DISCLAIMER: As much as it breaks my heart to admit it, I do not own anyone or anything connected to Vince McMahon and his awesomeness. I can only claim property rights of OC.

John heard the soft sound of footsteps against the worn concrete floor. He leaned further under the hood of the '57 Chevy. He'd volunteered to change a few parts on the old girl while he had time to kill. It wasn't like he was missing out on anything. Fabo's last report from inside the house hadn't brought a single shred of exciting news. He'd much rather be freezing his balls off in the garage than inside making himself play nice for Ma's sake.

"Hey, Pop, can you hand me a wrench?"

John didn't think much of it when no response was forth coming. He heard footsteps behind him, then the requested item appeared in his line of vision. He glanced up long enough to see that it was not his father standing beside him. Instead, he found himself looking up into Erin's hazel eyes. He stared at her for a long moment before taking the wrench. He grunted softly in thanks as he went back to work.

"What are you doing under there?" Erin asked as she leaned in closer to take a look.

John grunted softly as he continued working to remove a stubborn bolt. He didn't glance up at Erin as she leaned closer to him.

"Looks like Pop replaced the valve covers." Erin noticed that the motor was sporting several new chrome pieces. From what she could see, Pop was almost finished with the overhaul.

John let out an exasperated breath but didn't answer. He placed the wrench aside and picked up a screwdriver.

"Is that the new carburetor?" Erin remembered talking to Fabo a few weeks ago and he'd mentioned he'd finally found the replacement parts he wanted.

John didn't so much as look at her. He continued backing out the screw until he was able to free it completely. Erin held out her hand. He silently placed it in her palm and started working on the next one. The silence grew to epic proportions. Erin leaned against the side of the truck as she watched John work. After what seemed like an eternity, John finally looked at her.

"What do you want?"

Erin resisted the urge to say she wanted him to quit acting like a jerk. She wanted the opportunity to talk to her brother as adults. It was time for them to handle the situation. It was past the point of being ridiculous.

"I thought maybe we could talk." Erin said.

John set aside the screwdriver. He didn't move for a long moment as he studied the engine. He moved aside a small hose then reached for a shop towel.

"So talk."

Erin bit back an angry retort. Instead she took a deep breath and looked at her brother.

"I want to say I'm sorry." Erin hoped her words conveyed just how remorseful she was. It was hard for her to swallow her Cena pride and be the first one to reach out. It seemed to go against her very nature. But making peace with John meant more to her than her pride ever would.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" John asked.

Erin fought the urge to roll her eyes. She knew talking to John was going to be difficult. Too much time had passed without them speaking. Too many hours of silence allowed their wounds to become infected. Now they festered with the knowledge that they were both too proud to do the right thing.

"Believe it or not, a lot."

John took a deep breath but didn't respond.

"I'm sorry I let my pride get in the way. I'm sorry that I hurt you."

John's laugh was sarcastic and bitter, "So you say."

Erin heaved a sigh as she shoved her hands deep in her jacket pockets. She looked down at the worn concrete as she tried to figure out what to say. What were the words that would begin to break through the thick walls John had put between them?

"Do you think this is easy for me?" Erin looked at her brother. She could see the tense facial muscles twitch as John's jaw tightened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that the way it sounds. What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry I hurt you."

John's soft laugh rumbled out of his chest. He shook his head slowly. "Save it."

Erin did the only thing she could think of. She leaned under the hood and placed her small hand on top of his. He froze in place as her grip tightened slightly.

"John, look at me."

Erin held her breath as she waited for John to respond. His breathing remained slow and steady as his body remained precisely in place. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, John's blue eyes lifted to meet hers. What she saw reflected in his eyes made her chest constrict painfully. He looked as if the he knew all the misery the world held. His eyes spoke of emotion that Erin would have never thought possible. It killed her to know that she was the one to put that look there.

"I am so sorry I hurt you. You have to believe me. I never wanted things to end this way."

John returned her steady gaze but didn't respond.

"I know you've been hurt by some of the decisions I've made. But I swear, I didn't do it just to hurt you."

John rolled his eyes as he realized where this conversation was going. He knew damn well that Erin wouldn't come out here just to apologize. No, she'd never be the one to stand up and take responsibility for what happened. Just like always, she was going to pass the blame to everyone except where it truly belonged.

"That's it?" John asked as he studied Erin's face. He saw emotion flickering in her hazel eyes. He saw sadness but he didn't see anything he would label as remorse.

