"Yeah, Ryan, I'll be there. I promise. " I sighed into the phone, flopping back down on my bed, my other hand landing at my side with a thud, and heard him chuckle at the other end.

" Well, hello to you too, girlfriend, " He said, his voice laced with humor. I rolled my eyes and huffed again. No, you don't know anything yet, don't call me dramatic!

" What do you want, Ryan? " I exhaled closing my eyes, massaging my temples, and heard him laugh again. " Somebody's grumpy today. Let me guess, Mom's been calling you all day about that Christmas thing, isn't she? " He guessed.

I groaned loudly and nodded my head furiously as if he could see me, " Yes! She's been calling almost every hour, Ryan, can you believe that? I thought she got you on her case too! " Ryan laughed loudly before I heard a little commotion around him followed by a loud thud. " You okay? " I asked carefully. " Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I was just... doing something. "

My curiosity peaked at his words, " Really? What are you doing? " He chuckled dismissively, " Nothing you should be concerned about, babe. " I pouted. " I know you're pouting like a five-year-old, love. " He said in an amused voice making me gasp, " I swear you have spy cameras around me, Ry. " He snickered, " Naah, I just know you too well. "

" Yeah, yeah whatever. Now tell me what to do with Moma. She's hell-bent on the idea of making me stay till New Year's. You know I can't do that right? With the concert and everything, I'll have to leave right after Christmas Eve. The concert's in Paris this time and the management wants to be there in time for some practice runs and sound checks. I wish I could do something, I really do, but I can't, Ry. " I ranted out while he listened patiently not interrupting me once.

" Babe, don't stress it. I'll take care of mom. She's just excited to spend time with you. She'll understand, don't worry. " I sighed at his words. I know he was right, but I was so new at all this family stuff that I just didn't know how to say no.

" I miss you, Ryan. " I whispered in a small voice. " I miss all of you guys. The house is just so... silent and lonely without you all. I don't like being... alone. " I could almost feel him smile at me sadly through the phone. " I miss you too, Sunflower, but you know it's just a matter of days and then we'll all be together, right? " He said in a reassuring voice.

" I know. I know. " I sighed sadly. " Oh don't be like that, Cheesecake. You're coming home tomorrow, it's just one more night. " I scoffed, " Can you stop calling me odd nicknames? It's kinda cringy! " I scrunched up my nose as I said that and Ryan let out a booming laugh making the corners of my lips lift up of their own accord.

Just as he was about to say something a loud voice called out in the background and Ryan sighed, " I'm sorry, Eve, I gotta go. Dad needs a hand with the Christmas tree. The twins have been going crazy over getting more lights on it this year. " I laughed fondly and shook my head, " It's okay, go help the old man. I'll call you tomorrow when I'm about to board the plane. " " Yeah, I can't wait to see you. Goodnight, Cupcake. I love you. "
I sighed dramatically, " I don't know why but I love you too, dork. " I heard him laugh before the line went silent abruptly.

I sighed as the smile slipped right off my face just as his voice cut off. My hand dropped back onto the bed defeatedly and I stared at the ceiling of my room.

The house was drowned in deafening silence. Sure there was staff around but out of old habits, they preferred to stay out of my way. Damn you, Katherine!

Rick had also gone back to Arizona to his family for Christmas and I hadn't even tried to ask him to stay with me just for today after seeing the beaming smile on his face at the thought of meeting his family again.

I didn't like it. I had come to be so used to the chaos the boys created and I missed my girls so much that this silence was irritating me to the point of becoming suffocating. It was getting on my nerves. I was happy to be leaving tomorrow for L.A.

Ignoring the grumbling protests of my empty stomach because I was in no mood to dine alone, I quietly rolled over, my back facing the ceiling, and buried my head in the pillow. The only way to battle these lonely thoughts was to sleep on them and that is exactly what I did hoping that tomorrow wouldn't be as bad as today.

A small smile settled firmly onto my lips as I sat there in the car, looking out the window watching the city pass by in a blur behind me. I loved New York. I had grown up here, lived here for 21 years of my life but it was funny how I didn't consider it home anymore.

In just a span of two months that I had lived there, my heart had automatically latched onto the idea of Seattle being home. Its picturesque sceneries, the soft enticing smell of wet soil that always floated in the air because of the frequent showers, Pete's bar, and of course the beautiful people I had met there were the reasons why it was home now.

The car came to a halt at the huge International Airport and I quickly exited the vehicle. I pulled out my sunglasses from my purse and perched them on my nose when my eyes landed on some paps who thought they were being discrete but were obviously failing big time. Rolling my eyes at them, I got hold of my luggage from the driver. He protested but I smiled and waved him off.

