'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a-
CRASH!"Leo no!" Darcy squealed.
Leo was running through the kitchen with Darcy's favourite doll in hand, knocking over a chair as he did so.
"Leo Valdez!" A severe but loving voice called.
Leo frozen in his tracks and bashefully turned towards his mother. Darcy took the opportunity to snatch her doll from Leo.
Leo's mother crouched so she was at the same height as her son. "What did I tell you about taking other people's things?" His mother asked.
Leo looked down at his feet. "Not too..."
His mother ruffled his hair. "Good boy." She praised. "Now pick up the chair and apologize to your friend."
Leo turned towards Darcy. "I'm sorry." He bowed his head.
Darcy brushed her doll's hair. She was contemplating wether or not to accept Leo's apology. "Darcy..." Her mother glarred pointedly at her from her spot in front of the sink.
"It's ok." She looked up at Leo and smiled.
The children ran off together, hand in hand. Esperanza got up and went to Katherine Noble, Darcy's mother by the sink. She picked up a carrot and began to chop.
"Thank you so much, Katherine." Esperanza smiled peacefully. "You and your daughter have been such a blessing to us, especially since we are in the same situation."
Katherine glanced at Esperanza. "Yes, single parenting is quite the task." She laughed lightly.
Esperanza shrugged. "I also meant the Half-Blood thing."
Katherine jumped away, gripping her chopping knife. "What are you talking about?" She demanded.
Esperanza held her hands up in a peace offering. "Leo-" She stopped short and looked past Katherine, scanning for any sign of the children. Leo needed to know what he was, but not just yet. Once she was sure they weren't coming back, she turned her attention back to Katherine. "He is a son of Hepheastus."
Katherine seemed to relax slightly but still stood at the ready. "How did you know about Darcy?"
Esperanza smiled. "She is very powerful." She picked up a potato and her knife, resuming her chopping. "It's hard to miss."
***
Once dinner was finished, the mothers tucked their children into a bed.
Esperanza leaned down and kissed her son's forehead. "Goodnight my love, see you in the morning."
Katherine stroked her daughter's hair. "No waking us up until seven. I love you, baby."
The two children waited patiently in bed until their mothers had shut the door and the footsteps in the hallway had ceased before springing out of bed abd rushing to Darcy's bookshelf. They slid a thick volume from the shelf and stared hungrily at the cover.
Leo peered at Darcy. "Do you think we can finish it by morning?" He asked.
Darcy nodded. "Let's read it by the tree."
Together, they quietly made their way downstairs, the book under their arm.
Down in the living room
The stocking were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads...
Or not quite.
Leo was reading to Darcy, making sure his voice was no louder than a whisper. They didn't want to wake their mothers...
And mamma in her 'kercheif and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
Leo was able to read to Darcy in peace for only a few chapters before...
When out on the lawn the arose such a clatter, they sprang form their seats to see what was the matter.
Away to the window they flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave luster to mid-day objects bellow.
When, what to their wandering eyes should appear...
Darcy gripped Leo's arm. "Leo..." Her voice shook. "What is that?"
Leo watched the nine figures move around in the snow. "I don't know."
The figures consisted of eight tiny sheep-like creatures and one massive looking man. The man turned back towards the window, as if he had sensed the two pairs of small eyes examining him. His massive yellow eyes glowed like beacons, piercing through the inky darkness.
Leo ducked under the window sill, pulling Darcy down with him. He wasn't sure if they had been seen. Then, a shrill whistled pierced the silence of the night.
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!Darcy's curiosity peaked and she peered out the window. "Leo!" She gasped, clutching her braids in excitement. "Look!" She pointed out the window.
Leo stood up and looked. To his amazement, the sheep-like creatures had turned into eight magnificent reindeer. The man waved at them, smiling.
A smile lit up Darcy's face and she waved back. The man snapped his fingers and in a whirlwind of leaves and snow...
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his toe
And his clothes all tarnished with ashes and soot
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his packHe beckoned the children to join him outside. They hesitated; their mothers had always told them to stay away from strangers. But this man... he didn't seem all that strange...
They slipped on their boots and yanked on their coats before rushing outside. Leo arrived by his side first and looked up at the man happily. Darcy joined them only seconds later.
He spoke not a word but went straight to his workHe gave Leo a children's tool kit and some spare machine parts to get him started and to Darcy, he gave her a kite and a pink teddy bear.
Once he was done, he turned with a jerk and dissapeared in a cloud of golden smoke. Darcy and Leo looked at eachother unsure of what to do. Just as they turned to go back inside, a voice rang out.
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!
***
"And that," Darcy smiled, stroking Amelia's dark hair. "Was how your father and I met Santa Claus."
A smile lit up Amelia's face. "Do you think he'll come for me?" She asked. "What about Lilah, she's just a baby." Amelia started to sound very concerned for her little sister.
"I'm sure he will." Darcy tickled Amelia's nose. "Now go to sleep or he won't come."
"Oh, ok!" Amelia quickly shut her eyes and made snoring sounds.
Darcy got up from the edge of her bed and quietly made her way out of the room. Leo was waiting for her outside.
"I hope he comes back this year," He whispered. "I'm sort of counting on it."
Darcy nodded. "Even though Nina and Madison are only three, they are counting on him as well."
Leo winked. "Well he came for us every year, so I'm willing to bet he will come again this year."
Darcy nodded amd smiled. "He will," She looked out a window at the dark sky, pinpricked with bright stars. "Santa Claus always does."
YOU ARE READING
The blazing storm
FanficDarcy wakes up in a dark forest, dazed and disoriented. As she stumbles through the forest trying to find her way, she remembers only one person from her past life... a boy named Leo Valdez, also her best friend since the crib. As it turns out, D...