Things had basically smoothed out for all involved. Jeb was doing well and would have to stay at a local nursing home for a month. The officials promised to try to track down his daughter and Jeb seemed pretty happy about that. Jacob and Stephanie promised to visit him and to help him move his things out of his secluded shack the following week.

Jim was going to go to prison along with Paul and Junior. That is until Mr. Kramer stepped forward and reminded them that Jim was the one who made it possible to rescue Adam. By telling Laura to call the police and watching out for Adam, Mr. Kramer thought that a simple charge of possession of drugs would be justice enough. The local sheriff agreed as long as Jim told them the entire story of the operation and their suppliers. So Jim would be out soon after he completed his community service. Mr. and Mrs. Kramer thanked Jim profusely for saving their son.

But that was all behind them. It was now Christmas Eve night and the family had been preparing all day for the festivities in between trips to the hospital. They all planned to go to midnight mass, except for Jason who had to remain at the house to rest. Jacob and Stephanie volunteered to stay back with him. Jason did not say much as the cousins continued to hang the garland from the staircase and put the rest of the many gifts under the tree. They were joking back and forth, but Jason could not get one thing out of his head. He wondered if when he heard his brother if it was a dream or was it real. Twins did those types of things, but they were not twins. Lost in deep thought, he never even noticed that Jacob had left, leaving Stephanie to finish up the Christmas cookies. She was starting to put the sprinkles on the little Christmas tree cookies when she noticed that Jason was abnormally quiet. She peeked around the archway to see Jason attempting to wrap a gift.

"Need some help?" she asked. Jason jumped at first, but then reluctantly motioned his cousin over. Stephanie quickly picked up the necklace and recognized it immediately. It was a St. Christopher necklace. People sometimes gave loved ones St. Christopher necklaces to bless them while they traveled for a safe trip.

"Look at the back," Jason said. Stephanie turned it over and read the inscription.

"To my baby brother, with love, Jason," she said out loud. "Oh, he is going to love it!"

"I don't know, he never wears any jewelry. I thought if anything, he could hang it up in his car," Jason said quietly. It was apparent that something was bothering him. Stephanie continued to wrap the gift. "It is probably a wimpy gift."

"What! I don't think so! He is going to love it!" Stephanie said, putting her head on her cousin's shoulder. "What is the matter?"

"It is just this is going to be our first Christmas morning away from each other. I am used to beating him down the stairs to the Christmas tree. Even last year, he almost took me out at the bottom of the stairs. I guess I just wish I had my brother for Christmas morning," Jason said sadly.

"Hey, at least he will be here Christmas night. I guess I will just have to get up and race you down the stairs!"

Jason grinned at his cousin. She might be hard nosed, but she was truly a caring person. She would make a great girlfriend to some lucky guy some day. At that time, Jacob came back into the house. Jason looked at him really weird.

"How long have you been gone?" he asked.

"Long enough," Jacob said hanging his coat up and taking off his boots.

"What were you doing?" Jason asked. Jacob just looked like he was guilty of something.

"It is Christmas and I can not be questioned, I have committed no crime," Jacob said with an ornery look on his face. Jason just laughed.

About five minutes later, the rest of the family returned from the late night mass. Soon everyone was in his or her warm beds looking forward to Christmas day. Jason at first could not sleep, but soon he went into a deep and peaceful slumber.

His cousin, Stephanie, awakened him the next morning bright and early.

"Ready for the race!" she asked, still dressed in her nightgown. She had her boots on underneath from walking the trail from her own house. Jason had to laugh at the sight, but quickly joined her in the trip down the steps. But he was not prepared for what met him at the bottom. There standing in front of him was Adam.

"What are you doing here? They said that they were not releasing you until tonight at the earliest!" Jason asked suspiciously.

"We had a change in plans," Jacob said with an evil grin. "He said he was feeling all right."

"What is --- Adam! Why are you here, you are supposed to be at the hospital!" Mrs. Kramer exclaimed in shock. Within minutes the whole family was gathered in Grandma's living room, waiting to hear the story.

"He said that he wanted out and if I didn't help him then he would just do it himself. So here we are," Jacob said, crossing his arms.

"You sneaked out of the hospital?" Jason asked, shocked at the surprise.

"I would not call it sneaking, but we did walk out of it," Adam said with a huge grin on his face. Then he coughed and still returned to the same grin on his face.

"Oh Lord, Jacob! What were you thinking!" Shelby said, hiding her head in her hands in frustration.

Just then the phone rang. Carl said, 'I bet I know who that is!" He went off to answer it in the kitchen, hoping to clear up the situation.

"I thought you would be happy to see me," Adam said with an innocent tone to his family.

