(AN) Merry Christmas! This one shot is a flashback from Zack's POV (I always felt Zack and Stella didn't get the credit they deserved). At the end, it's right after EoF :-) Happy holidays to everyone! Sorry I haven't replied to any email/reviews sent. I've been very busy and will get to it asap.

The Witches' Christmas

"When I was a babe, I used to love Christmastide." The girl on my right said. She was small, thin, her long red hair was pinned up haphazardly. She was dressed in a long skirt and a flowing blouse, a dark cloak over that.

"Not celebrating tonight, Beltane?" I asked lowly. She shrugged her delicate shoulders.

"Mabon doesn't like the noise." She whispered.

"He can stay in, we shall celebrate with you." The girl on her other side said, her dark hair swinging loosely in the winter wind. "Let the mongrel rot."

"Sister, please." Beltane begged. "Do not grate, it's Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Ostara said, her eyes smoldering. Beltane reached up, kissing her on the cheek, and then pulling me into a tight hug.

"I shall see you in the morn. Enjoy the night, my darlings. Tell Hope I said so." She said, flitting away into the darkness. Ostara and I both glared after him.

"We could murder him. Nobody would ever know. Hope would help." Ostara said softly. My lips twitched.

"She would." I answered. "And she would be very upset."

"She doesn't know what's best for her." Ostara whispered as I guided her along through the rowdy, crowded streets. Ivy and holly hung everywhere, candles and fires burning brighter as we neared the city square.

"Atham!" A sweet, soft voice called through the square. I turned immediately with a small smile as the loveliest woman in the entire world walked right toward me. She was grinning, her cheeks flushed in the cold air, violet eyes sparkling as her golden curls bounced in the wind.

"Hope." I whispered. I saw Ostara roll her eyes as I grabbed her around her waist and hoisted her into the air. Her laughter rang out like Christmas bells.

"Tara!" Hope called and I let her down. She swung her arms around the dark haired girl. "Where is Beltane?" She asked brightly.

"With Mabon." Ostara responded, flipping her dark hair back. Hope's face fell. It was an amazing thing, the effect that girl had on us. She was the youngest witch right now, turned for the first time just a year ago by Ostara. Most witches, especially the new ones, died for the first time in the year after they were turned.

Not Hope, though. She wasn't a strong fighter, but two of the strongest fighters in the coven adored her, and Ostara was always there to heal any wound or scrape. Beltane and Ostara thought of her as a little sister, and I…I loved her. I loved the way she smiled, the way she smelled, even the way she moved. I loved the way her name sounded on my tongue.

Hope, my hope. Her sad expression was enough to break my heart. I looked at Ostara, she sighed, reaching over to kiss Hope's cheek.

"She promised she would be here." Hope said petulantly, looking at the ground.

"I shall go and retrieve her then, my darling. A promise is a promise." Ostara said feverishly, hugging Hope before disappearing into the darkness. We both watched her for a moment.

"Do you think Beltane will come, even if she entreats her and begs?" She asked.

"I think she will come." I said surely. "For you, if no one else."

And Hope beamed up at me, reaching out to take my hands. Her fingers were delicate and long, soft and cold. I wrapped my own around them to warm them. "I pray that you will grace me with a dance?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course, Atham." She said warmly. I led her to the dual lines of other young men and women lining up. We slid into the lines opposite each other, coincidentally beside another witching couple who smiled at us. As the music started, we moved, across the line, meeting in the middle. I joined hands with her, and we twirled in the firelight, laughing, smiling, breathless with joy.

Did she love me as much as I loved her? Our dance, one that made my cold heart warm, was repeated everyday. I couldn't bear to be away from her for a second, every night when I retired from the girl's company, I was fighting myself. Just a few more hours, a few more minutes, a few more seconds in the presence of my golden haired angel.

I'd always been a soldier, I was good at it. I could orchestrate and move the powerful witches surrounding me, I could make it through battles and patrols while losing the least amount of our coven, but somewhere along the way I had frozen. The war had taken a lot out of me, the same amount it had taken from Beltane. I had wanted to die, afterwards, to die for real and never come back. Just after I'd finally had the nerve to ask her, after I'd had it out with just about every member of the coven (Even the elusive, mysterious, and slightly psychotic Jezebel), Ostara had found her. And suddenly the world was bright again, rainbows sparkling in clear air, electricity flowing all around me.

