"Okay kids, hold hands and don't pull your little bother to hard!" Siobhan yelled as she watched her kids get on the skating rink. It was two days before Christmas and the whole MODE building was on vacation until the first of the year. A day in central park was just what the Doctor ordered. She had been working impossible hours and had very little time to spend with her kids. Leaning against the railing she watched as her kids scooted around the rink while trying to get their footing. Times like these was when she missed her husband the most. He loved the holidays, the dressing up for parties and watching the kids open their presents in delight. He would have loved the house full of kids she had now.
Hearing her cell phone ring she moved away from the rink an answered it. " Siobhan Johnson"
"Mrs. Johnson. This is Officer Calasky, I have some bad news for you"
Daniel rushed into NYPD and looked around frantically. Siobhan had called him an hour ago crying, saying she was down at the precinct and she needed his help. Walking into the waiting room he saw all the kids sitting watching TV. "Abigail"
"Mr. Meade!" Abigail said and stood up. He watched at the teenager ran a nervous hand through her hair and tugged her jacket around her. "Moms in a bad way."
"what happened did she get arrested?" he asked hoping she hadn't, though he couldn't imagine why she would be.
"We were at the ice rink, mom got a call." Abigail quickly wiped away a tear and took a deep breath. "our house burned down. There's nothing left."
"oh my God" he said and pulled the girl to him hugging her close, when he saw the other kids looking he held his arms out for them and hugged them as well. "where is your mom?"
"She's talking to the police, They said it was a faulty wire. We plugged to many lights into the outlet…" Carina said and turned towards the door as Siobhan came out, wiping the tears from her face.
"Siobhan" he said and let go of the kids. "they told me what happened"
"Every thing is gone… everything." Daniel caught her in a hug as she sobbed. He had only known Siobhan and her kids for a few months but he felt as if it were his family that had been affected. Running a hand down her hair he leaned back and looked at her,
"Don't worry we will get this all figured out."
At around one in the morning Siobhan sat in Daniels apartment sitting on his bed, drinking a hot cup of tea. He'd brought them to his three bedroom apartment and pulled out all the blankets and sleeping bags he could find. She'd told him several times that she could get a hotel room but he had insisted that she stay with him until her house could be rebuilt or she found a new place. Looking up she gave him a week smile as he walked into the room.
"how are you holding up?" he asked and sat on the bed next to her.
"okay, I just can't believe everything is gone." picking up a pillow she hugged it and swallowed a sob.
" I've been shopping for their Christmas presents for months, and all the pictures and Clothes. Every thing"
" those things can be replaced, did you have the pictures backed up?"
"I post every picture on my Facebook. But I had baby clothes and birth certificates, pictures of my husband and their parents" wiping away her tears Siobhan took a deep breath. " I can't afford to replace everything and the house can't be rebuilt until I get the insurance check, and we might not even get that!"
"Don't worry about it, there are perks too working for a very rich man" he said and rubbed her arm. Siobhan put her hand over his and shook her head. "don't say no, if you need help, I'm going to help. I would have done the same thing for Betty or any one in her family. Heck I do believe I helped pay for her sisters wedding"
"ha" Siobhan chuckled and leaned on him. "I have to go shopping tomorrow. And if were going to stay here you have to get a Christmas tree. The kids would just die if they got up and Santa didn't have a tree to put the presents under."
"okay, How about you give me a list of the things you got them and I will go out and buy some more, while you guys get another tree"
"Sir" she started but he squeezed her shoulder.
"I think you can call me Daniel now, you are living with me" smiling at him she sat up.
"okay then Daniel… Don't worry about getting them presents I have a little money in my account I can get them some more, plus I know you already have presents for them."
"No I want to, plus mom said she was going to be bringing some things by tomorrow for the girls." he winced when she swung around and glared at him, she was almost as good as Alexis, and Betty when she did that.
"you called your mom? Oh MY God, did you call betty too?"
"well…. No… see she's still laid up from having the baby so I didn't want her rushing out here, I thought I would wait until later to call her?" He said and looked down at his hands "Look I know your mad, but I wanted the kids to have a good Christmas, and I know my mother loves kids so I called her and she said she had lots of stuff for the girls"
"No, that means she's going to go buy a lot of stuff for the girls!" Siobhan said and stood up "Gah! Do you know how long its going to take me to pay you back for everything you've already done? I can't afford to pay your mother back too!"
"Siobhan" Daniel said standing and putting his hands on her shoulders "Calm down, you don't have to pay us back anything. I just want you guys to have a good holiday."
