luckily my buddy reminded me about this otherwise I doubt I would have remembered to post this last part of the story. Finished it a while ago, but here it is the ending to the war. I hope it doesn't disappoint! Enjoy and a Merry Christmas to all though it is a tad late now!

---

“You will never believe the mischief that goes on in these hallways.”

I glanced up from shaking the water off my umbrella and overcoat to see Jonathon picking up his newspaper and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him. “Mischief?”

“Paula is claiming someone stole some of her decorations.”

“Oh no!” I flashed fake concern and quickly hid my amused grin, but he was too perceptive and a knowing smirk was twitching on the corners of his lips. “What a scandal.”

“Strange thing is someone said they saw red garland hanging off our fire escape. So now we are the prime suspects, possibly even considered in cohorts.”

“That is a mystery. Well, have a nice day!” I unlocked my door and was about to step inside when I heard him call my name.

“Katerina, is that a yes or a no?”

“Pardon?”

“The party, you never answered.” He leaned against the doorframe as to watch my nervous smile.

“I don’t have anything nice to wear to a party like that.”

“I think I can fix that. If that is all that is stopping you.”

My fingers tightened and loosened around the door handle as I finally nodded, “Alright.”

“Great! Can I take you shopping Saturday, then?”

“Yes.”

“See you Saturday, Kate.”

I walked into my apartment and drawing in a deep breath set down my umbrella. I walked over to the picture frame lifted it up and hugged the picture.

“He called me Kate, Mom, did you hear? Kate.”

“Katerina Miranda Montgomery!” I flipped the frame up into the air and defensively cradled it to my chest as I turned to stare over my shoulder. “Hello.”

There sitting on my bed was a perturbed Mariella with her blonde hair flipped over her shoulder and her blue eyes narrowed into slits. I placed the picture on my desk, fearing that it may come to harm in the ensuing conversation as she suddenly beamed at me and sprung up off my bed. She walked towards me with her hands crossed behind her back, causing me to slink away from her as I noticed something awkward about her normally bright blue eyes. A mischievous glint caused me to move between her and the door, securing a direct escape as she reached behind me grabbing something off the door. I heard the wrinkle of cloth and flinched at first, opening my eye a slit when I heard her exclamation of excitement. Now laid out on my bed were rows of casual dresses of all different shades.

“What is this?” I turned to her with a questioning gaze as she beamed.

“This is a clothing intervention! You can’t wear anything you own on Saturday.”

“Do you spy on me?”

“Not on a daily basis. I would think something dark, maybe like this.” She held up a dress as I sneezed and glanced up nodding. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just being outside yesterday; I think I got a cold.” I sneezed for emphasis and pointed to the dress that lay at the end of the bed as she winked at me and dropped the one she held. “Couldn’t I just wear any of these to the party?”

“Oh no! You need evening wear for a party like that.”

“And I suppose you don’t have a dress like that?” She held a blue dress up to my face and shook her head.

“No, of course not.” She picked up the black dress with red cherry blossom print on it and held it out to me as she nodded. “I think this is perfect. For the shoes I recommend my black cocktail boots.” She held up a pair of boots that I gingerly took from her hands as I stared at her in confusion.

“How did you get all of this in here?”

“I have my ways.”

“Well, thank you, Mary.”

“Oh, what are friends for?” She began to gather her dresses together as I helped her periodically turning away to cough. “You sure you are going to be okay?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Alright, well drink lots of fluids and don’t forget to tell me how Saturday goes!” She hugged me slightly as I called a cab for her and frowned.

“It’s not a date, Mariella.”

“Right, don’t tell me I lugged all of my clothes over here for nothing.”

---

I twisted the wisps of my brown hair back into a bun and clipped it back as I stared into the mirror, wondering if the feverish flush was obvious. I sneezed in confirmation of the cold and rolled my eyes as I slipped my heel into the shoe and turned off my bathroom light, leaving the dark room to walk into my bedroom. I heard a knock on my door and approached it as I put in my last earring and opened the door to see Jonathon standing in my doorway with his hands folded behind his back. He glanced up from where he was fidgeting nervously and smiled weakly as he sighed. I saw that he was dressed in black slacks and an ocean blue dress shirt that complimented his bright eyes as he stared down at me in silence. He finally drew in a deep breath and with a greeting exhaled between his teeth he beamed at me.

