Thanks to Tif S and Ally J Horan for reviewing so far.

Friday December the 21th 2018.

And now… to start with!

Sarah POV

I was lying on that bed, in my room on Grey House, my hand was in between the pillow and one of my hands and my head. I had been lying like that, for at least the past hour. Only staring into the ceiling and waiting for time to pass by for me to go home.

Lord would know how long it would take before that lovely moment though.

I didn't have to listen closely to hear how the blizzard was roaring outside, and even in the dark and from where I laid, I could see how snow was pouring down.

It wasn't too bad, this wasn't much worse than we had at home… It didn't seem people around here were as used to it as I was though. And the whole world outside seemed to be standing still despite me hearing other people in the house outside of my closed door.

"Hello…" I flinched, tiredly when the door suddenly opened and Cassie came in carrying a tray, with a tea pot and a mug. "I thought you might like some tea."

"Lovely…" I forced myself to say while I pushed myself up to sit with my back against the bed's headboard and crossed my legs while Cassie put the tray down on the bedside table and poured up the steaming warm fluid into a colourful cup that she carefully handed to me. "Thank you…"

"I thought you might like something that could remind you of Sweden." She held me a plate of ginger breads and carefully, as if I was afraid of breaking something I took a biscuit and tasted it.

"Yeah… you probably couldn't spend one day of Christmas in Sweden without eating about fifty thousand ginger breads." I tasted it. "Mm. Tastes exactly like my mother's…" Carefully I took the cup and smelt it. "Is that blueberry I can smell?" Cassie nodded slightly.

"Blueberry with just a tad of vanilla… You have a good taste of smell. It's usually my daughter who can get this right… But for anyone who stays here at Grey House, we want them to feel as much as home as possible. And you do look like someone who does like what she's feeling, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling…"

I could at least pretend! I was quite the good actress!

Cassie didn't say anything more right then, and I just wasn't sure I wanted her to either. So without looking at her, I turned to my side and the photo frames I had standing on the bedside table.

"Is this your family?"

"Yes." I could feel just a slight smile form on my lips- if there was anything I could talk about for hours and hours it was them. "My parents, my fiancé and our son."

"What's his name? Your son?"

"Eric."

It wouldn't take too long until Cassie saw herself how much older Thomas was than me, or how I had been a teenager when I was pregnant. So I didn't comment on it. It was none of her business…

Instead, while my left hand still held onto the porcelain cup with tea, with my right hand I stroke my belly slightly. And without saying anything imagined the new little life that was forming there inside of me.

"When are you due?" I pretended to laugh. "You just have that special look on you. And you're rubbing your stomach…"

"I just found out a few hours before I left home, so I haven't had the time to tell anyone or go to the doctor's yet… But I'm guessing… End of July, maybe beginning of August… Anyway. Eric- my son. He's three… It's going to make quite the Christmas gift for the family… I just know it's a girl." I looked towards the window again. "And then this storm came the day before I was due to go back home, of course fly back to New York and then fly home… Now I can't get to work, I can't get to New York and the airport… I can't get home."

And mostly, I felt like crying.

"Believe it or not- I'm from Kiruna, which is far up north. And over there we actually do live even despite weather like this. Because yes, we do get it! Every year!"

Was there anything that Cassie Nightingale didn't smile about? Because she was smiling now too. I was getting closer and closer to breaking down. And mostly, not to do that I said something. The only thing I could think of.

"I know you can see it, Thomas is more than a decade older than me… my parents were not happy when they found out… They were furious when I was pregnant, then Eric was born and we all just fell in love… Now…." I just continued talking. "…I wanted to get a good job and travel the world, to prove to my parents… and the world that I hadn't destroyed my whole life… But, as I'm here I'm realizing that the only way I can destroy my life is if I stay away from him… let alone them. In nine months… I thought I could but no… I'd rather be broke and hungry and everything, all at once than being away from my family. And I felt that, when I went to New York and here for some meetings. I was going to quite today but the rest of the meetings have been cancelled due to the weather… the same weather that is locking me in here."

I stopped talking at last, only partly because I lost my breath. I kept staring right into the cup I held, while a part of me wanted for Cassie to leave. Another part of me wanted her to hug me, hug me tight and never let go.

