Author's note: CoolDiva challenged me to do a holiday one-shot featuring my favorite couple so here it is. I hope you enjoy!
It was the night before Christmas Eve and Tommy Oliver had finally made it home after attending the Reefside High school faculty Christmas party. He walked into the living room and saw that the light was blinking on his answering machine. He pushed the button and walked over to the bar to fix himself a drink. There was a message from his mother calling to wish him a Merry Christmas and letting him know where he could reach them while they were away. This was the first Christmas that Tommy wouldn't be spending with his parents as they had decided to spend the holiday on a cruise. His brother David was spending it in Aspen with his girlfriend's family and he had invited Tommy to come along but Tommy didn't want to feel like the third wheel so he had declined.
But Tommy would never be alone on Christmas. He had options. Hayley was hosting Christmas dinner for her entire family at the Cyberspace and he knew he was always welcome. There was also a message from Kimberly saying that she and Jason expected him at their house on Christmas day and that their kids would be disappointed if Uncle Tommy didn't make an appearance. He had to hand it to her; Kim always knew how to lay on the guilt. It wasn't like he didn't love spending time with her and Jason's family but lately it was getting harder not to become envious of what they had because it just reminded him what he lacked. He walked over to the table and picked up the Christmas card they had sent with their family photo. They were sitting in front of the Christmas tree and Kim and Jason each had one of their sons sitting on their laps. They all looked so happy.
"What I wouldn't give to know what that's like," Tommy said aloud as he took one final sip of his drink before going upstairs and getting into bed.
The next morning, Tommy pulled the covers over his head as the daylight began to creep in the window. Christmas vacation was officially started and there was no reason for him to get up. He was just starting to drift back to sleep when he suddenly felt something jump onto the bed with a loud thud.
"Daddy, wake up, wake up, it's Christmas, it's Christmas," a child yelled.
Tommy jumped up from the bed in shock as the little girl continued to jump up and down on the bed. He looked around and saw a room he didn't recognize.
"Annie, stop jumping on the bed this instant and come downstairs and eat your breakfast," a familiar voice said.
Tommy again was shocked as he saw Katherine enter the room holding a little boy who looked to be around one in her arms.
"Kat?" he inquired still in shock.
"Sorry Tommy, I know you wanted to sleep in this morning but your daughter just couldn't wait to see you," Kat said with a smile.
"Kat, I don't understand, what's going on here," Tommy said.
"Well let's see, it's Christmas day and I'm trying to get some food into our kids before they totally go nuts with all the presents that Santa left them," she answered.
"Yay, presents!" Annie said jumping down from the bed and running out of the room.
"When you're fully awake, you should come downstairs and join us," Kat said as she left the room.
"This is just a dream, that's all it is, just a dream, I was thinking about how much I wanted a family like Kim and Jason's and now I'm dreaming about it, I'll just lie back down, close my eyes and when I open them I'll be back in my own room," he said.
He opened his eyes and nothing had changed. He was still in the same room as before. He ventured out into the hallway and made his way down the stairs.
"Good morning, Tommy," Jack Hillard greeted as he was making his way upstairs.
"Uh hi, Jack," he said to Kat's father.
"You better hurry up and get to the kitchen before all the food's gone," Jack told him.
"Oh Tommy, there you are, Merry Christmas," Kat's mother Marie said as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen.
"Merry Christmas," he said.
"Daddy, sit by me," Annie called to him.
"Tommy, snap out of it, what's with you this morning," Kat said.
"I, uh, I'll be right back," he said.
He turned around and headed for the front door that he had noticed when coming down the stairs. He walked outside forgetting his bare feet and was surprised as he felt the cold snow beneath them.
"What the hell is going on, where am I!" he yelled to no one in particular.
"Perhaps I can be of some assistance," a woman said as she appeared before him.
"Now I know this is a dream, you can't be here, you're dead," he told her.
"Nice to see you too," Trini replied.
"This is the craziest dream ever," Tommy said.
"It's not a dream Tommy," Trini replied.
"Said the dead girl," Tommy retorted.
"Yes, I'm dead but now I'm an angel and I guess you could say I brought you here per your request," Trini told him.
"My request, I think I'd remember asking for something like this especially from an angel," Tommy said.
"You said you wanted to know what it was like to have a family at Christmas so now you have one," she replied.
"Wait a sec, you heard me say I wanted to know what it was like to have a family and now presto you just zap one up for me?" he questioned.
"Relax Tommy, it's not permanent, just think of it as a glimpse into the kind of Christmas you'd be having if you had a family of your own," Trini answered.
