Blair slipped through the open door with the last couple of guests, she scuttled through the crowd and gaped at the magical sight. The massive home was decorated from top to bottom in the spirit of Christmas glamour. It seemed to be a small party with a handful of guests, they were all dressed to perfection with gentleman in primed tuxedos and ladies in different rich gowns adorned with jewels. Blair had never seen this type of gathering in person before, the most she had ever done were small Thanksgiving dinners with her grandma or training classes.

This Victorian styled home reminded Blair of her own designs for Maddox's office. She didn't know Maddox for a long time but she got his hidden preference faster than she expected.

Suddenly, a voice boomed from behind her, "Maddox, hurry and bring your sister!" A beautiful woman came around the parlour room adored with a royal blue gown that matched the sapphire jewels dropping from her ears and circling her neck.

Blair stepped around the lady when abruptly a young man walked right through her, she didn't feel anything but the gentleman definitely felt a gust of cold air. She turned and found those remarkably memorable amber eyes gazing into her own. Maddox was dressed in a suit, but his jacket was thrown off on a chair somewhere, and his hair was rakishly tousled and black as night. His young carefree age showed through that broad smile and lazy posture, she quite liked him this way.

Maddox reached the grand staircase that twirled up to the second floor and took a deep breath. Blair guessed he was about to shout from the bottom of the stairs for his sister to come down, but his mom quickly stopped him.

"Don't you dare!" she scolded. "Go get Melinda from her room, young man."

Maddox and Blair both chuckled at the same time, which surprised her. Maddox quickly dashed up the stairs and away from Blair's quizzing gaze.

Blair followed the crowd and entered the dining room; a whole family filled up all the seats at the table. She loved decorated table that had long candles under a small chandelier that sparkled like the white snow outside. Red, gold and white porcelain plates were set out for everyone to use, and the glasses were shined to excellence. The smell of roasted vegetables alongside baked chicken with chilled wine was just the start of the grand feast. She had a similar set-up during Christmas at her own home, but it was a lot more lonesome compared to this party. She didn't talk to her parents and they never invited her over for the holidays, she never liked to admit to herself but she enjoyed the idea of family dinners and celebrations. Maddox's family seemed quite happy and peaceful, but what she couldn't understand was what happened to him now.

Speak of the devil, Maddox appeared with his sister who looked like they were already bickering over something like all siblings do. Blair drifted around the room's aura; it held a tranquil wave that could bring a smile to anyone's lips. She could feel the family's happiness that was imbedded into this memory, but why did her heart ache and her magic grow alert like something dark was about to taint this happiness that seemed too good to be true.

Blair's thoughts were shattered when the man in the first seat stood up with Maddox's mother; he was a handsome man, and now she understood where Maddox got his good looks from. He had a striking resemblance to his father. The man held the glass of champagne and he politely toasted to the holidays and thanked everyone that came to the dinner.

Blair observed from beyond the shadows and found herself pulled towards young Maddox's bright smile. He was carefree and unburdened from the weight of the world that was on his shoulder's now. This night he was just a young man who loved to talk to his family and enjoy the feast, which she didn't understand why she found that so adorable.

Time passed and she watched the family talk their way through the merry night. Blair's magic began to fade so she knew it was time to go back to her time. She took a deep breath and spoke the incantation that broke the dwindling trance. She found herself on the floor back in the study room.

Blair carefully got off the floor but she still felt the weakness in her magic, the trance required more strength from her than she guessed it would. Blair clambered down the small staircase, she tightly held onto the railing otherwise her face would meet the floor. She wasn't surprised that her body had grown a bit tired after visiting a memory because it had happened to her many times before, and the trick to fight this off was a bit of sugar.

Blair managed to make it out of the room and she hoped when she approached the kitchen that Maddox wouldn't be there, but she was wrong. He was sitting on the stool near the counter, his eyes were glued to his laptop screen and he fashioned a pair of reading glasses.

Blair pushed her tousled hair back and was about to leave for her room, but then, her head swooned and her knees slackened. She could hear her heart in her ears and the splotches of black blinded her vision. Damn, I used too much magic. She thought to herself.

"Blair!" Maddox called out for her, but she had no strength to answer him.

Blair slumped against the wall and dropped to the cold floor. She knew the risks of Memory Magic, but it always took her into the trances by surprise so she never got the chance to stop it before happening. And she was curious about Maddox's past more than ever, so her state right now was kind of her fault.

Maddox appeared in front of her and his amber eyes were behind a pair of silver-rimmed glasses, which in her opinion were too soft for his hardened face. But they still looked quite dashing on him like everything else he wore.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked gently and grabbed her arms. "You're frozen," Maddox gaped at her.

"Sugar," she muttered.

"I'm going to call a doctor," said Maddox hurriedly.

She grabbed his hand that reached for his cellphone. "Sugar," she stated more firmly this time and he surprisingly followed through her small command. He vanished for a momentary second and appeared in front of her with a bar of milk chocolate. He carefully unwrapped the gold foil and popped a cube of rich cocoa into her mouth, she chewed and swallowed the piece and slowly her limbs revived again.

"Thanks," she said after her magic gradually began to restore through her body.

"Do you have a sugar problem or something?" asked Maddox.

