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It was four days before Christmas. Having spent Thanksgiving with her mom, Zoe was spending Christmas at home. Jack was so thrilled to have his daughter home that he was helping her decorate the bunker on her first full day of winter break.
SARAH played Christmas carols softly as the Carters engaged in their Christmas traditions.
The tree was up, its lights shining on its ornaments and reflecting around the living and dining rooms and making everything seem to glow with the season.
Garland was hung on the walls along the ceiling. It was decorated with mini lights, mini ornaments, and mini candy canes. Garland also adorned the staircase rails and was decorated with mini lights and mini candy canes.
The dining room table was covered in a forest green cloth. In the center sat a large glass bowl with floating tealights and holly. Along with SARAH’s gingerbread cookies, chocolate chip cookies, hot chocolate, and hot cider, small novelty candles—a Santa, a tree, a sled, and a snow-covered hill—sat around the table. White garland wound around it all to give it a seamless, snowy look.
They were placing holiday trinkets around the house before they began wrapping presents. Jack placed a Santa on the table by the stairs and picked up a framed photo of a couple. Happiness and love glowed on their faces, and Jack desperately wanted to live in that picture.
Zoe noticed and said, “Don’t worry, Dad. You’re not going to be alone for Christmas.”
Jack hadn’t realized he’d let his loneliness show. He forced a smile on his face and put the frame down. Turning to her, he said, “I know. My beautiful daughter is home to share the holiday cheer with me.”
Zoe smiled at him and said, “Let’s wrap some presents.”
Still smiling, Jack grabbed a large bag from the foyer closet and joined his daughter on the floor to begin the tradition that was one of her favorites.
Feeling guilty for monopolizing her time, Jack insisted Zoe spend her second full day home with her friends. Pilar was having a holiday party, and Jack finally convinced Zoe to go.
Jack spent the time at Café Diem. He surprised Vincent by ordering the turkey dinner rather than a burger and fries. Vincent, of course, was ecstatic. He brought the sheriff his meal, and a glass of wine to accompany it.
Jack had nearly finished eating when Vincent returned to his table. Vincent asked, “How was your meal, Sheriff?”
Jack smiled up at Vincent and said, “Absolutely delicious, Vincent. You know, I think a Vinspresso would be the perfect thing to follow it.”
“One Vinspresso coming right up.”
Vincent was back quickly and said, “Here you go. I hope I’m not overstepping by saying this, but cheer up, Sheriff. You won’t be alone for Christmas.”
Jack forced a smile and said, “You’re right. Zoe’s home, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Vincent gave Jack a sad smile and went back to work. Jack drank his Vinspresso and left to go home.
On Christmas Eve, Jack surprised Zoe by having Pilar, Lucas, and several other of her friends over for the day. They exchanged gifts, ate SARAH’S delicious lunch of vegetable soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, snacked throughout the day on SARAH’s cookies, and sang along to Christmas carols, catching up all the while.
The kids included Jack in their merriment, asking him about the crazier, non-classified cases he’d worked in Eureka and fugitive hunts he’d been on as a Marshal. Jack smiled and obliged them with exaggerated tales that made them all laugh, even Zoe who knew he was exaggerating most of it.
As they began leaving that evening, Pilar pulled Jack aside and said, “Don’t worry, Sheriff. You won’t be alone for Christmas.”
Jack smiled and asked, “How can I be alone when I have all of you wonderful hooligans around?”
Pilar squeezed his arm before gathering her coat and bag to leave.
Jack woke on Christmas morning and reached his arm out to the other side of the bed. He found it empty and loneliness immediately surrounded him like a cloak. He would have to fight hard today to hide it from his daughter and their friends. He honestly hadn’t thought he’d spend another Christmas alone, but here he was. The love of his life had been called away for an emergency. These things happen, he knew that, but why did it have to be on their first Christmas together?
Jack forced himself out of bed. As he showered and dressed, he worked at mentally preparing himself to get through the day without his better half.
He heard voices as he started downstairs. He assumed it was Zoe and SARAH. He was wrong. Halfway down the stairs, he looked up and saw his own Christmas miracle. With a real smile on his face, Jack rushed the rest of the way downstairs and pulled his doctor into his arms.
SARAH began playing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” as Zoe was giggling on her way out of the living room.
The deep melodious voice of Natha Stark spoke softly in Jack’s ear, “I told you you wouldn’t be alone for Christmas.”