Ariel

By Unknown

Viper Fic

Disclaimer: They don’t belong to me, just borrowing them. The only character that doesn't belong to Pet Fly is Ariel. She is mine :o)

Summary: A Christmas story. Hey its getting to be that time. It is a little over due.

Archive: Please do so. Anywhere is fine with me. Just leave everything you see here with the story.

Rating: Hummm I have no clue. Maybe PG 13 or R… there is some bad words in here. But not that bad.

Category: awr


Ariel
By Unknown

As I remember that night, this is how it went….Cameron will add a part at the end somewhere because she wants to make sure everyone gets the whole story.

It was Christmas season, one December night, at Mrs. Westlake's house. In fact it was her annual Christmas party, formal in fact. I always looked forward to attending every year; I never got to get dressed up during the rest of the year. Anyway, I remember the house, the sweet smell of cinnamon and apples. The house was decorated tastefully and beautifully. A light snow had started to fall when the guests had started to arrive. Of course Cameron and I had been there all day helping her mother set up and cook.

I guess I should give a short history, my name is Ariel, Cameron and I have been friends since, of I cant remember, since we were children. Even though she moved a lot we always kept in touch. After college, I ended up on the East Coast, just outside of D.C. working as an artist. One day I had run into her mother and there you go. I have been attending her annual Christmas party ever since.

Last week Cameron and I had gotten together to look for our dresses for her mothers Christmas party at a local boutique.

"So Cameron" I asked her "Whom did you ask to go with you this weekend? Did you ask that partner you are always talking about?"

"Ariel, what are you talking about? No I didn’t ask him to go with me. My mother already asked him, just like she has done for the last six years, you know that."

Yeah-right Cameron, then why do you go through all this trouble every year to look great for a night alone? I thought to myself as I pull the most beautiful royal blue gown off the rack. WOW is my first thought. It’s a gown to end all other gowns.

"Cameron How about this one?" I hold up the dress to her "Its stunning and just your size." As I look at the tag

"Ariel, that dress is wonderful, but a little to much for my mothers party." She says as she comes over and takes it from me "But I’ll try it on, it can’t hurt anything…. Right?" Then she turns and goes back to the dressing room.

I turn around and grin, sucker I said to myself. Then I found a great dress for myself and went back to the dressing room myself.

"Oh My." I hear Cameron gasp from the stall next to me. I can practically hear the thoughts going through her head at that moment.

"Cameron are you ok?" I ask, "How's the grown fit?" I already know the answer but I ask anyway.

We step out of the stalls at the same time, and turn to look at each other.

Cameron’s dress is royal blue, and made of satin. It has thin straps on the shoulders and sheer material on the sleeves. Its low cut but not to low cut. It fits tight to the body to the waist then is flowing out till it hits the floor. Its gorgeous, looks perfect on her. If her partner doesn’t go for her this night then he is not as smart as Cameron says he is.

"Ariel, that dress is beautiful on you, you have to buy it. You look great!" Cameron says to me taking me from my thoughts. "Are you ok?"

"I am ok, just thinking that’s all." I say to her, as she looks at me kind of strangely. "Listen we both have to get back to work, I am going to buy this and you are going to buy that one! No excuses!"

After the chore of picking out shoes to match we take our purchases to our cars.

"I had a great time today Cameron, we have to do this again, when we don’t have to spend so much money. Not that it's not worth every penny."

"Yes we do, well I will come by and pick you up around 7am Saturday so we can goto my mom’s to help her set up. Is that ok?"

"Yup see you then Cameron! And please ask your partner to go with you, you know he wants to and you feel the same why. I can see it in your eyes. I know you to well."

"Yes you do Ariel, I’ll see you Saturday morning. Bye"

After that day I didn’t hear from Cameron at all until that Friday night when I got home. She had left a message reminding me that she was going to be here bright and early the next morning, so not to stay out to late. I smile and look at the clock; well 1am is not to late.

A soft knock at my door gets me from the bedroom in a slow pace. It's to damn early for this. I open it to a very awake Cameron holding two cups of coffee.

"Ariel, what time did you get home last night?" She says to me "I thought you might need this." Cameron hands me one coffee and enters my house.

"It wasn’t to late Cameron honest, and I am almost ready to go. Just let me get my stuff."

I can see her shaking her head at me as I walk away. I know she knows what I am going to ask next. And that I am going to ask anyway.

