The first chapter is only the introduction, here when the real story begins :)

Note: This fic is purely AU (Alternate Universe), which means that the story is completely different from the original Candy Candy story. But there are some elements from the manga that I've included into the story - you'll know which ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Candy Candy manga and all the characters in it, but the talented Kyoko Mizuki does. This fic is a product of my own twisted imagination and inspired by Mizuki's masterpiece. If any of the plots, specific scenes, or dialogues appears to be similar to that from another fic or story, it is purely unintentional and coincidental. 'Great minds think alike', after all.

The characterization in the fic is based on the Manga and not the Anime.

All I Want For Christmas

by forever

Chapter 2

Before Terry, there was another man in my life who had been my everything.

Yes, that man was William Albert Andrew, Lizzie's father, whom until recently I had only known him as Albert.

I was only six when I had first met Albert in a local pet store. He was the handsome teenage boy working there to care for the animals. His friendly smile and tender blue eyes had attracted me instantly. Before long, despite my aunt's admonition, I had found myself visiting the store almost every day after school, hanging out there to hear Albert talking about all things related to pets and animals. As I spent more and more time at the store, I'd developed friendship with everyone who worked there. The store owner had let me get acquainted with all the animals in the store, and every time a new animal resident had been brought in, Albert would introduce it to me.

A month later, after more than a week of being ill, confined to my bed, I had stepped into the store eager to meet Albert only to have the store owner tell me that he no longer worked there. From the brief note Albert had written to me, I learned that he had to leave the country to attend college and he would like me to care for his turtle, Hurley. I had been very sad, but I had kept a positive attitude that one day I would meet him again.

That day had finally arrived when I had just begun attending high school, and of all the places in Chicago, I had spotted Albert again in the zoo. I could recognize him even from a distance away, and spontaneously, I had run straight into his arms, catching him by surprise, but he had welcomed me back in a tight embrace. Later I had found out that his love for animals had compelled him to volunteer at the zoo.

It hadn't taken long for us to reconnect despite the years that we had been apart, and I had shown him how much Hurley had grown. We had continued our friendship throughout my high school years. By then, I had known that my childhood crush for him had bloomed into something more meaningful, but I had kept my feelings hidden because I had always thought that he had only seen me as a friend or maybe even like his little sister.

In late summer, the night before I left Chicago to attend college in Virginia, I had returned Hurley to him and... I had kissed him.

I hadn't known how he had reacted since I had fled from there as soon as I had done that. It had been nothing but a goodbye kiss. I had finally decided to move on from my first love, accepting the fact that Albert would never reciprocate my feelings for him. I had begun college with the determination to find a new love, and not too long after that, Terry had come into my life. As time had gone by, my feelings for Albert had gradually diminished before it had been replaced entirely by my feelings for Terry. Before the start of my second year in college, Terry and I had become a couple.

When Terry had proposed to me on one beautiful late spring night after my college graduation, I had thought that my future had been set firmly - I would be Mrs. Grandchester. But the next thing I knew, he had called off our engagement, destroying the relationship that we had built for years. His sudden announcement had left me in a disconcerted state as I had felt completely at a loss, wondering how it could have happened and what I had done wrong. Once the shock and anger had worn off, I had fallen deep into the dark hole of depression.

Eventually, I had recovered from my depression, and I owed it all to my caring and considerate mentor, Dr. Laura Green. However, being beaten and defeated by love twice, I had become disillusioned and had vowed to never love again. So during the years I had continued my study, I had stayed away from being involved in any type of romantic entanglement and had not dated even once.

Never say never. That was what everyone had told me, and they had been right.

It was on Christmas Eve of last year that I had been reunited with my childhood crush, my first love, Albert. It was a reunion that I had never expected to happen, but it had.

The moment had been surreal for both of us as we had stood face-to-face inside Lizzie's bedroom that was bathed in soft light. Through my sleepy haze, I could still recognize his sky-blue eyes, and his gentle voice calling my name had been the concrete proof that the blond man standing before me was Albert. What had ensued next was a very awkward moment between us while we both attempted our best to act normal in front of each other. After several rounds of hot chocolate, we eventually had managed to strike a real conversation, not just exchanging one or two words of pleasantries.

