I wrote this when we were at the beach... but I sorta forgot about it. Whoops! Read and review,

Rhyleigh xoxox

Remission.

His cancer had gone into remission. he had been awaiting and dreading the fateful doctor's appointment, but the news had left him overjoyed.

Life was good again. He would not be in and out of hospital, he would be there to watch his daughter grow up, his older children start families of their own. The future that was once slowly moving out of his grasp was back in his own hands.

It really was going to be okay.

"Daddy, when's Santa gonna come?" little Ruby sighed heavily, as Dave draped tinsel over the tree, enthusiastic about Christmas decorations for the first time in years.

"Soon, Rubes".

"When's Mel's baby gonna get here?" the four year old had spent a lot of time with her grandparents and older siblings while Julie and Dave were in the hospital, and had watched as Melissa's stomach expanded, slowly but surely. she would press her hands on the bulge, resting her head against it gently to feel the kick of her future niece or nephew.

"They'll be here soon, baby", Dave promised.

Ruby looked indignant. "Daddy! You can't call me that when it comes! Coz I'm not a baby anymore!"

"Oh, she told you", Ted chuckled, allowing her to crawl into his lap and dropping a kiss to her curls.

Dave had to laugh- when he was first diagnosed, he felt like he was taking everything for granted. But he had learned to appreciate the little things in life- the nightly request for their song from Ruby, the sweet kisses she would press to his cheek. The way Ben treated Melissa like a princess, doting over her every move, while Jake gazed into Rachel's eyes like she was the only person on earth. the way Nathan and Sammy would joke around with Ruby, playing with her when no one else would. The way Ted was so gentle with Ruby, yet able to joke around with the older three. the way how Chel had stepped into his life like she was never missing, able to hold his family together when no one else could. but what he loved most was how Julie would kiss him, the look in her eyes when she said 'I love you'.

"Daddy? Have you seen my white sandals? for when we go out for dinner tonight?"

"I haven't seen them, baby".

"Can I put the star on the tree?"

Dave lifted the four year old into his arms, and she added the star to the top of the tree, a tradition that had been going since Rachel's first Christmas.

"I'm gonna go and find my sandals", Ruby decided, running down the hallway to her princess pink bedroom.

"It's the little things, hey?" Ted chuckled, seeing the look on his son in law's face. "The small things that matter".

Taking a look at the Christmas tree, Dave broke into a grin. There were the ornaments that he and Julie had purchased, but the majority were decorations that the kids had made. the red and green pasta photo frames that held photos of his kids at four- Rachel, perfect blonde curls framing her face, a small smirk on her face, Ben, a smear of mud across his cheek, the cheeky smile that he still possessed threatening to break his face into two, exposing the teeth he had knocked out climbing a tree, and Nathan, his blonde hair floppy and his cheeks red, a grin on his face. by the next Christmas, Ruby's pasta frame would be on the tree, and Dave couldn't wait.

"Wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up!" Ruby bounced up and down in between her parents, squealing excitedly.

"Ruby", Dave complained, "Its five o'clock!"

"There's presents out there, people! Santa came!"

"How about you just lay here with us for a little bit?" Julie suggested, pulling her daughter into her arms. Ruby squirmed, shaking her head.

"No, coz then you'll go to sleep again!"

"Come on, let's go and open some presents", Julie told Dave. "And then maybe she'll get some sleep before the other kids get here".

"Alright". Dave threw his feet out of the bed, taking his littlest girl by the hand. "Come on, Ruby Lou, let's get some presents, alright?"

"Santa came!" she squealed, throwing herself down beside the tree.

Christmas, as usual, was a chaotic occasion. Ruby shrieked excitedly over every present she opened, usually leaving her parents with a headache. but this Christmas, they embraced the holiday season, knowing that there would be a time that she would not believe in Santa Claus. Their older children fussed over their sister, showing her in presents, making the announcement what gender Dave and Julie's future grandchild would be.

"Hey, everybody!" Ben waved his fork in the air, careful not to poke out any eyes. "Everyone, listen up! Mel and I have an announcement!"

There was silence.

"Our baby", he said dramatically, "Is going to be..."

"A boy". Melissa finished her husband's long winded sentence with a smile.

Dave Rafter had had some memorable Christmases in his years on the earth, but he had never had one as amazing as that. he spent it with his family, basking in the joy they shared. he could honestly not imagine a better way to spend the holidays.