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"WHEN DID YOU GET THAT?!? WHERE WAS I WHEN YOU GOT THAT?! WHERE THE HELL WAS YOUR MOTHER WHEN YOU GOT THAT?!"

I opened one eye to stare at my screaming father and my mother who was filling up a glass with vodka. She drank the whole thing and shook her head. "I need another bloody drink."

"Daddy--"

"Don't daddy me young lady." He warned.

"But dad it's only a tattoo!" I lifted my left hand again. My mother looked like she was about to faint and my dad's face went bright red with anger. Anthony walked in and stopped mid step. 

"That... Is one sick tattoo sister. Did you get that for Christmas?" Ant skimmed his hand over it.

I slapped his hand away. "No, I---"

"I'm disappointed in you Alexis." My dad said.

What a great start to Christmas day this was. 

I walked into the house completely forgetting the fact that I didn't put a bandage or a glove over my hand, I walk into the kitchen, and put my hand on the table in front of my mother and father and here we are now! They're both having a heart attack over my mark. Erasing their memory won't do anything for me, but drain any strength I had left.

Persuasion perhaps? That takes less energy... 

"I need another drink." Mom said.

Persuasion it is. I wanted a decent day! It's only nine o'clock and already I want to kill myself.
I stood my mom and dad next to each other and told Anthony to leave. "Fine but I want to see it in detail later."

I nodded and watched as he walked out.

Then I brought my full attention to my parents. I started with my dad. The puppy dog look was like the key to unlock persuasion but it required a deal of concentration. Not as much as when I erased memories but enough.

"My tattoo isn't that bad is it dad?" I brought my hand to his arm. 

He didn't move blink or even stray his eyes away from me as he said, "Come to think of it, it isn't that bad..."

I heard my mother's gasp. 

"So we should just forget about it for today?" I said in my most persuasive voice as I turned to my mother.

Her face went blank along with her eyes.

She giggled and said, "I think we should forget about it. Maybe we should talk about it tomorrow..."

"Next month." I forced.

"Next month." She repeated.

I stepped back and sighed as I released the band of concentration I was using. My parents shook their heads and glanced at each other. "After all it is Christmas right?" I said as I took steps back out of the kitchen. 

They finally looked at one another and frowned.

I could really get into this.

As soon as I stepped foot into the living room Theo practically jumped on me and squeezed me in a bear hug. "Aww hi, Alex!!"

I blinked. "Ah... Hello, Theo."

He stepped back and gave me a huge kiss on the cheek. Before I could escape he grabbed me in another hug. He stroked my cheek as he said, "I've missed you so much, Lex." He sighed longingly.

I pushed away from him and checked his eyes. 

I immediately scowled. "Gabriel."

Theo's eyes suddenly lit up. "Is he here?! Is he coming? Oh, I hope he comes, it is Christmas! A time for--"

"Gabe!!"

The front door opened and he walked in with a smirk on his face. Theo gasped and ran up to him to engulf him in a hug. Gabriel laughed like this happened every day and patted his shoulder.

"You said Theo will be reasonably happy not effing high." I whisper yelled. "He's acting like a puppy. All he needs is a wagging tail and he'll be set."

Gabriel smiled and lightly pushed Theo to the side. Theo was still smiling and staring at both of us with his dilated pupils.

"I'm not a major influence toward him, Lexie. I'm not that bad. All I did was change some things around in that brain of his and... Enhance them."

Theo shuffled back to me and lifted a strand of my hair to play with. I slapped his hand away. "Gabriel. Dial it down. I didn't want my cousin possessed."

He chuckled. "Okay." He grabbed Theo by the arm. "Come on, Theo let's go change those brain waves of yours."

He smiled childishly.

I watched as they walked into the dining room and came back out in minutes. Theo seemed a little bit more distant but slightly more co-operative. He smiled at me when he walked past but he walked straight to the couch and turned the TV on.

Gabriel walked out looking slightly tired. He came and stood next to me. "I dialled it down. Are you happy?"

I sighed. "I guess it's as good as it gets, right?"

