What About Now

Chapter 24 - A Family Christmas

Thomas' P.O.V.
"Morning Dyl," I yawned sleepily, trudging into the kitchen in my usual blue checkered trousers and black t-shirt. My bare feet were cold on the tiled floor, and I shivered slightly, rubbing my hands together for the slightest bit of warmth. It was the 21st December, it was cold, and I was tired. Not a great combination.

"Morning Tommy!" Dylan chirped back as he lay on his back on the sofa. His head was rested on the arm of the sofa, and I nodded in response to him as I filled the kettle with water and flicked on the switch. Suddenly, something dawned on me, and my eyes widened.

"Dylan?" I asked surprised, whipping round to see him there, "What the hell are you doing here? How did you-?"

"Spare key!" Dylan smirked, as he dangled the key in front of him for me to see.

"What the hell, Dyl? That doesn't mean you can just walk right in!" I cried, throwing my hands up, "Who knows what you could have walked in on?"

"Wanna give me an example?" The smirk on Dylan's face was unbelievable, and I suddenly regretted what I'd said. No matter what the conversation was about, Dylan could always turn whatever I said around.

"You know what I meant!" I groaned, throwing the nearest cushion on the sofa at his face. He really drove me insane, sometimes.

"No, I don't think I do!" Dylan laughed, catching the cushion in his hands and dropping it on the floor, "And anyway, what's wrong with me just showing up? I'm sure you love my company as much as Bella's!"

"Oh, you love yourself way too much!" I chuckled, rolling my eyes, "But that doesn't mean you can just come here and let yourself in whenever you feel like it!"

"Oh whatever!" Dylan laughed, getting up and joining me in the kitchen, "So you wanna explain to me then why your hair is all over the place, more than usual, and your t-shirt is on backwards?" Eyes wide, I looked down at my shirt and realised that it was in fact backwards. Groaning, I pulled it up over my head, and put it on the right way.

"Because, I had to get dressed last night in the dark," I grunted, pulling the t-shirt back down past my head, "As Bella was already asleep!"

"Uh huh, cause that's really what happened," Dylan nodded, with his eyebrows raised. I just hit him on the shoulder and went back to making tea. Once I'd made three cups, I handed one to Dylan, and pulled the mince pies out from the cupboard. Dylan instantly stuffed one in his mouth, and I rolled my eyes at how ridiculous he was.

"Morning!" I heard Bella say cheerfully as she entered the kitchen.

"Morning!" I greeted her, planting a kiss on her lips as she stood up on her tip toes.

"Um, mmworning!" Dylan joined in, his mouth filled with mince pie.

"Dylan!" Bella gasped, jumping back a little, "What are you doing here?"

"Spare key," I groaned, wrapping an arm over her shoulders.

"Ohhhh right," She nodded, looking slightly annoyed, "And why are you here?"

"Because I missed you guys," He whined, swallowing the rest of his food and crushing us in a hug, "And I didn't want to spend Christmas on my own!"

"Dylan, it's the 21st!" Bella laughed; her face buried in Dylan's arm, "And you're squashing me!"

"Yeah, I can't breathe!" I gasped, pulling away from Dylan, who just laughed.

"Anyways, I came to ask you what we're all doing for Christmas?" Before one of us could reply, there was a loud, and rather hurried knock at the door. Confused, I looked at both Dylan and Bella, who just shrugged at me.

"You got any more unexpected friends coming over?" I asked Dylan, jogging up to the door. Who on earth was up and about at this hour in the morning?

"No, Santa's elves aren't meant to get here till the 24th!" I heard Dylan say as I opened the front door; and I was shocked at what I saw. Taylor was stood there, in her reindeer pyjamas, her hair all over the place, and with the biggest grin on her face I've ever seen.

"Well, I've found one of the elves!" I shouted over my shoulder, receiving a laugh from both Dylan and Bella, "Taylor, what are you doing here?"

"I have a question to ask you," Taylor said, once I'd let her in. The grin had not left her face, and her eyes twinkled with excitement.

"Oooh, I like questions!" Dylan said excitedly, coming to join the pair of us, "What's going on?"

"Well, you know how we're all spending Christmas together, and how I've got my niece and nephew coming to stay with me?" Taylor was little jumping up and down with excitement. What was going on with her?

"Yeah..." I said slowly; confused as hell.

"Well, how would you all feel about going to Cornwall for Christmas?" She exclaimed, throwing up her hands.

"Oh my god, what?" The three of us gasped, with Bella jumping up and down excitedly.

"My friend Kaya has come over from New York, and she's booked a log cabin down there for all of us!" Taylor squealed, "7 bedrooms, open fireplace, 4 acres of land, almost-guaranteed snow! What do you say?"

"Are you kidding? Yes of course!" Bella cried, attacking Taylor in a hug.

"Are we seriously all going away for Christmas?" Dylan grinned, looking from the two girls to me. I was just as stunned and surprised as he was.

"Kaya's ordered a car with like, 10 seats in it or whatever, and we'll be leaving on the 23rd!" Taylor looked up at me and Dylan, "What do you think?"

"I think it's bloody fantastic!" I laughed, wrapping her in a warm hug.

"Me too!" Dylan agreed, coming round and bringing Bella in for a group hug. We all laughed and jumped around with excitement. I couldn't believe it! A holiday at Christmas. With all the people who mean the most to me! What more could Christmas bring? I could just picture it now - handing out presents under the tree, with a roaring fire in the background. Snowball fights out in the fields, and sledging down hills. This was going to be fantastic!

"Oh wait, what about Hannah and Ben?" I asked, breaking us up from the hug, "I got a call from my sister last night, to say that she's ill, and she wondered if they could come spend Christmas with us? Would that be okay?"

"Yeah that's fine!" Taylor replied, "Kaya's made sure that there's enough room in the car and house for them, so bring them along!"

"Who is this Kaya?" Dylan butted in, "And when do we get to meet her?"

"You can meet her right now if you like? She's upstairs at mine!" Taylor beamed, making her way to the door, "You wanna come say hi? I promise you she doesn't bite!" We all laughed and followed Taylor.

"I'm never gonna get my morning tea now am I?" I chuckled, closing the door behind me.