Merry Christmas, everyone! Here is a little McCord Christmas story. This is a long chapter. The second holiday chapter will be shorter. Hopefully coming up this week! Cheers!

Chapter 8

There was a chill in the air, even inside the stalls. A sure sign that late December was here, the 23rd to be exact. Elizabeth laid the blue plaid blanket over Millie's back. She made the clicking noise to move her back into her now clean stall. The horse gave a shove of her head and Elizabeth said "Okay one more but that's it. You've had like 50 today." She reached her hand with the sugar cube out to her. Millie took it gently. "Oh you are the sweetest girl. You did so well riding with Stevie today. That ribbon is going to look so nice hanging in here. Now get some rest." She closed the stall door and locked it as Millie neighed back at her.

Checking her watch, she saw that she had about 30 minutes left before Jason woke up. Henry had taken the girls Christmas shopping while she used her time to clean horses and stalls during his two hour nap. Just enough time to give Buttercup a brush down and muck out his stall. She loved Sundays because they were her only day off these days. She also liked to start the week off with clean horses and stalls.

She hooked the large chestnut horse up and grabbed the brushes. He was not as demanding as Millie. He let Elizabeth do whatever she needed without expecting a reward. She looked at him and felt that she could see his soul through his eyes. He was a gentle giant. They had taken a great ride that morning with Stevie and Millie. To Elizabeth, the day had been a success. Not a single phone call from work and time for her to be present with all her family members.

She did a quick mucking of he stall, threw Buttercup's maroon warm blanket over him and moved him back into his stall. He put his head out to say good night to her. She handed him and apple and said "Shh. Don't tell the others. I love you. Goodnight."

She turned and walked back over to the house. Taking off her boots in the mudroom, she heard Jason making babbling noises in his crib. She hung up her coat and rushed up the stairs.

She peeked in and he looked up at her with all the love those eyes could hold. He smiled and cooed happily at his mother. She laughed and picked him up. "C'mon baby. It's just you and me for another hour or so."

She changed him and settled them into the rocking chair. She gave him a late afternoon feeding. This one worked out best because he would be settled while the rest of the family ate dinner.

She had settled into a schedule of giving him and early morning, late afternoon feeding and bedtime. It had been working out well. The days she couldn't make it home for the afternoon feeding, Janie would just give him a bottle. She loved it when Henry took over with the girls and she had this time with Jason alone. As always she ran her finger over his soft cheek. She looked out the window at the snow encrusted lawn and the sun going down in the winter sky giving it a mix of gray and light purple hue. She remembered seeing a similar sky as a young girl sitting in her bedroom window seat, which was now Stevie's room. The only room in the house that was not touched during the renovation.

When he was done feeding, she pulled out some Christmas books and began reading to him. He patted the books with his hand as she tried to read sometimes blocking the words.

She brought him downstairs and placed him under his gym. She was still chilled from being outside and made herself a cup of tea. She turned on the radio for some music and Faith Hill's voice signing "Where Are You Christmas?" rang through the house. Elizabeth sighed wondering when the guilt would go away. When would she and the others not feel some sort of responsibility for the attacks. She thought perhaps never but she had re-committed herself to serving the country and trying to fix what she could. Maybe even someday bring peace to the Middle East.

She shook the thought away and went back to sit on the floor with Jason and play. He was pulling his legs up and slowly rocking to one side as if to turn over. Elizabeth was laying next to him willing him to turn but he kept rocking back. She picked up his favorite rattle and moved it into his eyesight. Once she had him following it, she moved it beyond his view and he willed himself over. Immediately lifting his head not sure if he liked this position while the joyful glee rang from his mother.

"You did it! Good job. Oh wait until Daddy sees this when he gets home. Your sisters will be so excited!"

She left him that way for tummy time. She moved herself in front of him laying on her side, her head resting in her hand. She smiled at him. She was so happy in this moment. Despite the stress of her work, her family was happy. She was done traveling for at least the year while she was nursing. The kids could not be happier to have her home everyday.

Henry was quickly becoming one of the most respected professors at UVA and was working on his second book.

She rubbed Jason's back and with that the door flung open and Allie came skipping into the room. Her jet black hair flowing over her shoulders and down her pink coat. She had on a corduroy pink dress and white tights with her black shoes. "Mommy we went to the jewelry store and got you a present from Daddy," she exclaimed her eyes wide with excitement. Elizabeth pulled her into her lap careful of her feet to not kick her brother.

