Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling- Edna Ferber

Adele's nose wrinkled as she bandaged a man's arm.

Infection had already set in, and it smelled.

She patted the wound gently, as she stuck him with a syringe of antibiotics.

She scribbled on his chart and hung it back up, shooting him a smile before she turned to leave.

"Merry Christmas!" He called, grinning.

Adele turned back to see him. "Merry Christmas Private!"

As she closed the curtain, she saw Eugene headed towards her, and she flashed him a friendly smile. "Eugene!" She exclaimed as he hugged her. "Hé! Comment êtes-vous? Chirstmas joyeux!"

He smiled down at her, his dark eyes sparkling. "I'm fine thanks. And Merry Christmas to you to Ed. When did you learn that it was
Christmastime?"

Adele looked sheepishly down at the floor, "This morning."

Eugene nodded, "That's what I thought."

She sighed. "Yeah it just slipped away from me."

He sat down on an empty bed, and she sat down beside him, her icy eyes fixated on his intent face.

"I'm sorry I was so angry with you Eddie. Je suis désolé que j'étais en colère avec vous."

She patted him on the knee. "It's fine. You had every right to be. I was an idiot. Je ne sais pas que je pensais!"

He grinned down at her, "You were brave, and stubborn as always."

She shook her head, "I was stupid Eugene, and you know it."

"I don't think you were. I overreacted. I shouldn't have gotten so angry with you."

She thought of Jackie's words, and she instantly wanted them not to be true.

Eugene didn't have feelings for her.

She knew it.

"I shouldn't have run."

He smiled at her, though his eyes were tinged with sadness. "You're always running from me." He whispered, as he stroked her blonde hair.

She struggled a little at the words, but then found her only reply. "No I'm not!"

He gave her a doubting look. "You are. You wanted to run from me when I found you."

She feld a finger up. "Correction- I wanted you to leave me. That's not running."

"Whatever. You ran from me after I couldn't get the Major to get any transports, and then when you were in the hospital you wanted to run then."

She squirmed away from him a little, and he lowered his face to meet hers. "And you're running from me now." He whispered, his eyes on her face.

She shook her head, "I'm not running Eugene!" She pleaded. "I'm just not right, for you. I'm not who-"

"But I think you are."

"I'm not Eugene. I'm not right for you. You need someone better than me. Someone who doesn't want to run. Ever."

He swallowed, and lifted his head upwards. "I didn't want it to be this way Ed. I thought that you- after all the time we spent together."

She shook her head, "Oh Eugene. I'm so sorry. I wish I did, I wish I liked you, in the way that you like me. I wish I did, you're the best man I know."

He smiled sadly. "But you're with Bill?"

She shook her head vehemently, "No. No I'm not. But Eugene, I just can't. I can't commit to anything, not you, not Bill. Not during this war."

"But Adele- connections, bond, that's all that's getting us through the war."

She squeezed his hand, hard. "That's what you think. I can't lose anyone else Eugene. I just can't. Please understand."

He shifted uncomfortably, "I want to. Eddie, but I don't-"

She kissed him on the cheek as she stood; his skin was soft and pale. "You will. I promise."

He nodded, and she looked him intently in the eyes.

"I'll always be here for you Eugene." She smiled at him, and squeezed his hand again. "I need you."

He looked up sadly at her. "You have no idea how much I need you." He breathed.

She bit her lip, saddened.

She didn't want to hurt him.

He'd never hurt her once.

"You'll find someone who can give you everything you deserve Eugene. I know you will."

His lips parted into a smile although his eyes were still sad. "And you're sure it's not you?"

She nodded resolvedly. "I know it's not me. And I wish it was Eugene. You're the best man I've ever met."

He grinned, and she hugged him tightly pulling him towards her. "Try to understand." She whispered.

He nodded, and they broke apart.

On Christmas eve, Adele and Jackie and Katherine sat on their beds and for the first time in what felt like months- laughed.

Jackie was downing her second bottle of beer, and Adele had just finished her first.

Katherine reached for a bottle but Jackie smacked her hand away, "Hell no child!" She scolded. "Underage!"

Adele giggled, and lit her cigarette. "Let her have some Jax!"

Jackie shook her head, "No way! I'm not passing on any of my vices to the little holy one here. I'm not gonna be the one to ruin her!"

Katherine glowered up at the redhead. "I've been living with you for the past 2 months; I've already become immune to every vice you possess-
which by the way is all of them."

