A/N: Mrs Clark from 'Let Your Hair Down' this time. It's shorter than the others, but I still hope you like it!
"It's gorgeous!" she gasped, spinning around to look at the gigantic tree in the middle of the shopping village.
As she watched the young girl nearly dance at the sight in front of her, the woman behind smiled unashamedly. Just having Holly back – well, that had been more than she could ever have imagined. But to see her here, in the middle of the winter season, experiencing Christmas again for the first time after so long? It was almost impossible to believe that she was getting to see it.
After they had lost Holly, it was like Mason had lost the will to live. He hadn't lived long enough to see Holly again – but she had never given up hope. She might not have given birth to Holly, but that didn't make her any less of a mother to her. And a mother always knew.
Somewhere deep inside, she had known that Holly was still alive. And as long as there was any chance at all that she would see her child once again, she would never lose herself like Mason had. She had promised herself that.
That young detective had her gratitude in a way that he would never know, and then there was Monroe. After a bit of coaxing, Holly had told her how he had found her and made sure she survived her injuries – and how he was helping her acclimatization process as she tried to fit back into civilization after her long years in the forest.
"Mom!" Holly's exclamation broke her out of her thoughts. "Mom, come here, you have to see this!"
As she walked towards Holly, Emma Clark smiled brightly. For her, there was nothing better than listening to her child's happiness. She hadn't had the chance to hear it for nearly an entire decade – and now, just as Christmas approached, she had her daughter back.
That – that was the best possible Christmas gift that she could ever have. Nothing, past, present or future, would ever be able to better it.
"Mom!"
I hope you guys liked it! As always, please don't forget to drop a review on your way out! :)