The months rolled by with surprising swiftness and with that came—and went—the exams. With school out for the holidays, all Ash was looking forward to was Christmas and surprisingly—with much less horror than before—her father's visit.

In her defense it had been months since she last saw him and before he was the most hated man in her life, he was one of the people she loved in all sense of the word. Even now he was the second most important; third if she counted Hailey and she decided that she did.

It was one day to Christmas and in the spirit of all things bright, colorful and jolly, Ash was out shopping. She did so without Hailey because Hailey's Christmas gift was on her shopping list and while she did not like surprises, she was not about to ruin one for her girlfriend. So instead she had taken Maddie who was available and bored senseless at home. Her mother liked to plan ahead which meant they had already decorated their tree, bought and wrapped their gifts and possibly even cooked Christmas dinner in advance.

"I'm still surprised you called me of all people," Maddie said as they journeyed through the mall, Ash pushing a shopping cart ahead of her—an activity Ash dreaded on a regular basis.

The mall had been heavily decorated in lights, strings and all other things red, white or otherwise suffocatingly cheery and Ash, lightly bundled up against the cold in a sweater and boots, was wishing she had brought her sunglasses with her to protect her eyes from the blinding joy. From somewhere in the distance, Christmas carols reached her ears.

"Why? We're still friends, right?"

"That is true but...I dunno it's a little weird."

"I don't think it's weird." Ash shrugged.

When Maddie didn't speak on it any further, Ash decided to change the topic.

"What do I get you for Christmas, Maddie?"

"Aren't Christmas gifts supposed to be a surprise?"

"Oh, not you too." She groaned. "What does it matter? And at least now you get something you really want. I mean imagine if I got you a glow in the dark sweater."

Maddie halted her strides, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Don't you dare."

"Now you see?" Ash asked, her point now aptly made.

Ash was about to continue speaking when Maddie's eyes moved past her and rested somewhere in the distance behind her.

"Oh my God," she whispered.

Ash turned and found the object of her interest. It was a leggy blonde leaning absentmindedly against a cart in the adjacent aisle, tapping away at her phone. She looked a few years older than them.

"I think I'm in love," Maddie gasped.

"What? Her?" Ash questioned incredulously, "She's not even all that."

"You're my ex, Ash. You'd think that."

"That's total bull!"

But in her heart she knew it was true.

Now Maddie was staring at her like a piece of chicken. And the girl did love her chicken.

"You didn't look at me like that when we were dating!" Ash accused, her jealousy juices flowing.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "You're happily entangled, Ash. Get over yourself."

Ash gave her her meanest glare but said nothing.

"Oh come on, Ash. You wanna get me something for Christmas, get me...that."

"Why don't you just go talk to her? I'm not the one who's interested."

"Are you kidding me? She's clearly a college chick. I can't just go talk to her."

"And somehow I can?" A questioning brow.

"You're...you, Ash. I've never met a girl who is out of your league. I mean I've seen you flirt with my mom and I'm pretty sure she was seriously considering a remarriage after that."

A smug grin stretched across Ash's face and lingered there for a second. Then,

"Fine. If it will wipe that gross look off your face, I'll do it."

She gestured to Maddie to hold on to the cart and stalked towards the unsuspecting blonde.

It took thirty seconds, about three casual insults in Maddie's direction and a flirty but not suggestive smile and Ash was done.

She returned and took hold of the cart and prepared to push off.

"Well?" Maddie asked, disappointment at the edge of her voice.

"Well what?" Ash asked.

"What do you mean? You were supposed to get me her number."

Ash nodded back in the girl's direction.

Maddie looked. The girl was smiling and waving at her.

"I did you one better. I got you a date. Right now," Ash said, "Go talk to her."

Maddie looked again and this time the girl waved her over.

"Oh my God! Ash, you are amazing. You are the greatest wingman ever!"

"Was there ever any doubt?" She slapped Maddie on the backside to motivate her further and to remind her that it wasn't a dream—and because Maddie had a great ass. "Merry Christmas, Maddie." Pushing the cart away without a backwards glance, she left Maddie to her date.

*****

"So what are you getting Ms Hot Stuff for Christmas?"

"Cait," Hailey said slowly, "that is not her name. Her name is Ash. And I have no idea."

Like Ash, Hailey was at the mall—the very same one in fact—shopping with a partner. Unfortunately for her, hers was constantly switching between annoying, talkative and whiny, and sometimes all three at once. Fortunately, Cait had saved up some money she intended to blow on Christmas shopping which meant Hailey would be leaving with more than she intended to buy—and spending less money than she intended to spend.

"How about a nice teddy?"

"She has fifteen and she hates teddies."

"How can you... You know what? Never mind. She's crazy."

"She is not crazy."

"She definitely is. Who hates teddy bears? Crazy people, that's who."

"You are taking this way too serious. Are you sure this isn't about something else?"

"What else could it be about? I mean you two have been going steady for months now and she hasn't invited me, your very important bestie—"

"VIB? That doesn't sound right."

"—to her house. Very rude of her too! I mean it's not like I'm curious or anything."

"But you are."

"Very very, please beg her to invite me over!"

"Well, I am reliably informed that there will be a Christmas party on the twenty-sixth and friends and friends of friends are invited. And there will be booze aplenty, you alcoholic."

"Friends of friends? How dare you?"

"Do you wanna come or not?"

"Yes please." Then restoring the rest of her dignity, she said, "I mean if I can make out the time."

"Moving on...if your daddy was filthy rich and you had everything money could possibly buy, what would you want for Christmas?"

*****

"Ash we have talked about this before. No, you cannot have a thirty foot tall Christmas tree in the driveway. We are not mad people."

