This chapter is inspired from 'The Father's Day Gift' from UPlover here on FF, and by 'To Be A Father' from gembutterfly on Deviantart. -Traveler.


-December 2, 1979, in Jacksonville, Arkansas-

Carl Fredericksen sighed deeply as he gazed through the slit of the guest bedroom, no, it's Russell's bedroom now, hearing the soft breathing of the asleep boy...Gods, he's just a boy, 8 years old, nearly 9.

He feels a soft hand on his shoulder, and glances at his wife, Ellie who gives him a soft smile yet grief in her eyes, "Nora has entrusted Russell to us, you know that...She wouldn't wished for anyone better than us, especially when we saved her from, ah, a precarious situation. It's strange...But I think it was our lost baby guiding her home while being pregnant with Russell.".

Carl nods softly, remembering that day so well which only happened nearly 10 years ago. He and Ellie was leaving the park, having done their usual picnic time when they saw a man snatching up a purse, shoving a then in her second trimester pregnant woman of Asian descent to the ground. Carl was enraged, running to stop the man while Ellie went to check on the woman who's crying and all.

That day, they met 20-year-old Nora who was thrown out by her then husband for a huge misunderstanding. Nora was simply having a reunion with an old school friend, a male friend, and her husband saw them together, and thought Nora cheated on him, thinking that the baby was the friend's, not his.

Nora really tried to explain, but her husband didn't listen, and Nora was then forced to endure living in motels or even worse, the streets, and luckily, the purse snatcher didn't hurt her too hard, but it was a narrow close call as Carl and Ellie were kind to give Nora a ride to the hospital to check the baby.

The couple was relieved when they heard the news that the baby was fine, and seeing that Nora was lost and nearly homeless, they decided to give Nora a home, a place where she can be safe to raise the baby, and despite their friends and family's protestations that Nora is Asian, weary after the recent war, they didn't care as they simply saw a young woman in trouble and an innocent baby needing shelter and food.

Carl and Ellie have stood up for Nora in court very strongly, and successfully, there was a verdict that Nora was able to dissolve the marriage and keep her child, and much to their shock, upon the birth of Russell, they were made to be godparents on the birth certificate and in Nora's will.

It was an incredible learning experience, learning how to take care of a newborn, then toddler, and then child while Nora took a job as well, yet alternatively taking days off between the three of them to raise Russell.

The years were amazing, with Carl teaching Russell how to play ball, ride a bike, telling stories at bed, while Ellie taught Russell how to play music, camping in the outdoors, and cooking, with Nora teaching Russell how to tie his shoes, to walk, and to sing. The small, serene moments along with the boring stuff was Russell's favorite thing to do.

It seemed like it was going to be happy times for them all, and then came the day in the hospital after Nora was starting to look and feel terrible...Lung Cancer...It was even worse than chickenpox or pneumonia which Ellie and Carl went through in their childhoods...

And to find out that it was so far along that even the cheapest treatments couldn't cure...It was a bittersweet moment when the doctor told Nora that she only had a few months to spare...She really tried so hard to not let Russell see her at her weakest moments when she would cry in Ellie's arms, or hug Carl when he would offer his arms out of nowhere, but it was clear that Russell wasn't stupid when Ellie or Carl would discover him helping around the house or working hard on his cooking abilities.

Heck, Carl remembered a day only a week before Halloween where he and Russell was having ice cream and counting cars that went past them, and Russell told him that he was scared yet upset that he thinks that he's being selfish, especially when Nora had been working so hard on his Halloween costume, and she is losing her smile as she looks so tired.

Carl was stupefied as he knew he can't be brutally honest, yet he cannot afford to lie either...He told Russell that his mother is really sick, but she's trying to keep a smile on her face for the sake of her family in Russell and them. The best thing Russell can do is just be there and enjoy the moments with Nora.

Russell understood what he meant, and with determination, he went to make the best of his mother's days with him and the others, seeking solutions for a quiet game or such...It was a hard hit in their hearts when Nora passed away two weeks ago, and the pain is still fresh, dwindling a tiny bit every day.

It was a shock today when they read Nora's will, as in the situation of her death, Russell's godparents are now the loco parentis aka guardians of his well-being and all, making Russell their son by adoption and will. Carl sighed softly as he glanced again at the slumbering boy...He couldn't blame Russell for not calling them Dad and Mom, as Russell only knew them as his aunt and uncle of sorts, especially when Russell called Nora 'Ona' which means mother sometimes in their Asian language, though he called her Mom in public.

Ellie replied softly, "Come on, let's get to bed...It's getting late, my love.", and Carl nods, smiling gently as she kisses him on the cheek, and so they went to bed after using the bathroom and such.

