I was makin' my list
I was checkin' it twice
In the middle of this I got tears in my eyes
For in my foolish heart there was one simple truth
The only gift I wanted was you

JC sighed as he scanned the list in his hand one more time. Karis had helped him figure out what to get everyone before she went away. She made sure he knew where to find the list and which stores to go to. He wouldn't have been able to do the Christmas shopping without it; heck, he was having trouble just getting through the day without her. He ran his hand through his hair, thoroughly messing it up and not giving a damn about it. He watched her handwriting blur, and that was when he realized he was tearing up.

"Get a grip, JC," he muttered under his breath. "Keep it together, man." He closed his eyes and tried to keep the tears at bay. He normally wasn't such a mush, but ever since they had returned from their honeymoon a few months before, being separated from her felt like his heart had been ripped out.

He knew he had to get out of there, even if he hadn't completed the list. He pushed his cart towards the checkout and chose the shortest line.

I was trimming the tree
I was stringing the lights
While the radio played "Silent Night"
There were presents you sent
Though there were quite a few
The only gift I wanted was you

He was trying to untangle the strands of lights that seemed to have mated together since they were packed in storage last year. He threw them to the floor in frustration and went to get a beer out of the fridge. As he untwisted the cap and had a long draught, the phone rang. He was barely aware of the radio playing "Silent Night" in the background as he picked up the phone.

"Hello."

"Josh! Honey, I miss you so much!"

"Oh, Karis, baby you have no idea how good it is to hear your voice."

She laughed and he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. He loved her laugh.

"Tell me what you're doing," she demanded. "I want to imagine that I'm home with you."

It was his turn to laugh. "I just got a beer because those damn lights are driving me crazy. I don't know how they got so tangled."

"Hmm," she laughed, "it couldn't have anything to do with the way you threw them into the box without wrapping them properly, could it?"

Normally he would have had a comeback for her, but today he didn't. "Kare," he whispered, a couple tears escaping down his cheeks, "Kare, come home."

She sighed, "Oh, Joshie, you know that if I could, I would be there right now with you." She fought hard to keep her tears in. "My dad really needs me right now. Mom is-Josh, she's really not there anymore. I hate this damned Alzheimer's!" Karis broke down into sobs.

"Karis! Honey, I'm coming to you. I'll call and get a flight and be there as soon as I can."

She entertained the thought of his coming for about half a second before her better judgement prevailed. "No, Josh, it's not a good idea. Mom's not doing well around strangers and I know that you're not a stranger, but she doesn't remember you. She barely remembers me. She gets disoriented and violent. I'm trying to help dad get her into a nursing home. He can't care for her by himself anymore. As soon as we get her settled, I'll come home."

"But Baby, you need me!"

"I will always need you, Joshua. Always. But please don't come this time."

"Only if you promise that you'll come home as soon as you can."

"I will, Josh, I can't stand being away from you either."

"And if you want me to come out, you'll call me?"

"Of course, baby. Now, let's talk about something else. Did you get the box I sent you?"

You need to be home with me
Alone with me
Holding me next to the Christmas tree
Kissing under the mistletoe
As candles glow
Please come home soon
It's not the same without you

JC stepped back and looked at the Christmas tree. It may not have been up to a designer's standards, but he thought it looked all right. He gave a sad little shake of his head. He certainly hadn't planned on being separated on their first Christmas as a married couple. How could they start all their own traditions when they were apart? Oh well. He sighed. It's not like it was the first holiday they hadn't spent together and it probably wouldn't be the last. Of course, the irony of the situation was in the fact that he was the one at home this time.

JC took a look through the room and gave a nod and a smile as he noticed the mistletoe that he had hung in the doorway. It was in the perfect spot for the party he would be hosting--on his own--tonight.

He sighed again. Nothing was the same without Karis.

As the bitter-sweet night had come to an end
I was saying goodbye to our family and friends
And they all wished me well
And I knew that I knew
The only gift I wanted was you

The party had gone well, of course it had, Karis had taken care of most of the planning while he was in the studio. All that was left to him was to put the Christmas music on and make sure the caterers were able to get in.

JC had spent time wandering from group to group, mingling with everyone and trying very hard not to miss his wife. It was easier said than done though. Everyone asked after her and as much as he wished they wouldn't, he was glad to have an excuse to talk about her.

When everyone started clearing out fairly early, JC was afraid that his depression had been catching. For goodness sake, Joey, self proclaimed "party animal" was among the first to leave!

Before he knew it, the house was empty. He looked around dejectedly, shrugged his shoulders and tried to figure out what to do next.

He didn't get the chance to decide though because the doorbell rang. He opened the door to see Joey. "Hey Joe, what's up?"

"Oh, ah, nothing." Joey fiddled with his keys, "Kare called me and asked me to deliver something to you. She wanted to make sure you had it for Christmas."