William A. Andrew was how most people had referred to him now. He was the charismatic leader of the Andrews' Corporation. All my life, I had only known him as Albert and had no knowledge that he was a member of one of the most influential families in the nation. Yet to me, he was still the same humble and kindhearted man I had befriended in the past, and I was truly glad that he had insisted that I called him Albert. I wouldn't have it any other way. He had always been and would always be Albert to me.

Upon Lizzie's request and Dr. Green's recommendation, Albert had offered me a job as Lizzie's personal physician. I had had no valid reason to reject his offer. However, I had told him that I didn't need the pay since I would still be working full time at the hospital anyway, but he hadn't consented until I had made a silly suggestion that he could cook for me as a form of payment to which he had laughingly agreed right away. I had thought that he had been joking about the cooking, but he hadn't. The first day I had come to check up on Lizzie and to give her treatment, I had decided to stay with Lizzie until her dad had returned from work. But when, after arriving from work, he had approached me and asked me what I would like to eat for dinner, it dawned on me that he had been serious about cooking me dinner, and he surely impressed me with his cooking skill - all his dishes were superbly delicious.

From that day on, my routine had changed. Twice a week, I would come to Albert's house to care for Lizzie and would stay there for dinner. In the beginning, I would leave right after dinner, but that hadn't been the case anymore for a while now. Without me actually being completely aware of it, the time I had spent in the Andrews' home had stretched longer and longer, and I would linger there even long after Lizzie had gone to bed, just spending times with Albert, chatting, watching TV, or playing video and board games. Slowly but surely, Albert and I had rebuilt our friendship. There were a few hurdles along the way, misunderstandings, my training in Europe -but somehow we could manage to surmount them all.

It was interesting though that even though we had known each other during our younger years, we rarely talked about the past. In the beginning, I had been worried that he would question me about the farewell kiss I had impulsively given him before I had gone away to college, but so far, he had never mentioned anything about that. He must have forgotten that incident already since it wasn't something worth remembering for him anyway. But I couldn't lie to myself that I wasn't disappointed because I truly was. And the fact that he had married another woman was just another cruel reminder that my feelings for him had been unrequited.

Nevertheless, I just couldn't stay away from him.

With the amount of times Albert and I had spent together, naturally, we had grown closer than we had ever been in the past. I had acknowledged then that it would only be a matter of time before my feelings for him were resurrected, and it hadn't taken long at all. A few months after our so-called reunion, I found myself gradually falling for him all over again.

Now, nearly ten years after I had walked out of Albert's life, here I was pining for him again, reliving the same feelings I had harbored during my high school years, as if I had never grown up. And to my dismay, just like in the past, I had no clue about his feelings for me.

There were times that I thought his intense gaze had spoken to me not in a 'friendly' way, and I couldn't help but feel that in one occasion he had been about to kiss me. But so far nothing sort of romantic had occurred between us.

Last Christmas, when I had only wished for a quiet evening, fate had brought me back to my first love.

This Christmas, all I wanted was a sliver of happiness, the void in my heart filled.

Could I wish for something wonderful to happen between Albert and me?

*********ccccccc*********

"Finally - where have you been? I've been looking all over for you," I heard Albert's impatient voice through my cell phone as I sat down on my chair, having just finished making my rounds in the urgent care.

"Have you ever heard of working, Albert? I've been here, tied up. There are many patients who required my assistance, you know," I replied, reclining my back against the cushion.

He chuckled. "Listen - I have a big favor to ask."

"I'm all ears, mister."

"Are you free tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow night. Hmm…" I kept silence for a brief moment as I tried to recall my schedule. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve…"

I could hear him chuckling again. "Very good, Candy. You deserve a big shiny 'A' for that - so are you?" he asked insistently.

"I think I am. I don't think I'm scheduled to do any rounds tomorrow. What's up? What's so urgent? Is Lizzie okay?" I asked cautiously, suddenly worried that something might have happened to his daughter.

