A small, petite little girl found herself walking through a slim, dark, cold, and dangerous alleyway after chasing after her small kitten, Muffin.
"Muffin? Muffin?! MUFFIN! Where are you?", she called out only to have her voice echo and bounce off of the dirt-encrusted brick walls.
She shivered at the sight of the darkness that seemed to be consuming the entire alleyway and the swift breeze causing her golden, blonde hair to fly over her fair-skinned face.
A soft meow was heard from inside of the nearby trash cans overflowing with garbage and trash.
It scared her to just think about all the germs and bacteria that were swimming in the dirty water ricocheting off of the metal cans.
She picked up the kitten carefully and stroked it's soft, smooth fur.
"There you are Muffins! Don't ever scare me like that ever again." She murmured into its fur, speaking to it like a little mother.
She hurried back to the street, avoiding all the dirty and sick faces that stared at her little body as she ran back to the comfort of her own home.
Before she could make it any further, a little boy in a dark blue coat stopped her.
"Ma'am, are you lost?" He asked so politely.
The little girl shook her head no and proceeded to walk home.
"I could guide you home if you would like." He simply offered.
"No, thank you. Muffins and I prefer to take stops on our way home, and we wouldn't want to hold you up."
"Oh, that's why. Well then, farewell for now. I hope I see you later." He turned around and then his head shot up into the air.
"Sorry, and your name is?" He asked.
"It really doesn't matter, but it's Cara Pierce."
"Ian Kabra. It's been a pleasure to meet you." He kissed her slightly blue-ish, freezing cold hands before saying his final farewell and was on his way.
With a light blush on her face, which wasn't just from the coldness on the other side of the door, Cara and Muffins walked to the bakers.
"Hello, Ms. Helen!" Cara said happily in a sing-song tone.
"Why, hello there dear! You poor thing, you forgot your coat here last time and it's 20 degrees outside. Here's your coat darling, I'll be right back with a hot chocolate to warm you up." The old, tender lady said while turning to the kitchen.
Cara smiled and sat patiently while humming a soft Christmas tune.
The bell on top of the door jingled signaling a new costumer was here. Cara turned around and saw a man with a large, black petticoat and a black hat over his head, shading his face making it pitch black causing unavailability to anyone who tried to recognize them.
The man sat down next to Cara, took off his hat and patted her on the head and smiled warmly.
"Hi, daddy." She said sweetly.
He smiled back and watched Ms. Helen come back from the kitchen.
"Hello, Mr. Pierce." Ms. Helen spoke as she placed down a mug of hot chocolate and three Christmas cookies down on a napkin for young Cara.
The father and Ms. Helen walked to a corner to discuss personal matters away from the public including a small, clueless Cara.
Though confused Cara finished munching on her cookies, without making a crumb. She grabbed a coaster and put her mug on top of it, before throwing her napkin in the trash can.
She sat back down at the counter and finished drinking her mug of hot chocolate.
By the time she finished drink every single drop, the two adults returned to the counter.
Mr. Pierce picked up his daughter and started walking towards the door.
"Goodbye, Cara" Ms. Helen cried while flashing a sad smile.
The two walked out of the bakery and headed home.
Cara stared in awe at the precious, bright, and seemingly small stars, that twinkled in the midnight colored sky.
Before Cara knew it, she was at her large mansion.
Her dad dressed her in her pajamas and kissed her goodnight, as the maids tucked her into bed.
She drifted off to sleep with "visions of sugarplums dancing in her head". She woke up with a sheer white, frosted windowpane.
She rose to her feet and walked to the bathroom window where she could see the angel white snow falling down and collecting into big piles on their front yard.
She happily ran to her father's bedroom only arrive at an empty bedroom.
She walked downstairs and saw a note gently placed on her presents.
"Goodbye, my precious Cara. I have to work with a no children allowed workplace. I hope that I will have a chance to see that precious face of yours.
Love, Daddy."