I slowly made my way over to the entrance and entered the all too familiar terminal. The large room was bustling with life. Announcements of flights were being made on the speakers and people and families were rushing around to find their respective flights. This is what the holiday season always looked like.

Some of these people stopped to give me shocked and recognizing looks but I ignored them as I quickly walked to the security checkpoint. I was vaguely aware of the presence of one little camera pest who was following me but I kept my cool and quickened my footsteps.

Once I reached the checkpoint I smiled at the lady and showed her my flight tickets. Her smile brightened in recognition and she instantly called over to her security when I told her I was being followed by a pap. The two buffed security gaurds led me over to gate no. 4 where I was supposed to board the business class of the New York-Los Angeles flight.

Two hours later the plane was in the air, flying over the state of Michigan heading towards California. Aside from myself there were only five other people in this section of the plane and all of them were old businessmen so they weren't exactly the talking kind. There was still a good 3 hours left of the journey and since I was bored out of my wits, I decided to sleep the rest of the way.

A slow tap on my shoulder and gentle shaking broke through my slumber hours later and I slowly blinked my eyes open to see the kind smiling face of a hostess howering over mine. " Hello ma'am. We're about to land in Mallibu soon, so please buckle yourself up. " I smiled and nodded at her advice and did as told.

About 30 minutes or so later the plane touched the Californian land and my heart leaped up happily. This wasn't Seattle but it was as much home as that. The thought of meeting everyone after being apart for almost a month was making me giddy inside.

Once I had collected my luggage from the baggage claim my eyes searched the waiting hall desperately. They skimmed over every single male in the room before I found the one I was looking for. My eyes widened and a squeal broke through my lips as I practically sprinted in his direction.

His eyes locked onto mine just in time and with a bright smile overtaking his features, he stretched his arms wide and caught me mid air as I flung myself onto him. I laughed happily when Ryan swirled me around before hugging me close to his chest. I sighed into his embrace and wrapped my arms tighter around him. Yup, I was home. And I wasn't alone. This day was already better.

" I missed you so much, " He whispered slowly and turned his head to kiss me right under my ear, tingling my sensitive skin there. I pulled back and looked into his mesmerising blue eyes which were sparkling with love and excitement. " I missed you more, " I whispered back with a dazed look on my own face, before standing up on my tip toes to press my lips to his.

Both of his hand came up to hold my face between them as he kissed me like there was no tomorrow. I was barely conscious of the curious and teasing stares of the other people in the room by I couldn't have cared less. It had been a month since I felt this way and that was long enough for me.

But unfortunately, we decided to keep it PG and he pulled away from me too soon for my liking. I almost pouted but he smiled quickly pecking my lips again and whispered, " Later. I promise. " I grinned, " Merry Christmas, my love. " He beamed back at me, " Merry Christmas, baby. "

" Come on, let's go. Everyone's been waiting for you. " Ryan smiled and slipped one hand into my mine and took my small suitcase in the other. Placing a small sweet kiss on my forehead, he led me out of the terminal and to the parking lot where Alex's car was parked and I followed with a stupid grin on my face.

" I swear I'm gonna have a weather whiplash, " I sighed out while getting inside the passenger seat of the car while Ryan turned the engine on. He laughed at my words, " How's that? " I shook my head with a smile on my face, " I was wearing a trench coat back in New York and now I can practically go out in just a thin sweater. "

He chuckled, " Well I believe a thin sweater is better. " I raised my eyebrows at him sensing he wanted to add something into that sentence. He turned to look at me with a mischievous smile, " It's easier to remove later. " He winked and I chuckled shaking my head at his naughty words. " You wish. " He sighed dramatically, " Believe me, I do. " I laughed and turned to look out the window.

Throughout the ride to his parent's place he had a stupid grin on his face and I couldn't put off my own either. With his hand on my thigh, my fingers entrapped with his and Let it Snow blasting through the radio, this was the definition of heaven. How could I stop smiling?

Fuck, I'm so in love. Save me!

Ryan pulled the car into the driveway and I looked at the familiar house which looked even more beautiful in this twilight time with lights decorating it. " The house looks beautiful, Ryan. " We both smiled at each other and then stepped out of the car.

Ryan locked the jeep and then came around to my side. Throwing his arm over my shoulders, he walked me to the door. Before any of us could have even knocked, the door was pulled open and there stood a beautiful smiling Luna. I chuckled at her enthusiastic self. She loved Christmas, no scratch that, she loved having her kids over the holidays. I was happy to be on the list too this time.

" Merry Christmas, Moma. " I smiled brightly and she pulled me into a warm hug. If it would have been snowing, I bet her warmth would have melted everything away. " Merry Christmas to you too, Evie. Oh, I missed you so much. " I laughed breezily and kissed her cheek.

