Title: Guests For Christmas

Summary: A struggling family decides to invite some orphans to come stay with them for the holidays.

Copyright: © Copyright 2004 Silver Sparkz. All rights reserved. Distribution of any kind is prohibited without the written consent of Silver Sparkz.

Author's Notes: I own everything. Wow...that feels really weird...Anyway, this story is dedicated to Angelina, a dear friend.

Martin meandered down the snow-covered street, shoulders bowed in obvious exhaustion. Another hard day at the office was a euphemism for what had occured. He'd had to break it to three little girls, all under five, that their parents, holidaying in Scotland, were dead. Drunk driving orphaned so many.

Sadly, Martin walked up the steps that led to his apartment, trying to shed the despondency that hung about him like a cloak. Emma would be worried if he was upset...and he so hated to worry her. It was Christmas, a time for family...and those three little ones would never have a family Christmas again.

'Look now,' Martin said to himself sharply, 'buck up! Emma's got plenty to brood about, just making sure we've enough money for Christmas presents. She doesn't need to think about your bad day as well.' He straightened up, and opened the door.

The warm, butter-yellow light of the foyer soothed the aches in his soul, and the smell of Emma's delicious roast beef helped as well.

"Daddy!" Five-year-old Alexa ran up to him, bathed and already in her Beauty and the Beast nightgown, blonde hair woven into two plaits.

Martin scooped her up, placing a kiss on her strawberry-scented head. "Hello, Angelpie."

Contentedly, Alexa snuggled close. "I'm so glad you're home." She said. "Mummy, Danni, an' me did the dec'ratin' today, but Mummy said we hadta wait for you to become home 'fore we did the tree. It's jus' sittin' there in the lounge room with nuttin' on it!"

Martin chuckled. "Well that won't do." He said, poking her nose. "We'll decorate it after supper, ok?"

"Ok." Alexa wiggled, wanting to get down, so Martin let go of her. "I'm gonna get the picture I drew today at Kindy!" She called, running to her room.

"Da! Da! Da!" Danni cooed, crawling over. She too was dressed for bed, but her buttercup curls were too short for braids. "Da up!" She commanded.

Martin picked up the three-year-old, kissing the top of her head as well. "And how's my Munchkin?" He asked. "Did you have fun decorating."

"Yes, she did." Emma said, poking her head out of the kitchen. "What are you doing standing in the doorway in your wet things, Martin? Take off that coat and hat before you get a cold." She bustled out, gently taking Danni from him and placing her back on the ground. Contentedly, Danni crawled back to her toys in the lounge. Emma unwound the scarf from Martin's neck before starting on the buttons. "Sometimes I wonder just how many children I actually have." She chided.

Martin looked down at his wife's golden head and couldn't resist. He shrugged out of his jacket and swept her up into a hug, hiding his face in her shoulder.

Emma touched his head gently. "Martin-luv, what's wrong?" She asked, one hand stroking down his back in soothing lines.

"Three little girls lost their parents today." Martin admitted, tears leakin out of his eyes and running down Emma's pale neck.

"Oh, luv. You know you couldn't have done anything, right?" She lifted his chin so she could peer into his eyes.

Martin nodded, then shook his head, then nodded again. "I dunno. Maybe I could've." He sighed. "It's just...it's nearly Christmas, Em! Why'd it have to happen now?"

"Well..." Emma cast her eyes down at her feet shyly. "One of my stories sold to a newspaper today for quite a bit of money. Over a thousand pounds. They want another installment at New Year. There's enough for us to have guests for Christmas, and for extra presents too."

"You'd do that for me?" Martin asked, awed at Emma's generosity. Their deal when they had married was that any money Emma made from her writing would go straight into her college fund so she could learn to be a teacher. "But Em...you could go to college next year with that kind of money!"

Emma shrugged. "'Tis the season." She joked, violet eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Martin knew then that she wanted to have the girls for herself as well.

"We'll do that, then." He said decidedly. "I'll call the office after dinner and tell them we're having the triplets over for Christmas."

"They...they could stay." Emma offered. "For the holidays. If they wanted."

"I'll tell them that, too." Martin said, kissing Emma chastely. "I love you, Em."

Emma smiled. "I love you too, dear heart."

Alexa bounced back in that moment, brandishing a picture. "It's us!" She said happily. "All of us!"

And it was. Four people, three blondes, and one man with black hair, holding hands. Big smiles were on their faces.

"It's beautiful, Angelpie." Martin praised.

"Indeed it is." Emma agreed. "Go get your sister, Alexa. It's dinner time."

"An' then we're gonna decorate the tree, right? It wouldn't be Christmas without a tree!"

Emma and Martin exchanged a soft smile.

"Yes." Emma said. "Then we'll decorate the tree."

End Ficlet