Stevie admonished her sister as she often did. "Allie you are not supposed to tell."

Henry walked into the room and smiled at her, "Oh she only gave away half the secret and at almost three were you really expecting her to keep it?"

He sat down on the floor and leaned over to her, giving her a kiss, "Hey Babe, how's tummy time?"

"He's a little more tolerant every time. But, he did learn a new trick. Wanna see?"

"Always." Henry answered.

Elizabeth moved Jason onto his back on the blanket, shaking the rattle over his head he began to follow it. She continued to move it as he rolled up onto his side.

Henry watched with his eyes wide. "Woah! Is he going to go over? He is doing this way earlier than the girls."

Elizabeth laughed, 'I know, right? Come on baby."

He rolled a little faster this time landing on his belly and immediately picking his head up. Elizabeth leaned down and met him eye to eye. The whole family clapped.

Henry put his hand on her back. "We brought home Chinese. How about an early dinner and early bedtime for the kids?" He winked at her, got up and walked to the kitchen.

They had dinner and put the kids to bed. It had been a busy day for the baby so he went down easy.

When Elizabeth came downstairs, Henry had the fireplace going. The glow from the Christmas tree filled the room. Two blankets lay on the floor. That is where he was sitting with a glass of Scotch for him and water for her. He handed her a red box with a gold bow on it.

Elizabeth walked over dressed in her lounge pants, a tank top and her robe. "Oh Captain, you do know how to cap off a fantastic weekend."

He laughed as she sat down in between his legs. He leaned up against the ottoman and rubbed her shoulders. She began to open the box and sighed when she saw it. It was a gold chain bracelet with the three birthstones of the kids. "Oh Henry, I love it."

"I figured since our family is complete, you would want something to keep them close, even when you are apart from them."

She turned and kissed him. They talked about a few things. Henry's parents coming the day after Christmas. New Year's plans with the Dalton's, plans for Stevie's upcoming horse show, but not about her work. They hadn't talked about that in a month or so. Everything she did was classified.

She put her glass aside after downing her drink and turned to straddle Henry's hips. He looked up at her and moved a stray hair of hers behind her ear. Her clear blue eyes focused on his hazel. He smiled at her and said to her "You are so beautiful." She smiled back at him.

She leaned down to kiss him and it wasn't long after that their annual tradition of making love in front of the Christmas tree commenced.

They spent the next several minutes exploring each other's bodies. The glow from the tree and fireplace cast a golden glow on the room highlighting her hair and giving her eyes a sparkle. Henry wrapped his hands under her hair and pulled her closer to kiss her deeply and roll her over on the blanket. One thing they knew from experience was this one had to be quick since it was basically out in the open.

He was just about to enter her when they heard their daughter's voice from the stairs. "Mommy…"

Stevie looked down on them as they moved quickly off of each other while Elizabeth struggled to cover her naked body with the blanket.

Henry looked up from under the blanket and said, "Hey Sweetie…"

"Ummm, I think Allie threw up," she said calmly.

"WHAT?!" Elizabeth shouted. She then heard the screaming.

Henry said back to her "Head back upstairs and we will be right there."

She and Henry scrambled to throw their clothes back on.

Elizabeth was dressed first and ran up the stairs with Henry right behind her. The stench caught them before they got to the top considering Alison's room was the first in the hallway.

"Ohhh. Thank God I'm not still pregnant." Elizabeth groaned. Henry sighed.

She entered Allie's room and turned the light on. Poor Alison had gotten sick everywhere.

Henry said, "I'll run the bath."

Elizabeth went in, "Hey Noodle." She went to brush her hair back from her face and then she felt the fever. "Oh baby. You are burning up. Let's get you in the tub and cleaned up. She carried her facing outward to the bathroom.

Henry moved out to go clear off the bed as Elizabeth stood Allie on the cool, tile floor and took her nightgown off of her. She threw it on the floor careful to not place the wet side down.

She put Allie in the bathtub and began to wash her down.

Allie had the sniffles earlier in the day and Henry had wondered if she was coming down with a cold. Fevers always made Allie throw up and this was no different.

Good news is it was usually a one and done.