Tears streamed down her little cheeks. She grabbed her coat and shoes, carefully put them on, and headed outside.
She smiled at the winter wonderland lying in front of her small feet.
She ran off to the bakery, only to be disappointed by an out of business sign hung outside of the shop.
The small girl sat down in front of that same alleyway that she found Muffins at on Christmas-Eve and tucked her head into her knees. Her eyes stung from all the tears that inhabited her red, puffy eyes. Her frostbitten fingers stung from the cold around her outside of her body and inside of her once happy, carefree heart. She felt a light tap on her shoulder and lifted her head warily.
She sadly smiled at the sight of Ian and his slightly worried facial expression.
"Cara, are you okay." He asked seeing the hurt in her once sparkly eyes. He held out his mitten-covered hand.
"I am now," she sniffed and accepted his hand.
He brought her into a warm hug which she fell into since she found the warmness she was seeking.
He took her to his house, it was slightly bigger than hers.
She saw a trail of people coming from the house each coming out with a warm bowl of soup and some cookies.
Ian brought her inside letting her take in all the Christmas decorated sights.
"We're having a charity event. Do you want to help us out?" He asked with a sincere smile.
Cara nodded and followed Ian.
For the rest of the day, she handed out food and gifts to the people standing in line. After everyone was gone, Cara stepped outside for a moment and took in a fresh breath.
Ian crept up behind her and grabbed her hand, he led her to a private place in a grass field.
Cara's face turned a bright rose red.
She sat down in the snow and brought Ian down with her.
He brought her in for a hug and Cara snuggled into his chest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^14 years later*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ "Ian, please come back. I miss you." Cara cried looking at her ring finger, a diamond ring shining in the moonlight.
Ian had been gone for 2 years without a word.
Cara heard the door click and looked up at the door from her prior position on the king-sized bed.
Ian rushed over to Cara's sized and immediately said, "I Love You. Like I said I'll find my way back to you."
Cara snuggled into his chest and they both fell asleep.
It really was the best Christmas ever.
"Muffin? Muffin?! MUFFIN! Where are you?", she called out only to have her voice echo and bounce off of the dirt-encrusted brick walls.
She shivered at the sight of the darkness that seemed to be consuming the entire alleyway and the swift breeze causing her golden, blonde hair to fly over her fair-skinned face.
A soft meow was heard from inside of the nearby trash cans overflowing with garbage and trash.
It scared her to just think about all the germs and bacteria that were swimming in the dirty water ricocheting off of the metal cans.
She picked up the kitten carefully and stroked it's soft, smooth fur.
"There you are Muffins! Don't ever scare me like that ever again." She murmured into its fur, speaking to it like a little mother.
She hurried back to the street, avoiding all the dirty and sick faces that stared at her little body as she ran back to the comfort of her own home.
Before she could make it any further, a little boy in a dark blue coat stopped her.
"Ma'am, are you lost?" He asked so politely.
The little girl shook her head no and proceeded to walk home.
"I could guide you home if you would like." He simply offered.
"No, thank you. Muffins and I prefer to take stops on our way home, and we wouldn't want to hold you up."
"Oh, that's why. Well then, farewell for now. I hope I see you later." He turned around and then his head shot up into the air.
"Sorry, and your name is?" He asked.
"It really doesn't matter, but it's Cara Pierce."
"Ian Kabra. It's been a pleasure to meet you." He kissed her slightly blue-ish, freezing cold hands before saying his final farewell and was on his way.
With a light blush on her face, which wasn't just from the coldness on the other side of the door, Cara and Muffins walked to the bakers.
"Hello, Ms. Helen!" Cara said happily in a sing-song tone.
"Why, hello there dear! You poor thing, you forgot your coat here last time and it's 20 degrees outside. Here's your coat darling, I'll be right back with a hot chocolate to warm you up." The old, tender lady said while turning to the kitchen.
Cara smiled and sat patiently while humming a soft Christmas tune.
