December 25th, 2008...
3:19 am
-----
Liz thought she heard a noise. Her senses tightened and she laid perfectly still.
She heard silence...well besides that of heavy, slow breathing, but by now she was use to that.
She relaxed and let her mind and body wander back to sleep in her quiet room.
"Lizzie..."
She ignored it. She scolded herself for now hearing things.
"Lizzie, are you asleep?"
Her senses heightened again and this time she felt a little touch on her forearm. Her eyes slowly opened. The room was dark besides the faint light, coming from the hall nightlight outside of the bedroom. That little bit of light gave her eyes just enough vision to make out the person who was staring at her wide eyed, chewing on his lip.
"Hunter, go back to sleep." She half-groaned.
Her heavy sleep filled voice must helped stir her counterpart. The arms around her tightened and a groan deep and groggy sounded throughout the room.
His voice was still whispered and secretive. "Do you think Santa has come yet?"
"I told you Hunter. Santa saves all the best kids for last because he has more toys to deliver, so...go back to bed, Santa wont be visiting us for at least another 2, 3 hours."
Liz smiled and chuckled what her companion had all but groaned. He must have felt her body moving with laughter because she received a little pinch in her side.
"Oh.." Hunter seemed disappointed, and his voice had gone to regular volume. "Ohhh kay..."
Lips tickled the curve of Elizabeth's neck, and the body that was behind her seemed to scoot even closer to her, all of him spooned her back. Even his feet were rubbing against hers, keeping them warm.
His breath floated across her ear in a whisper. "Just go back to-"
"Can I sleep with you?"
Liz bit her lip to keep from giggling and opened her eyes once more and nodded at the small boy that was ready to jump up on their bed. "Sure."
The next thing Elizabeth knew, Hunter was crawling over her body and wiggling his way in-between her and his father.
"Daddy, do you think Santa will bring me everything I asked?"
"I dunno." Justin groaned.
Hunter finally stopped wiggling and Liz turned around so that she was now facing Hunter and Justin, laying on her side. Hunter had curled himself up to his father and Justin had an arm lazily draped over him, his hand running up and down Hunter's back.
Liz smiled to her self and sighed before closing her eyes once more and attempting to sleep without interruptions before the wild day that was ahead of her.
But before she could be taken to dream land something soft and warm was placed against her mouth. She was being kissed, not passionately or wildly, but lovingly and sweetly. Those lips she had become addicted to pulled gently away and she felt the words that were said more than heard.
"I...love..you..." The words were whispered, and dragged out on purpose.
She didn't reply and she didn't respond, except with a smile, her eyes remained closed. She didn't need to say anything back, for she knew...he already knew everything she felt for him.
She didn't fall asleep immediately, for a while she just laid there, listening to the heavy breathing of the two men she had grown to love. One she had loved at the first sight. Those big brown eyes, innocence and those precious dimples tugged at her heart and she fell instantly.
The other, she had grown to love over a long period of time, and she was set on loving him until time ended. After their first date she was frightened more than she ever had, that he would disappear from her life again. And after 2 nights of not communicating with him of any sorts she got extremely worried.
And then she got a phone call...and she got asked out on another date...
And soon she couldn't count the number of dates and phone calls, and the next thing she knew she was selling her apartment and moving in at the Timberlake residence.
He hadn't left her, not this time.
And she knew he would never leave her again.
------
The next morning, Christmas. Sometime around 10.
A gasp. A dropped mouth. A scream.
"OH MY GOD THIS IS THE ONE I WANTED!! THANK YOU LIZZIE!!!!"
Liz sent a sly smile to Justin who just narrowed his eyes back at her. "Well I'm glad you like it Hunter."
"I LOVE IT! This is the one I wanted. Daddy you said you couldn't FIND it."
Justin grumbled to himself. "I...couldn't."
While Hunter ran around the living room with his newest toy, Liz laid triumphantly on the couch, sipping a cup of coffee in her comfy sweats and long sleeve worn Maryland tee shirt with her cat, Muffy half asleep in her lap. Justin on the other hand sulked to himself, glaring at his girlfriend, as he sat on the other side of the room on the floor.
They had made a bet the two of them, that they would be the one to get Hunter the best present. Both had looked and searched hard. And even though Justin had done a great job with his video game and movie mini collection, Liz had out done him with the special edition action figures that were supposedly sold out in every store and were the only thing Hunter had talked about for about 3 months prior.
"Hunter why don't you go put up some of your stuff and me and Lizzie will clean up. Then come back out here I got one more present, kay?"
"Is it for me!?!?!" Hunter asked enthusiastically.
Justin winked and smiled. "You'll see."
With a yell of excitement Hunter ran back towards his room taking some of his presents with him.
"Another present? You still trying to out do me?"
"Patience lil Lizzie." Justin smirked, picking up a hand full of the red and green and gold paper and bows that were scattered about the floor of the living room.
