Good afternoon! Here another story about the Waltons.

The story bellow takes place around the storyline of `the face we never forgot` and despite of been March, i decided to make rthis a christmas story, showing the Waltons last Christmas together and Lydia`s first Christmas with her new family.

Other than that, i apologize if the first chapter seems out of the show standart, but as i said before, i ended up picturing Lydia as a totally different character (an OC character, like Mr. Holly). But i promise that that the Walton Family will appear next chapter.

Hope you like it.

Please enjoy

Brigita10, thanks for the help.

PRESENT

December 23.

On the day before Christmas, 17-years old Lydia Wallace woke up excited, as it would be the first Christmas she would spend with the new family she had come to live with. Just six months earlier, she had been rescued from a horrible bus crash by Jonathan and Pauline Wallace, who since that day, treated her like their own daughter, caring and loving her.

Sure, now knowing she was adopted, part of her wanted to know if her real parents cared about her, and if she had good Christmas's with them in the past. Still, on the other hand, Lydia knew that Christmas was a time of birth of another kind, so, she just assumed that her real parents were watching over her and went down for breakfast.

_/_

At the kitchen, Jonathan and Pauline were discussing plans for the night. Jonathan wanted a quiet night with just the three of them, and Pauline wanted a huge party to welcome Lydia into the family.

''Good morning Mom, Good morning Dad!'' Lydia greeted them with a smile.

''Good morning, sleepyhead,'' Jonathan smiled fondly.

''Good morning sweetie, you want some pancakes?'' Pauline asked.

''I would love them!'' Lydia said. ''Mom, Dad, what were you talking about before I arrived?'' she asked.

''Well, maybe you can help us decide honey," Jonathan chuckled. ''We are in doubt actually

We're not sure if we should do a huge party and introduce you to everyone, or celebrate with just the three of us."

''Why not just invite Uncle Robert and Aunt Cora?'' suggested Pauline.

''I liked them, Aunt Cora and Uncle Robert were actually really nice when they visited at the hospital that day."

''Then its settled!'' Jonathan decided. ''I will call Robert and Cora and invite them to came here tomorrow."

Pauline stood up to get breakfast ready for Lydia. ''I will make a list on what to do and we can go to the store,"

"I'll help you, mom!"

''Thanks honey,'' Pauline smiled. ''Johnathan, you will get the tree?''

''I'll call Robert and then talk to Bill, I'll see if can help me find the best tree in the forest. See you two later,'' Johnathan said and kissed his wife and daughter, before walking outside.

_/_

For the next few hours, Lydia and her mother kept cleaning the house for the rest of the day. As they talked, Lydia looked at the window, where she could see the small top of a distant mountain, covered with snow.

''What is it dear?'' Pauline asked. ''Are you alright?''

''Yeah…'' Lydia blinked and she was escorted back to where she was standing. ''Yeah Mom, I am. I was just watching the mountain, its seems so sad looking from here… I wonder who lives there, must be a lonely person.''

''The snow makes everything seem sad, my darling, but you will see, with the spring and the flowers coming, how beautiful and happy the mountain will be."

''Yesterday, I dreamt that I was walking around the mountain and it was so nice, it just makes me want to go there."

''How about that…'' Pauline suggested, ''When spring comes, the three of us will go for a walk around the mountain, does that sound good?''

''I like that idea, thanks mom."

_/_

For the rest of the afternoon, mother and daughter kept cleaning the house. When Johnathan came back with the best tree he could find, the three of them decorated the tree and left for groceries, in order to buy the ingredients and supplies for Christmas dinner.

In the market however, Lydia had a strange experience. As she walked away from her parents for a bit, she bumped accidentally into a boy, making him drop what he had in hands.

''Oh, I'm so sorry…'' Lydia gasped and tried to scoop all the stuff up.

''Its all right, I was distracted and didn't knew where I was going,'' he said after a while, finally looking at her.

''Its ok…'' Lydia smiled, but realized he was staring at her ''Hey, are you lost?'' she asked, when she heard her mother.

''Lydia! Where did you go?'' Pauline called from nearby.

''Coming Mom'' Lydia shouted and turned to look at the boy. ''Excuse me, have a nice Christmas'' she said and walked away.

_/_

Later that evening as the Wallace`s went back home, Lydia couldn't help but wonder who that boy at the market was; the way he looked at her was weird, with surprise and confusion on his face. Part of her couldn't help but think she had already seen him once.

''What`s the matter, sweetie?'' asked Jonathan, upon seeing his daughter quiet.

''Oh, nothing, Dad, I was just thinking… when we were at the market, I met a boy and…'' Lydia started and Jonathan frowned.

''He did something to you?''

''No!'' Lydia said quickly. "He did nothing, we just stared at each other for a brief moment, but… but the way he did, made me feel strange, like I was a ghost or something…do I remember him Dad?''

''Well, Lydia, I don't really know what to say, I didn't see the boy you are talking about, but, I just think he was impressed, to came face with face with the most beautiful girl in town,'' Jonathan smiled.

''Maybe you`re right dad!" Lydia agreed. ''He probably had mistaken me as someone else."

After that conversation, Lydia didn't touch the boy subject anymore. Instead, she decided that her father was right, this boy was just a boy impressed with a girl, so it was useless to keep thinking about him. This way, she guarded her energy for the Christmas party that she was looking forward to.

_/_

Two days later, G.W. Haines, spent Christmas with his head in the clouds. Just before the holy night, at the market he met a girl who made him have chills down his spine. She was too familiar to him, but on the other hand, she couldn't be who he thought she was.

Suddenly, the front door opened, and his mother come in, wrapped in coats and scarfs, with a sad expression on her face.

''Jane, where have you been?'' Mr. Haines asked ''Its freezing outside!"

''I decided to go to the Walton's and give them a bit of comfort today as it's the first Christmas… Poor Olivia and John,'' she said with sadness. ''I can't imagine what they are going through..."

''Let's pray for them,'' agreed Mr. Haines, when their son decide to talk.

''Mom, Dad, I have something that has been bothering me, since before Christmas…''

''We noticed, what is it son?'' asked Mrs. Haines. ''You can tell us.''

''Well… that day in the market, I bumped accidently into this girl and well… I mean… this girl… she reminds me a lot of Mary Ellen…'' he took a deep breath. ''So I… you think I should tell this to Mr. and Mrs. Walton?'' G.W. asked, but in response, his father shook his head.

''No son,'' Mr. Haines said. ''Look, I know you liked her. Mary Ellen was your best friend, girlfriend, I may say. And I know you suffered when she left, so it's better to let her rest. Her parents are suffering a lot and if you tell them that you met someone who look like her, that will bring even more pain to their hearts. "

After that day however, G.W never saw that girl from the market again. Taking into an account that it was just a trick his mind played on him, he didn't say a word about that experience anymore and went on with his life, with the feeling that his friend was somewhere, watching over him.