I don't own Home Alone

Enjoy!

Marv wished that he could take the remainder of the year off until the New Years, but Tom demanded that he had to come back to work. The bruise on his face didn't look as terrible as it did before, yet he didn't want any of his coworkers to question him about it. The one thing that remained was how was he going to face Tom? He had been the one to find out about Marv's suspicious activity with the tips. It made him feel weary about it but it was something that he deserved. Until he gained Tom's trust, Marv felt that he was going to be under his watchful eye until he gained his trust again.

To Marv, Tom looked like the type of man that wouldn't give anyone a second chance…and Marv felt like he ought to count his lucky stars since he was able to keep his job and keep this a secret from Amy. He suddenly looked down at his foot when he felt a small paw scratching against his leg.

"You're awake little dude?" Marv asked as he picked up Oliver from the ground and held him up to his face. Since yesterday, the puppy had been right by Marv's side and he couldn't comprehend why. At least it was nice to receive some unconditional affection. He placed the puppy back on the floor and was about to walk out the door until he heard a small whine escaping from him. Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Marv looked back at Oliver. "I'll be back in a couple of hours and when we come back, we'll take you out for a walk."

He couldn't believe that he had resorted to talking to this dog. Either those four bricks that he had been hit with affected his head six years later, or he was acting like all owners did with their pets. Oliver responded to him with a tilt of his head followed by another whine, which was enough to make Marv surrender.

Marv walked into the apartment gathered the puppy in his arms and placed him inside his coat. "If you get me fired today, we will both be in trouble," he scolded the puppy and made his way downstairs and out of the building.

The diner was extremely busy when Marv walked inside. Amidst the chaos, Marv watched as the waitresses moved past each other with the customer's orders. Walking past the main room, Marv entered the kitchen area and froze when he noticed the number of dishes that were waiting to be cleaned. At that moment, Natalie was hunched over the sink where she had barely cleaned any of the dishes. "I can take over," Marv announced as he walked towards the sink.

Natalie whipped around and looked at Marv, not even noticing the large lump that was inside his coat. "Thank God you came in," she said to him and dried her hands on a towel, "the ladies need me out there." Without another word, she exited out of the kitchen and headed to the main room of the diner.

Now one problem remained. How was he supposed to watch the dishes with the dog? Perhaps this wasn't a good idea he thought to himself as Oliver began to wriggle inside his jacket. He took off his coat and placed Oliver on a table next to him. "Stay," he said to the puppy and began to wash the remainder of the never-ending dishes.

Not a sound came out of Oliver as Marv was doing the dishes. Either he was a very good dog or was too scared to even react. "You know," Marv spoke up, "for a dog you're quite well—" he stopped midsentence when he saw that Oliver was gone. "Great," he sighed. The only place where he would have gone to would be the main room of the diner. The threw the towel over his shoulder and proceeded to the main room to see what chaos the puppy had started.

His eyes scanned the area for the puppy until he saw him sitting beside the feet of a young girl with long brown hair. "O-Oliver," Marv called out to the puppy, "get over here."

A small bark escaped the puppy's muzzle, startling the customer. As the girl looked down, the look of surprise on her face immediately changed into delight as she cooed down at the puppy and took him in her arms. "Kevin," she said as she turned the puppy over to the boy that she was sitting with, "look at this cutie!"

It took all of Marv's will not to roll his eyes when he heard that name. Out of all the people in this diner, why did Oliver have to pick those two? He hesitated to go towards the table, but the more he stalled, the more probability he had of getting into trouble.

Kevin put down his cup of orange juice and smiled at the puppy. He certainly didn't look like the dog that his family had but he was adorable. "Looks like he's got a collar there, Molly," Kevin said as he looked at Oliver's neck.

Molly turned the name tag over and squinted at it. "But no contact information," she said as she looked up at Kevin, "maybe we should hold onto him until his owners come. I'd hate to leave the little guy all alone."

Before Kevin was about to speak, Amy walked over to their table to take their orders. "Kevin, Molly, good to see you two again," she smiled at the customers and then looked over at Oliver, "I didn't know you have an extra guest."

"He was sitting right next to me," Molly said to her, "I thought to hold onto him until someone comes."