Henry popped his head in "Bedding is in the wash. I just checked on Stevie she fell back asleep." He reached down to pick up the nightgown, "I will get a bag for this and get rid of it."

Allie screamed, "No, that's my favorite Belle nightgown!"

Elizabeth rubbed her back and said, "Oh Baby, we can't keep that. I will buy you a new one tomorrow."

"I don't want a new one, I want that one," she pouted.

"Alison, we are not keeping that one. I will try to get you the same one, okay. Right now, let's get you dried off and into new pj's and give you some medicine."

"Okay, Mommy. Will you sleep with me?"

Elizabeth sighed. She was so exhausted between the baby and work. "Of course, I will."

By the time they settled Alison back into bed and she fell asleep it had to be about 2am. Elizabeth knew Jason would be up to feed around 5, so once she knew Alison was sound asleep she snuck out of the bed and back in with Henry.

5am came way to fast. Jason woke up crying as Elizabeth dragged herself out of the bed.

She took him out of the crib and changed him. She felt his forehead as she could tell he was stuffed up. "Oh no. You have it too," she said. "At least your forehead is cool for now." She fed him and laid him back in his crib. At least this feeding was a short one.

About an hour or so later, she woke to Allie coughing. In her face as she stood right next to her mother's side of the bed.

Elizabeth opened her eyes as Allie's eyes grew wide seeing her mother awake. She asked in a stuffed up kind of voice, "Can I climb in with you and Daddy? You said you would sleep with me."

Elizabeth said sleepily, "I did but I had to get up to feed your brother."

She lifted Allie up and placed her in between she and Henry. The fever was gone but the cold was not.

Elizabeth grabbed a tissue, held to her nose and said, "Blow."

Alison blew her nose and snuggled in between her parents.

Maybe…maybe fifteen minutes went by and she heard the wretched noise of the baby and a massive amount of fluid. Both she and Henry flew out of the bed at the same time. Nothing can get a parent out of bed faster than a child getting sick. Henry got to the bassinet first.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me! It's everywhere!" He reached down. "Babe, he's burning up."

"Okay. Give him to me and I will change him." Henry handed him to her. Then started to strip the bassinet down.

Alison just sat in the bed looking on in horror as she treid to follow her parents conversation.

Christmas Eve day went on with Henry and Elizabeth taking shifts between wrapping and watching kids. Elizabeth ran out to the Disney Store and was able to grab Allie the nightgown she wanted and an extra one, just in case.

When she got back it was 3pm, she walked in the door and saw Stevie laying on the couch like a blanket. She looked at Henry, "No?"

"Yep. All three. Just be glad it is not our year to go to Pittsburgh," he smiled at her. "Good news is this one doesn't puke when the fever comes on."

She emptied some groceries she picked up as they spoke. "Did you call your parents?"

"Yes, they are still coming. Said they wouldn't miss this week for the world. My mother said not to worry, she has a lot of colds and kids experience."

Elizabeth laughed. "That's true. I can't wait for her to get here. When are they picking up our new baby?" She asked excitedly.

"Within the hour. Do you think the kids will be excited?"

"Are you kidding me? Over the moon. Well, maybe not Jason."

They both laughed.

Henry made them all a nice homemade chicken soup for dinner with homemade cornbread.

As Allie was slurping in her soup she said, "I like the one with the letters better."

Elizabeth put her spoon down and stared at Henry.

Bedtime came early for all three exhausted McCord children. Cookies and carrots were out for Santa and his reindeer. Baths and some Vapor rub were easy, medicine not so easy. Getting Allie to take the liquid cold medicine that she needed was nothing short of a disaster. She spit it back out at Elizabeth as Henry was holding her. They practically had to pin her down to finally get her to take it.

Stevie was easier. Elizabeth stopped and leaned on her bedroom doorway to watch Henry read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to her.

Elizabeth was so grateful that Henry always took time out in the barn to put the big gifts together. They carried the dollhouse for Allie across to the house. While Elizabeth filled it with new furniture and some dolls. Henry came back in with Stevie's new light purple bike. The sparkly ribbons hanging off the handlebars. By the time, they laid out all the children's gifts and their own under the tree, they were spent. They crashed into bed.

4:30 came and Elizabeth felt somebody's presence next to her. Then she felt the tap, tap, tap on her bare shoulder. She opened one eye. Alison looked right at her and asked "Did Santa come?" while wiping the snot off her nose and onto her sleeve.

