Author's note: Merry Christmas to all Katherine and Sam fans! I had a spell of inspiration on Christmas Eve and this is the result. The story is supposed to be set the Christmas before the summer/autumn where Sam fixes the schoolhouse. I hope you enjoy it. My apologies for any historical inaccuracies if there are any (I did my best when researching late 1800's American Christmas traditions/decorations) and some British spellings-I am an English girl after all Merry Christmas!-Nightengale1800 xxx

24th December, Greenlake Texas, 1879.

The town of Greenlake was said to be the hottest town in all of Texas. Yet even in a town where desert heat resided for most of the year, the small town had the festive spirt of Christmas in the air. There was a fresh cold breeze outside, it wasn't nearly as cold as the northern parts of the country, but you needed a coat if you were going outside. Not that the people minded, the drop in temperature was a welcome change after a summer of sweltering heat.

The stores had holly and ivy garlands looping on their doors, and at night people lit candles next to their windows, so to any passer-by, the town would appear to be twinkling against the night sky.

On market days, wagons and carts came selling winter spices and fruits, hot apple cider, cards, jewellery and toys for children. Some of the regular tradesmen had decorated their carts with a green or red ribbon or two to show some of the holiday spirit. There had been a joke amongst them about whose cart looked the best, but as December 25th drew nearer, it was clear to everyone that Sam's cart had undoubtable won.

Sam had given the cart a lick of red paint-the painting needed to be redone to protect the wood, but e chose the colour for the season, and had wrote 'Merry Christmas' in black letters on the front of the cart. He had also placed read and green ribbons tied in bows along the side of the cart, along with adding a few bells so the cart jingled when he pulled it through the town. He'd even tied a few bows and bells to Mary Lou's reins. Everyone in the town admire Sam's cart, even the Sherriff, who wasn't exactly ever friendly or polite to him, had to admit that the cart "Really was somethin' to see" and that Sam had made "a damn good effort." As Trout Walker walked past it one day with the Sheriff, he couldn't resist saying something negative by adding at the end that it was "too fancy" and that Sam "Cleary hasn't got enough work to do if he's messin' around with that damn cart."

But Sam did have enough work to be doing. The onions had stopped growing until the spring, but in the autumn Sam had picked the last of the onions and had spent his time making juices, lotions, pastes and remedies from the onions, which he had been selling all winter. Sam's onion tonics and remedies has been as popular as ever, after all, people get sick all year round, and yellow spotted lizards don't take a winter vacation.

Sam's cart really did add to the festive cheer. The children loved it. The first time they had seen the newly decorated cart they had all shouted in excitement and ran to it-they loved the bows and bells on Mary Lou's reins. Sam was pleased that the townsfolk and the children liked it, but he was especially happy that Miss Katherine liked it. The first time that she set eyes on it after stepping out of the schoolhouse, her eyes lit up in surprize and her face broke into a beautiful smile.

"I thought I'd made a good effort with the decorations in the schoolhouse but this is something else Sam." She said to him whilst stroking Mary Lou's mane.

Sam thought back to that day now as he pulled that cart through the town. That was the last day he had had a chance to talk to Miss Katherine. He didn't always get much of an opportunity to talk to her, but during market days once a week, they would always talk, and if they bumped into each other in the town Katherine would always stop to say hello, and so then they would get to spend a few moments together. These meetings could only ever last five minutes or so, but to Sam, those were precious five minutes in heaven. He would take any time, however short, that God would allow him with Miss Katherine.

"C'mon Mary Lou, we've just got one more job to do today an' then you can rest for the holidays" Sam said as he turned to look at the old donkey, gently encouraging her with the reins to keep walking. She had slowed down her pace of walking, Sam knew that the winter must be getting to her and that she wanted to be back in her barn where it was warm and she could rest.

"I promise we'll go home soon, we just have to go and see Miss Katherine first." He leaned in and said quietly to the donkey. Mary Lou made a snorting sound through her nose, and kept walking. Her pace seemed not to be as slow now.

Sam stopped the cart by a tree opposite the schoolhouse. He tied Mary Lou there, and then went to the cart where he took out a rectangle shaped gift which had been covered with a blanket on the journey there. He turned the gift over once or twice in his hands. He knew it wasn't much, but he prayed that Miss Katherine would like it.