"What do you mean "that's it"?" Erin was outraged by John's response.

John straightened to his full height as he looked down at her. "Are you finished?"

Erin shoved a hand into her hair and scraped it away from her face. She should have known better than to do this. She really shouldn't have been the one to try and make peace. John was never going to change. He was always going to be the self-absorbed jerk that thought the world should bow down to him. No matter what she did, John was never going to meet her halfway.

"Yeah, John. I guess I am." Erin pushed away from the truck and turned toward the doorway. She took a deep breath as she felt the sting of tears. Shaking her head slowly she moved toward the door. At least if she walked away now, she could go with the knowledge that she had at least tried. That was more than John could ever say.

Just as Erin was about to step into the snowy night she stopped. She looked up at the velvety night sky and felt incredibly small. She felt as insignificant as the thousands of snow flakes falling haphazardly to the ground. Turning back to John, she said, "No matter what, Johnnie, I love you."

John closed his eyes as Erin's softly spoken words drifted to him. God, he was strong enough to withstand anything except this. He could take her anger but he couldn't stand her sadness. Her voice sounded as if she had aged a hundred years just in the few minutes she stood beside him. She sounded as if she'd lost everything in her life and she was looking forward to the day when she too, was gone. It was more than he could stand.

"It's hard for me, Erin." John sighed heavily. "One day you're my kid sister, the next you're a stranger."

Erin took a step toward him but stopped as she saw his body stiffen. "I'm still me."

John shook his head slowly. "You're so different. I don't know you anymore."

Erin sighed softly as she thought about how to respond. She knew exactly what he meant. She had gone through something very similar as she watched her brothers grow up and move away. That had been one of the hardest things to deal with as the youngest child. By the time her brothers began lives of their own, she was practically alone. Sure, they came to visit frequently but it wasn't the same as being with them every day. As more time passed, the more alienated Erin felt. She especially felt that separation with John. His time spent on the road was hard to deal with. She missed him terribly and each time he came home, the differences in his personality were glaring. Over time, she learned that the only thing that stayed the same was everything changed.

John sighed heavily as he leaned against the truck. He wiped his hands on a rag. Staring at his hands for a long moment, he tried to collect his thoughts. What exactly was he trying to say? How did he make any sense of the jumbled emotions swirling through him? Damn it all, he was still so angry, so hurt. Underneath all of that, he was sad. Incredibly, down to his soul, sad. He missed Erin with the same intensity he would as if she had been taken from him. For the last few weeks he'd felt as if his heart had a gaping wound that was never going to heal. He missed Erin more than he could ever put into words.

"I never knew how much it would hurt when you replaced me." John said softly. He couldn't force himself to meet Erin's gaze as he made the confession. Saying the words left him feeling too open, too exposed.

"Replace you?" Erin asked. John's words left her shocked and confused. So this is what had started it all? John felt he'd been replaced?

"When something good happens, who is the first person you call?" John flicked a glance a Erin. He saw a faint blush creep into her cheeks. They both knew exactly who she called first.

"Okay, yeah, I get it. But you're second person I call."

John's soft laugh was rueful. He'd never been satisfied to be second best. He wanted first place or nothing at all.

Erin smiled slightly as she moved closer to John. "Do you tell me absolutely everything?"

John blushed as he looked at Erin. Of course he didn't tell her everything. There were some things she just didn't need to know. Certain information he kept from her for her own good.

"It's not the same."

Erin stopped just a few feet away and crossed her arms over her chest. She studied John quietly, "How is it different?"

"Because it is." Unconsciously, John mimicked Erin's movements. They stood facing each other, arms crossed as they sized each other up.

"I know there are things you tell Liz that you'll never tell me."

John laughed softly, his dimpled flashing for a quick second. "Maybe."

"I'm right, huh?" Erin knew she was correct by the way John suddenly couldn't meet her eyes.

"There are things I tell Stephen that I can't tell you."

John raised a brow in question, "Like what?"

Erin shrugged slightly, "That I think his freckles are adorable."

John made a strangled sound under his breath. Erin laughed, "I think it's cute that he sings in the shower."

Erin wasn't sure but she thought John was starting to look a little sick. He shook his head slowly as he looked at her.

"I didn't need to know that."

"There's something else you probably never knew." Erin said softly.

John's head tilted to the side as he studied her, "Yeah?"

"I know exactly how you feel."

"You think so?"