"See, no, we talked about a forty foot tall tree before."

"Where would you even get a thirty foot tall tree one day to Christmas?"

"I have a tree guy." She shrugged.

"Oh my God!" He palmed his face in frustration.

They were in the kitchen whipping up a small mountain of Christmas goodies. That meant Caleb was doing the whipping up and Ash was dedicated to consistently reducing the pile while tormenting Caleb to no ends with questions she knew the answers to or had no reasons asking.

"Has Emily ever told you you look hot in an apron? I bet it turns her on." She waved a finger over his form. "Major lady boner."

His sigh was an entire sentence she did not want to hear. Caleb did not cuss a great deal but he knew some choice words that would earn him a proper spanking from Maria—or at least the threat of one.

She moved out of the way as he went to take a batch of cookies out of the oven.

"Are those for Santa?"

"Ash, so help me God I will box you up and gift you to old man Grundy if you do not go and start decorating the Christmas tree."

"He'd appreciate me more than you do." She stuck her tongue out. "Oh and—"

"No you cannot hang dildos on the Christmas tree just because they light up. It's unsanitary and a serious desecration of something so pure! Why are we even discussing this?"

"Well it's not unsanitary. I've not used these ones...more than once."

"Ash..."

"I'm going! I'm going!"

As she left he followed her as far as the living room while she went on to the storage room, presumably to take a break from baking. No, not baking, baking he loved. From Ash.

At the living room, she paused.

"When is he coming in?" she asked. "He-who-must-not-be-named." An unnecessary clarification. "Not that I care or anything."

"Oh Voldemort? Yeah he said he'll be here around dinner time, depending on broom traffic. He just needs to get a haircut and a nose job."

She flashed him a playful glare.

Caleb gave her an understanding look then told her what she wanted to hear,

"He did say he'd be on the eleven o'clock flight so I'd say in a few hours."

The truth was she did care—a lot—and Caleb could tell. About two weeks ago she could have lied that she didn't but the more the days passed, the more she realized she really did want to see him. Even if it was to yell at him. And maybe hug him afterwards. She did not know how she would react just yet.

More than she cared to show, Caleb did care, obviously. He had made Dad's favorite cookies. He'd cleaned up his room himself, preparing it for his arrival. He had even returned a few pictures to the living room too painful to look at if not for the fact that he was coming home. Their father was coming home.

The land-line phone started to ring as she was about to leave the room.

"Go. I'll get it," Caleb said when he saw her turn towards it. "You're not getting out of your chore that easily."

She sighed and left the room.

When she returned, one giant box of Christmas decorations in her hands, Caleb was staring at the phone like he was not sure what he was seeing.

He looked up at her, his expression confused and...pained. Instantly she knew. Knew exactly how much she wanted her father home for Christmas. And knew that he wasn't coming home for Christmas.

"He's um..." His voice cracked a little. "He's not coming home. Said something came up at work and to wish you a merry Christmas..."

"Of course something came up. Something more important than his children, no doubt."

She let the box fall from her hands, too benumbed by the news to flinch at the sound of breaking glass that followed.

"Merry Christmas to us then," she muttered sarcastically.

Caleb tried to say something more but Ash was already on her way out so he let it go.

*****

Ash could hear Caleb moving around downstairs, doing the one chore he had assigned to her, and as much as she wanted to go down and help him her body seemed to weigh a ton. She could not tell if she was asked why she was so disappointed but she was. Heavily so.

Suddenly she heard a loud crash followed by a very aggrieved 'FFFUCK!'

The next moment he was stomping across the living room. First there was silence so complete she tried straining her ears, then there was more shouting. Except this time he was shouting at someone.

"How could you do something like this? A day to Christmas? I don't care what it was that came up. No, you need to stop acting like a fucking coward and come fix this mess." Ash sucked in a deep breath. Caleb never talked to anyone like that. "What would Mom say?" Her breath hitched in her throat. "Oh yes, I'm pulling that card, Dad. She is your daughter! I don't care about me but she was looking forward to seeing you home for Christmas. What happened to our family?" He was asking questions but not giving the old man room to answer. "Mom died and suddenly we don't matter? An ocean away and you still managed to ruin Christmas. Merry freaking Christmas, Dad."

She heard him slam down the receiver, muttering a long string of unethicals.

Finding the strength, she got out of bed and made her way down the stairs. He did not notice her enter until she came around to stand directly in front of him.

For a long moment they just stood there, silent but communicating. His gaze was splintered into anger, sadness, frustration and a few more un-Christmasy emotions.

She slammed her body into his and wrapped her arms around him, the weight of her pushing him back half a step before he righted himself. He hugged her back and they stood there underneath the unlit tree with a string of lights wrapped around it and only one red globe hanging from it.

"I got you, sis."

"Ditto."

He pulled away to look at her, a forced smile on his lips but a genuine twinkle in his eyes.

"So...decorative dildos huh?"

"I mean it is all the rage this season." She shrugged casually.

And so Caleb put on some music and together they set to decorating the tree. Then they hung lights outside the building.

Ash didn't see him take them down but much later that evening she noticed that the pictures were gone except for one small family portrait, the sight of which could be endured. A new picture had gone up on the wall. A giant blown up selfie of Caleb and Ash with Santa hats on making matching funny faces at the camera. It felt right.

Later that night, their gifts wrapped and placed beneath the tree, they sat by the fireplace drinking cocoa and eating cookies and reminiscing about a time their family was perfect. Neither Hailey nor Emily could spend the night before Christmas with them and they did not expect them to. For tonight they would have each other. That was more than enough.

This was Christmas Eve. It was not perfect but it would have to do.