"Taylor."

"Fuck off, Jacob." Taylor groaned, digging her head farther into the pillows and blankets on her side of the bed. It was too early for this.

She could sense the night that was still behind the pale pink curtains, sprawling across the bed and coaxing with a gentle voice, calling her back to sleep. She had been dreaming. About what, she couldn't remember, but it was a cute dream, and she wanted to go back.

He grumbled slightly, and she could sense him shifting next to her in bed to lie down on his back. "Do you think if we go up now and snatch those knitted sweaters, that we won't have to wear them all day today?"

"You woke me up early on Christmas eve to ask me to go kidnap a sweater?" She barked.

Taylor flopped over on the bed and glared at Jacob, who's hair was mildly messy and his face still blurry with sleep. She ran a hand down her face in a half-hearted attempt to wake herself. "Please tell me you are joking."

He shook his head. "Please, I don't want to get caught and I need a lookout if we are going to throw them into the fire."

Taylor let out a whine and tugged the blankets up to her shoulder. "Fine, but you owe me."

"Sweet," He bounced out of bed, suddenly no longer drawn in by the tempting warmth. "Let's go!"

Taylor sighed and tugged on the sweater she had left by the bed. Jacob had already vanished into the hallway, and as she stepped out, he was waiting expectantly at the bottom of the stairs. He tilted his head upwards and she nodded, going up before him and ducking her head out quickly.

No one was in the living room, and she stepped out, walking quickly to the tree. There were two parcels sitting, with large letters on them spelling out the names.

Taylor was about to step forwards to grab them when her grandmother's voice made her jump with surprise.

"Hello Taylor dear, do you want some coffee?"

Taylor looked back down at Jacob, who was groaning with defeat. They were going to be subject to another year of itchy Christmas sweaters. He came up behind her and followed her into the kitchen, where their grandma stood, holding a coffee pot. She was wearing a floor long emerald green dressing gown and had curlers in her hair.

"Yes please, black is fine."

"And you Jacob? How about toast?"

Jacob shook his head. "No thank you Grandma, not yet."

She smiled and ruffled his hair before pulling out another mug and pouring a large cup of coffee for Taylor. She poured herself a cup and took a sip as well.

Taylor smiled and took it happily, taking a sip of it.

"I made you two sweaters!" She cheered, placing down the coffee pot and heading into the living room, where two suspiciously lumpy wrapped packages were sitting under the tree. She picked them each up and brought them back, handing the one covered in penguins and snowflakes to Taylor.

Taylor and Jacob exchanged a weak glance before Taylor put down her cup and pried at the tape, opening the package.

She pulled out the sweater and blinked in pleasant surprise. It seemed her grandma's knitting skills had improved in the past year. It was navy blue and had little snowflakes woven into the fabric.

"I thought it would go nice with your hair, dear."

Taylor nodded. "It's wonderful, Grandma. I love it."

She turned and looked at Jacob, who was smiling, but there was a fake gleam in his eyes. His sweater was a stylish mustard yellow and had Rudolph on it.

Taylor suppressed a snicker as he smiled and thanked their grandma. He had drawn the short end of the stick this year, obviously.

"How about you go try them on?" Her mom suggested, appearing behind them and squeezing them both into a hug. She was also still in her pyjamas.

Taylor nodded and looked towards Jacob with a massive grin. "How about we do?"

Jacob grumbled slightly but made no farther protest as he followed Taylor back down the stairs. Taylor dug through her suitcase, pulling out a clean pair of jeans, undergarments, and her toiletries, before ducking into the downstairs bathroom.

She pulled off her pyjamas and pulled on the jeans and sweater instead. Taylor tilted her head. Her grandma had obviously meant to make it look nice on her, and it worked. She smiled, running a brush through her hair, then brushed her teeth, and put on a little makeup, before stepping out of the bathroom and heading back towards the bedroom.

Jacob had changed and was staring at his reflection in the mirror in the corner, an aghast look on his face. His face had blanched.

Taylor let out a snort, before dissolving into laughter and sitting on the bed. "You look like a circus clown."

He shot a glare at her, eying her sweater angrily. "You obviously got off better than me this year."

Taylor nodded. "Obviously."

"Taylor?"

She twisted to look out of the bedroom and at her grandpa, who was standing at the top of the stairs, already dressed in slacks, a blue button-up, and a brown and green sweater vest. He was watching her expectantly and Taylor smiled at him.

"Are you ready to head out, my dear? I want to beat the morning rush."

Taylor nodded and stepped out of the bedroom, jogging up the stairs and into the hall.

"Oh, my goodness. You just look so pretty." Her grandma cooed from the kitchen, leaning over the counter to look at them. "I knew those colours would look so nice on you."

"Thank you, Grandma," Taylor responded. "I really like it."

