Sean finally blinked and looked around before dumbly responding back to Emma, "You talkin' to me?"

Emma opened her mouth to respond, eyeing him strangely but humorously and instead of replying, she giggled then asked while looking around, "Who else would I be talking to? The snowman?"

Sean glanced to his yard and saw that probably either his mom or KC, or both, had built a corny ol' snowman. Carrot, hat and everything. "Probably make more for conversation." he joked, looking back at her.

She raised an eyebrow, "Are you saying you don't want to talk to me?"

Sean couldn't stop staring. She was still so unbelievably gorgeous. But this talking thing? It was so much better than just watching from a far.

"No." he cleared his throat and then tossed his cigarette away, "No I'm just saying.. I'm not.." he miserably mumbled, "Not much fun through the holiday."

She eyed the cigerette he threw away, "you smoke?"

He choked on his words. FUCK. She hated smoking. He knew that. She use to even put up posters about environment shit and health back in highschool. Now she had caught his yearly smoke and thought it was an every day thing. Ah, felt good to disgust the girl you long for.. (Not).

"Just today," he slightly joked, "My stress level was asking for it." he glanced back at his door with his dysfunctional family inside.

"Must be hard to say no to." she teased, both sharing a small smile.

His pants got tighter. Damn it! Must be an old reflex. Or the way her dress raised each time she adjusted against the railing, or the way she kept smiling right at him.

She suddenly softened and the smile faded away, her gorgeous features even flickering sadly, "I heard about your mom," she looked down before back at him, "I'm sorry."

He frowned deeply, and looked down for a moment, shifting in his spot. Emma noticed how awkward she made it and bit her lip before glancing inside her own house.

"Want to get away for a bit?"

Seans eyes glanced back up a little wide. Just them? Away from their homes and crazy family?

"Yeah." he felt his heart beat pounding unevenly. He went to get up then winced. "I don't have my car until tomorrow." fucking cop took it.

Emma couldn't help but look shocked, "Sean Cameron without a car?" she laughed softly again.

He chuckled, "Don't ask. Town sheriff has a thing for me."

"Romantic." she teased and looked in thought, tilting her head and thinking. He smirked at the little gesture. "We'll take my Dads car." she disappeared back inside for a moment as Sean stood up and waited, grinning ear to ear but couldn't believe this was happening.

Years of never speaking, and finally, so easily, they were talking like old best friends.

When she came back out, the party inside seemed louder, and she held a pair of keys before slamming the door shut behind her and skipped down the stairs. How badly he wanted to just grab her and kiss her right there.

He jumped when she threw the keys to him and couldn't believe she was this trusting of someone she just met with her father's car. Even if they lived next to another forever.

She laughed at his shocked look, "Come on." she led him to the red Subaru. Sean didn't wait another second to follow.

"Where we going?" he asked as she got in and buckled up. He did too and looked at her as she was in thought again and leaned forward to put on the heat. She rubbed her cold mittens together before she finally thought of somewhere.

"The light festival." she grinned at his hesitant than weary look, "Come on, it'll be fun."

He snickered but nodded, both sharing a smile and he pulled out.

(((**)))

Emma led Sean through the sea of people, everyone enjoying the lit up lights for Christmas downtown in their city park. They walked down the pathway, a glow from all the lights around them. Carolers were down the street, softly singing Christmas tunes. It was cheezy, but Sean had to admit, it was fun. Maybe because it was with Emma.

He walked beside her, and kids and family's were taking pictures together. Sean and Emma just walked by, walking pretty close together..

"My Dad and Mom would take me here every year when I was younger." Emma noted, and looked like she was only talking out loud, as he watched her look out of it, a little dazed. "..But not this year."

"Why not?" he curiously asked. She seemed quiet for a moment.

Emma stopped by her favorite pair of Christmas lights, where a tree on one side of the pathway shared a long cored of lights with another tree on the other side of the pathway. They stopped just under it.

"My Dad died two years ago."

Sean cringed. He didn't know. Now he felt like an asshole. They stood there before she went to turn and go to the next one, after eyeing the trees with significance. Her Dad must of liked this light festival too.

Sean stopped her. She turned, as if wondering what he wanted, like that statement wasn't suppose to stump him.

Emma gazed into Seans eyes, that held such agony. Her heart kind of skipped by seeing that. She always knew he was the misunderstood bad boy back in highschool. She knew deep down, he had a heart, and wasn't just good looks.

"I'm sorry."

Emma nodded, eyes still locked on his and he searched her face for any trails of sadness, ready to wipe away any tears. She looked down, snuffled, but instead of any tears, she put on a brave smile and laughed a bit.

"I need a drink."

Sean tried not to smile, and nodded, letting her lead the way back.

(((*)))

They sat in a bar that wasn't here before, at least Sean didn't remember it. It was called the Lexicon. He sat across from Emma at a wooden squared table, the bar not too busy, maybe three other groups of people who looked to be townies too.

"So how is it now? With just you and your mom?" he asked, sipping his beer from their pitcher. Emma had taken off her jacket, her designer white mini strapless dress showing off. She looked amazing; but too good for this place. This was just like a rusty small town bar.

Emma tapped her fingers on her beer, "Its like when my mom lost her husband, shes been pushing me to get mine." she laughed a bit, and looked around, wondering out loud.. "She is probably back at the house trying to get Kelly to get the balls to ask for my hand in marriage or something."

Sean almost choked on his beer, swallowing it hard. She looked over and he asked, "You have a boyfriend?" he cleared his throat twice and she smiled as he tried to correct what he asked somewhat jealously, "You have a boyfriend waiting for you back home right now?"

And she just left, with him, like it was no big deal!?

