Disclaimer: I don't own 7th Heaven.

Colonel John Camden At Your Service

Annie's Vacation

"Are you sure you want to go?" Eric Camden asked his wife as he followed her out of their bedroom.

"My bags are packed and waiting by the door, Lily's gonna be here any minute, and I've given you instructions on keeping the kids, but no; I don't want to go!" Annie threw her hands up in the air and headed down the stairs. Her blonde hair swished as she walked.

"I know, Honey, but..."

"But! But what?" Annie paused on the landing, hands on her hips, staring hard at her husband. She loved the man, but he was being ridiculous. "Now I'm not even allowed to spend some time with my sister, my own flesh and blood!"

"No! No, it's just that, well, you know, it is Christmas," Eric slowly replied to his wife's outburst.

"Eric," Annie stated, "I am perfectly aware of what time of year it is. And I'll be back right after the 1st. Besides, it would only be Ruthie, the boys, you, and me. Lucy and Kevin are going to the Kinkirk's this year. We weren't having a big dinner, anyway."

"You forgot Happy," Eric said evenly.

"What," snapped a frustrated Annie. Did he just bring the dog into the conversation?

"You said Ruthie, the boys, you... "

"OK, OK, I get it. And Happy," Annie interrupted her husband. He was apparently losing it. She might as well humor him at least on this point.

"Look, I just don't see why you have to go now, over the holidays."

"Eric, stop being such a baby! I told you, when Lily called last week and invited me over, I got really excited. You know how much more I miss my Dad around Christmas. It was his favorite time of year. And it certainly didn't help that Ginger called the other day to 'see how the family's doing'. Me and Lily can talk. It'll help. I can share some more memories of my childhood. Memories of Dad that she missed out on." Annie explained, starting to cry.

Eric hugged his wife of twenty-seven years, "I'm sorry, Honey, I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I just miss him so much. So, so much!" Annie sobbed.

"Shhh," Eric comforted her, "It's OK, Annie, look at me, Honey."

She looked up into her husband's loving eyes, "I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't go after all. I'll just call Lily and I'll..."

"No, you're gonna go and have fun," Eric cut her off, "Besides, Lily's already on her way; you can't get in touch with her"

"Car phone," Annie replied.

"Oh, well in that case," Eric paused, "Still, it wouldn't be very nice to have made her drive all this way and then turn around again..." A horn honked in the driveway.

"Especially since she's already here," Eric finished.

"Guess that means I am going after all," Annie said.

"I'll try to be strong," Eric put on his best puppy dog face.

Annie smiled in spite of herself and kissed Eric goodbye.

"Mom, Aunt Lily's here, in case you didn't hear her beating on that horn," Ruthie called coming down the stairs.

Annie ran up to Ruthie and kissed her forehead, "Bye, sweetie." She glanced around, "Where are the boys," she asked anxiously.

"Here we are, Mommy," David said as he and his twin entered the foyer.

"Bye, my babies," Annie kissed each of her youngest children.

"We're not babies anymore, Mommy," David stated.

"Yeah, we're six, now," Sam agreed.

"Big boys," the twins said in unison.

Annie smiled and kissed them both again. Her children were growing up so fast. Soon, the last of them would be out of the house and it would be just her and Eric. She shook her head. She didn't want to think about that. Besides, the twins were still little, no matter what they thought. Being in first grade wasn't all that old.

"Bye, kids; bye, Honey; I love you all!" She walked toward the door, as Lily blew the horn again.

"Bye, Mom," Ruthie called.

"Bye-bye," the boys yelled.

Eric smiled and waved goodbye.

"I'm going over to Peter's, now," Ruthie told her father as soon as the front door closed behind Annie.

"Hold it, Missy," Eric halted his teenaged daughter. "How about 'Dad, may I please go to Peter's, now?'"

"Sorry, Dad. May I please go to Peter's, now? It's for homework!" Ruthie begged.

"I'm so sure," Eric mumbled.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Go ahead; beat it. Have fun."

Ruthie kissed Eric's cheek, "Thanks, Dad, you're the best!" She left the house.

Eric watched her go, inwardly sighing. They gave that girl entirely too much freedom. She practically lived at Peter's house and vice versa. And at only sixteen. It was ridiculous. But, at least they were trustworthy.

"Well, boys, I guess it's just you and me," Eric turned toward Sam and David.

"Let's play LEGOs," Sam suggested.

"No, let's ride our bikes," David argued.

"My LEGOs are better than bikes!"

"No, bikes are better!"

"LEGOs!"

"Oh, no," Eric looked heavenward, "Please, not again. Their fighting phase is starting to bug me..."

"LEGOs!"

"BIKES!"

CRASH

Eric jerked back from his prayers.

"Uh-oh!" the twins ran upstairs.

"Oh, poop!" Eric cried going to pick up the pieces of yet another broken lamp.