" Come on in. " She ushered us in. I bent down to remove my heels when I was suddenly attacked from behind. I laughed and looked back to find none other than my two favorite little midgets. " Merry Christmas, Vivie. " I laughed more at their sloppy nickname for me. " Merry Christmas, kiddos. " I hugged them close to me and they giggled happily.

We all made our way to the living room and I gasped at seeing most, if not all, of my favorite people here. Michael and Victoria stood in the corner of the room sipping wine together and their eyes shifted to me as I entered the room. Michael smiled and made his way to me, " Hey angel. Merry Christmas. " He engulfed me in a warm hug, " Merry Christmas, Uncle Mikey. "

I pulled away and smiled over at Victoria. Two warm arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind and I immediately recognized my brother's hug. " Hey, sis. Merry Christmas. " I smiled and kissed his cheek affectionately. Aunt Stella walked up and pulled me into a tight hug which I returned enthusiastically.

" Where are the girls and the twins? I thought they were coming too. " I asked a little sadly. Evan smiled, " Jenny and Sophia are still in Seattle. They wanted to spend the night with their families but they will be flying to Paris with us for your concert. And Noah, Aiden, and Mia have gone to their parent's place which isn't far from here. Aiden wanted Mia to meet his parents. " He whispered the last part in my ear making my eyes widen. " Really? " I asked disbelievingly and he winked at me. Good job, Aiden.

An arm slipped around my waist and I looked back with a smile to see my man standing right next to me. He smiled down at me and placed a sweet kiss on my head. " I need you to meet someone. " He said in a slow voice and I saw the slight hint of sadness in his eyes. I frowned at seeing that but nodded my head and followed as he led me to a middle-aged couple who was standing in one corner of the room.

The man and woman both were almost my parent's age and looked happy to be here. The short petite blonde woman looked at me with her kind brown eyes which crinkled when she smiled. The man standing behind her with his hands on her shoulders was much taller than his wife but still not tall enough. He was smiling kindly too, his light grey eyes a beauty to behold.

" Klaus, Hillary this is my girlfriend, Evelyn. Eve, they are Clara's parents. " My eyes widened in surprise at the introduction. Clara's parents. Schooling my features carefully I smiled at the pair. " It's so nice to meet you two. Ryan's told me many nice things about you guys. " Hillary smiled at me, " Oh, aren't you a sweetheart, Evelyn. I like her Ryan. "

She then put her hand on my cheek and looked at me with forlorn eyes, " You remind me of her. " She whispered and my smile fell just a little. Ryan coughed lightly from behind me and tightened his grip on my waist. I knew what he was thinking. Even though Hillary must have said that in goodwill, only the two of us knew how close to the truth that sentence was. If situation had been worse, I could have ended up being a second Clara.

Shaking my head to rid my brain of the awful thought, I smiled, " Your daughter was a wonderful human. A beautiful artist too. " Hillary's smile turned sad and tears filled up her vision. " She was, wasn't she? " She whispered sadly. I squeezed her hand, " She's still with us. " Hillary and Klaus both smiled and shared a look among each other. I looked back to see Ryan smiling sadly too.

" Hola everybody, let's get this party started. " A voice suddenly hollered from the front door. I chuckled amusedly as I recognised the voice of none other than the loud Aiden Collins.

I looked back to see Aiden enter the living room with a grin on his face. His eyes landed on me and a genuine smile replaced his features. I couldn't help but be amazed by how our bond had altered through the last few months. There was a time when his presence nauseated me because of his crude sexual innuendos all the time, but now we were literal best buds. He was my partner in crime.

I smiled as he walked up and threw his arms around me, " You're finally here Evie. Merry Christmas, sister. " I smiled and pulled away from him, placing a friendly kiss on his cheek. Noah ruffled my hair lovingly and Mia practically lunged at me to give me a hug. Pregnant women are scary sometimes, just saying!

After I dont know how many hours of laughing and goofing around with each other, Cherry and Chris pulled everyone over to the Christmas tree to open the gifts. I helped the twins open theirs and the way their faces lit up at seeing their presents was so rewarding.

Everybody laughed and cheered each other as they opened their gifts. I sat back with Ryan's arms around me, smiling as I saw them opening the gifts I had bought for each of them. For Stella, Alex, Luna, Michael and Victoria, I had bought them a joint holiday cruise to Australia for a month. These old best friends needed to spend some time to themselves and what better way than by cruising over the vast beautiful ocean, right?

Luna gasped at seeing it, " Holy Christ. This is the best present ever, Eve. " I laughed at her cheerful self. " What about the kids? " She whispered carefully making me chuckle, " My responsibility, Moma. " She beamed and then turned to kiss her husband happily. Ryan pretended to gag from beside me and I just laughed. Michael smiled at me proudly and a warm feeling spread all over me.

