Hey everyone. Here's the last chapter of my story. This one will probably be the longest chapter out of all the chapters I wrote, but I will try to not make it super long if you know what I mean. Anyway let's just get down to the chapter.

"Will you be home for Christmas?" Lynda asked abruptly. Strip jumped at the sudden question he had received from his wife. He stayed silent. Lynda was concerned. A few minutes had passed before Strip spoke up.

"Listen, you know I love you and I'll do anything to be with my family and you, but I don't think that'll happen this year. I'm sorry.."

"Wait what? But you promised. You told me you would be home in time for Christmas and that you would be spending it with your family and not out on the track. I need you here. I miss you."

"I know Lyn. I know. I'm sorry. It's just complicated, and things are getting chaotic at the track a little. Apple has a chance of beating us all throughout the next season and Tex wants us to do our best. I'm sorry, but I don't want to take the risk. It's too much."

Lynda listened. She knew nothing would work out if she argued. Then when he finished, she choked up a little, fighting away tears that began to fill up her eyes. "You know, I've always been asked a lot if fame has changed me since we first met and honestly, it hasn't. I knew what I was getting myself into when we met and when we later on married. Fame just changed everyone around me. You know, some cling and some run. I've always supported you throughout your career and I was always happy for you to reach the high ranks that you always wanted to reach. Even when you started to become famous I knew it couldn't buy me what I need or want, which is what I got from you. When you held me and we later on had our first kiss, you really took my heart. I could never love anyone else the way I have always loved you Strip. You were always the one..and now, you're just the one who got away.."

Strip just listened, speechless for words. He felt tears fill his eyes and allowed them to fall silently on his fender.

Lynda waited for her husband to speak, but no response came. It was just dead silent on each of their phone line. Lynda had understood at this point, and hung up. She cried, unable to believe that her love had broken his promise to her. Throughout their marriage, no promise had been broken, even if it seemed it wouldn't be able to be kept.

Strip listened as the call ended. He couldn't believe he had broken a promise to Lynda. He loved her, and he loved racing, but he would always choose her over racing. As her words continued to fill his mind, he only teared up harder and harder. He knew he had to fix this, but how. Then he stopped tearing up and realized what he could do.

If I work really hard today, I might have a chance to get home to Lyn in time before Christmas. I have to make it work, no matter how tired I am. I'm doing it for her. She sacrificed a lot for me, and I want to repay her in return for that. He thought to himself as he sniffed and wiped his tears away.

Immediately, Strip headed back to the Dinoco tent. He began to work harder than he ever did. He was determined to be home in time for Christmas.

Back in North Carolina, Lynda was laying on her bed, crying. She was devastated after hearing that Strip wouldn't be home in time for Christmas and that she would be spending it alone. She hadn't asked any of her family members to come for Christmas because she was convinced that Strip would be here with her. But how wrong she was. Suddenly, she heard the doorbell ring. Sniffing, she got up and went to the front door to answer it. It was her aunt. She gasped when she saw her niece crying and sniffling.

"Lyn..what happened..?"

"He's not coming home. He's going to miss Christmas as well. He promised he would be here, but instead, he's spending it out on the track when he still has time left to focus on his career after the holidays." Lynda choked up as tears filled up her eyes again. Her aunt quickly came over to her and wiped her tears away.

"It'll be alright. I know he wouldn't break a promise to you. He never has."

"This time he did. And it seems he's choosing his career over his family. He told me a while ago that he would be here. Right now. So where is he..? At Florida, at Daytona. That's where he is. And I know he doesn't care about his family. I need him here. I miss him."

"I know you're hurt that he said he won't be home, but it's Christmas. Miracles can happen. And I know he's still trying to come home to his beautiful wife. That's what he wants more than anything else in his life. Just because he said it, doesn't mean it'll actually happen."

"How do you know? It's almost Christmas Eve and there's no way he'll make it in time. Sometimes I feel I should've chosen a different life instead of this one."

Lynda's aunt gasped. "You don't mean that! Do you?"

"Yes. I mean it. If I married someone else, I would at least have a normal life, and they would be with me right now." Lynda left her aunt's side and teared up even harder. Her aunt knew she didn't mean it and that she was just upset about Strip not being home. But, there would be changes that she would be right about.

