Katianna and Kara had just finished putting out the Christmas presents under the tree, and placing the last of the candy and gifts into the stockings that hung nearby. As Kat sat down on the couch taking a cup of cocoa off the table and sipping it, admiring their work, she decided her daughter would be quite happy. On the table was even cookies and milk for Santa's big arrival. She wondered if Santa would indeed make a stop there. Suddenly she felt a strong kick from her abdomen and smiled bittersweetly. The child she carried was already the size of a fetus in its fifth month. She was progressing very quickly... Tenderly she caressed her bulging stomach.
"The tree looks exceptional," Kara said with a smile. "I believe you have outdone yourself."
"Thanks, Kara," Kat replied. "It's all for Laurissa..."
"And what is it that you want for Christmas?" Kara asked.
Kat looked into her cocoa for a moment with a sigh and then back at her friend. "I want Jovan back... Even if it were just for Christmas... I just want him here..."
She nodded in understanding. "Yes, if only there were a way to have him back the way he was before..." Subconsciously her hand wandered to her throat and then went back down to her side. Kat caught the motion and even more sadness swept over her. They had all lost so much.
"Did you want a cup of cocoa?" Kat asked, as she motioned to the other steaming cup on the table.
Kara shook her head. "No, thank you," she replied with a smile. "It has been a long day, and I wish to sleep, so that I may wake up early and be refreshed for the morning activities."
Kat smiled gently. "All right, goodnight, Kara."
"Goodnight, Katianna," she replied, then turned and walked toward her room.
Katianna sat on the couch sipping her cocoa and staring at the twinkling lights of the tree until 23:30. Her mind was filled with so many things, like having to leave for Tanzaria the day after Christmas, the problems with the Order of the Light and Section 31, and all of the friends she was leaving behind on the Station. But her mind also wouldn't leave the image of Jovo and how this could have been a wonderful Christmas they could have all shared together... as a family. She sighed and finished her cocoa placing the mug on the table, lost in her thoughts of what could have been. She rested her head on the couch arm and closed her eyes. Within minutes she began to drift off to sleep. She was so tired... Then she began hearing a ringing... or rather a jingling. She was hearing sleigh bells she realized, but was so weary she didn't open her eyes.
"Katianna," she heard a gentle, older male voice say as a gloved hand gently touched her shoulder. "Katianna, I'm here to give you your Christmas gift."
Slowly her eyes opened and there stood a jolly fat man dressed in a red suit trimmed with white synthetic fur. On his head he also wore a hat of the same material. He was the perfect picture of what Santa was suppose to look like from every book she had ever read growing up. He smiled at her fascination.
"I see Felix didn't prepare you enough," he laughed gaily.
"Well, no... I guess he didn't...," she said.
"Well, Katianna Nadira, I have already laid out presents for your daughter and your friend, and I have placed extra goodies in all of your stockings, but I know that there was only one gift you truly wanted... You have others there, but I wanted to give you the gift of your heart," he explained.
She shook her head. "You can't do that, Santa... I don't think anyone can..." She gave a sad smile as her green eyes misted.
"Are you so sure?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
She looked into his white bearded face questioningly. Suddenly he held out his hands and made a motion and something began to appear before him in a blue sheen of light. The blue sheen began to take shape and form and then suddenly it became a person. It became Jovo! Her heart leaped into her throat as she saw him. Was it really him, she wondered? His eyes were still closed.
"Yes, Katianna, it's really him... Though to Dr. Cherrin and the medical staff it will look at if he's still in sickbay. But this is him... Jovo... Kalimar is suppressed and will be for the duration he is with you. Do you wish this gift?"
She nodded as she stood and went to Jovo. "Yes," she said, barely above a whisper.
Gently she touched Jovan's cheek and his eyes opened. He grabbed her hand and held it to him.
"Katianna?" he asked as he looked around a bit confused. Then he saw Santa and it was as if a certain amount of understanding dawned on him.
"I must tell you, however," Santa began as he looked at the pair, "This gift is only good until the end of the 25th. Once the 25th is over, Jovan will retreat back into his shell in sickbay."
