(Yeah, that's right, I'm back again in the course of a single week. What's wrong with me? I'm not sure; I think I'll go visit a doctor on this. Maybe it's clinical insanity, or maybe an illusionary state. Or perhaps, just by chance, I've finally found something that could be considered my calling. Such remains to be determined, but I have decided to catch up with where I should be in this novel. It's January as I write this, while my story's still only coming into December. It's better than last week, where it was sitting idly in October, but I'm still not pleased. So, with that, I resolve to get this thing done ASAP. First note that TIA is the Tokyo International Airport, while LAX is the airport Los Angeles. As I said, we're in December, and we are once again working with my integrated characters. I know all you Takari fans hate it terribly, but it's the way my method works. Back and forth, to provide a balance and options for my audience because I know some people aren't adverse to Ivan and Maddie. Let's just hope it isn't taking too much away from the overall storyline. Also, this is a bit of a tribute chapter to past loved ones, as I'm sure many of my readers have experienced losses like I and my characters have. The loss? You may have caught it before, and if not, you'll be given it up-front. Finally, I'll note that probably no one has ever heard my song here, and with it I give yet another round of applause to the wonderful musician, Ken Medema. Maybe his music's religiously inspired, but so is my life in a way, and on both accounts it's a good thing. But on the more secular count that is my book, I give you Chapter 9!)

The Ivani Chronicles : Book 2 – Reminiscence : Chapter 9 – Flying Upside Down

TK sighed, staring once again at the repetitive linoleum beneath his feet. "Seriously," he began as he looked up, "We have got to stop having this same scene play out every month." Kari patted her boyfriend's shoulder gently with a smile.

"It's the winter holidays, TK," Kari said, "And Ivan and Maddie have their promises to keep."

"Pwomises!" Ryan squealed in agreement. Ivan smirked at the young child in his car seat.

"You know what's even more exciting than promises?" Ivan asked of his son.

"Chwismas!" Ryan answered knowingly. Ivan nodded as he tickled Ryan's neck with his free hand.

"You're so smart, big guy," the brown-haired boy commented approvingly. Ryan simply gurgled as he squirmed playfully under his guardian's touch.

"We always seem to end up out here, though," TK continued in his half-moping mood. Kari shook her head at the blond-haired boy.

"You can't tell me that you're complaining," Kari said with a laugh. "We get to ride all the way back together, remember?" TK blushed lightly, looking over at the girl beside him.

"Oh," TK said, no other words coming to his mind. Kari waited for something more, but when nothing came she laughed and placed her arms around the boy's neck.

"You're always so cute when you're embarrassed," Kari said with a sweet ring in her voice. TK could feel his knees weaken as he looked back into his girlfriend's glittering brown eyes. Ivan's overly exaggerated clearing of his throat saved him. Kari jumped back, color running to her cheeks as well.

"Sorry to intrude," Ivan said with mock -condescension, "But Maddie, Ryan and I have a plane to catch. Do you two think you could hold off the make-out sessions for after we're boarded and a few thousand feet in the air?" Kari nodded as she gave a nervous laugh.

"Just got a little carried away," Kari said with an effort at sounding nonchalant. It failed, rather badly. It wasn't until Maddie spoke a moment later that the awkward silence was broken.

"Not to worry, Kari," The brown-haired girl assured Kari. "It's typical for the season to get one's emotions a little out of whack." Maddie cast a sideways, smirking glance at Ivan. The boy recoiled in shock.

"Doth thou accuse me of such?" Ivan cried, "O', what unruly favor thou dost bring upon me." Maddie looked back at the boy, totally confused. Ivan simply grinned at the girl. After a moment of staring, Maddie shook her head and lay down the diaper bag that she held.

"We'll see you guys in a week," Maddie said as she embraced Kari in farewell. Kari hugged Maddie back, as did TK and Ms. Takaishi.

"One week it is," TK stated in confirmation as he walked over to Ivan. He first gave a wave to Ryan, who grinned and waved back, and then shook Ivan's hand. "Have fun over there."

"We'll be sure to," Ivan said in response, "With nice seventy-degree weather, who wouldn't? They've got much kinder weather than the freezing temperatures around here."

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in," Kari said as she took TK's place and hugged Ivan. Ivan, still holding Ryan's car seat, used his one free arm to embrace the girl. As Kari stepped back, she looked at the couple bound for imminent departure and waved her hand in dismissal. "Alright, you three," she ordered, "Get on out of here. Any more of your antics about warm weather that we have to miss and I just might lose my temper."

"I guess we shouldn't take our chances," Maddie whispered in Ivan's ear. Ivan nodded. Maddie then waved to Ms. Takaishi. "I guess we're out of here," She said cheerily, "See you all after Christmas!"

"See you then," TK replied with a mirroring wave. Placing his arm around Kari's waist, the pair watched as Ivan and Maddie went through the repetitive cycle of security checking.

"I wonder what they'd do if Ivan brought his sword with him?" Kari wondered to the boy beside her. TK's eyes widened slightly, staring at the array of security guards pacing briskly around the checkpoint.

"I don't even want to think about it," TK said with a shake of his head. TK turned his attention to his mother beside them. "Shall we depart as well?" he asked.

Ms. Takaishi looked over at her son, giving a slight nod. "We'd best get going before I fall asleep, too," She pointed out as the three began to walk for the sliding doors. "The red-eye flights may be the cheapest, but they certainly are rough to drive to." TK nodded understandingly.

"We can make them hitch-hike next time," TK assured her. "After all, I'm getting pretty bored of TIA. Every time we come here it gets less and less interesting to look at the baggage trucks out the window."

"We're only here for maybe twenty minutes, TK," Kari said to the boy. "After that, we get two hours without them breathing down the backs of our necks." TK couldn't help but smile when Kari' looked at him with that affectionate glint in her eyes. She never touched TK, but nonetheless sent shivers down his spine as he found his focus on getting to the car vanishing into desire to kiss the girl beside him.

It was TK's mother's voice, this time that kept her son's knees from giving out beneath him. "No," She began, "Now you only have me to make sure you're sitting on opposite sides of the car the entire way." TK looked at his mother's back, astonished. She never turned, saving her accomplished smile for herself. TK groaned then glanced at Kari. She offered no kind words, only shrugging as she set her gaze on Ms. Takaishi's car. TK stared at the pavement in front of his feet. He knew he was in for a long journey home.

"Daddy?" Ryan asked from his father's lap, "I sweepy." Ivan drew his gaze from the airplane window, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and looked at Ryan.

