Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Author's Note: One of my sisters helped come up with this idea. This is my first time writing them so I hope I did a good job. Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanukah or whatever it is that you celebrate at this time of year.

Family and More for Christmas

Lauren wandered around the little store. She picked up a little object that she couldn't quite decipher what it was. It was unlike anything she had seen, not that meant too much considering how it wasn't as though she had gone traveling since she was working on the sealing symbol. The object was small and red. It looked very simple and yet there was something special about it. When she asked the shop keeper if he knew what it was he said it represented family. As soon as he said that Lauren knew that's what she wanted to get Jayden. She gave the money to the shop keeper who then wrapped it up and put it in a bag.

Lauren thanked the shop keeper and exited the store. During the time she had spent in the store it had started snowing. It was quite beautiful. She stopped and just stood there looking up at the sky, this was something that she could potentially do if she wanted to. But soon the blare of the traffic driving by and the people hurriedly moving past her brought her back to the here and now and she realized that she needed to move on. She could perhaps stare at the sky another time.

Sighing she made she the little package was still in her pocket and she kept walking. She knew that she should start heading back to the Shiba House, but…it was still hard. She wanted to be with Jayden, wanted to spend their first Christmas together…she just wasn't sure on herself. Besides Jayden did have Ji and they had been around each other much longer than she and Jayden had.

She really didn't want to go back to that motel room that she had been staying at. Out here you could feel Christmas, it was quite magical. She smiled as she turned the corner and abruptly ran into someone.

"Excuse me." She said.

"Lauren?"

She looked up and saw Kevin standing in front of her, "Kevin."

He smiled at her, "How are you?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Great. What are you up to?"

"Just looking around," she gestured to the buildings, "I've never been here before." She turned her attention back to the taller man in front of her, "What about you?"

"I'm visiting some family."

"Oh…well that's good. Are you meeting them or waiting for them?"

He smiled, "Shopping."

"Me too…well…I was. I already got something for Jayden."

"I did too…well everyone else. Mike and Emily are holding onto my presents to give everyone since I won't be there for Christmas."

"That makes sense."

"Do you want to walk for a bit?"

"That'd be nice."

Lauren turned the way Kevin had been moving before they had run into each other. They talked about the team and he told her how they were doing. Though she hadn't been with them for too long she still cared about them. And she was grateful that they had been by her brother's side and had looked out for him. Even though she and Jayden had not spent much time together she still remembered when they were younger and she still loved him deeply.

As they talked Lauren kept looking around at the decorations. The city was so big and she was just one person walking…although now she had a friend. Yes, she was sure he was a friend. She smiled at that thought, her brothers' team had finally welcomed her into their family, as long as it didn't include kicking out Jayden which she would never want.

Kevin and her were walking quietly for another few minutes before she spoke up, "You know I think it's amazing how people come up with the ideas for these decorations," she said as she stopped in front of a store where there were decorations up. It was a scene from The Twelve Days of Christmas. There was a partridge in a pear tree.

Kevin looked at the decoration before saying anything, "It is pretty cool. When I was younger we used to walk down the city streets to look at the decorations."

"That sounds like a lot of fun."

"What did you do for Christmas?"

She shrugged, "Nothing much really. On Christmas I got a few presents but that was it."

"You didn't do anything before or special on that day."

"I usually wanted to practice some more. The more I practiced the more of a chance I got to be reunited with Jayden."

They were quiet for a few minutes before Kevin spoke up again, "And yet you're unsure that you want to go back?"

Startled the blond looked up at her current companion, "Why do you think that?"

"You're here and you don't seem to be in a hurry to get back to the Shiba House."

She nodded and then shrugged her shoulders, "Jayden has Ji and…well all of you guys. I know that he loves me but I don't want to interfere. Not like last time."

Kevin looked at her and placed his hand on her shoulder, "You aren't a burden. Seeing Jayden's face when he saw who you were…he was happy."

Lauren remembered when she had gotten there. She had fought and then found Jayden, injured. His face had lit up but she didn't really think it had to do with her being there except that she had the symbol to seal up the Xandred. She sighed as she looked back to the ground, "I was there to stop the fighting, so of course he was happy."

"Lauren that wasn't just it; I know that if my big sister who I hadn't seen in a long time appeared I would be happy to see her."

Her lips turned up as she couldn't help but smile at his statement, "Thank you."

"Would you like to get something to eat?"

