A/N: Here is the sequel to "From Here to Eternity." I hope you enjoy and reviews are always appreciated! Thanks for reading!
-Chapter One-
The sweet smells of cinnamon, ginger, and sugar cookies filled the large six-bedroom house, where the family Witter was currently resided. A crisp scent from the small fire, burning in the hearth, slowly wafted out the chimney and into the senses of the two men working on the Christmas lights outside. The sun was slowly receding behind the glistening snow on the ground as the nights were getting longer and the days much shorter.
Inside the home, one girl and one boy sat amongst the various bulbs, tinsel, and Christmas lights as a tall brunette with long hair, set up holiday decorations inside. A bare Christmas tree was placed strategically in the corner of the living room, by the hearth. The sounds of Nat King Cole filled the atmosphere with a wide range of his holiday hits along with the crackles and pops from the burning wood in the hearth.
Josephine Witter was busy stringing gold lights on the full tree as three-year-old Aimee Lindley sifted through the colorful decorations that she thought would look pretty on the tree. Eleven-month old Keegan Witter, with his shaggy brown hair and big blue eyes, was chattering away, grabbing fistfuls of wrapping paper and bows that were leftover from the previous years. He loved the way the paper would crinkle and tear- perfecting the ways in which one opens a Christmas gift.
Joey was just about ready to enlist the help of her niece and little boy when there was a loud crash from outside. Glass shattering and a thunderous pop against the side of the house made her jump back in surprise. She looked down in time to see Keegan's wide eyes look from his mother to his cousin and back to his mother again. His bottom lip started trembling just as Aimee stood up to look outside.
"Oh Keegan," Joey said with a smile, lifting him into her arms and onto her hip. She brushed back his long wavy hair and cooed, "Is Daddy making a mess again?"
Keegan's lip stopped trembling with the mention of "Daddy" and a luminous grin appeared on his face. "Daa-da!" he replied fondly, looking towards the door where he knew his father was.
Aimee stood on her tip-toes as she looked out the window to see what all the commotion was about. She looked back at her aunt with worried eyes and exclaimed, "Aunt Jojo… Unca Pacey killed Sanna and Papa Potter is trying to save him."
Joey smiled suspiciously at her niece and repeated, "Uncle Pacey killed Santa?" She could only imagine the meaning to such a statement and decided to get her shoes in case they needed help outside.
Aimee nodded and turned to look back outside where Mike was trying hard to piece together the broken Santa light as Pacey scrambled to sweep up the shattered glass.
Joey turned to her little boy who was pointing to the door excitedly, "Momma, see Daa-da! see Daa-da!"
"Shall we go see Daddy?" she asked, excitedly. When Keegan smiled and tried to nod, she went to the closet to get out his little blue jacket and Aimee's pink coat. "Curly get your shoes, let's go see if we can help Grandpa Potter revive Santa."
Aimee smiled and ran to the front door to put on her pink snow boots. "I bet Unca Pacey's gonna get coal from Sanna this year!"
Joey zipped up Keegan's jacket and put on his large hood, effectively making him look like a little blue marshmallow. "Well your uncle has been rather naughty this year," she teased as she handed Aimee her pink coat.
As soon as they were all bundled up, Joey carried Keegan outside with Aimee trailing her with her small hand on her hip.
Mike stood in the middle of the yard, trying to glue the plastic Santa's arm back into his socket, while Pacey continued to sweep up the colored glass which was scattered all over the snow.
"Unca Pacey!" Aimee shouted, making him look up from his cleaning. "You killed Sanna Clause!"
Pacey smiled and set the broom down by the house. "Well he was trying to climb our chimney, Aims," he replied with a mischievous wink to Joey. "What was I supposed to do? Let him come down the chimney?"
"YES!" the little blonde replied with fervor. "He needs to come down the chimney so he can give us our presents for Christmas!"
Pacey smirked, getting a kick out of watching Aimee defend the honor of old Saint Nick. "But how is he going to get up there? Joey's old ladder is still at the Leery's."
Aimee squinted her eyes as she thought about an answer. A bright smile filled her features as she recalled exactly what she was thinking, "Reindeer, Unca Pacey! Reindeer! They fly to the roof!"
Pacey smiled and tromped through the thick snow to pick up his curly-haired niece. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, but her beautiful blue eyes were gleaming with joy. He gently lifted her into his arms and backed away from the house, so they could get a better view of the roof.