"I know, buddy," Ivan said kindly as his gentle smile returned. "It's getting past your bedtime and there's still so much further that we have to go to see your great grandparents." Looking to the seat beside him, Ivan received a supportive smile from Maddie. Her hand took Ivan's and interlocked their fingers.

"You're welcome to go to sleep, honey," Maddie told the child. "We'll be right here when you wake up in the morning." Ryan looked over at his mother, eyes large and shining with wonder.

"'Kay," Ryan said brightly, "But can you teww me a stowy, Daddy?" Maddie smiled over at her boyfriend, resting her head back against the chair's headrest.

"Yeah, Daddy," Maddie mimicked playfully, "Can you tell us a story?" Ivan looked back and forth between the two other members of what he considered his family. He then dropped his head with a chuckle.

"Of course I will," Ivan said kindly, bringing his head back up against the chair.

"Yay!" Ryan squealed, hugging his adoptive father. Ivan cradled the boy with his free arm, letting Ryan get as comfortable as he could under the circumstances. "Daddy awways tewws gweat stowys, Mommy," the child informed Maddie.

Maddie nodded, brushing the fingers of her unoccupied hand softly along the child's cheek. "I know," Maddie said in concord, "He's told me a lot of wonderful stories since I met him four years ago."

Ivan looked over at the girl, his eyes questioning. "Has it really been that long?" Ivan asked. Maddie shook her head in the affirmative as a reply. "Wow," Ivan whispered as his eyes wandered over the chairs positioned tightly in front of them. He then leaned over and kissed Maddie's cheek. "To four years of friendship, and hopes for an eternity more."  Maddie's smile widened, her eyes fixated on their clasped hands.

"Hopes for an eternity more," Maddie repeated with a happy nod.

"Daddy, teww da stowy, pwease!" Ryan squeaked with a tone of impatience. Ivan looked down, meeting the baby boy's desiring gaze.

"I'm sorry, Ryan," Ivan apologized, "Mommy got me a little distracted. But don't you worry, your story's coming right up." Ryan squealed in delight, clapping his hands together. Maddie shook her head, raising a hand before the child in a request for quiet.

"You can't be too loud on the plane, dear," Maddie said gently to her son. "Other people on the plane need to be able to hear so they can have their own stories told to them, too." Ryan drooped his head to one side in puzzlement.

"But Daddy's stowies are the best," Ryan stated. His eyes looked for reassurance in his mother, but Maddie could only giggle.

"Honey, Daddy's stories are special," Maddie explained, "They're stories that only you and I get to hear. Everyone else has their own special stories to listen to, while you get to listen to Daddy's." Ryan still did not seem satisfied, his confused face looking then to his father.

"Between you and me," Ivan said in a hushed tone, "My stories are the best." Ryan's face lit up. Ivan winked at him. "Keep it secret, though, okay? No one else is supposed to know." Ryan nodded quickly.

"Alright, mister master storyteller," Maddie challenged as she rested her head against Ivan's shoulder, "let's hear one of these best stories of yours." Ivan nodded, adjusting himself to get as comfortable as he could with his girlfriend and their son against him.

"I think I have a fitting one that I can tell you," Ivan said after thinking for a moment. Maddie smiled down at Ryan, who beamed up at his mother. Her hand again came to the baby, this time letting his hands squeeze her fingers. Ryan took a firm grip of Maddie's hand, and then set his eyes back on his father in expectance. With a glance first to Ryan, and then to Maddie beside him, Ivan began to tell his story.

"About seventeen years ago," The brown-haired boy began to the child, "There were two people, not much older than your mother and myself, who were engaged. That means that they were going to get married, or bond together and live with one another for the rest of their lives. Mommy and I aren't married, because we're too young, but we still live together because we want to be able to stay with you. It's easiest to do that by having the place we do back in Japan."

"Why don't aww peepoe wive togethew?" Ryan asked.

Ivan shrugged. "Not everyone can get along well like we do," He explained, "And living together in the same home can make people less happy sometimes. That's why only people who are very sure that they will be more happy with each other get married."

"Awe we gonna get mawwied, Daddy?" Ryan furthered hopefully. Ivan chuckled, shaking his head lightly.

"No, Ryan, you won't get married to me," Ivan told the child, "People don't usually marry their kids. No, you'll find someone else that you'll really want to spend time with, when you're older, and that might be the person you marry. Your Mommy and I might get married sometime, too." Ivan felt a gentle squeeze on his hand as he continued. "But right now, we're not planning any weddings or marriages. Right now, the only people getting married are the people in my story."

"Who awe dey?" Ryan said, tilting his head in his father's elbow.

"They're names were Alex and Rebecca," Ivan said as he returned to his story, "And they were twenty years old at that time. Alex's parents thought that he was too young to be getting married. But Alex felt that since he'd known Rebecca for six years and loved her a lot for the most recent three, he was ready to make the commitment to her. Rebecca felt the same way about Alex. Rebecca's parents were more understanding of how she felt and they accepted Alex to marry their daughter. Alex's father, though, never did give Alex his blessing and that hurt him very much. Even Alex's mother tried to change his mind, but it didn't work. In the end, Alex and Rebecca got married without Alex's father being there to watch.

"Nevertheless, Alex and Rebecca were very happily married. It was the beginning of December then, just a week before now, and Alex and Rebecca went away from the city they lived in for a few weeks to spend some time alone. Most people who get married do that, and it's called a honeymoon. It's a time for the newly married people to spend some time together after all the effort they put into having the wedding. They get to be alone, where it's quiet, so that they can really show how much they love each other.

"Alex and Rebecca came back very happy from that vacation and were soon settled back into their normal lives. They went to school, almost like Mommy and I do only they were in a special school called a college. They also worked to support themselves, just like we do. And every night, they always kissed each other goodnight, just like we do. But Alex and Rebecca had even more surprises coming for them. When the month of February came rolling around, Rebecca told her new husband that they were going to have a baby."

"Who?" Ryan asked quickly. His large eyes glinted with excitement at the story. It allowed for him to make connections and parallels. It may not have been a way to help the child sleep, but Ryan still enjoyed hearing his father speak.

"They were going to have me," Ivan said with a slight smile. "It was sixteen years and about ten months ago when they found out that I was coming to join their new family."

"How wewe you gonna get thewe, Daddy?" Ryan said, looking at how large his father was.