A small chuckle came from Amy. "That would be my new dog," she said to her. "His name is Oliver, just like it says on the tag."

"I didn't know you had a dog," Kevin said to her. Then again, anything was to change within those six years since he had last seen her.

"He was a gift," Amy said as she then held her arms towards the puppy. As Molly handed Oliver over to Amy, the puppy wriggled out of Molly's hands and ran. All three of them watched as Oliver scampered over to Marv and hit behind his leg.

Marv quickly looked down. "H-Hey!" he exclaimed as he knelt to the ground and picked up the puppy, "Oliver, why did you leave the house?"

Molly perked up when she saw Marv. "Hey," she said as she pointed to him, "isn't that the guy that asked about the service last time we were here?" she asked as she looked at Kevin.

"And he's the one that gave you a gift?" Kevin asked as he looked at Amy. He was bewildered by such a realization. After all that him and Becky had been through, and the fact that Amy had been present to see it all, now they were friendly with each other? Then again, if Kevin was honest with himself, Marv was the least threatening than Harry was.

Amy didn't know how to answer to Kevin's question. She didn't want him to think that she was a hypocrite, from helping him and his sister and then associating herself with an ex-burglar. "It's been six years, Kevin," she said to him, "he needed some help to get back on his feet." Whether it was right or wrong, Amy believed that she had done the right thing in trying to help him.

Kevin turned his head and looked over to the spot where Marv had just been standing. He knew that he had no business in Amy's choices, but he had given her that turtledove and considered her as a friend. But to tell a grown woman whom she should associate her with, he felt, was prohibited for him to do. "Is he treating you well?" Kevin asked her.

Amy was surprised by that question. She didn't consider herself to be that close with Marv as Kevin had assumed. "Yes," she answered him with a smile, "we are getting along well."

Molly looked from Kevin to Amy. Their conversation made her curious, especially when Amy mentioned that it had been six years. "You mean you and that busboy are…together?" she asked.

"He is staying with me until he finds his own place," Amy explained to her, "I needed to help out a friend somehow."

A mischievous smile came upon Molly's lips but she didn't say anything when Kevin looked at her.

"Anyway," Amy nervously chuckled, "what will you two be having?"

"French fries and a milkshake to share," Kevin said. The moment that Amy walked away from their table, Kevin turned his attention to Molly.

"What?" Molly asked him, "it's not that hard to tell. Helping a 'friend' can lead to many great things."

"Just like you tried to help me in French class?" Kevin asked her with a smile upon his lips. He had been struggling with the language until he was paired up with Molly on a project that they had to do for class. How French culture had evolved from the time of the revolution to now. After working on this project together, Kevin had asked if she could tutor him and just like that…it had all fallen into place.

Molly gave him a small kick under the table and rolled her eyes. "And look at where we are now." She placed her elbow on the table and looked at Kevin with curious eyes. "But what was that conversation about? Her saying that it has been six years. What was she talking about?"

Kevin leaned against his seat and looked at Molly. How was he supposed to tell her about this ex-burglar who almost ruined his and his sister's Christmas. With a shrug of his shoulders, he said to Molly, "I guess they go a long way back. When she helped me and my sister, she had a picture of his and I became curious and asked her who he was. She told me he was a friend of hers and was in jail."

This lie, to Kevin, was something that was not going to interfere in his relationship with Molly. Some things were best kept a secret.

Molly blinked when Kevin said that. "What was he in jail for?"

"Burglary," Kevin told her without hesitation. He saw Molly's look of shock cross her features and he quickly added, "but I guess now that he is working he's seems to be turning his life around."

Molly shivered at the thought of such an occupation. "But burglary? My God. I can't imagine anyone coming into my home and taking my things…especially if I'm home alone."

Oh you don't know the full story Kevin thought and then looked at her. "Don't worry Molly," he said to her and reached for her hand, "as long as I'm with you, nobody will be coming into your house."

After placing Kevin's and Molly's order, Amy headed to the kitchen and watched as Marv was washing the dishes with Oliver sitting at the nearby table. She walked over to where Marv was and asked, "you couldn't resist bringing our little friend over?" she asked him.

