someone to stay, ⁹¹¹

𝟎𝟎𝟕.

It was officially Christmas time. Aka, JJ's favourite time of year. Well, it hadn't always been, but since Buck had come into her life, Christmas was her favourite holiday.

Today was the 118 annual toy drive, meaning JJ and Sophia had stolen the jeep from Buck to go shopping so they could donate.

After Buck had finished his shift, they were going to go and buy a Christmas tree, one big enough to fit the corner of their new living room.

"Hello, Edmundo." The two girls spoke in sync to Eddie as they walked up to him with arms full of gifts. "Why hello, Juniper, Sophia." He joked along with them, taking the gifts out of their arms.

Hen then came up to them, slapping name tags on their shirts and telling them to get to work.

They had volunteered to help as it meant they could spend time with their family. They then set up their station next to Eddie's and began taking donations.

"Shannon," Eddie spoke, stunned, catching JJ's attention. Sophia had already given up and headed over to the food area.

"Let me take that from you." JJ took the toy out of Eddie's hands, smiling at the woman in front of him.

She and Buck shared a look from across the room. Was this the Shannon?

"What are you doing here?" Eddie asked. "You won't answer my texts or return my calls." Eddie sighed. "This is not the place." He handed a gift to JJ.

"Maybe it's the perfect place. So we can actually have a conversation that doesn't end up with us in bed."

JJ, Buck and Chimney's heads snapped up at the woman's words, before looking away quickly. "Yikes."

That same evening, Buck and JJ found themselves joining the Diaz boys to see Santa.

Buck and Eddie sat on the fountain, as Chris and JJ joined the line for Santa (he made her go with him).

"You have a really good kid." Eddie complimented, locking eyes with Buck. "Thank you, but she did that all herself, she made herself a good person." Buck smiled, watching JJ joke around with Chris.

"You shouldn't doubt yourself." Eddie snapped him out of his thoughts. "From what Hen told me, when she first met JJ, she was nothing like what she is now. I've only known this version of her, but you can tell she's your kid. You're a good dad." Eddie placed a hand on his arm.

Buck's cheek heated up, the ends of his ears turning pink. He'd been told he was a good father before, but he felt more when it came from Eddie. "Thanks, man."

Christopher waved over at them from his spot in line, making JJ stick her tongue out at the camera in Eddie's hand.

"I really admire your kid." Eddie turned to him, his phone still pointing at Chris and JJ. "I love the way he always wants to do everything on his own." He spoke as he watched Chris shake his head at the help JJ offered.

JJ watched as Chris spoke to Santa with a fond smile on her face. She really loved this kid. "I want my mom back." She heard him mumble, and her heart broke.

Because she had the same wish. Her mother had been dead for seven years, it engraved cuts within her, cuts that wouldn't heal. Even as time passed, the pain was still there. Her mother wasn't a good person when she was alive, but she was still her mother.

But she had Buck now, so it was okay. He showed her what true family is.

"How'd it go, pal?" Eddie asked as the duo walked back down to their fathers. "It went great." Christopher smiled. "So what'd you ask for?" Eddie tried to figure out what his son wanted for Christmas. "Can't tell. Santa said he'd work on it." He smiled. "Oh, man..." The Buckley's chuckled.

Eddie picked up his son, setting him on his hip as he passed Chris' crutches to Buck. He then smirked at JJ, making the girl jump on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Buck watched them begin to walk away, a wide smile taking over his face as Eddie jokingly went to shrug JJ off of his back.

"You two have an adorable family." A woman who worked there said to him. "Thank you." He replied, no hesitation in his voice.

It was now Christmas Eve and JJ, May, Sophia and Kiara found themselves sitting in a local coffee shop.

JJ loved moments like these, with her girls, just talking and laughing at anything that came to mind. They were her life support.

"JJ?" A hand on her shoulder made her turn around. "Ashton!" She smiled widely, standing up to greet him.

He smiled at the girls before ushering JJ away, ignoring the looks they sent him.

Ashton stood in front of JJ, rubbing his palms on his jeans. He knew she was beautiful, but the innocence in her eyes as she stared up at him just made her even more beautiful to him.

"You're so pretty." He blurted, catching her attention immediately. A crimson colour made its way to her cheeks before she responded. "Thank you." A smile took over JJ's face.

"Would you maybe wanna go on a date?" His nervous expression made her chuckle. "I've been wanting to ask you for a while."

"I would love to."

JJ was woken up on Christmas morning, to Buck moving her hair out of her face. "Merry Christmas, baby," Buck mumbled when he saw she was awake. "Merry Christmas, Dad." She groaned, stretching her arms over her head. "I made breakfast."

After they'd eaten, Buck turned to his daughter "Present time!" He exclaimed, a childlike grin on his face. JJ smiled brightly and began to walk to the living room, where two piles of presents lay, half for Buck, the rest for JJ. "Not those."

JJ turned to him, confusion written all over her face. "Come on." He placed a hand over her eyes and began guiding her outside. "Open." He softly whispered, removing his hand from her face.

Tears gathered in her eyes at the sight in front of her. There sat the jeep, which now had blue seats and many things decorating the inside. "You're giving me the jeep?" She whispered, tears rolling down her face.

Buck chuckled, wiping the tears away before responding. "You're getting older now, so I knew you'd be wanting a car. I remember the look on your face when you first saw this car." She chuckled at the memory.

"You made it blue." She sniffled. "I couldn't give it to you without spicing it up, it wouldn't be special otherwise." He shrugged. "Anything you give me is special."

The father-daughter duo stood outside their home, wrapped in each other's arms, soaking in each other's love. They saved each other.

They spent the day laughing and smiling, Sophia joined them after dinner, claiming she needed her golden retriever humans to cheer her up.

JJ nearly drove over to Sophia's home to hit her parents when her friend revealed they didn't buy her any gifts.

All they did was say Merry Christmas to their daughter before returning to arguing.

"At least I have you guys." Sophia smiled. "Always." Buck squeezed her hand.

When JJ and Sophia exchanged gifts, Sophia wasn't expecting the Buckley duo to pass the girl a bag of gifts. From the both of them. "Why?" She asked.

"Sophia, when I decided to adopt JJ, I knew I wouldn't be gaining one daughter. I would be gaining two." Sophia flung herself into Buck's arms with a sniffle. "Thank you." She mumbled into his neck.

This is why JJ loved Christmas.

LUCE SPEAKS //

i need it to be december rn.

the next next chapter is.. well you know what's next