“You look stunning.”

I played with the earring I had just put in and laughed as I began to shut the door, but a poinsettia appeared between us as my grip loosened from around the handle. I pointed to myself and mouthed the words ‘for me’ as he nodded and I gently took the plant from him and walked back into my apartment, allowing for him to follow me. I placed the plant beside of the fiber optic Christmas tree on my desk so that it was able to receive some light and turned around to see him squatting down at the side of my desk. Suddenly the small lights on the tree flashed on as his face lit up and he stepped behind me to watch the small light show from a distance before he motioned towards the door. I nodded and grabbing my coat off the rack walked out the door, watching him close the door behind me.

I could feel his eyes following me throughout the night as we walked down the street toward the restaurant, talking quietly of the past week and the upcoming party. The brisk breeze played with the silk lining of my heavy wool jacket as I sneezed and looked up in shock, shyly excusing the interruption to our conversation. He glanced at me in concern and steered us under an overhang out of the newly falling snow as I stared up at him in confusion. He pulled his glove off and held the back of his hand up to my forehead as he frowned at me and draped his coat around my shoulders.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had a fever?”

“I do?”

“You can’t fool me. Come on, my place is closer than yours. This storm isn’t going to let up and you aren’t getting any better.”

“I’m fine.” I wavered slightly where I stood and felt his arms wrap tightly around me as I grew even more light headed. I held my hand up to my forehead and jerked it away. “Wait, what did you just say about your place being closer?” Maybe I was a little more under the weather than I thought.

“It’s just a few blocks away.”

“But we’re on Broadway.”

“I know.” His arm tightened around my waist when my face flushed and I stumbled slightly shaking my head. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, what about your party?”

“What about it?”

“I was really looking forward to it.” I gripped onto my forehead and saw him smile reassuringly.

“You aren’t missing much. A bunch of suits, walking around assuaging their insecurities by building complex webs within my father’s company.”

“You called it a party.” I heard him laugh as his fingers curled inward on my side, steadying my wobbly frame.

“I would have called it anything to get you to come along with me. The only halfway decent part is the dancing and that’s only if you can escape to the back of the Sheraton.”

“Dancing? I like to dance.”

“Really?” He took my hand in his and settled his other hand on my lower back as he pointed up to the building behind us. “That’s it. And it has room for dancing.”

“That?”

“Yes, that.”

“Won’t your father notice if you aren’t there?” He kept a tight hold on my hand, but walked up to the stairs, nodding to the doorman.

“Not if Roland here doesn’t mention this conversation to him.”

“Not a word, Mr. Peters.” He opened the door for us and winked as we walked inside. I felt as if I had heard that last name before, but it was quickly forgotten in the awe of the inside of the apartment complex.

Marble floors below constantly clicking heels caused my head to spin as I led my gaze up the garnet carpets that approached the reception desk, lined with gold flecks and mahogany framework. A basket of red roses and white lilies sat in the center of the desk surrounded by a flurry of women in red and green uniforms passing by one another in an amalgam of apologies, curses, and blasphemies as they greeted each customer who asked for a hotel room or an apartment. The building seemed to split off in two directions one for long-term guests and the other for visiting guests each lined with its own lush and royal treatments. I felt him defensively pull me to his side as a gentleman stalked straight towards us at an alarming speed.

“Mr. Peters! Returned home have you?”

“Yes.”

“Your father needs to see you, then.”

“Well, I don’t have the time right now. I have a visitor.” He pointed to me and the man looked at me with his nose pointing straight to the ceiling.

“I see that, but-”

“I said I have a visitor.”

“Yes, Sir. Samuel returned from Central Park an hour ago.”

“Oh good! I had expected him back after six tonight.” Jonathon glanced down to the floor and nodded to the man as he shook his hand, slipping him a bill. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem, Sir.”

