Richozzy Endgame (Oneshots)

Baby Please Come Home

A/N: A Christmas story set after the events of season 8. Enjoy!

Richelle's POV:
I laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. It had been an hour since I'd settled in this position, and I still felt no desire to move. I'd been feeling this way a lot lately, a depression having taken hold of me.

It was coming up to Christmas, and the streets were filled with lights, the air filled with snowflakes. My mother had been singing carols constantly, and the house smelt permanently of gingerbread. But I was feeling anything but merry.

Since Nationals, Nick had offered me the job of Head Choreographer at The Next Step, which I'd gladly accepted. I still felt tied to the studio somehow, like my business was unfinished, and this job gave me the opportunity to see it through. It also allowed me to stay close to home, close to my friends, close to my boyfriend. Except right now I wasn't close him at all.

It had been a month since Ozzy had been called out on a work trip in New York, and being away from him was hard. With my new job, my self-confidence had hit an all-time low, and I just wished he was there to reassure me, to tell me it would be okay. I really missed him.

Still staring at my ceiling, I heard my phone vibrating. Coming to with a start, I picked it up and felt immediately brighter seeing Ozzy's name flashing on the screen.
"Hey," I said, answering the call. "I was just thinking about you."
"Oh yeah?" I could hear the arrogant smirk in his voice and I rolled my eyes.
"How's New York?" I asked.
"It's great," he replied. "Very festive, very busy. There's just one thing missing though."

I curled onto my side as I smiled into my phone.
"And what's that?"
"I miss you," he sighed. I squeezed my eyes shut.
"I wish you were here, Oz," I murmured. "I'm so proud of you and all you're doing, I just wish it wasn't so far away."
"I know," he said. "Me too. How're things at the studio?"

I contemplated the question for a moment.
"Hard," is the response I settled on. "A lot harder than I expected it to be. There's just all this pressure and expectation, and honestly, I'm just a little afraid I'm not living up to it."
"If anyone can do this, it's you, Richelle. You can do anything."

I felt the constriction in my chest loosen a little at the sound of his comforting words.
"But," he continued. "I have sent you a little something to cheer you up. Maybe get you in the Christmas spirit a little?" My face lit up.
"You sent me a present? You didn't need to do that," I smiled.
"Yes, I did. And," he replied. "If my calculations are correct, Izzy should be dropping it off at your house right about now."

As if right on cue, the doorbell rang. I immediately sprang to life and ran downstairs to open the door.
"Ozzy," I said, confused. "There's nothing here. I can't see Izzy either, but the doorbell did ring...maybe they forgot to leave it?"
"Oh, that's so annoying," he huffed. "Maybe check behind the plant pots? That's where I told them to leave it, so it didn't get stolen."

"Okay," I sighed, unconvinced. I dashed out of the door, barefoot, and knelt down to look between the plants. I conducted a thorough search, but after a minute or so I had to admit that it was unsuccessful. "I'm sorry, Oz, there's nothing here."
"Are you sure about that?"

I gasped and froze on the spot. Because the voice didn't come from my phone - it came from behind me. I whipped my head around to see Ozzy standing at the end of the driveway grinning as I stared, utterly speechless.
"Surprise," he shrugged, his arms reaching out hopefully.

Dropping my phone on the ground, I sprinted the length of the driveway and launched myself at him. He enveloped me in his arms as I wrapped my legs around his waist, burying my face in his neck.
"I can't believe you're here," I exclaimed, half laughing and half crying.

I placed my feet back to the ground, still hanging onto his arms.
"You weren't supposed to be back for Christmas, how did you do this?" He looked down at me smiling and stroked my hair.
"As soon as I got on that plane, I knew I'd find my way back. There was no way I was gonna miss this," he replied.

I reached out and smacked him on the arm.
"Ow!" He exclaimed, rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"
"I can't believe you let me go on all sad thinking I wasn't gonna see you!"
"Alright," he said, teasingly, holding his hands up and walking backwards. "I mean, if you want me to go..."

"Oh, shut up," I said, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. He placed his hands on my cheeks, pushing himself up against me as I wrapped my arms around his waist. Our lips moved together desperately to make up for the lost time, and the world fell away.

Snow began to fall around us and I shivered. Ozzy pulled away and looked down at me.
"You must be freezing!" He said, shaking his head. "You don't even have any shoes on!" I grinned, reaching up to interlock my arms around his neck.
"I don't care," I whispered, leaning in to press my lips against his once more.
"You're crazy," he laughed, scooping me up so my legs were around his waist. I brushed the snowflakes from his hair and laughed as he kissed me again.

Finally it felt like Christmas.