He nodded. "Either this or the state he was in a moment ago?"

I laughed. "I prefer this." 

Gabriel twined our fingers together and pulled me to walk through the house. "Are you staying?"

"If you want me to."

I smiled at him. "Of course I want you to."

We were wandering through the dining and back to the living room when I said, "How did you do it?"

He glanced at me. "What?"

We walked up the stairs together and strolled down the hall. "You know what. How did you do that to Theo?"

"Have you heard that demon's can influence humans into doing bad things? Like killing someone or robbing a bank for example?"

I nodded. "The little voice inside people's heads, of course. But you're not a demon."

"No, but we can do it too. Not to such an extent but along the same lines. Pure's can do it too."

"Can I?"

"Probably. But I'm not teaching you how to do it." He said seriously. I rolled my eyes. We walked down the hall and he suddenly pulled me into an open room. 

I think it was my parent's room. 

He shut the door and pulled me forward by the waist. "When do we exchange gifts?"

I put my hands on his chest. "When we get home."

"I have two gifts for you by the way." 

"I think I already told you I have two for you. Now come on, this is my parent's room. Wouldn't want them thinking anything." I lightly pushed his chest. 

"I suppose..." He said in a voice I'd used a few times. Persuasion. Dripping with it. He slowly lowered his head. "Maybe--"

"No." I laughed. "Don't even think about it. Not right now."

Gabriel chuckled and captured my lips in his. I slid my hands up his chest just as his tongue skimmed my lower lip. 

Just as I was about to let him in, the sound of the door opening brought my attention back to the present.

I pushed Gabriel back and looked to Theo.

He rubbed the back of his head and glanced up at the ceiling. "Uncle said we're opening presents. You can come down... If you want." He chuckled before walking out of the room.

My eyes wandered to Gabriel's who's were filled with amusement. I scowled at him and strutted out of the bedroom. 

Gabe's hand slipped into mine just as we descended the stairs. He grinned down at me playfully and winked. I got the gist of his thoughts as we entered the living room:

'Can't wait to give you your gift,'

**

Gabe burst into laughter along with me.

"Thank you, Anthony." Gabriel lifted up the t-shirt and held it up against his chest. It was a plain white t-shirt however the words "I LOVE YOUr boobs." written in red right across it.

"It's okay, bro. It's a derogatory t-shirt but I thought what the hell? It was either that t-shirt or 'Kiss My Face' but I wasn't as happy with that." He winked at Gabe and wrapped is arm around Eliza's shoulders. She giggled at the shirt but I could hear what she was really thinking:
'The idiot I fell in love with...'

I smiled at her as she snuggled into my brother's side.

Theo, dad and Aunt Sheryl were laughing while my mother was frowning at it. "What would your mother think if you went home with that, Gabriel? I wouldn't want her thinking..."

"It's fine Mrs. G. I'm sure she'll laugh." Gabriel said.

She frowned but didn't speak afterwards.

"Alex, open my present." Anthony said with a smile. He handed me a flat square package. 
I smiled back and opened it. It was a black covered CD case saying, "Birdy, Skinny Love."

"I knew you were in love with Bon Iver's version so I wanted to get you that one. It's slower but I think it's nice."

I remembered the song... Back in... October I think it was. I walked into my bedroom and my friends were singing along to it. It was before my birthday... Before I knew about most of this. 
The days when it was almost normal.

"I didn't want to make you cry baby sis." Anthony leaned forward and skimmed his finger across my cheek.

I forced a laugh past my lips. "You didn't I'm just happy. It's nothing. I do love Bon Iver's version. I'm sure I'll love this one too. Thank you Anthony."

He grinned and moved on to mom and dad's present.

The rest of the day and half of the evening was fun. We finished opening the presents and watching a crappy Christmas show on TV. 

Gabriel was quiet after I opened my present from Ant earlier. He'd spoken but it wasn't much. I knew he'd heard me earlier but I expected at least some form of comment on it. Instead he'd just pretended I never had that thought at all.

