December 12th

"It's…no, it's not on right. A little more to the left, Jackie. The star's a little crooked."

Four trees in four different rooms of the penthouse; just because she wouldn't have her family here for the holidays didn't mean the place couldn't look a little festive, and she had always gone big for Christmas before, so it wouldn't hurt to keep up with tradition. Karen had invited the others over to help decorate. Together they made up a little tree that greeted you in the foyer before they decided to split up; Will and Grace took the one in the corner of the dining room while Jack and Karen went to the sitting area one floor up, to fix up the tree across from the fireplace, and they planned to come back together to decorate the one in the living room.

Stan called again yesterday; this time, he was more insistent, probably because she never called him back the first time. "Karen, why haven't you called me back? I told you it was important. It's been four days, why haven't you called? I need to talk to you, it can't wait any longer."

No, Stan. You can wait until Karen unwinds a little bit.

She wanted to so badly, the entire time they were there; she wanted to put her arms around him, to take in all the romantic implications of the holiday season. To give him kisses with a hint of white wine. She wanted to feel the warmth of his skin against hers as they watched the lights on the tree twinkle in all their glory. But she knew it would be suspicious if she only asked Will over. And the truth was, it was nice to have people she actually cared about in this place. It made the space come alive in a way it never did during one of Stan's parties. But it didn't take away from the fact that she just wanted to be with Will.

If only they could slip away to the spare bedroom, just for a few minutes, without Jack and Grace noticing that they were gone…

Karen sipped from a glass of Chardonnay as Jack straightened the star on top. "There, you've got it," she said once he had moved it. She took a moment to study the tree, the way the lights made the ornaments shine the kind of white that you can only find this time of year, the artificial white that seems almost more beautiful than if it were natural. "Perfect. It looks great. Come over here, get a look at it, honey."

Jack stepped away from the tree and next to Karen. "Look at it. It's gorgeous, Kare."

"We should go find Will and Grace, see if they're done with their tree yet. Maybe they could use some help finishing it up before we work on the one in the living room." Wine glass in hand, she started to make her way towards the door when Jack spoke.

"Sure. You know, Grace was telling me the strangest thing before we got here. She said that Will's seeing someone." Karen froze in the doorway. Grace knows? Who are you kidding, Karen, of course Grace knows. When have you ever known Will to keep a secret from her? "She told me that he's not saying who it is; she thinks it's some sort of affair on the other guy's part and he's too embarrassed to own up to being a part of it." Jack giggled for a moment. "Will in a clandestine affair. Can you imagine? I mean, he could barely handle the ones we actually knew about!"

Jack passed by Karen and left the room to head towards the dining room. She knew he wouldn't notice if she didn't follow him; she didn't have the heart to find the rest of them. She wanted to know how much Grace knew. She wanted to know what Will told her. Did he fill her in on their Rockefeller Center journeys? The notes he's written to her? The fact that it all has to end eventually? Grace probably thought he was insane. She didn't blame her; if she were on the outside, it would seem pretty crazy to her, too. But you didn't know until you were inside it.

You didn't know that it was the only thing that made sense in her world.

Karen walked back to the couch and set her glass on the coffee table. Wait. Jack thought Will was dating a man. He assumed it was just another boyfriend in the line. Maybe Grace thought his secret lover was a man, too. She had been a bit awkward around Will lately when they were in public, not knowing how to act with him anymore when there was an audience. But maybe no one noticed. Maybe no one cared enough to analyze those slight changes in behavior.

Maybe they were still safe.

Maybe…

She ran her hand through her hair as she heard the sound of paper rustling to the floor. She turned to the door to find a note lying on the carpet. She rushed to the door.

"Wait," she called out as quietly as she could. "Will, wait. Come here, Jack left already. He went to find you and Grace. They're not going to catch us."

She peeked out the door to see Will's back turned towards her. He was making his way towards the spare bedroom, she could feel it; there wasn't anything else down the hallway that would have caught his interest. He turned around to face her, his smile growing wider as he moved closer to her. Karen grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled him into the room before pressing her lips against his. There was something about longing for it for what felt like an eternity, and then finally getting it that made it that much sweeter.

"You two really went all out on the tree," Will said as they pulled away, and he was able to get a look at Jack and Karen's handiwork. She could see the way his eyes lit up against the shine of the tree. "Wait until you see the one Grace and I just finished. I hope you'll like it." He bent to the floor to pick up the note he left, handed it to her. "It's not of much use now, but that doesn't mean you can't read it anyway."

Karen watched as he sat down on the couch, and she followed suit, folding herself in his arms as she opened up the note. This is how it should have been all evening. This is how it should be, always. She spent a moment taking it all in, closing her eyes to get the full experience, before reading Will's handwriting.

You have no idea how much I've wanted to whisk you away from them. I miss your touch terribly. Jack and Grace can occupy themselves for a little while. I'll be in the spare bedroom if you want to spend some time alone, whenever you're ready.

"You really know how to get to the point, don't you?" she said with a giggle before resting her head against his chest. Karen could hear his heartbeat, soft, steady, calming. Such a beautiful melody that she could listen to forever. She let a little time pass before she spoke again, not wanting to give this moment up just yet. "Grace and Jack think you're dating a man," she said softly.

"How do you know?"

"Jack told me. We were about to come find you when he said that Grace told him you were seeing someone. They both think it's with another guy. I think Jack was looking for me to make some kind of snide comment about it, but I couldn't say anything. I didn't know what to do."

"Grace saw me walking in a few mornings ago. I knew that I wouldn't be able to hide much from her, but I did the best I could. She was telling me to be careful, that I always give too much."

"Maybe you should listen to her." Karen looked up at him, willing him to lock eyes with her. God, those brown eyes. They alone could melt her. "I can feel myself falling. And I can't do anything to stop it. I don't want to do anything to stop it. But I know that's going to be my downfall in the end. At least one of us should be careful, Will. That way it won't be completely disastrous when we have to say goodbye."

"Karen, if we keep living in this melancholic future, it will be our downfall before it's supposed to happen. We can't keep thinking of what is going to be. Because if we do, we're going to miss everything that comes before it. I don't want to miss anything with you. I want to get as much time in with you as I can. I want to say everything I want to before it's over. Karen, I think I…"

Karen brushed her lips against his in interruption. "Don't say it," she whispered. "There's no turning back if you say it. I know you want me to live in the present, and I'm going to try my hardest to do that. But I know for a fact that if you say those three words, we are not going to recover from it. But I know," she said with a smile.

Will took her in his arms. "I do," he said as he kissed the crown of her head.

"So," she said as she held the note between her fingers. "You still want to spend some time alone?"

He smiled and stood up, took her hand to lead her to the spare bedroom. He was right; she knew it. She had to live in the now. She couldn't try to tailor her life around what the future held. She couldn't try to make up for the things she had no control over in her past. She was going to savor the moment. And she was going to start now. Will pulled her to the bed as his hands traveled along her shoulders, as his hands slid underneath the fabric of her clothes.

She glanced over at the nightstand next to the bed for a quick moment, and her heart skipped a beat. And as hard as she tried to concentrate on Will, although she tried not to think about the past, the fact still remained.

The jewelry box, with the locket her father gave her nestled inside it, was missing.