Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or concepts of the Lux or Origin Series. This is all JLA. I'm just lovingly playing in the sandbox for fun.
WARNING: THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR "THE BRIGHTEST NIGHT."

"Here," the small female voice squeaked beside me. A box of crayons clattered onto the coffee table, her little hand spreading out the myriad of colors.

"Thanks," I said, trying my best to sound cheerful, rearranging my legs so I could sit cross-legged on the floor. I picked up a white crayon she had rolled over to me, wondering why the hell they'd pick a snowman for a kid's coloring book. Wasn't every snowman white, because, you know...snow? Who invented white crayons for white paper anyway? Whatever.

I glanced to my right finding Ashley digging through the pile of color. Her tongue stuck out as she carefully sifted through the crayons. She was on a mission to find just the right shade.

"Got it," she yelped, her black springy curls bouncing as she held up her find. Then she got back to work, scribbling away at the page.

Man, I wished I could conjure up that energy. I don't know how her parents chased Ash around all day. Speaking of parents, I briefly looked over at Bethany. She sat on the chair closest to us, ever vigilant. Well, and not that I could honestly blame her considering all the shit that went down since we rolled in from Columbia, Maryland. Our group's arrival had altered everyone's lives in Zone 3, my own included.

"Will you please take that off of him? I think he hates it; don't you, little man?"

I turned towards the deep male voice, finding an ever-attentive Daemon Black standing next to his wife and son. Even though Adam was dressed in a red-and-white-footed sleeper, Daemon was still playing with his son's foot like he was trying to adjust a sock. Note to self for the future, baby socks were stupid and got lost all the damn time. That kid, no matter how much Daemon and Kat tried, was always missing a damn sock. I bet he would suggest something absolutely absurd like baby Lederhosen, allowing myself a brief smile at that thought before it slipped to the familiar ache. My chest clenched.

"Nope," Kat grinned down with love at her son, dropping a kiss to his chubby cheek. "It's his first Christmas Eve, so he's gonna wear it. Look at him, doesn't he just look so cute?"

Daemon pinned Kat with a look, but those damn dimples appeared. Man. He really did have a great smile when he wasn't being a douchebag. "Yeah, he does. But—"

"Besides," Kat cut in, "This is my time where I get to play dress-up. Adam's only a little over a month old, he doesn't know what he likes yet—"

"Except he loves his Momma, and I agree with him," the Luxen smiled at his wife, then down at his son cradled in her arms as the tiny Origin squirmed. "But seriously, he hates that damn Santa hat. How about I make you a deal? If you take the hat off, after he goes to bed-" Daemon leaned over, whispering something in her ear that made Kat's cheeks flush bright red. Oh, good, Lord. "So, what do you say, Kitten?"

Katy didn't say anything aloud, but I could tell from her heated stare, and the sudden half-grin plastered on Daemon's face that she mentally, through their bond, probably gave him permission for baby number two.

Suddenly that snowman coloring page seemed like the most interesting thing in the room as my face burned.

God, I could only imagine what kind of wise-ass remark he would have made in response. No doubt, it would have been wildly inappropriate, and they would have had to cover Ash's ears. But, there would have been laughter. He was always so great at finding the humor in everything, especially at the shittiest times.

"Fine," Katy relented, removing the tiny hat from the wiggly infant, revealing a shock of soft black hair. Daemon dropped an arm over his wife's shoulder, peeking at his son with a peaceful look. There was something so beautiful about the three of them, after what they had faced, celebrating their first Christmas together as a family. And they wouldn't have been there if he hadn't been there for Adam's birth. If it wasn't for him, there would be no reason to be discussing an infant Santa hat at all. He had saved their son.

Daemon raised his head and his beautiful full smile fell as soon as our eyes met. I wonder if he was thinking the same thing I was? That if it wasn't for him, their son wouldn't be there.

The tall Luxen's lips formed a tight line, and he nodded. My breath after-effects caught and my eyes burned despite myself. I knew what he was saying with his gaze. He was sorry.