There would be no chance that Cassie knew anything to say. Because I didn't even know it myself.

"Sarah…." I was far gone into my own thoughts when Cassie suddenly held her hand on my shoulder and in some, silent way she made me look back at her. "You have not destroyed anyone's life. Not with any of the choices you have made. Do you know what I can see, I only have to look at you while you're talking to see?" I shook my head. "That you love your son. You love the rest of your family too. But every little choice you make is for him. And to give him the best life that you could. So whether you're doing it from here, or you're doing it back home in Sweden. How could any of that be? How could any choice you made out of the strongest love possible. So how could any of those be wrong? Anything that you chose out of love? And anything to make your Eric's life as lovely as possible?"

Well, U didn't know for sure! But I could for certain choose so into hell wrong.

I kept looking at the photos I had, they had been given to me about a month ago on my birthday. So I could bring them with me wherever and whenever I went.

Just wanting some random thing to say, and watching my dad's smiling face I suddenly thought of it and said it almost all in one word.

"My dad's name is Göran Göransson… But no. We don't all have names that ends with -son. I'm getting married to my fiancé. And changing into his, Lindberg."

Silence fell in between us. But I had a feeling Cassie knew what to say next, but all of a sudden we were both interrupted by my laptop that was standing on the desk, as it lit up and called with a video call. Without explaining it to Cassie or wondering about who it was. I more or less jumped up, then sat down by the desk and pressed to answer it. Right away the screen was covered in my son's face, and his grandmother's right behind him.

Nothing else mattered while I saw him.

Nothing else mattered while I saw him smiling.

"HEJ MAMMA." (Hi mum) He yelled, before I had had the time to say anything.

"Hej Älskling," (Hi baby)

"VROOM. VROOM."

He "drove" his favorite red, plastic tractor where I could see it. While I could hear Cassie working and moving behind me.

"Eric, mum…" I interrupted his playing. "This is Cassie. The weather outside is absolutely terrible and somehow I ended up on the bed and breakfast she owns…"

"What's a bed and breakfast?"

"A sort of hotel. Where I can stay when I'm over here, working… Come here Cassie…" I showed Cassie to come closer, while switching in between Swedish and English depending what I said and who I talked to. "Say hi! This is my son, Eric. And my mum Marianne."

"Hello."

For a little while I did nothing else but watch, as Eric showed Cassie his favourite tractor and his Elsa-doll that was as usual riding it all over the place.

And as my eyes met my mum's. Even on the screen. I knew more than ever how much I loved these two, as well as my dad. It would probably have been the easiest thing in the world for them never to talk to me again when I was pregnant at sixteen and given birth eight months later. I had heard scary stories like that…

Instead it had brought us closer as a family.

And we had just fallen in love with the one that was now showing Cassie his favorite Elsa doll from the other side of the world.

Cassie was right.

I loved them just as much as ever. But there was no other love than the one to that one little boy, and the one that was now growing inside of me.

As long as he was happy then I knew I could be too. Wherever in the world we were I knew that his wellbeing was the only thing that ever mattered.

"Mum." His voice, suddenly switching into seriousness interrupted my thoughts. "I miss you, when are you coming home?"

I didn't answer for several seconds, he was only three years old. So could he really understand how far away I was from home?

Tori POV

"What's up?"

I was sitting cross- legged on my bed at Grey House, up until just a few moments ago my poodle and best friend had been lying right by the bed and I had been scratching her head. Now, all of a sudden she was standing and looking back at me as if I should read her mind.

For one second she just stood there, then she turned around and went over to the door. This door led to the hallway, but it was like she knew that would be the way outside.

I sent one quick look towards the window and the storm outside- not even I, who would take her for walks in all kinds of weathers felt like going outside.

"Okay. Well, you need a walk." I got up and grabbed my coat, then her leash and collar. "Come here then… Whoa!"

I barely had the time to come outside my room door when suddenly a soccer ball rolled past me in between two kids- a girl about six and a boy around three.

"Remi…." I didn't have the time to figure what to say when suddenly an old man joined them. "…And Cameron… what did nana just tell you about playing soccer inside."