An hour later, Carl woke up to a whispering voice, feeling persistent poking at his shoulder, "Uncle Carl?", and he rubs his eyes, putting his glasses on, glancing at Russell, "Kid? What's wrong?", barely noticing Ellie waking up as well, and Russell rubs his arms softly, looking down, "C-can I sleep with you guys?...I had a bad dream...".

Ellie replies, "Oh, sweetheart. Of course you can, right, Carl?", and Carl nods, "Yeah, come up, Russell. Just don't expect us to do this a lot, eh?", seeing Russell brighten up.

"That's okay...I know I'm growing up, but I just...I'm feeling awful after the bad dream...", Russell sighs deeply as he climbs into bed, joining into the middle between Carl and Ellie.

Carl replies, "You don't have to tell us if you don't wanna, kid.", and Russell shakes his head, "No...I want to...But I'm scared that you'll be upset...".

Ellie gently ruffles Russell's hair, "We won't be upset, Russell. Bad dreams are just figments of your imagination, and like good dreams, they disappear away.".

"I suppose...But it's still lingering...", Russell whispers, and Carl nods, "Ah, sometimes dreams can do that, good or bad. It's normal for them to linger, but like Ellie said, they disappear away eventually.".

Russell blinks, "Really?", and Carl nods with a reassuring smile, and Russell exhales, "I...I actually was selfish...I made a wish that Mom didn't die, and...and...you two were in the coffins...dead...glaring at me with glassy eyes...I'm sorry!", sobbing, burying his face in his legs.

Carl and Ellie stared at each other in shock and grief, and Ellie was quick to reassure him, "It's not your fault about your mom. Nora couldn't help herself when her body went back at her...Lung Cancer is scary, and it can happen to anyone, through family or out of the blue. Selfish? Russell, you aren't selfish for wanting your mom to be here, because she already is...".

Russell sniffled, peeking from his legs, "How?", and Ellie smiles gently, "She's always with all of us, in the memories we have of her, the stories we tell about her, and the love of her in our hearts. She will never leave you, Russell, because she is your guardian angel, watching over you. Yes, it's true that she cannot be physically here, but she will witness every wonderful thing you'll do tonight and every day into the future, and she'll be proud of her son, you.".

"You think so?", Russell speaks softly as he slowly raises his head, and Carl smiles warmly, ruffling Russell's hair, "We know so, kid. So, we're not mad. Yes, it's true that death may come, but it won't be for a long time, son. After all, we made a promise to your mother, and we cross our hearts to look after you, to give you all the love we have, to watch you grow up into a fetching young man and all.".

Russell, surprised to hear Carl say so much at once, smiles genuinely, "You do love me?", and Carl nods with a resolute smile as Ellie kisses him on the cheek, "We do, sweetheart.".

"Is it okay that Mom is not upset if I call you Dad and Mama? I read how it means to be adopted by will and all last week...", Russell looks down shyly, and Ellie shares a surprised look with Carl before sharing a smile and a nod, and Ellie smiles, "Russell, we'd be happy to be called Mama and Dad if you want to, and I'm sure Nora would be so relieved and not upset at all, as she will never replace us, for she's part of us as well.".

Russell then smiles widely, and hugs Ellie happily, and then looks at Carl who chuckles, opening his arms, and Russell giggles, hugging him eagerly, and after a bit, Carl then replies, "Now, I believe it's rather long past bedtime for you, kid, and for us as well.".

Russell nods before yawning, rubbing his eyes as Ellie tucks him in, kissing him on the forehead, "Good night, sweetheart.", and Russell smiles sleepily, "Good night, Mama...Good night, Dad...", and Carl smiles, ruffling his hair, "Good night, Russell.".

"Dad?", Russell whispers softly a minute later, and Carl replies, "Yeah, kid?", his heart warming up happily, as Russell asks, "Can we go to Paradise Falls, you, me, and Mama? I want to find flowers from there to put on Mom's stone...".

Carl blinks in surprise and slight pain before glancing at Ellie who smiles, nodding gently, and he replies, "We'll take you to Paradise Falls for Christmas after you're done with school for the rest of the week, okay?".

Russell replies, "Okay, Dad. I love you...", before yawning again, and Carl gently ruffles his hair, "I love you too, son. Remember, you ain't alone anymore. We got you, Russell, and you're our Christmas miracle.", before hearing a content sigh, and so, the newfound family falls asleep, with a transparent spirit smiling as she hovers in the moonlight, and then leaves the bedroom, relieved and so happy that her son found family and love in her two saviors.