He was sorry. Everyone was sorry about him.

Luc.

I swallowed the lump rising in my throat. You'd think after weeks, I would have gotten used to that look by now. The one of sympathy. The one that said they wished they could do more. And no one ever really understood-well, except Daemon and Katy. They had been separated before not knowing if the other person was safe. And those two had been a lifeline after what happened that night weeks ago. For a while, I was just...gone. And Kat? Even with an infant, she pulled me up by my bootstraps, made me eat and get fresh air. She took the time to distract me while everyone was busy dealing with the after-effects of what happened. Katy helped me try to make sense of my thoughts. Kat listened. She hugged. She let me cry and veg on chocolate. She was a friend.

Then there was Daemon. He started taking me to that abandoned warehouse again, where we worked more on controlling the Source. It was clear, that if there was an attack from whoever, I was invaluable. There was healing in that, that I could be of use. That I could help.

And Hunter. Yes, fucking Hunter. He showed up at the warehouse one day while I practiced with Daemon, and offered to help me more with my Arum abilities. Well, not exactly offered, He kind of just said we were doing it. His theory was since I could do both, and as a special snowflake, I should master both. Though, I knew his other reason deep down. If someone was amped up on the Source, the only thing that might be able to take him-them down-was an Arum.

Their friendship, their guidance, their happily ever afters, had me clinging to hope. And man, I was definitely clinging.

It wasn't like Luc and I hadn't faced hurdles before. Luc had walked out of my life four years ago to make sure I lived. And I...I had just forgotten about him completely.

But I was alive.

I had been saved and betrayed at the same time, given the life and memories of a dead girl in replace of my own. Throughout one fateful summer, I went from a young cancer-stricken, ballsy teenager to become Evelyn 'Evie' Dasher. Not that my old life was anything to write home about. There had been abuse and other atrocities that I was glad I couldn't recall.

Now, for good or bad, I remembered everything. Every heart-wrenching minute with the man that dared to claim to be my father. Every insult. Every punch. Every bruise and cut lip. Every tug on my hair. Every lingering touch on my body made me want to crawl out of my damn skin.

And I remembered that night when Alan wasn't going to stop. Fight and flight kicked in. I remembered scrambling for a knife...and then blood. So much blood. I ran until my legs burned from the strain and blisters covered my heels. I went as far as my scrawny legs could take me before I collapsed. Two days later, a chance meeting with a boy at a pond pointed me in the direction of my future.

To Paris.

To Luc.

Luc instantly found me annoying, and I could understand that. It was typical kid shit. I was his damn shadow and met with serious Luc-level eye rolls. God, he had the most dramatic eye rolls on the planet. I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but we became the best of friends. He was the Clyde to my Bonnie, and we'd been involved in a lot of shenanigans growing up, giving Paris a run for his money.

And somehow over the years, a runaway girl, a Luxen, and an Origin became a real family. Best of all, I finally felt safe. I finally felt loved. It was all so perfect...and then I got sick. At first, Paris thought it was only a case of influenza. Luc joked about me giving him flu cooties, walking away from me with his fingers making a cross. After weeks of fighting whatever took hold of my body, Paris took me to the doctor, where they performed a variety of blood tests. God, I wished it had been the damn flu. But, when we got the call to go to the doctor's office and not the exam room, even as a kid, I just knew it was bad.

Cancer.

Fucking cancer.

I'll never forget the look on Luc's face as he walked through the threshold of the office. He stopped dead in his tracks. His skin went as white as a sheet, his brilliant purple eyes wide as his brows knitted.

"No," Luc uttered so softly I barely heard him. The doctor shot him a funny look, but I knew better. There was no such thing as privacy when Luc was around. He could read minds and have seen what the doctor was going to say. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Why don't you all have a seat," the doctor motioned to the three chairs in front of the imposing wooden desk. I practically dragged a silent, horrified Luc to the chair beside mine and made him sit. "We looked over Nadia's test results, and the CBC test results indicate..."

