Baby, It's You & No One Else

When Christmas morning rolled around I wasn't very surprised that I was wide awake at 6:30. It had been a habit since before I could even remember that no matter what, I would wake up at 6:30 on the dot, ready to run downstairs and see what Santa got me. It was understandable why Eric was still passed out next to me in my childhood bedroom, normal people slept in on Christmas morning, or anyone without young kids.

My bedroom door creaked open and David's head popped in. He saw me sitting up in bed, my book in hand and the bedside lamp on. He waved his hand at me and I glanced at Eric, seeing him still peacefully asleep and pushed the covers off my legs. I tiptoed to the door, turning once more and smiling at his sleeping form before following David to the living room where all of my siblings were, along with Holly. Zoe was groggily awake on Austin's knee as he bounced her up and down a bit. I grinned at the sight of my mom making cinnamon rolls while the smell of Christmas coffee tickled my nose.

"Merry Christmas," Jake told me, pulling me onto his lap. I snuggled into his warmth and placed a small kiss on his cheek.

"You too, Jakey," I murmured as my dad handed me a cup of coffee.

"Where's Decks?" Austin asked, tickling Zoe's tummy a bit.

"Sleeping. He hasn't been doing much of that lately, too busy doing his physical therapy," I told him, rolling my eyes and blowing on my coffee a bit.

"Poor kid, he's gonna work himself to death.," my mom shook her head to which I laughed lightly.

"No, it's actually paid off. He's going to practice on Monday and if it goes well, they're going to clear him." I announced, a smile tilting my mouth.

My whole family whipped their heads in my direction, staring at me and wondering if I was being serious. I nodded at them to which my mom practically jumped for joy and my dad started clapping loudly. My brother's all slapped hands while Zoe looked on, confused as to what was happening.

"I knew he would be back," David boasted, "pay up please." He reached a hand towards Jake who grumbled but handed him a 20 from his wallet. I tisked at both of them and grabbed the bill out of David's hand and giving it back to Jake.

"I didn't say he was for sure playing," I scolded both of them, "I said it was a possibility."

"No, this is the best news we've heard since he got hurt. He's playing," David snapped at me, pulling the money out of Jake's hand.

"Why do I ever bother?" I muttered to myself and then turning to the door way where Eric was sleepily making his way into the room

"Decks!" My three brother's shouted, all getting up to greet him. He looked at them through squinted eyes, his face semi-amused.

"She told you?" His eyes drifted to me where I shrugged, stretching my legs along the big couch next to me. "I can't tell you anything," Eric complained, lifting me up and sitting down before letting my upper body lay across him.

My eyes flickered up to meet his and he looked down at me, a content smile marking his features. I pressed a soft kiss to his lips before whispering Merry Christmas against them.

"Alright children, breakfast is ready," my mom called, setting everything out on the kitchen counter. The boys flew off of the couch like a stampede, except for Eric who lagged behind with me.

"You would think they've never ate before," I looked at Holly who rolled her eyes as Jake shoveled food onto his plate.

The rest of us, minus Eric who did the same as the boys, got our plates in a civilized manner and sat in the living room once again, ready to open the presents that Santa had given us. Austin handed everyone their stockings along with any presents that were under them. I yawned loudly and snuggled deeper into Eric's chest, to which he looked down and pouted at me.

"What?" I asked him.

"I can't eat if you sit like that," he complained, a slight whine in his voice.

I rolled my eyes and sat up but he still pouted at me slightly. I widened my eyes, asking him what.

"Well, I didn't want you to get off. I was just pointing it out," he mumbled as I crawled back into his lap, positioning myself so that I could hold his plate for him and he could still eat. "Oh, you're smart!" He exclaimed and I gave him a look, telling him to stop talking.

"Alright, are we ready?" My mom asked to which all of us nodded. "Then go ahead," my mom smiled, watching the boys rip through their stalkings while I watched, not opening any of mine. "Riley," my mom called to me. I glanced in her direction as she held up a recognizable Tiffany & Co. box. I swallowed my coffee and sat up, taking it from her and studying it.

"Santa got me something from Tiffany's?" I questioned to which my mom laughed and shook her head.

