It was 9 am, Christmas Day. Shawn and Katie had driven through the night after receiving the call from Henry. Susan had gone into labor, a week before her due date. Instead of giving birth in a hospital, Susan chose to give birth in her house. That didn't not settle Shawn at all, he was feeling something he had not felt in a long time; fear. Fear that something might happen to Susan or to the baby. But Shawn realized that feeling scared would not change the outcome. All Shawn could do was hope and believe that everything would be all right. Soon, the snowy weather from the Redwoods had changed to the warm and sunny Santa Barbara was known for. Katie pulled into the Henry's driveway and Shawn ran into the house.

Henry answered the door with a big smile. "Merry Christmas, big brother!"

Shawn smiled, relieved and said, "Susan had the baby."

Henry smiled and said, "Yes, you have a little sister."

Shawn smiled and hugged Henry, who in turn hugged Katie. Shawn walked into the living room, where he found his stepmother, lying on the pullout couch by the Christmas tree, holding the most beautiful baby Shawn had ever seen in his life.

"Merry Christmas, Shawn," Susan said, quietly. "Say hello to your little sister, Summerlyn Jean."

Shawn sat down beside Susan and looked at his sister. She was wrapped in a pink blanket with a matching pink hat. She was sleeping.

"Can I hold her?" Shawn asked.

Susan nodded and placed Summerlyn in her big brother's arms. Shawn hadn't touched a newborn baby in so long. He took his finger and traced it over her tiny hands.

"Man, her skin feels so soft," she said.

"Like silk," Susan said.

Suddenly, Summerlyn woke up and made a glaze at Shawn. He was afraid she might cry but she didn't. Her eyes reveal a deep hazel, just like his.

"Her eyes are just like yours," Henry said, sitting next to him.

"She has my nose, too," Shawn said. "She looks so much like me."

"She's your sister," Henry said. "You share so much."

Shawn smiled at that thought. Then, she began to cry. Henry and Susan were immediately concern as to why she was crying.

"Maybe she needs her diaper changed," Henry suggested.

"No, I just changed her diaper," Susan said. "Maybe she needs to be feed."

"You just nursed her, Sue," Henry said.

Surprisingly, Shawn said, "I think maybe we should sing to her."

Henry looked, surprised and said, "Since when do you sing. Shawn?"

"Since I was lucky enough to hold the sweetest baby in the history of the world." Shawn said.

With that, Shawn began to sing that same song that had touched him earlier.

Children, sleeping.
Snow is softly falling.
Dreams are calling,
Like bells in the distance.
We were dreamers,
Not so long ago.
But one by one, we
All had to grow up.

When it seems the magic slipped away...
We find it all again on Christmas Day.

Believe in what your heart is saying,
Hear the melody that's playing.
There's no time to waste,
There so much to celebrate.
Believe in what you feel inside,
Give your dreams the wings to fly.
You have everything you need, if you just believe.

Trains move quickly
To their journey's end.
Destinations...
Are where we begin again.
Ships go sailing,
Far across the sea.
Trusting starlight,
To get where they need to be.

When it seems that we have lost our way...
We find ourselves again on Christmas Day.

Believe in what your heart is saying,
Hear the melody that's playing
There's no time to waste,
There so much to celebrate.
Believe in what you feel inside,
And give your dreams the wings to fly.
You have everything you need, if you just Believe.

If you just believe.
If you just believe.
If you just believe...just believe...just believe.

Shawn finished the song. He noticed that Summerlyn cooed and smiled.

"Shawn. That was beautiful," Susan said, wiping her eyes with a tissue.

Henry wrapped an arm around him and said, "It certainly was. Where did you hear that song?"

Not taking his eyes off of Summerlyn, Shawn said, "I was hanging out with Katie and I was telling her how worried I was about the baby coming into the world. I didn't feel in my heart that I had what it took to best the big brother I could be. Then, Katie played this song for me and I heard the song. And it made me think that I could be that big brother…all I could was believe."

"Believe in what?" Henry asked.

"At first, it was believing in the good qualities I had within me," Shawn said, caressing Summerlyn's hands. "But now, looking at this little girl, this precious, precious baby in my arms, I know it's about believing in much more that me. It's about believing in love, believing in God, believing in hope. And I found that on Christmas Day."

Henry walked up to Shawn, put his arm around him, and said, "That is the best Christmas present anybody could get, Shawn."

Shawn smiled and looked at his now sleeping sister.

Christmas Day passed by quietly. Everyone exchanged presents and ate a big dinner. Now, it was night and everyone was tired, especially Summerlyn. Shawn had given his father and stepmother a gift; he was going to spend the night at their house and take care of Summerlyn so the two of them can sleep through the night, uninterrupted.

Shawn was reading through the book her had bought for his little sister when she started crying. He bounded up the steps to see Summerlyn, who was crying very hard. Shawn reached over the crib and picked up his little sister. He saw that she needed her diaper changed so he did so.

Shawn placed his baby sister on the changing table and removed her yellow pajamas. Then, the moment of truth; the removal of the diaper.

Shawn took one look at the items in the diaper and made a hideous face.

"Whoa!!!!!!!!!!" Shawn said, holding his nose. "Oh my gosh, Summerlyn, what is in that breast milk? Geez, I never knew someone so small could produce so much…crap."

Summerlyn continued crying.

"No offense, sweetie," he said, smiling. "I was just shock at this. But don't you worry, sis, you will get a new clean diaper."