That's all I heard over the buzzing in my ears.

I didn't cry in the office. I couldn't. Hell, I could barely pay attention to what the doctor and Paris were talking about. I could only concentrate on Luc. His eyes were focused on the floor, his fingers practically breaking the arm of the office chair. Shock. Terror. It was all over his face. And, when he finally raised his gaze to me, there was a set determination in those eyes. He grabbed ahold of my hand, interlacing our fingers before he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He stared the doc down.

"Okay. So, what do we do to make her better? What are the best treatment options and when can we start," Luc asked with steely resolve.

So they talked and strategized while I zoned out, the only thing tethering me was Luc's thumb brushing the back of my hand as they discussed options, stages, and...life expectancy. Chances of survival. Somehow, in all of that, Luc formulated a battle plan because, even at thirteen, he wasn't leaving anything up to chance. He needed control.

Years. Years of failed treatment made me listless and frail, and Luc was always there to help me walk. Treatment twisted up my insides, and Luc was there to hold my stringy blonde hair back when I got sick.

He even tried to heal me himself with no luck, getting more frustrated with each failed attempt. He balanced a precarious line between desperation and grief for too damn long. Hell, he had for most of his life.

There were more than a few times where I was so weak, so close to the brink of death, that I found myself cradled in Luc's arms, my cold, clammy cheek against his warm chest as he whispered to me.

"Nadia...please, you can't leave me," he softly pleaded, his trembling lips moving against my sweat-damp brow. "I need you. I'm not going to let you go."

That was his vow, and I knew he would go to any length to save me. Beg. Barter. Steal. Kill. And he did all of those things multiple times over to guarantee that I lived.

And I did live, and even though that meant we had to be apart for years, we found each other again.

I got to fall in love with him for the second time in my life.

Originally, I had thought it was luck or fate that had brought us back together. My hand tightened into a fist around the crayon in my hand, practically snapping it in two. No, it hadn't been luck that propelled her back into Luc's life. There was no such thing as luck when it came to them.

The Daedalus.

They created all of this heartache. They knew Luc's undeniable love and protectiveness when it came to me. The Daedalus knew I was Luc's greatest weakness; that he'd do anything to keep me safe.

Now, my everything was their everything.

Luc was their Trojan, the ultimate weapon of destruction.

My stomach twisted with nausea at the thought of their hands on him. God, it killed me to think of the last time we were together. When I closed my eyes, I could still see his stunning amethyst eyes fractured with streaks of gleaming white. I could still feel the press of his lips against the corner of mine.

"Never."

Never. The word Luc had uttered so many times as a promise. Now that word clenched my chest with heartache and dread.

That was weeks ago with no word or sightings of Luc. He was out of reach and my mind was in a constant state of panic and pain. Was he alone? Was he with the Daedalus? Was he doing things he'd hate himself for later? Was he still even alive?

He was nowhere. He was just...gone.

To make matters worse, our group knew we were on borrowed time. Eaton had the tunnels leading in from the city sealed up again, not like it mattered. That Daedalus knew about Houston. They knew about Chicago. It was only a matter of time before they came for us. We had to be ready.

But what if….

Dragging in several long breaths, I tried to steady myself, allowing myself to look around the room.

Katy was seated on the blue couch, while Daemon showed Adam the tree decorated with the handmade ornaments made by Bethany and Ashley. Bethany was super crafty and artsy. Katy had been adamant that, even though they were hiding, the kids needed a Christmas. Dawson and Daemon made a supply run, scrounging up some gifts and wrapping paper. The two dads were on a mission, their kids were going to have a decent Christmas. Santa was coming, come hell or high water.

There was no music, no multi-colored lights, no television specials with bullied reindeer...but they had each other.

