Stay With Me

Wintertime had always been Jordan's favourite time of the year, for obvious reasons. He loved the snow, he loved playing hockey outside with his brothers, and he loved Christmas. He loved all the lights, the gifts, the food, being around his family.

Last year at Christmas Jordan had revealed to Ellie that he had been unfaithful, and it had almost ruined his life. This year Jordan planned on making it a Christmas to remember for Ellie. He was going to spoil her like he had never spoiled any woman before her. He had to make up for last year. He also just wanted to make her feel like the queen he thought she was.

Jordan woke up early on Christmas morning and slipped out of bed as quietly as he could, shuffling out into his living room where the Christmas tree was. His father had cut it down and his family had helped decorate for his and Ellie's return.

He made sure all the presents were there and they were in the right spots. He smiled at the ones with his name on them. His name in perfect, round handwriting on the cards signed with a heart and her name after it. His handwriting was much sloppier. He only cursive wrote his name for autograph purposes, other than that he was a sloppy printer.

Jordan turned on the kettle and the coffee pot. Tea for her, coffee for him. He grabbed her favourite bright pink bowl of a tea mug. He bought it for her one day the previous Summer while they were walking around Thunder Bay.

He shuffled back to the bedroom and sat down on the bed beside Ellie.

"Wake up," He smiled, rubbing her back beneath her shirt. "It's Christmas morning."

"Merry Christmas, doll." Ellie yawned, rolling over and looking up at him.

"Merry Christmas, baby." Jordan smiled. "Do you want to go open presents before breakfast at my parent's house?"

"Presents? I have presents?" Ellie smiled.

"Of course you have presents," Jordan laughed. "C'mon, I made you tea."

"That's present enough for me!" Ellie grinned and got out of bed, taking his hand as they walked towards the kitchen.

"Jordan," Ellie gasped upon seeing all the gifts laid out in the living room. When she had gone to bed there were tons under there for him from her, some for his brothers and their wives, his parents and his nephews and a couple for her from him.

"You were busy last night," Ellie stated, still in awe of the scene before her. "Did you wrap all of these?"

"Hardly," Jordan replied, shaking his head. "I mailed a lot of these to my mom and she did it for me, but they're all for you."

"No! Jordan!" Ellie gasped. "You got me far too much!"

"No such thing," Jordan smiled. "Sit, I'll go get your tea."

Jordan had always been a generous person, always giving to charity and buying people expensive gifts on special occasions. It wasn't because he wanted to show off how much money he had, he saw it as opportunity to give the people he loved when they truly wanted and deserved. Since he had the money, he would go all out because he wanted people to be happy.

Ellie felt so self-conscious about her gifts to Jordan compared to the gifts he'd given her. She had given him clothes, a new wallet, and most expensively- a new watch. Plus a lot of little, random gifts.

"Jordan, no!" Ellie gasped when that famous robin's egg blue box with that cute white ribbon with a bow on top of the box.

"This is the only gift I care that you get," Jordan smiled, placing the box in her lap.

Ellie opened the box and couldn't help but gasp at the necklace laying inside the box.

"Is this the necklace-"

"From when we visited Marc in New York? Yeah," Jordan smiled.

It was a Tiffany's heart lock pendant in platinum with pink sapphires on a long platinum chain.

"Jordan, this necklace is really, really expensive!" Ellie scolded, but was melting and filled with butterflies on the inside.

"Well, I figured since we're waiting on the wedding for a bit I would spend my money on something really good for you," Jordan smiled.

"I love it. Thank you so much," She beamed, hugging him tightly.

"You're welcome," Jordan smiled.

After they sat on the couch for a little longer they went and had a shower before packing the rest of the presents in to the back of Jordan's car.

"How are you doing?" Ellie asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm fine," Jordan laughed. "Why do you ask?"

"I meant about Sidney and Tess," Ellie replied.

"Honestly, after you told me that we weren't helping him fix his mess I kind of just forgot about it," Jordan shrugged. "I'm not going to let it ruin our time here."

"I think that's a great idea," Ellie smiled.

Jordan pulled into the driveway of his parent's house where his brother's cars were already parked. They got out of the car, grabbing all the gifts and the tray of cupcakes that Ellie had made.

"Merry Christmas!" Jordan yelled, walking in the front door.

"Uncle Jordan!" Parker yelled, running at Jordan. Jordan put all the gifts down on the floor and held his arms out for Parker to jump into.

"Hey, buddy." Jordan smiled, lifting Jordan up. "You remember your Auntie Ellie?"

"Hi," Parker beamed, leaning in and giving Ellie a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Parker." Ellie smiled. "Was Santa good to you?"

Parker nodded quickly and began to list all the things Santa had brought him.

"Wow, you must have been really good this year!" Ellie smiled at him.

"He wasn't too bad," Eric smiled, walking out of the kitchen. He gave Ellie a hug and his brother a hug before walking back into the living room with the rest of the family.

"You and Jordan did far too much," Linda smiled as Ellie helped her in the kitchen once everyone opened gifts.

"No," Ellie smiled back. "We loved doing it."

"Let me see that necklace Lindsay has been gawking at for hours," Linda smiled. "It's beautiful!"

"Isn't it? I can't believe Jordan bought it," Ellie beamed, touching the chain. "It cost him a fortune, I'm sure."

"He thinks you're totally worth it," Linda smiled. "Besides I think he wanted a way to make up for the wedding being postponed."

"It was my idea just as much as his," Ellie shrugged, helping put some snacks on a large plate.

"I know. I just think regardless of the decision being made together, he still feels like he's taking a dream from you." Linda replied.

"If anything I think he's helping me realize an even better dream," Ellie smiled. "I've been thinking and how would you feel about Jordan and I getting married here? Whenever we decide to get married that is."

"Here? In Thunder Bay?" Linda beamed.

"Yeah," Ellie smiled. "I was thinking of having a small wedding at the cottage or something like that. This place means a lot to Jordan and you all. It means a lot to me, too. I figured we've done our time in Pittsburgh, maybe it's time we did something big here. In Jordan's hometown."

After their wedding had "fallen apart" Ellie had done some serious thinking. She had always thought she wanted her wedding to be some big event held in the fanciest place she could think of in Pittsburgh. Being with Jordan made her realize that she didn't need such an extravagant event. Something small in the humblest of places was just what she needed. That was what her wedding was supposed to be.

"Ellie," Linda smiled, taking Ellie in her arms and hugging her tightly. "That would be incredible."

"Grandma, we're hungry." Jordan called from the kitchen doorway, walking in holding both Parker and Levi.

"Well, you boys go back out the living room and Ellie and I will be right behind you with some snacks," Linda smiled.

Jordan put his nephews down and they ran back for the living room, Linda following them.

"I'm going to steal one of these and one of these," Jordan smiled, taking a mini quiche and then stealing a kiss from Ellie.

"Did my mom make these?" Jordan asked.

"Your mom and I did," Ellie smiled.

"That's what you were making last night with my mom?" Jordan asked.

"Yeah," Ellie nodded.

"Baby, these are so good." Jordan smiled, kissing her forehead. "Good job."

"Thank you," Ellie grinned sheepishly.

Jordan wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"I heard what you said about having the wedding here," Jordan stated. "You don't have to do that just for me and my family."

"I want to," Ellie replied. "I love it here. I love your family, and I love you."

"I love you, too." Jordan smiled.

Yes, Jordan certainly did love Christmas.