"She did?" he couldn't believe how eager he sounded, just at the mention of her name.

"Uh, yeah," Joey shifted his weight from one foot to the other. If JC had thought about it, he would have thought that Joey was nervous about something. "I had to run out to the airport to pick it up so it would be here in time."

"Wow, Joe, thanks. When you left early, I was afraid I smelled or something."

Joey laughed. "Nah, it wasn't you this time. I had strict instructions from your wife to be sure you got it on time. Um, I've got to go, but before I do, here's your present!" Joey reached behind him and shoved something-no wait, it was someone--into his arms.

"Karis?" JC couldn't believe he wasn't dreaming.

"Merry Christmas, lovebirds!" Joey hollered on his way to the car.

JC and Karis might have heard him, but they didn't bother responding. JC held her close to his heart, standing there in the open doorway. "You're really here!" He ran his hands up and down her arms, loving how warm and silky her skin felt.

"Yes, Joshua, I'm really here," she reached up and patted his cheek. "Do you think we can go inside?"

He kept an arm around her as he led her into the house, almost as if he was afraid she'd disappear. As she kicked off her shoes and dropped her bag, he stared at her.

Karis got a mischievous look on her face just before she reached out and pinched his arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" he looked at her in surprise.

"Now do you believe I'm really here?" she laughed.

"I don't know," he grinned wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, "I might need some further convincing."

Karis looked over his shoulder, spotted the mistletoe and grabbed him by his shirt. She pushed him directly under the mistletoe and laid a whopper of a kiss on him. She caught him by surprise, and his knees went weak. He had to hold onto the door frame to keep from falling over.

Just as abruptly, Karis released her hold on him and stepped back. "Better?"

"Uh, uh, yeah," JC replied, stupefied. "Much better."

Karis took his hand and led him into the living room. She stopped in front of the tree and just smiled.

"Josh, it looks great! All week, all I could think of was curling up with you on the couch and looking at the tree."

"Well, my love, that can be arranged," JC sat back into the couch and held his arms open for her to climb into.

Karis snuggled in tight beside him, rubbing her nose into his chest so she could breathe in her scent. "Oh, I missed you," she whispered.

JC rubbed his cheek against her hair. "I know," he replied. "I missed you too. How were you able to get away?"

She laughed. "You won't believe this, but my Dad called my brother and sister and laid into them that it wasn't fair that I had to be the one to sacrifice my Christmas because I was the one without kids. He actually asked Alice how she expected we would ever have kids if they insisted on keeping the newlyweds apart. He said since I had helped him with all the hard work by checking out the homes with him, the least they could do was to come and spend the holiday with him and mom so that I could come home to you."

JC sat back a little shocked. "Your dad? Your dad laid down the law?"

Karis nodded. "I know. It was normally Mom's job, but I guess Dad felt the need to get on their case on her behalf. Besides, he was right that Mom would enjoy seeing the kids at Christmas." She got quiet for a moment. "We found a place for her, Josh," she whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek, "They'll move her in sometime in the new year."

He automatically reached out to wipe her tear with his thumb. "It wasn't easy to do, was it?"

She shook her head. "No. It wasn't. Alzheimer's is supposed to be something that happens when you're old, not when you're Mom's age."

"I know, sweetheart," he shared in her sorrow, a few tears slipping out. It was not the first time they had cried together over her mother's illness.

Karis only allowed herself a few more tears before she pulled up and away from him. "Oh! There's something in my bag for you. Let me get it."

As she started to stand up, JC grabbed her hand. "Kare, I don't need anything else. I got everything I wanted for Christmas when you walked in that door." Her heart swelled with his comment. He cupped her face with his other hand and brought her to him for another mind boggling kiss. Needless to say, he was disappointed when she pulled away.

"Trust me, Joshua," she smiled as she slipped away.

She was back in a moment and held out a small box to him. "Open it, Honey." She settled down on her knees in front of the couch, resting her arms on his lap.

JC slowly removed the paper and lifted the lid. Inside was a plastic stick with two lines on it. He lifted it up, looked at it, looked down at her, looked back at the stick again.

"Karis," he whispered, as he reached out to run his hands through her hair, "Is this what I think it is?"

She nodded shyly, "Merry Christmas, Joshua!"

He pulled her up into his lap and kissed her some more. Nothing was going to top this Christmas for him; Karis was home, they were alone in front of the tree and he'd just found out she was carrying their child. Life was perfect! Later, he'd find out how she had gotten a flight on such notice and how Joey had been able to sneak out to get her and maybe even how everyone had been cleared out of the party without him guessing, but right now, the only thing that mattered was the Christmas gift that was in his arms.

For in my wishful heart, there was one simple truth
The only gift I wanted was you