Noelle felt everything. She felt shivers from the evening winter temperatures. She felt angry at seeing Cole and not being able to run from him or yell at him since he was in his faux Santa gear. She felt worried because Jacob was eager to give Santa a piece of his mind and Cole was taking it in stride. And she felt exhausted. There were moments when Cole looked back at her on the horse carriage that was designed to look like a sleigh where and there was a heat in his eye. A look of longing, one she knew she held in her eyes before.

She could only hear bits and pieces of Jacob and Cole's conversation and it was mostly on Jacob's side when he raised his voice. She wanted to move closer, but then the lady who guided them to the ride would notice and probably call her out.

"I'm sorry about what he did, you know," the woman broke the silence between the two, catching Noelle off guard. "I only know what his sister told me and I know that he'd been sulking in his home for days before she dragged him out as well as what happened," she continued. Noelle didn't know what to think of things so she just looked at the older woman with a shy smile and pink cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...I'm Cole's aunt, Katie," she introduced herself as she held her hand out. When Noelle took it, the woman looked relieved.

"Sorry," Noelle said with a small voice, the only one she could find at the moment. "I'm just a little thrown off by all of this."

"That's alright, dear. I'm sorry for blurting it out like that. We want the best for Cole, and now that I know some of what he did, I think he deserves to grovel." She then leaned in to speak a little lower, even though Noelle was certain they couldn't hear as they were still deep in their conversation. "If you want my advice, make him pay nice and good for it okay? These Kingston men need it every now and then."

Noelle didn't know what to think of his aunt. She seemed kind enough, but also she didn't want to talk about anything concerning Cole until she confronted him. When she looked back he was still deep in conversation with Jacob. What could they have been talking about for so long? She thought. She knew Jacob would bring up what he asked for during Christmas, but that should be it. He didn't know it was Cole hiding behind the beard. If it went on a minute longer she'd have to cut in and remind Jacob that he needs to get to bed before Santa can deliver his gifts.

One moment Jacob was standing there with his arms crossed and in a defensive pose, and the next he threw himself at Santa-Cole. Noelle's eyes nearly popped out of her head with surprise. When she noticed Jacob was crying in Cole's arms she marched towards them, ready to pounce.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" She asked breathlessly as if she'd been running for hours. He didn't look at her, but continued to cry and shut his eyes tight and held on to Cole for dear life. She didn't feel good about this. "What did you say to him," she snapped at Cole. It wasn't until then that he turned his head to look at her and the sight before her made her heart stop. Jacob was crying still, but with the watery streaks on Cole's cheeks, he was right there with him. Her mind was spinning with too many thoughts so she leaned against the cart and demanded again, "tell me now!"

Cole looked at her for a moment, anguish coating his eyes and blinked it away before turning back to Jacob who was still shaking in his arms. "Jacob, buddy. I'm going to take you to sit at the bench with one of my assistants so I can talk to your mom okay?" Jacob didn't respond audibly, but he did nod his head slowly before Cole carried him over to his aunt, leaving Noelle alone in her thoughts for a moment. Now was her chance to get the closure she needed and to perhaps hurt Cole for making her son cry.

She watched Cole carry Jacob effortlessly to his aunt who was waiting there to sit with Jacob who wiped his face fiercely before curling into himself. She would make sure he got extra cuddles and maybe treat him to some hot cocoa before bed. Her heart broke for him as she watched him try to keep his tears in now that he wasn't in Cole's arms. She couldn't think about it too long before she watched Cole whisper something in his aunt's ear and then stalk back towards her. She looked everywhere except for his eyes. She knew the power they had on her and she needed to remain strong if this was going to go how she needed it do.

With his long, steady steps he was in front of her in no time and she felt incredibly small. She kept her sight at his chest, which didn't help since his wide chest was a show of how powerful he was. It was a reminder of the hug they shared and how her head rested on it. She felt safe and secure then, but now she didn't know what to feel. With a deep breath she tried to clear her thoughts of the past and figure out what had her son sobbing.

"What did you say to him to make him cry? It's Christmas Eve!" She wanted to sound strong, but she sounded weak with the crack in her voice at the end. The last thing she wanted was to see her son cry, but on such a special day made it ten times worse. A part of her knew the invitation was a setup, but she gave him a benefit of the doubt. She realized she really hadn't known him that well. Thinking of that made her feel silly for feeling so strongly about what he did then.

"Noelle..." he whispered. His voice sounded pained and it nearly made her eyes shoot up to his. She shook her head knowing she had to remain strong and end this before she could get even more hurt. If this is how she felt after knowing him for such a short period of time, imagine the damage he could do to them after a year?

"Please just answer," she pleaded to his chest and then looked down to her feet.

"I'm sorry, I-" he cleared his throat when she crossed her arms. "He wanted to retract his request for a dad for Christmas," his voice was low and full of sadness. "I just wanted him to share his feelings why he didn't want a dad anymore and then he blamed it on Cole-me." Noelle stayed looking down so he wouldn't see the tears filling her eyes and blinked them away before the evidence could fall.

"Noelle," he said once more. "Please look at me." His voice was steadier yet full of pleading. She wanted to. She wanted to look straight in his eyes and tell him how he made her feel, but she was too weak at the moment. She was the biggest coward now.

Shaking her head and playing with the rocks below her feet, she told him. "I can't," with as much conviction as she could muster she said only two words. Something in her knew the moment she met his eyes she'd break. She didn't want him to see that part of her. He didn't deserve it in her mind.

She could hear the deep sigh come from the large man and then a few moments of silence before he broke it once again. "Then can I at least have a few minutes of your time. At anytime if you want to leave you can just walk away. I know I deserve that." And he did, but there was a small fraction of her that felt guilty and she didn't like it. She had no reason to feel guilty, but she knew she could be somewhat kind for the sake of the holiday and at least let him speak. So without any verbal answer that might betray her she nodded slightly and let him proceed.