"Cameron did you ask your partner to this party of your mom’s?"

She looks away sadly, and then finds something very interesting with her hands that are now trembling.

I come to sit next to her at the kitchen table.

"Cameron what's wrong? Did you ask him?" I ask her slowly

"I took what you said to me the other day and, believe it or not I thought about it all week. Joe of thought I was nuts, I wasn’t really paying to much attention to the paper work all week." She said with a sad smile "But you know what you are right. I really wanted to go with him, because I really have feelings for him. You know good at this I am."

I let out a small sign I know she isn’t good at letting her feelings known to anyone. When we were little it was always like pulling teeth.

"I know, go on." I put my hand over hers to urge her on

"I was actually going to ask him, then he pops in and asks what time on Saturday, like he didn’t already know this, but anyway then he said he was already taking someone with him."

"Oh Cameron I am so sorry. Do you still want to go, we can always make up some excuse to your mother."

"Ariel I have to do this for my mother, you know how she gets during the holidays. Ever since my father and sister passed, it has become very important to her."

"I know sweetie, lets get going so we can get this over."

I can hear Cameron behind me "I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. I am a grown women, I am strong."

Thank god I didn’t have a date with me that would of made her all the more uncomfortable. I feel for her, I know how she feels about this man. She told me little about the past cases, only of the feelings that she has afterwards knowing that he was either alive or okay. I know he has to feel something for her. Why would he do this to her, he has to know.

We talk little on the trip to her mother’s house. I can hear her sniffling on different times during the hour trip. Whether it is because of the cold or because she is upset, I know she won’t be okay today. This party is going to really hurt her.

"Ariel…. Can you help me through this? I feel so much for this man, and he doesn’t feel the same way. It hurts."

Wow if that’s not an admission of love, I have no idea what is. As long as I have known her there has maybe been one other time like this but that is it.

"Cameron, you know, we are best friends, I would help you through anything. If he even says or does anything tonight that hurts you in any way, he is one dead friend, partner, whatever."

This gets a small smile from her. We arrive at her mother’s house and pull in the driveway. We both turn to each other and say "Wow" we sit in awe for a few moments. It has already begun to snow a bit and the house it lite up like a Christmas tree. It looks amazing and we haven't even begun.

"Come on Cameron lets get this show on the road, so we have enough time to get ready." I say as I jump out of the car.

When we get to the door her mother is there to greet us and envelops me in a huge hug. It's been a whole year since we have seen each other; we must do this more often.

"Cameron does not look to happy, is she ok?" she asks quietly

"She is upset, but I think she should tell you why, it's not my place." I smile at her and hope she
understands

"Hi Cameron honey!" She takes her daughter into a hug "I am so glad you girls came to help me today!"

We take out gowns up to the rooms upstairs and unpack. We will be staying overnight tonight to help with the clean up, and that I feel that Cameron needs this time to be with her mother. She does not spend enough time with her. But that’s just my opinion. I wish I had more time with my own mother, but that’s another whole story for another day.

I hear footsteps come up the stairs, I guess we took to much time unpacking. That’s Maggie for you though, she is forever concerned for her daughter and her friends. Especially during the holidays, and from the way Dana looked when we arrived, well concern tripled for Maggie. Not that I mind, like I said I never really had a mother.

She knocks on my door… bingo

"Ariel… are you ok in there," She says as she opens the door. I think her mouth drops open when she sees the dress I bought. I shyly look towards her. I can’t help it I smile.

"What? What’s wrong?" I say, knowing exactly what’s going on in her brain.

"That is a exquisite dress, it must of cost a fortune. You didn’t have to spend that much money, you know that."

"I know, but for you it is worth it."

Bingo, that made her smile.

I turn around and take out everything else in my bag and put it in the guest room dresser. I hear her turn and say, "its good to see you, I am glad you came here today." And then she was gone. I heard a soft knock on Cameron’s door.

I smile she must approve her Cameron’s dress as well. I heard the same speech.

A few hours later and a few eggnog's later, I am feeling good and the mood is spreading.

I am standing at the kitchen counter cutting up vegetables for the dip and Cameron is sitting at the
table. She was supposed to be doing something, what I can’t remember, but she was looking rather sad and teary eyed.

"Cameron, are you ok? Have you spoke to your mother about this?"

She just stares at the refrigerator.

"Cameron?"

I put down the knife and walk over to her. This gets her attention; she looks up and sadly smiles.