Serena sat on the other couch, a glass of wine in her hand, making goo-goo eyes at the baby, while Hunter glanced over at her, a slight small on his lips. Yes, Hunter had shown up. Shocker. It was a true Christmas miracle. I quickly realized Hunter would put up with just about anything for Serena, even if it made him wholly uncomfortable. That was...sweet of him, even though he was a prickly asshole most of the time.

Archer was in a recliner with Dee balanced on the arm.

"Can I join you guys," Dee announced, promptly setting herself down on the floor at the table and taking a coloring book for herself. Ashley, whose face was scrunched up in concentration, gleefully shared her crayons with her Auntie Dee, before turning back to her work of art. Ash took her job very seriously. And at Ash's side, as always, was her stuffed llama. It was the one that…

"I wish Uncle Luc was here," Ashley said as she colored, not bothering to look up from the page.

The oxygen and light were sucked out as if an Arum darkened a sealed-off room.

My eyes shut at the mention of his name. It was like a natural reaction now. And, when I opened them, all gazes were averted, finding everything else interesting in the room-except for one pair.

Ashley was staring at me intently. There was so much in those beautiful, brilliant purple eyes, so much wisdom beyond her years, a wealth of secrets.

"This is his present. I colored this just for him."

My hands shook as I took the drawing from Ash's little fingers. With one look, I couldn't help but smile despite myself. I snorted. It was a Christmas Llama. Of course, it was. Why would a llama need a scarf or leg warmers? Ashley even added a pair of sunglasses on the top of the llama's head and its eyes… its eyes were a vibrant purple. It was absurd, and therefore it was perfect for Luc. He would have...he would love it.

In the upper right-hand side, scrawled in green crayon it said To Uncle Luc. Love your only Ashley.

I grinned and Ashley plopped down in my lap, and I was fully aware now we had an audience. I pushed down the rising knot in her throat, forcing my voice to keep steady.

"Wow. You did a great job coloring this. Thank you, Ashley, he'd love this."

The little girl shook her head, her black curls bouncing. Those bright eyes held mine.

"He will love this, Nadia. Will you give this to him? For me?"

My breath caught.

"I will." I smiled at her, giving her a quick hug. As she scooted off my lap, I straightened and stood, taking the drawing and folding it for safekeeping. "I'm...I'm getting tired. I think I'm going to head out."

"Are you okay," Dawson started before I jumped in.

"I'm fine. Just tired. I'll see you guys in the morning."

I quickly walked out the front door, closing it behind me.

It might be December, but it was still pleasant at night. A little nippy, but man, the stars were worth it the chill. I wrapped my arms around myself, making my home across the street, before sensing a familiar warmth on the back of my neck.

"Hey Grayson, didn't want to go to the party?"

The Luxen revealed himself from the shadows, leaning against the side of the house with his hands in his pockets, a Blow Pop in his mouth. He merely raised an eyebrow at my question.

He took out the lollipop and gestured to the folded up paper in my hand. "What's that?"

"Oh, this," I held up the paper. "Ashley colored something for-for Luc. It's...it's his present."

The color leeched from Grayson's face. Everyone had been affected by Luc's absence, but I could tell that it changed Gray. He was usually quiet, and when he wasn't, he was a brooding asshole. But, since Luc...left...he'd been there for me, even if it was just to have someone around.

I turned, making my way down the driveway toward the lonely cottage, knowing Grayson wasn't far behind.

"You sure you don't want to stay with Emery and Heidi," he muttered.

"How many times have we gone over this, Gray," I said over my shoulder. "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine. I'm a big girl."

A hand clamped on my shoulder, stopping me right before the front door. "But you're not fine. I know you're not. I know what you do when you go home-"

Shit. I thought I had kept that secret. Wait, how did he know? God, Grayson kept moving toward creepy stalker status every day, particularly since everything went to hell. He was watching me like it was his job. Great, so he knew I went home, put on one of Luc's shirts, and buried my head until his pillow, crying until I finally fell asleep...just fucking perfect.

"And I know that you've been working with Hunter on your Arum powers..."

