Disclaimer: I don't own 7th Heaven.

The Planning: Lucy's Life

Lucy hummed a happy little tune as she skipped across her parents' yard toward their back door. She was going to further lead them to believe that her and Kevin were spending the holidays with his family. It was all part of her master plan- Operation: Give Mom the Perfect Chritmas Gift- Her Children. She smiled, reaching her destination and walking inside. She saw her Dad placing PB&J sandwiches in front of her little brothers, who were sitting at the kitchen table.

"Hi, Dad. Where's Mom?"

"Gone."

"Gone! What do you mean 'gone'? How can she be gone?" Lucy panicked.

"Oh, that's right," Eric said calmly. He'd accepted that Annie wouldn't be present for Christmas. "We didn't mention it to you. Your Aunt Lily called last week and invited your Mom to spend Christmas with her. Since you and Kevin were going to his family's we figured it wouldn't have been a full house so we wouldn't have had a big dinner either. So, there was no reason why she shouldn't go see her sister. It's been so long and your mom misses her, and Grandpa. It'll do her good to be out of the house."

"How long will she be gone?"

"She'll be back after the first."

"Of the year?!" Lucy yelled, shocked.

"Uh, yeah," Eric answered, more than a little confused at his near hysterical daughter.

"Oh, no! This is not good, not good at all! What am I gonna do?" Lucy paced around the kitchen, talking to herself, and, eventually, walked out the side door.

"O-K," Eric said when the door shut and he was left in silence.

"Back so soon?" Kevin asked when Lucy stumbled into their home.

"My mom left," she yelled.

"What do you mean, 'left'?"

"She left! She went to see Aunt Lily in Chicago for the holidays!"

"When's she coming back?" questioned Kevin.

"January!" Lucy exploded, "Can you believe that?! Here we are planning this BIG surprise for her and she just up and leaves!"

"You'd better call Matt, Mary, and Simon. Tell them it's off," Kevin logically pointed out.

"Right. I will do that. I just can't believe it's all ruined!" Lucy pouted.

"I'm sure it'll do your Mom good to get out of the house. Maybe you can try again next Christmas to get everyone together," Kevin suggested.

"Oh, great. Way to cheer me up!" Lucy snapped, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some phone calls to make."

Several minutes later, Lucy came running back in the room, "I can't reach them! Matt, Mary, Simon- none of them! Six cell phones and not one is being picked up! Three households, with phones, and I can't get in touch with them!"

"Calm down, Luce. You can try again later. OK. Just calm down," Kevin said, trying to gain control of the situation.

"Easy for you to say!" Lucy yelled, "This isn't fair! Why didn't anyone tell me Mom was leaving before I told everyone to come back? Why am I always the last one to know everything?"

"Still living in that black hole, huh?" Kevin teased.

Lucy glared at him.