"Well, when Alex and Rebecca were together on their vacation, their love for one another was so special that it gave them the gift of life," Ivan informed Ryan. "The details of that aren't really worth explaining, but by February they knew I was coming. Now when a baby is born, he or she has to wait a while inside his mother before he can come into the world, sort of as a way to make sure he or she is ready."

"Was I in Mommy?" Ryan interrupted curiously, looking distinctly at Maddie. Maddie smiled, shaking her head gently.

"No, honey," Maddie said apologetically. "You came to us after you were born, when your real Mommy and Daddy weren't able to take care of you. We all decided that you would be safer and happier with us." Maddie brushed the boy's face affectionately before letting him grasp her hand again. "Hopefully you can go live with your real parents someday, but for right now you're gonna have to deal with us."

"But I wove you, Mommy!" Ryan protested, his wide eyes looking up at Maddie earnestly. Maddie let her head bow slightly, her eyes closing.

"I love you, too, Ryan," Maddie said as she brushed her eyes on her shoulder. "I love you very much and am very glad that you can be with your father and I." Maddie felt Ivan's lips press against the top of her head, followed by his cheek rubbing against her hair.

"We both love you greatly," Ivan said to his son, "And we couldn't be happier to have you in our lives. But before we get too distracted, we should get back to the story for you." Ryan nodded, looking eagerly to his father once again. "Once they knew that I was coming to join their family, somewhere around the very beginning of October, they were very excited. They started getting ready when school let out over the summer, getting a bassinet, clothes, and some toys like what we have for you at home. When September came they felt ready and, on the morning of October 10th, Rebecca gave birth to me at the hospital. See, Ryan, when a baby is ready to come out, it's a big deal and it can be a little dangerous for the mother to go through. That's why they were at the hospital." Ryan nodded in comprehension.

"Alex and Rebecca brought me home a few days later, when they were sure that Rebecca and I were both healthy," Ivan continued. "I cried and screamed a lot back then, because I wasn't very good at talking yet, but my parents were still very loving to me. What little I personally remember has always been good, and it's that stuff that I've used to help me raise you.

"After two hectic months with my mother and father, Christmas rolled around. They were both very happy to have a break from having to work and learn in school, because with me around they had a hard time doing all of it at once. My mom was actually out of school and work for those first two months, but she still needed Alex around to help her. But with the Christmas break, they could finally relax. It was also a time to celebrate as a family. That was something we hadn't really done before.

"I don't actually remember that Christmas, but my dad, Alex told me that when I woke up and looked at all the colorful presents around the tree, I stared. I just lay there and stared in wonder at all of the bright colors and flashing lights. I got many great presents that year including more toys, some books, a couple noisemakers, and new blankets for my bed. My parents did a lot of the opening of the presents for me, 'cause I was too little to open Santa's gifts, but I loved them all the same. My dad said that it was also on Christmas day, for the first time since I was born, I went to bed quickly and soundly. I mean, I woke up three hours later crying for more food, but that's the way little babies are." Ryan giggled lightly.

"The next year passed with more struggles to get by but with plenty of love and support to match," Ivan said as he added to his story. "I had my first birthday in October, and I got to have another Christmas two months later. I was one year old then, so I was able to appreciate the gifts I got that year a little more. The biggest thing for me that year was a winter jumpsuit that Santa brought me. Where we lived it snowed that Christmas for the first time that season. My dad carried me outside and I got to play in the snow for the first time. Maybe it was more like rolling around and accidentally eating the white powdery stuff, but I still loved it.

"My parents were very thankful that year, because it was the last year for their college studying. For Rebecca in particular, this meant that she could focus more on what she wanted to do with her life. She had gone to school to learn how to write better and after a lot of learning and practice, she wrote a really great book on the history of a very old civilization called Rome. I wasn't able to read it until I was much older, of course, but my mom always said that I had given her inspiration when she was writing. Whether it was inspiration or distraction, the situation left me in her care for most of my second year with my parents.

"My dad was working many hours at this time, because my mother's book still had to wait a while to be published. He actually ended up with two jobs for a while, working both with a group of people in a building called a lumber yard where they sell wood to people who want to build things and at an electronics store nearby. He never let us down, and Rebecca was thankful to him every day that when he came home, exhausted after his time at the lumber yard or at the shop, he was still energized enough to show us how much he loved us. My mom wasn't thrilled that Alex couldn't be home to play with me more, but she understood that it was a sacrifice we needed to make to get by.

"When fall came after that mild summer, Alex decided to enlist in another school so that he could learn even more. My dad had a passion for helping other people however he could and he felt that if he studied for long enough, he could learn to do a really good job at it. The job that he really wanted was to be a psychologist, which is a long name for a person that listens and helps people who are having trouble. His desire for the job put in him in even more rigorous time constraints, but he was very lucky that Rebecca's book had finally been accepted. She was finally able to give her contribution to the family, and it was very effective. It was thanks to her book that dad was able to take some time off and join my mom and I for a vacation during what was their anniversary. I, being newly two years old and slowly getting more and more used to walking everywhere was very happy to have a new hotel room to explore instead of the same rooms of our home. But what was even more exciting was to come back home and, to my utter surprise, see that Santa had come again and left another wondrous wealth of presents underneath our tree. I squealed at the sight dragged my equally surprised parents over to the tree and waited eagerly to see what new gifts I would get.

"That Christmas vacation was very well accepted, and it turned out that every Christmas came to have a really special meaning for us. It was a time when my mom stopped her writing cold for two weeks, and my dad used all of his vacation hours at the lumberyard. He had left the job at the store when he began his second year in the new school. When I was three years old, our Christmas celebration was spent with another part of my family, Rebecca's parents. They were very happy to see me and how much I had grown over the past few years. I was, after all, looking just a little bit bigger than you right now, and they were amazed at the change from the tiny little thing that I began as. Even more exciting for me and my quickly expanding vocabulary was a special book that Santa brought me. It was a book that had special buttons on each page that you could press so that the book would read the words to you. It was an amazing toy for me to get, and it was one of the first books that I really got interested in.

"My grandparents left a few days after our little Christmas celebration that year, and I wouldn't see them until my birthday when I turned seven. I was sad that they had to leave, but I knew that they had to miss their own home. As the next year came and went, my mom was able to release another book in November. Again she brought a really big return into our bank account. My dad was very happy for her success with writing on topics of ancient history. She showed me her second book when it was printed and it had a triangle on the front that looked like it was made out of blocks. She told me that it was called a pyramid and was a place where people of long ago were laid to rest when they passed away. I just wanted to have some of those blocks to build my own little contraption, which made my mom laugh. She said she'd talk to Santa for me and see if I could get a special set of pyramid blocks. Sure enough, one month later, I woke up and eagerly dashed to the tree with my half-asleep parents in tow, only to find a huge triangular object, wrapped with every color I could have imagined. My first real memories are from that year's Christmas, when my parents sat together on the couch behind me smiling as I ripped off the paper with excited hands and nearly fell over with the cry of joy that I let out. My mom always did come through with the dedicative promises she made to me.