I shrugged Grayson's hand from my shoulder. "And? So?"

"And I know you're going to need to feed again soon."

"What, are you offering," I laughed and my smile slipped. Holy shit. He was. He totally was. "I'm good...for now...but...I'll let you know. Thank you."

He only nodded, and I watched him turn and stalk away.

"Today's Luc's birthday," I blurted out. Grayson halted, his shoulders tense "Did you know that?"

He glanced at me over his shoulder. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

"I wasn't sure if anyone else remembered," I sighed. "It's the first birthday since we got back... together. I should have been planning a party, but instead of that, I'm planning a..." I shook my head, finding Grayson now right in front of me. "I'm getting him back, Gray."

Grayson soughed, shaking his head. "Too dangerous. Luc would kill me if we let you go after him. Plus, we don't even know where he is or what kind of shape he's in. God forbid if he hurt you..."

My mind went back to Ashley's words; He will love this, Nadia. Will you give this to him for me?

Ashley had a creepy way of knowing things. Had she seen something? Did she know I was going to see him again soon?

Tears filled my eyes as I turned around, taking two shaky steps to the entrance.

"Are you sure you're okay being alone," he asked again.

"I'm fine, Gray," I repeated with my back to him. I couldn't let him see how upset I was or he'd never leave. "Merry Christmas. Have a good night." I stepped inside before locking the door behind me.

I wandered to the bedroom and got ready for bed, pulling on a pair of fleece pajama pants and one of Luc's shirts. It was black and said 'Sarcastic comment loading, please wait.'

Tugging down the blankets, I crawled into bed, laying on my side facing Luc's. His was by the door, always in between me and potential danger. The sudden slight tingle on my neck meant Gray was nearby, probably patrolling around the outside of the house. He was doing what Luc would want him to do-keeping me safe.

"Hey," I spoke, facing Luc's side of the bed. I closed my eyes, trying to send him what I was thinking and feeling as if there was some sort of magical bond between us. "I-I miss you. I miss you so much...I don't know how much longer I can..."

There was no stopping the tears that started to flow. And every night, I tried to tough it out, but no matter what, it almost always ended in body shaking sobs. They were the ugly kind that released weird, throaty gasping cries and made your eyes puffy the next morning.

He will love this, Nadia. Will you give this to him for me? He will love this, Nadia. Will you give this to him for me? He will love this, Nadia. Will you give this to him for me?

Ashley's words were on repeat in my mind. He will love this. Will you give this to him for me? There had been such resolve in her steady little voice and her gaze like she knew there was more than a chance. No, there was a promise in her words. There was hope.

I thought back to the thoughts that wandered into my mind back at Dawson's house. All the things that Luc had sacrificed for me. All the times he had saved me. All the times he healed me both literally and figuratively. Luc gave up everything for me-and it was time for me to give up everything for him. Because he was my everything.

"Happy Birthday, Luc," I whispered into the darkness. "I promise, this is going to be the only one you will ever have without me. I love you. I love you so much, and Ashley is right; I will see you soon and I'm going to give you that ridiculous llama picture your sweet little niece made just for you. And I know you're going to love it. Me and you? We don't give up on each other. Ever. I'm going to find you and I'm going save you for once...because I'm your everything and you are mine. We're cheese and bread. And I swear on my life, Luc, I will find a way to bring you back to me. I don't care what I have to do, or what lengths I'm going to go to. It doesn't matter. I am willing to do anything to bring you home. I will fight for you and I am going to let you know once and for all that you are worthy. No matter what Nancy or Dasher did to you, told you, or made you feel about yourself, you are worthy. You are not a monster. You are my best friend. You are the only person I care about, the only person who will ever have my heart. And because of that, because of all the ways, they've tried to ruin us...," I promised, my hands balling into fists in the sheets. She would end them all with her bare hands. They were all going to pay. "The Daedalus will never have control of you again. I swear to you, Luc. They will never take you again. Never."