Siobhan sat back down in a huff, things were really screwed right now. He watched as she hugged the pillow to herself again and when her shoulders stared shaking he puller her into his arms. He refused to allow her and the kids not to have a good Christmas. Absolutely refused.
In the early hours of Christmas morning Siobhan sat in the middle of Daniels living room looking around at the mess of wrapping paper and boxes. She had spent most of the night wrapping presents and sifting through the things that Claire had brought by. While she loved Claries efforts, some of the things were just to much for her girls. Like the four hundred dollar D&G boots that she had gotten them and the Armani watches she had gotten the boys. Those things would be put away for a later date when the kids were older.
She stood and stretched out the kink in her back. Sighing she toed the mess of wrapping paper and shook her head, she glanced over at the couch and decided to lay down and close her eyes for a while.
Siobhan woke up later and looked around, she could hear muffled laughs from the kitchen and she could smell the bacon cooking. Sitting up she noticed that someone had cleaned up the mess. Standing she smiled and walked into the kitchen to see Daniel cooking breakfast wearing a Santa hat while the kids sang Christmas songs and sipped hot chocolate.
"Merry Christmas my munchkins!" she said happily and ruffled Alex's hair.
"Mommy!" he exclaimed and hugged her "SANTA CAME!"
"I see that baby" she leaned over and kissed her kids as she walked around the table and sat in the only other empty chair at the head of the table. "how long have you guys been up?"
"about an hour ago" Abigail said and set down the book she had been reading "Mr. Meade insisted on cooking breakfast even though me and Carina said we could."
"and like I said I don't mind." she looked up to see him walking over to the table with a platter of bacon and pancakes "you all deserve a break"
"thank you" she whispered and looked down the table at her children, At sixteen and fifteen Abigail and Carina were a lot more responsible then they should be. Anna and Amie at ten and nine were still oblivious to what was going on though they felt the pain, she shielded them as much as she could. Austin and Tyson her twins at six were always happy as long as there was food and spider man was on TV. And her baby boy Alex was just happy his mom was home.
"so did you sleep well?" Daniel asked her as he took a bite out of his pancake,
"I did, I was up most of the night… helping Santa… but I got a few hours sleep" she smiled at him "thanks for cleaning up the mess"
"No problem" he said and winked at her. Her stomach did flip flops and she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. Taking a big bite she tried to hide her blush.
Three hours later they were all sitting in the living room surrounded by wrapping paper, toys, boxes, clothes and way to many cosmetics for Siobhan's taste. Hearing a knock on the door Siobhan said she would get it and stood to open it when it opened and a short man came in "Daniel !" he called out and stopped short when he saw Siobhan "oh hello."
"Can I help you" she asked and was cut off as several other people came in. They looked like a family and seeing the resemblance she smiled "you must be betty's family"
"yes" the man said and stuck out his hand "Ignacio Suarez."
"Siobhan Johnson, Daniel new assistant… and well roommate for the time being" Turning she smiled as Daniel came into the room and pulled them all into hugs.
"Its good to see you" he said and she watched as he chatted happily with the family for a few moments before she excused her self.
Walking back into the living room the told the children to quickly pick up their stuff and put it away. Daniel had guests. She turned to see Mr. Suarez smiling at her and her family " you have a beautiful family, Mrs. Johnson"
"thank you" she replied and ruffled Austin's hair as he passed by. "Why don't you guys get comfortable while I get some drinks?"
"no, no. Daniel told us why you're here why don't you relax. We came by to cook for dinner, its become a tradition of sorts." Mr. Suarez said and stopped when Daniel came into the room.
"Betty used to drag me to their house for holiday dinners so I decided that we should start switching off, but I forgot it was my turn" he said and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
"See we knew you would Daniel" a tall skinny young man said as he came into the room "We brought the groceries."
Siobhan smiled at how the two other men picked on Daniels forgetfulness. It seemed that even if Betty was gone he was essentially still apart of their family. "I'm Justin"
"Siobhan" she said and then looked down at her feet suddenly realizing they were all dressed for the day and she was still in her pajamas. "If you'll excuse me. I have to make sure the kids are being good and get dressed"
They all nodded and as she walked down the hall she felt an arm on her shoulder. "If its to much I can ask them to go home" turning she shook her head at him.
"No, no its alright, I just need to get changed. Besides it will be nice to get to know the family that shaped Betty" she touched the hand on her shoulder and then walked into the room she was staying in. It was looking to be a good Christmas.
