AN: So this story is part of the Holiday Fic Exchange for 2023 and is dedicated to Jillian (JillzW)! She wanted a Lillian/Elizabeth friendship pairing, the quote "stockings hung at the fireplace" said by Jo in The Little Women, and stuck away from home in a snowstorm. Granted chapter 1 isn't very Lillian and Elizabeth yet but I promise to get there. As for the quote - I hope that I used it in a positive enough way for you Jillian. There will be further chapters as the month goes on.

Thank you Katie for the editing and Amy for the cover!
Happy Holidays everyone!

Disclaimer: WCTH characters are the property of Crown Media and WHC Crown Media and/or GAC (however that stands at this point). They are borrowed for entertainment purposes only.

Setting: So for the sake of this story, the missing Christmas in WHC after season 1 happened during the "Home for Christmas" WCTH special. WHC's "A Country Christmas" would then take place between season 7 and season 8 of WCTH. As this Christmas is a year later, we are in Christmas of 1918, WCTH cannon is valid through season 7. After that I have veered from cannon as you will see though some events will remain.

Lillian hummed "'O Come All Ye Faithful" as she hung stockings on the fireplace mantle. She wanted the orphanage to be cheerful and festive for when the children got home from school. Though there were only four of them this year, Nora and Violet having been adopted during the past year, along with two others who had come and gone quickly, funds were still tight. She envied Grace in some ways. Helen's grandfather made sure the children in her care had all that she wished for. Though Ronnie had provided gifts for the children last year, she couldn't count on that again.

She could ask the community for support, but given the reception the orphanage got when they opened, Lillian didn't want to go there. She finally felt as if Brookfield was embracing New Hope Orphanage and its charges. The last thing she wanted was for them to start thinking of it as a burden.

As she hung the last stocking, which happened to be Vincent's, Lillian took a step back. As she looked at the name, the letters started to blur. Crossing her arms across her stomach, she looked up at the ceiling, praying for strength. Like Grace, it looked as if Vincent would age out of the orphanage and her heart broke for him. The world was a cruel place sometimes - even more so when you didn't have family.

"He'll always have you and the friendships he has made here."

The sage words from Eleanor broke through Lillian's thoughts. Reaching up to wipe tears away, she looked to find both Eleanor and Abigail standing in the doorway. Both women were bundled up for the cold. Abigail had a basket of eggs on her arm. Both Virginia and the chickens helped make ends meet a little easier and Lillian would forever be thankful to Grace for starting the idea.

"It's been good for Cody to have a good friend here. He's missed Robert since we left Hope Valley," Abigail said.

"Even though they are both talking about joining the Mounties?" Lillian asked.

"As much as Cody idolized Jack, I think him joining the Mounties has been inevitable. Despite the danger, I will be proud to have him serve. As for Vincent, perhaps he'll find his family with the force."

Lillian nodded. "Everyone needs somewhere that they belong. For now, I try to make that here, but it won't be forever. Though I hope that Vincent knows he'll always be welcomed here."

"He knows that," Eleanor replied. "All your children do. It is why they all write to you."

Lillian nodded. "Where are you two off to?"

"To cash in some eggs and pick up some extra baking ingredients. The kids want to have Christmas cookies on hand for our guests," Eleanor said. "And probably for themselves as well," she conceded.

Lillian laughed at that. She had no doubt eating the cookies was as appealing as baking them. As for the guests Abigail was referring to - all four Grants, Rosemary, Lee, and Bill were all coming to Brookfield to celebrate not only the holiday but Lillian and Gabriel's wedding as well. As tight as things were with giving the children a special Christmas, Lillian had asked Gabriel if he minded having a simple celebration on the twenty-third for their wedding. Bill had agreed to perform the ceremony. Ronnie had consented to letting them use the hotel for the ceremony and a supper afterwards. He claimed the rooms being booked by the Coulters and Bill were adequate compensations, the Grants staying at the orphanage to give a hand with the children so that Lillian and Gabriel could have some time alone in the cottage. It wouldn't be much of a honeymoon, but it was something. As Gabriel had been the one to talk to Ronnie about the use of the hotel for the celebration, Lillian had no doubt a little intimidation had relaxed Ronnie's purse strings a little. Not that Gabriel purposely tried to intimidate the owner of the Royal Brookfield, but given Ronnie's involvement with Sinclair, the man's conscience made him nervous around the town's Mountie. Ronnie along with Tess, Joe, Maggie, and Sam would be joining them.

"Well, at least I can give them the joy of cookies even if their gifts can only be practical again," Lillian replied. She looked at the stockings. "And some small surprises in the stockings," she added, thinking of the candy and small gift for each that she had been able to buy with the money that she had earned making wreaths this year. All the business owners had happily bought one for the door of the business. Gabriel had purchased two saying he needed one for the seldom used private entrance to his apartment behind the jail. Lillian had a feeling he was being nice and rumor had it he and Sam had talked to people before she set out to sell the wreaths. The fact that Gabriel and Sam were getting along took any sting out of knowing that her success hadn't been solely her own. Besides, when the kids figured out the puzzle boxes and found the few coins she was able to put inside, she knew everything would be worth it. The stockings hung at the fireplace would hopefully make the children's Christmas feel special.

"They may not realize it now, but when they are older and looking back, they will remember the love and memories you gave them and feel rich for that," Abigail told her.

