Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
"Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold--
Let us bring him silver and gold,
Let us bring him silver and gold.

It was cold in the house. The heater, amazing as it was that they owned one to being with, was impossibly broken. There would be no fixing it. Carmine rubbed her arms and looked at the grey sky outside. It was a dreary sort of Christmas.

She shivered in the cold as the radio gurgled out Christmas carols. "Mom?"

She turned around. Johnny was behind her. She closed her eyes. This past month had been more eye opening to her then she could have imagined. She thought she had knew her son. He was a little hoodlum with no good friends, a dumb kid going no where.

Instead she had found a scared beaten boy who was braver then anyone she had known. He was a boy who had good friends. There were slightly hoodish but with a few exceptions they were good boys. She had wronged her son and that was a guilt that hurt so bad she could cry.

Incident and sobriety had opened her eyes and when she saw the face on the mirror she did not like it. If she and Robert had not been so hard on Johnny, no so mean, he would not have been at the park. He would be walking. He would smile more. She had really wronged him. Had he even had a proper Christmas before? She couldn't remember.

"Mom?"

She looked up. "Hello Johnny."

He wheeled himself closer. "Merry Christmas."

She forced a smile. She had yelled out him, hit him, though never badly as Robert. She had hurt her son over and over again. Yet, and yet he had still loved her, wanted her love in return. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. She had never even had a real family herself. She wasn't sure she could give it to Johnny now. But she would try.

"Merry Christmas."

Johnny licked his lips. Carmine looked at her son. His lips were blue and chapped. His arms were shivering. Carmine remembered something briefly about her son's circulation, something about it being poor now because of the injury. She frowned and took the threadbear blanket of her lap. She got up and placed it on his. She pushed his hair back.

Johnny let out a tiny sigh. This affection which should have been an everyday thing, so simple so easy, was new to both of them.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing with exultations,
Sing all ye citizens of heav'n above.
Glory to God, in the highest
Yea, Lord we greet thee,
born this happy morning,

She would make it up to him. She had to "I'm going out for a bit. Do you want anything." She fingered her pockets. They had maybe fifty dollars to their name, in the bank. But she would give Johnny a proper Christmas.

He shrugged. "Anything you want, anything at all." Johnny played with the frayed ends of the blanket.

"I, I used to go to the Curtis house for Christmas." She vaguely remembered the couple down the road. She had gone to high school with them but they were two and three years ahead of her.

"Oh."

"Mrs. Curtis she made cookies and we had eggnog. Can maybe.."

That woman had given more to her son then she ever had. "Then I'll get you some." "And a blanket. It's the least I can do. A soft warm blanket. "

"Thank you."

The Nursing Home That Night- Soda

"Why is it taking this long? Should it be taking this long?" I fidgeted. Darry put his hand on my knee to stop the shaking. His voice was steady and calm. How could he be this calm. This could mean the difference between life and living for our brother.

"It just takes time is all. They had to call the doctor at home. He's going to be okay. He was talking sort of. He's getting better. We know he's got some awareness now. He'll now when we're there."

"And when he's being neglected." I muttered remember seeing him there all dirty and skinny. His hair a mess, this morning. It made me sick, just sick.

I bit my lip. I could not get the image out of my head. I wanted to know, I wanted to know if I was getting my brother back. I wanted to know if a piece of him, no matter how small was coming home. I needed to know. I just needed to know.

Next month is the fifth anniversary of my starting fanfiction. Five years have done me wonders. I've gone from fangirl to a true fanfiction writer. To celebrate I have decided to host a challenge. Here it is:

Write a realistic and well detailed AU fic in which one of the Curtis parents, just one survives the car crash. Stick to cannon characterization and include if you like step parents, severe injuries, physiological damage due to the death of a spouse, but no sisters or gang/oc girl romance. Help me celebrate Please.