This should have been the best Christmas of Allison's life. Everyone she loved was talking and laughing and actually getting along. Well, almost everyone. There was one very important person missing from the picture: Derek, her boyfriend of two years, and the love of her life. Derek couldn't be there today, she had cried the whole night before after she got off the phone with him. His team was supposed to be home for good yesterday. He was supposed to be done over seas for two years. But due to some 'special circumstances' the SEAL team wouldn't be home for another couple of weeks at best.

She looked around the room with a sad smile. Allison's father was in the kitchen making drinks for his new fiancé, Melissa McCall. Boyd sat next to the fireplace with Erica cozy in his lap. Isaac was beaming at his new wife, a girl that he met in college. Lydia was speaking animatedly to Scott about their baby, who had been given to Stiles to hold. Her heart warmed a small amount when she saw her goddaughter cuddled in Stiles' loving hold. She would have to take a turn snuggling her soon, it might make her feel better. She could feel the tears come to the brink as she wondered what it would be like to have a baby of her own, a tiny little thing with green eyes and dark hair. As the droplets threatened to come out, her train of thought was interrupted by a hand touching her arm.

"Are you alright?" whispered Cora.

Allison wiped at her eyes and smiled as best she could, "What? It's Christmas, of course I'm fine."

Her voice was thick with lies that she couldn't even get herself to believe.

Cora pulled her into a hug, "I know it's hard, Allison. Holidays aren't the same when the one person you really want to be with, isn't there."

Allison sniffled, "I was so excited for him to be back, and now it's gonna be at least another month. I kept telling him that I was going to be fine, but as soon as I hung up the phone I cried. I fucking cried for hours. I slept on his side of the bed in one of his shirts and cried myself to sleep."

Her friend had tears in her eyes, "Allison-"

"I know, I'm sorry. I know he's your brother and you miss him too. But you don't really understand. You have Stiles to take your mind off things, I have a house full of things that constantly reminds me that he's not here."

Cora shook her head, "That's not what I was going to say. I wanted to tell you to go take a break. I think we're out of wine, why don't you go get some more before we eat dinner?"

Allison nodded quickly, and cleared her throat before grabbing her coat, purse, and keys.

"I am making a run to the store if anyone needs anything," she announced to the room.

Scott looked over and noticed her red eyes, "Why don't I come with you?"

"No," she objected, "You should enjoy the time with everyone. I won't be long."

No one needed anything, so Allison went on her way. Her car purred to life and she drove off, letting the tears spill over. Pulling into a liquor store, Allison picked up her phone. The wallpaper was a picture of herself and Derek kissing on a beach in Mexico. She smiled at it, letting the warm memory take over.

"Derek," she yelped, "Don't you dare bring me into that water." But he wasn't listening. He had her thrown over his shoulder and was intent on getting her soaking wet. When he was waist deep he let her go, and it only took a second before the serious look on her face was wiped away with a big grin as she splashed him. "Ally, You don't want to play this game." The look on her face and the next splash of water told him he was wrong. She was running full tilt out of the water, trying to avoid being caught. She had made it about fifty feet before he caught her. He wrapped his strong arms around her and spun her around to face him, "Gotcha." She stuck her tongue out at him, "I let you." He laughed and bent his head down toward her, "I will always catch you. There's no escaping me, Als." She looked into his eyes and smiled brightly, "I love you." "I love you more." Her protest was muffled by his lips meeting hers.

She remembered Cora sitting in the sand laughing at them while she took pictures. She let the happy memory carry her into the store. She grabbed a couple bottles of wine and some strong stuff to drown her sorrows in later. When she got back to her house, dinner was being put on the table. Mr. Argent gave a nice little speech about family and loved ones, Lydia reached out to touch Allison's hand sensing her sadness.

Allison's mouth hitched on one side, "All right. I''m starving, let's eat."

Some were having side conversations, but most of the people were too busy engulfing the delicious home cooked meal. After dinner was cleaned up, everyone migrated to the living room where the tree and all the presents were. Gifts were passed, wrapping paper thrown everywhere. Hugs and kisses. Thank you's. Laughter and smiles. The mess was cleaned and everyone was saying goodbye.

After they all left, Allison changed into one of Derek's t-shirts, poured herself a large glass of wine, and curled up on the couch. She was looking for a movie when she heard the front door open. What did they forget? She thought to herself.

She called into the darkness, "What did you forget?"

No answer.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

Allison slowly got up and tip toed towards the soft footsteps she heard moving in her direction. She made it to the kitchen and grabbed a knife, and continued creeping towards the noise. When she turned the light on in the foyer, she saw a large figure standing next to the door.

The knife clattered to the floor and she ran and jumped at the man, "Derek!"

He caught and spun her around before setting her back on her feet, "Surprise."

She kept her arms tight around his neck, refusing to let go, fearing that he was just a figment her mind had conjured up.

He placed a kiss on the top of her head, "I missed you too, Allison."

"You're here," she whispered into his chest, "Please don't let this be my imagination."

He pulled her chin up to place a delicate kiss on her mouth, "I'm here, Baby."

Allison pulled his face back down to hers, capturing him in a very passionate kiss, desperate for what she's been missing for the last few months. They came up for air a couple of minutes later.

"I thought you were stuck."

He smiled, "Only for an extra day, but I wanted to surprise you. I made a stop in New York while my planes were changing over, or I would have been here for dinner."

She pulled back into a tight embrace, "I cried myself to sleep last, you bastard. That wasn't funny."

He hugged her back, "I'm sorry, Ally. I really am. What if I told you I got you something?"

"The only thing I need is for you to never let me go ever again."

"Too bad," he said nonchalantly, "I guess I need to take the ring back then."

She froze and pulled back, "What?"

He took her hand and went down to a knee, "Allison Kathryn Argent, I want to spend every single day of the rest of my life by your side, waking up next to your beautiful face. I promise to love you until the day that I die," he pulled a turquoise box out of his pocket, "Ally, baby, Will you marry me?"

She nodded as the tears came out of her eyes, "Yes. Yes! Oh my god, Derek, yes!"

He slid the ring on her finger and stood up to kiss her. She admired the ring for a moment. It was perfect, completely custom for her. It was three diamonds inset in a triskele pattern , set on a beautiful platinum band.

"I love it. I love you," she gushed.

She dragged him behind her up to their bedroom where she promptly fell asleep on his chest, dreaming about gowns and flowers.