A/N My entry to Pieface's contest. Also a belated Christmas present to you guys. Or any other holiday that you may celebrate. The entire stories in Fabians' POV and flashbacks are italics.
Muse Song: Last Christmas By Taylor Swift
Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
"Fabes! Can you help me hang these ornaments PLLLLEASE?" Joy called from downstairs.
"Sure thing Babe let me finish up here." I replied hanging the final light on the upstairs bedroom window.
"Ok but hurry!" She shouted back.
I walked down the stairs after finishing with the lights. I saw Joy holding a box of ornaments, which honestly didn't surprise me she was a Christmas freak.
What surprised me was the label on the side of the box that said 'Nina's Christmas Stuff' in my ex girlfriend's curly script.
"What's that?" I asked nervously.
"A box of ornaments." Joy replied. She held up a small lava lamp ornament. "This one's pretty cute don't you think?"
"Fabian! Look how cute this is!" Nina squealed holding a small lamp near my face.
"Sure Neens it's adorable." I said focusing on my girlfriends' pretty face.
"Now say it while looking at the ornament not me." She said giggling.
"It's adorable." I replied kissing her gently on the nose.
"Fabes did you hear what I said?" Joy asked.
"Um yea it's cute. Can I see that box for a moment?"
She handed me the box and walked out mumbling something about going to take a shower. I rummaged through its contents eagerly searching for any trace of Nina I could find. I pulled out a small version of Taylor Swift's sparkly guitar.
"Check this out!" I called to Nina as I sat with my laptop resting on my legs.
"What?" She asked walking in from the kitchen while drying a plate.
"Look!" I exclaimed excitedly pointing to the screen.
"Is that…a tiny replica of Taylor Swift's sparkly guitar?" She asked quietly.
"Yea and you can even have it personalized with an engraving on the back!"
"Can we get it Fabian? Please?" She asked growing more excited by the minute.
"Sweetheart it's already being shipped." I replied grinning widely while she threw her arms around my neck in a tight hug.
I flipped the ornament over to see the words 'Nina and Fabian, 12-25-11, Forever and Always'. I sighed before digging around the box again this time pulling out an ornament shaped like a pair of sparkly converse. Connected to it was one that looked like a pink purse. The tag on the side said "To Nina. From Amber Millington your BBF".
"Fabian we have a problem." Nina said as we sat together on the couch watching TV.
"Yes?"
"I'm afraid to open Amber's Christmas present." She admitted bluntly.
"Where is it? I'll open it for you." I offered.
She produced a small glitter coated box from behind her back. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" She asked me.
Chuckling I ignored her and opened the box. Removing the massive amounts of glitter tissue paper I pulled out two Christmas tree ornaments. I handed them to Nina smiling.
"See it wasn't THAT bad." I said laughing.
"I thought it'd be like a scrapbook about us. I wasn't expecting tiny shoes and a little pink purse."
"Well that's Amber I suppose. She's just … unpredictable."
She got up and hung the ornaments on the top of our tree where Amber had specified she put them in her card. She sat back down beside me and snuggled in closer as we watched Seinfeld together.
"Hey Fabes wanna make Caramel Apples together? I know you used to like doing that when we were in school together." Joy asked as she descended the stairs.
"Um sure." I replied getting lost in another memory of Nina.
"Oh Fabiaaaan, Where areee you?" I heard Nina giggle as she tiptoed through the house in search of me.
I chuckled quietly as I hid behind the kitchen door with a bowl of Caramel in my hands.
"Fabian? Seriously where are you I'm getting scared." She asked sounding concerned. She walked into the kitchen and promptly got a nose full of Caramel.
"Fabian!" She shrieked as she chased me through the house.
"You can't catch me!" I taunted as I dipped the spoon into the bowl of Caramel once more.
"Don't. You. Dare." She spoke slowly. Ignoring her I coated her entire cheek with Caramel.
She gasped before suddenly snatching the bowl from my hands. Dipping her fingers into the sticky substance she coated my entire face.
"Now come here and give me a kiss." I said walking towards her.
"No!" She squealed as I chased her around the house. Grabbing her around the waist I buried my face in her hair and neck as she giggled.
"Stop! It tickles!" She screamed giggling.
"Hmm I don't think I will." I replied twirling her around and kissing her firmly on the lips.
"Ew babe you taste like Caramel." She said laughing as I pulled away.
"You miss her don't you?" Joy asked me as she twirled another apple in Caramel.
"Who?"
"Nina."
"No. What? No. Of course not." I stuttered awkwardly as she glanced up at me from underneath her lashes.
"Fabes, you're my best friend and I love you but we don't belong together. I pulled that box out of the attic for a reason. I wanted you to remember how you felt about her. Nina and I well we weren't very close but that doesn't mean we weren't friends. She gave me you when she knew you were ready. I'm giving you back to her now."