"You mean like those reindeer, Aims?" he asked with a clever grin, pointing to several plastic reindeer and slay on the roof. The light set was close to the chimney and all that was missing was Santa Clause – who was currently being glued back together via Mike.
"Wow, Unca Pacey," Aimee said in surprise. "Is that Rudolph?" she asked with big eyes, pointing to the first reindeer with a bright red nose.
Joey stomped through the snow, still holding Keegan safely in her arms, to examine the decorations her husband and father had set up on the house.
"Yeah Aims," he answered, proudly, "That's Rudolph, guiding the sleigh for Santa. Do you like it?"
Aimee smiled and wrapped her little arms around Pacey's neck to give him a hug, "It's pretty."
Joey stood by Pacey and Aimee and examined the lights in front of her. Large colored bulbs lined the angular roof with small gold lights tracing the windows. A "Merry Christmas" light hung between the two large windows in the front while a large reef, with a bright red bow, hung on the front door.
"Ah-ha!" Mike exclaimed with a smile, holding up the newly remodeled Santa Clause for the family to see. "He's all better now."
"Papa Potter fixed Sanna Clause!" Aimee exclaimed excitedly, pointing to Mike over Pacey's shoulder.
Keegan started to squeal excitedly as Mike moved closer saying, "Papa! Papa!"
Mike smiled and took his squealing grandson from his daughter and lifted him in the air, "How's my boy doing, today?"
Keegan's grin spread joyfully as his grandfather lifted him high into the air.
Pacey was too busy watching his son with his grandfather to notice his wife wad up a large, round snowball.
Aimee, who was clinging to Pacey's neck shouted, "Unca Pacey! Unca Pacey! Watch out!"
Pacey turned around just in time to be hit, square in the chest, with a large cold snowball. Joey smiled victoriously and knelt down to form her next missile as Aimee laughed hysterically.
"Aims?" he exclaimed, feigning shock. "Who side are you on here? Your favorite – and rather charming – uncle Pacey or your traitor aunt Jojo's?"
Aimee continued to laugh as Joey hit him once again with a large snowball – only this time the cold snow grazed the side of his head - and Pacey figured he had his answer. "So that's the way it's going to be, eh?" he asked as he began to tickle the little blonde ruthlessly in retaliation.
"Jojo! Jojo!" Aimee squealed through her laughter, squirming chaotically in her uncle's embrace. "Help me, Aunt Jo!"
"I'm coming, Curly," Joey shouted playfully, working her way through the snow.
Pacey was surprised when she literally tackled him, making him fall back into the snow with Aimee sandwiched between them.
Joey smirked as she lifted Aimee off of her husband. She made sure the little darling was a safe distance back when she grabbed a handful of snow and covered Pacey with it. "I told you I could take you down, Pace."
Pacey covered his face as she continued to bury him in the snow. Once he finally had enough, he grabbed her by the waist and easily rolled her over so now he was on top.
"Dad-da!" Keegan cheered merrily, bouncing in his grandfather's arms. Mike laughed and walked over to the two adults wrestling around in the snow.
He gingerly placed Keegan on Pacey's shoulders and he stopped tackling Joey immediately. "Hey, little man," Pacey teased, reaching behind his neck to help steady the baby. "Come to help your Pop get Mommy?"
Keegan giggled and took some snow off of Pacey's head and threw it down on Joey, who was still lying underneath Pacey.
"Hey!" Joey said in mock disgust, wiping the small amount of snow off her face, "I'll get you for that, Ry!"
"Here Aunt Jojo!" Aimee exclaimed excitedly, holding a handful of the loose powder in her pink mittens. "I've got some snow!"
XOXOXOXOXOXO
Joey stood in the kitchen making some hot coffee and a warm bottle when her father came in to say his goodbyes. It was dark outside and way past Keegan's bedtime, but really after the beautiful day they had, that didn't seem to matter.
"Hey Sweetheart, I think Aimee and I are going to head out," he said softly, holding a tuckered out three-year-old in his arms. She was sleeping under one of Keegan's blue blankets and was snuggled into the crook of Mike's neck. "I promised Jack and Doug I'd drop her off on my way home."
Joey smiled and walked over to place a kiss on the little beauty's rosy cheek. "Bye-bye my little curly-girl," she whispered softly, moving the long curls away from her face.
