Ch 2. Christmas Surprise

Surprisingly the situation with Emma and Neal over the next few months became easy. In the time since they'd met they'd become a pretty good team. And in the coming weeks they even came to develop feelings for each other. It was more than a relationship of convenience and survival; it had come to mean something on a level that neither of them had really anticipated.

The holiday season was fast approaching. Christmas decorations were being placed in store front display cases, the Salvation Army were ringing their bells and Christmas music was being played everywhere.

Neal was never one for celebrating the holidays. Christmas was a religious tradition and he wasn't a Christian. He wasn't Jewish. He didn't believe in much, at least not in the organized way that most people of this world did. He was a believer in a force greater than himself but he never defined it. And currently he believed in Emma. She was different than most girls. On the outside she seemed just like anyone else despite the life she led but he'd also caught a glimpse of what was on the inside and it was special.

Emma hated the Christmas season. It was a reminder of what she didn't have. While parents dressed in warm clothing with their children by their side as they carried shopping bags filled with presents and Christmas decorations or skated at ice rinks together with cups of hot chocolate, she was lucky enough to get a hand-me-down coat or a donated toy from one of the charities that catered to foster homes and that was if she stayed around long enough.

"Do you trust me," Neal asked as he parked the bug in a secluded part of the woods.

"Are you really asking me that," Emma said with a smile.

She did trust him. She had trusted him. Emma had lost her virginity when she was fifteen but a week ago was the first time that it had ever truly meant anything to her. She and Neal had robbed a convenient store that day and later waited as a family left a hotel room.

It was there that she had essentially agreed to spend the rest of her life with him, having agreed to move to Tallahassee, Florida to make their new start. That was also the first time where they had been intimate with each other. They'd managed to keep housekeeping away after Neal had said, "We're busy," in between his panting. The family who had left hadn't gone to the front desk to check out which had made things easier. It was one of the best afternoons and nights of Emma's life.

Emma continued to smile at Neal. "Of course I trust you."

Neal smiled back. "Then come on, I've got a surprise for you."

The two got out of the car and began to walk for a short while. The snow was falling slightly and the snow on the ground glistened in the subtle ambience of moonlight.

"Neal, where are we going?"

"You'll see. It's just a few more yards beyond those trees."


They walked in silence a little more and what stood before them truly surprised Emma. A small cabin was dressed in white Christmas lights and from the window was a simple green fir tree covered in colored lights.

"Summer cabins," said Neal. "No one uses them in the winter since the snow gets too thick out here. I know you don't celebrate Christmas and neither do I but I figured since we were together it wouldn't be that bad."

Emma had no words. Her surprise turned into a wide smile and then she placed a light kiss on his cheek which Neal took as a seal of approval. He and Emma made their way to the cabin, Neal messing with the tumblers of the locks and then made their way inside.

"Is this where you were all day," Emma asked. "Why you didn't let me come with you," she said taking off her leather coat and placing it over a wooden chair.

"I didn't mean to make you worry."

"You're lucky I didn't leave. I still don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to trusting people."

"Why didn't you," Neal asked as he started a fire in the small fireplace and then went to the kitchen.

"Because of you, us," Emma said as she toyed her fingers on an ornament on the tree. "I've never allowed myself to have a relationship last too long since I'm usually the one who ends up making a run for it."

"Ah commitment issues, I get it."

"The gift of a screwed up childhood," Emma said with a laugh, "but with you I don't know, it's different."

"I'm glad," Neal said coming over and handing Emma a cup of hot chocolate.

Emma took a sip and looked up at him, "Cinnamon?" she asked with surprise.

Very few people ever could get it right. Usually they just gave her the chocolate and that was it but Neal had taken the time to add whipped cream and cinnamon on top.

Neal shrugged, "You don't seem like a simple chocolate kind of girl besides it's too boring that way and you're anything but boring."

Neal brought his cup to hers. "Merry Christmas, Emma," he said softly.

Emma clinked her cup to his, "Merry Christmas, Neal."

~END~