There was no way that she was going to believe that Oliver left the house. "He did that…puppy thing and I had to take him."

"What 'puppy thing?'" Amy asked him.

"You know that puppy head tilt thing," Marv said to her, "how can you say 'no, stay' to that?"

Amy chuckled. "Gee Marv, Oliver has you wrapped around his little paw."

"Heh," Marv said, "don't encourage him Amy. I bought him for you and now he's coming after me."

Amy looked over at Oliver who had suddenly decided to lie down with his head on his paws. "You know," she began, "I heard that dogs choose to stay to certain people because they can sense something special within them."

"What's so special about me?" Marv asked her. The talent that he knew he had was flooding people's houses and no many found that talent to be special, let alone Harry who only shook his head at such a 'calling card.'

Amy didn't respond but only looked at Marv, as if she was studying him for the first time. She could say whatever it was that came into her mind about him, but some things were just meant to be kept a secret. "You'll figure it out," she said to him, "but now, my waitress duty awaits me."

Marv eyes followed as she headed out of the kitchen and into the bustling main room. He then looked over at Oliver who stared up at him. "Don't look at me like that, you started this," he said to the dog and then went back to finishing the remainder of the dishes.

After the last set of customers left for the evening, Amy was waiting for Marv to finish up in the kitchen. Once the last set of dishes was finished, she locked up the diner for the night. "Busy day but at least Oliver didn't cause a ruckus," she said as she held up the puppy in her arms.

All part of his plan in placing the little canine on a high table. "I'm just glad that Tom didn't come in today. Otherwise, I wouldn't have heard the end of it."

Amy leaned closer to Marv. "Between you and me, he likes dogs."

Even if that was the case, Marv knew that Tom wouldn't have appreciated it. He pulled his coat closer to his body and looked down the street. "So, ready to head on home?"

Amy shook her head. "Not yet. We must check something off the list tonight." She raised her arm in the air and a yellow taxicab stopped in front of them. "Come on." She motioned him to follow her into the cab and he did as he was told.

Marv had no idea what she had on her mind but at least they weren't walking in this cold night air. He looked out the window and at the buildings that they passed. Some windows had their Christmas decorations while others hadn't bothered on decorating at all. Just then, the lights seemed to get brighter and brighter until the taxicab came to a complete stop.

After paying the driver, the two of them got out of the car and Marv followed Amy until they came upon a grand Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center. "Look," Amy said as she held her arm towards the tree, "isn't it beautiful?"

Marv looked at the tree. To him, it was just large version of a Christmas Tree that people decorated in their homes. "It's…something," he answered her. "I haven't seen a Christmas Tree that huge before."

Ever since she had taken Kevin and his sister to Rockefeller Center, Amy had made it part of her tradition to visit the Christmas Tree. The moment that Kevin had given the tree his wish, his mother had appeared and she didn't waste any time but took both of her children home. To Amy, that was a miracle and ever since then, she had been paying this tree a visit. The one thing that she had wished for during that time was to find her peace. Six years later she felt that she had. "Anything you wish for?" she suddenly asked Marv.

"What is this now, the Tree of Miracles?" Marv jokingly asked her.

"It worked for me," Amy said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. When she saw the curious look in his eyes, she gently shook her head. "Of course I am not going to tell what I wished her."

"Fine, keep your secrets," Marv said good naturedly and then looked back at the tree. What could he asked a tree for anyway? Wish for forgiveness? There were so many bad things that he had done that not even the height of the tree would be enough to forgive him. However, something about that tree towering over him had the power to pull him in whatever force it was exuding. Those twinkling decorations almost gave him a feeling of hope. He couldn't believe how trivial it sounded, but there was something in there that could make wishes com true.

Giving the tree one last glance, Marv walked over to Amy who had Oliver bundled in her arms. "You look like you just sent a wish," Amy said.

"Maybe I did," Marv said, "let me hold onto him. Your arms might be getting tired." He reached over and held onto Oliver.

"What did you wish for?" Amy asked him.

"Ain't telling," Marv answered her.

"Fair enough," Amy said with a slight shrug of her shoulder and a smile, "but I'm glad that you took the chance to appreciate the tree." With that, she raised her arm in the air for a taxicab to take them back home.