A/N: What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to write a Christmas fanfic? ;) This is another kiddie one, hope you enjoy! :) The title's a bit dodgy, but I couldn't think of anything else!! The song lyrics in both chapters are from Peter Combe's song "Christmas Eve."

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A Christmas Tale

~*~

Christmas Eve and time for bed
Don't want to be a sleepy head
I really should go, really should go
I really should go to bed

~*~

Christmas Eve,
Evening

Nerys sat at the window, staring out into the darkness. "He is going to come home, isn't he?" she demanded, not taking her gaze from the window.

Jackie looked up from where she was decorating the Christmas tree with Jimmy, "Yes, Nerys, Daddy promised he'd be home in time for Christmas."

Nerys looked back her mother, a trifle doubtfully, "Why don't you come and help us finish decorating the Christmas tree?" Jackie suggested, "You can hang up the special baubles," Jackie coaxed, when Nerys looked like she wasn't going to budge.

Nerys left her place by the window, feeling very important. This would be the first time that she had been allowed to hang up the special baubles; there were three in all and each had the name of one of the children – James, Nerys and Katrina – written on it along with the year they were born.

"Can we stay up until Daddy comes home?" Jimmy asked as he hung up a penguin shaped ornament.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Jackie told him, "Daddy might be very late tonight, he's still working on a case." Jackie didn't miss Nerys' crestfallen expression, "It will be all right, baby," Jackie soothed, "he promised he'd be home tomorrow," she gave her daughter a conspiratorial smile, "with a surprise."

Immediately Nerys perked up, "What kind of a surprise?" Nerys and Jimmy demanded in unison.

Jackie laughed, "If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?" she asked. Both children grudgingly agreed and continued to put the decorations up on the Christmas tree in silence.

"Will Santa know about Katie?" Nerys asked, breaking the silence as she looked over to where the baby, Katrina, was playing with some leftover tinsel.

"Of course he does," Jimmy told her in his best older brother voice, "he's Santa," he added importantly.

Nerys looked up at Jackie, "Is that true, Mummy?"

Jackie smiled down at her, "Of course it's true, baby, Santa won't forget about Katie, don't worry."

Nerys nodded, satisfied, as she went back to finishing decorating the tree. "Do you think Daddy will like the decorations?" she asked. Jackie paused and took a moment to look around the room; green and red paper chains were suspended along the walls along with some paper angels and snowflakes. The tree itself also sported some homemade decorations, "I'm sure he'll love it," Jackie assured her, confident that Michael would love anything that meant he didn't have to decorate himself. The fact that most of the decorations were made by the children would be an added bonus.

Jackie looked across at the clock, "Now I think I have let you all stay up for long enough, it's bedtime," she said firmly, getting to her feet. Nerys and Jimmy both pouted and looked liable to whine, Jackie gave them both a stern look as she picked up Katrina, who had stopped playing with the tinsel and almost fallen asleep. "If you don't go to bed soon, Santa won't come at all," she told them. Both children looked horrified at the prospect and dutifully made their way upstairs.

"I'll be in to say goodnight soon," Jackie told them, "I'll just put Katie to bed and then I'll come in."

After settling Katrina, who took much less time than normal, Jackie came in to check on the other children.

Jimmy was all ready nodding off, his stuffed monkey under his arm, "Daddy will be here tomorrow won't he?" he asked sleepily.

Jackie perched on the edge of his bed, "Of course he will be, sweetheart," she told him; smoothing back his hair she gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. "Sleep well," she whispered and she left the room, turning off the light and pulling the door partially closed behind her.

Nerys, on the other hand, was wide awake when Jackie entered the room. "You are supposed to be going to sleep," Jackie chided her gently, coming to sit on the edge of her bed.

"George wants to wait until Daddy gets home," Nerys informed her, holding up her teddy bear.

"Now, George," Jackie said patiently, addressing the bear, "Daddy's not going to be home until very late. You and Nerys both need to get some sleep before Christmas."

"He still wants to stay up," Nerys said flatly. Jackie stifled a sigh.

"I'm very sorry, but it's time for sweet dreams and teddy bears," Jackie told her, using the phrase Michael always used to send the children to bed.

Nerys sniffled a little, "But I want Daddy."

"Daddy will be here tomorrow, sweetie, I promise, but you need to get some sleep now," Jackie told her gently.

Nerys sighed and cuddled George closer to her, "Will you read me a story Mummy?" she asked, "George would like to hear Little Bear's Trousers again, that's his favourite."

Deciding that it would be better to distract Nerys and it was Christmas Eve; Jackie gave in with a smile and went to retrieve the book.

Later that evening

Michael silently shut the front door behind him and crept up the stairs. After a popping his head around the door to check on each of the children, he crept into the master bedroom.

The light was still on and Jackie was asleep, a book lying open on her lap. Michael winced as the door clicked behind him, making Jackie stir.

"You're back," Jackie said with a sleepy smile as she sat up and closed the book.

"The interview took much longer than I had expected," Michael said, sinking onto the end of the bed as he removed his shoes. "I just want to go to bed," he said, crawling up the bed to his pillow and flopping, face down, on the bed.

"Well don't get to comfortable," Jackie warned him, "Nerys has been coming in every couple of hours to get a drink or to make sure we left something out for the reindeer or just to double check that Santa won't forget about Katie." She paused and looked at Michael, who had shifted slightly so he could look up at her, "I think she was really checking to see if you were home yet. You were missed," she told him quietly.

Michael rolled over onto his back, "I know, I'm sorry, if I could have come home earlier I would have."

"Liar," Jackie teased, "you were hoping we'd finish decorating without you."

Michael grinned sleepily, "Well, you've got me there," he admitted.

"Did you sort out the surprise?" Jackie asked, as Michael heaved himself off the bed to get changed for bed.

"Yep," he said, "it's all taken care of, I just need to go and pick it up in the morning," he told her.

"Just make sure you say hello before you leave," she told him. Michael nodded sleepily before disappearing into the en suite.