"That next year my mom had me enlist in a pre-school so that I could get ready for going to real school the next year. She kept saying how proud she was of me for finally being ready to go to school, just like my daddy. It was also one of the first times in my life that I was ever in a social atmosphere. Rebecca and Alex both took time to take me to parks and stores every now and then when I was younger and I often met up with a little boy or girl and played with them for an afternoon. But once I was in school, I met a bunch of new people who were all just as nervous as I was to go away from their parents for an extended period of time. My mom gave me a kiss when she dropped me off on my first day, promising to come back and get me once the day was through. She was, indeed, there when class let out and she had tears in her eyes. I asked her what was wrong, my excitement from the vigorous day being set aside. She wiped her eyes and, with a smile, said she'd never realized how lonely the house felt without me running around and playing inside it.

"Rebecca still made me go to school, despite her loneliness at home, but it made the time after school even more special for us. What was more, Dad was about to finish his time in school and we took that to be very good news. He said he still planned to go for four more years, but he had hit another milestone on his path to completion. Mommy said it was a time of celebration, so we opted to go on another vacation for our special time just before Christmas. My parents ended up deciding that heading to San Diego would be a great place to spend the holiday. This time we had our Christmas celebration, too, in the hotel. The weekend before, my parents had brought me to the San Diego zoo. For the rest of the vacation, I couldn't stop talking about all of the incredible things I got to see like foxes, walruses, bears, and even lions. I was amazed, and found myself begging to go back. When I woke up on Christmas morning, there was no Christmas tree to greet me as there was every year back home, but there was a whole collection of presents piled on the table of the small living room area. After waking up my parents, we opened the gifts that Santa had brought us. I realized that year that Santa really did hear everything I said. I may not have been able to live in the zoo, but he got me plush creatures resembling all the animals I had loved so dearly.

"As Alex's last year of school for his graduate degree came to a close, coupled with his promotion at the lumberyard, my mom and I were very happy for him. That summer he took more time off than he usually could, spending the time with me after having such a tight schedule in the past. I greatly appreciated the time he gave to me and I asked him about what my new school would be like, since I had myself completed pre-school. He told me of all the wonderful things I would learn, all the amazing people I would meet, and the many opportunities I would get to have fun. He got me very riled up for the new school year. He also got me more interested in physical activity. Whenever he could, he would take me to the park to play catch or climb on the monkey bars or do any of a bunch of other things. I loved that summer with my father, cherishing every day that we got to play and every night that he tucked me in before I went to bed.

"I found out in September that dad hadn't been kidding about school. It was truly a wonderful experience for me. I loved my kindergarten teacher, my fellow classmates, and most of all I loved to read the books that we had in the classroom. I have always thanked my mother for getting me so into reading since she was a writer herself. I made a bunch of friends that year in school, some of whom my mom let me go visit after school occasionally. We even had visitors come over a couple times a month. I learned to be really social that year, something that I have always wished carried over into my current life.

"That Christmas was a big one for me. I was six years old now and, as such, I felt that it was about time that I started getting more involved in the presents I gave to my parents. My schoolteacher helped me a lot with that. She let me make a special gift for each of my parents in class, and also gave me a hand writing cards to them. My parents were oblivious to my work, which made me even more excited. On Christmas day, I snuck out of bed and, with the gifts that my teacher had even helped me wrap, I placed them amongst the other presents under the tree. I then ran screaming to my parents, as had become the custom, and brought them happily into the living room. I pointed out the gifts to them, which I had cleverly marked as being from Santa, and looked at them expectantly. My mother loved the picture book that my teacher and I had put together with a hole puncher and string, while dad promised that he'd keep my clay handprint with him in all of his school classes so that he wouldn't forget about me."

Ivan stopped his story, smiling gently downwards. Ryan's eyes, once large and excited, were now closed as his little chest rose and fell gently. "I think you tired him out," Maddie whispered in his ear. Ivan nodded, kissing the girl's forehead.

"But that's alright," Ivan guaranteed her, "Even if he doesn't understand what I say, he seems to like the sound of my voice."

"Of course he does," Maddie said quickly. "He loves your voice, Ivan, just as much as he loves you. And I know how much he loves you." Maddie leaned over and kissed the brown-haired boy's chin. "I can tell because I know how much I love you. You've done so much to let us be together like this, and I don't know where we'd ever be without you. Ryan knows that, too, and he loves you all the more for it." Maddie felt Ivan's hand squeeze hers softly in reflection back upon her. He ducked his head down, glancing briefly at Maddie's shining half-open eyes before kissing her.

"I love you," Ivan stated simply as he pressed his head against Maddie's neck. "I love you both, and I'd do anything to see my family happy. I'd sacrifice everything I have if it would let you and Ryan live happily forever."

"There's only one way that's gonna happen," Maddie whispered affectionately in Ivan's ear, "And that's if you just keep being who you are. There's nothing more in the world I could ask for."

Ivan leaned back to his normal position slowly, nodding as he did so. "I'll do my best," Ivan promised the girl. As his eyes locked with hers, Ivan felt a sudden compulsion to ask her something. The thought had been nagging him since he began the story and it was getting to be unbearable. Hesitantly, he asked, "Does that mean that, someday, you-"

Maddie nodded quickly, cutting the boy's question off. "Someday," Maddie assured him, "And hopefully someday soon." As Maddie looked at her boyfriend's bright blue eyes, the deep love in her heart for the boy hit her once again, sending a shiver down her spine. Ivan's hand clasping hers in confirmation only heightened her sense of fondness for him. Maddie knew subconsciously that she wouldn't be able to restrain herself from attacking Ivan in his chair for much longer. To solve her dilemma, Maddie shook her head and grinned at the boy. "So how about telling me the rest of your story, then?" Maddie asked, her voice gaining a higher pitch as she imitated a child. Ivan chuckled silently, nodding his head in reply.

