I WON'T BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. Song is I Won't Be Home For Christmas by blink-182.

A/N: This isn't going to be long, probably 3 chapters at the most.

The whole Camden family is gathering for Christmas, but who won't be home for the holidays and why?

Outside the carolers start to sing
I can't describe the joy they bring
Cause joy is something they don't bring me…

Christmas was in the air at the Camden household. Christmas is a magical time, but especially for the Camden family. And this Christmas was going to perfect. The whole family had not been together in what seemed like ages, but this year they would be reunited. Everybody was looking forward to Christmas with anticipation, longing to be with each other again. Matt, the oldest Camden child –although no longer a child, but a student in his last year of medical school and a future gynecologist- would be coming along with his wife, Sarah, a fellow medical student. Matt and Sarah were flying home to Glen Oak, California from New York, looking forward to present the rest of the Camden family with some exciting news. Mary, the second in a long string of Camdens, was expected for the holiday, too. Her husband, Carlos, and their young son, Charlie, would accompany the eldest Camden daughter on her trek from Buffalo, New York to California. Mary and Carlos had just recently gotten back together, and their relationship was slightly rocky, but they were determined to make things work out for the sake of their child. The 3rd oldest Camden, Lucy, who only lived a block away from "Fort Camden", was to celebrate the holiday with the family as well. Lucy's-a minister-, husband Kevin and their daughter, Savannah, would also be participating in the holiday festivities. The person the family dreaded seeing the most was arriving with the middle Camden child, Simon. The person who the holiday would be much more joyful without was his fiancée, Rose. Simon was a good person. He was a college student, who may have gotten into some trouble before, but none of the Camdens could understand how he got mixed up with such a woman. Rose was a selfish, whiny, demanding, rich, spoiled brat. She expected far too much from Simon, and had pressured him into getting her an engagement ring he couldn't afford and moving their wedding date up. Nobody was very fond of her at all. Naturally, the 3 youngest Camden children would be home for Christmas. Ruthie, a sophomore in high school, and the 6 year old Camden twins, Sam and David, still lived at "Fort Camden". And at the head of the Camden household were Annie and Eric. Still going strong after having 7 kids together, they were good role models for their children, and very pleased with how their kids grew and are growing up. They, more than anybody, were overjoyed at having the whole family together for Christmas and were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their kin, as they ran about getting last minute things done on the eve of December 23rd.

Eric slowly walked through the house, making sure every decoration, down to the last light bulb strung upon the brightly lit Christmas tree, was in place for the arrival of his family the next morning. Through the living room window Eric could see icicle lights suspended from the roof, softly swaying in the night breeze. All around the house miscellaneous Christmas decorations were strategically placed, with the Christmas tree as the main event. The tree had an assortment of ornaments ranging from ones that said things like 'Baby's First Christmas' to homemade ones assembled from hard macaroni and Elmer's glue. A nativity scene was carefully set up in the middle of the front yard, and a wreath purchased from a local Boy Scout troop found a home on the front door. After making his rounds around the house, Eric entered the kitchen where he found his wife, 3 of his children, and the sound of the radio blasting 'Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer'.

Annie, Ruthie, Sam, and David were all seated at the kitchen table together, also preparing for the arrival of the family. Sam and David were tossing sprinkles onto a batch of Christmas cookies, dancing with the music, but somehow the sprinkles were missing the cookies and instead finding their way into the twins' mouths. Ruthie was skillfully applying a line of icing to the edge of a delicious looking gingerbread house. Annie was flipping the pages of a cookbook, getting hit by flying red and green sprinkles left and right, and trying to decide what recipe for chocolate cake she would use for dessert on Christmas. Chocolate cake was Simon's favorite.

After getting a glass of water, Eric walked to his office, locked the door and started to wrap the Christmas presents he had purchased for Annie. But, he was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing throughout the house. He glanced at the clock on his desk. 10:22. Eric sat for a moment, trying to decide who could be calling at such an hour, but then the phone was picked up by somebody else in the house.

"Hello?" Annie had picked up the phone.

"Mom," It was Simon. Annie immediately noticed something was wrong, from the way his voice sounded. Simon sounded depressed and tired, and his voice was scratchy.

"Simon? Where are you?"

"At my apartment. Listen, I'm not going to be coming home for Christmas," he spoke softly, his voice cracking.

Annie was taken by surprise.

"What? What do you mean you're not coming home?"

"I can't. I'm sorry, Mom."

"Oh, yes, you can. You need to come. Everyone will be here. I'm making your chocolate cake. We have presents for you. You don't have to wear candy cane pajamas, you can-"

"Mom," Simon interrupted. "Merry Christmas."

And then he hung up.

Annie placed the phone on the receiver and slowly sat back on the table, staring into thin air.

"Mom…?"

Annie snapped out of her momentary gaze at the sound of Ruthie's concerned voice. Annie gave a heavy sigh.

"Simon won't be home for Christmas."

"W-What?" Ruthie asked. Out of all 6 of her siblings, she and Simon were closest. She had been upset that he did not come home for Thanksgiving, but was looking forward to him coming home for Christmas.

"He didn't tell me why." Annie explained to a curious Ruthie.

"Maybe problems with Rose…"

Annie managed a smile. Although she didn't like to see her son so down, she did like the idea of a possible break up between Simon and Rose.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Lucy ran through the kitchen door of the Camden house, out of breath, as if she had just run a marathon. "Mom!" she exclaimed, seeing her mother reading the newspaper at the kitchen table.

"What's wrong? Is it Savan-"

Lucy took a deep breath. "No, no, no. It's not Savannah or Kevin."

"What's wrong, then?"

"The supermarket is out of eggnog!"

Annie rolled her eyes. Lucy was hosting the Christmas Eve party that night. She had been stressing over it since Thanksgiving. Annie got out of her chair and went over to the refrigerator and pulled out 2 quarts of eggnog. Lucy grabbed the cartons out of her mother's hands and hurried out of the house at the speed of light, nearly knocking down her father on the way out. Eric walked over to his beautiful wife and gave her a quick kiss on her head.

"Did you get the kids?" Annie asked.

"They're on their way in. You know, I really wish Simon were here. Maybe… maybe I should take a drive up there…"

Annie wanted him to. She desperately wanted to know what was bothering Simon, so she could stop worrying, but also respected his privacy.

"No, Eric."

"You know maybe I could help him…"

Annie gave him a stern look to show him that she wasn't kidding. Eric gave up the fight just as Matt, Sarah, Mary, Carlos, and Charlie came in the door.

After exchanging hugs, kisses, and 'Merry Christmases' with everybody, Eric snuck into his office to call Simon.

After getting his voice mail and leaving a message for him, Eric finished wrapping Christmas presents, and at 5:00 everybody made their way over to Lucy's house.

The inviting smell of a roasting turkey in the oven filled everybody's noses as they walked through the front door of the Kinkirk house, everybody's except Simon's.

It's Christmas time again
It's time to be nice to the people you can't stand all year
I'm growing tired of all this Christmas cheer
You people scare me
Please stay away from my home
If you don't wanna get beat down
Just leave the presents and then leave me alone.

I won't be home
I won't be home for Christmas