Just then he heard the ring of bell and the children ran out of the schoolhouse, laughing and calling to each other. They were so excited to get home that they must not have seen Sam or Mary Lou by the tree. After a few moments, when it was clear that all the children had left the schoolhouse, he took a deep breath and turned to Mary Lou.

"Here goes nothing, wish me luck ol' girl." Sam said to Mary Lou as he gave her a rub on the nose. He placed the gift in his inside coat pocket, and began to walk up to the schoolhouse.

…..

Miss Katherine walked between the desks, collecting books and making sure the chairs and tables were neatly in line. She was happy that the children were excited for Christmas and were eager to get home to their families, but she was sad that the semester had ended. The children and teaching were such big parts of her life, and without them she always felt an emptiness.

"Hello Miss Katherine" Katherine heard a voice call as she was dusting her desk. At first hearing a voice she nearly jumped out of surprize, but then she began to recognize the voice, and by the time she looked up to see Sam standing in the doorway, she had a huge smile beaming on her face.

Katherine thought to herself in that moment that when Sam was around, she never felt empty.

"Hello Sam" Katherine replied with a smile. There eyes met across the length of the schoolhouse, and Katherine felt a rush of happiness at him being here. She felt her heart pang at the realization that she hadn't realized how much she had missed him until now.

….

As Sam walked up to the schoolhouse he could see Miss Katherine walking between the desks, collecting books and tidying up. He was quiet approaching the schoolhouse, and Katherine seemed lost in her own thoughts that Sam doubted she would have heard him even if his footsteps were louder. He was about to make his presence known when he held back just for a few moments. Katherine was dusting her desk, and seemed to be a million miles away, lost in her thoughts. Sam didn't want to disrupt her.

Sam was an honourable man, he was respectful around Katherine just as his father had taught him to be around a lady-and he certainly never and would never treat her like the way men such as Trout Walker did. Sam wanted to put that man in the ground every time he saw him try and 'make a move' on Katherine when he could see that she felt uncomfortable, and every time he overheard Trout say something degrading about her to the men he was seen walking about the town with so often- Sam wished he could put that man in his place.

Sam was an honourable man, but he was still a man, and as he watched Katherine dust around her desk, he couldn't help but be blown away once again at how beautiful she was.

Sam thought she looked especially pretty today with the red and green ribbons she had tied in her hair. Looking closely at her golden locks, the ribbons looked like the same one's he had tied onto Mary Lou and his cart.

After another precious moment or two, Sam knew he couldn't stand there silent all day, and so after taking a deep breath, he called out.

"Hello Miss Katherine."

Sam was worried that he might have startled her as at first, as she seemed surprized to hear a voice, but was relieved that when she saw him a smile lit up her face. Sam felt his heart stop as her bright blue eyes met his.

"Hello Sam, and Merry Christmas for tomorrow." Katherine replied with a smile.

"Merry Christmas to you Miss Katherine." Sam took a few steps into the school house and took off his hat. It was only then that he realized that the schoolhouse was covered in Seasonal decorations. There were holly and ivy garlands along the walls, and Miss Katherine had draped a red ribbon around the blackboard with a bow in the middle. There was also a golden bell above the schoolhouse door.

"I see you got into the festive mood too Miss Katherine" Sam said looking at the decorations around the room. Katherine let out a small laugh and smiled.

"I wanted the school to look nice for the children, it's such an old building that this time of year it can look really worn down without a few things to brighten it up."

Katherine said the last part with a hint of sadness. Sam looked around the room again, it was a known fact that the schoolhouse was an old building, come the summer when the good weather came it could defiantly do with a few refurbishments.

Sam would defiantly remember that come the summer time.

….

"Well, I think you've done a beautiful job Miss Katherine." Sam replied, and Katherine felt herself smile at his words

"Thank you, although I don't think anyone in the town can compete with your cart." Katherine replied in a playful tone. She almost surprized herself with the tone she was speaking in-was she flirting with him? She felt herself begin to blush as she heard him laugh in reply and she quickly looked away.