The bell on top of the door jingled signaling a new costumer was here. Cara turned around and saw a man with a large, black petticoat and a black hat over his head, shading his face making it pitch black causing unavailability to anyone who tried to recognize them.
The man sat down next to Cara, took off his hat and patted her on the head and smiled warmly.
"Hi, daddy." She said sweetly.
He smiled back and watched Ms. Helen come back from the kitchen.
"Hello, Mr. Pierce." Ms. Helen spoke as she placed down a mug of hot chocolate and three Christmas cookies down on a napkin for young Cara.
The father and Ms. Helen walked to a corner to discuss personal matters away from the public including a small, clueless Cara.
Though confused Cara finished munching on her cookies, without making a crumb. She grabbed a coaster and put her mug on top of it, before throwing her napkin in the trash can.
She sat back down at the counter and finished drinking her mug of hot chocolate.
By the time she finished drink every single drop, the two adults returned to the counter.
Mr. Pierce picked up his daughter and started walking towards the door.
"Goodbye, Cara" Ms. Helen cried while flashing a sad smile.
The two walked out of the bakery and headed home.
Cara stared in awe at the precious, bright, and seemingly small stars, that twinkled in the midnight colored sky.
Before Cara knew it, she was at her large mansion.
Her dad dressed her in her pajamas and kissed her goodnight, as the maids tucked her into bed.
She drifted off to sleep with "visions of sugarplums dancing in her head". She woke up with a sheer white, frosted windowpane.
She rose to her feet and walked to the bathroom window where she could see the angel white snow falling down and collecting into big piles on their front yard.
She happily ran to her father's bedroom only arrive at an empty bedroom.
She walked downstairs and saw a note gently placed on her presents.
"Goodbye, my precious Cara. I have to work with a no children allowed workplace. I hope that I will have a chance to see that precious face of yours.
Love, Daddy."
Tears streamed down her little cheeks. She grabbed her coat and shoes, carefully put them on, and headed outside.
She smiled at the winter wonderland lying in front of her small feet.
She ran off to the bakery, only to be disappointed by an out of business sign hung outside of the shop.
The small girl sat down in front of that same alleyway that she found Muffins at on Christmas-Eve and tucked her head into her knees. Her eyes stung from all the tears that inhabited her red, puffy eyes. Her frostbitten fingers stung from the cold around her outside of her body and inside of her once happy, carefree heart. She felt a light tap on her shoulder and lifted her head warily.
She sadly smiled at the sight of Ian and his slightly worried facial expression.
"Cara, are you okay." He asked seeing the hurt in her once sparkly eyes. He held out his mitten-covered hand.
"I am now," she sniffed and accepted his hand.
He brought her into a warm hug which she fell into since she found the warmness she was seeking.
He took her to his house, it was slightly bigger than hers.
She saw a trail of people coming from the house each coming out with a warm bowl of soup and some cookies.
Ian brought her inside letting her take in all the Christmas decorated sights.
"We're having a charity event. Do you want to help us out?" He asked with a sincere smile.
Cara nodded and followed Ian.
For the rest of the day, she handed out food and gifts to the people standing in line. After everyone was gone, Cara stepped outside for a moment and took in a fresh breath.
Ian crept up behind her and grabbed her hand, he led her to a private place in a grass field.
Cara's face turned a bright rose red.
She sat down in the snow and brought Ian down with her.
He brought her in for a hug and Cara snuggled into his chest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^14 years later*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ "Ian, please come back. I miss you." Cara cried looking at her ring finger, a diamond ring shining in the moonlight.
Ian had been gone for 2 years without a word.
Cara heard the door click and looked up at the door from her prior position on the king-sized bed.
Ian rushed over to Cara's sized and immediately said, "I Love You. Like I said I'll find my way back to you."
Cara snuggled into his chest and they both fell asleep.
It really was the best Christmas ever.
I'LL FIND MY WAY BACK TO YOU
Merry Christmas Everyone!