Wrapped In Your Love For Christmas

A Christmas Rheese story. Sarah and Connor travel to Michigan to visit Reese's family and then return to Chicago for New Year's. Drama and fluff ensues.

Epilogue

One Year Later

5 days before Christmas

Sarah woke up later than usual, Christmas break had officially begun and she hadn't had to take Nate to school either. Her little guy was now four and had gone onto the next class with Sarah's friend, Emily.

It had been pretty heartbreaking but Sarah knew he couldn't stay her baby forever, especially now that he was showing off quite the temper. Penny and Claire had told her it was normal for him to feel jealous, they gone through it before. The door opened to reveal Connor had made it home before lunch, it had been the last surgery of the year and for the next 3 weeks or so he'd be able to just enjoy his boys and wife.

"Sarah?" His voice echoed in the apartment, toys and shoes were thrown all over, it had apparently not been an easy day with the kids. He found his wife in the main bedroom folding up clothes as Petey trailed in behind him. "Hey babe."

"Hi, I didn't hear you come in." She said with a tired smile.

"Rough day?"

"How did you know?" She smiled again as she welcomed a short kiss. "Nate is with the neighbours. Mrs. Ross offered to watch him for a little while I finished." Connor nodded and then turned to the small crib by the side of the room. Nicky was awake but quiet, Connor picked up the baby and sat beside his wife on the bed, as she told him that Nate had had yet another tantrum.

If you'd ask him, or Dr. Charles who he'd consulted at work about the situation, he would have told you it was normal for the little boy to act out. He'd been the center of attention for 3 years and now his almost five month old brother had practically his parents on call all day.

"I think we should maybe ask Dr. Charles to talk to him?" Sarah suggested as she finished the last of clothing and moved to the boy's room to put it away, Connor followed behind her with Nicky cuddled against his chest.

"He's four baby. He'll grow out of it."

Sarah sighed and sat on Nate's big boy bed. "Can you give him a bath? I'm going to go get him and get started on dinner."

"I got it, you should lie down for a minute." Connor smiled, thankfully he'd been home early enough to not take advantage of Mrs. Ross and get to spend a little time with Nicky. His son had been born on July 31st, he like Nate had inherited Elizabeth's blue eyes but had barely hair yet, although Natalie had admitted to Connor that she was sure he'd be blonde like Sarah had been as a child.

Connor got the bath ready as Sarah laid back on their bed and tried to rest. Nicky would look at him with those big blue eyes and splash in the small tub as he leaned down and washed his head gently. Just like with Nate, Connor cherished bath time with the boys but he knew his son was going through a rough time, he couldn't relate though, he had been the baby of the family but Gabe and Claire did and they said not to worry, Sarah did though, their child was coming into his own person, one with a Rhodes temper apparently.

He finished bathing the baby and settled him beside Sarah on the bed on top of a towel with Nicky starting to kick softly and Connor made a face which made the baby giggle. Sarah had opened her eyes just in time to see Nicky cuddled against Connor in his reindeer PJ's.

Sarah couldn't remember the last time she had been so tired but her husband, the cardiothoracic surgeon who ran his own Hybrid OR and worked sometimes 20 hour shifts had come to her rescue, just like he always had and made her heart melt by how good a dad he was to their two boys.

She woke up just as Connor was coming back from Mrs. Ross's and got started on dinner. "Mommy, Mommy, look…" Nate came to her. "Daddy and I finished my letter for Santa. He's, going to come soon, isn't he?"

Sarah smiled. "Of course, he is baby, what day is it today?"

"Five days till Christmas?"

"Right, so we're on time." Sarah wrapped him in a hug. "Would you show me your letter?"

Nate nodded and went to grab it from the tree while Connor smirked at her and turned back to finish dinner. Sarah took the letter, which was neatly and clearly written by Connor, she was surprised to read that Nate had also asked for things for Nicky. "Cute huh?" Her husband came in behind her.

"I know, he's a charmer just like you." Sarah pointed out playfully as she melted into him. "Wait, it's too quiet… Nate?"

They looked around and noticed their son and the dog were gone, they walked to the back of the apartment and to the boy's room and found their 4 year old cuddled on a blanket next to his brother's crib.

Sarah felt her eyes water as she felt Connor wrap his arms around her from again. "So much for talking to Dr. Charles, hmmm..." They stayed there for a moment watching their children and then Connor took Nate into his arms carefully and tucked him into his own bed.

Back in their room Sarah got ready for bed after Connor had insisted, he'd clean up after they had dinner alone but he had taken longer than expected, she was about to go look for him when he came in, a strange look on his face. "So, I was thinking…" Connor said, taking a minute to speak as he knelt in front of her. "We could go to the cemetery tomorrow, ask Sophie and Justin to watch the kids?"

"Of course." Sarah smiled. They did it every year together, actually Connor had ever since he was ten, a few days before Christmas, visit his mother.

"Everything okay?" Sarah asked softly. He seemed a little bit more apprehensive about it than he had in previous times.

"Yeah, I just… I'm fine… I just got a call about one of my patients. Rosie, she didn't make it." Sarah had heard about the woman, she was married and had 3 young kids like Elizabeth had been when she had died.

"Baby, I'm sorry." He leaned into her lap.

"Yeah, me too." He said sighing as he closed his eyes at the touch of her fingers into his hair as she kissed his neck.

"Come on, let's get to bed. Tomorrow will look better I promise."