She turned, grabbing her coat and her toque off the rack in the entryway pulling them on quickly, before linking arms with her grandpa, heading out the front door and into the freezing cold.

~~~

"I believe it will snow all through tonight and tomorrow morning."

Taylor looked up at her grandfather. "What makes you think that?"

He patted her hand that was linked in his elbow. They both stooped to the side to let a frazzled shopper rush by and continued on their way through the mall, which was filled to the absolute brim with last-minute Christmas shoppers. Everyone had a frazzled air about them as they rushed from place to place, meanwhile, Taylor and her grandpa just waltzed about, ducking in and out of shops.

A tall woman elbowed their way past them, holding a total of eight bags and balancing a box, and Taylor marvelled for a moment at her balance before sliding to join her grandpa in line at a little Chinese place.

Her grandpa hummed in thought. "My bones are sore. They only do that before the snow."

Taylor chuckled in amusement. "You are trusting your bones with the weather forecast?"

"Of course," He nodded. "There comes a point in time when you finally become willing to trust your own instincts. That is the best moment in life because then, you can live free."

Taylor blinked in surprise at the sudden wisdom her grandpa had pulled out of nowhere. "That simple, hey?"

"You'll get there eventually. Don't worry."

Taylor shook her head in mild disbelief as they sat down in the food court with trays of food. Taylor grabbed her chopsticks and picked up the ginger beef, taking a bite of the food.

"By the way," Her grandpa commented, swallowing down a big mouth full of chow mien. "I hope you are ready to get completely annihilated on crib? Because I have been practicing, and I will take you down."

Taylor laughed, and opened her mouth the smack talk back, but froze, looking over her grandpa's shoulders.

There was someone standing there, holding three bags and talking on the phone, and she could've sworn it was Nasir.

She blinked twice and rubbed her eyes, but he had vanished. She rolled her eyes in disbelief at herself. Now she was so obsessed with him that she was seeing him everywhere.

"I really wish Jacob didn't wake me up as early as he did." She breathed.

~~~

"Taylor, if you eat another piece of popcorn, you are going to turn into one yourself."

Taylor looked over at her grandma, who was smiling at her cheekily. Taylor had just stolen a piece from the bowl where her, her mom, and Jacob, were making popcorn strands to put on the tree.

Her mom gave her a look and Taylor grinned, leaning down and snatching another piece and popping it in her mouth before any of them could stop her. Jacob laughed. He was still wearing his yellow sweater and appeared to be sweating a lot, or at least complaining about it being hot.

Taylor turned back to her grandpa and placed down a five. "Fifteen for two." She then moved her hand to the crib board and moved her red piece forwards two places. "At this rate, I might skunk you."

"I will not allow it." Her grandpa said, quickly placing down another card. "You will be bested."

Taylor laughed at his speech, which had taken on a phoney English accent. She took a sip of her hot chocolate.

"How are you enjoying hockey, Jacob?" Her grandma said.

"It's lots of fun. Nasir is team captain now since Carson hurt himself."

Taylor scrunched her nose up slightly. She could've sworn she had seen Nasir at the mall today. She obviously needed more sleep or at least to abstain from all thoughts of Nasir.

"That's good." Her grandma said. "I heard you guys are playing your rivals after Christmas?"

Jacob nodded. "It's our first game of the new year."

"That'll be fun. How about you Taylor," Her grandma turned to look at Taylor, threading another piece of popcorn on to the strand. "I heard you are working as the first aider, how is that?"

"It was fun."

"Was?"

"I'm only doing the Fort Qui game, and then I'm done," Taylor swallowed. She had enjoyed hockey and the people she had met through it, and she desperately wanted to go back permanently, but she couldn't go back now. It would just make her look weak-willed.

She also didn't want to fall for Nasir all over again, even though she was already in pretty deep. He didn't like her though, and she didn't want to lead herself on for no reason.

"Oh, that's too bad. How come?"

Taylor shrugged without really meaning it. "I don't know, I just don't think I can handle it anymore."

A soft Christmas song, sung by Judy Garland, began to play over the speaker, and everyone resumed their activities. Taylor had just played a pair of twos when a piece of popcorn hit the side of her head. She turned to look at Jacob, who had a cheeky grin on his face.

"I dare you to do that again." Taylor snapped.

Jacob grabbed another piece of popcorn and aimed it at her, but before he could fling it, Taylor's grandma stood.

"Come help me finish up the treat tray, Taylor."

Taylor nodded and stood, tucking her cards into the back pocket of her jeans to hide them from her grandpa, who was ready to snatch them at a moment's notice.

Her grandma handed her the jug of milk and she measured out half a cup into a little glass liquid measurer, pouring it into the mixing bowl and turning it on. They were making some sort of cookies for Santa.

Taylor had just turned the mixer off and made to go get a dishcloth to wipe the counter when a knock sounded on the door.

"I wonder who that is? At four o'clock on Christmas eve, too?" Her grandma commented. She made to go for the door, but Jacob jumped up, standing in front of her.

"Can you go get it, Taylor?"

"What?" She raised an eyebrow at her brother. "Why me?"

Jacob groaned. "Stop asking questions and just go get the door."

Taylor creased her eyebrows in confusion, but nodded and walked away from the kitchen to the entryway. Jacob began to whisper to them as soon as she had left.

She padded through the tile floor scattered with shoes and unlocked the door, opening it up.

Taylor's eyes widened with shock as she stared at Nasir, who was smiling awkwardly on the doorstep.

"What are you doing here?"