"I know that you feel like you're not important anymore. You feel like I've replaced you with someone I love more than you."

John could only hang his head. Erin's words were hitting a little too close for comfort. "What makes you so sure?"

Erin closed the distance between them and gently uncrossed his arms. She took his left hand and held it up for him to see. John looked down at his hand and the wedding ring he wore.

"Because when you married Liz I felt the same thing."

John blinked slowly as Erin's words sank in. He'd been so caught up in marrying Liz that he hadn't given much thought to anyone else. All he knew was that he and Liz were ready to take it to the next level. Looking back on it now, he realized what Erin must have gone through. Yet she'd never once complained or told him how she felt. She'd carried on as if nothing was wrong and fully embraced Liz into their close knit family.

"Why didn't you say anything?" John's voice broke slightly as he looked at Erin. God, she'd grown up while he wasn't looking. The woman standing before him was so different than the girl he remembered.

"Would it have made a difference? Would it have stopped you from marrying her?"

Unable to speak the words, John shook his head.

"That's why I didn't tell you. She's put you through hell ten times over. God only knows why you love Liz so damn much. But that's the point, John, you love her. She makes you happy. That's all I care about."

John bit down hard on the inside of his cheek. Tears stung his eyes as he looked at his sister. It was so much easier to believe Erin was to blame. Not once in the last few weeks had he allowed himself to think he might be partially responsible. He'd been so selfish, so obsessed with himself that he never stopped to look at it from her side. He never gave her credit for how much she did know about life and love. She wasn't nearly as naïve as he believed. His foolish, pig-headed pride had cost him dearly. He'd never get the wasted time back.

"I'm sorry." John said softly. He held out his arms to Erin who willingly went to him. She sighed as John wrapped his arms around her. He hugged her close as he struggled to find the words.

"Can you forgive me?"

Erin smiled as she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, "I guess I'll have to."

John squeezed her gently as Erin pulled back to look at him. He blinked hard, hoping to keep the tears back.

"After all, you are my favorite brother."

John's laughter soothed Erin as nothing else ever could. She'd missed him so much. She knew just how lucky she was to have him back in her life.

"So what are we going to tell Ma and Pop?" John asked.

"Tell them the truth, you let me win." Erin laughed as John squeezed her once again.

He took a step back and linked his arm through hers. She leaned against him, letting him absorb her weight. "I mean it, ya know."

John glanced down at her. He could see the mischief glittering in her eyes. "What?"

"You really are my favorite brother."

John laughed as he tugged her toward the house. "Of course I am!"

Erin snorted in laughter as John pulled her out into the snowy night. He heard a noise off to his right a second before he was nailed in the chest by a snowball. Erin's shriek of laughter split the night. She looked at her brothers who were innocently leaning against the side of the garage. Erin's eyes widened as she realized Stephen was standing in the middle. He at least had the good sense to look embarrassed.

"Were you listening?"

Sean turned to Dan who turned to look at Matt. "Did you hear anything?"

Matt shook his head as he looked at his brothers. "Just John Boy crying like a little girl."

Steve snorted in laughter as Stephen took a step back. He wanted no part of what he knew was coming.

Erin turned to John and arched a brow. John knew exactly what she was thinking. He reached down and scooped up a handful of snow and compacted it into a ball. He pulled back and launched the snowball at Matt. It landed on his shoulder with a wet plop. In less than a minute, chaos ensued as the Cena siblings waged a snowball war of epic proportions.

Carol looked up from the magazine she was reading when she heard shrieks of laughter and shouting. Fabo peeked out of the window and shook his head at what he saw. All six of his children, along with Stephen, were having one hell of a snowball fight. From what he could tell John and Erin were fighting a losing battle against a much larger force.

"What's going on out there?" Carol elbowed her husband out of the way. She looked on in wonder as John pulled Erin out of the snow and pushed her behind Stephen for protection.

Carol felt tears of happiness pricking her eyes. She couldn't believe that she was lucky enough to witness the scene before her. Not only were all her children together, but they were enjoying each other just like old times.

Glancing at Fabo, Carol shook her head, "I don't believe it."

Fabo smiled as he hugged his wife. "How's that for a Christmas miracle?"

Carol glanced at her husband before looking out of the window again. "It's perfect."

Fabo nodded in agreement as his wife placed a kiss on his cheek. "Merry Christmas, hon."

"Merry Christmas, indeed."

***A/N – Well, there you have it. The immovable object and the unstoppable force have finally collided. Please review***