We'd finished dinner around 5.00pm when Gabriel and I announced that we had to go. 
"Do you have to go so soon? It doesn't feel like you've been here for the day." My dad said as he hugged me to death.

It was amazing to realize he was screaming at me earlier about my mark. 

"Yes, well- dad your squishing me." I said playfully.

He chuckled and let go of me "Will we see you at new years?"

I smiled. "Of course; I'll get Gabriel's family to come along too."

My mother was next to hug me; then Anthony, Eliza and Theo. And last but not least, Sheryl. She squeezed me but surprised me by whispering, "You've changed sweetheart. But I think it was for the better. Because there's something in your eyes that's telling me something bad is happening. I know that your mother is oblivious but I'm not."

I opened my mouth to deny it but she said, "Don't worry. I won't say anything. Just be careful."

She stepped back, winked and walked off.

Well.

I was not expecting that. I guess Aunt Sheryl isn't as crazy as I thought she was. Observant is the new word for her.

I picked up my two bags full of presents and walked out of the house. Gabriel and I drove home in a slightly uncomfortable silence. I glanced his way a few times; his face was thoughtful but he didn't look angry in any way. He just looked... curious.

As we parked in his garage he said, "Go straight up to my room. I'll be there in a minute."
I nodded and stepped out of his car with my bags. I bumped into Maryanne on the way. She smiled at me and winked which caught me off guard. I glanced at Liz who was sat on the couch with Joseph. I didn't think either of them noticed me as I walked past them and up the stairs until they said, "We'll get out of your hair soon, Alex."

"What do you mean?" I asked at the top of the stairs.

Liz slapped his chest. "You ruin surprises you know Joseph." She looked up at me. "Just go on up."

I slowly made my way up the remainder of the stairs pondering on what she was talking about. What surprise?

"Alex,"

I stopped and sighed. "Yes, Tristan?"

"Have a good Christmas?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Why?"

He chuckled. "Am I not allowed to ask?"

"...No."

"I was just asking because we angels don't usually celebrate Christmas anymore."

"And why's that?"

"Because it can get repetitive. I've been alive for over a thousand years. Imagine celebrating Christmas one thousand times?"

I shrugged and slowly started stepping backward. "Okay fine, maybe it does sound repetitive but I think its still about everyone coming together as a family."

He waved it away. "Whatever. Still the same to me."

I rolled my eyes and walked to Gabriel's room.

As I walked into his bedroom I placed the bags on the bed and went searching for the CD. I found it, opened it and walked toward Gabriel's laptop. I remembered scolding him from when we were younger to turn his computer off but he never did. When do boys learn that electricity is expensive?

I plugged in his speakers and put the CD in the drive...
The introduction was beautiful... A piano solo. And then the lyrics started;

'Come on skinny love just last year.
Pour a little salt we were never here...'

My eyes strayed toward a small box wrapped in white paper with my name on. I picked it up and read the note:

"Open the present in the draw first."

I raised a brow, put it down and went inside the table draw. There was another square shaped box but wrapped in black paper. I opened it and was greeted by a white box. I took the top off and looked inside.

It was a silver chain.

The song rolled into the second bit of the first verse.


'...I told my love to wreck it all.
Cut out all the ropes and let me fall."


I picked up the nicely wrapped box and removed it carefully. The word 'Pandora' was written on the front of this white box. It resembled a ring box...
I pinched the sides and flipped it up.

A gasp escaped my lips.

I carefully took the ring out of the box and stared at it. The ring was silver with clear diamonds around it. The top had a pattern around it that remind me of the outline of a flower with only two petals on it.

"I got the ring a while ago. It was the chain I got when I was with Elizabeth yesterday."

I turned around just as he walked through the door. 

I stared down at it. "Is this a ring with diamonds or a diamond ring?"

Gabe chuckled. "It's a ring with diamonds, Alexis." He stepped forward and took the chain and ring off me. "Turn around." I did as he said and moved my long hair to the side. His fingers skimmed across my neck as he reached around and clipped it on. "I wanted to get you something... To remind you of me later on."