I followed after Jonathon, feeling him pulling me close to him whenever I started to lag behind him. My eyes trailed over the brilliant velvet navy blue drapes that hung over the french doors that led out onto the patios we passed. We got onto an elevator that I began to examine with extreme interest as I stood in silence behind Jonathon, gripping tightly to his hand, feeling my palms beginning to sweat. My fever was no doubt rising as I was getting a sudden rush of nausea and dizziness as I fell forward against his back causing him to turn quickly and hold me to him as he waited for the elevator to slow. I could smell the thick ocean breeze from when I was a child as I crashed against his chest, hearing the seagulls and the lulling waves pouring into the drums of my ears as my fingers tightened on his sleeves. I pulled my body upright as I stared up into his eyes to see true concern looking back down at me.

“You’re so pallid. Come on,” the doors opened as he allowed me to step off first, “we’re almost there.”

“Who’s Samuel?”

“My little brother.”

“You have a little brother? Here?” I started to turn around, but he easily grabbed me around my waist and turned me back around so that I was facing the door, nervously biting my nails.

He opened the door and I immediately gasped. It was like winter wonderland, every child’s dream world inside his apartment and one lucky child had this apartment to himself. I glanced to Jonathon to see his eyes staring at me as he led me over to the couch and then I heard it, the sound of a young teenager.

“Jonathon!” A young boy who looked about twelve or thirteen appeared at the end of the hallway a bright smile on his face that suddenly faded when his gaze landed on me.

“Hey, Sammy, this is Katerina, she is an acquaintance of mine and she was feeling ill so we came in to escape the storm before she got any worse.”

His emerald eyes lit up as he flashed a smile at me and extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Samuel. But you can call me Sam.”

“Call me Kat.” I peered at the boy’s auburn hair hidden under a black cap and realized that the only striking similarity these two brothers was their smile. He was impeccably dressed like his older brother, in a pair of slacks and a turtleneck and when I sat down on the couch he removed the hat he was wearing, revealing an untamed mess that hung in his face. He was endearing, much like his older brother even if they looked nothing alike.

“Alright, Kat, I hope you feel better. It was good seeing you brother.” He placed the hat back on his head and left the room in silence.

Jonathon watched Sam in curiosity and when I questioned him with my gaze he shook his head and sat me down on the couch. He took off my boots and sighed when I settled back into his plush couch ready to wait out the healing process. I glanced around the living room, eyeing the elaborate Christmas tree in the far corner to see it decorated in a coordinated manner with only red and green ornaments, although it was obvious other ornaments had been added gradually of different colors. I noticed one in particular on the front of the tree was an ornament that was a picture of Jonathon with his arm slung around his younger brother’s neck. The backing of this ornament appeared to purposefully clash with the rest of the ornaments. Jonathon appeared with a mug and set it down on the coffee table causing me to sit upright as he sat down on the table beside of the mug.

“This is some sort of cold relief medicine. It always helps me.” He held the cup out to me, which I gingerly took away.

“That tree in the corner wasn’t decorated by you and your brother, was it?”

He laughed slightly as he placed a teapot on the stove and glanced over at me, “No, my mother came over one day while we were out and decorated our tree. We’ve added ornaments that don’t match her colors ever since.”

“You don’t get along with your parents I take it?”

He dropped a tea bag into the pot and shrugged slightly, “I can’t say I know them well enough to know if I get along with them.”

“I see.” I took a drink out of my cup and glanced around the room, seeing pictures sitting on the mantel. I sat forward on the couch and set the drink down on the coffee table as I moved across the room. There sitting on the mantel were pictures of Samuel and Jonathon in Central Park progressively getting older, but their parents were never in any of the photographs. At the end of the mantel was a picture of Jonathon himself in the park, sitting on a bench with newly falling snowing barely obscuring the photograph. His smile is full and genuine and his hand is pointing up to the sky. “Who took this picture?”

I heard him approach from the kitchen and he laughed as he covered it with his hand, “Samuel, he’s great with the camera. It’s a shame I’m not more photogenic.”

