"It is December 23, Zane is still four" The voice echoed
"Christmas" Jay said in a merry tone.
"I always loved Christmas" Nya cheered.
"Hurry daddy!" Zak yelled running after his father his feet dragging through the thick snow.
"What are you doing?" Cole asked following the three at a close pace.
"We could never afford a Christmas tree so we would go into the woods and get one." Zane explained.
"Which one should we pick" Julian asked the two. Zane climbed off of his shoulder and started to run around the slue of trees.
"This one!" Zak pointed to a giant pine while Zane picked a fur tree.
"Let's try a big one" he shouted running over to the biggest one that was ten times his size.
"Uhm..." Julian stared at the giant tree, he wouldn't even be able to drag it back to the house.
"How about this one!" he pointed to a spruce tree that was the perfect size.
"Yeah that one!" Zane shouted jumping up and down.
"You two have to back up" he said swinging the axe behind him. The two slowly back away from his dad as he started to hack away, not making much of a dent.
"Hey Zak follow me" Zane whispered into his brothers ear. He agreed and both of them sneaked away without their father even paying attention.
"Where are we going?" Zak yelled behind his brother who tried to keep up.
"The lake!" Zane yelled back. They both ran to the frozen lake where only the snowflakes of the new December morning frost melting off.
"What do you want to do?" Zak asked his brother.
"Tag!" Zane yelled tapping his brother and running onto the frozen lake. Zak, so stupidly, followed him nearly slipping but kept his balance.
"That was really dumb" Cole muttered slightly laughing.
"Got you!" Zak yelled tapping Zane a little to hard and pushed him to the ground. Small cracks surrounded him, but they were to overjoyed from their new playground to notice.
They continued to chase each other around not even noticing the cracks forming.
"Boys!" Julian yelled the two jumped from the angry and startled tone of his voice.
"What daddy?" Zane asked slowly heading towards him.
"Stand still" he said stopping Zane in his tracks.
"What's wrong?" Zak asked dropping to his knees from the sudden loud snap coming from ice.
"S-Stand there... I'll get you" he stuttered taking off his shoes and slowly heading towards the two, Zane was on one end much farther than Julian, so he naturally went to Zak first.
"Don't move" he muttered grabbing his son off the ice and putting him on his shoulder.
"Daddy." Zane said shaking as the ice cracks got bigger
"Just stand still" he slid over to Zane each step made the cracks bigger.
"Hold on Zane" Zak yelled tearing up for his own brothers safety. Zane looked at his feet that had water slowly filling his area.
"Dad" Zane said his voice cracking, tears fell from his face. The ice suddenly dropped into the water, along with him.
Julian acted fast though and he swung his arm over to him only steeping a foot of the shattered ice. He reached into the water grabbed Zane by the waist and yanked him out and into his arms.
"Don't worry I've got you" he said holding Zane close to him.
They all skidded to the edge of the lake allowing Julian to wrap his son in warmer cloths.
"We have to take him home so he doesnt freeze" he said as he picked him and Zak up and running back to the house.
"Is this where you died?" Kai asked
"I wish" Zane scoffed. The scene quickly changed to inside the house.
Zane was next to the fireplace wrapped in two large blankets and a cup of cocoa in his hands. He was slightly paler than usual and his nose and cheeks were a cherry red color.
"How are you doing?" Zak asked leaning in next to his brother.
"S-Still c-cold" he shuttered. Zak weakly smiled to his brother.
"Can I join you?" he asked lifting the two blankets and wrapping it around his shoulders.
"We probably shouldn't do that again" Zak laughed he weakly smiled and laid his head on his shoulder slowly drifting off into sleep.
"He could have died." Wilma scolded to her husband in the next room.
"I know, I know" Julian said trying to calm her down
"Your lucky he doesnt have hyperthermia!" she yelled again tapping his chest.
"I didn't think he would run off" he retaliated.
"Their kids, do you think they would sit still for a minute" he spun his wife around to the two snuggling in the blanket together, each of them sleeping on one another. She let out a long aww and placed a hand on her heart.
"Sorry" he said placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. There was a long silence with only he sound of the crackling fire.
"I want another kid" Wilma said calmly
"W-What?" Julian went pale.
"I never got the chance to have a girl..." she leaned against the doorway staring at the twins.
"You now we don't have the money" he insisted.
"I could get a job." she said.
"Not if you get pregnant, and what about the boys, we can't afford school" Wilma sighed.
"I can try my best though... I heard the dance studio downtown was hiring, I could always try a double shift." Julian said slightly smiling, Wilma turned back to him and planted a large kiss
"Does he mean my dad's studio?" Cole asked.
