CHRISTMAS MAGIC

by

Velvet

CHAPTER 2

THE CHAPTERS

INTRO

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

Christmas morning dawned bright and early for the two little boys. Mom had decreed that they had to wait till 7 o'clock before they could wake their parents. The boys had reluctantly agreed and gone to bed a little downcast since they hadn't seen Dad all day. He was working a complicated case and had been home very little the last two weeks. But he had promised to be there on Christmas.  

7 o'clock finally rolled around and Frank and Joey flew out of their room, across the hall, into their parents room and leaped up on the bed. Joey immediately started to bounce. “It's Christmas! Wake up, wake up, wake up!”  

Frank giggled as Joey punctuated each “wake up” with a particularly hard bounce. This was definitely more fun than Christmas with Stefan!  

Fenton growled playfully from under the blankets, then sat up and grabbed Joey around the waist, pulling him close and tickling him. Laura watched with a bemused smile as Frank scooted closer to “help” tickle Joey. He was slowly becoming more comfortable around Fenton and would get very sad when he didn't come home before the boys went to bed.  

Joey finally wiggled free from his father, panting, his face red from the laughter. “Can we open presents now?”  

Fenton looked at Laura. Laura looked at Fenton. “I suppose,” Fenton sighed. “If we must.”

“Of course we must, Dad!” Joey slipped off the bed and tugged on Fenton's hand to pull him out of bed. He paused in the tugging long enough to let his dad slide his feet into his slippers, then started tugging again. This time towards the door.  

Laura caught Frank's hand and laughed as Joey dragged Fenton down the hall into the living room. The little boy kept “dragging” until his eyes landed on the pile of presents beneath the tree.  

Frank stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the gaily wrapped boxes and packages for the longest time, hardly noticing when Fenton plugged the lights in and the tree twinkled to life. He'd never seen so many presents before! It looked like a whole store had been wrapped and placed at the foot of the tree. Green and red bows peeked out among the branches, boxes of all sizes were piled up, and the boy simply couldn't take his eyes off the site.  

Joey saw his new brother's slight confusion and overwhelmedness, took his hand and led him over to the tree. He sat down and patted the spot next to him. Frank sat too, never taking his eyes from the tree; afraid that if he blinked, it would all disappear.  

Laura snapped a picture of the boys sitting in front of the tree. It would very nicely compliment the one she'd taken the night before, of the boys sitting in those very same spots, in the dark, and staring at the tree. There had been very few presents underneath it then; she'd waited until they went to bed to work the Christmas magic.  

Fenton handed each boy their stocking. Frank watched as Joey dumped his out on the floor and started sorting through the little toys and candy that was inside. Frank himself took the opposite approach and pulled out each piece one by one, looking it over and exploring it, then setting the little animals carefully to the side where Joey wouldn't step on them.  

Fenton and Laura shared a look at the boys two very different approaches, and what could be a look into their lives.  

The boys took turns opening their presents. Joey squealed in delight over his new firetruck and Hot Wheels cars, 2 GI Joe figures and a Batman!  

Just like with his stocking, Frank opened each one carefully, examining every inch of every toy, his eyes getting bigger with each present he was given. He finally turned and stared at Laura.  

“They're all mine? To keep?”  

His voice was soft and stilled every person in the room, even perpetual motion Joey. Laura sat down on the floor and pulled the boy into her lap. “Yes, Frank. They're all yours. To keep for as long as you want to.”  

Frank leaned back in her arms, turning over his own Batman figure. He'd seen it in the store, with the other toys and now it was his very own. He smiled.  

Fenton pulled out one more package from amidst the shredded wrapping paper and now tattered bows. “There's one more, Frank. Would you open it?”  

The boy took the package and carefully removed the snowman wrapping paper. Inside was a wooden box. He lifted the lid and gasped at the contents. Three ornaments: the cathedral, the Hermitage and a matroishka doll.  

His little fingers touched each one, feeling the smooth polished finish of the carved wood. The details made the little pieces come to life, the face on the doll was so sweet and perfectly painted. He smiled.  

“They're to hang on the tree, Frank,” Laura said softly in his ear.  

Frank looked up. “Can we hang them now?”  

Laura nodded and helped the boy stand up. He carefully hung each ornament prominently on the tree, then sat back down with his Batman. “We have Russia on the tree,” he said with a smile.  

“Yes we do.” Laura squeezed the boy and Fenton smiled at the look of pure happiness on his face.

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