Chapter 1: It wasn't always this way (Jeff's pov)

Old toy trains, little toy tracks
Little boy toys coming from a sack
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy, don't you think it's time you were in bed?

I had always been at his side and I always will be. He may have betrayed my and caused me to lose the one thing I have dreamed about since childhood but we are still family. He is still my brother and thing's weren't always this way. One time we were happy and together on Christmas. I remember those times.

Close your eyes
Listen to the skies
All is calm, all is well
Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bells

"Matthew, Jefferey if you two don't go to bed Santa won't come to visit you tonight" said our mother, Amanda Hardy, as young 10 year old Matt and 7 year old me played with our cars on the carpet in the living room floor.

"But mama!" I pouted, "Why can't I see Santa?"

Matt took a hold of my hand and urged, "C'mon Jeffy! We want those really cool presents and Santa's coming to give us them!" That was Matty for you, god it's been so long since I've called him Matty. He always made sure I listened to our mom and dad.

We brushed our teeth and changed into our pajama's, then went to our room. I slept on the messier side of the room and Matt on the neater side. We laid there in our separate beds, listening to nothing at all. "Jeffy," smiled Matt, "What do you hope you get?"

"That artist set." I smiled, "The one with all the shades of paint. You?"

"That baseball glove we saw at the store." Matt smiled.

We drifted off to sleep, letting our childish dreams envelope us.

Bringin' little toy trains, little toy tracks
Little boy toys coming from a sack
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy, don't you think it's time you were in bed?

"Wake up Jeffy!" I heard Matt scream that next morning. "It's Santa! He brought us stuff! He brought us lots of stuff!"

"I threw the covers off the bed and ran into the living room. The tree was like a well decorated king, the presents that flowed out from under the tree like the faithful peasants. My eyes scanned the presents and then I gave Matt a childlike smile. "Lets go wake up mommy and daddy!"

We ran to our parents room and I shook my mom as Matt shook our dad. "Mommy, mommy Santa was here! Santa was here!"

Our parents woke up and we went into the living room. I tore through wrapping paper, loving my gifts. I got the artist set I wanted from Matt. I had gotten him the baseball glove, a baseball, and a bat. That was my favorite Christmas.

Close your eyes
Listen to the skies
All is calm, all is well
Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bells

Now here I sit, snowed in with the others. Matt is here and I want to talk to him. I walk over to where he stands by the soda machine. "Matt…hi."

He gives me the coldest look I have ever seen from his eyes, "What the hell do you want?"

"It's Christmas." I smile at him, "And we're family. Can't-"

"Your no brother of mine." Matt replies coldly.

I get a box wrapped in red shiny paper from my backpack, "Here. I made it for you."

The cold look on his face breaks and he smiles softly. It's a smile that I haven't seen from him in a while. It's warm and genuine with love in it that I know somewhere in his heart he still loves me. "Thanks…" he grumbles, trying to hide the smile on his face. He takes it from my hands and opens it up. He can't hide the smile now and tears are slipping past his well built defenses as he holds up the present: a black and purple baseball jersey with our last name and the number 24 on the back. "How…why? After what I put you through, what I did, why would you do this for me?"

"You're my brother." I smile. Before I know it, he has embraced me for a hug and I am hugging him back.

"Forgive me?"
"I never blamed you." I smile.

Bringin' old toy trains, little toy tracks
Little boy toys coming from a sack
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy, don't you think it's time you were in bed?