A/N: Wow, it's been a long time. I figured since it's no longer even close to Christmas, I'd better come back and finish my Xmas fic. I hope I still have some readers left...

Well, here's the final chapter. I really hope you like it.

Scrooged: Mediator Style

Chapter 7: Pumpkin Pies Galore!

My finger pressed tentatively on the doorbell, and it rang, singing out a low note. Inside, I could hear people talking, laughing. I wasn't sure I really felt like laughing yet, but I knew I had to come.

I shifted the pie in my hands uncomfortably as I waited for the door to open.

Finally, someone appeared at the door. "Suze," she said in disbelief as she let me in. "I didn't think you were coming." She sounded glad that I had though.

I handed her the pumpkin pie I'd spent all afternoon making, which she thanked me for and set on an already full table, and hugged her. "Hi, Cee," I said happily. And I wasn't faking it either. I really did feel happy. "I've missed you."

She laughed. "Suze, it's only been a day since I saw you," she pointed out.

Had it really only been a day? I couldn't remember. Yesterday seemed like years ago.

I laughed too, and it sounded so right. It didn't sound fake and out of place as it had last year at this time. Or even just yesterday. I really had come a long way in the past 24 hours, I realized, thinking of the three Spirits.

Cee Cee led me into the house and introduced me to her family and friends, whose names I quickly forgot—there were so many of them.

Halfway through the introductions, Adam came and gave me a hug. "Suze!" he said. "I knew you'd come!" I smiled and hugged him back.

"Merry Christmas," I told him.

"And a Merry Christmas to you, too, Suze."

I looked around the room at all the people who were here. There were still a lot of people to meet, and I wasn't sure I could handle meeting all of them. "Do you need any help in the kitchen?" I asked, hoping to skip the rest of the introductions.

"Well, sure," he said. "If you're offering. I'm not a great cook, and the bird is giving me some trouble. It's like it's mocking me or something. I put it in the oven for a whole hour and it was still frozen."

I smiled happily. Same old Adam. "Did you remember to turn the oven on?" I teased.

"Of course I—" He paused. "Let me check." He walked into the kitchen, and I followed him, laughing. I was surprised how much I'd laughed in the past few minutes since I'd walked in the door. This is how Christmas was supposed to be, I remembered.

We walked into the kitchen, where it was a lot quieter. It also smelled strongly of cinnamon. A minute later, I found out why. A tray full of gingerbread men had just come out of the oven and was cooling on the counter.

I looked around the rest of the kitchen. There was a small stove in one corner, and a pot was simmering merrily upon one of the burners. Besides the gingerbread men, foods such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, and several pies—I guess I wasn't the only one to think to bring a pie—decorated the counter. The sink was clean rather than littered with dishes like mine. The oven was on the far side of the kitchen from where I was standing.

I walked over to the oven and opened the door. There was a large goose—will the A Christmas Carol references ever stop?—sitting inside it. Not surprisingly, very little heat greeted me when I opened the door. Sure enough, the oven was off.

"Adam, did you press this button?" I asked, pointing to the power button.

"Well, I suppose I probably did after I took out the gingerbread cookies…Oh. Oops."

I laughed again and pressed the button. "Problem solved," I announced happily as I closed the oven door.

"Wow, Suze," Adam said sarcastically. "You're a genius!"

"Ha ha. That's really great coming from the one who turned the oven off," I retaliated, just as sarcastically.

When we finally stopped laughing, which wasn't for a few minutes, I said, "Adam, I'm really sorry."

"About what, Suze?"

"About how I've been acting lately," I said. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been a little…" I searched for the right word.

"Bah humbug?" Adam suggested.

"Yeah," I said. "That. But I'm going to make it up to you somehow."

"Suze, you've already made it up to me," he assured me. When I raised my eyebrows in confusion, he explained. "You're here," he said. "And that's enough for me."

I smiled and hugged him again. "Thanks, Adam."

Beyond the kitchen door, a sudden bout of laugher rose up, and I pushed open the door, ready to get back to the party.

"Suze!" someone shouted as I walked out the door. A second later, a girl with long dark hair ran up and hugged me.