"I am Adam, but I don't want you to take a chance with your health just to make me happy on Christmas morning," Jason said, walking closer to his younger brother.

"Well, this is your Christmas present from me so I hope you do like it. Do you know the stuff that I had to do to get him out of there? Distract this nurse, map a route and then, I had to make sure the jeep was nice and warm. I took real good care of him," Jacob said, standing behind Adam. "Merry Christmas Jason!"

Jason could not help but to grin at his cousin. His father appeared around the archway from the kitchen.

"The doctor said he could stay only if we keep an eye on him and he comes in to get a final check up first thing in the morning," Carl said, and then he disappeared back into the kitchen.

"What are we waiting for?" Micheala sounded out from the back of the group. "We have presents to open!" With that, everyone opened their gifts and shared many good memories that day. Carl and David were teased about their Moth Man sighting relentlessly and someone even gave Adam a small bungee cord. Jason for one would not forget the gift that Jacob and Stephanie gave to him that morning. A memory that would last a lifetime.

Later that night, when the sky became dark and the stars twinkled in the sky like diamonds, Jason approached Adam with his gift. It was tradition that the brothers gave each other their gifts privately. They had no idea how that started, but it was now a tradition. Their uncles and father were passed out on the couches and recliners in the living room, while the women folk talked up a storm in the kitchen around the long picnic style table. Jason motioned for Adam to follow him upstairs to the bedroom that they were sharing.

"Let me get you yours first!" Adam said as he made his way over to his large bookbag. He dug to the bottom and pulled out a small box and handed it to his brother. "Alyssa helped me pick it out."

Jason opened the gift and found a small pewter cross necklace. "The guy who was selling them said it was a Celtic cross and was worn by protectors of the land. It was Alyssa's and it was in the Cherokee when we went over the side. It was the only thing that escaped without harm and she thought you might like it. So I had them engrave your name on the back."

Sure enough, Jason turned it over and saw on the back, "To my brother, love always, Adam". Jason was speechless. No one had ever given him a piece of jewelry, especially one that held so much meaning. He was also taken back by how similar the gifts that the brothers chose for each other was. It made him wonder. "Thank you, it means a lot," Jason finally said as he put it on. It was a perfect fit.

"Now here is yours," Jason said, handing Adam a box about the same size. Adam shook the box and grinned. He opened the gift and was taken back by what he saw. A St. Christopher necklace.

"I thought if anyone needed this it was you," Jason grinned as he watched the look of shock on his brother's face. "Turn it over."

Adam read the inscription and instantly put it on. "I will always wear this and when I am feeling down, I will remember that I have at least one person on my side no matter what." Adam hugged his brother. There was an awkward silence between them for a moment.

"Can I ask you something?" Jason finally asked.

"What?"

"When you fell from the bridge, do you remember what you were thinking?"

"I don't know Jason, it all happened so fast." But Adam then saw that his brother was serious. He thought really hard. "Well I sort of do."

Adam continued. "I remember saying good-bye to Mom and Dad in my head. I also remember saying good-bye to you. I really thought I was going to die because it all got so peaceful for a minute, not like I thought it was going to be. Why?"

"Because I had a dream too. I dreamed I could hear you saying good-bye and I felt this extreme coldness come over me. I remember hearing you say, "I feel so cold, but..."

"My heart is so warm." Adam finished for him in amazement.

Jason's eyes also grew large. Both boys were standing before each other in shock.

"Yeah, that is right," Adam finally said. "And then I can swear that I heard your voice yell No, and that is when I came to on the boat."

"I screamed that before they put me out at the hospital," Jason replied. "I can't believe that it all happened. I had this feeling that something was wrong and then I could not feel or hear you anymore. I thought your were dead. I even told mom that and that is why I insisted on seeing you. I had to say I was sorry for ever doubting you."

"Jason, it is okay. We are cool," Adam said, hitting Jason on the arm playfully. "But one thing, let's keep this between us. Some people might find it too weird."

"No problem there."

"And another thing, let's not make a habit out of it. I don't think I want you reading all of my thoughts, I could not be my mischievous self then."

"Now that might come in handy," Jason laughed as the brothers walked over the window. The Ohio Valley was a beautiful sight and it was beginning to snow again. Adam was taking in the sight when he noticed something that was not there before--- two red glowing eyes were peeking through the pines across the road. Jason must have seen the same thing because he remained quiet. The two brothers then looked at each other and back to the sight. But the figure was gone.

"Um, let's go downstairs and see what mom and them are up to," Jason said, backing away from the window.

"Let's do," Adam said.

And the boys made their way back to the kitchen to raid the leftovers and join in on the family's big competition of board games. Neither one said another word about the Creature of the Hills.