"Oh, that's excellent," he uttered in glee and quickly clarified, "It's nothing to do with Lizzie. She is at her grandmother's house and won't be back until Christmas morning. Would you mind accompanying me to the Christmas Ball tomorrow night?"

When I caught the last part of his sentence, I nearly fell backward on my chair. Of all the things he could've asked me – that one never did cross my mind.

"Did I just hear that right? You want me to accompany you to a party? As in being your date?" I asked him in a doubtful tone, thinking I might have heard wrong, my heart pounding.

"Yes, Candy, I would like you to be my date," he affirmed.

I was too shocked to reply to him properly as my brain still tried to reprocess his words. Could this be real? He had just asked me to be his date? However, I wasn't so sure about the event and the venue. For a first date, I had always imagined it would be in a low key place, like the zoo or something like that - not that I believed it would actually happen though.

"Would you go with me, Candy?" he asked again, startling me out of my thoughts.

I took a deep breath and told him in a hesitant tone, "I don't know, Albert. A ball is way too classy for me, a boring, ordinary woman."

"Candy - you'll be fine there. And don't ever say that you're a boring person. You never are. I wouldn't have asked you if you were," he assured me with a slight chortle.

There was really nothing much to say after that. After all, she had been dreaming of this for like forever. "Fine - I'll go with you, Albert."

"Really? You will?" he uttered in excited disbelief before he toned down his voice, saying, "Thank you so much, Candy. I owe you a big one for this. I promise you'll have fun."

"You certainly do, Albert. You owe me big. Really big," I muttered in mock annoyance through my wide smile.

A stream of deep chuckles could be heard reverberating against my ear. "Well, okay then. I'll pick you up in about two hours or so."

"Wait a minute. Two hours? What in the world -"

Letting out a small laugh, he explained, " We need to do quite a bit of preparations. Some of them, we must do today and the rest tomorrow - you'll see. This afternoon, I'll take you shopping for gowns and some accessories."

"I'm not quite following you there. But new gown? Thanks, Albert, but I don't think that's necessary. I'm pretty sure I own something decent enough for the formal," I reasoned and politely declined his shopping invitation.

"I'm sorry, Candy - but this is different. This isn't like any other parties you've gone before."

Panic settled upon me at once, and I raised my voice, "That's true. How could I forget? This is a high-class society gathering, and I, a modest physician from a modest New York Hospital, will accompany you, William Albert Andrew, the A-list celebrity of the business world." When I realized that I had practically yelled into the phone, I paused momentarily and lowered my voice. "Now that I really think about it, I probably should not even go. I'm not worthy to be your companion," I said in a dejected tone.

"Candy - didn't I tell you that you'll be fine? You have nothing to worry - you will be my perfect companion," he gently coaxed me, causing my cheeks to feel warm.

"Alb -."

He interrupted me at once, "Okay, Candy. I have to go now, but I'll see you in about two hours."

"Albert." I tried to protest but heard nothing in response. Darn! He had hung up.

It took me several minutes before I fully comprehended what I had just agreed to do. Eeek! I was going to a party with Albert as his date. And this was not just some ordinary party. This was a party for the super elites that would surely attract all New York finest of the finest.

What was I thinking?

I still couldn't help wondering why he had asked me in the first place. Sure, we were great as friends, really great, but why on earth he would ask me to a prestigious event such as the Christmas Ball. I doubted he had run out of date options. I'm sure if he would just snap his fingers, all these beautiful women would willingly come and line up for him.

He had mentioned that this was a favor, so that meant this wasn't a real date, and I shouldn't invest my heart into this if I didn't want to get hurt in the end. In fact, I thought this so-called favor thing was too good to be true.

However, I could not dismiss the excitement stirring in the pit of my stomach that something was up.

*********ccccccc*********

In the afternoon, being Mr. punctual, Albert picked me up at exactly two o'clock, just as he'd said he would. He drove us to the legendary Fifth Avenue, a place known for its collection of high-end flagship stores. Once we were there, he made sure we didn't waste anytime. As soon as our feet touched the ground, we took a quick stride directly into this ultra chic boutique where a group of staff welcomed us cordially. I was then whisked away from Albert and ushered into a dressing room to try a gown. Well, that was just the beginning. Before I even realized it, one gown became ten. In the beginning, it was kind of fun playing a fashion model, parading and strutting in beautiful clothes, but later on, I felt physically drained.