"But it's so boring in here." The girl whined. "And we can't go outside." Who I guessed was her grandfather only looked back on her. "Grandpa! Dad always lets us play soccer inside."

"No he doesn't… and you're not home here. And there are things here that are breakable."

I suddenly noticed how I had been staring at the three. And how Pearl had only been looking at the ball. I was on my way to turn down the hallway and go outside, when the girl who had just been playing suddenly joined me and started petting Pearl behind her ear.

"You shouldn't do that…." The girl only raised an eyebrow at me. "Go to a dog you don't know and start petting them. Now, Pearl here is nice and she loves being scratched. But there are other dogs that aren't as nice, that might bite and that don't even like being petted. So the first thing you should do is always to ask their owner if you can pet them."

"So… can I?"

"Sure." I couldn't help but laugh slightly. "Her name is Pearl."

"Is she a poodle?"

"Yes… well done."

"I know some kinds of dogs. Poodles, Golden Retriever's, Labrador's… and Chihuahua's."

"You know lots then already. And it's a good start. If you practice, soon you could know lots and lots of different kinds…." The girl suddenly frowned. "Are dogs your favourite animal?" She was carrying a small stuffed rabbit.

"Second, right after rabbits… Why do you talk so weird?" I couldn't help but laugh and her frown went even deeper.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just that… back at home, where I come from. People would think you speak weirdly… I'm from a place called London… have you ever been there?" She shook her head. "Well. If you ever come there then I'll make sure to come and greet you. I work on a farm so maybe you can come with me and meet all the animals- the dogs, sheep, cows, maybe even ride a bit."

"Can I?"

I would have answered her sure. I knew horse riding was one thing kids her age dreamed of. And we had the old gelding Bo that wouldn't hurt a fly- why wouldn't this girl be able to come and ride? She obviously liked animals!

Then just as I was about to say it, Cassie came from downstairs and seemed to want to say something.

"I just made some dinner, I thought Chicken Noodle soup would suit in this weather. You're free to join us for the meal if you want. There's more than enough for everyone."

"Yum! I love chicken noodle soup…" The girl, got up with one last pet towards Pearl's head.

"I'll be right there." I said when Pearl suddenly whimpered slightly. "I only have to take her on a short walk…"

"Hey!" The girl from before was suddenly right by me and called for my attention. "My name is Remi… Ramona actually, but my mum only calls me that when I've done something bad. And she's not here." I just had to laugh again.

"I'm Tori."

I'm Tori and I'm far, far, far away from home.

That Remi had asked me about why I was talking the way I did had reminded me of the fact of how far I was from home. And the fact that I could impossibly get anywhere before Christmas.

I enjoyed travelling on my own, along with Pearl and see different parts of the world. But I still always had my parents, my job, my life and everything on the other side of the world.

As if it knew what I was thinking. The storm and snow hit me so hard I almost fell when I took a step outside. Neither London, nor anywhere near Chicago was the place for storms like these and lots and lots of snow. But this was like something I had never seen before…

Today was Friday, and my plan had to be travelling home yesterday and today. Here I was, in Middleton by Chicago. And I just had to realize that I was getting nowhere near home until after Christmas.

Mitchell POV

"GO AWAY." Keira yelled at me so loud every soul on Grey House could hear. "I HATE YOU. I HATE THIS. I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN." She threw the door after me closed so hard the walls shook, and before I left the hallway I heard one last shout. "I HATE THIS!"

A while later the afternoon I and my daughter had ended up at Grey House had turned into evening. Keira had thrown a tantrum over finding out that we weren't going anywhere until the weather was better, and I was sitting in a quiet Grey House where everyone else seemed to have gone to bed.

I had been reading, but when I had read the same page over and over without knowing what it was about I put the book away and ended up silently staring into the fireplace that had been lit.

"The fire was burning when I came downstairs…" I told Cassie when suddenly she was in the room. "…I'll put it out properly before I go to bed."

"Raising a teen… or a tween, such as your Keira comes with its challenges." She said, with a smile and sat down on a couch next to me. "…Although. I'm guessing the seizures comes with extra." I sighed and sent her a meaning look. "It's okay, if you need to vent. People have said I'm a good listener."