With that, Shawn reached over to the diaper bag and pulled out a diaper. He cleaned Summerlyn off with diaper wipes and put the new diaper on her. He changed her into red pajamas. At first, he was going to put her in his crib but then; he took the baby in her arms and sat down in the rocking chair.

Sitting with his baby sister, Shawn thought about the day's events. He couldn't believe that he was given this gift, this little baby. Then, he thought about the song he had sung to her early in the day. He thought about what he said to his dad. Then, he realized something.

"Hey, Summerlyn, that song I sung to you, Believe," Shawn said, rubbing her tiny hands. "Well, I want that for you. Summerlyn, I want you to believe. I want you to believe in that fact that you can always be happy. I want you to believe that you can be safe and be able to play outside on the front yard, without a fear of being taken away. I want you to believe that you can make all your dreams come true; that you can have everything you want and more. Because you deserve it."

Summerlyn cooed and Shawn smiled. He kept caressing her hand, and then, her hand opened up and closed again over Shawn's pinkie finger. Shawn looked at their clasped hands and felt tears come to his eyes. Those clasped hands said something to him, which Summerlyn knew he was her big brother and was grateful. He had sang her a beautiful song, he had offered to spend the night and take care of her, he had told her his Christmas dreams for her, his wishes for her. That is when Shawn realized something, she was telling him in her own away that she loved him, she loved her big brother. Now, it's Shawn's turn to tell her how he felt. Looking at their clasped hands, Shawn took a deep breath and spoke his heart.

"Summerlyn, I gonna be honest with you. I didn't know how to react to a new baby. I mean, I'm pushing 30 and I'm about to become a big brother. I mean, a lot of people I know are expecting to become parents, not big brothers. And then, I thought about what a big brother does, he protects his little sister. I didn't know if I could protect you. I didn't know if I could be the big brother you deserve to have. I'm pretty much a big kid myself. I figured that you'd be more mature than me. But now that I've seen you and held you in my arms, I know I can be that big brother you deserve."

Tears coming down his face, Shawn picked up his baby sister, delicately and looked into her precious hazel eyes.

"Summerlyn Jean Spencer, I promise you that I will be the best big brother in the world to you. I will be there for you when you fall down. I will be there if there's a person's bullying you. I will make sure that you're not wearing a lot of makeup or a super short skirt when you go on your first date. I'll even be there to kick the guy's butt if he dumps you. Most of all, I'll be there for you when need me, no matter what, no matter how old you get, how old I get. I'll always, always be there for you. You know why?"

Summerlyn cooed.

"Because I love you," Shawn said, voice cracking. "I love you very much."

"I know she loves you, too, Shawn," said Henry, who was standing by the doorway.

"Dad, I thought you were asleep," Shawn said.

"I couldn't sleep," Henry said, sitting down next to Shawn. "I couldn't help hearing what you said to your sister."

"Well, I meant every word of it," Shawn said, laying baby Summerlyn on his chest. "I want so much for my baby sister."

"So do I," Henry said.

Shawn looked at Summerlyn, falling asleep on his chest. Shawn tenderly and gently rubbed her head with his hand. "You know, Dad I just can't get over it. I mean, I just met my sister, she's only a few hours old and I feel so much love for her. How is that possible to love someone so much in such a short time?"

"I don't know, Shawn," Henry said. "I guess that's one of those questions that can't be easily answered. But I do know a question that was answered easily."

"What's that?" Shawn asked.

"The question of how Summerlyn's birth would affect you," Henry said, stroking his baby daughter's cheek. "How you would take it. But when I saw you holding her, singing to her, offering to help out, telling her you loved her, I knew that having her would affect you in a good way."

Shawn smiled and said, "Yeah, it has. It really has."

Shawn looked down at his now sleeping sister. He took in the sight of her looking so peaceful, so calm, and so content.

Shawn looked up at his father and said, "You know something, Dad? I think having Summerlyn was the best Christmas present we could ever have gotten."

Henry smiled back and said, "I agree with you. And we didn't even have to play the guessing game."

The two men laughed. Then, Henry looked at the clock and said, "Well, I think it's time that we put your little sister to bed."

Shawn nodded in agreement. Carefully and gently, he put Summerlyn in her crib. Henry bent over and kissed Summerlyn.

"Good night, sweet angel," he said. "Merry Christmas."

"Dad, that's a beautiful nickname," Shawn whispered. "Where did you come up with that?"

"Well, I feel she was sent to me from up above," he explained, looking his baby girl. "I feel that way because she touched my heart, just like you did."

Shawn smiled and said, "Thank you, Dad."

"Merry Christmas, pal," he said.

"Merry Christmas, Dad," he replied.

Henry walked out and went to bed. Shawn remained in the nursery and looked at his little sister and thought about the nickname Henry had given her. "Sweet angel" That is what Summerlyn had done for him, touched his heart like an angel would. Then, Shawn thought about a nickname that would reflect what Summerlyn had done for him.

After much thought, Shawn came up with a nickname. Then, he left so Summerlyn could get some sleep. So, he bent over, kissed her forehead and whispered, "Sleep tight, Summer Sunshine." He rubbed her hands, tiptoed out of the room, and shut off the light.

Shawn settled onto the couch and put on the movie, "A Christmas Story." As he watched the movie, he thought that cute little nickname he thought up. 'Summer Sunshine' It was his way of acknowledging that his baby sister had shine light on what was important; wanting to be happy, wanting to grow up, wanting to be the big protector. Christmas really was the season of giving. And this Christmas that statement rang so true. Shawn had been given the sweetest gift in the world, his beautiful sister. Shawn couldn't ask for more.