Blair waved her hand. "No," she answered and tried to get up from the floor, but Maddox quickly grabbed a hold of her. "It just happens when I over exert myself."

Maddox took her towards the couch and positioned her on the seat. "You were just in the office," he observed. "What the hell were you doing that it required so much strength?"

Blair took another bite of the chocolate. "It's just been a long day," she mumbled and found it weird because it felt like she was getting scolded. "Thanks again for the chocolate."

Maddox laced his arms. "Are you sure you don't need to see a doctor?" he asked again.

"I'm sure," she smiled at him but his mood didn't improve.

"Be careful next time," he cautioned and disappeared towards the kitchen. But he quickly returned with his laptop and joined her on the couch like it was the natural thing to do.

Blair recalled the memory she visited earlier and remembered the bright smile on Maddox's face that was a deep frown now. That young man and this one didn't resemble at all, except that they both had exceptionally good looks.

"What happened to you?" The question slipped out before she could stop it.

Maddox gaped at her. "Excuse me?"

Blair laughed it off and sank in the couch from embarrassment, she rested her head back and closed eyes before she drifted off to the light clicking of Maddox typing on his keyboard. It was oddly very comforting to sleep with company.

-Maddox's POV-

Maddox was acutely aware that Blair had fallen asleep right next to him on the couch, she was softly breathing and her lips were held in an easy line that made her look comfortable enough to make him sleepy. Blair's arms were crossed but he could see that she was covered in goosebumps from the cold, although the colour of rose returned to her cheeks once again.

Blair had appeared in front of him with paled face, heavy breath and frozen like ice. He was almost scared out of his mind, but she had just dropped to the floor and simply asked for sugar when she looked like she was about to die. Maddox had felt that type of fear only once for his father and after that he made sure nothing made him feel that helpless. But there she goes again, Maddox thought to himself. Blair had drove him to a point that he avoided like the plague.

Maddox got up from his seat and strode towards his bedroom, he pulled out a spare blanket and returned to Blair. He covered her body with the fur fleece and witnessed her curl into a ball on the couch, Maddox raked his hair and still debated if he should call a doctor or not. But instead, he turned down the air conditioning enough for it to still feel cool but not as cold as an ice storm like he preferred. He waited for the temperature to warm up and instantly he dreaded it, but he didn't change it back. Maddox came back towards Blair and touched her cold skin, he didn't understand why she wasn't warming up. Maddox grumbled and turned towards the fire place, he froze and feared what he was just about to do. Usually, Tony would light the fire and leave it burning for a few hours. But now, Maddox had to do it himself.

Maddox hated that this fear stopped him, he fisted his hands and closed his eyes. Maddox shut off everything that was screaming for him to turn and walk away. He lighted the match and threw the wick onto the wood, and he waited for himself to get lost in those flames.

Maddox ripped his eyes away and returned to Blair, he touched her cheek and somehow her temperature had returned to normal. Rapidly, her body began to warm up like it was soaking in all the heat from the energetic fire.

Abruptly, his cell phone rang. He looked at the caller and it was Tony.

"Hello," he answered.

"Good evening, sir," greeted Tony. "I had something to discuss with you."

Maddox shut his laptop screen so the light wouldn't bother Blair and he left the room. "What's wrong?" he asked once he reached the kitchen.

"Mr. Ainsley has requested for you to join him for dinner," said Tony.

"Has he now," sighed Maddox.

"Tomorrow at 7," informed Tony.

Maddox knew Mr. Ainsley through his father since they were business partners. However, Maddox never got the chance to befriend Mr. Ainsley like his father had, and to be frank, Maddox didn't like him very much. There was something off about that man, and when he met Blair for the first time she had confirmed his suspicions about Mr. Ainsley.

"Sir, if you don't mind me suggesting something?"

"No, go ahead," said Maddox, but for some reason he had a feeling he knew what Tony was about to propose.

"Don't go," said Tony bluntly. "I don't trust that man and neither should you."

"I don't," agreed Maddox without hesitation. "But I need to know what he wants."

Tony's heavy heart could be felt through the phone. "Should I confirm the dinner then?"

"Yes," answered Maddox and he cut the phone after saying goodnight.

Maddox returned from the shower and noticed the time had hit eight o'clock sharp. He changed into a pair of sweats and shirt and headed towards the kitchen to cook some dinner for Blair and himself, which kind of gave him a strange awareness but he didn't hate it. Maddox approached Blair on the couch, she was soundly asleep and made no attempt of waking up any time soon. He noticed the deep frown marred across her face and wondered if her dream was as bad as his would be.

Maddox bent down near her face. "Blair, wake up," he whispered. Maddox skimmed his hand over her shoulder and gave a light nudge, she didn't wake up but something else happened. Maddox was brought to his knees when a surge of energy blasted into his body.

At that moment, Blair's eyes snapped open and she found him looking simply bewildered.

"What just happened?" he astonished.

"Er- um, I," she stuttered horribly and threw the blanket off before jumping to her feet. Blair didn't meet his eyes and he could see the sheer panic on her face.

"Blair," he called her name but she turned away and moved to leave. Maddox instinctively grabbed her by her wrist.

"Don't touch me," she warned and pulled her hand away.

Maddox watched her leave with an expression he hadn't seen on her before; fear.