She knew she was flirting, just a little. She couldn't help it, for some time now she'd known that Sam could make her feel things that no one else could. Every time she saw him she felt her heart beat faster and a warmth rush through her. He made her laugh like no one else could, and when they talked, he was always so kind and genuine. He even liked some of the poetry that she did. On one of their past talks she had found out that he had read Poe and that he had a copy of his works. Katherine had never met a man like Sam, and she didn't think there could be another man as special as him in the world.

She tried not to think thoughts like that about Sam, because she knew that nothing could ever happen between them, the law in Texas wouldn't allow it. But sometimes, like now, she couldn't help but dream…

Katherine quickly pulled herself from her thoughts, now was not the time to daydream, not with Sam stood right in front of her. She wracked her brain trying to think of something to say. Glancing around the room her eyes fell upon her desk, and Katherine suddenly remembered what she was going to do after the children had left the schoolhouse-she had lost all train of thought when Sam had entered the room that she had even forgot that she had gifts for him.

"I have something for you." Katherine said and walked quickly over to the desk where she picked up a jar of spiced peaches and a card with Sam's name on it. She also opened a draw and pulled out a package wrapped in paper. She walked back to a desk that Sam was standing near, and let out a laugh at seeing the look of surprise on his face.

"Merry Christmas, I saved the last jar for you-and this is just, a little something." She trailed off the sentence quietly, as she set the jar of peaches on the desk beside them and handed him the wrapped gift, unable to think of what to say.

Sam took the gift and held it carefully in his hands-Katherine could tell he was surprized but happy.

"Miss Katherine, you didn't have to-"

"I wanted to." Katherine said with warmth and sincerity.

The pair were silent for a few moments as Sam held the package in his hands as if he was holding the Holy Grail. Eventually Katherine couldn't cope with the suspense any longer and let out a laugh.

"Are you going to open it, or are you waiting until next year?" She teased him. He looked up at her smile and laughed with her, and then started to open the gift.

Please let him like it. Katherine nervously thought.

She had bought him a leather bound journal from a stand on the market. The leather was dark brown and in perfect condition, and it had a silk place holder attached to the top of it so that you could find the last thing you wrote. She had spent a long time trying to find the perfect one-she just prayed that he liked it.

When Sam opened the paper to reveal the leather, he couldn't believe his eyes. He owned nothing that was as new and perfectly conditioned as this. The leather felt strong and the pages were thick.

"Miss Katherine, it's wonderful-I don't know how to thank you" Sam quietly said. He was shocked that Katherine had bought him something, let alone something as special as this. Anything that Miss Katherine gave to him he would have treasured, but he knew how expensive this must have been, and he also knew that teacher's salaries didn't pay very much.

"Are you-are you sure, you want me to have this-only It must have cost a lot." He didn't want her to suffer spending her money on him.

Katherine must have seen the concerned look in his eyes because she took a step closer to him and looked into his eyes.

"Yes I'm sure, don't worry about that-I bought it for you" Katherine said looking into his eyes. She said those words with such kindness and the look in her eyes was full of hope that he'd take it that Sam couldn't refuse her.

"Thank you, Miss Katherine" Sam said humbly, he knew now it was the perfect time for him to give Katherine his gift.

"As a matter a fact I have something for you too." Sam said and carefully placed the journal on the desk to pull out the gift that he'd been concealing on the inside of his coat.

Now it's your turn to be surprized.

Sam thought as he handed Katherine the gift he'd carefully wrapped. He smiled at the surprize in her eyes and the light blush he thought he saw rise on her cheeks.

"Sam, you didn't have to." Katherine said as she handled the gift.

"I wanted to." Sam replied.

…

The pair smiled and held each other's gaze for a few moments, before Katherine turned her head again to the gift she held in her hand.

"It's not much, but I made it myself." Sam said. Katherine felt her heart hammer, this was something he made himself, just for her.

Katherine felt butterflies in her stomach at that thought.

Katherine looked up into Sam's eyes again and smiled shyly before giving her attention to opening the gift. When she had opened it, she let out a small gasp at what she held.

It was a beautifully carved wooden jewellery box. The wood was light in colour and was smooth to touch. The box was held together by a shiny metal clasp, and on the lid of the box, Sam had carved a large Daisy-because he remembered from a conversation he had had with Katherine in the summer that Daisies were her favourite flowers-and he had engraved her initials, KB, in the right hand corner.