"Later on?

He sighed and turned me around. "Neither of us knows what will happen during your Decision. You could forget everything that has ever happened in your entire life or remember only certain bits."

"Gabriel, I'm not going to forget you. You said it yourself, this time is different. I didn't forget you when you came to the hospital and I'm not going to forget you during my decision."

He rubbed his hands up and down my arms. "You won't know that."

I sighed out slowly. "I might not know that but... I'll try... to think about you."

He smiled softly and stepped forward so there was barely any space between us. "What if I don't come to mind? What if you forget?"

I shook my head repeatedly. "Why are you saying this?" I was confused. I didn't want him saying things like this.

"Because, Alex, it's the truth. Misleading you will do nothing for us. And..." He moved a strand of hair away from my face. "The more you know now the more aware you'll be at the time."

"But---"

He cupped my cheek in his hand. "Let's not talk about it right now. Are you ready to hand me my present?"

I tilted my head. I wanted to talk about it. But maybe today wasn't the day to start up this conversation. I did say I wanted a decent day. And today has been more than that.

"Yeah I'll get them."

I walked out of the room and into mine to grab both presents. One was in the Tiffany and Co box and the other was in an old cube shaped box. I stepped back into his room, walked to where he was sitting on the bed and hid the cube shaped box behind my back. I smiled lightly at him and held the box out in front of him. "Looks like we both had the same idea in mind. Except mine's slightly cliché."

He took the blue box out of my hand and opened it. Then he started laughing. "Cliché is the right word."

I smiled brightly feeling my mood brighten up. "I got it engraved. It's sort of a joke but---"

He pulled my arm and pulled me onto his lap. I put the box behind him so he couldn't see it.

"Help me put it on."

I took the pendant out of his hand and clipped it around his neck. I brought him a stainless steel cross pendant with the engraved word, 'Angel' on the back. It wasn't a huge cross so the word was only visible if you were right in front of him staring directly at his neck. The song faded out and it unexpectedly became silent.

"How much did this cost?" He suddenly said as his hand touched his neck.

I frowned and rested my hands on his shoulders. "It doesn't matter."

"Alexis---"

"Can I give you your other present?" I interrupted.

He sighed but nodded.

I reached behind him and picked up the box. He looked down at it and took it from my hands. This present was special to me. The memory belonging to it was special to me. I wanted him to know that some things never change. And it will back up my statement that I will never forget him.

He removed the top of the box, looked inside and froze.

I smiled at his facial expression and took out the snow globe.

"They saved it from the fire. It was one of the few things that were still in great condition." I stared into the snow globe remembering that day 5th grade. "I remember those boys throwing this around. I was so close to crying when you came along and saved it. That memory will always be there. When you saved my snow globe and we became best friends." I giggled. "It feels like it was centuries ago---"

"I love you, Alex."

I moved my head back to stare at him. His eyes were glazed over and his face was as unguarded as I've ever seen it. I ran my hand through his hair. "I love you too. I don't know if I tell you that enough."

He took the snow globe out of my hand and put it on the table. He lay back and pulled me down with him. I lay half on top of him with my hand running through his hair and my forehead rested against his.

His hand rubbed up and down my thigh. "Say it again."

I grazed my lips across his. "I love you." I whispered.

And he kissed me.

A long drawn out passionate kiss we hadn't shared in a while. His tongue swept skillfully inside my mouth and I sunk into it. My body always responded to him in ways I will never be able to describe; the way my skin always tingled every time his fingers skimmed across it. The way the sound and feel of his heart beat made mine increase rapidly. The way his glowing blue eyes stared into mine with such intensity and want that I couldn't shy away from it even if I wanted to...

I didn't think he realized what an effect he had on me.

We made love that night in a way I'd never imagined. Everything felt different... intensified. His every touch and kiss was like it was our last... Maybe that's what we have to live like now; that every touch or kiss is our last. For all I know, I could be enduring my final change tomorrow or the day after. Now, everyday had to be lived like it was our last together.

And the thought terrified me. 

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(edited: 2023)