"Santa was here! Santa was here! Everybody wake up!" Laney's voice carried through the entire house from the living room. Rebecca sat up and rubbed her face sleepily. She pulled on her worn out robe and tied it tight around her before stepping out into the hallway.

"I love Christmas!" Kaylee said happily as she skipped down the hall and down the stairs. Jake and Angela both walked out of their room in their pajamas.

"Suddenly she's in a great mood when there are gifts downstairs waiting for her." Jake said rubbing his face. Angela smiled and laid her head on his chest. Rebecca walked past Charles's room and saw that his door was open and he wasn't there.

She walked down to the kitchen and found him there. He was wearing only a pair of flannel pants and he had red lines on his face from his pillow. Rebecca felt her mouth go dry and her pulse speed up at the sight of his naked chest and torso. He was still just as hard and muscular as she remembered. Thick dark hair covered his chest and a trail led down to the waistband of his pants. He smiled sleepily and handed her a cup of tea.

"Thank you." she said realizing he must have gotten up early just to make it for her. He nodded and then walked out into the living room where the rest of the family was sitting sleepily except for the kids who were busy putting their own gifts into piles.

Rebecca stood against the wall and smiled as she watched the kids open all their gifts. She could feel Charles's eyes on her from across the room and her body was feeling things that it hadn't felt in centuries except for in her dreams.

Finally when all the kids gifts were open and they had all wandered off to play, Rebecca cleared her throat.

"I'll go get the turkey in the oven." she said. She turned to walk out of the room and stopped when she walked past Bethany and caught her scent.

"Oh my...." she stared down at the scar on her oldest daughters shoulder that was visible beneath the tiny strap of her tank top.

"Yea I can forget about going back to modeling any time soon." Bethany said running her finger over the mark. Greg smiled proudly and wrapped his arms tighter around Bethany in his lap. Everyone in the living room laughed happily and congratulated the two of them.

"It's about time." Jake said from where he was sitting on the floor trying to remove Laney's new dolls from their packages. Suddenly he let out an irritated growl.

"What the hell!? Are they really that afraid that the damn doll is going to get up and walk off! I mean there has got to be five hundred of these damn twisty ties on this one freaking toy!" Angela laughed and reached her hand out.

"Give it to me, love. I'll undo the twisty ties if you'll put the dollhouse together." she said. Jake nodded and handed her the doll. He picked up the box to the dollhouse.

"How hard could it be. It just says some assembly required." Evan chuckled over on the couch but said nothing. Jake opened the box and poured out the contents onto the floor. He looked at all ten thousands pieces and started cussing again.

"These damn toy companies want me to come kill them.. They must!" he exclaimed.

"Show him a room full of pissed off bloodthirsty sub demons and he gets excited as hell at the challenge but show him a doll house with some assembly required and watch him break." Lane said matter-of-factly. Jake looked at him and growled.

"Get your butt down here uncle Lane and you figure it out." he said. Lane shook his head.

"Nope, that kind of fun is for the daddy." Charles walked over and knelt down next Jake.

"I'll help you out. I put a few of these things together when your sisters were young." he said.

"You did?" Jordan asked with disbelief.

"Of course I did. You guys just didn't know about it." he said. Rebecca left the room and then and went to start the turkey.

888

"Oh daddy! Grandpa Charles I love it!" Laney said happily as she hugged them both and ran to her finished dollhouse. Jordan came running out of the kitchen and went straight up to the bathroom her face a sickly shade of green.

"What was wrong with her?" Jake asked walking into the kitchen and wrapping his arms around Angela who was mixing up the ingredients for a peanut butter pie. Bethany smiled over at him.

"Can't you smell it?" she asked. He sniffed and then his eyes widened.

"Where's Kent?" he asked. Rebecca pointed outside to where Lane, Kent, Greg, Kayleb and Evan were busy trying to plow the driveway and shovel the sidewalk while a heavy blanket of snow continued to fall.

