Heimat AU: Mikey's Rescue

Chapter Fourteen: Christmas (Part One)-Santa's Not Real

Collum looked around. They still needed to go furniture shopping, but at least the tree was up and decorated. He looked to see Maia and Mikey playing around. Maia was chatting away and bouncing around. He smiled.

"Hey, what's this?" Lauren asked. Collum looked around to see her holding a sprig of mistletoe and he grinned. She dangled it over her head and winked at him. "I think maybe this means something?"

Collum walked over to her and took her in his arms. "Does it, never seen anything like it before."

Lauren rolled her eyes and kissed him. He kissed her back deeply and then rested his forehead on hers. "You're such a cheeky shit." Lauren breathed out.

Collum laughed. "I try."

"You succeed."

Mikey walked away and to the tree. He was in love with it. Especially all the lights and the bulbs. There was even a bulb with his name on it! It said Mikey. It was beside the Maia bulb.

With his mother and father Christmas hadn't meant this. He shuddered and closed his eyes until the memories went away.

Maia looked around the tree and nodded, approvingly. "It's so perfect."

"Thanks, chopped it down myself." Collum said and Maia rolled her eyes.

"We bought it." She said and Lauren laughed. "I was there."

Lauren laughed harder and shrugged when Collum looked at her. "You're supposed to have my back. Be on my team." He said to her and she only laugher more. She put her hands on Maia's shoulders and shook her head.

"No...I'll always be on my daughters. The best sass master I've ever seen."

Collum grimaced. "That's definitely not wrong."

Lauren walked over to the box of decorations and brought over a gold and red star. "Who wants to put the star on the tree?"

Mikey looked up at it in wonder. "We put a star on it?" He said with wide eyes. Collum smiled down to him.

"Do you want to put it on, Mikey?"

Mikey looked up, a little nervous. "What if I do it wrong?"

Collum shook his head. "You can't do it wrong; I promise."

Mikey nodded, then, excitedly. Collum lifted him up and Mikey took the star carefully from Lauren. He held it tightly in both hands and Collum lifted him up to the top of the tree. Mikey held his breath as he placed the star on top.

He was afraid to let it go. What if it fell?

"It's okay, bud, you can let go." Collum said patiently.

Mikey did slowly and beamed at the star and beamed at Collum as he settled on his hip. "I-I did it!"

"You did!" Collum said and bounced him once. Mikey giggled. "I knew you could."

Maia was grinning and hopping from one foot to the other. "I'm so excited for Christmas, aren't you Mikey?"

Mikey leaned more into Collum. Lauren and Collum shared a concerned look. "Yes." Mikey said quietly.

"Ma... Jesse wanted to see if Mikey and I can come over to help decorate. Maia said, trying to keep her excited smile from giving away how much she wanted to go.