"I am ok, I don’t know, I was just thinking about things." She smiled and looked away.

"Cameron you can talk to me, you know that…right?" I said to her "I am here for you, and so is your mom."

"But I can’t tell you everything, you just understand everything that happened to me or…. Or to Joe." I can tell she physically went limp at the thought of him. "He is the only one who would funny understand everything that is going on."

With that she looked at me, and stood up. "Come on lets get ready. The house is done and we can finish this little stuff after we are done getting ready."

About an hour later, make up done, nails done and hair up in rollers, I hear Cameron call from the bathroom.

"ARIELLLL!!! Argh help me here."

This is another new experience for me. I have not seen this side of Cameron in a very very very long time. Its not scary just different. She has always been the strong one, always the one who takes everything from everyone else and puts it on her shoulders. This is different, but it can grow on someone. Maybe her last near death experience really changed something inside her.

As I enter the bathroom, I see a very frustrated Cameron staring into the mirror.

"HELP" was all she said.

Ok well it was not as hard as she made it out to be at all. She has lovely hair. Must be nice.

After another hour Cameron was ready to put that gown on. Her hair was pulled up in a French twist with a small amount dangling from the sides and top. She looked stunning.

We go down the stairs and I think Maggie must have had a heartattack, I swear I saw her drop to the floor.

"You two look beautiful" she told us

"Ariel, if your mother could see you now, she would be so proud."

Damn you Maggie, if I hadn’t already done my makeup already. My eyes are welling now. Not good. But it’s the holidays I give her a hug, it’s the sweetest thing I have heard in a long time.

"Cameron honey you look wonderful, Joe is going to fall all over you tonight."

Wrong thing to say to her. I think if there was a record time for crying Cameron beat it tonight. She instantly turned around and walked away.

"What happened?" Maggie asked

"Joe asked someone else." Was all I said to her

"I figured as much, I know how she feels about him."

The rest of the afternoon went considerably well. Cameron cheered up and was actually smiling. The snow had picked up a little and it covered the ground. Everything looked so romantic at that moment, the three of us just stood in the bay window and stared at the snow. Only if we had someone to share it with. **sigh**

Everything was done and we are waiting, waiting for what we didn’t know. It was nice to just sit with friends around a fire and talk, but company was coming, about sixty in fact.

The doorbell rang and took us away from our thoughts.

Cameron went to answer the door.

"Hello Sherman" Cameron asked "How are you tonight, I am glad you could make it"

"Hello Westlake, I am glad I was invited."

She showed Walter Skinner in and took his coat. "Sherman, please call me Cameron, we are not at work, its informal here."

"Sherman, pleased you could make it tonight!" Maggie said as she took Sherman into the living room for EggNog.

"Cameron what was that all about?"

"Well I have no idea, I’ll have to find out. But its good to see mom interested in someone for a change, nice to see her smile. Even though it may be my boss."

Well the evening progressed on, and it all was going well. Guests came and they ate. Dinner was amazing. I have to find out whom Maggie hired to do the dinner. Everything was excellent.

The people who came, where great. I did not know many of them at all. They were most of Maggie’s friends and Cameron’s friends. A few single men where here, so I took notice, but I wasn’t looking for anyone. If they took notice of me, they did, but I was not about to take charge of the situation.

Around seven Joe showed up. I answered the door this time, which was one of my better moves. I am so glad Cameron didn’t. He was dressed handsomely tonight in a dark suit and white shirt with a tie that had dancing reindeers. I had to laugh, it was so, so Joe.

"Hi, my name is Ariel, Cameron’s best friend." I said as I extended my hand. "And you must be?"

I already knew, but I had to ask. I did not know if Cameron had spoke to him about me or not.

"I am Westlake’s partner Jow Astor. It's nice to meet you. This is Sarah my date."

I politely say hello and take their coats. And then go to quickly find Cameron.

"Well the last time I knew…." Cameron was saying to a bunch of what looked like old family friends

"Can I have a word with you for a minute?" I ask her and pull her by the arm

"I just wanted to tell you that Joe is here."

I see her turn sad. "Is he is he alone?"

"No" was all I said.

I am so sorry. I have no idea what to say to her. She looks so sad and upset.

Then she suddenly turned to me and said "You know what if he does not want me or does not have the same feelings as me, then so be it. I am a free woman, a attractive woman and I can get anyone I want." And then she turned around and left me standing there.