"No, this is from your dad and I but I want you to open it now," she told me smiling. I smiled back, slowly lifting the lid, and then pulling out the square box, too big to be a ring. My fingers lifted the lid and I gasped when I saw the beautiful heart bracelet, with Riley scrawled across the heart in loopy writing.

"Mom.." I breathed, running my fingers over the silver lightly. "This is beautiful," I murmured.

"Put it on," Eric told me, grabbing his plate from my hands so I could better access it. I did as I was told, taking it out of it's box and slowly clasping it on to my wrist. I held it up to the light, watching the rays bounce of the silver in an array of angles.

"That's pretty," Eric nodded to which I looked over at him.

"Pretty doesn't even being to describe it," I informed him, fascinated by the beauty of a simple bracelet. "Mommy," I grinned at her, climbing off Eric and wrapping my arms around her. "I love it and you so much." I kissed her cheek as she beamed up at me.

"I'm glad, honey. As my only daughter I thought you deserved a little something for putting up with your crazy brothers and their overprotective nature." My mom and I shared a laugh before I walked back to Eric, still admiring my new bracelet.

"Well, shit. Now what I got you is crap compared to that," he pouted slightly and I giggled at him.

"No it's not. I'll love it no matter what," I assured him. I placed a soft kiss against his lips but pulled away when I heard David groan loudly.

"Mom, really? I don't even wear tighty whities anymore." I burst out laughing, throwing my head back and howling with laughter. David threw the bag at me and then grumbled, "I'd rather have Riley's bracelet."

"You can never have too much underwear," my mom chided him as Jake and Austin laughed loudly along with the rest of the family.

"Why was I the only one that got them?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because you're the only one who needs to be potty trained still," Jake smacked him upside the head, "now be thankful you have some. There are naked kids in Africa."

"Well it's a good thing I don't live there," David retorted, causing both Jake and David to get into it with each other. Eventually it escalated into full out let's smack each other mode so I quickly ripped open one of my presents from Santa which happened to be a Blackhawks t-shirt. I screamed loudly, clapping my hands and making a big scene, causing everyone to either cover their ears or look at me.

"Oh. My. God!" I screamed, "how did Santa know I'm in love with Jonathan Toews!? Like noo way!" Jake and David quickly caught on as I exaggeratedly rolled my eyes so they both stopped fighting.

"Jonny Toews is the shit," Jake agreed as we all went back to ripping open presents or finishing up our breakfast.

It was around 10 in the morning when we were all finally stuffed full of food and done opening all of our gifts. My eyelids were drooping as my family chattered around me, Eric and I off in our own little world. I finally let my eyes drift closed, surrounded by warmth and the love of my family. Eric kissed the top of my head, murmuring an I love you before I let myself slip off the edge and into a much needed sleep.

When I awoke I was the only one left in the living room, the TV on and a Christmas Story playing out on the screen as I stretched and looked around the house. No one was in the kitchen or downstairs in general. I pushed myself up, padding into the kitchen and looking into our backyard where a lake butted up to the land. I giggled at the sight of all my brothers duking it out on the hockey rink, my parents standing along with Eric and Holly on the sidelines. I skipped up to my room, pulling on my wind pants and a warmer sweatshirt before grabbing my skates from the garage and heading out to the dock.

"Why did you start without me!?" I screamed, watching Jake defend both David and Austin by himself.

"Because you were sleeping. Hurry up, I'm a beast but I'm not that good! I need some man power," Jake called as Holly rolled her eyes where she say on the dock.

"And you aren't playing why?" I asked her, lacing up my skates.

"I'm not feeling well," she told me, shifting her gaze away from me and back to the game. I lowered my eyes, not really believing her but accepting it none the less. I pulled on the last lace before looping the laces and pulling them tight once more. I grabbed my gloves and stick that had been waiting for me before joining my brothers on the pond.

We skated around, back and forth, both teams having a high scoring game. We played for hours until our toes were too cold and our fingers too numb to continue. The sun had started setting long ago and as we climbed the stairs to our backyard we all joked and laughed, enjoying the company of each other. No one had won the game, the goals too many to count. But I was covered in snow and freezing so I went right upstairs, running into my bathroom and turning on the shower.

Eric decided he would take his own in the guest bedroom, instead of joining me because my parents and brothers were in the same house. I cleaned my body before allowing myself some time to stand in the hot stream, my limbs tingling as the blood started to move faster through out my body. I sighed contently, feeling my whole body relax.

