. After a few minutes he raised an eyebrow.

"It's not poisoned, you know," He took a bite out of his own ice cream, then made a face as a brain freeze came through. "Oww."

Nita smiled and cautiously began eating her own ice cream. Kit grinned at her. "There." He said, "That's the expression you should have all the time."

Nita looked over at Kit with curiosity. "And why's that?"

He arched his brow then said, "Because it's cute."

Nita took her turn to swallow a chunk of ice cream whole and coughed, turning red. Kit finished his ice cream while Nita regained her composure.

"How come you're not with your parents?" Nita asked finally. He shrugged.

"Well, to be honest, we had a change of plans and they were going to go to a friend's party. I didn't really want to go so I stayed home. " Kit's brown eyes stared at Nita with concern, "Besides, it seemed more important to be here."

When Nita still remained confused Kit sighed. She could be a little slow sometimes, but then again he couldn't blame her. This was a hard time of year and especially a hard day. New Years always meant moving on, but remembering what happened in past years and more importantly what was precious.

Kit got up and moved to the other side of the table so he could sit next to Nita. She turned her head to look at him. "What I'm trying to say, Neets," He started again, "Is that I know you'll always remember your mother, and to be honest, I will too," He felt his own throat constricting at those words. Nita's gray eyes rested on him, he could tell she was listening intently. "I won't ever take the place of your mother. No one can." Kit sighed. If he was going to say it then he was going to say it. He glanced at his watch. There was a minute until the ball dropped and the new year would begin. Nita looked down at the floor. She really wanted to be able to enjoy this year.

"Nita." She stared at Kit's deep brown eyes and then down at her hand as Kit's clasped around hers. "This year I promise to make sure you smile."

All around them were shouts of, "Happy New Year!!" But Kit ignored them and touched Nita's cheek lightly before he kissed her.

"Okay," She said with a smile that warmed up to her ears.

The next afternoon, Nita entered her bedroom and picked up the photo album, which was still on the page with the festival photo. Nita pulled another photo out of her pocket and slipped into the slot next to the festival photo.

In the new photo Nita and Kit were standing in front one of the booths as the fireworks exploded in the background with the words "Happy New Year." She smiled at it fondly as the door to her bedroom opened.

"Ready to go?"

Nita closed the album and went to join Kit at the door. "Come on or we'll miss the play," She replied and Kit reached out and took her hand. As they got to the door to the house, Nita started to look around her, and then followed Kit out.

I'm happy, Mom, She thought with a smile.

Good. Kit thought back at her. Nita punched his arm. This was going to be good year.

A/N- Thanks for reading! Please review! I'm trying my best at these one-shots. =)