The next day, Nathan and Ally had dinner with Elizabeth and Jack. After dinner, Christmas decorations were pulled out of storage and the task of decorating the tree was started. Little Jack stared in wonder at all the ornaments at first, unsure of what was going on. He watched, wide-eyed as the other three started choosing ornaments and putting them on the tree. After putting on a few decorations herself, Ally handed an ornament to Jack.
"Let's put it on the tree, Jack," Ally told him, taking his other hand and leading him toward the tree.
With a little help from Ally, Jack got the ornament on one of the lower branches of the tree. He then looked up at his mother for approval, which Elizabeth was happy to give. The toddler squealed in delight, bringing smiles to the faces of the other three in the room.
Ornament by ornament, the ordinary fir tree was turned into a festive Christmas tree. Elizabeth noticed that Nathan seemed to be doing more watching than decorating. As his expression was content, Elizabeth refrained from commenting on it, allowing Nathan his time to enjoy what was going on. If she were honest with herself, Elizabeth found herself doing a little watching and dreaming of future times likes these as she watched the children decorate the tree.
It didn't take long before Jack ran out of unadorned branches in his reach. Reaching down, Nathan picked the little boy up. Holding him in one arm, Nathan selected an ornament with his free hand and gave it to Jack. Having gotten the hang of what to do with the ornaments, Jack reached toward the tree and placed the ornament on a higher branch that he could now reach.
Eventually the only ornament left to put on the tree was the star. Taking it carefully out of the box she had stored it in, Elizabeth turned to her son, still being held by Nathan.
"Would you like to put the star on the tree for the first time, Jack?" Elizabeth asked her son holding the star out to him.
"Pretty star," Little Jack commented even as he reached for the star Elizabeth was holding out to him.
"Yes, it's a pretty star," Elizabeth said, as Jack took a hold of the star. She didn't let go until she was sure her son had a good hold on it. "It goes on top of the tree," she added, pointing toward the top of the now heavily adorned Christmas tree.
Little Jack looked toward the top of the tree and then back down at the star he held. The little boy then titled his head back to look up at Nathan.
"Are you ready?" Nathan asked before changing his hold on the toddler.
Lifting Jack up to the top of the tree, Nathan urged the toddler to put the star on the top branch of the tree. As she had chosen a tree about her height, Elizabeth was able to reach up and help Jack put the star over the top branch.
"We're finished," Elizabeth said, excitedly as she looked at Little Jack. She clapped her hands and Little Jack imitated her before giving a big yawn.
Nathan chuckled "I think someone has had too much excitement," he commented even as he settled the little boy against him.
"Looks that way," Elizabeth agreed.
"Does this mean we have to wait to decorate our tree?" Ally asked, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice.
Elizabeth looked over at Ally. "Not at all," she assured her, not about to make Ally wait until another day to decorate the tree in her home. "Give me a minute while I go next door and see if either Rosemary and Lee can watch Jack there or one of them come over here. I'll be right back."
"We're not going anywhere," Nathan replied, walking over to the settee with Jack.
Elizabeth grabbed her coat from the hook and put it on. Holding her coat shut, she hurried outside. While Nathan held Jack, who was starting to drift off to sleep, Ally moved to the kitchen to start taking care of the dinner dishes that Elizabeth had put off after dinner.
It wasn't long before Elizabeth returned.
"Rosemary said she'll come over in about ten minutes," Elizabeth said taking off her coat. She didn't bother hanging it up, instead draping it over the back of the settee next to Nathan. She noticed that Ally was working on the dinner dishes. "If you're okay with him, I'll go help Ally with the dishes."
"We're fine," Nathan replied, smiling down at the little boy who had drifted off to sleep.
Elizabeth smiled at the sight. As his father couldn't be with them, Elizabeth knew that she couldn't ask for a better man than Nathan to help raise her son. Filing the image away in her memory, she moved to the kitchen to help Ally with the dinner dishes. With any luck they could have it done by the time Rosemary arrived.
"It's snowing!" Ally exclaimed as she stepped out of Elizabeth's home a short time later.
As Nathan and Elizabeth stepped outside, they saw the light snowflakes that had caused Ally's exclamation.
"It's so pretty," Elizabeth murmured softly, standing near Nathan as she watched the snowflakes drift through the light from the outside lamps.
"Not as pretty as you," Nathan whispered softly to her.
Despite the low temps, Elizabeth felt her cheeks get warm at the compliment. As Ally was already heading down the path toward her own home, Elizabeth started out after her. Nathan followed, falling into step beside her.
It wasn't long before the three were inside the Grant home. As he had promised Ally, Nathan had gotten the ornaments out of storage earlier that afternoon. It had also given him the opportunity to prepare his surprise for Elizabeth without getting caught by Ally.
Despite having just decorated one tree, Ally's enthusiasm was just as high. Energetically, she opened one box of ornaments, chatting while she selected an ornament.
"I wish I had half her energy some days," Nathan commented quietly to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth smiled. "You don't know how often I have thought that same thing during the school day," she informed him.
"Are you two going to help or flirt all evening?" Ally asked.
Elizabeth tried to bite back her laughter. As soon as she noticed the red in Nathan's cheeks though she started laughing.
"We're going to help," Nathan assured Ally.
Walking toward the table where he had placed the containers of ornaments, Nathan opened one of the other boxes. The little red bird that he had helped Elizabeth put on the tree the year before lay on top. Picking up one of the other ornaments from the box, Nathan turned toward the tree as Elizabeth stepped forward to select an ornament.