When Noah opened his gift he almost shouted in ecstasy but quickly stoned his features and said in a serious voice, " I can't accept this, Eve. " I laughed at his expression, " Yes you can stupid. " His eyes widened and he choked out, " It's a freaking White Falcon. You got me a whole guitar for Christmas? " I shook my head at him, " And you love it, don't you? " He nodded stiffly making everyone chuckle at his expression.

For Aiden I had bought two free tickets of an A-level Club here in LA. " Two? " He asked with a dazed happy look in his eyes. " For you and your girlfriend, only if she promises to not touch any drinks there. " Mia bounced happily, " I promise! Oh hell yes! These little fuckers have been killing me. I wanna have a free night. Please Aiden! " She cooed making Aiden laugh in an evil way hence commencing the stupidest couple banter of the world. I frowned at what Mia had just called her own kids and now the way they both were fighting like literal 5 year olds.

Bless these babies cause they're about to have two amazing parents. I scoffed at the thought.

My eyes shifted to my brother to see silent tears flowing down his face. I smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand. He looked up at me with a small smile on his face, " You made this? " I nodded at his words. I had spent hours making his gift. I had collected all of mine and his picture over the past years and put them together in such a way that it looked as if we had been together since the start. " We were always together, Evan. This is how our album should look like, don't you think? " I asked in a soft voice and he nodded heartily, pulling me into his signature bear hug.

I sighed happily and looked back at my man to see him already looking at me with a beautiful smile on his face. He reached up and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear and leaned forward to capture my lips with his in a slow soft kiss. I smiled at the feeling of his lips on mine. It never gets old. This feeling never dies.

" I have a gift for you too, Angel. " He whispered, looking at me with his angelic blue eyes. " I have one too. " I smiled at him brightly. " Okay, you go first. " He said leaning back and pulling me into his chest. Smiling I reached behind me where I had placed his gift and gave him the silver-wrapped box.

Ryan took the small box from my hands gingerly and I beamed at him. Unlike earlier, this time he opened the gift with careful fingers almost as if he wanted to preserve even the gift wraps. Once the wraps were gone he held up the small black velvet box and looked at me with a mischievous look. " I believe this is my job, babe. " My cheeks flushed at his words and with wide eyes I quickly shook my head, " It's not what it..., " chuckling to himself, he placed his lips on mine again effectively shuting me up in the middle of my fumbled explanation. " You talk too much, " he whispered against my lips and I rolled my eyes with a smile on my lips.

Pulling away from me he slowly opened the box to reveal two beautiful silver engraved rings. I beamed as he carefully pulled them out of the box and held them up. He didn't need to say anything, his eyes conveyed everything. He was touched.

" What are these? " He asked in a whisper. I smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek, " Promise rings. They have our initials on them. I wear the one with R.M. and you wear the one with E.J. " He looked at me with a lovingly gaze and smiled slowly, " Have I ever told you how much I love you? " I smiled, " A million times. "

His eyes sparkled with love and affections as he leaned forward to kiss me gently, " Well, I'll tell you again. I love you more than anything, and I always will. " My lips stretched into the most genuine smile, " I love you more. " He smiled and gently lifted my right hand to place the ring on my ring finger, right beside my mother's ring. I mirrored his action and slid his ring in it's rightful place.

Grinning like the fools we were, Ryan gave me my gift too. Chuckling at the anxious look on his face, I slowly opened the gift wrap. Inside was a small card and long vertical box. It was a Tiffany's box. My eyes widened even before I opened the card, " Ryan this must've cost you a fortune. " I said worriedly. He chuckled and squeezed me closer to himself, " You don't need to worry about that. Just open it. "

I slowly lifted the card and opened it to read the words written inside.

" Here's my first name 'till I can give you my last name forever. "

- I love you, Sunflower.

My smile brightened at reading those promising words and I excitedly opened the box to see a beautiful gold charm inside it intricately craved out into his name. I skimmed my fingers over it as happy tears pooled in my eyes.

Smiling back at him, I turned around a little and held it for him. " Put it on me? " He smiled and took it from my fingers. He tied the delicate necklace around my neck gently and kissed the end of my neck.

Sighing, I leaned back into his chest as he wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my hair, and together we watched our happy little family finally enjoying the holidays together.

This was the merriest Christmas ever.

*******

•

Author's note •

Hey everyone!

Here's a bonus chapter that you had been waiting for. I hope you liked it, it was a really long one I know... But hey that's a good thing right?

Anyways, if you did like it please drop a vote and a comment. I love reading your thoughts.

Until next time,
Much love

M :)