"Just how long is this glimpse going to last?" Tommy asked.
"Until you realize what it is that you really want," Trini answered.
"So I'm married to Kat and we have two kids," he said.
"Yes, Annie is six and Josh is almost one, you and Kat have been married for 10 years, you live here in London where Kat teaches ballet and you teach at the university, now maybe you should go back inside before someone sees you standing out here barefoot in the snow and talking to yourself," Trini told him.
"Look, this whole glimpse thing was a nice gesture but I don't think I can just go in there and pretend to be something I'm not," Tommy replied but Trini had disappeared.
"Tommy, what were you thinking running out into the snow with no shoes on like that?" Kat asked as she met him at the door and handed him a pair of socks.
"I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking, wow you're even more beautiful than I remembered," he told her.
"Why are staring at me like you haven't seen me every day for the last ten years?" she questioned.
"I don't know, for some reason it just feels like I'm looking at you for the first time in a long while," he answered.
"Yeah I guess we don't have much time to just look at each other what with two kids running around, speaking of which can you can take Josh upstairs and change him," she said.
"Are you sure you don't need me to wash the dishes or something?" he asked.
"Oh no, I got him up this morning even though it was your turn, so the least you can do is change his diaper," Kat said.
Tommy took the baby in his arms and walked upstairs trying to figure out which room was the nursery. When he found it, he put the baby on the changing table and looked around for the diapers.
"Daddy, you're acting weird," Annie said as she entered to room.
"I'm just trying to change your brother's diaper do you think you could help me, do you know where your Mommy keeps them," Tommy replied.
"Here you go," Annie said as she handed him one.
"You're such a big help maybe you'd like to change his diaper for me," he told her.
"Daddy, I'm just a little girl, I can't change a diaper," she replied.
"Of course you can't, I was just kidding, why don't you go see if Mommy needs help in the kitchen," Tommy told her.
"Ok but please hurry Daddy, I want to open presents, now," she said running from the room.
"Dada, Dada," the baby cooed.
"Bare with me kid, I haven't changed a diaper since Kat and I had that school project years ago, you have her eyes you know that," Tommy said as the baby just smiled at him.
Some time later, Tommy sat on the couch and watched while Annie and Josh opened their presents and discovered what Santa had left them. It was such a thrill to see the excitement in their eyes and how happy they both were. Tommy couldn't help wishing that this were all real.
"I think I just might have a little something under this tree for my husband," Kat said with a smile as she picked up a big box and handed it to him.
"Uh Kat, you shouldn't have, I don't have anything for you," Tommy told her.
"Ha Ha, you say that every year, now open your gift I can't wait to see if you like it," she replied.
"Oh Kat, it's great," he said as he took out the new leather coat from the box.
"Do you really like it, I saw it in the window and thought it'd be perfect for you," she said.
"It's great," he said.
"Look what I found hiding in the tree, Kat I think this one is for you," her dad said handing a small box to her daughter.
"I knew you didn't forget," Kat said as she began to open it.
"Oh what a lovely present," her mother told her as Kat held up a necklace.
"Tommy it's beautiful, it's just what I wanted, how on earth did you know which one to get," Kat said.
"Sorry but I can't reveal my sources," Tommy told her. Thanks Trini, he thought.
"I love it and I love you," Kat said as she leaned in for a kiss.
"I love you too," Tommy said after the kiss.
"Can we go play in the snow?" Annie asked.
"Tired of your new toys already?" Kat questioned.
"Please Mommy, can we go outside, I want to show Josh how to make a snowman," Annie said.
"How can you say no to that, a big sister wanting to teach her brother something," Tommy said.
"Your Daddy makes a really good point, let's go put on some warmer clothes and then we'll go play in the snow," Kat replied.
"Yay!" Annie said racing up the stairs.
A while later, Tommy, Kat and their kids were all outside playing in the snow. Building one snow man had quickly turned into building a snow family as Annie insisted they each make a snowman to represent themselves.
"I think this is the best snow family I've ever seen, I can't remember the last time I had so much fun," Tommy said once they were finished.
"I think your son had fun as well but I think he's getting tired, I'd better put him down for a nap," Kat said.
"I can do it if you like," Tommy told her.
"Thanks, you do that I'll have a warm cup of coffee waiting for you, come on Annie, time to go in," Kat called to her.
"Josh drifted right off, the minute I put him down," Tommy said a few minutes later as he joined Kat in the kitchen.
"I wish something would wear Annie out, she's back in the living room playing with her new toys," Kat said as she sat a cup of coffee in front of him.
"She's a great kid, they both are," Tommy said.
"You say that like you've just met them for the first time," Kat replied.
