Well, this is just a Christmas one-shot, since my friend Scorpions and Roses wrote "Eden's Enchanted Christmas", I'll write a FF about Barbie in A Christmas Carol too, and I perfectly know I have many other FF in progress or to be still published, but this idea is just too cute that I just had to write it. I hope you'll like it.
Under The Mistletoe
Eden smiled for all the trip towards the Beadnells's house. Since the Spirit of Christmas Future had changed her heart, she had thought about starting to do again what she did when she was younger. And it was the best thing she could've done, because it was beautiful to see Catherine's smile again after so many years of forcing her to do whatever Eden wanted.
"I still can't believe you really changed, Eden!" Catherine looked at her best friend with affection
Eden turned to her "Maybe it's the Christmas's magic, Catherine. And also, it's the magic of Christmas's Eve... the night, especially." she thought about keeping her incredible journey in the past and the future as a secret for another month, then she would've tell her everything. Also, she had another very important thing to do that day, when they would arrive at the Beadnells's... it was something concerning Catherine, obviously, but also the one who was in love with her. Eden giggled at the thought of herself telling him to kiss Catherine under the mistletoe after the Christmas lunch. He would've surely blush and then reply with a stammered "No".
But if Eden would've insist, he would've give up... probably... Eden was still uncertain about what to do. She didn't want to make Freddy feel out of place, but neither embarassed to confess his feelings for Catherine.
"Ladies, we've arrived." Freddy announced. The two girls looked in front of them and saw Catherine's parents' house, beautiful as always, with so many Christmas decorations and a snowman. Eden closed her eyes for a few seconds and remembered every happy memories she had about that place.
She looked up and noticed the three Spirits were didn't have to worry about them, though... They surely had someone else to visit. She hoped that person would've understand the beauty of Christmas like she had.
"Oh, Eden!" Catherine smiled and pointed to the snowman "Charlie did that with my aunt and my uncle this year! I can't wait to see how he grew up... I didn't come here for so long..."
"We could help Charlie make one more, later." Eden suggested, knowing how much Catherine loved her little cousin
"That would be beautiful, Eden. And I'm sure Charlie would love to play with you" Catherine remembered Tammy and all the other children of the orphanage... she just had to find a house for herself, and Tammy would've stay there with her. Catherine had always dreamed to find that sweet little girl a home, and Tammy had always dreamed to live with her one day.
Catherine had still in mind the day she decided to help those adorable kids; that memory was like a treasure for her...
She decided to go to the orphanage because it wasn't dinner time yet, and since the mistress of the house where she lived that hour was sleeping and would've get angry if she returned at that hour, she walked slowly to take time.
She recognized the building immediately: two children, orphans, were watching from a window and when they saw her, they started to whisper something to each other's ears
"There's a girl that is coming here!" the girl said
"She is so nice and she has a lovely smile, she probably wants to adopt us" the boy added
Catherine looked up at the two kids and greeted them with her hand, smiling "Hello!"
"Elizabeth, Jacob!" a male voice called the two kids and they went inside
She arrived there and knocked at the door. She almost had tears in her eyes when she saw how many children had come to see her when the director of the orphanage opened the door. And that day, looking at that adorable little crowd, she decided to make their lives a little better; she started to sew dresses for them, or buy some toys and food when Eden was in the good mood to give her a few more pounds at the end of the working week.
"Miss Beadnell?" Freddy's voice made Catherine come out of her thoughts, and she noticed he was offering her his hand to descend the sleigh. She took it smiling.
Freddy suddenly started sweating even if it was winter and it was snowing. Eden, almost at the door of the house, chuckled at the funny scene that was happening behind her.
When Freddy and Catherine reached her, Eden knocked at the door. Catherine's sister, Nell, opened it and gasped when she saw her sister, Eden and a tall young man in front of her.
"Eden?" Nell was surprised
"Merry Christmas, Nell!" Eden hugged her "I know it's so long since I came here last time, but in these years I had been a horrible person to your sister... and I also hated Christmas! I know it sounds weird, but sadly it's true"
Nell was speechless, but happy "Eden, what matters is that you're here now." she broke the hug "Come inside! Our parents will be so glad to see you're here for the Christmas lunch!"
Eden smiled delighted at the end of the lunch after eating Catherine's mother's biscuits. They were still the same as when she was nine years old. They were still the best biscuits she had ever eaten. She couldn't believe that in all those years she had missed so many wonderful things...
Then, she remembered what she had to do. The last gift for Catherine and Freddy!
She waited 'till the lunch was really finished and then asked Freddy to follow her where Catherine couldn't see them
"You have to tell Catherine how you feel! Asking her out isn't enough, you have to tell her that you love her and you want her to be your girlfriend" Eden began, already knowing his answer.
He started shaking and stammered "W-w-what? ...N-n..." he took a deep breath "...no."
Eden rolled her eyes. Obviously, he was too shy... she had to try another time. "If you don't, what will you do?" she glared at him
Freddy started thinking and then spoke again, this time not stammering "I won't tell her that now, but I will... ve-very soon...!"
Eden insisted "When, exactly?" she knew Freddy didn't have a clue about when he would've tell Catherine everything. When he didn't reply, she decided to give up and let him go back to the living room. She had an idea a few seconds later, and smirked.
"Everyone, come here!" Catherine and Nell's uncle called. Eden quickly went to the living room again. She smiled when she saw him holding a branch of mistletoe and kissing his wife, that had beside her their son Charlie, now of eight years old. After them, it was the turn of Catherine's parents to kiss.
"Is there another couple?" Mrs. Beadnell turned to Catherine and her best friend.
Eden chuckled "Not me, but Catherine!" she took the branch of mistletoe from Catherine's father's hand "Charlie, help me with him" she pointed to Freddy, and in the meantime, Nell pushed her sister in front of the young magician.
Catherine and Freddy gasped when they realized they were watched by everyone; Eden smirked and held the mistletoe above her two friends
Freddy took a deep breath, then cleared his throat and spoke "Catherine... I'm..." he looked into her beautiful big brown eyes "...I'm in love with you..."
Catherine gasped and smiled, then answered shyly "I'm in love with you too..."
Freddy took her hands in his "Will you marry me?" he asked, smiling
Eden gasped in surprise. She never thought Freddy would've ask her that, she thought he would've ask her to be his girlfriend, not his wife... anyways, she had succeeded in her plan and she had finally given her last Christmas present. She felt satisfacted.
Catherine smiled to Freddy "Yes, I would love to!" she looked at Eden, that was still holding the mistletoe above them. Both Catherine and Freddy took a deep breath and kissed, Eden giggled and all the other people in the room smiled happily... all except Charlie, that covered his eyes not to see his cousin and her new fiancé kissing.
Catherine closed her eyes and already started to imagine how would've been her life in the near future. She decided some things: the next year, her and Freddy would've been already married, she would've adopt Tammy in maybe two months, and the next Christmas would'be been celebrated in another house, her house, in London, with all her friends and relatives.
And that wasn't only a wish...
She was sure that everything she was dreaming about would've become the reality.
A/N: ...And here it was! A big thanks to Scorpions and Roses because she suggested me the title for this... and Merry Christmas to everyone! (If you can, leave a review!)
Your hopeless romantic writer Ceci aka CleoCorinne