“And all of these others?”

“My camera on its timer. I love photography.”

“Oh.” I was beginning to see why his brother had lost interest in me the second I had stepped through the door. Jonathon was his best friend and I was an intruder. “Jonathon, that tree in the apartment you rent near where I live.”

“Yes, what about it?”

“The ornaments on it were all hand made, right?”

“Yes. So?” He poured himself a cup of tea, which I declined politely.

“Who made those ornaments?”

“Sam. What’s this about?”

“That’s what I thought. Well, thank you. I’m feeling much better. I have to go. Tell Sam I said good bye.” I handed him the cup and slipped on my shoes as I quickly pulled on my jacket and started for the door.

“What just happened?”

“Look, Jonathon, I really like you, but you’ve already raised a child. I can’t even begin to imagine the relationship you have in this family. The last thing I need right now is something complex. Good night.” I shut the door behind me and quickly walked down the hallway, pressing the button for the elevator so repetitively I was afraid I had broken it when it turned black.

“You can come out, Sam.”

The young male slipped out from the shadow in the hallway as he stared at his older brother in silence. Jonathon set the mugs down in the sink as he poured cool water on them and tapped the front of his shoe on the marble under his foot. He turned the faucet off and glanced over his shoulder at the boy who was watching him in uncertainty and waved his hand to the boy who ran over to him. He wrapped his arm around Samuel’s shoulder and felt his younger brother hug him as he shook his head.

“What would I do without you, kid?”

“Quite possibly torment the neighbors.”

“I only did that once.” Jonathon pushed Sam away as he cleaned the dishes and passed them to his brother to dry.

“She’s not half bad.”

“No, she’s entirely rotten just like me. Remember two Christmases ago?”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Samuel laughed aloud, “I guess she’s learning her lesson then. You think she knows?”

“What that I tried to sabotage Christmas once?”

“Yes.”

“I doubt it.”

---

“So what do you think?”

“It’s perfect! I mean I’m so close to my campus I can wake up at eight in the morning and head right on over for classes. I’ll take it!” She walked around the small apartment examining the bathroom and planning for the day she would be moving in and her first day of classes as she beamed. This was her first day of her new life.

“Unfortunately the owner can’t be here today, so I’ll be here to do the papers. Mr. Peters apologizes for not being able to meet you today Mrs. Montgomery.”

“It’s Miss, but it’s no big deal as long as I can get this place.”

I awoke with a start as I stared around my room. “Mr. Peters is the owner. Jonathon owns this place. Jonathon had access to a key to my apartment that day I fell off the fire escape! That jerk!”

I clumsily fell out of my bed and rushed into my bathroom, pulling up my hair, but stopped when I looked in the mirror. I turned on the shower and determined that it would be best to first get a shower. I quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt as I threw open my door, finding a package at my feet. It must have been Christmas day as every Christmas the owner of the building left a package on everyone’s doorstep. I normally snuck out to grab my gift as I rarely was able to sleep in, but Jonathon’s medicated tea had made me sleep until noon and everyone was out in the hallway staring at me as I grabbed a small velvety black box off the ground.

“Can I help you?”

They quickly returned to their activities as I stepped back inside my room and stared down at the box. I slowly lifted the lid, peeking inside the box as my breath hitched and I covered my eyes. I slipped back against the door accidentally slamming it as the box popped open, revealing an amber heart. My thumb slipped over the smooth surface as I flipped open the locket, tears springing to my eyes as I crouched down in front of my door and sobbed as I pulled my jacket down off the hook around my shoulders. I ran over to the Christmas tree and pushed it aside, nearly knocking over the poinsettia as I saw clearly in the photograph, resting around my mother’s neck the same necklace. I rushed out of my apartment and down the hallway nearly running into Paula who gawked at me and I knocked on Jonathon’s door.

“Jonathon!”

“Katerina, Kat!” I turned to look at Paula who had gripped onto my shoulder and was smiling softly at me. “Jonathon is never here on Christmas morning.”