"And when I wake up next time...?" he asked. "If I wake up...?"
Santa knew what the question meant. "I do not know... That is beyond my powers to see...," he replied, "But this is a gift. Accept this moment in time and enjoy..."
Kat and Jovo looked into each other's eyes, he reached out and gently cupped her face with his hands and kissed her. As they drew apart Santa was gone, but several more presents were under the tree, and there was another full stocking on the wall. Kat smiled, as she went to kiss him again, but he stopped her. There was so much pain in his eyes.
"I have to say this... I remember what happened. I remember what I said to you, those terrible things... But it wasn't me... It--"
"Shhhhhh," she said, as she placed her fingers over his lips. "I know it wasn't you."
Gently he took her hand away and held it. "But I have to tell you that I am so sorry... I would never have hurt you..."
"I know..." she said, as she tenderly caressed his face with her other hand.
Suddenly, he really looked at her and saw her swollen belly. "The baby is really growing fast!" he said with amazement.
"Yes, he is," she smiled, as she guided Jovo to the couch. As they sat down, she placed his hand on her belly.
Instantly he felt a strong kick and gasped with a surprised grin. "That's incredible!"
"And that's our miracle," she said. "A life created between us."
"Do you regret it?" he asked.
"Do I regret us?" she asked, as she looked into his dark eyes. "No... I just wish things were different."
Tenderly he caressed her face. "I know...," he replied, leaning in to kiss her. "Me too..." He whispered. "But we have now... Lets not waste it."
"No, lets not," she replied as she accepted his kiss, letting her fingers roam through his hair.
Laurissa awoke the following morning to the realization it was Christmas! Excitedly, she ran out of her room and into the main part of the quarters. The tree lights still twinkled brightly as she looked at all the presents around the base of the tree. He had come, she thought. Santa had really come!
"Mom!!! Santa came!!" she called out happily. Just as she was about to run to her mother's room, she heard her mother.
"Yes, honey... He certainly did."
"Momma?" She asked as she began walking around the tree.
As Laurissa approached the opposite side of the tree, she found her mother on the couch in the arms of Jovan Kalimar. For a moment she froze in place as she remembered happening the last time she had seen him. The fear in her eyes was apparent.
"It's all right, baby," soothed Katianna. "It's Jovo... He's back with us again."
Laurissa used her growing telepathic ability to discern as much from his as possible and sensing that he was genuine she allowed herself to approach. "Merry Christmas," she said. "Did Santa make you nice?"
Jovo smiled at the precocious child. "You might say that...," he said. "Laurissa... I am very sorry for what happened. I wish I could take it back and I wish I could say it won't happen again, but I don't know. But for today, I'm who I was... Is it okay for me to celebrate Christmas with you and your mother?" he asked, seriously wanting the child's approval.
Laurissa looked at her mother and saw how happy she was with Jovo and smiled. She nodded. "It's okay," she said.
Katianna smiled brightly. Suddenly Kara walked out. "Did I hear someone say Santa had come?" As she looked at Katianna, her eyes bulged. "I suppose he did," she said.
"Yep, Santa brought him," Laurissa said. "It's the old Jovo so we don't have to worry about him hurting us."
Katianna picked up on Kara's nervousness, but she smiled at how contented Kat looked. "It's good to see you," she said. "Merry Christmas."
"So whose going to open presents?!" Katianna smiled.
"Me! Me! Me!!!" Laurissa called excitedly. "Look!" she said pointing to the table. "Santa really was here. He ate the cookies and drank the milk!"
Kat thought to herself, When did he do that? and laughed. Jovo, pulled her closer as they watched Laurissa tear into her gifts.
After all the gifts were opened and the room cleaned up, everyone got dressed up for Christmas dinner. Santa had given Jovo an nice outfit as a gift just for the occasion. Katianna wore a green, satin dress that brought out her eyes and her hair was pulled back into a bun, while Laurissa wore green velvet, trimmed with white lace. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a Pollyanna that showed off her delicate spots framing her face. Kara was in a red velvet dress. Her dark hair fell loosely down her back.
