AN: Happy Holidays! Small one shot about my OC Emily Beckett Roswell, wanting a very special gift for Christmas this year. Reviews are welcomed. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or it's characters.

Small World

Christmas was coming and it was coming up fast. Since I'm only five years old, I'm counting down the days with large anticipation. I made a special calendar to mark off the days and there was only three more day's left to mark off. I wasn't sure if I'd get anything this year, I've been a good girl, but mama said that she didn't have any money to buy me anything. Also, Santa doesn't like coming to our neighborhood. I don't blame him, I don't even like going to my neighborhood.

I was sitting in my small room looking at the list that I made a few weeks ago. On the top of my list was a skateboard. Ever since I saw a few of the older kids at my school riding them, it was definitely stuck in my mind that I wanted one. It wasn't too expensive, but like I said earlier, my mama doesn't have any cash to spend. She had to pay off her dealer and a few other shady people. All the rest on my list were small things that I saw advertised on TV or in the local ad.

Even if I get one of them, I'd be happy. Usually I only get an old doll that my mama found on the street, or something from one of my mama's dealers, whose kids out grew the toy. I wasn't picky, but for once I'd like something that was new or didn't smell really gross.

"EMILY! Get out here now! We need to go to the laundromat," she yelled.

I walked into the living room of our small, dingy apartment and saw my mama standing by the door, putting on her old grey coat. There was two medium sized bags by her feet that was filled with two weeks of dirty laundry.

"Get your coat on," she said.

I did as I was told and grabbed my blue coat which had way too many holes in it to count. We left the apartment and went down to the curb by the front of our building. I looked up at my mama, whose hair was tied back in a messy ponytail. I reached my small hand up, so she could hold my hand. I didn't want to get lost in the sea of people that usually bustled about on the busy New York streets. She looked down at me and gave me her angry face, which always scared me.

"Can't you see I'm holding these bags? Just follow me closely. Don't get lost," she said.

I nodded nervously and followed my mother to our destination. We maneuvered around dozens of people on our way to the laundromat, and thankfully I was able to keep up and not get separated. We went in and my mama found two spots right away to stick the clothes in. She just had enough coins left over, so she can use it for the dryers.

"Emily, watch these closely. I don't need anybody stealing from me," mama said.

"Where are you going?" I asked sadly.

"Toughen up, I'm only going to be out back. I need to talk to my friend Carlos."

"Oh…"

"Just watch the laundry. I'll be back soon. Nothing's gonna happen to you."

I nodded and she walked off to the back door of the laundromat. I looked around and watched as the dryers across from me tumbled around, viewing the many different colors going in circles. Some dryers were going extremely fast and some were going kind of slow. I got bored quickly because there was nothing to do, and watching the dryers is not very entertaining. The one television they had in this place was busted and the last time I tried to entertain myself, I got in major trouble with my mother. Let's just say I couldn't sit for a few hours.

I looked out the front window of the laundromat and saw the toy store that I liked to window-shop out of. I looked around and I figured my mama would be gone for a while, so I snuck out of the laundromat, walking over to the toy store across the street. I looked through the big clear window and saw a whole bunch of toys that I would love to get my hands on.

The first thing that caught my eyes was a nice looking skateboard with an awesome design on the underside of the deck. It was sweet and I wanted it so bad.

"Do you think Santa is going to get you that skateboard?" I heard a man ask.

"No," I said.

I looked up at the man and he had short brown hair and blue eyes. He gave a small friendly smile at me and said, "Why? Have you been naughty?"

"No, Santa never comes to my neighborhood."

"Santa goes everywhere. That's what makes him special."

"Well, he's never visited me. Maybe I have been bad."

"You don't seem like a bad kid. I'm sure this year you'll be getting something you wish for."

"That would be awesome."

"I remember when my daughter, Alexis, was your age. She couldn't wait to see all the presents under the tree, waking me up at five in the morning. Now I have to practically wake her up, but I still get to see the joy light up her eyes when she opens her gifts."

"Sounds like fun."

"I bet you have fun."

"Sometimes, but it only last for a few minutes."

"Well, maybe this year will be different. A young kid like you shouldn't be missing out on all the excitement of the holidays."

"Thanks mister."

"No problem. You deserve a pick me up. You're too adorable to have a pout on your face."

I smiled at him and said, "Thank you."

A lady came out of the store and said, "Rick, I have your order in. I just need you to sign something."

"Okay, thanks Delores," the man named Rick said.

"No problem," she said and went back in.

"I have to go, but remember one thing. Keep your Christmas spirit up and I'm sure you'll get whatever you want," he said with a bright smile.

"Okay," I said.