“Of course not. Thank you.” I rushed back down the hallway and started out of the building only returning to my room when I realized I didn’t have on any shoes.

I ran out to the street and whistled for a cab jumping into the back seat and calling for Broadway repetitively as I stared at the locket. I jumped out of the cab when he pulled up the the hotel I pointed at and I tossed him the cash and began to run up the steps, stopped by a tight grip around my arm. I tried to pull away and turned around coming face to face with Roland. I smiled in excitement as I pointed to myself frantically feeling the chill winter air soaking in through my thin clothes as I shivered.

“Roland, don’t you remember me? I’ve come to see Mr. Peters.”

“Yes, ma’am I do remember you, but Jonathon and Samuel have stepped out for the day.”

“Can you tell me where they’ve gone?”

“Why, Central Park of course.”

“Of course.” I ran back down the stairs feeling him smile at my back as I whistled for another cab, cursing as I ran down the road, grabbing the cab that came to a halt further down the street. “Central park, please.”

---

“Jon, catch!” Jonathon blinked dumbly as a snowball landed squarely against his the side of his face.

“You are dead.” He stooped to pile together snow as he felt snow hit him in the side and he dropped down in a sitting position. “Now that was uncalled for.”

Sam stuck out his tongue and snapped a picture of he and his brother while Jonathon stood up, dusting off the snow from his now covered jacket. Samuel, himself was completely clean, which was not surprising as this was often how most of their pictures turned out. Sam started to take a picture of the couples walking down the path when his finger froze on the button and he lowered the camera. The approaching figure was a familiar one and seemed to be absolutely freezing, but determined to reach them none the less as it was stumbling through piles of snow. He raised the camera and took a picture as I laughed and held up my hand waving away the camera. Jonathon turned around to see what had caught Samuel’s attention and stumbled forward, falling to one knee as Sam glanced down to him and rolled his eyes.

“Clumsy fool, get up.”

“I’m trying. Kate, what are you doing out here?”

“Did you get me this?” I held up the box so that he could see it and his brother backed away slowly leaving without a sound.

“Wasn’t me. Must have been old Saint Nicholas.” He started to walk towards the bench on the far side of the park when I grabbed his hand and turned him around.

“Don’t lie to me. Did you buy this for me?”

“Yes, but I never would have found the store without a little Christmas Spirit.” He smirked at my small smile.

I could hear my heart thundering in time with the quickening of his breath, the closer we got as a single snowflake landed on my lash, causing me to blink. He laughed as he brushed it away, but all humor was lost from his face when I did not smile back. Instead I moved forward all thoughts lost to the sweet scent of my childhood ocean breeze as I felt the shy touch of lips to my own a spark igniting all of my old memories. For a brief second I was lost to the uncertain touch of breath to breath and suddenly I was certain I would never be cold again. We immediately pulled away when a bright flash caught our attention causing us to turn and stare at Sam who was sitting on the bench.

“Sorry, I’m a photographer above everything else.”

“You’re in trouble above everything else.” Jonathon stooped to grab a snowball and tossed it at Sam causing the younger male to dive behind the bench.

“Kate, help!”

“Well, if you insist.” I picked up a snowball and tossed it at Sam who gawked at me.

“Not him! Me!”

“Oh, well specify in the future.” I turned to attack Jonathon and felt a snowball hit the side of my shoulder. “ Sam, you traitor!”

I grabbed onto Sam and Jonathon before either could throw their snowballs and pulled them back into the snow. Same leaned over and pulled up his camera taking a picture of the three of us as he smiled and glanced at the digital render of it. “That one is going on the mantel. That being my cue I’m going back to the apartment to get a head start on the hot chocolate before presents.”

Samuel sat upright and slowly got up to his feet waving to us as we continued to lay in the snow. I glanced at Jonathon out of the corner of my eye and drawing in a deep breath, sighed out loud.

“Merry Christmas, Jonathon.”

He sat up on his elbow and stared down at me, laughing aloud, “Still in favor of Santa, I see.”

“Would you please just say it?”

“Merry Christmas, Kate.”