Hope. Of course that was her name. I had to smile at the irony of it. The song ended and we stopped, still laughing.

"Esther is seeking you." The witch to my right said, a lovely woman with a lean, boyish figure. She smiled at me helpfully, her curls bouncing as she took off. Hope looked at me, her forehead wrinkling.

"I'll be right back." I said, tucking a golden curl behind her ear as I set off. Esther was right where I thought she'd be, her blazing orange waves tucked into a severe bun as she watched the rest of us have fun.

"Yes?" I asked. She looked up with a catty grin.

"Atham, wonderful to see you. Are you well?" She asked, taking a sip out of her cup.

"Yes, I find I am. What is it you need?" I asked, impatient. I wanted to get back to Hope. Esther raised an eyebrow.

"I want to plan something for tomorrow. I want to take the coven into the sewers, seek out the abominations there."

"What?" I asked, shocked. "That's a death trap. We don't know how many are there, or where they are, and when we did find them, it's not the ideal place for us to fight them…"

"They need taken care of."

"We'll all die!" I proclaimed. "I won't help you plan this, Esther. Not anymore."

There was an outbreak of laughter. I looked over my shoulder to see Hope embracing Beltane. Esther followed my eyes.

"She's doing well, young Hope. Maybe ready to go off on her own?" She suggested, her voice smug. "There's another town to the west having a large problem with the creatures…"

"She is not ready to leave." I growled. "What is this, Esther? Use her against me? So I'll be a good soldier?"

"Then you must be ready to plan. I shall see you on the morrow." She said airily, walking away. I watched her, and could feel my heart shatter into pieces. Was this my life now? To get my heart battered, abused, crushed and destroyed by protecting my love? To sacrifice friends?

I looked at the three of them, they had joined a circle that was going around the fire and were dancing in step. Beltane…Ostara…I didn't worry so much about them. They had died many times before, would die again, they knew what they were getting into when they chose this life. Hope…

I stalked away from the fire, down the deserted muddy streets. It had started to snow, spinning glitter in the hair.

"Atham!" A lovely voice called. Hope was following me. I paused, allowing her to catch up. I couldn't look at her, so I stared at the dirt. She reached me and took my hands in her own again. "What's wrong?" She asked, worried.

`"Do you love me?" I asked, blurting it out. "You are my life, my sun, the only dream I ever have. Do you love me too, my angel?" I asked, looking up. I felt like I was on fire. She was just staring at me, and then she smiled.

"Of course I love you." She answered. "Silly boy. I've loved you since I met you." And she leaned up, her soft lips meeting mine gently, sweetly. Surprised, I pulled her closer to me, wrapping my arms against her slender waist.

"Stay with me." I begged, my lips moving against hers. "Throughout all your lives, throughout time, stay with me. I'll take care of you, I'll love you, I promise."

"Throughout time." She agreed. "Forever."

That's what the inside of our wedding bands said, several centuries later. 'Throughout Time'. It was amazing to think of how far we'd come.

"Daddy, daddy." The small child begged, although I kept my eyes closed and tried not to smile. "Daddy, wake up, it's Christmas!" She implored, her voice sweet as honey. Finally, unable to resist any longer, I opened them. The golden haired little girl, in the arms of my angel, grinned at me. My heart melted again.

"Hey Evie." I said, pulling her in between Stella and I. "It's Christmas, is it?" I asked.

"Yes." She answered. "It's our first Christmas in the new house, my first Christmas with Echo an' Paul."

"Speaking of Paul, go downstairs and wake 'im up." I yawned. Eva looked at me, confused. "He's on the couch, sweetheart. He stayed the night." I clarified. Eva smiled again, scrambling clumsily off our bed. I laughed, savoring the fact that at least Paul had to be up early as well.

"How'd ya sleep darlin'?" Stella asked, kissing me softly. I smiled.

"I dreamed. Of you. So it was wonderful." I replied. "Merry Christmas, angel."