After Minsk's little adventure, the family holiday continued remarkably peacefully. They spent a week in Paris, before flying home. Strangely, their lives continued without event and time, as always, ticked on, barely noticed.

Soon after the trip, Natalya firmly declared that she was fully recovered from the birth of her son and so Iryna returned to her home in Kiev, with her siblings bidding her a reluctant goodbye.

Various birthdays came and went. Minsk became six and had therefore begun to insist that she was 'nearly seven', while Moscow turned sixteen. Belarus and Ukraine celebrated their birthdays between the two. Then, before they knew it, Christmas came around again, and soon it was nearly another new year.

On New Year's Eve, Natalya and Ivan went for a walk, leaving Moscow to look after her siblings and stepping out into the cold evening air. As they walked Natalya began to reflect on their ever-changing lives and everything that had happened to them over the past year. She squeezed Ivan's hand gently to get his attention, and knowing his Dear Little Sister well, the Russian man glanced over at her.

The snowflakes settling in her long platinum locks twinkled like the Christmas lights still festooning the houses that surrounded them as they walked along the streets. Surprisingly festively, the Belarusian woman had replaced her usual hair ribbon with what appeared to be a length of tinsel, as scarlet as the new dress their elder sister had sent her as a gift, which she wore now. Despite noting her serious expression, Ivan couldn't help but smile.

"What is it, Natasha, Dear? Are you not feeling as lovely as you look?" He asked her softly as he clutched her hand and kept walking by her side, content to be enjoying the evening with her, in spite of the cold weather and the nearby sounds of drunken revellers partying a little too hard, setting off fireworks and letting out loud cheers.

In reply, Natalya gave a small smile, "You're being very sweet, Big Brother Darling, but I am fine," She answered, before beginning to really answer him, "I was just thinking...It has been so long since we were married."

Ivan nodded. That was true...Not long before their son was born, they had celebrated their eighteenth wedding anniversary. "Da, I know. But we're still happy together, da?" He answered her, smiling as he closed the small gap between them, letting go of her hand and wrapping his arm around her instead, pulling her close.

Snuggling into her Beloved's side, the Belarusian nodded, "Mhm, we are. It just seems like so long ago...Nastasya is nearly an adult now. Inna already thinks she is." She mumbled softly as they strolled along, staying close together.

Russia laughed, "Nata, that might be hard for you to get your head around, but it doesn't seem that long ago since you were chasing me with a knife to me."

Natalya's cheeks flushed hotly as her 'Precious Brother' reminded her of the way she used to act before they were married, but still, she clung to him and gave him another small smile. If he was going to tease her, two could play at that game..."That was just a sign of my devotion, Brother. But if you must be like that, I can do it again..."

This time, the Male Nation's laughter was slightly more hesitant, almost nervous, at least until he spotted his wife's teasing smirk. "Bela! That's mean..." He pouted at her as they both struggled to contain their laughter, "You're as bad as Minsk!" He commented mock-accusingly as he recalled the most recent incident of their younger daughter picking up her mother's 'weapons' and threatening him with them.

And suddenly, almost unnervingly, the platinum-haired woman was deadly serious again. "No. She means it. I don't." She replied, no emotion in her voice whatsoever.

Ivan looked down forlornly. He didn't want to even consider that his daughter might actually want to hurt him. Natalya had chased after him with a knife before. She had broken his door and had actually made him cry, which rarely happened. But deep down, and especially now, he knew that his sister would never really harm him, she was just very clingy. She adored him, the anger and hatred she showed were actually directed at anyone or anything that she saw as getting in the way or annoying him. Sometimes, that led to chaos and to his stuff getting broken, but he always knew that she loved him.

It was upsetting to consider that Inna might really despise him. He had hoped that it was just a childish thing she would grow out of, or a struggle to show proper emotions...But Natalya was good with Inna, so if she was sure that there were such issues going on, maybe it really was true.

The Female Nation interrupted his thoughts there, snuggling closer to his side, wanting his attention again. "Do not get upset by her, Big Brother. She will change her mind when she is older, I was just pointing out that I have always loved you too much to want to hurt you. " She told him. "Now," She added, looking up as the snow began to fall heavier, "Let's head home, my Love."

The couple turned around and began to walk back towards their home, the flashing Christmas lights, bright stars and exploding fireworks as virtually their only lights now. Natalya clung tightly to her elder brother's side as he walked with her, his arm still resting on her shoulders, but Ivan slipped back into his thoughts and just absentmindedly strolled along with her.

After a few minutes of this, the Belarusian stopped, grabbing hold of him and pulling him to a stop too. "Brother!" She began sharply, making him snap away from the less than jolly thoughts on his mind. Ivan ground to a halt too, blinking at her in bewilderment. "Da, what this time, Sestra?" He questioned.

"Look up..." He followed the gaze of her indigo blue eyes and his own violet eyes fell on a crudely made kissing bow of Mistletoe that someone, most likely one of the drunken partygoers they had overheard earlier, had slung over a low branch of one of the bare trees.

"There. That's a sign from the powers that be that you need to stop worrying," He felt her hands resting on his shoulders and looked back down at her, slowly smiling again when he heard the soft crunch of the snow under her feet as she stood on her tiptoes, inches from his face now, "And kiss me." She finished before she brought her lips to meet his.

Wrapping his arms around her slightly waist and kissing back, Ivan let go of his thoughts and smiled against her lips as another firework illuminated the happy lovers. He was confident that she would sort everything out. Natalya always steadfastly refused to let him endure his issues alone. But right now, he didn't feel like he had any issues, even with another year slipping away from them.

It was supposed to be the season to be jolly after all and, holding Belarus close in the moonlight, he felt like he had plenty of reasons to be very jolly.