"That sounds great."

Lauren smiled and together they walked down the street. She wasn't sure where exactly she was going to but Kevin seemed to know and she trusted Kevin. It turned out to be a small restaurant hidden between two stores. There was only room for so many people in the place and she and Kevin had to wait for a little bit before they could sit down. The wait allowed her to look at the decorations that were around the room. Whoever had decorated this room had made it a Christmas wonderland. There were glittering snowflakes hanging down from the ceiling, some were just white, others had glitter on them and some were a blue. On the wall someone had painted a picture that showed a hill from afar with people sledding. And on the wall is was also snowing.

The tables and chairs were white and blue with the occasional red and green in there. Lauren could hardly believe this, "How did you find this?"

"One of my teammates, from the swim team, they know someone who used to work here."

"It's beautiful."

Kevin touched her arm and gestured as a waiter came to show them to a table. They sat down and picked up the menus. It was a simple menu which surprised her considering the décor. But the whole feel that she had just sitting in here, it was really nice…more than nice, it was magical. She could almost feel the magic of Christmas seeping back into her. The longer she sat there the more she realized that she shouldn't be away from Jayden. She looked over to the man next to her and smiled, he really was an amazing guy.

"Thank you Kevin, this is really a great spot."

"I think so too." He shrugged and looked around, "It's almost magical."

She smiled, "That's what I was just thinking about.

It didn't take much longer for them to order. She got a sandwhich and Kevin got a salad. As they sat eating they talked about a bunch of different things. By the end of the lunch she figured she knew Kevin fairly well. It wasn't until Kevin glanced up and noticed the time that they realized they had been there two hours.

"Wow. I didn't realize the time."

Kevin looked at the clock and gasped, "I was supposed to meet my Dad already." He pulled out his phone, "And of course I forgot to turn it on. He's called a couple of times. Let me just…one second."

"It's fine."

Kevin got up and walked over by the little hallway leading to the back. He was on the phone when the waiter came back. Lauren told him they were fine and were ready for the checks. It was another couple of minutes before Kevin came back. He sat down and looked at Lauren, "Thanks."

"No problem. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to meet up with him in a little bit."

"I'm sorry that you missed meeting your Dad though."

He shrugged, "I had fun. It was nice being here with you."

Lauren watched as Kevin looked down at his drink, she wondered if it was the admission he had given; the one where it caused something in her stomach to flutter. Shaking herself from that thought she smiled and decided to be just as honest with him, "I agree, I enjoyed spending time with you."

They were both quiet for a few minutes. Then Lauren glanced at the clock again, "We should probably pay and head out."

Kevin nodded and they both paid and were soon outside. Since they had been inside for a little over two hours the world outside that magical place was covered in white. She couldn't help the smile that came on her face as she looked at everything. "I love snow. It's always so beautiful when it falls."

Kevin smiled, "It is."

She looked at Kevin, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For talking with me; I really should go and see Jayden for Christmas."

Kevin placed his hands on her shoulders, "You should. It will be good for both of you."

Lauren smiled at him. She wasn't sure what exactly brought her next move on but before she could really think about it she leaned closer to Kevin and gave him a hug. As her arms went around him she wondered if he would push her away or stiffen stating without words how uncomfortable he was, however instead he tightened his grip around her and returned the hug. It wasn't a long hug by any means but Lauren realized how much she liked it.

As they were pulling away she felt Kevin's lips touch her cheek, it was more of a simple brush then a lasting one, but it was there. Once they were separated they shared a smile that was only interrupted when someone bumped into Kevin.

He looked up at the time, "I should go, but…I'll see you later?"

"I'm going back to the Shiba House; I want to be with Jayden for Christmas."

Kevin smiled, "That's good, and it's where you should be."

Lauren looked off to the side where a little child stood on the sidewalk with their tongue out and face towards the sky. She smiled and looked back at Kevin, "I want to see you again though. I really enjoy talking with you."

"Me too. I'll be going to the Shiba House after Christmas, for New Years. So I'll see you then?"

"Sounds wonderful, I will see you then."

"Merry Christmas Kevin."

"Merry Christmas Lauren."

And with that the two parted ways but Lauren had a feeling that she would soon be in his presence again and it was a presence that she definitely wanted to be in again. With that in her mind and the determination to get to her brother before Christmas Eve she decided that Christmas was very wonderful. Touching the small package in her pocket she turned and began to head back to her family.