Seeing the bird, Elizabeth felt herself blushing at the memory of a year ago. Nathan had been so close when she had turned from the tree. There had been a moment when she had though he was going to kiss her. Though she wouldn't have admitted it then, she had felt a little disappointment that he hadn't.
"Perhaps I won't try to put this one quite so high this year," Elizabeth commented as she lifted the little bird from its resting place. As she did, something dangling from its little foot caught her eye.
Holding it in both hands, she let out a gasp as she recognized the object as a diamond ring. Turning to Nathan for an explanation, she found him right behind her, though not as close as he had been when 'helping' her hand the ornament the year before.
"Nathan?"
The one word was all that Elizabeth could manage to get out. Nathan didn't need more words from her right then though. Going down on one knee, Nathan reached out for the hand not holding the ornament and the ring.
"Elizabeth, I don't know exactly when it happened, but since I've met you I have found myself falling in love with you and Little Jack. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and help you to raise your son. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Unlike when he had finally asked her out to dinner, Elizabeth had no doubt about the reply she wanted to give. "Yes," Elizabeth managed to get out, the simple word shaky with the emotion she was feeling. As much as she had been hoping for Nathan to ask that question, she hadn't expected him to ask her quite this soon.
With steady hands, Nathan took the little red bird out of her shaking hand. He quickly untied the ring. Reaching out, Nathan took her left hand in his, and like that day in the cemetery slipped the ring deftly onto her ring finger. This time though, the ring was from Nathan and it symbolized the coming future - not a tie to the past.
Elizabeth was still having a hard time finding her voice. Despite the surprise she had felt when Jack had asked her, giving the grand gesture that he had made it, she'd had an idea it was coming. Tonight, she had simply been expecting to decorate a tree. She had not expected one of those ornaments to have a ring tied to it, though she had to admit that Nathan had picked the right ornament. She had thought about trying to hang that little bird, and how close Nathan had been to her that night on more occasions than she would care to admit.
Elizabeth felt like she should say more but couldn't find the words to express the jubilation she was feeling inside. As Nathan got to his feet, Elizabeth gave up trying to voice how she was feeling, and instead embraced the man she had just promised to marry. Tilting her head back, Elizabeth found Nathan's lips with her own, the kiss expressing what couldn't be voiced.
The newly engaged couple broke from their kiss when Ally put her arms around both of them.
"This is like an early Christmas present," Ally exclaimed, clearly happy about the engagement.
"For you and me both," Elizabeth admitted, finally finding her voice again. Reaching down with one arm, she embraced the young girl as well. She wasn't just gaining a husband this time, but a daughter as well, and she was happy to see Ally's enthusiasm over the engagement.
"I'm just glad you said yes," Nathan replied, holding Elizabeth close to him.
"I did," Elizabeth assured him, not criticizing his doubt. She had gotten to know Nathan well enough to not question the comment. Despite his confidence when it came to his job, she knew that Nathan harbored insecurities when it came to his personal life. Insecurities that had developed because of events in his past. Nathan wasn't the type of man that would just assume a woman would say yes and somehow that endeared him to her even more.
Ally finally took a step back from the two adults. "As happy as I am though, this doesn't mean I'm going to be decorating the tree by myself is it?"Ally asked. The twelve-year-old looked at them expectantly, her hands on her hips.
Elizabeth laughed even as Nathan reached out to ruffle Ally's hair.
"No, you won't be decorating the tree alone," Nathan told her.
"Good, because given that we got a tall tree again, it would look kind of funny if I did it alone as I can't reach the high branches."
"Yeah, that would make for a funny looking Christmas tree," Nathan told her. "And this little guy," he continued, holding up the red bird that he still held, "should have a special spot at the top of the tree again."
As Elizabeth and Ally voiced their agreement, Nathan reached up and hung the bird from one of the highest branches. Seeing it up there, Elizabeth knew that she wanted that little bird to look down on them every Christmas from here on out. This year, it would be on Nathan and Ally's tree, but she sincerely hoped that by this time next year, their would be only one Christmas tree for her 'family'.
Her attention was diverted from the bird by Ally.
"Here," Ally said, holding out one of the ornaments that she had made last year.
"Thanks," Elizabeth said, smiling at the young girl's not so subtle hint to help with the tree. Taking the ornament, Elizabeth moved toward the tree and found a place for it to hang.
Together, the trio loaded the fir tree with ornaments. Elizabeth knew she was beaming and she didn't care. The last time she had felt this happy was the day she had married Jack. It was a feeling that after Jack's death, she hadn't thought herself capable of feeling again. However, time does heal and while she knew she would always miss Jack, she found she could do what he had asked her to do and open herself up to love again.
"You know," Nathan said quietly as the stood next to each other selecting ornaments. "Ally said last year was the best Christmas ever and while it was special, I think this Christmas is going to be even better."
"I think you're right," Elizabeth agreed.
Though last year had been Little Jack's first Christmas, it had been a bittersweet one. Easier than the year before, but still emotionally hard. Oh, she had enjoyed herself. The festival had been fun and seeing Little Jack's reaction to everything. It had also been the first time Little Jack had called her Mama. That had been the highlight of the holiday season for. However, she had still been aware of everything her son's father had been missing.
This year, what was missing wasn't at the forefront. Yes, she still thought about Jack at times, usually at night when she was alone. She supposed she always would at time. However, this year she had found herself looking forward to what she could share with Nathan and Ally.
Turning toward the tree, Elizabeth reached out to hang another ornament on the tree. As she did so, the diamond on her left hand caught some light. Yes, she would be spending this Christmas with Nathan and Ally, and god willing, many more to come.