Katianna and Kara worked on making dinner as Jovo worked on making headway with Laurissa. She was still very hesitant around him, but was slowly warming up to his presence. He coaxed her into playing one of her new games with him and the sounds of her giggling echoed through the quarters. Katianna smiled.
Katianna had decided to serve the same traditional dinner her adoptive Earth family had made every Christmas, which consisted of a turkey, dressing, candied yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce and rolls. Dessert was a choice of pumpkin pie or cream cheese pie. They all sat down at the table to the spread and before eating just looked at each other. Katianna was happy. She had her family... This was how Christmas was suppose to be spent, she thought. As another moment passed, Laurissa grabbed a roll and broke the reverie. Soon everyone was eating.
Laurissa had run off to go play long before the adults were done with their coffee and pie. As Jovo finished, Laurissa came up to him with a book in her hand.
"Would you read to me?" she asked.
Jovo immediately smiled. "I would love to," he replied.
She took his hand and guided him to the couch. As he sat down, she climbed onto his lap and handed him the book. It was a new book she had gotten for Christmas about a family that was separated and then brought back together again. Katianna had to wonder if Santa had a reason for that book. As she finished her own pie, she and Kara began cleaning up. By the time they were done, she noticed that though Jovo was still reading Laurissa had gone limp. She was asleep. She went to Jovo and kissed his cheek.
"She feel asleep...," Kat whispered.
"I thought she did," he said with a smile, "But I wasn't sure."
"Want me to take her?" she asked.
"No, that's okay, I can at least carry her to bed... I've never had a chance to do this before."
Katianna smiled brightly as she guided him to Laurissa's room, now filled with new toys. Tomorrow would be the decisions of what to pack and what to leave... For a moment she was troubled, but she pushed the thought aside. She wasn't going to let the future hinder the present. She watched as Jovo carefully laid Laurissa down on top of her bed. Her daughter didn't even twitch.
"I can take it from here," she said.
Jovo went to her and embraced her, gently caressing her face. "I love you and I love Laurissa too..."
Her eyes teared up. "I know," she said. "And I love you..."
Their lips met in a kiss that spoke volumes of what their hearts were saying. As the kiss ended, Kat looked at Laurissa.
"Let me get her in bed and I'll be right out."
He nodded and vanished out the door.
Quickly she undressed her daughter, got a nightgown on her and got her under the covers. With a gentle kiss to her forehead, Katianna left the room.
The rest of the evening had been spent in quiet conversation until their desire for one another couldn't be denied any longer. They had made love tenderly to candlelight and in the afterglow and held each other. But though she tried to will it, time would not stand still...
"It's almost midnight," Jovo said quietly, as he caressed her face, looking into her green eyes that sparkled in the glow of the candelight.
"I know...," she replied back, tears misting her eyes. "I wanted time to stand still." She forced a smile.
"Me too...," he replied. Tenderly he kissed her.
As they drew apart, she tried to control her emotions, but she knew what was coming. She got her day as a family and now he would have to go... and when he woke up again, who knows who he'd be... Gently, she caressed some hair away from his face as a stray tear trickled down her cheek.
"If only we had more time...," she said.
"Like forever?" he ventured.
She smiled bittersweetly. He was right. No amount of time would be enough. "Maybe...," she replied.
"Katianna," he replied, "Regardless of what happens from here. No matter whatever we end up doing, know in this moment, I love you and if I could I would spend the rest of my life with you."
"Oh, God... I love you too...," she sniffed.
He pulled her to him again for one more kiss but as they drew apart, his form began to fade.
"I love you...," he said one final time before his image was gone completely.
Looking at where he had been only a moment before the tears came unbidden. "Jovo...," she whispered. Then she reached out to where he had been to touch the air that was now there and continued to cry. Slowly, she curled into a ball and sobbed. As wonderful as her gift has been, it was now time to say good-bye and to deal with the pain that followed.