(Kent! Jordan is sick ,you better get in here!) Jake yelled so everyone could here. Kent quickly dropped his shovel and came running into the house tracking snow all through the kitchen from his boots.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked ,looking worried.

"She's upstairs in the bathroom. She really doesn't seem to feel good." Jake said in his most serious voice. Kent took off running.

"Take your boots off! You're tracking snow everywhere!" Rebecca yelled but Kent ignored her.

"How long do you think it will take?" Bethany asked.

"How long before what?" Kaylee asked as she and Charles walked into the kitchen. Before anyone could respond a happy shout came from upstairs. Kent came barreling into the kitchen nearly trampling Laney before Charles scooped her up off the floor.

"I'm gonna be a daddy!" Kent shouted. "Hot damn I finally did it! It took me sixty years but I'm finally gonna be a daddy!"

"Congratulations." Jake said patting him on the back.

"I'm gonna go out and rub it in Lane's face!" Kent shouted heading toward the door. "Let that jackass call me a midget all he wants but by god I got the job done before he did!"

"Ok that was funny but should I kick his ass for talking that way about getting the job done with my sister?" Jake asked Rebecca. She just shrugged and laughed and went back to gravy she was making.

"Grandpa, would you play with me?" Laney asked Charles who was still holding her. He smiled happily and nodded. Without a word to anyone he and Laney walked back into the living room and Kaylee followed them.

Rebecca blinked back her tears and smiled. Charles was truly acting like a changed man. He was acting like the man he'd been so long ago.

888

A few hours later the family was again gathered in the formal dining room for the big Christmas day meal. This time however the table was not as divided as it had been before. Everyone was spread out and Laney and Angela sat beside of Charles. Rebecca sat across the table and while she tried to focus on the conversations taking place among her family her attention kept becoming focused on her mate sitting across from her.

He looked so happy and he looked so handsome. Just like he had been when she had met him so long ago. She still remembered that day they had met. She had been young, only twenty. Her parents had both been dead. Like Charles parents they had been hunted down and killed by mortals because of what they were.

She'd been living in a castle in Scotland that had been her parents and she found him one night when she had gone out for some fresh air. He had been a hunter even then and though he had been much older than Rebecca, already nearly one hundred she had known he was her mate instantly. He had been hurt badly enough from his hunt that his body was having trouble healing. He had been lying in a beaten and battered heap in a ditch and she had picked him up and carried him back to the castle.

He had been unconscious but she had made him as comfortable as she could and had removed several silver tipped arrowheads from his back. She had sat by his bed for hours just waiting on him to wake up. When he did their love and attraction to one another was instant.

He had taken her in his arms and called her his auburn haired savior. Right now he was looking at her like he had during those first years together and she felt her heart filling with so much hope and love she thought for sure it might burst.

After everyone was done eating Laney told everyone to go into the living room so she could give them their gifts from her. Jordan who was still feeling a little green was still smiling happily wrapped up in Kent's arms on the couch. Rebecca sat down in the little recliner chair and felt little shivers run through her when Charles stood behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders.

Joey told Laney the name on each of the presents and she delivered them happily to each person. Rebecca wrapped her new scarf around her neck and smiled warmly at her granddaughter. Charles raised the sleeve of his blue sweater and slipped his new watch onto his wrist.

After Laney had given everyone their gifts they all bundled up in their warm clothes and went outside to play in the snow. All except for Rebecca who stayed inside to start cleaning the kitchen.

She was almost done loading the dishwasher when Charles came in laughing. She hadn't heard him laugh in so long that she had forgotten what it sounded like. It was deep and good natured and it made Rebecca feel a warmth from her head to her toes.

She looked at him and she too found herself laughing. He was covered in snow.

"What happened to you?" she asked. He laughed again.

"Let's just say our kids got out a lot of their anger with me today. I'm just glad it was with snowballs or else I would really be hurting about now." Rebecca smiled and went back to loading the dishwasher as he took off his snow covered boots, coat and gloves.