I stepped out of the shower and re-applied my make up before tugging on some jeans and a red sweater that showed off a bit of my cleavage, specifically for Eric. When I emerged from the bathroom, Eric sat on my bed dressed in a dark pair of jeans and a blue dress shirt. His eyes flew from the box in his hands to the bathroom door where I stood, admiring the way his shirt hugged his arms.

"Come here, beautiful," he murmured to me, my heart skipping a beat as I crossed the room to him.

"What's that?" I asked him, sitting on his knee as he handed it to me. It was a velvet box, no outer box just the one that held whatever was in there. I immediately dismissed a ring or a bracelet, knowing it was a piece of jewelry. I looked at him and he nodded, signaling that I should open it. I did as I was told and popped the lid, a smile presenting it's self on my face.

Inside, snuggling up against the velvet, was a beautiful silver lock, hanging on a silver chain. It glistened in the light, just like my bracelet did and I ran my fingers over it, along with the words I love you that were inscribed across the locket. I bit my lip, admiring the simplicity but the beauty of it. I turned to Eric, my green eyes filling slightly with some tears. The sweetness of the words and the combination of the holidays was starting to get me.

"Honey, I love this so much. You don't even know." I murmured, pressing my lips against his. I kept them there, sucking on his bottom lip, cupping his chin in my hand and holding the side of his cheek with my other. "I love you," I whispered, pulling away and nuzzling his nose a bit. I stared into his eyes, our foreheads resting against one another.

"I love you too."

"Do you want yours now?" I asked him, threading my fingers through his hair. He murmured a yes as I massaged his scalp with my nails. He melted like putty in my hands before I stood up and grabbed the book that was sitting on my desk. It was a scrapbook that held pictures from high school and college, each with their own page and theme. Pictures from prom, football games, homecomings, random holidays, and random moments adorned the pages of the book, our whole relationship crammed into 50 neatly decorated pages

I watched Eric's face as he scrutinized each page, a smile always present, occasionally a laugh escaping his lips. He flipped through the whole book, the last page filled with a picture from the apple orchard, me perched on his back, cheek to cheek as we both grinned at the camera. Another one was below it, the same position but instead Eric and I were looking at each other, laughing at each other, enjoying ever aspect of life.

"Despite the fact that we totally got caught, this was awesome," Eric laughed, kissing my cheek. "I love it, but what's with all the blank pages?"

"They're for the memories that we still need to make," I informed him, looking deep into his brown eyes. They softened at my words and he let the book fall to the bed, pulling my face towards his and smashing our lips together. I kissed back with as much of a vengeance, really wishing I could push him onto the bed and have my way with him. But we had too much of a tendency to get caught. I shifted my gaze to the necklace that was still in my hands, running a finger over it lightly.

"Put it on me?" I asked, combing my hair into my fingers and moving it out of his way as he did the clasp, securing his gift to my neck. "Thanks." I looked across the room at the mirror, thinking that this could be another scrapbook page with how perfect Eric and I sat with each other and the pure joy that was shining on both of our faces. I sighed contently, leaning my head against his shoulder as he placed a kiss against my cheek.

"Time's flying by, Eric," I whispered to him, knowing that it was Christmas and we only had one more semester of college before we were going to be forced into the world.

"Yeah, it is. But you know what that means?" He questioned, kissing the side of my neck. I shook my head no, lacing our fingers together against my stomach.

"We have to appreciate the time we have together right now," he whispered back to me, resting his chin against my shoulder.

"What if I'm scared?" I asked him, turning so that I was straddling his waist and his hands were laced behind my back.

"Of what?"

"Of growing up?"

"Well, honey, I hate to break it to you but you can't do anything about that," He chuckled lightly. "It's going to happen."

"I know but sometimes growing up means growing apart. What if that happens to us? I don't want to lose you at the end of this," I confessed, looking down as my fingers fiddled with the buttons of his shirt.

"That's the one thing that I can assure you. We'll be together at the end of college and at the end of our lives. I won't have it any other way," he tilted my chin up, making me look at his face. I nodded back to him, leaning forward and crashing my lips upon his. "I love you," he fingered the lock that hung around my neck, "never forget or question that."