"I'd happily continue," Ivan said warmly. Then, taking a moment to regain his thoughts, he continued, "After the Christmas at which I was six and gave my parents the first gifts I made without the assistance of the other adult, family time became scarce again. My mom had gotten a job working with a history magazine and was therefore required to meet a steady set of deadlines with her articles. She was home most of the time, but she did have to go to the library once in a while to get some additional research done. This was my first real exposure to a babysitter. My mom had also been spending time at public functions in town and, as a result, was friends with a family a few doors away from us. They had two children, one of whom was my own age and an elder daughter, about the age of sixteen, named Allison. She had a great love for children and a wonderful singing voice, which I've always remembered. Of her physique, it was her stunning red hair that always stuck out when she came over. Needless to say, she was glad to offer us her services and we quickly became great friends, at least in my mind. She was a full ten years older than me, but I adored Allison like no one but my parents.

"So, with my father putting more time in at school and work while my mom was striving to meet deadlines in the study, Allison played with me and her younger sister, Rachel, in the rest of my house. Allison helped me with things that confused me from my school work, taught me a bit of how to sing, and was always open to playing new games that my creative mind devised. I never really took to singing. But, at the present time, I was more than content in listening to Allison sing the spectacular songs that she wrote. To this day I've never heard a person write more perfect lyrics in such a serene tone. Even my mother loved hearing the red-haired girl sing while she worked on the history of ancient Greek culture.

"Summer brought a reverie and my father back into my life a bit more. Now with Allison and Rachel coming at my request, the four of us found a slew of games to play at the park. I was even able to drag my mom out with us from time to time. When the five of us were together, I couldn't have imagined a better time in my six-year-old mind. I was truly and wonderfully satisfied. But, all too soon, my first grade year began, as well as my father's second year for a doctorate's degree. Alex also moved into a job as an aide for a fully qualified psychologist, cutting his paycheck but assisting his learning. Nonetheless, we persevered and, with a grateful sigh, we entered the Christmas break. My parents, after spending four months of only occasional moments spent together, were inseparable for the duration of the holiday. At age seven, I found this to be a disgusting sight, but my father only laughed and told me to wait until I was a little older.

"For Christmas that year, I had again endeavored to secretly create presents for my family without their knowing. Allison was incredibly helpful this time around and between the two of us we managed to create a matching pair of picture frames. In each one, I placed duplicates of a photo my parents and I had taken when we were on our last vacation, down in San Diego. Allison also helped me write out a short poem to accompany each of the pictures, which we attached to the back of the handmade frame. Then, one evening when I was waiting for mom to finish writing the last paper for her magazine for that year, I pulled out the two frames and constructed a third. With a cautious hand, I slipped in a picture my mom took when we were all at the park together. Since I made it alone, the frame was a little less stable, and the poem I wrote on my own wasn't as eloquently phrased, but I wrapped it and addressed it to Allison from myself, incredibly proud of my accomplishment. The tearfully happy face of my mother and greatly thankful expression of my father that Christmas morning was priceless. Allison's look of shock when I handed her gift to her when she visited next was a close second, but it was my parents for whom I was most pleased. Somehow, I knew that they needed a more constant reminder of the love I bore for them and that they carried for one another. The pictures, though simple, fit the bill better than I had thought they would.

"The next year passed in much of the same manner as the first. My dad began getting more involved with his buddies at the psychological office. They became his life-long friends. Mom's continuing success with the history magazine let her quickly climb the ladder in her career. By the summer, she was in a position such that she could come with my dad on each of our excursions over the warm months. Alex and Rebecca would sit on a bench, hands together, while Allison tagged along with Rachel and myself as we raced around the paved park. When we walked home in the afternoon, I always had delighted stories to tell to my dad, to which he always gave a positive reaction. I almost dreaded the coming of another school year, as I knew it would once again send my family to separate parts of the city. Allison tried to cheer me up on that final week, but it was only the hope of Christmas that kept my spirits from failing completely.

"Christmas did come that year, too, and I had grown accustomed to looking forward to that holiday more than even my own birthday. It had so much sentimental value in my family. The gifts we exchanged were always loved, but even more than that it was the chance to be together that made the season truly delightful. The summer wasn't bad, but the days when we all got to go out and play were often staggered and sometimes cut short when my parents or Allison had obligations for the afternoon. Over Christmas vacation, however, there was never a thing that came before us being together. The love and warmth that surrounded my house was indescribable, and it was something I never tired of. Maybe seeing my parents kissing was a little much, but subconsciously I couldn't blame them. I knew how hard it was for them to be separated so much of the time because of their goals in life. I was so thankful that they were able to have their time together over the holidays, just as they deserved. It got to the point where, unlike all the other kids my age who constantly asked what everyone was going to get for Christmas, I would have been happy to get nothing but the time to spend with my family.

"Another school year came to a close and, with that, my dad's schooling came at last to an end. He was twenty-nine years old and couldn't have been happier to have finally achieved his goal. My mother was ecstatic and, after some organizing with Allison's parents, they took a one-week vacation without me. I stayed with Allison and her family for that time and although I felt a bit left out, Allison told me that we would have even more fun together. She lived up to her word, making sure to delight me as much as she could. But it was also during that week when I noticed that she had to squint more to see me. It was subtle, but I caught on after a while and asked her about it. She said it was because she was tired and her eyes were exhausted from all of her own schoolwork. She herself had just completed her first year at a local college.

"My parents came back and spent the joyous three months of summer bringing me to museums and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Allison didn't join us for most of the time, spending her time at a summer job that could better support her coming future. But, as the joyous times of summer once again came to a close, Allison took up the charge of watching her little sister and I once again. She came back, however, wearing glasses.

"The only other people who had ever worn glasses in my memory were my mother's grandparents, who had begun to visit us annually in the spring, and a couple of my teachers. Allison's glasses were, in my mind, perfectly fitting on her face. I had simply never seen people wearing glasses if they weren't over the age of forty. Allison smiled at my questioning. She explained that since the beginning of the summer, her eyes had been getting a little weaker so the eye doctor thought she should use glasses to help. I didn't argue the point, more concerned with being able to spend time with her. She complied happily.

"The four months preceding December in the school year were a challenge for Allison as well as myself with school getting increasingly more demanding. My mother, at this point, was able to give me more attention from her editing position in the historical magazine. It was only my insistence on seeing the red-haired girl that kept her coming back. Surprisingly, she was never adverse to the idea of visiting me even though I was a full ten years younger than her. Our friendship continued in spite of age differences, something I was forever grateful for.