The next morning, they dropped the kids over at Justin's and drove to the cemetery, Sarah held onto his hand as he drove. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." He said into her hand as he kissed it.

She knew he was still affected by the loss of his patient, Sarah thought about it constantly, he would of course have some kind of connection to every person he treated, that was not just any doctor's thing, it was a Connor thing, he would always go above and beyond for his patients.

He carried a bouquet of white roses, his mother's favourites, linking his arm with hers, they walked bundled up together. Connor let go of Sarah after she squeezed his hand and knelt down to face his mother's grave. It was still hard to believe that it had been over 23 years since she had died but it seemed to be more present around the holidays. "Hey Mom." Connor touched the cold stone softly. "I'm sorry we haven't here in a while, life has been a little crazy with the new baby and everything…" He sniffled. "We're spending Christmas with Dad for the first time in five years actually, all of us staying at the house. It's going to be a little weird but I'm guessing it's how you always pictured it."

Connor stood up after talking to Elizabeth a bit longer, Sarah never let go of the grip on his shoulder.

Christmas came and went, Connor and Sarah serving as tour guides for her sister's and parents who seemed to be exc

ited to spend it in a big city, Susan actually had admitted to her children that she spent time in New York a few years before Lilian's birth. Sarah stood beside Connor on Christmas morning, everyone was gathered around the enormous tree in the Rhodes home. Sarah had Nicky in her arms when Nate came running to show her that Santa had gotten him most of the presents, he'd asked for and some for Nicky too. "Mommy, Daddy, look, Santa left a note with one of my presents." Nate said curiously, Connor and Sarah looked at each other as the rest of the family turned around as Connor read it.

Dear Nate,

I am sure you have been a good little boy for your Mommy and Daddy this year. I know it's not easy to get used to your baby brother right away but you will and soon enough he will be the best friend you could ask for. You'll see.

Plus, did you know he was their Christmas present last year?

Be good, always.

Santa

Nate's eyes widened. "Santa knew you were having a baby?" He asked. "He really is magic!" He said in all wonder.

"And he's going to be the best present you'll ever get ever buddy." Gabe said with a smile beside Connor. "Sometimes, you might feel like he takes up a little too much attention but that's because he's so small and so he needs more people to take care of him, even you bud."

Connor nodded his brother's way and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Yeah and he might drive you crazy sometimes, especially when you two grow up, but, one thing is for sure he'll always be there to give you a hug when you need it." Claire added with another smile.

Sarah glanced over at Justin and her sisters who were all gathered around with their kids. She couldn't really picture her life without them either.

"You know? I could get used to the Chicago way." Jess said with a smile as they all brought out breakfast to the main dining room. "I definitely could."

"We'd love to have you Jess. Your room is already cleared out." Sarah mused at her and her sister almost jumped.

"Really? I can't believe you, you guys are the best!"

"I guess Santa is right then?" Sarah said more quietly. "Isn't he?"

"Duh, he's Santa." She giggled as they reached the table.

Connor smiled at his wife. "So, do you realize we'll have an 18 year old living with us in a few months?"

"Yes, free babysitting." Sarah smirked. "Where's your Dad?"

Connor shrugged, his wife eyed him though, to nudge him in search of Cornelius. He did as he was told.

"Dad?"

"Connor?" He found him in his office. "Something the matter?"

"No, uh, we're about to sit." He told him casually. "I just..."

"Came to find me? Made sure I hadn't run off huh?" Cornelius mused.

"No, I…"

"Sarah then…"

"Yeah, something like that." He smiled to himself.

"She's good for you, Sarah, lord knows she reminds me of your mother actually…" Connor didn't answer. "I am sorry son, to you all. I wasn't a good parent, was I? I just never thought, I'd do it alone." Connor froze on the spot. Was he really apologizing for being a crappy parent? He almost wanted to chuckle. "I look at you 3 and see nothing of me, all of it, it's your mother."

"Everything okay?" Claire had peeked her head in before Connor could reply.

"Yeah it's fine." Connor offered and turned back.

"Well it must be a Christmas miracle." Sarah said after he'd told her about what his father had said.

"Must be." He said into her cheek as they walked in the garden after breakfast. "Merry Christmas Sarah."

"Merry Christmas." She smiled as he pulled her into a kiss.

It was the New Year and it had turned out to be as majestic as Claire had promised. Last year Sarah thought, she had all these worries about Robert but as it turned out not even the goddess of Cardio that was Ava Bekker had been able to save him. He had died that spring, with Sarah, Justin and Lilian by his side as well as Connor.

Now, she looked back on it and was thankful to have been able to make peace with it and her father for that matter.

She couldn't imagine having something like that happen between her and her boys or even her and Connor.

She stood there in the living room, ready to ring in the New Year, with her husband and their families mashed together, her baby boy in his father's arms falling asleep while Nate ran around with his cousins. "Hey, there you are." Connor's voice made her turn around. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"This past year I guess." Sarah admitted as he stood beside her, Nicky's rising chest soothing Sarah. "Us, everything."

"Yeah, it was a pretty good one, huh?" He beamed at her. "Thanks for being there babe, with the OR and work and having to get used to having two babies, do you know how amazing you are?"

"You are not so bad yourself Dr. Rhodes. Happy New Year." She said pulling him into a kiss as the clock counted down as she had the year before, soon enough Nate joined them and Sarah picked the little boy up so he could watch the fireworks from the balcony.

Connor looked over at his wife and children, wondering what the New Year was to bring.

Sooo, just a little thing to wrap up the story! Hope you like it!