Katherine looked at the beautiful box in wonder, and she began to feel the sting of tears threatening to fall from her eyes, which she quickly blinked away. He had put so much care and thought into this that when she turned to him she was completely lost for words

"Sam…it's beautiful…I… thank you, so much." Katherine said, her voice barely above a whisper as she took a step closer to him, unable to put into words what such a beautiful and thoughtful gift from him meant to her.

"I'm glad you like it." Sam replied, feeling overwhelmed himself at how lost for words Katherine seemed.

"It must have taken you so much time."

"Nah, I'm good with my hands so, it didn't take me too long, and anything for you, Miss Katherine." Sam said gently as he looked into Katherine's eyes. She had moved closer to him and the pair were only inches away from each other now, their eyes locked on one another. Katherine felt her heart pound deeply within her chest, she was sure that Sam must be able to hear it. Sam's heart was beating equally hard. He knew that he shouldn't be doing this, but Katherine and Sam seemed to be hypnotized to one another, edging closer and closer.

Katherine knew their heads were slowly leaning in to one another, and she was ready to give in. She knew it was against the law, that it was dangerous- but right now she forgot about everything, the law, the town, even the schoolhouse she was standing in. All that she was aware of was Sam.

She lifted her hand that was shaking in nervousness and passion, and placed it on his arm. She heard him take a deep breath at her touch, and could feel him trembling under his coat. She let out a gasp as she felt his hands gently rest just below her shoulders, she felt a tingling sensation run through her whole body at his gentle touch.

They were so close now that Katherine could feel Sam's breath against her face. Their lips were at the point of colliding when a loud gunshot cut through the air like a knife, causing Katherine to cry out and Sam to jump, and the pair quickly pull away from each other. They held each other's eyes for a few seconds in fear and shock, before Katherine quickly ran to the window. Adrenaline was running through her so fast that it made her feel sick. Katherine didn't know what she would do if someone had seen them. She frantically scanned her eyes looking for the source of the gun.

Looking out of the window, her eyes landed on the sight of Mr Penn, a man that she taught regularly in her evening classes. She saw him sling his gun over his shoulder and take a large bird by the feet began to carry it home-it had just been him shooting. Katherine scanned the town again to be sure that she hadn't missed anything, but there was no danger in sight. Katherine let out a sigh of relief and she had to lean against the window ledge to recover from the shock. She was breathing heavily and tears were in her eyes.

The gun had only been Mr Penn, but it reminded her of the danger they would both be in if they had been caught. She would never be able to freely be with Sam.

"Miss Katherine…" Sam said tentatively as he watched her lean against the window ledge. He had gathered from her reaction that there was no danger, but Katherine seemed upset.

"It was only Mr Penn, shooting a bird" Katherine tried to say with humour but she couldn't quite manage it. Sam moved closer to her.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked as he bravely took her hand in his. When he entered the schoolhouse, he would never in a million years had dreamt that he would have been within kissing distance of Miss Katherine, and holding her hand like he was now. He would never have been as bold as to take her hand before, but after their moment just now they both knew that there was something between them.

"I'll be alright, the noise just scared me a little" Katherine quietly said as they looked deep into each other's eyes. The moment of passion had passed, and Sam could tell the gun had shaken Katherine up. He also knew that it wasn't just the noise that scared her, he knew she'd realized the risk they were taking and the danger they would be in if they were caught. It was a heartbreak that cut Sam to the core every time he was reminded that he could never lawfully get down on one knee and ask Katherine to be his wife. But he also believed that God didn't care about colour when it came to love, and he prayed every night that one day God would grant him a way for him to lawfully be with Katherine. Sam's prayers gave him hope, and he believed that God would answer his prayer, but for now, he would just have to be patient and wait.

As Katherine and Sam looked into each other's eyes, they seemed to silently acknowledge that they both couldn't stay in the schoolhouse together much longer.

"I'm afraid I better get going Miss Katherine, poor Mary Lou will never forgive me if I leave her out in the cold any longer." Sam said in a gentle tone, with a hint of humour to try and make Katherine laugh, which he succeeded in as he heard the gentle tone of her laugh.

"Aw poor girl, I'm sure you can make it up to her with a blanket and a few onions." Katherine lightly teased Sam.