"Are you the only one who didn't want to brave the cold anymore?" she asked. He walked over to the sink and began handing her what was left to put in to wash.

"My bones are a few years older than theirs." he replied. She shut the dishwasher door and turned the knob to start it. She turned and found her nose brushing against his solid chest. She leaned her head back and there was no mistaking the desire in his eyes as he looked back down at her.

"Charles...." she said breathlessly.

"I need you, Rebecca. My heart is beating again." he said. He grabbed her hand and laid it over his chest. She could feel the steady beat beneath her hand.

"It never stopped beating, Charles." she said matter of factly. He smiled down at her.

"Oh but it did, my auburn haired savior. But now it's beating again stronger than ever and every time it beats it beats for you." He laid his hand on her cheek and he saw her blue eyes darken with passion. "I know I told you I would wait forever, Beccs, but please don't make me wait that long to hold you again.. Please save me again just like you did all those years ago when you healed my broken and battered body with your touch."

She stood on her toes and time seemed to stand still as their lips drew closer. He seemed scared that she would pull away as their lips brushed together and she pressed her lips firmly to his to reassure him.

They didn't touch with any other part of themselves. Just lips and tongues joining and remembering. A spark that had long since burned down suddenly sparked into an all consuming flame as their kiss grew more passionate and desperate all at the same time.

He lifted her up into his arms, never breaking their kiss, and carried her up the stairs to the room they used to share. He laid her down on the bed and stood at her feet. He removed his clothes and she watched him and her eyes worshiped every inch of his warriors body.

He felt nervous as his mate looked at him for the first time in so long. He held up his hands and looked down into her blue eyes.

"I've made so many mistakes. I have hurt you. I have hurt our children. I was not the man that I should have been. But now I stand here changed and begging your forgiveness. Am I worth being saved, my auburn haired savior? Please tell me that I'm still worth saving."

She held her arms out to him and he came to her on the bed. She felt tremors run down her as Charles's rough scarred hands became as soft as velvet as they reached under her sweater and caressed her soft waist and hips.

"You are so beautiful my mate. I love you." he said as he lowered his lips to her neck. She shivered beneath him.

"I love you Charles. I have missed you so." she said. He looked into her blue eyes and he could see the love shining back out just as she could see the love in his for her.

"I will never leave you again." he vowed. She suddenly became still beneath him and he looked at her with concern.

"What is it?" he asked. She bit her lip and looked up at him. She had begged him so many times to give up hunting. To bond his life to hers and live only for her and their family. He had laughed at her in the past. She didn't know if she could stand it if he laughed again tonight.

But nothing would be gained if she was a coward so she took a deep breath and met his eyes.

"I want more than this, Charles." He tilted his head his eyes questioning. "Are you telling me what's truly in your heart when you say you want to give up hunting and stay with us?" He nodded.

"Yes. I don't want to live that kind of life anymore. I don't want to kill anyone else. I want to be the kind of mate and father that my family can be proud of." She laid her hand on his cheek but he could see the fear still in her eyes.

"Then, Charles, I'm begging you to bind your life to mine. I never want to have to live without you again. Now that I have felt your touch and tasted your kiss again I don't think I could bare to never feel it again." Charles suddenly understood why she looked afraid. He remembered her begging him long ago to give up hunting and mate to her. He cursed himself when he remembered that he had laughed at her.

He had laughed then because he had been so afraid at the urge he had had to do what she was asking. He had laughed to hurt her enough that she would never ask him to do that again because he hadn't been sure he could refuse her twice... He was again shocked by just how much of a monster he had been..

Yet here she was. Lying beneath him her eyes full of fear and love as she begged him yet again to give her the ultimate commitment. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly.

"I don't deserve you, Rebecca. But I know that I don't ever want to live without you. So if you'll have me I want to take that step with you." She threw her arms around him and sent out a thousand silent thank yous that her kind, loving man had finally come back home.