A/N: This is just a little something-something that I wrote just because I was in the Christmas spirit. It's sad in the beginning, but I promise you, it gets happier towards the end.

Disclaimer: Like I said, I don't own Nick or Jeff. They were never mine to begin with (sadly...).

Christmas Wish

All Jeff Sterling wanted was to be loved, to be cared for. He wanted someone to be there for him, someone to love him. But no one wanted him. Not even his own family. They thought he was worthless, pathetic, a disgrace. Jeff doesn't even know what triggered this hate. There was nothing wrong with him. His father's anger and alcohol problems and his mother's loyalty to his dad might have had everything to do with it.

Slurs of hatred slowly turned into the forceful pushes and punches. By the time Jeff turned ten, the physical abuse became more frequent. He couldn't do anything even if he tried. He had no one to tell. The problems at home made the blonde boy shut himself out from everything else, so he never got to know anyone or make any friends. He couldn't call the cops, or else his father would hurt him even more.

Jeff hated his parents, but he never uttered a single word of his hatred towards them, afraid that this would cause another beating.

The beatings were the worst. The physical abuse was excruciating, but the verbal abuse cut deep. Jeff hated seeing his mother's face while his father beat him to a pulp. A malicious smirk would slowly form on her face; it looked like she enjoyed to watch her son get beaten.

Silence took over his life. He was afraid that he would slip up and say something that would make his dad angry. He never spoke a word. Kids his age thought he was weird. Jeff didn't mind. He was too busy figuring out how to fix his broken life.

Four years passed, Jeff was fourteen. Nothing had changed. His dad was still an ass and his mom was still a sadistic bitch. He was sort of happy that his parents decided to ship him out to Ohio to attend Dalton Academy. They told him that it was good that they didn't have to see his face every single day. Jeff was thinking the same thing, only that it was directed to his parents. Four years without his psychotic, abusive parents around, to Jeff, Dalton was paradise.

The first day had gone without a hitch. For the first time in his life, Jeff finally opened up to people. He actually made friends. Friends that he knows he could trust. There was one friend in particular that showed him a new, brighter side of life. His name was Nick Duval. When the two met in their shared dorm, they…clicked. Well, not really. It took awhile for Nick to get Jeff to open up and let him be his friend. Halfway into the first semester of freshman year, the two boys were practically attached to the hip. They have become best friends.

Nick was someone special to Jeff. The blonde was brave enough to tell the brunette everything. And when I say everything, I mean, everything. His parents, the abuse he got, just everything. Nick was the one person Jeff could truly rely on. Nick held and comforted him as the blonde sobbed into the brunette's blazer. Nick never judged him. He truly cared for Jeff, and Jeff was grateful for that.

That was the moment when Jeff finally felt loved.

He felt loved.

Loved.

Then Jeff suddenly remembered that one letter he'd written to Santa all those years ago...

Dear Santa,

I don't know if I've been good or bad this year. My dad would have beaten me anyway. But if I have been a good boy, for Christmas, I don't want any toys. What I want is something you can't wrap. Santa, all I want this Christmas is to be loved. I never felt that before. My parents don't seem to love me. You may not get my letter, but please, Santa. Can I just be happy for once? I'm not asking for a lot. I just want love and care. I don't care who it's from, but I just want to feel special.

Sincerely,

Jeff Sterling

Jeff didn't care that he got what he wanted a few years late. It wasn't even Christmas yet, but all he cared about was that he did get what he wished for. Santa did get his letter, after all.

Wishes do come true.

SEE, I told you. Now, Jeffy and Nicky can live happily ever after.

Merry Christmas! (Niffmas)

an-artist-at-work :)