As the night progressed I helped Maggie with a lot of the stuff that needed to be done. People were dancing and laughing and having a great time. Soft music of Bach was flowing through the house and everything was well. I kept track of Cameron all night long and it looked as if she was having a great time. She actually was dancing if a few eligible bachelors. I was thrilled, but unhappy at the same time.

Around ten o’clock the party had died down a bit. Thank who ever above I wasn’t going home tonight, that eggnog was just to good tonight. Cameron and I were sitting at the piano in the living room. I remember this man, came up and sat between us, he looked exactly like Stephen King. I swear it was him, but the sensible part of me said, "How can Maggie know Stephen King" But at that point it didn’t matter at all. We were singing and playing piano.

Jingle Bells turned into Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, and so on. After a while, then man I thought looked like Stephen King; his name is Brian by the way, started playing his own music. "Wow" I thought he is actually good at this. Maybe its because he is a professional player.

I remember thinking wow I haven’t seen Joe all night. I am glad he hasn’t showed his face too much around Cameron, she is actually doing better.

Too much for that. I see a hand come down and land on Cameron’s shoulder and start to move in slow circles. Oh No….

"What? Oh Hi, glad you could make it tonight." Cameron said as she turned back around to the piano.

"Westlake this is a great party, I wanted to say thank you for inviting me."

"I didn’t invite you my mother did, you should thank her." She said coldly

"I already did. I want you to meet someone." He said as Tina came up to his side.

I swear I saw Cameron’s mouth drop to the floor.

"You remember Tine from the Soda Company?"

"Nice to meet you, I hope you enjoyed yourself here tonight."

Cameron looked at her, a nice tall, slim, long blonde hair. Typical Joe type. No wonder why he isn’t interested, I am nothing like her.

With that she turned around and walked towards the dining room. Joe looked after her with something I have never seen before in my life. But then it was gone. He looked sad, I am not sure what. But it definitely was not happy.

I went after Cameron; she was in the kitchen looking out over the snow-covered yard. It was coming down rather quickly now. She was just looking, enveloped in here own world. She didn’t hear me come into the kitchen. "Cameron" She turned around and looked right at me.

"Can you please give me a few moments?"

I nodded and left.

As I go out towards the dining room Joe finds me. Oh great here it goes, twenty questions. I brace myself. But Maggie speaks first. Softly I am glad so the male company can not hear.

"Is Cameron okay? She asked me to leave her alone for a few minutes." She looks at me in a confused and concerned way. There was no way I could not tell this woman anything.

I nod to her and say "I'll talk to you in a few.

She understands my secret wording I guess and walks away to the few guests that are left. Most are still dancing to the quite music that is still playing.

I look around and then back at the patient Joe standing before me.

Oh boy this is going to be a colorful conservation. I turned my attention back to Joe.

"Hi" I said to him "Are you two having a good time tonight?"

"Yes we are having a good time, thank you. But what I wanted to know what's wrong with Westlake."

"Westlake?"

At that point he looked at me like I had four heads.

"You know she has a first name. Just because you don't to be called by yours does not mean she doesn't like hers."

"Oh" was all he said to that. So much for that high priced education.

"I just wanted to know why she is acting like she is tonight towards me…us?" He asks this of me. Should I tell or should I not.

"Well for your information maybe she might be a little upset, what is it of your concern anyway?" I say bitterly. I warned Cameron earlier didn’t I?

"Hey I was just curious. Its important to me that’s all."

Just then the lovely Tina shows up. Lovely. She's beautiful. Man what does she do to keep that figure anyway? I know I work my ass off just to get and keep this.

"Joe, honey I didn’t know where you went to. I was worried. Its starting to really snow bad, do you think we can get going anytime soon?" She says to him.

"Sure Tina. I just have to finish saying my good-byes, I'll be right there."

Finally she leaves; I can finally get back to saying what I was going to say to him. Men.

"So what's going on with Cameron? I mean she hardly spoke to me all night and when I finally did say something to her she got up and left."

"Well first thing, I have no idea what happened during your lastfew cases. Yes she told me about some of it, but not everything, for obvious reasons."

He looks at me then, like he was trying to pin point which one I was talking about. Like they're really is that many. Anyway, I sigh and go on.

"Like I was saying, did you happen to notice the way she has been acting towards you? Like she wanted to ask you something or tell you something? Look I should not be the one telling you this."

"Well things have been kind of tense since the last few weeks. Why should you not be telling me this?"