She had no idea how right she was…

"You know… every time I see her have a seizure… It's like I can't breathe unless she does… Quite a few times she's gone into status epilepticus- a tonic clonic seizure that lasts more than five minutes…. We tried this once before, but… she had a seizure, it lasted hours… I thought at last… I thought my daughter was dying right in front of me…"

Now I had started talking, and I just couldn't stop…

"…we just have to try again. And the best doctor, who specialises on Epilepsy is here at Hillcrest Hospital… So yeah. We just have to try again… and we thought. That if a certain diet could help against the seizures- no medicines are helping now and the Epilepsy is getting worse and worse… we just had to try again…"

Something in the way Cassie was looking back at me told me that she really understood things that I couldn't even put into words… I leaned back into the chair I sat, if I wasn't so worried about Keira I would have fallen asleep then and there.

"Daddy?" Suddenly there was a scraping noise and then my daughter's voice in the baby monitor we used to be able for her to call me. "Daddy? Are you there?"

"Yes sweetie." I answered quicker than quick. "I'm right here…" She snivelled. "It's okay baby. Do you want me to come upstairs?"

"Yes."

I looked back on the fireplace, but before I had the time to think of doing something Cassie had gotten up with me.

"I'll take care of it. You go take care of your daughter." I nodded in gratefulness towards her and then hurried up the stairs, taking three stairs at the time and hurried to what was temporarily my and Keira's room.

"Have you stopped yelling now?" I tried to joke, but heard myself how stupid it sounded and Keira only snorted at me while tears rolled down her cheeks, I sat down on the bed and hugged her as tightly as I dared. "It's okay sweetie. It's okay. Sch, sch, sch…" I carefully cradled her as if she had been a baby.

"Do you hate me now?"

"Hate you? You know I could never hate you… I love you. All the way to the moon, eight laps around and back again."

"How about nine?"

I didn't even answer to that, I just hoped that Keira could understand that it wouldn't matter what happened. I'd still be by her side.

All of a sudden there was a careful knock on the door. And then Cassie came in holding a porcelain cup that was steaming hot.

"I can't eat or drink anything now." Keira said before I had the time to do that. "I'm supposed to be going on a ketogenic diet that might help me against my Epilepsy. And to start with I have to go without eating or drinking anything at all for 24 hours."

"This isn't for drinking…. There's lavender in this, smelling it might help against your headache." Cassie sat down and Keira slowly leaned closer to Cassie, then almost stuck her whole face down into the cup and drew several deep, slow breaths. "Plus, it smells delicious."

For several minutes, we all three just sat like that. I holding onto Keira, and Cassie holding onto the cup of hot water and lavender. And Keira just breathing, loud and deep.

"That feels nice…" Keira almost whispered after a long while. "It feels warm… Do you know somewhere else where it's warm."

"No."

"California, where my grandma and grandpa lives. And we'll go and live at theirs when my Epilepsy is gone. Then I'll be able to drink this tea. And it sweets and everything… but I don't mind. I'd do anything to take away my Epilepsy… daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Does this kind of weather occur in California?"

"No. It doesn't."

"Good. I hate this kind of weather."

For a long while we all sat there on that bed, all still. Cassie must have felt the cup in her hands going colder and colder.

"Now… we have to be here for Dr. Kaysen. I know…" Keira said, far after I thought she had actually fallen asleep. "But… if my Epilepsy goes better. And then we can move to grandma and grandpa's in California." I nodded slightly. "Can we have a cat then?"

Talk about something random. Here we were in the middle of a blizzard and my daughter wanted to know if she could have a cat at my parents'

"Sure… We can make that our home then. And yes. We can even have a cat."

I picked a random celebrity look alike for Keira's doctor, and a random first and last name. His name is Alexander Kaysen and he looks like David Thewlis. He might or might not have a role further into the story too.

Göran Göransson is portrayed by Samuel Fröler, Marianne by Ingela Olsson. Thomas and Eric by Tyler Hilton and Zealand Labrant.

Mitchell's parents looks like Whoopi Goldberg and Samuel L. Jackson.

Random fact

Have I ever been to Kiruna?

Yes.

Am I from Kiruna?

No.

And depending on what you count as far or close I guess you could call it both far away and near. I will get back to that further into the story.