It was Christmas day and the remaining Mercer brothers had a special guest. Sadie Rivers had decided to stay there for Christmas, since she didn't really have anyone else. She also wanted to get to know the brothers her fiancé had loved so. Bobby and Angel had continued to work on and stay at their Mother's house. Jeremiah, his wife Camille and their two daughters Amelia and Daniela were also there. Angel's girl Sofi was there as well, since she had been staying there since the night of Evelyn Mercer's funeral. It was the first time in a long time that the Mercer brothers had celebrated Christmas together. Yet, not all of them were there. They had lost Jack just a few weeks before.

The brothers had agreed to give Sadie Jack's most prized possession as a Christmas gift: his guitar. The minute she realized what they were doing, she started to cry. Angel's girl Sofi hugged Sadie, comforting her.

"I figured our little fairy would want you ta have it," Bobby told her, referring to Jack.

Just then, there was a knock on the front door. The brothers tensed. Bobby grabbed his gun and signaled for Angel to cover him. When Bobby looked out the peephole, her found a guy standing on the step. Bobby cocked his gun and cautiously opened the door.

"Who are you?" Bobby questioned through a crack. The guy's dark brown eyes darted from side to side.

"Kaspar. Kaspar Littman," the guy answered, shaking his chin length black hair out of his eyes. Kaspar held a duffle bag in his hand.

"What do ya want and what's in the bag?" Bobby questioned suspiciously.

"My clothes are in the bag and I'm here to see Jack Mercer. This is his Mother's place isn't it?" Kaspar replied. Bobby's eyes softened slightly and uncocked his gun. He had a feeling of déjà vu.

"Yea. This is the Mercer's household. Come in." Bobby opened the door and let Kaspar in. Angel stepped off and retreated back to the couch next to Sofi. Bobby put his gun away with Kaspar's eyes on him, a little nervous.

In the light, Bobby got a better look at this Kaspar guy. He wasn't real tall (about 5'7") but was really skinny. Kaspar had to be skinnier than Sadie. He had a ring on either side of his plump bottom lip and a barbell through the bridge of his nose. Bobby thought Kaspar was a very attractive rocker guy.

"Guys, this is Kaspar Littman. Kaspar these are my brothers Angel and his girlfriend Sofi, and Jeremiah, and his wife Camille and his daughters Amelia and Daniela. And our new friend…"

Kaspar looked into the living room where everyone was seated. He gasped.

"Sadie?" Sadie looked up at him and her eyes grew wide and watery. Bobby was cut off and the brothers looked at each other, slightly confused.

"Oh Kaspar…" she got up and went over to him, hugging him tightly. Kaspar hugged her back. "I should've called you when I found out." Kaspar pushed her away looking around the room, noticing Jack wasn't among the group. Then he looked deep into Sadie's eyes.

"Found out what?" he asked, his voice cracking. Sadie began to cry all over again. A knot was making itself quite apparent in Kaspar's gut. Bobby walked over to Kaspar and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Sit down, man," Bobby said. Kaspar sat on the floor, Sadie following suit. "I'm sorry. But… Jack was killed a few weeks ago."

"No…!" Kaspar cried out, sobbing openly. It appeared to the Mercer brothers that Kaspar here was taking it harder than Sadie had. Sadie held Kaspar as he sobbed into her shoulder, smoothing his hair lovingly.

About an hour later, Kaspar was all cried out and sat rocking himself on the floor. Sadie sat behind him on the couch and his head rested on her knees.

"Now. I have to ask, Kaspar, because I don't know you. But how did you know my little sister?" Bobby asked Kaspar. The brothers smiled fondly as if they could hear Jack whining about the nickname. Kaspar looked up at Bobby.

"You really don't know?" Kaspar seemed surprised. Bobby pressed his lips together shaking his head. Jeremiah and Angel shook their heads as well. "Well." Kaspar seemed a little embarrassed. "Jack is – or was – my… um… Jack was my boyfriend." The brothers were all taken back. Bobby had always teased Jack about being gay but he was FOR REAL? Damn…

"Are you serious?" Angel asked, completely surprised. Both Sadie and Kaspar nodded.

"You knew?" Bobby asked Sadie. Sadie nodded again.

"Jack was with Kaspar long before I came along." Again, the brothers were surprised. Bobby then started laughing.