"The party was getting to be too much." Emma explained, taking a quick sip of her beer. It was so damn cute seeing a girl this gorgeous just chilling, and taking a sip of beer with a dress on. "My mom never talks about my Dad. Not even when he died. But come Christmas, and in comes old family, and she brings it up like it doesn't bother us, reminiscing about old memories. It almost seems fake."

Sean hated seeing that numb look enter her eyes as she drifted off. He tried to make her feel better and couldn't believe he was about to say this, "My mom acts like certain things don't happen too. "

Emma looked at him, wondering what he meant, but deep down, they both knew she knew. His father use to be a drunk asshole.

Sean smirked to her sad knowing smile. He knew she knew.

Emma stared back at him, softening and he got lost looking at her too, until he snapped out of it and looked away. She had a boy friend. "I'll get us shots." he joked and got up. Emma blinked but nodded, watching him go to the bar.

"What can I get yeah?"

Sean took a deep breath and finally nodded to the bartender who asked, "Two jack shots."

"Comin up."

Sean nodded and leaned on the bar, staring at the counter quite hard. He had never opened up like that to anyone before.. not about his feelings. And just in one night, she got it out of him. There was something about Emma that Sean could never shake off. What was it?

"Holy Christ." A voice said, pun intended. "Sean Cameron."

Sean turned, and glanced back twice. Shit. A familiar red head was parting from her friend, and walking over, smiling ear to ear but rather smugly and not all politely. Ellie Nash. His old ex girl friend.

Ellie couldn't believe her eyes. Or luck. She leaned beside him at the bar, never even blinking as she stared and squinted her eyes. The guy looked so damn good, it was hard to stay angry.

"Wow, still look the same." She informed him, almost nodding like she was impressed, "But your looks were always better than your attitude."

"El." Sean finally greeted, trying to just wait for those shots and finally glanced at her, "Nice to see you." his tone said opposite though.

"Is it?" she taunted, tilting her head. He tried to avoid her now, looking around. "Last time I saw you, you dumped me, saying you were moving out of town. It was that easy for you."

Wow, someone still seemed bitter.

The bartender came back with the shot glasses. "Thank god." Sean muttered under his breath, about to take them as he glanced back at Emma back at their table. He saw her being a little bothered by two college looking frat guys who took a seat at the table with her while he was gone. Sean clenched his jaw and grabbed the shots.

Ellie noticed Sean look distracted and glanced twice. "What?" she glanced and couldn't help but notice how pretty the blonde was. Or how familiar. "Isn't that Emma NElson?" she remembered her. Who wouldn't?

Sean turned back to her, wondering when this conversation would be done. "I got to go." he had to scare some losers away from his table. And Emma.

"So that's the kind of girl you date now?" Ellie asked, quite hideously, jealousy over her face. "Never thought she'd be your type.. .." she glanced back at Emma, "Or you to be hers." she even snickered.

Sean took that offensively. What was Ellie trying to say?

"Merry Christmas." Sean just said, taunting her and took his shot, slamming it on the counter and went back to his table with Emma's but decided to take that one too before he stopped at the table. The guy even took his seat.

Emma looked uncomfortable before she felt Seans shadow and looked up, and back at the fratboys with a weary look.

"Just one drink." begged the blonde frat boy and his brunette friend laughed. Emma had already said no twice.

"No thankyou." Emma tried to be nice.

"Just one."

"She has one." Sean remarked, clenching his jaw and raising an eyebrow to the blonde boy who looked up and finally took the hint that this was Seans table, and girl. Ok, maybe not his girl, but what did this guy know? He looked fearful for a moment but then acted brave (Which was a stupid thing to do).

"I just thought maybe she would want something different?" the blonde slurred a bit and crookedly grinned. Even the brunette friend gave his friend a slight shove to shut up.

"Dude lets go." his friend egged him on, getting up, not wanting to fight with Sean Cameron. The guy had a reputation.

Emma looked up, watching the frat boys get up and the blonde stumble but stop to stand nose to nose with Sean. Sean looked ready to throw him across the table. She tensed a bit at the situation.

"Get lost." warned Sean to the college boy looking for a fight. He clenched his own fists.

"You get lost." The blonde said, poking Sean's chest. Emma could even see Sean trying to at least hold himself back. "You left her alone. I called dibs." he poked again, "It's only fair-"

Emmas eyes widened when suddenly Sean's fist met the guys jaw. It came out of nowhere, but Sean didn't like him talking that way about Emma, like she was some 'prize' to call dibs on. Neither did he liked to be poked by some idiot.

"Take it outside!" the bartender yelled.

Sean ripped the front door open and dragged the guy out, shoving him outside and his other friend ran past to grab his friend as they ran off.

Emma got up slowly from the table, putting her coat back on, her heart pounding and a little scared to be honest. That boy was definitely going to have a black bruise tomorrow morning.

Sean stood at the door, his dark eyes watching them go, before a voice snapped him out of it and Ellie was just leaving too, walking out the door and zipping up her coat.

"You don't change." she nearly mocked, raising an eyebrow and he opened his mouth, but said nothing as he glared and watched her go until he paused and winced. Shit. How bad did that look?

He turned, just as Emma was walking from to the door where he stood to leave. She looked ready to go.

"Emma.." he choked on his words, his gut clenching. He probably looked like a real jerk.

"Lets just..go back home." she bared a small smile, but he knew it was forced, and he felt rather even mad at himself.

He nodded, looking down at the snow while tightening his jaw and then reached into his pocket for the keys as she led him back to the car. They sat in silence on the way home, Sean's eyes hard on the road, a million thoughts on his mind. Emma snuck a glance at him a few times during the way, but kept her mouth shut.

Author note! Mooore reviews please! So Emma now knows Sean's got some issues, but hey, who doesnt!? She has her own too! But will she forgive him for this?