Jackie's green eyes widened at the Katherine's sudden fieriness. "Oh well then!" She held out the beer to Katherine and then cruelly snatched it away. "Ha, you'll never get it now!"

Adele pulled the cigarette from her mouth, and set it between her fingers.

Then, she snagged the beer from Jackie and tossed it to Katherine, whose face lit up.

Adele gave Katherine a pointed look. "Now, since I gave you that you have to read us the part in the Bible about Christmas."

Katherine rolled her eyes, "Eddddieeeeeee!" She groaned.

Jackie snorted and picked up the Bible, "Hell I wanna read it."

She started flipping through the thin, parchment like pages, and then looked up dejectedly.

"I have no idea where the hell it is." She stated resignedly, as she handed the book to Katherine who flipped expertly to the page.

Adele took a drag of her cigarette, savoring the warmth as she glaced down at Katherine who was sprawled out on the floor. "It's in Luke isn't it?"

Katherine nodded, "Yeah Luke 2: 1-20, and then in Matthew.

Adele nodded, pleased with herself.

She had remembered something good and moral.

Jackie slammed her head on the bed. "Alright just read it!"

Katherine rolled her eyes at Jackie, who snarled.

Adele settled back into her pillow contentedly and listened to Katherine's pleasant voice retell the familiar story.

Jackie listened too, making her own snide comments whenever she felt they were needed, to which Adele shushed her in a hiss.

Katherine closed the book, and took a sip of her beer. "Could've done that from memory." She stated, as Adele shot her a smile.

Jackie snorted. "Yea, Yea. Alright well- I've got some questions."

Katherine groaned. "I don't know the answers. I just know the story."

"God got a virgin pregnant by magic?" Jackie asked, raising and eyebrow. "What kind of God is that?"

Katherine flung her hands in the air. "I don't know, one that wanted to save people from their sins so he sent his son to do it. That's kind of God."

Jackie nodded, seemingly pleased with the answer. "Ok."

Adele sat down her beer, and watched Jackie slide out of bed.

"Where you going?" She asked curiously.

Jackie rolled her eyes, "To the Christmas tree bitch!" She muttered jokingly.

Katherine giggled, while Adele looked around the room in fake surprise. "We don't have one!" She noted, cocking her head to side innocently.

Jackie tossed a little box and both Katherine and Adele- "Yeah well apparently Santa found us anyways."

Shocked, Adele opened the box to find a shimmering gold chain with a single charm attached.

"Jackie!" She cried. "You didn't need to get this…" Her voice trailed off and then began again. "How the hell did you even get this?"

Jackie grinned, "Hey, I've got my secrets. Nah, when we were in Eindhoven a guy was selling them so I got one for you and one for Kat."

Katherine shot up from the floor and tackled Jackie in a hug. "Oh thank you thank you!"

Jackie patted her back. "You're welcome Kat." She said sweetly.

Adele looked at her charm, it was a little tiny horse.

She smiled confusedly at Jackie. "How'd you know that I loved horses?"

Jackie scoffed. "Cause everytime we pass one, you stare at it. So I got you one with a horse on it."

Adele also gave Jackie a hug. "Thanks so much Jax." She breathed. "Merry Christmas."

Jackie smiled up at her, her red hair falling in her face. "Merry Christmas!"

Katherine sat on the floor and admired her charm, which was a little cross. "I love it!" She exclaimed. "Thank you!"

Jackie gave her friends a thumbs up sign. "Welcome- once and for all. Enough with the thanking."

Adele laughed, and put the chain around her neck, watching the little horse dangle in the space between her pale breast.

She took off the other necklace, the heart charm that Jackie had placed on her, and tried to give it back to Jackie, but the redhead refused.

"Keep that one too." She whispered. "It looks good."

Adele smiled gratefully at her friend. "What's gotten into you?" She asked jokingly, flopping on the bed with her friend. "You're all nice, and sweet- it's scaring me!"

Jackie chuckled, "Ha ha, funny. It's Christmas a good excuse to be nice."

Katherine suddenly flung herself on top of Jackie. "Until you kill us all tonight!" She yelled, pulling at Jackie's hair.

Jackie roared with laughter as Katherine began tickling her, and Adele joined in, as her friend laughed and squirmed and screamed death threats.

Chests heaving with laughter and exertion the three fell off the bed and onto the floor with a resounding thud.

Adele looked out the window and stared at the twinkling stars.

"They look pretty bright tonight." She whispered, "They look pretty bright tonight."