"Cracker Jack really DID like ass crack and ball sack," he said, remembering their night at the bar. The other Mercers started laughing as well.

"Jacky was a doggie door!" Angel cried still laughing.

"Go, Jacky-O!" the brothers said in unison.

Jack's two lovers just looked at them confused.

That night, after Jerry and his family had gone home and Angel and Sofi had retired to Angel's room for some Christmas fun, Bobby had stopped by Jack's old room, where both Sadie and Kaspar lay on Jack's bed. Sadie held Kaspar just running her fingers through his hair as he cuddled close to her.

"Hey," Bobby said softly coming into the room.

"Hey," they replied in unison.

"You guys gonna be okay for the night?"

"Yea."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like Kaspar," Bobby told him. Kaspar nodded under Sadie's loving hand.

"Thanks, Bobby," Kaspar said. Bobby turned to leave the room. "Jack talked about you all the time, you know." Bobby stopped. "He loved all of you but I think he might have loved you the most. He really looked up to you. If you hadn't taken care of him like you did, he might not have made it as long as he had. I mean, besides your mother." Bobby's eyes watered. "He loved you a lot Bobby. He even liked the nicknames you made up for him. Cracker Jack, Little Sister, Little Fairy. All of it." Bobby was about to cry. He cleared his throat and nodded.

"Well. Good night, you two." Bobby walked out of the room, leaving Sadie and Kaspar alone again.

As soon as Bobby got to his mother's room, he collapsed on the floor at the foot of the bed sobbing. Jacky was gone. His Little Sister. His Cracker Jack. His Little Fairy. He was gone. Bobby hadn't protected him like he always had. He punched the bed over and over again for about an hour before he was all out of tears and strength. Slowly, Bobby pulled himself up onto his mother's old bed.

"Bobby." Bobby could have sworn he had heard Jack's voice. "Bobby." Bobby slowly turned over and found Jack standing there.

"Jacky?" Bobby questioned softly, all choked up again. Jack smiled his smile and nodded.

"You did what you could, Bobby. It's not your fault. I love you, Bobby. I'm safe now. You always protected me. Now you don't have to anymore," Jack told him.

"I love you, too, Jacky-O," Bobby whispered. Jack smiled and nodded again. "I miss you so goddamn much." Bobby choked on a sob.

"I know Bobby. I know." Bobby closed his eyes for a brief moment before looking back at Jack, but Jack was gone. Bobby rolled over, and soon fell asleep.

Kaspar was looking up at the ceiling that Jack used to look at before he fell asleep. He felt more at one with Jack than he ever had before. God, did he miss that boy to death. Jack had promised to call him as soon as the funeral was over. When he didn't hear from him, he called Sadie, but she told him not to be alarmed. She reassured him that Jack would call. A week later, when he still hadn't heard from Jack, he tried Sadie again, and again, she told him not to worry. So, he took her suggestion and waited. But when he still hadn't heard from him the week before Christmas, he called Sadie yet again. This time, there was no answer. Kaspar started to get scared. His best friends – the only family he knew – were now both apparently missing. Kaspar had called around to a few of their mutual friends and learned that Sadie had decided to come to Michigan to look for Jack.

Sadie called Kaspar and told him that she had found Jack's mother's residence and was going to go look for him. She promised to call him as soon as she got there. But then he didn't hear anything more. So, he decided to come to Michigan himself. He finally found the Mercer household late Christmas Eve and decided to come back the next day, when he was sure everyone would be around. He didn't expect to receive the worst Christmas present ever, though.

Kaspar and Jack had been together for a few years now and no one could have been more in love than them two boys. Sure, there was Jack and Sadie, but Sadie knew all about Kaspar, just as Kaspar knew all about Sadie. Hell. They were all super close. Kaspar was thrilled when Jack told him that he had asked Sadie to marry him. Kaspar loved that girl, just as Jack did. He just wasn't into girls. Kaspar rubbed the tattoo on his hand that Jack had approved of. It was Jack's initials. Kaspar rolled over cuddling close to Sadie, who was already fast asleep. She moaned softly, putting her arm over Kaspar. He smiled kissing Sadie's forehead. The least he could do for Jack was take care of his girl and maybe even his family. Yea. That was something Kaspar could definitely do.