Elizabeth furrowed her brow and said "Noodle, here use a tissue." She handed her a tissue, picked her up and placed her in the bed. "I didn't hear reindeer hooves yet, so probably not. Let's try and sleep a little longer."

Elizabeth snuggled her in and fell back asleep.

Henry felt the tap, tap, tap on his shoulder. He rolled over and said "Morning, Noodle."

"Daddy, how do reindeer fly so high? Do they have jet engines like the planes you flew?" She was almost on top of him staring down in his face.

He was about to laugh when he quickly reached for a tissue to prevent her nose from dripping on him.

He moved her back to a sitting position. "Here, you stay here. They use their legs like Stevie does on the swing to go higher and higher. But, let's get some more sleep."

"I bet Santa gets hot in that suit! And why is his belt so big?"

Elizabeth mumbled "Because his belly is big. Noodle, please go back to sleep."

She then laid herself back down the other way so her feet were in her parents face. They both groaned and turned their backs on each other to sleep.

6am: "Why is everyone in here when Santa came downstairs?" Stevie was yelling at all of them.

Elizabeth sat up super fast her hair a total mess as she flipped it out of her face. Jason was babbling away in his bassinet. She never even heard him and slept through his 5am feeding.

"Oh God, Henry, I missed the feeding."

Henry rolled over and reached across. Allie who was scrambling to get out of the blanket they had put on her and down the stairs, to rub his wife's shoulders.

"No, you pumped a bottle last night. I got up and fed him so you could sleep. "

She glanced at him, "I love you."

"Let's head downstairs so you don't miss the excitement."

Henry reached over and carried Jason down the stairs with Elizabeth behind him. While staring at him in his navy t-shirt and red, plaid pajama pants.

She thought, "Why does he look so sexy when holding our babies?"

The morning was crazy with wrapping paper flying everywhere and the girls constantly running up to them to show them what Santa brought. Elizabeth sat on the couch with her cup of coffee. Jason was napping in his chair and the girls were playing on the floor. The smell of Henry's pancakes were making their way into the living room when they all heard a loud tapping on the door.

Elizabeth looked to Stevie as she got up off the floor and stared at her mother not sure what to do.

Elizabeth headed for the door. She opened it and nearly dropped her coffee. There stood her little brother.

"Merry Christmas!" he shouted to her.

Will had been gone in a conflict zone for the last two years. Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around him so tightly.

"How did you get here?" she asked.

"I snuck my way onto a military plane carrying soldiers looking to surprise their families this morning." He laughed as he spoke.

She pulled back and gave him a whack. "It is so good to have you home."

"It's good to be home." With that, Stevie came running and jumped into his arms. "Uncle Will!" Allie followed suit and grabbed him at the legs, not knowing who he was, but just wanting to copy her sister.

He put Stevie down and picked Alison up. "You must be Allie!" He stared at her for the longest time he saw her it was right before he left and she was barely weeks old.

"I am. Do you know Santa?"

"Everyone knows Santa." Will answered smiling back at Elizabeth, who was now standing in front of Henry, with his arm around her.

'Did he bring you to my Mom?" Allie asked.

Elizabeth interrupted, "Noodle, this is Mommy's brother. Your Uncle Will." She tilted her head, "Come to think of it how did you get here?"

Henry answered, "I had Mitch pick him up at Andrews this morning."

She turned and gave her husband that incredulous look. "You knew?"

"Come on, let's have breakfast."

The day was spent relaxing and catching up with Will. When bedtime came, Will showed Elizabeth a trick he learned in medical school to get kids to take their medicine. It worked like a charm on Alison.

After the girls went to bed, Elizabeth sat on the couch, her feet tucked under Henry's legs on the other side. He and Will were having a beer and sharing war stories. Jason was snuggled up against his Uncle's chest, who had clearly become a favorite.

For the first time, in many nights all the McCord children slept through the night. Not one woke up coughing, or having to go to the bathroom, or looking to snuggle.

Elizabeth woke with Jason and the house was quiet. She nursed him down in front of the Christmas tree which she had turned on. Henry's parents would be there by midday. As much as she loved seeing them, it did make her miss her parents. She knew they would have loved being grandparents in this home. Looking around and then down at her sweet infant son she knew even despite the total renovation she and Henry did to the interior that this would always be home.