"Thank you," Lillian said. The words sounded nice even if she didn't quite agree with them.

Eleanor and Abigail moved across the room to the door. As Abigail opened it, she gave a little gasp as she found Gabriel standing there with a crate in his arms. He looked to be in the process of balancing it in one arm.

"Come in," Abigail told him, as she and Eleanor moved aside.

"What did you do?" Lillian asked her fiancé as he stepped inside.

"Remember, those letters to Santa I told the kids to write and I would get to Santa?" Gabriel replied.

"Yes."

"Well, the letters may have gotten intercepted by Elves dressed in red," Gabriel told her. His grin got bigger at the confused looks he got from the women. "I contacted fellow Mounties I have worked with over the years, and they agreed to send a gift for a child. I even had Nathan get Allie and Jack to write a letter as they'll be here for Christmas, so all the children are included."

"From the looks of that crate and the one still on the porch I saw, it seems like more than just seven gifts."

"Yeah, well my contacts may have taken it upon themselves to do a little more. There are food stuffs donated to make a true Christmas feast and they even sent a gift for you three ladies."

Lillian's eyes misted up again. Abigail had been right last year. With good friends she wasn't doing this alone.

Gabriel put the crate down on a nearby chair and reached out to envelope her in his strong arms. Abigail and Eleanor took the opportunity to slip out the front door and start their tasks.

"You aren't crying because you're mad at me, are you?" Gabriel asked softly as he stroked her hair. "I know I've done some things in the past to upset you, but I really only want the best for you, Lillian."

"I know," Lillian replied. "I am not mad. Just a bit overwhelmed that your fellow Mounties would do that. They don't know me or the kids."

"They don't need to. They see the need and want to help. I know that isn't always the case with people when it comes to the subject of orphans. I know that you and the others have your reasons to doubt the intentions of people. I heard and saw some of that when I first returned to Brookfield. I can only imagine what it might have been like when you first opened this place. Just remember that there are people out there that genuinely want to help. Your adoptive parents are the perfect example. I can't imagine losing one set of parents, let alone two, but they did love you. They did provide you with the means to be able to open your heart and home to other orphans. I have no doubt they would be proud of you. I know I am."

"I was just thinking about how lucky Grace is to have Helen's grandfather as a benefactor," Lillian confessed as she looked up at him. "You just showed me that I am pretty lucky too."

Gabriel gave her an impish smile before pressing his lips to hers. "I'm the lucky one," he told her when he broke the kiss. "You and the kids brighten my life more than I ever thought possible. Which is why, I hope you won't be too upset that I got a little gift myself for each of the kids to stick in those stockings. I know you said that your stocking hung at the fireplace was special when you were a kid here and you wanted to be the one to stuff them, but I hope you will let me share that. I got a pen, pencil, ink, and eraser for each, so you won't be the only one giving them the practical things."

Lillian smiled. "Knowing that their favorite Mountie gave them is going to make the kids want to use them."

"Hopefully for their schoolwork," Gabriel added.

"Let's hope," Lillian said. She looked toward the crate. "Abigail said there was another crate?"

"Yes," Gabriel replied, finally letting her go. "Let me go get it and I will hope you stash this stuff away from childish eyes."

Lillian nodded her consent and walked toward the crate on the chair as Gabriel went outside. Glancing at the contents, she saw that the kids' letters to Santa had been honored by Gabriel's Mountie friends. Hearing footsteps coming back inside, Lillian looked up already speaking. "You'll need to give me names and addr . . . "

The words came to a stop as she saw that Gabriel wasn't carrying the other crate nor was he alone. A man with mean eyes and a beard was standing behind Gabriel holding a pistol to her fiance's head. Gabriel's hands were behind his back and Lillian assumed he had been restrained in some way. His pistol was missing from the holster.

"What do you want?" Lillian asked, managing to keep her voice from trembling despite her heart pounding in her chest.

"You just need to make sure that Nathan gets a message. You tell him I will be where he last found me and that he should come alone, or I won't say what happens to his friend. I have unfinished business with my brother-in-law."

Lillian met Gabriel's gaze. Her fiancé had a determination in his eyes as he nodded to her slightly. She knew that nod meant that she should do as the man asked.

"I will. Just please don't hurt him."

"That will all depend on you and Nathan," the man told her. "I want you to have a seat over there while I am leaving. I will be watching the windows. If I see movement of any kind, I shoot him. After you hear me ride off, you wait five minutes before you go into town to contact my brother-in-law. You understand?"

"Yes," Lillian. "Could I just give him a kiss before you take him?" she asked, not really thinking the man would allow it.

"You are a sentimental fool just like Colleen was. Go ahead but don't try anything funny. I am not moving this gun and if it goes off, Gabriel here is as good as dead."

Lillian swallowed hard. She knew the man was right but still, she needed this goodbye - though she hoped it wasn't a final one. Moving forward slowly, she stood in front of Gabriel and pressed her lips against his.

"This is going to work out, Lillian," Gabriel told her, softly as she broke the kiss. "Just have faith."

Lillian nodded, as she took a step back.

"Now go sit," the man ordered.

With legs that threatened to give out, Lillian did as ordered. Gabriel's safety was what mattered and she planned on following the man's instructions, so he wouldn't hurt him.