Strip had been working hard for as long as he could remember. His main focus had switched from his career to being with Lynda for the rest of the holiday season. He knew what his focus should be on. Work can wait, but family can't. He had learned that ever since he and Lynda had married. Whenever there was alone time, no discussion of work of any kind was allowed to be bought up, unless it couldn't wait and it was really important. But, he knew better. And he was determined to make up for the mistake and the promise he had broken. A promise is a promise after all, but if you try your hardest, you can still fix it. That's what was fixed on Strip's mind.

Tex couldn't believe Strip was working twice as much as he normally did. He even decided that because everyone was working hard, it would be the final day of working, much to Strip's delight. They would return promptly after the holidays were over. By the time Strip had finished, it was the early evening hours. Everyone began to crowd around the team's pit box to celebrate their last day of work and the start of the holiday break. Tex honked his horn to get everyone's attention.

"Alright, settle down please. Thank you. Now, I'm sure you've heard that we will be wrapping up our work here at Daytona. I know we've worked as hard as we could and we will continue to do so after the holidays. We still have work to do, but at least we got started. I'd like to wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season and I can't wait to see our team be the best when the racing season starts up. Let's start packing up and once we're done, we are all set to go."

Immediately, everyone began to pack up. Strip had packed up his stuff within a split second. There was nothing else he wanted other than being with his wife. He couldn't wait to see her and kiss her lips. She would be so surprised, but happy at the same time. He settled inside his trailer as Gray drove him off back to North Carolina.

Snow had fallen by the time Strip and Gray had arrived in North Carolina. Strip couldn't wait to be home. Only thirty minutes remained before he would reach his home. He was hoping Lynda would accept his apology and would forgive him for what he had done. Just then, he felt Gray pull up into the driveway of his home. It was time. He backed out of his trailer and waited for Gray to leave. Once he was out of the distance, Strip quietly entered. Lynda secretly heard him come inside. She didn't want to believe it, but soon enough, it was true.

"Lyn. I'm home!"

Lynda quickly perked up. "Strip?" She whispered to herself and quickly got off her bed. She left her bedroom and quickly went to the front entrance of the house. She saw Strip at the front door and quickly went to him. She teared up happily and quickly kissed his lips.

"What are you doing here? I though you were in Florida. You told me you wouldn't be home in time."

"No. Tex allowed us to leave. He's waiting until the end of the holidays to continue working. We all worked hard just so we could be with our families for a while. I'm just glad I'm here with you. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to make you feel I didn't care about you. Can you please forgive me?"

"Of course. Come here." Lynda embraced her husband with a deeper kiss on his lips and the couple happily teared up. They had stayed this way for a while, until Strip escorted her to the living room. They nuzzled each other and could feel the warmth of the other, as the fire in the fireplace continued to crackle. He glanced at her, as the glow from the fire began to shine on her paintwork. She glanced at him, a loving expression in her eyes.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too." And together, they kissed each other's lips as the fire in the fireplace continued to spark, and a piece of mistletoe in their presence. It was going to be a beautiful Christmas.

Hey everyone. I have finally finished my story. I meant for this to be done on Christmas Eve. Currently it's a little past midnight on Christmas Day in my time zone as I'm publishing this, but I hope you like it. I had a lot of fun writing this story. I might do a short story later, but I'll see. I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and A very Happy New Year. If you don't celebrate any of these holidays, then I hope you have a good day.

Also to AgentSandraCartrip who asked about the song and the title of the story, yes the title is a reference to the song "I'll Be Home for Christmas." But that's only part of it. The other song that's part of my inspiration for writing this story is a song called "Christmas Without You." However it's sung by a band known as Sheppard. You probably don't know who they are, but basically, they are an Australian based band. You can look up the song by them and listen to it if you are interested. It's really beautiful. And I thought it would fit in with this scenario and just the story in general. Let me know if you like it when you have a chance to listen to it. And thank you so much for the reviews on each chapter. I really really appreciate it. I look forward to seeing more reviews from you in the future. And that's all everyone. I hope to see you for a Christmas Day story, but if I don't I hope you have a good day and I'll see you for my next story.