"If you got him a puppy I'm going to SHOOT you. Muffy here will have a hemorrhage."
Justin stuffed the paper in a big black trash bag and sighed. "I didn't get him a puppy, though that would have been a great idea. I should have thought of that."
"Well, what is it?"
"You'll see! Now help me clean up. We gotta get ready to go to Momma's."
Liz got off the couch, placing Muffy on the floor. "Mmm, I cant wait for my first Timberlake family Christmas."
"Girl you better be ready to Eat."
"You know me! I got a vacuum for a mouth."
Justin grabbed Liz's hips and growled playfully in her ear, biting at the skin seductively, "mmmhmm..I know that for a fact."
"UGH! You..UGH! Perv." She pushed him away and he just rolled his eyes.
"nice comeback, love."
"Shut up."
"Kay kay...what's the present."
Justin turned to see Hunter standing here, bobbing up and down impatiently. He tossed the trash bag aside and gave each of them directions. "All right, Lizzie you sit in the reading chair, Hunter park yourself on the couch buddy."
Each got situated and Justin stood in front of the large Christmas tree in the room with a smirk on his face. "Now, for the final gift this morning, and the best one I personally think, I'm going to do a magic trick."
"Oh Nooo.." Liz's hand slapped across her eyes.
"What! Girl you just wait. It's going to amaze BOTH of you."
"Whatever.."
Justin shrugged and continued on. "Now, you both see that outside there is no snow. It's not even cold its like 58 degrees outside and its CHRISTMAS. Well I'm one of those people that LOVE Christmases that have lots of snow and ice, and I know that both of you like that too."
He stepped a little closer and pushed up his sleeves on his shirt. "So out of thin air I'm going to produce ice, now I see that look you are giving me Lizzie. I know what I'm doing."
"Justin. 4 words: too much egg nog."
Justin ignored her comment. "Hunter..now do you remember what you asked Santa? That thing on the top of your list."
"Uh huh, I asked him..."
He immediately got interrupted by his father. "Shhhh. Keep it to yourself."
"Nuh uh, secrets are not cool boys."
Justin winked at Liz. "You'll like this one, trust me." His attention went back to his son. "Now, Hunter you are my assistant ok? So I need you to close your eyes and wish REALLY hard for that present ok?"
"K." He closed his eyes tightened an put his little hands over them for good measure.
"Now for the magic." Justin stepped a little closer to Liz with his arms stretched out in front of him, his hands open. "Are you watching this?"
"I'm watching." She said unenthusiastically but with a hidden grin.
With a slight wave of his hands, one of Justin's arms dropped while his other stayed raised. His fingers were holding a delicate gold band with a clear sparkling stone at its top. Elizabeth's eyes rounded and her mouth dropped slightly. Her eyes watered as they darted between the object his fingers were holding up to her, and his eyes.
He slowly lowered himself until he was kneeling in front of her. "Elizabeth. So its not snow, and its not technically ice, but it is magic none the less. What we have is...god that's magic if I ever saw it. Our little, dramatic, love story..magic. And so I'm asking you, no..I'm telling you that this magic doesn't have to end. Hunter..."
"Yeah.." Hunter said, his eyes still covered by his hands.
Justin chuckled. "You are doin great buddy. Now keep your eyes closed, keep wishing, but..say it outloud. Say your wish outloud."
"I wish that Lizzie will be my mommy."
Justin turned back to her and looked deep into her eyes. "And my wish this Christmas, and every Christmas after is for you to be mine, forever. I love you Lizzie. From the moment I saw you, BEFORE that, from the moment you called me Curlygay..." She laughed and tears fell from her eyes. "...I wanted and needed you in my life. I got caught up in your web, I still am, and I never wanna be let go. So what do you say? Make two boys wishes come true this Christmas, and marry me..."
"Yes...and..just so you know this is making 3 wishes come true." She smiled as he glided the ring down her left ring finger.
Before he could do or say anything else, she had grabbed his face in her hands and planted a deep kiss on his lips. He pulled away breathing. "God I love you."
"I love you too." She smiled and wiped with her thumbs the 2 tears that had dropped from his eyes.
Moments later Justin turned and looked at his son. "Come here Hunter.."
Hunter was staring at both of them wide-eyed and almost scared. He stuttered, "so..so..are..are you my new mommy."
Liz smiled and pulled the boy into a hug. "Well, I'll be your step-mom."
"Works for me." He smiled brightly.
She laughed. "Works for me too."
"Merry Christmas, eh?" Justin giggled, pulling her down onto the floor with him and holding her in his arms.
Hunter sat down beside them and Liz wrapped and arm around the boy. She turned and kissed Justin sweetly. "Thank you.."
"For what?" He asked.
"For being my Curlyjay."
He smiled and whispered in her ear as she let Hunter go and play with his new toys. "That's Curlygay to you missy."