"EMILY!" I heard my mama yell from across the street.

My eyes went wide and I said, "I have to go. Thank you for the talk sir."

"No problem," he said.

I ran off and found my mama standing at the front door of the laundromat with an even angrier face than her usual one. This one frightened me even more. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into the place, making me take a seat on one of the benches they had. Tears were streaming down my face and I felt bad for defying my mama.

"I told you to stay here, but you go wandering off. Who was that man you were talking to?" she asked.

"I don't know. He just started a conversation with me. He was nice," I said.

"I don't care how nice he is. He could have been the police or something. I don't like you talking to strangers. What were you doing there anyway?"

"I wanted to see the toys."

"Well maybe you won't get anything for Christmas after that stunt. Didn't have the money's anyway, but now you don't even deserve something."

"I'm sorry…"

"Sorry won't cut it Emily. I'm going to finish these clothes and then we're going home. You better stay here, or else."

The rest of the day went bye fast. My mother was very angry with me since I ran off without her knowledge. I went to bed right after our small and cold dinner we had. I hoped in the next three days, I could do some nice things, so I could be on the nice list and not the naughty list.

The next three days went bye in a blur, and I did my best at being a very good kid. I woke up Christmas morning with snow floating past my window. I was so giddy that it was Christmas but I made sure I was as quite as a mouse because the last time I woke my mama up early, she was not happy. I tiptoed into the living room and saw our tiny tree lit up in all its colorful glory.

There was a few presents wrapped up and scattered around the tree and it was definitely more than last year. There was a big present with my name on it and it was from my mama and Santa Claus. The tag looked like it was covering another one, but I figured that mama just reused the wrapping paper. I wondered what the gift was. I hope it's what I've been begging for, but even if it isn't, I'll still be happy for whatever I got. I heard my mama's bedroom door open and she walked out in her raggedy pajamas.

"You didn't peek did you?" she asked.

"No, I just got here," I said.

"All right then, move away from the tree. We have to eat breakfast first."

"But mama…"

"Don't pull that with me. You know better. Now come on."

We went to our small kitchen and ate some cereal together. Our milk was a little lumpy but she hasn't had the money to go grocery shopping yet. After we finished I ran straight to the Christmas tree, wanting to open my presents so bad.

"Fine, pick one and open it."

I picked up the big present and it was kind of heavy. I ripped it open, wrapping paper flying everywhere, and I came across the best thing I could think of. It was the skateboard I really wanted. I smiled brightly and ran to my mama, giving her a tight hug. She hugged me for a bit before she pushed me away softly.

"Okay, okay. I know you really wanted it, so Santa and I had a little chat," my mama said with a rare smile on her face.

"Thank you so much! I love it," I said.

"I'm glad, but you know you can't ride it until the ice and snow melts."

"Okay."

"All right now let's open some more presents."

I opened the three other presents from my mama and she opened a gift from our neighbor, big Jay, and one from me, which was just a small little bracelet I made in our art class at school. She put it on and wore it with pride, but I know it wasn't something she really wanted. I played with some of my new toys, and only one looked in really bad shape. My mama must have did some good hand-me-down shopping this year.

The phone started ringing and I answered it with a cheerful, "Hello."

"Merry Christmas, Em," I heard my aunts voice say through the receiver.

"Merry Christmas, Aunt Kate."

"Did you have a good one?"

"Yes! Guess what Santa and mama bought me."

"What did they get you?" she asked questionably.

"A skateboard!"

"Really!? They bought you a skateboard, did they?"

"Yep, it's awesome."

"Yeah, I bet it is. Well I'm glad you got what you wanted. Let me talk to you mother."

"Okay, bye Aunt Kate."

"Bye Em."

I handed the phone over to my mother and she walked off to her room whispering lowly. When she reach her room, I heard her slam the door really loud. Then a few minutes later the low muffled voice became a loud booming one, and I wondered what the two of them were fighting about. I don't think they ever have a decent conversation that doesn't lead to a full blown argument. I wish my aunt Kate would come around more often but I think that's one wish that will never be fulfilled, at least not anytime soon.

My mama came out a little while later with anger still radiating off of her.

"Emily, I don't want you to see your aunt Kate for a while," she said.

"Why?" I said sadly.

"Because I said so. We don't need her in our life okay. We can do fine by ourselves. Now you stay away from her, got it?"

"Got it."

"Good. Now help me clean this room up, it looks like a pigsty."

I was sad that mama didn't want me to see Aunt Kate again. I wonder what made things between them fall apart completely. Even arguments from before were never this bad and usually settled after a few days, but this one seems different. Hopefully one day she'll let me see Aunt Kate again, but it'll probably be over her dead body.