After slipping myself into gown number eleven, I barely emerged from the changing room, nearly tripping on the gown. Albert, observing me from his seat, just gave me a chuckle and shook his head to express his objection to the dress I was wearing. The only response I could give him was a suppressed frustrated groan as I stomped back to the dressing room. I was ready to give up and decided to tell him that I didn't want to partake on this ridiculous activity anymore. The next dress would be the last outfit I was willing to try.

To my and my attendant's surprise and relief, a satisfied grin finally appeared on his face instead of a cringe or grimace.

I approached him, lifting the gown off the floor to prevent me from stumbling on it. "You smile. That's a good sign. What's the verdict?"

"This is it, Candy. We've finally found it. That dress is perfect on you," he exclaimed in an enthusiastic voice, standing up from his seat, his blue eyes seemingly focused on the gown.

"Really?" I remarked excitedly. "So now, can we go home? I'm in dire need of a good rest - I'm exhausted," I pleaded, having enough excitement for the day.

Without waiting for him to respond, I turned on my heel and headed back toward the dressing room. I just wanted to change quickly and left the store. Thank goodness, I didn't have to go back to the hospital to do another rounds.

"I'm sorry, Candy, but we're not done," I heard his rueful voice.

I stopped my pace and glanced over my shoulder to look at his sheepish smile. "We are not?" I asked incredulously.

He shook his head in reply. "We still have a few more stops to make."

I didn't know since when Albert had become a fashion expert. After we exited that boutique, we went to shop for shoes and handbag. And it did not stop there. Later on I found out, that he had arranged an appointment for me at this super exclusive salon frequented by celebrities and other New York's elite clientele. In addition, when he had dropped me off that night after the impromptu shopping marathon, he had briefed me on the schedule for tomorrow while I could only let out an incoherent mumble, staring at him dumbly. Since when do you need a schedule to go to a party? Surely, I didn't know what I had got myself into.

*********ccccccc*********

The next day, just like Albert had told me, the driver knocked on my door at exactly nine o'clock in the morning. Still donning my P.J. and in my cutesy Winnie the Pooh's slippers, I opened the door, feeling rather disgruntled, when the fashionably dressed, stoic faced man read the full schedule for the day off the paper held in his hands. Albert's chauffeur then took me to the salon, where I was pampered literally from head to toe: aromatherapy sauna, full body massage, body wrap, French manicure and pedicure. The experience had been heavenly, I must say, not something I was used to have for myself. Following the beauty treatment, I was taken to the two beauticians who would work on my face and hair.

Once the artist and stylist had finished applying make up on me and set my hair, a process that had felt like eternity, I changed into my gown. Since I had mostly dipped my head down, browsing through the magazine pages than facing the mirror, I hadn't really noticed what the beauty experts had truly done to my face and hair. With my curiosity piqued, I went to the mirror.

My mouth hung open as I stared at this person in front of me.

Who was that person? Was that really me? Was it possible for you not to recognize your own reflection?

I hadn't paid close attention to the gown Albert had deemed worthy to be worn by me. Being too exhausted and too upset after the hours of shopping, I could care less of how I would look tomorrow and had merely shoved the garment bag with the expensive gown inside it into my closet.

But, now that I took a really good look at the gown I wore, I must admit that I was impressed with Albert's sense of style.

The gown fitted me perfectly in its shimmery splendor, hanging just a tad above the floor. The satin, platinum colored material wrapped tightly around my torso and flared below my hips. It wasn't a fancy ball gown with elaborate embellishments made of shiny sequin pieces and frilly fabrics. Rather, it was very simple yet elegant.

To complement the strapless ball gown, my hair was pulled up in a loose bun held in place by several sparkling rhinestones pins with soft wisps of blond curls falling here and there framing my face. Then to complete the whole look of utter elegance, my face was polished with just the right amount of make up with a touch of colors to accentuate my eyes and my lips.

After thanking the highly skilled stylists for my complete transformation, I went back to the car, taking my seat, and soon, we were on our way to Albert's place.

