Lightning Strikes Twice

Sixty

The fire was cackling, warm against the cool of the night. A Christmas tree was up in the corner, a small group of wrapped presents under it. Isabel and Méalla were on the couch, nestled so tightly that no one would be able to tell where one begins and the other ends.
"I love Christmas, especially amongst the snow." Isabel said, nuzzling Méalla's neck.
"So do I. The feeling of letting things go just for one day at least, the joy of giving the perfect gift, the Yule log, the food. It makes me happy but it is dampened by I often spend it alone."
"Not this year. Not next year or the year after that or the years after that. We will celebrate together."
Méalla smiled softly as she kissed the top of Isabel's head.

"Can I tell you something?" Méalla asked Alex as she sat braiding her hair.
"Yes."
"I really wanted to make your first Christmas with me special. I wanted to bake cookies, go shopping, watch movies. With the curse and your dad, I know you probably didn't have the best christmases."
"But we did have a good first Christmas. Sure there's chaos but is it really us if there's no chaos? We watched all the cartoons and the cookies are in the oven. We have the house all decorated."
"You're such a sweet girl, you know that? You're growing up so fast." Méalla kissed the top of Alex's head.
"Besides, I've had my gift for you for months."
"Funny, I Christmas shop all through the year as well." Méalla chuckled. "You and I are really a lot alike. I love it. I love you."
"I love you too, Mom." Alex said turning around and hugging Méalla. Just then, Saoirse started crying. Méalla laughed.
"Look like your baby sister wants some love too. Come on, Elijah told us to meet him downstairs at eight." Méalla walked into Saoirse's nursery and picked up her sweet little girl, who began babbling happily.

"Elijah..." Méalla whispered as she walked into the courtyard. All the holiday lights were lit and there was a dinner of holiday food, the trees glowed and presents sat wrapped underneath. Alex darted to the tree with Saoirse on her hip, giddy with holiday joy. She pointed out the gifts and ornaments to Saoirse, who was babbling happily and holding tight to Alex. All the adults watched in amusement. Cami went to go join them.
"Merry Christmas Méalla. I know how important you giving your daughters a good one was for you, so we decided to help with that." Elijah shyly gestured between him, Freya, and Klaus. Méalla noticed Klaus' pleading state and walked over to him.
"Christmas is love, brother. But I am still deeply hurt. We need to work to regain our relationship." And Méalla hugged her brother for the first time since he bladed her. He hugged back gently, his eyes a little happier.
Méalla then made her way over to Freya.
"Our first Christmas together. It's always been an important tradition for me and I'm so happy to include my big sister in it now." Méalla hugged Freya, aware her sister was still slightly off from her attack. She then walked to hug Elijah. "Thank you." She whispered into his ear and he squeezed her tighter.
Just then, Jackson, Hayley, and Hope came to the top of the stairs. Everybody turned to look up with a smile on their face.
"You said you wanted a happy family Christmas. Well, the family's all here." Jackson said to Hayley, who looked around in awe.
Hayley came down the stairs and Elijah greeted her and Hope first, pressing a kiss to the baby's head.  Hayley then walked over to Méalla. Méalla greeted Hope first, playing with her feet. Hope babbled contently. "Merry Christmas Méalla."
"Merry Christmas Hayley." Méalla responded, smiling at her wolf. Hayley will always be her wolf, even if things are different now. Hayley smiled back at her.
Klaus gave a glass of wine to Jackson. "Thank you for helping Freya. Unfortunately, we're all out of mason-jar moonshine." Jackson reluctantly let on his amusement by chuckling slightly.
"Well, Nik, you are positively merry tonight!" Rebekah said, walking into the party in a beautiful red holiday dress.
Rebekah stopped and looked over at Cami with a bittersweet smile. "All that therapy must be paying off."
Suddenly, Klaus' face looked horrified as he noticed something. Méalla followed his gaze to a small lit fire pit on the other side of the room.
"Oh, no!"
Méalla laughed at Rebekah's self satisfied smirk.
"Yes, I know it's not exactly a bonfire, but I improvised."
Klaus continued to look wary about it, but Rebekah just groaned in mock frustration.
"Come on. It's tradition!"
Cami looked around them in confusion, having just walked up to them.
"Tradition?"
Klaus sighed. "We write our wishes and then burn them for luck. Strangely, I don't recall wishing for an influx of enemies, and yet year after year..."
Elijah smirked as he sipped his wine. "How odd. Forever on Santa's naughty-list."
Méalla grinned at that.