Sparky POV

My eyes open into the darkness. Not that it matters, I can still see perfectly.

Today's the day. The year anniversary.

Christmas Eve.

Rose hasn't been the same, not that I'd expect her to. None of us have. But, of course, it's hurt her the worst. I know she tries to hide it for Lissa's sake, but she doesn't fool me. I know she cries herself to sleep… she's not exactly quiet. Just looking in her eyes I can tell she's tormented ever second of every day.

It's… heartbreaking.

Not that I'd ever admit that.

Rose is my friend. I don't know how and I don't know why, but she is. She. Is. My. Friend. No one should have to go through what she did and she definitely shouldn't have gone through it alone like she did. And she definitely shouldn't have to go through today alone. Not if I can help it.

Quietly, I sneak out of our room trying not to wake Lissa. It works. No one else is up, not that there really should be. I mean, it's just Rose, Lissa and me in the house. Well, until our kid arrives in a few months.

I make my way to the kitchen and start preparing breakfast. I want something nice. Something simple. Something covered in bacon.

French toast it is.

I start cooking, just waiting for the smell of cooking animal flesh to awaken Sleeping Beauty upstairs, but she doesn't come. Breakfast is done and waiting and Rose still isn't up.

Something's wrong.

Lissa, who looks so cute her pajamas, walks into the room. Lissa. How the hell did I ever get lucky enough to have her? I don't think I'll ever know. I'm not so sure I'd want to.

"Where's Rose?" she asks as walks towards me. That's not exactly the first thing I'd want to hear in the morning from the woman I love, but I think I can let it slide today.

I kiss her before responding. "You haven't seen her?"

"No." Liss gets that cute worried face for a moment before she's back to normal. "Isn't it her day off? She's probably just beating the crap out of someone. You know normal Rose things."

"Lissa…" I say slowly, trying to think of how to not upset my hormonal wife, "… you do know what today is, right?" She shakes her head and I suppress a sigh. I blame those damn hormones. "It's Christmas Eve." She looks at me expectantly and I actually do sigh. "It's been a year, Lissa. A year today."

She understands me this time. I can tell because she drops her toast and screams, "Oh my God!" as loud as possible. "How could I forget? I'm such a horrible friend!" Then the tears come.

Stupid hormones!

I wrap my arms around Lissa until she calms down. I send her upstairs to see if Rose is barricaded in her room or if she's out already. Now that I'm alone, I let myself drown my sorrows in the best way possible. I start to eat the bacon.

I would have finished it, too, if the damn doorbell didn't ring. Leaving behind my precious meat, I answer the door only to find the two people that could make this day worse.

On the other side of the door are Dimitri and Aunt Tasha.