I'll Be Home For Christmas

Rachel T. Uno sat on her couch, her laptop in her lap, waiting for her husband to Skype from base.
Rachel looked over at her son, James. So much had happened since her husband left to fight in the war. James, he got his girlfriend, Lili, pregnant. When Nigel heard, he came home straight away.
James had gotten a stern talking to when Nigel came home that day.
The triplets, Johnny, Jessie, and Jennie, were quietly sitting around a table playing 'Go Fish'. Their cards air-bended in the air so they were hands-free.
Jocelyn was sitting by the fireplace, pensively staring into the flames, her thoughts racing a mile per minute, probably of mission tactics. Her hand pressed against her Bijoulin.
Just then, Rachel's screen buzzed and the incoming Skype call came in, Nigel's caller ID showed up on the screen.
Rachel quickly hit the talk button and smiled as her husbands face appeared on the screen.
Nigel was dressed in military uniform with his sergeants hat on.
"Kids, dad's on." she called to her children. Jocelyn was the first to jump out of her seat, air bending herself forward next to her mom.
"No bending in the house, sweetie." Nigel said as he saw his daughter come into view.
"But daaaaad!" Jocelyn whined playfully.
"I'm only kidding..." he said, earning a stern glare from Rachel, "Uh, I mean, no air bending in the house, period." He said sternly, making Jocelyn giggle.
"So, fire-bending is allowed?" Jocelyn asked her father.
"Hell to the no." Rachel said, shooting her daughter a stern look, while Rachel wasn't looking, Nigel shot his daughter a wink, who giggled in return.
Nigel look away from his younger daughter, his eyes falling on James.
"Hey, James." Nigel said, greeting his son.
"Hey, Dad." James responded.
"How's Lili doing?" he asked.
"Good, it's twins." he said, digging into his pocket for the ultrasound picture they had gotten earlier that week. He pulled it out and held it in front of him. "Boy and girl." he said.
Nigel smiled as he looked at it. "I'm proud of you, son. You're a good kid."
"Just made some stupid mistakes." James said.
"Stupid, but you made them right. Not a lot of teenage boys in your position would stick to their mistakes." Nigel said.
"Yea, Aunt Morgan was telling me how in middle school this one guy knocked up four girls within months of each other and then dropped off the face of the planet."
Nigel nodded his head and turned towards the triplets.
"Hey you three." He greeted happily, "Johnny, you looking after your sisters?" he asked.
"Yea dad, I am." Johnny replied.
"He's being a little too over protective dad." The two girls complained in unison.
Nigel laughed, "He's just doing his job, girls." he said.
"We know..." the two girls said, rolling their eyes.
Nigel looked at his blonde wife, frowning slightly, "Kids, can you leave the room, I need to talk to your mother alone." he said.
The five kids looked at the screen, then at their mom, then at each other.
James spoke, "Come on guys, I'll show you a new air-bending trick in the tree house." He said, and the five operatives ran up the steps to the tree house.
Rachel an Nigel looked at each other. Rachel's eyes were filled with worry and confusion while Nigel's were filled with dread.
"Hey Rach." Nigel said, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Hey Soilder." Rachel replied.
"I have some bad news." He stated, straight to the point as always.
"What is it?" Rachel asked him.
"I won't be home for Christmas." he confessed, slightly averting his eyes to stare at her Bijoulin.
"WHAT!" Rachel yelled, making Nigel revert his eyes back to her face. "YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD MAKE IT HOME!" she yelled.
"I said I would try!" Nigel shouted back. "I can't! A last minute mission popped up and I'm to start it tomorrow morning." he explained.
"Christmas Eve." Rachel put into simpler terms.
"Yes." Nigel agreed. "I'm leaving in awhile to get to the base and receive my mission statement." he said.
"Nigel, the helicopter is here." said a voice to the side, Nigel turned his attention to the man and nodded his head in acknowledgment.
"Well, I have to go." Nigel said, looking at Rachel's crestfallen face. "I love you, Rach." Nigel said to her.
"I love you, too." Rachel responded. Nigel gave her a small smile and disconnected.
Nigel picked up the phone next to him and dialed a fimiliar number. "Hey Wally, it's Nigel. You busy tomorrow afternoon? No, good. I need you to pick me up from the airport, just don't tell Rachel." He said, after their goodbyes he hung up and exited the base. Heading towards the black helicopter that would take him to the US air base and ultimately, home.
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Christmas Eve 9:00 p.m.
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"Can we please open up another present, please?" the children pleaded in the Uno living room.
"No, you have to save some for Christmas." Wally responded, speaking for the rest of the grown ups.
Just then there was a sound of jingle bells and a knock on the door.
"It's open!" Kuki called out as the door opened, revealing Santa, a huge red sack over his shoulder.
"Ho, Ho, Ho!" he...Ho'ed? I don't know, let's go with that. Santa Ho'ed as he walked in. "I think we still have one more present to open. I have a present here for Mrs. Rachel T. Uno." he said, walking over to Rachel and setting down the sack in front of her.
"For me?" Rachel asked, looking up at Santa.
"Yes, I believe you are Rachel Tiger Uno neé McKenzie. I've known you your entire life so I'm sure your her." he said as the children looked at Santa in awe.
Rachel raised an eyebrow and carefully untied the golden rope from around the red sack.
Santa stepped back so he was by the fire place.
"ACK!!!" Rachel screamed jumping out of her place on the sofa.
"What is it mom?" asked James, who had a pregnant Lili sitting between his legs, much to Wally's dismay.
Rachel responded by kicking the bag, emitting a grunt from it.
"DADDY!!!" Jocelyn shouted, untangling herself from the warping paper and flung herself to the sack, where Nigel was getting out of the sack.
"JOCELYN!" Nigel shouted, embracing his daughter and flinging her up into the air and hugging her close.
The triplets followed close behind, embracing their father around his legs.
When he set Jocelyn down and hugged the triplets he looked over at James and nodded.
"YOU!" Rachel yelled, making Nigel jump several feet in the air. He whirled around to see Rachel, steaming from the ears. She approached him and jabbed her finger into his chest, "YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO!" she shouted as Nigel wrapped his arms around her waist and kissing her fiercely.
Rachel instantly calmed down and melted into the kiss, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.
When they broke apart Rachel looked at him, "I hate you." She said as Nigel chuckled.
"I love you too." He said. Rachel looked over towards the fireplace, still expecting to see Santa, but he wasn't there.
All of a sudden there was the sound of hoofs on the ceiling and in a blinding flash, the children scampered from the ground and out the door, though James helped Lili get up.
When they were all outside they saw Santa and his sleigh make a quick round around the street.
"HO HO HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!" he shouted as the sleigh took off and multicolored snow flakes fell from the sky.
"And a merry Christmas it has been." Rachel said, leaning in for another kiss.
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I hope you liked it! A little insight to The Show Must Go On, so review, please!!!!!!!!!
Category:Stories
Category:1/362 Kids
Category:One-shots
Category:Buddygirl1004's Pages
Category:Secret Santa Fics