HA does he really have to ask me this? Geeze "Let me ask you this, do you ever think that maybe
after working with a person for over four years in a intense job that you come to rely on them for more than just work partners?"

He looks at me for a moment, and then it dawns on him.

Like a huge lightbulb going off in his head because his mouth opened and his eyes went wide.

I almost laughed. Almost. Its quite a thing to see when a man of such brilliance, comes to such a small realization.

Again Tina comes over. Man does she ever let him have a moment?

"Honey can we leave? Have you said your good-byes?" She says as she hangs all over him. Man so much for personal space. He looks a bit annoyed. Good. I turn away, I am not sure I want to hear this conservation.

Look TIna, I have to stay here for a bit. Can I call you a cab or something."

She looks totally pissed. HAHA is all I can think of at the moment.

"Fine. If that’s what you want, I am going home." With that she asks to use the phone, I point her towards Maggie. It's her house after all.

I notice she is still with Walter Skinner. Hummm I'll have to find out about that one from her later. Ok back to Joe, the man can be a dense as a toad when he wants to be.

Boy he actually looks happy that Sarah is gone. Well not totally happy but better off. That’s just my opinion.

"Look Joe I have no idea what your relationship or what our feelings are with or for Cameron."

Yes she does have a first name buddy.

"Or what your relationship is with Tina."

With that, like on que or something Cameron walked in.

"Cameron, Hi, can I speak to you for a minute?"

I can tell she needed to talk to me, but Joe was there and well I don’t think she wanted anything to do with him at the moment.

I think that’s when Joe finally got a good look at her that night. He finally realized how she dressed, and that just maybe it was for him. He got this saddened look across his features. I felt for him, but he deserved it.

"Look Joe, I am not in the mood at the moment to do this. Why don’t you take your date home."

"Cameron wait up for a second." I go after her up the stairs to the loft.

Sarah came back to say the cab was there and she was leaving. I laughed. Wondering what Joe was really going to go. Cameron and I saw them quietly talking and it made me mad as it did her. And then we saw her leave.

Whew!

"Cameron what's going on here. Please talk to me."

"Ariel, I am so confused about what's going on here. I have been thinking all night about this. I think that I am in love with Joe."

Bingo!

"Cameron, you why you feel this way? It's because its true, that is exactly how you feel about him. You may not know when it happened or why it happened, but it did. No matter how much you try to deny it, it won't go away." I said this to her and left her with her thoughts.

I walk down the stairs and go back to sit by the Christmas tree in the living room. Holidays.

Maggie comes over to me and asks how everything is going. Everything is fine. It will be ok. I start to help pick up the drinks and glasses that are scattered around. I notice that Walter is still here following Maggie around. They are both deep in their conservation. Boy I am going to have to get this story.

I am really happy for her though. Maybe I will be as lucky and happy as her in my older age. I hope I will be.

So here I now sit in the kitchen at the table, shoes off sitting here watching the snow fall. It’s the best thing in the world to do. Its something I don’t do enough of. Its so quite in here, I love it.

I look up and Joe was standing in the doorway.

"Hi" he says

"Hello" I look away from him. "You should be talking to Cameron not me."

"I know, I am going to. I just.. I don’t know" he trails off

I look back at him. I do know

"You love her. Then tell her. She deserves that much and so do you. She was going to ask you to come here tonight with her last week. I finally talked her into it. She was so nervous. Then you burst her bubble by saying you were taking Sarah. She was really upset."

"I know, I see how she reacted. I am going to go find her. I think in the back of my mind, I was afraid that she would take it the wrong way and say no."

"I know, but how could you not see it in her actions, the way she acts around you, after what happened after that Masquerade Dance, and." I say. He looks at me strangely. "Yes Joe she told me. She has to talk to someone about it."

"Thank You"

"Anything for a friend." I say "And yes Joe you are allowed to have them."

"Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas"

I nod and turn around.

I am alone again.

I get up and go to the living room again and turn down the lights and pour a glass of eggnog and and sit in front of the tree. I myself did get to meet someone, figures that he would work with those two.

I hear Joe walk up the stairs to where I had left Cameron before. I know things are going to be all
right. Holidays. They are only for the strong willed.

The rest from here on in is what I heard from Cameron and what I overheard.

After Joe went upstairs I heard him tell Cameron he was very sorry about what was going on in their personal and professional lives. I smile. Next I heard Cameron saying that she forgave him, as long as they never come to this point again.