…

Katherine walked Sam to the door. He picked up the leather-bound journal and she handed him the jar of spiced peaches.

"Thank you again Miss Katherine, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas" Sam said.

"Have a wonderful Christmas Sam, and thank you" Katherine gently said. They exchanged one last loving look before Sam turned and began to walk out of the schoolhouse. As she watched him begin to walk away, Katherine felt her heart begin to beat faster within her. She couldn't let him walk away now-they had so few moments where they were able to talk properly and Katherine didn't know when it might just be the two of them alone like this again.

"Sam!" She called out. Sam had taken he steps down from the schoolhouse and was now by the tree with Mary Lou. He had placed the journal in his coat pocket and put the peaches in the cart. At hearing Katherine call Sam immediately turned round.

"I forgot one last thing for you." Katherine said, and Sam began to walk back up to the schoolhouse, until he was standing just inside the doorway with Katherine. Katherine knew that no one could see them from the windows at this angle, and the only creature that had their eyes on them from the doorway was Mary Lou.

Katherine had never kissed a man before, and she was not usually the type to ever be so bold. But she didn't know if she would ever get the chance to be alone with Sam like this again.

Katherine leaned her head towards Sam and placed a kiss onto his lips. The kiss was gentle and full of love. As soon as Sam realized what she was doing, he leaned his lips down to meet hers. He gently cupped her cheek in his hand, while he gently wrapped his other arm around her shoulder. They were lost in their own world for what seemed like an eternity, and when they finally broke away, Sam saw that Katherine had tears in her eyes, and she gave him the most loving look he had ever seen, a look that made his heart stop. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and held her against his chest in a warm embrace. They just rested like that for a while, both in a state of bliss.

Sam felt Katherine tense up in his arms, and he looked down to see that a few tears had escaped her eyes.

"Hey now, what's wrong?" Sam gently asked, turning Katherine in his arms to face him as he lifted his thumb up to her face to gently wipe her tears away. How it pained him to see her cry. It was like someone had taken a bullet to his heart.

"Oh Sam, I wish it could always be like this…" Katherine tearily said as more drops spilled from her eyes.

"Don't cry, Miss Katherine-I can fix that." Sam said, and he gently kissed just beneath hey eyes where her tears lay, and then her lips, until her tears had ceased.

"You might be able to dry tears away but you can't change the law Sam" Katherine quietly said in a sad tone.

"You're right, I can't, but I believe in a power higher than myself, higher than any man."

"Higher than the law?" Katherine asked quietly, half serious, half teasing.

"Even higher than that. I believe in God, and in Prayer-and I believe that one day, somehow, God will find a way-for us."

Katherine's eyes shone with fresh tears of wonder and admiration at Sam's strength of faith and optimism. He said these words to Katherine with such strength and assurance that she too could believe that someday, fate would allow them to be together, somehow, however unlikely it seemed at this moment. Somehow they would find a way.

She took both of his hands in hers and looked into his eyes.

"I love you with all of my heart Sam" Katherine lovingly whispered as she gazed into Sam's eyes.

Katherine smiled as she saw the widest smile she'd ever seen on Sam's face, and tears now began to shine in his big brown eyes. He gently pulled her closer to him.

"I've loved you for so long, Katherine Barlow." And with that, they kissed again, and became lost in their own world.

….

That night, before going to bed Katherine sat at her dresser, tracing her fingers over the daisy on the jewellery box, and thinking of how Sam's lips felt against hers, and how strong he felt as he held her in his arms.

She glanced at the clock, it was past midnight, and she would have to be up early in the morning to go to Church.

Katherine sighed, reluctantly placing the jewellery box back on the dresser and settling down in her bed.

From where she lay she could see a patch of night sky from a gap in the curtain she hadn't closed properly. Whether it was a trick of the light, or her eyes were playing tricks on her because she was tired, or it was real she couldn't tell, but she swore she saw a shooting star fly across the midnight sky.

Closing her eyes, Katherine wished that she and Sam could find a way to marry. If they had leave everything behind and start again, Katherine didn't care, there had to be someone, somewhere, some town or state that would allow them to marry. Katherine wished with all of her heart that God, fate, destiny, whatever power that lay beyond humanity, would find her and Sam a way to be together.

After she had made her wish, Katherine drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the future she prayed would come true.