"With the Christmas holiday my family was once again reunited. My dad, who had been putting in an insane amount of hours at work to get himself finally established, was relieved tremendously at the prospect of a break. That year I remember most the present addressed from my mom and Allison. Inside the small box was a pair of sunglasses. My mom explained that now I could wear glasses, too, just like Allison. I was so overjoyed with the idea that when Allison was due over next, I wore my new shades to greet her. It was a priceless moment to see her reaction at a nine-year-old me indoors with sunglasses and a smile on.

"I was in the third grade at that point, while Allison was in her sophomore year of college. Time we spent together was scarce, which I never enjoyed. Worse still was the news that, when she did come to visit, her glasses weren't working very well and she needed a new prescription. I didn't know then quite what that meant, except that Allison needed slightly thicker glasses every couple of months to keep from squinting when she would look at me. Her eyes that had once been so clear and crystalline were slowly being hidden behind layers of glass.

"On the flip side, my parents found more and more time that they could spend with me themselves. They played games with me, read to me, let me read to them, and did so many things that we had put only minimal emphasis on over my younger years. It was then that Rebecca read to me her first two books, on Rome and Egypt. Also, lesser to my knowledge, it was the time when my parents finally felt ready to consider having a new member of the family. Dad was still pretty new at the office, but they figured that once he felt more settled in a year or two, an addition could be made.

"The summer passed in much the same manner as my other summers. My quickly growing mind was eager to find slightly more sophisticated means of entertainment than the childish games I invented. Soon my dad solved the problem by having me enroll in a karate course at a dojo in the downtown area of the city. That's when I first started to pick up some of my combative talents that Azulongmon expanded so drastically on once I met up with him. I took happily to the discipline and devoted practice that the classes demanded and, when I went back to school for my fourth grade year, I was a proud bearer of a yellow belt. Allison was eternally supportive of me for my efforts behind her heavy lenses.

 "Four months more of classes in Karate and school yielded the best marks of my class and a purple belt. My parents were so pleased that they felt I deserved some kind of special reward for that Christmas, even more so because I had finally entered the double-digits in age. The reward I got, however, was not something they had expected. About a week before the Christmas holiday, just after my parent's eleventh anniversary, we received a call from people to whom I had previously been all but separated. My father's parents asked if they could join us for the holidays. My parents debated the decision for a couple days while explaining to me who these new people were. At last, they consented to have my father's parents visit us.

"That Christmas time was arguably the best one I can remember. My grandparents were truly miraculous people, completely different from what I had imagined. My grandmother, Elena, cried when she first saw me, so shocked at how huge I was in comparison to the scant few pictures of our family we had mailed to them. My grandfather, Raul, never gave my mother quite the respect she deserved, but rather kept himself busy by giving his undivided attention to me. I told him of all the things I had done in the past ten years of my life, leaving out no miniscule detail. He laughed at all of my jokes, was sympathetic with all of my problems, and always ready to hear more. My grandmother, too, was deeply interested in my stories and I found myself sitting on the couch talking for hours on end to the pair. Their arrival also yielded an additional load of presents squished under our Christmas tree. When they left, my grandfather gave my mother a hug goodbye. His exact words I don't remember, but I do recall that my parents were on the verge of tears for the remainder of the day. Alex later told me about how his grandparents hadn't been supportive of his and my mother's young marriage. My dad said that, although he hadn't declared it, my grandfather was finally coming around and accepting the woman my dad had loved so dearly for the past fourteen years. The thought of it almost made me want to cry with my parents."

Ivan paused, his eyes dropping to look down at his feet. "That was such a momentous day for my family," he whispered, "it felt like we had finally reconciled everything and could reengage our lives. My parents again started talking candidly about a new member of the family. It was that time of year when I simply couldn't wait for twelve more months to pass." Again the boy stopped, shaking his head slowly. "But that time, my wish wasn't going to be granted."

Maddie looked at him with concern, her hand squeezing his tightly in support. "What happened?" she asked hesitantly. Ivan sighed, looking over at the girl beside him with a sad smile.

"It seemed," Ivan began gradually, "that once I was ten years old, the world's shielding of my life dropped. There was a crisis with my mom's magazine, which she got blamed for. There wasn't any real evidence to indict her, but the destruction of the trust in Rebecca led her to resign from her post. In retrospect, she figured that it was because of her quick success at such a young age that led her co-workers to be jealous of her. My mom became distressed from that and never quite recovered as she looked for more work. Meanwhile, dad was doing his best to take care of Rebecca and at the same time get his budding career into action. The months wore by, wearing down my parents at the same time.

"What was worse was my dear friend Allison's condition. In April, her parents got in touch with mine and explained the tragic news, which they then broke to me. Allison's optical nerves, after their premature decay, had completely failed. Allison was, from that day forward, never going to be able to see again. I was crestfallen and, when she next came to visit with her sister Rachel escorting her, I could barely keep from breaking down in front of her. She assured me constantly that it wasn't too bad and that she could still do what she loved to do most. She proved her point by singing to me all of the songs she had written in her head over the past month. Even though she was now blind, Allison's heart seemed only to grow more attuned to creating melodies with her sense of hearing. Her strength and perseverance was one of the most inspiring models that I ever had.

"However, Allison's loss of eyesight brought her home from school for the year. Instead, she and her parents did research on finding a musical school where they supported education for blind young adults. This gave us a little more time to spend together, but the time was spent differently than it was in the past. Allison no longer could go running carelessly after Rachel or myself in the park, nor could she easily help me with the occasional difficulty I had in my classes. Instead, the two of us spent time together in a more sedate manner, discussing whatever came to mind and singing together songs that she taught me a harmony for. I still held no particular strength in my singing, but Allison insisted that I was the best accompanist she could ask for. That was the last summer that I got to spend with her." Ivan paused again, taking a deep breath. Maddie could feel her own heart dropping at the thought of her boyfriend losing someone so dear in his life.

"School began once again, and I did have to get excited about it," Ivan said as a more upbeat tone came back to his voice, "It was, after all, my last year in elementary school. Following that, I was bound for middle school. The big leagues, my father told me. What was even more exciting was that both sets of my grandparents were planning on holding a great party at our house. My favorite holiday was about to be magnified in a way like never before. But, before I could get to there, we had to wait through a long week of vacation prior to the holiday when they would be arriving. I was out of school on the twentieth and the only obligation my parents had was a Christmas party that my parents had been asked to attend for my father's office. He was very excited about having all of his colleagues meet his lovely wife of twelve years and, due to the late timing of the party, it was arranged for me to go to stay with my beloved friend, Allison. The past four months she had been void in my life because of her new school, which was located on the east coast of the United States. With the prospect of seeing her during her Christmas vacation was yet another great event sitting just before me.