And then a soft "I love you" from both of them.

That was the last I heard from either one of them. I throw my feet up on the couch and rest my head back.

It's been one hell of a night. I hear Maggie coming back from where ever she was with Sherman trailing behind her laughing. What a name Sherman. Frankie, that is the guy I met tonight came to sit next to me as well.

**Ok here is the part where Cameron wanted to add her two cents.

I can hear Joe talking to Ariel downstairs. I know it’s about me, I can feel it. But its ok too, I do not mind.

I sit here looking out upon the upstairs patio at the snow. What am I going to say to Joe when he finally does come up here to find me? I am so nervous about this step. It’s a huge one for me and for Joe. The fact that this whole relationship, or whatever you want to call is, is against that the protocol, does not matter to me in the least. Weird huh?

My mind floats to why on earth Catlett is still here and why on earth he is following my mother around all night. I shake my head, I can’t think about that right now.I know that Ariel, well Frankie was talking with Ariel and he is still here as well. I have to stick to the main topic Joe and I. I’ll get that full story later from my mother.

Ok Joe, I know that I fell in love with my partner, not a smooth move on my part, but since when does love have any rules? I am not sure when this happened. It could have been after that Seminar went all to hell and I thought he was dead, or after that very close dance we shared, or the case we had to go undercover as a married couple. I am not sure. So here I am. What do I
tell him when he finally makes it up here to find me sitting in my favorite spot of the house since I was little. Shit here he comes.

"Cameron, are you up here?" he says aloud.

"Joe, I am right here."

"Westlake…..Cameron I am sorry about everything that happened tonight, last week, everything." He said as he approached me.

I turned around and looked at him. He looked remorseful. As soon as I turned he stopped dead in his tracks. What I thought to myself, what now?

"Is this your favorite space in this house?" He looked around noticing pictures and ,different things that hung from the walls. "You do not have to answer, I already know it is. So peaceful and quite."

"Joe, we have to talk about what’s going on between us here. I can not continue this way anymore." I say sadly to him and turn back around to the window.

"Cameron…please I want to talk to you about this. I am not really good at this, You know that. I am scared."

He said to me in a bit over a whisper. But I heard every single word he said

Oh Joe, that is perhaps the most sweetest thing you said to me besides what was said after you gave me that file with your past. I tell him that too.

"Joe, just tell me how you feel about me, where you want this relationship to go?" I say to him. "Please come over here will you?"

I stand up, and I think it’s the first time he REALLY sees me tonight. He gasps and his eyes well up. Oh Joe.

"Cameron… you , your are beautiful. I am speechless, I can not describe it, you, you are just so beautiful." He steps closer to me. God help me tonight. "Joe, I bought this because I thought of you when I did. I thought you would like it. Well actually Ariel picked it out. She has good taste huh?"

He moves closer, if that’s possible.

"Westlake….Cameron you look like a princess in that dress. God how I love you."

He actually said the words. My heart goes nuts. I can’t control myself anymore. I am now openly crying, not for saddness but for joy. I am really happy at this moment.

"Oh Joe…" I stutter, I actually stutter, me of all people. "I love you so much." I say as I finally take those last steps into his arms.

"Look, this feels really strange considering out boss is right down stairs. Can we go somewhere else and talk about this?" He says into my hair. His breath on my neck sends shivers down my spine. I love this man.

"Yes Joe we can, first I want to do this." I leave it like that and take him and kiss him.

I turn away as much as I hate to, and walk to my old bedroom and open the door. This is it, the last barrier between us. I can not wait anymore.

Now as much as I would like to go on about what goes on from there, I will leave it up to your imaginations to figure it out. Have fun!

**Ok back to Ariel now. Thanks for listening.

Oh man this is going to be good, I think to myself.

"Oh Ariel, your still up."

"Yes I love to sit and just watch the Christmas tree. Its peaceful in a sort of way." I say to her.

Maggie nods and they both sit down with me and Frankie.

I can sense that she wants to ask me, but is unsure, so we just sit there in comfortable silence.

That’s when we hear a laugh from Cameron upstairs.

Maggie breaks out into a huge smile. I didn’t have to say a word.

"Maggie is was a great party tonight. I really enjoyed myself. I think I am going to turn in. I'll see you in the morning." I say as I get up to go give the older woman a hug. "Don't worry Cameron is just fine now. You will probably have to set another place for breakfast though."