"I'm just taking in every minute I get to spend with them," he responded.
"Don't worry, there are still plenty of minutes to come, I'm gonna check on Annie," she told him.
"Kat, wait before you go there's something I want to say to you," Tommy said.
"What is it, are you ok?" she asked.
"It's just that sitting here with you and seeing you with the kids made me realize something, after all this time I've never stopped loving you, even when I put all my focus into my work and we lost contact, the love was still there deep inside me, I was just too afraid to admit it because I thought I'd lost my chance but now I know that's not the case because here we are, happily married with the greatest kids in the world," Tommy replied.
"Oh Tommy, I love you so much," Kat said as she gave him a kiss.
Tommy woke up to the sound of an alarm clock. He reached over and turned it off. He opened his eyes and realized that he was once again back home in Reefside.
"No, wait, I wasn't ready to come back here yet," Tommy yelled.
"A glimpse by definition is an impermanent thing," Trini told him.
"I just wanted a little more time," Tommy told her.
"Lucky for you, time is the one thing that you do have, time to make sure that everything you saw will come true, maybe not in the way that I showed you but you still have time to have that family, now I think you know what you need to do," Trini said.
"Yeah I do, thanks Trini," he said but she was already gone.
Tommy grabbed the phone from his nightstand and dialed Jason and Kimberly's number.
"Hello," Kim said.
"It's me," he said.
"Hey Tommy, you better not be calling to say you're not coming," Kim told him.
"Actually, that's exactly why I'm calling and before you start yelling let me just say that it's for a good reason, I'm going on a last minute trip to London," Tommy informed her.
"Tommy, it's Christmas Eve, it's going to be next to impossible to get a flight, wait did you just say London," Kim replied.
"Yeah I did, I don't care what it takes, I've just got to get to London, I need to see Kat and tell her that I'm still in love with her," Tommy told her.
"Well it's about time, I hope everything works out for you," Kim said.
"Thanks Kim, kiss the boys and tell them I'll come visit real soon," he told her.
Hours later and after changing planes in a few cities, Tommy finally made it to London. He stood outside Kat's apartment and took a deep breath before finally knocking.
"Tommy, I can't believe it, what are you doing here?" Kat asked.
"I wanted to see you," he said.
"You came all the way to London on Christmas just to see me," she said.
"Yeah, I needed to talk to you and this just couldn't wait," he told her.
"Well come in," she said stepping aside to let him in.
"I know I haven't been the greatest at keeping in touch these past few years," he said as they sat down on her couch.
"It's ok, you've been busy, I know I have, I'm so busy with the ballet company that I couldn't even go home to Austraila to visit my parents this Christmas," she said.
"Kat, do you ever think about us?" he questioned.
"Ok, so I guess you didn't fly all this way to make small talk," she responded.
"No I didn't, so do you ever think about us," he said.
"Sure, I'd be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind sometimes, but there's no sense in dredging up the past, I mean a lot has changed, we've both moved on with our lives," she told him.
"Does that mean there's someone else in your life now?" he questioned.
"No, not at the moment, is there someone in your life," she responded.
"No but I'm hoping there will be soon, that is if you're willing to give us another chance," he told her.
"You're serious?" she asked.
"I'm still in love with you, I have been for all these years I just didn't realize it because I've been too busy trying to just live this nice quiet life as a science teacher but that isn't working anymore, I want more and I want it with you," he answered.
"Oh Tommy, I still love you too but I'm not so sure we should jump back into things I mean what if it doesn't work out, it took me a long time to get over you and I'm not so sure I want to go through that again," she said.
"But it will work Kat, I believe that with all my heart," he replied.
"How can you be so sure?" she asked.
"This is going to sound crazy but I've seen what the future holds for us, we have a house right here in London, you teach ballet and I teach at the university, we have two kids, Annie is six and Josh is almost one, Annie looks just like you, she has curly blonde hair but her eyes are brown like mine and Josh well he has my smile but his eyes are as blue as yours and they're great kids, the four of us are so happy together, and I know that it was just a dream, that I went to bed one lonely December night and woke up in this dream life but nothing's ever felt more real to me and it made me realize that the only person I want that dream life with is you, I've seen what the future could be like for us and I don't want to spend one more Christmas wondering what could have been," he explained.
"You're right, it does sound crazy but it also sounds wonderful," she told him.
"Does that mean you're willing to give me a second chance?" he questioned.
"Yeah, I will, I want that future with you very much," she said.
"I love you Kat, Merry Christmas," he said.
"Merry Christmas, Tommy," she said and he leaned in to kiss her.