"Saying goodnight to my parents on Allison's doorstep on the twenty-second felt a little odd, seeing as it was only six in the evening. My mother hugged me tightly, requesting me to be on my best behavior and informing me of her love for me once again. My father followed suit. I remember that he had a look in his eyes that night that I hadn't ever seen before. I assumed at the time that it was something like nervousness, which it was in part. I decided later that it was also a look of resigned acceptance. Seeing my father like that, after so many years of a constantly determined or pleased expression on his face was worrying. However, my fretting vanished as I plunged myself into Allison's lap on her couch and sang one of our favorite songs to her. She laughed at my greeting before joining me in harmony.

"One of the things I've always recollected about Allison was, regardless of the fact that her eyes didn't actually see, she never covered them with sunglasses, nor did she try to fake that she could see. She simply held her head and did what she loved to do with all of her heart. She was never ashamed of her disability, but rather took it in stride with the rest of her life. I've always admired Allison for that strength, and I know that when I was eleven, sitting in her lap and singing softly, I could still see the unmistakable sparkle of life and vibrancy in her eyes. She never needed to see to be able to love the world; her voice was all that she needed.

"The evening went by much faster than I would have liked it to. Allison sang me to sleep that night, and I can still recall her heavenly voice in my ears when I'm relaxed. Her voice rested like a blessing on my ears, sealing me with her care. She left my room with a smile that night, and awoke me the next morning with tears in her eyes. Seeing her like that, I jumped up and threw my arms around her waist. I asked her what was wrong, and she said that there was a terrible accident last night on the highway. I dropped my gaze then, hugging her. I knew that she always felt bad when such things happened; she was a very sensitive person when it came to other people being hurt. She then added that my parents were two of the victims, and that my father had already died." Ivan's eyes, seemingly unfocused, softened as he blinked his eyes shut tightly. "My mother was in the hospital, I quickly learned," Ivan pressed forward, his voice quivering slightly. "Allison's parents drove the five of us over there for my sake, and I was so grateful that they did me that service.

"My mother was in a horrible state when we were finally let in to look at her, and I could barely keep myself from breaking down again. Allison's shirt was already soaked from the two of us, and I felt badly about it. She insisted that it wasn't a problem." Ivan bit his tongue, taking a slow, steadying breath. "We sat together in the hospital for two days," Ivan continued after a moment's silence, "just the two of us. Allison's parents came and went so that Rachel didn't have to sit in a hospital all day, but Allison argued that she couldn't leave me alone there. I needed her and she knew it. Her parents didn't argue the point, seeing the state I was in. They simply asked me to take care of Allison. They had my word that I would be there for her as she was for me. It was only in Allison that I found solace for the loss of my father.

"My grandparents, meanwhile, were rushing to come up. There was no luck, however, for any tickets before the ones that they already had. The Christmas season was, of course, a time of travel as well as celebration. They called us a few times, or rather, called Allison's house from where the message was relayed to us. I gave Allison's parents messages to send back, but could hardly focus on anything but waiting for my mother to finally get up out of the bed.

"But my wishes were in vain. My mother wasn't destined to get up from that medical bed. On the evening of the second day, while Allison and I were sitting in the waiting room and half asleep in one another's arms, an alert paged over the intercom. I looked up and about me, my nerves surging upwards, as Allison waited for me to explain what was going on. I told her that I didn't know, but I didn't like it. A page came down the hallway to us some fifteen minutes later and informed us that Rebecca Ellis-Ishara had just passed away. My body didn't react for at least an hour. I could only stare, completely shocked at the news. Allison's head rested against my shoulder for the entire night, and by the morning, my shirt was nearly translucent. When the light came in on us, I took my turn at releasing my grief. Allison was an incredible person, I realized then. My arms held her so tightly, knowing that I never, ever wanted to lose her from my life like my parents.

"We both fell asleep in the waiting room a couple hours later. When the evening came, we finally stirred and rose up. I knew I had to look terrible and Allison's hair, for the first time, looked as unkempt as mine. I had to laugh at us, sitting there after three days without moving except for occasional trips for food or the restroom.  But I just as soon remembered the reason that we had put ourselves through such a rough time. I felt new tears, somehow manufactured, springing forth. Allison couldn't see me, but her hearing was acute enough to hear my silent sobs and she quickly hugged me again. She told me again and again that it would be all right, that I'd find a way to get by. Then she told me to listen to a song she'd thought of while we had been sitting there for the past two days. She sang for me, the last song that I ever heard grace her lips, and it has always been branded in my mind. It's been the last tribute that Allison gave to me." Ivan rubbed his eyes on his shoulder, taking another deep breath. Then, in a voice that was audible only to Maddie, Ivan began to sing:

All of your life you have been learning,

Every kinda way to get ahead.

You've got to build yourself a future,

Those are the words your daddy said.

Now there is another calling,

It's telling you to change your mind.

Tells you to finding leads to loosing,

Tells you losing lets you find.

Yeah, losing lets you find!

Turn it over, turn it 'round,

Raise the humble and free the bound.

Down is up and up is down;

This world looks different to you,

When you're flying upside down.

Maddie watched her beloved sing the words that his mentor had taught him five years ago. She had never before heard Ivan's full explanation of what had happened to his family, only that his parents had been taken from him. She had never heard of this Allison figure, either. But when Maddie heard Ivan singing her last song, she knew that the girl Ivan described must have been an angel of the heavens above them. Maddie wished intensely to be able to meet the girl Ivan spoke of. She would be honored to be in the presence of someone who had done so much for him. She felt a tinge of jealousy that Allison could do so much more than she herself could, but remembered that she hadn't been given the opportunity. As she listened, she felt the resolve to, for Ivan's sake, carry on what Allison had brought into his life: love, courage, and faith.

The bottom line to your survival,

Is you better take care of number one.

You don't want to hurt somebody,

But you're gonna do what must be done.

Now there is a message on the wire,

And you've ignored it in the past.

It says the least will be the greatest,

It says the first will be the last.

Yeah, the first will be the last!

Turn it over, turn it 'round,

Raise the humble and free the bound.

Down is up and up is down;

This world looks different to you,

When you're flying upside down.

