Generations: The Long Game

Christmas '27

AN: The holiday season can be a rough one even in the best of times. When you are already in a rough patch of life , it can feel almost insurmountable. This year would have been a year like that for me if not for three very important people.

Thenurserynursefan1
You are my best friend. I don't think I have to tell you what you mean to me because I remind you often. You are amazing. You will always be my favorite. My favorite author. My favorite person. Welcome back Goose.

Claire278826
You are my co-author for MFL which has been the absolute wildest ride. You never cease to amaze me. When the cards are stacked against you, you never back down. I am overwhelmingly proud of you everyday. Never forget how strong you truly are. 💚💜 Always

Angelnoosh
You are frequently our guiding light, and unfortunately you are the one who is most likely to get the worst of us. You never falter in that task. Ever. You are amazing on so many levels and often offer the most profound advice. There are so many amazing things I love about you.

To the three of you: thank you for being my friends. My people.

To the readers:

You all have shown amazing amounts of love for this book and all my others as well. Thank you for the reads, vote, comments, and for the DMs you send separately to tell me how much you love and enjoy this story.

🎄Merry Christmas 🎄

Christmas 2027

She woke to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and let a smile cross her face. It had been a long while since she woke before him. Padding down to the kitchen and starting the kettle, she poured her coffee before heading to the lounge. She placed her coffee on the end table. They had done away with the coffee table when Emery started creeping. She had been terrified of head bumps on such a hard surface.

She crouched down in front of the fireplace and pushed the button to start it. She stood and pressed the button with her toe to light the tree. Grabbing the throw and settling on to the couch. She sat sipping her coffee letting her mind wander back to past Christmases. Christmases with her father as a child. Christmases with her mother and stepfather. Christmases on her own all those years. The Christmas they all showed up on her doorstep. How special Reece made their first Christmas together. She fidgeted with the emerald ring she had to wear on her middle finger now that she had lost so much weight. She removed it just long enough to look at the name on the inside. Emery Victor Knight. That was the first Christmas she felt a sense of belonging.

Lost in her thoughts she hadn't noticed the blonde in the doorway. "I have something for you Marjie." She giggled. It was almost as if he knew what she had been thinking a moment before. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap. She smiled into the kiss he placed on her lips. "Merry Christmas darling." He was so excited to hand her the box. "Merry Christmas gorgeous."

She unwrapped the little box and pulled the lid open. The most beautiful amethyst ring in a similar setting as her emerald. She instinctively looked on the inside. Aurora Grace Knight. "Reece! It's beautiful." He slipped in onto her other middle finger. "I got it the same size so that it will still fit when you are fully well again." Outstretching both hands in front of her, she looked from the brilliant green emerald to the deep purple amethyst. "They are beautiful just like our children."

He pulled her in tight and cupped her face. Just before their lips met, they heard the little voice. "Mummy? Mummy?" The blonde shifted her back to the couch. "I'll get them. She's probably awake too" She stood and watched as he bounded up the stairs on her way to the kitchen. When he entered the kitchen, he watched as Emery ran to Marjorie. "Mummiiieeeee!" He stood at her feet opening and closing his little fist. "Up pwease." She leaned down and pulled him onto her hip when she heard another small voice. "Mama, dada, mama, dada."

"Come on Rory let's get a 'baba' Mummy has brother. You can see her in a little bit." He made his way expertly around the kitchen preparing the bottle and handing it to the little girl before pulling ingredients out for breakfast. When the doorbell sounded, she placed the small boy in the floor and went to the foyer to leave Sorscha, Clodagh and the children in. Before she even shut the door Aut, Winter and their children arrived. "Everyone is in the kitchen. He is just getting started but the children have plenty to do in there." They had long since set up a corner of the kitchen for the children.

As she followed them back to the kitchen, the doorbell sounded again startling Ben in Winter's arms and causing him to cry. She opened the door to Siobhan and Viv and the children followed by Mia and Char and their family. Just as she had nearly closed, she heard a voice call out her name. She swung the door back open to find Sara and Deliah, and as they passed her in the doorway, Carly, Eric, and Cory came up the walk. As far as she knew everyone was here.

She reentered the kitchen to everyone gathered around their old oak table. She looked around the room taking in all the familiar faces, all the added faces and all the children that had come from the creation of this little village. She knew there would be more. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren and many beyond that. There would be Christmases and New Years and many summer holidays. They may have not been the first generation, but they would be the stories of many generations to come.