Since I got a good deal of positive reviews, here's the next chapter. I might post one more before the night is over since I don't have to work tomorrow. I do not own VA. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Christmas-time is near

RPOV

I had managed to get all the shopping for Christmas done, along with plenty of gifts for Alex. Alex had come home, excited about making new friends on his first day so quickly. I was proud of him and I knew Dimitri would have been too. I made dinner (yes I actually learned to cook) and we ate at the table for the first time since moving. We talked about decorating the tree after dinner and the plans for the rest of the week. The hole in my heart that Dimitri left was slowly closing.

After he swallowed his last bite of his dinner, he looked at me and asked eagerly"Can we start decorating the tree Momma?", giving me the puppy-dog look. He knew I couldn't resist that.

"Put the dishes in the sink to soak and I'll get the lights and ornaments out. I don't want any broke. I just bought them." I said, rolling my eyes. I had left all the decorations with Lissa since we shared a great majority of them while I lived at court.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" he almost shouted. He jumped from the chair, nearly knocking it over.

He started on his chore right away as I got out of my own seat and got the tree and decorations ready to be set up in the corner of the living room. I turned to go get an extension cord and nearly got toppled over by Alex running into the room. Luckily I still had my quick Guardian reflexes.

"Woah! Gotta watch it there Alex. Almost knocked me over."

"Sorry Momma. So can we start now? I put the dishes in the sink and put them in hot water to soak."

"Good job. Yes we can start just as soon as I get an extension cord. Wait here."

"'Kay." he said, sitting down on the floor to wait. I smiled and took to the steps two at a time and turned the corner just at the top of the steps, jogging into my room, trying to be quick so that Alex wouldn't get too impatient. I owed him that much for being so well behaved. I grabbed the cord from my closet.

I usually tried to avoid getting into the top shelf of the closet, seeing as how that the box of memories from the academy and court, were also stored there, but this time, however, it managed to catch my eye. I blinked a few times to try to keep the tears from falling. Try as I might, one tear escaped and fell down my face before leaving the room.

A few hours later.

The tree was up and Alex was fast asleep at the base of it, tired from the excitement of the day and getting to decorate the tree. I gently picked him up and carried him up to his room to put him to bed. Luckily he had changed into his pajamas before dinner so all that he needed was tucked in. I gave him a kiss on the forehead and went to shut off his light. Before I could though, something caught my eye. On his desk, in his still shaky handwriting was a letter to Santa, asking Santa to bring his daddy back for Christmas.

I shut off the light and quietly shut the door. Before going to bed, I shut off the lights around the house and got into my own pajamas. As I lay down for the night, I couldn't help but cry just before letting my mind slip into a restless sleep.