Ivan's eyes continued to stare at the chair in front of him, hardly able to face the girl beside him as the emotions of his childhood overwhelmed him once again. It had been so long since he'd even thought of the red-haired girl that changed his life around so drastically when his parents were taken from them. When he was little, he'd always been a bit confused about how he had felt for Allison. She was certainly his friend, but their connection often made him think that there was something else there. It was when she sang this to Ivan for the first and only time, sitting with his face tear-streaked in the waiting room, that their relationship became almost painfully clear to him. Allison loved him as a friend, as a sister and, in the brief moments of her song, he could tell that her heart loved him as if he was her very own son. He sensed her undying love in those words. It also dawned on him then that Allison would not sing to him again. Her words that night were her last benediction to Ivan. She must have known, subconsciously, that their connection was about to be severed by the tragic trail of events. Her life led her back to the east coast, to where Ivan could not follow her. Ivan refused to accept this truth at the time, but it had become clear after her song that, regardless of how he felt, she was right. Ivan could feel the water in his eyes would not be held back, but he forced himself forwards into the final verse of his former companion's last sanction.

Every day is like a contest,

Gotta win the war and save your pride.

You learn to beat the competition,

You learn to smash the other side.

Now there is another game plan,

Losers win and winners lose.

The risk is high, the end is higher,

And you can play if you choose.

Yeah, play it if you choose!

Turn it over, turn it 'round,

Raise up the humble and free the bound.

Down is up and up is down;

This world looks different to you,

When you're flying upside down.

Ivan lifted his hand from Maddie's, trying to mask his tears from her. He was surprised, however, as her arms wrapped around his neck as best they could in the airplane's seating. Ivan's hand dropped to Maddie's waist as Maddie brushed her face against his comfortingly. Clenching his eyes shut against the brown-haired girl's neck, Ivan's pain of loss that had been sealed for years was released against her. Maddie cried, too, as she did her best to help comfort her boyfriend.

Ivan's sobs gradually slowed, mercifully stopping another ten minutes later. Shaking his head as to compose himself, Ivan lifted his head from Maddie's shoulder and smiled at her. "My grandparents showed up then," He told her as his voice steadily regained its strength, "All four of them and the rest of Allison's family. Grief was heavy upon them all when they heard the news from us, and everyone insisted that they hug me and try to comfort me. In truth, I had gained a type of peace already from the sacrifices that Allison made for me. In those three days, she gave me love and care that could only come from a friend, a sister, and even a surrogate mother. That was my last Christmas on Earth, and on that day Allison Mews gave me the greatest gift she could." Ivan smiled slightly in spite of the sad moment. Maddie continued to rub her hands along the boy's back, shoulders, and neck while her gaze stayed steady on him.

"I'm sorry," Maddie whispered, "I'm sorry you had to go through all that. But it sounds like you had a perfect person by your side for the whole time. I'm really grateful Allison was there for you." Ivan smiled over at her, his sly demeanor shining through for a brief moment.

"I guess so," Ivan said in reply, "But I bet you would have loved to be in her place." Maddie blinked, and then looked down in an effort to hide the rush of jealous blood in her cheeks. Ivan's finger gently lifted her chin to look back at him, only to feel his lips kiss hers. "Don't feel left out, Maddie," Ivan whispered in her ear after breaking away, "You're exactly the kind of person she was singing about. You're the person that she knew was going to come into my life."

"I am?" Maddie asked quietly. Ivan nodded, rubbing his cheek against hers.

"She said in her song that 'finding leads to losing.' Over the ten years that I was lucky enough to live with them, I found just how much I could love two people. I surpassed that love every day, too. As a result, it was fate that I should lose them. But Allison also sang to me that 'losing lets you find.' She knew then that I was going to find someone new in my life, someone who I could love with all my heart. And it is because I lost my parents that I had the great fortune of meeting you. Where Allison got her great insight, I know not, but I have thanked her every day for giving me that ray of hope that carried me through until I arrived in the Digital World. I know find even more meaning in her words as I see who I have in my life now." Ivan paused, kissing Maddie on her forehead gently. Maddie smiled at the boy beside her, a love she hadn't felt before running swiftly through her veins.

"Who you have in your life finds more meaning in each day because of you," Maddie replied. She pulled Ivan's forehead to rest against her own, her eyes glimmering despite the darkened atmosphere of the airplane cabin. "And in each day they find even more reasons to love you." Her lips met with his once more, holding Ivan tightly with her arms woven around his neck. Ivan brought his free arm slowly up the girl's back, running his fingers gently through her long brown hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Ivan's other arm, still pinned beneath Ryan's head, made no effort to move in any way except to better cradle the young child. Maddie pulled her head back after a minute, then nuzzled her head against Ivan's neck. With a pleasant sigh and her arms draped lazily about her boyfriend's shoulders, she whispered, "I love you, Ivan."

"I love you too, Maddie," the boy whispered as he laid his head against hers, "And thank you for being the answer to all my hopes." Maddie giggled against Ivan's neck.

"I didn't do anything," Maddie insisted. "Neither of us did. Life has simply let us find each other after losing so much. Allison truly did have celestial insight." Ivan nodded.

"But I still love you, Maddie," Ivan said in reply, "And you are the angel in my life." Maddie could only hug the boy tighter with her arms. She wished she could stay awake in the moment with Ivan forever, but she could tell her consciousness was fading quickly.

"Just so long as you know," Maddie said before being interrupted by a yawn, "That you're the answer to everything I've ever wanted. You're the guardian angel that I've always wanted in my life." Maddie's hands then slipped slowly from Ivan's shoulder, resting at last about his waist, as she fell asleep against Ivan.

Ivan smiled at the sight of Maddie's serene face lying on his shoulder. Kissing her forehead, Ivan placed his head atop hers once again. With one arm about his son and the other around his girlfriend's waist, Ivan let himself wander into sleep along with the rest of his family.

A beeping alerted Ivan at that moment. Bringing up his arm from Maddie's waist, Ivan grinned at his watch. Ivan placed his arm back around the small of Maddie's back as he shut his eyes again.

"Merry Christmas," Ivan whispered.

(And I am done. Maybe the ending's rushed, but I'm thinking it works. In fact, it's probably all rushed so everything feels out of place. Oh well. I also put Ken's lyrics in the song outright, though they're recognized here as coming from Allison. Artistic license, I guess. The credit initially goes to Ken, who made the song. Whether or not that came off with the emotion that I wanted it to I have no idea, so give me some feedback and tell me how it made you feel. Now my book rings in the New Year and, with Chapter 10, we're in January. Bet you all can't wait, especially because TK and Kari are back on the scene. If you want it, give me some feedback; the more there is in my review column, the more energized I am to write. So with that, let me hear it and I'll be back soon!)