"Joy, I'm not a toy you can trade! I'm with you now! Besides I don't even know where Nina is."
"She's a singer. She sings at Aphrodite's Lounge. She's playing a show tonight. Go to her Fabian. You both deserve a happy ending."
"What about you?"
"I still have my apartment, I'll just live there. As for my love life well I've never had problems with that before now have I?" She replied grinning. "I'm already half moved out I'll be gone by the end of the night."
"What if she doesn't take me back?"
"Do you love her?" She asked avoiding my question.
"Yes." I replied after a moment of thought.
"Then she's worth the risk." Kissing me lightly on the cheek she walked upstairs to finish packing. I grabbed my coat and keys and drove down to Aphrodite's Lounge.
Walking into the club the first thing that caught my eye was the bright display of wish bracelets by the counter.
"Fabian can I plllleeease just open one present?" Nina begged with her eyes wide.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?" She asked lightly running her fingers across my cheek and leaning into me.
"Fine. Do you know how cute you are?" I asked as I walked over to our Christmas tree.
"So I've been told." She replied laughing.
I handed her the present and she took it with hesitation.
"Nina? Aren't you going to open it?"
"Do you really want me to?" She asked.
"Of course."
Sighing she carefully peeled of the wrapping paper gently reminding me that 'everything can be recycled'. She opened the box to reveal a green and purple wish bracelet.
"Fabian I don't know what to say."She said with tears in her eyes.
"Want me to tie it on for you?" I asked.
She nodded and held out her wrist. After tying it on I pulled her into a hug.
"What'd you wish for?" I asked quietly.
"Nothing. What more do I need?" She replied clutching me closer.
Snapping back to reality I heard the faint notes of 'Last Christmas' being played. It was Taylor Swift's version so I knew when I looked up I would see Nina singing.
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Once bitten and twice shied
I keep my distance but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby
Do you recognize me
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
Merry Christmas, I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying 'I love you', I meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kiss me now, I know you'd fool me again
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
A crowded room and friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you and your soul of eyes
My God, I thought you were someone to rely on
Me, I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A girl on a cover but you tore her apart
Maybe this year
Maybe this year I'll give it to someone special
Cause last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
And last Christmas
And this year
It won't be anything like, anything like
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
At the end of her song Nina looked out into crowd. Her gaze settled upon me for the longest moment before she ran directly off the stage and into my arms.
"Fabian is that really you? My god you're so much taller now. Have you been sleeping alright? Why are these bags under your eyes so dark? Have you been eating ok you look skinnier as well. Oh god I missed you so much!" She cried into my shoulder between her frantic questions and hugs.
"Neens calm down. When's your shift over?"
"It just ended. Why?"
"I wanna take you somewhere."
"Where?"
"It's a surprise." I replied grinning and grabbing her hand. Grabbing her jacket on her way out she left me drag her through the streets.
"Fabes where are we going?" She asked me tightening her grip on my hand as a car veered to close to the sidewalk.
"Bloody idiot!" I shouted at the car that almost hit us. "Ok first of all don't call me Fabes. Joy used to call me that all the time and it got very annoying very fast. Secondly it is a surprise! Besides we're almost there."
"Ok." She replied looking a bit upset.
"What's wrong?"
"How long have you and Joy been dating?
"We're not. We broke up earlier today."
"Why?"
"She knew I was still in love with you." I replied looking down at my toes.
"You're still in love with me?" She asked surprised.
"Um yea oh look we're here!" I said quickly covering Nina's eyes with my hand. I wrapped another arm around her waist and lead her through the gate.
"Can I look now?" She asked.
"One second." I gestured to the owner of the place to turn the lights on. "And now!" I took my hands away from Nina's eyes.
"My god Fabian!" She ran through the aisles of the Christmas tree farm excitedly. I had gotten my friend to stay open a while longer in hopes of surprising Nina. He had turned on all the lights on the trees and the snow on the ground added a nice effect.
"It's like a, like a winter wonderland!" She spun around in circles as snowflakes started to fall from the sky.
Suddenly my phone beeped with a text from Joy.
"Just left the house. Bring Nina back where she belongs. Luv you –Joy"
"Fabian?" Nina was standing in front of me with her hands clasped behind her back.
"Yes?"
"Gotcha!" She giggled throwing a snowball at me.
"Nina Meghan Martin I am sooo gunna get you for that!" I screamed chasing her through the aisles of the farm. I finally caught up to her and gently tackled her to the ground.
Pinning her underneath my arms I gently kissed her cheek.
"Nina I still love you. I understand if you don't want me back but I just want you to know I'll never stop."
"Fabian. I love you to. Forever and Always remember?"
"Forever and Always." I replied kissing her lightly on her lips.
I gently scooped her up of the ground and carried her to the street where we hailed a taxi.
"Where are we going now?" She asked as we slid into the cab.
"Home." I answered simply.
"Your home?"
"No our home." I replied pulling her close.