"Gina!" I practically screamed. "I didn't know you were in town!"

"We have so much catching up to do," Gina announced as she dragged me into the living room. We sat on the couch and talked for a few minutes before we were interrupted by the doorbell.

"Suze," Cee Cee called. "Could you get that? My hands are a little full." She was carrying a stack of more pies into the kitchen. We were going to have a lot of pie.

"Sure," I yelled back.

"I'll go help her," Gina said. "Before she falls over."

I laughed. "Good idea," I said and ran to the door, throwing it open.

"Merry Chr— " The words stuck in my throat as I realized who was at the door. "Jesse?" I said. He was standing there in the cold, and all I could do was stare at him in disbelief. I knew I should let him in, but it seemed as though I wasn't control of my body at the moment.

"Susannah," he said simply. "Can I talk to you?"

"Um…" I said. "Sure." When my mind gained control of my body again, I added, "You wanna come in?"

He stepped into the house and hung his coat on the rack near the door. Then he turned to me, and my heart did a back flip.

"Susannah—"

"Jesse, it's all my fault," I blurted out, cutting him off. I was apparently over my speechlessness. "I should have trusted you, and I didn't. I was just jealous, and I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me and I'm sorry!" I said.

Suddenly I felt like I was going to cry again. What if he wouldn't forgive me? I wouldn't forgive me.

Jesse burst out laughing. Seriously, I pour my heart out and he just laughs his head off. I wanted to smack him. But then again, I probably deserved it.

He was still laughing.

Okay, that's enough. Now I was getting angry.

"I'm—hahaha—I'm sorry, Susannah," Jesse said in response to the irritated look on my face. "It's just that I have no idea what you just said."

Oh. Yeah, well I guess I do talk pretty fast when I'm nervous.

"Jesse, I'm sorry I didn't believe you," I repeated, an abridged and slowed-down version of what I'd just said.

He stopped laughing.

"I know you'd never do anything to hurt me," I added. "And Jesse—"

"Susannah," Jesse whispered, cutting me off mid-sentence. "Querida, I love you."

"I wouldn't forgive me either," I said. "I mean, just because—wait. What did you say?"

"I love you, Susannah," he repeated. "I always have, and no matter what you do, that will never change."

I was speechless. He still loved me. I love you, too, Jesse, I thought. Wait. I should probably tell him that.

"I love you, too, Cadaver Breath," I said, and he smiled.

He reached out and lifted my chin up—he was still so much taller than me, even with my new high heels—with one finger and looked into my eyes. I stared back into his eyes, my heart pounding, and stood up on tiptoe so I could reach his mouth with my own.

There's no telling how long we would have stood there kissing if we hadn't been interrupted. I, for one, could have stayed there like that for the rest of mylife. But a cry of "Awwwww!" came from behind us, and we broke apart. All of Cee Cee's guests were staring at us.

Um…awkward…

I smiled sheepishly and thought how half the girls in the room were probably jealous right now. I grabbed the front of Jesse's shirt and brought him down to my level and started to kiss him again.

His lips were so soft and they molded perfectly with my own. Again, I thought how I wanted to stay like this forever, but unfortunately, we were interrupted again by someone yelling "Dinner's ready!"

My stomach gurgled hungrily, and, hand-in-hand, Jesse and I walked to the table for Christmas dinner.

And suddenly, I was happier than ever before. I had everything that made Christmas so special. I had people who loved me. Friends, family, and, of course, my boyfriend.

Plus, how could anyone be unhappy with all those pies around?

The evening couldn't get any more perfect.

Or, so I thought.

"Querida," Jesse whispered in my ear after I'd eaten. "Come with me."

Of course, I went. Jesse led me out to the balcony, and we both looked up at the stars. "I'm really glad I came tonight," he said.

"Yeah, me too."

"Querida," he said suddenly. I watched as he got down on one knee, and my breath caught.

"Marry me," he said.

I felt my heart explode inside my chest from the sheer joy, and I nodded my head, unable to speak yet again. Happy tears built up inside my eyes as I took Jesse's hand, pulled him up from the balcony, and kissed him deeply.

NOW, the night could not get any more perfect.

A/N: R&R please!!!!