She then looked up, into the old eyes that mirrored her own and said, "Thanks for coming, Dad. You're coming back for Christmas Eve dinner, right?"
"I wouldn't miss my grandson's birthday for the world," he replied with a bright smile. "Goodnight Sweetheart," he whispered against Joey's forehead, placing a gentle kiss 'goodbye' up there. "And make sure you take an extra blanket out to Pacey and my grandson. I don't want them catching a cold."
Joey turned to look out the back window where she could see the dark silhouette of her husband, sitting on the edge of the dock, looking out at the beautiful water on the creek. It was something Pacey had become accustomed to doing late at night, whenever he wanted to feel comfort. It was over the past summer that he started included Keegan on these late night soothing sessions by the water. She figured it was his way of sharing something he loved with his son, because he could never get enough of that water.
Even though it was cold, probably too cold for a baby, she didn't say much to protest. After all, Pacey would never endanger their son or risk him getting sick. She trusted him completely. If he felt it was okay to sit out on the edge of the dock tonight, then it was probably okay.
However, tonight it was extra crisp outside, so bringing out an extra blanket, some hot coffee, and a warm bottle couldn't hurt. "I will Daddy, don't worry. Drive safely."
"I will," he replied, just before he disappeared behind the front door.
She then looked back at the counter where the coffee was full and the bottle was warm. She poured two steaming mugs full of the dark liquid, grabbed a blanket and the bottle, and headed out the back door.
As she walked down the dark path of cleared snow, to the dock by the creek, she heard Keegan chattering softly with his daddy. "Fiss- Fiss," he tried to say, pointing his little finger towards the water.
"Yes, my son," Pacey answered in a warm tone, "We're going to go ice fishing when you get older and catch lots of fish. Just like we did this summer. Remember Mathew, Keegan? And Sophie? Remember our fishing trip on Devotion?"
Keegan's ocean-blue eyes reflected the bright moon as he answered, "Bo, bo-at."
"Right," he exclaimed excitedly, "On our boat."
Joey walked up from behind them, still hold the large blanket, two mugs of coffee and a warm bottle. "Is this a private party or can a lady join you two handsome men tonight?"
Pacey smiled and looked up. He took his mug of coffee and then looked down at Keegan, "What do you say, Ry? Should we let Mommy join us?"
Keegan smiled and exposed his two bottom teeth as he exclaimed excitedly, "Momma, bah-bah!"
Pacey chuckled softly as Joey sat down beside him. He handed over the miniature version of himself and said, "Well, I believe the man's hungry and wants his bottle."
Joey smirked and wrapped the thick blanket around her son more securely as she cradled him in her arms so she could feed him. "I figured he would be getting hungry," she replied softly as she gazed down at her baby boy. He started sucking on the bottle greedily as Pacey took the extra blanket and wrapped it around Joey and their son.
"So has the letter come yet?" Pacey asked softly, watching in awe of Keegan and Joey as she fed him.
"No," Joey replied just as softly, with a tinge of disappointment in her voice. "I don't think they liked it Pace… I really should have just kept it to myself."
Pacey moved some of Joey's long hair, away from her cheek and answered, "It was beautiful, Jo, and it would have been a crime to keep something like that to yourself. I'm so proud of you and Wesley couldn't wait to get his hands on it, remember?"
Joey smiled, appreciating his optimism and confidence, but nevertheless couldn't help but feel disappointed. In spite of all the positive feedback she had initially received, it had been months since she had heard anything. Several agonizing months of waiting and waiting. They told her she would have an answer by the end of December and each day that came closer to that date, only made her hope diminish more and more.
"I just think I need to move on, Pace," she answered softly. "I mean, look around us. I have everything I could ever dream of having and more. So why do I let something as silly as a letter take that joy out of my life?"
Pacey brought her closer to his chest as he held her tight, "Because you're a dreamer, Jo. You always have been and I intend on watching as all your dreams come true. Like I told you last night, these doors are just opening up for you; for us. Just you wait Jo. We're going to wake up one day and find that everything is different; better even."
Joey sighed and looked down at the sleeping angel in her arms, barely sucking on his bottle anymore. She took the bottle out of his mouth and covered his face with the blanket, shielding him from the cold.
She looked up at the beautiful stars shimmering in the sky before turning to look into the eyes of her husband. She leaned in to give him a warm, tender kiss before answering softly, "That's what I'm afraid of, Pace."
XOXOXOXOXOXO