Inside the car, I fidgeted a lot in my seat, nervous and anxious, imagining what could happen tonight.

"It'll be all right, Candy. Just think of it as if you were Cinderella. It'll be fun playing Cinderella for one night. You would be fine," I told myself in an attempt to calm my nerves, smiling at my own reflection at the window to my side.

The drive to Albert's house wasn't a long one. As soon as I arrived, I immediately searched for him inside the house. But unable to find him, I went upstairs to his room and knocked on the closed door, but no one answered. I contemplated to look for Lizzie instead but then just remembered that she would be in her grandma's house in New Jersey for the night.

In the end, I decided I should wait for him downstairs.

As I moved along the hallway, heading for the marble staircase, I noticed the wall mirror to my right and ceased my steps. After dropping my duffel bag on the floor, I stepped closer to the mirror. Cinderella, huh? I looked admiringly at myself in the mirror. Then I twirled around clutching at my gown and smiled giddily at my own reflection in the mirror, like a little girl in a princess costume.

"Beautiful."

Albert's voice stopped my movement altogether.

Thoroughly embarrassed being caught in my childish antic, I spun around and saw him standing in front of his bedroom's door. The second my gaze fell on him, I practically let my jaw drop to the floor. He looked good in his dark colored designer tuxedo, clutching his jacket over his shoulder casually.

"You look good, Albert. Drop dead gorgeous," I blurted out and immediately cursed myself for uttering such a boorish remark. I turned back facing the mirror, hiding my red face from him.

He laughed and paced toward me. "Thank you for the compliment, Candy," he simply said as he shrugged his arms into the sleeves of his jacket. "And you look simply radiant tonight," he added.

"Thank you, Albert," I replied absently; my focus diverted to the pair of gleaming blue eyes in the mirror.

I could not stop myself from staring at his reflection in the mirror as he slowly took a few steps closing the distance between us and stood right behind me. He was so near, that his chest practically touched my bare back.

Suddenly, without my consent, my heart started to beat erratically. The fresh masculine fragrance from his cologne didn't help my situation at all by lulling my senses. I stopped breathing for a second when he brought his hands over my shoulders, lightly brushing my bare skin in the process. My eyes grew large and my mouth snapped open as soon as I caught sight of the lustrous gigantic diamond solitaire pendant dangling above my neck. I was no jewelry expert but the stone size was huge - 4 to 5 karats perhaps.

Realizing that I had something around my neck that cost more than everything I owned in this world than everything I would be able to acquire in my lifetime, I gulped. "Albert. Uhm… I don't think I can accept this. I mean… Uhm… This is a really nice perk for being your partner, but I just can't," I told him nervously as I let my index finger run against the surface of the diamond pendant.

He chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, Candy. I didn't buy this for you. This is my family's heirloom jewelry," he explained.

My eyes widened. "Then the value is even greater. I don't want to ruin something as priceless as your family jewelry," I commented with apprehension in my voice, my focus straying to our reflections in the mirror.

"Candy - it's a diamond. What can you do to a diamond to ruin it? The only way you could scratch it is by using another diamond of the same quality and hardness. Don't worry. Nothing will happen." He smiled at me reassuringly before lowering his head as he clasped the necklace.

"There you go," he said, lifting his head to look at the mirror. I gazed at his reflection in the mirror.

"Now… Perfect," he merely stated with a broad smile, making eye contacts with me through the mirror.

"Perfect," I echoed him, murmuring in a softer voice as a wistful smile slowly formed on my lips, my heart beating thunderously against my chest.

I must admit though that I probably wasn't talking about the same thing he was. I was talking about the picture before me. The picture of Albert and me together. Perfect. As simple as that.

"Well, shall we?" he said, offering his elbow, a dazzling grin gracing his lips.

"Uhm… yeah…." I answered absentmindedly, hooking my arm with his, eyes still affixed to the mirror.

Would I be able to suppress my feelings for him tonight?

To Be Continued

I hope you enjoy this short story from me. I would love to hear what you think, and if you're shy, please feel free to message me in private. Thank you again for taking the time to read this. -forever-