Hanging the Last Mistletoe

Summary: Lara Fielding is all grown up and about to attend another Christmas wedding. Her older brother, James, is marrying the love of his life, Lily Mills. In the midst of all the preparations and plans for the wedding, Lara gets caught up in her own winter romance. But what happens when she falls for someone...who loves someone else?

A/N: For those of you who are waiting for an epilogue, here it is. I just hope…well, that it's the perfect ending. For me, it is. :)

P.S. Try reading this, especially the last part, with Colbie Caillat's Mistletoe. Haha! Just put it on repeat mode or something 'cos this chapter is long! Anyway, here's to another perfect ending. :)

+Read, Enjoy, and Review+

Epilogue

Two years later…

Lara smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Her long brown hair was tied into a lose ponytail with strands of hair falling out. It was what she would describe as 'fashionably messy.' She wore little makeup, just some lip gloss, blush-on and face powder. She had gone with Andy and her mom to have their fingers and toenails done at Fair Hair.

She wore a jade cocktail length scoop neck peau de soie dress with pleated detail at the bodice. It had a wide matching waistband and pleated skirt with pockets at the side seams.

It was James and Lily's second anniversary but more importantly, Dina Daniels' engagement to Don Landers. By some unexpected turn of events, although Lara did sense some flirtation between the two during James and Lily's wedding, they two began dating. Also a part of the celebration was a huge Christmas party, in celebration of both events, at the Daniels.

Simon walked in her room, wearing a long sleeved blue polo and khaki pants.

"Hey there, Gorgeous," he teased as he stood behind her, hands on her shoulders.

"Hi Chipmunk," she returned, grinning evilly.

Simon chuckled. "That's okay," he responded easily, "I don't care. Megan thinks I'm human and normal enough, thank you very much."

Megan Louise was Simon's real girlfriend, the one he dated after pretend-dating Dina. She also worked with Simon, although she was a human resources manager. It was ironic because, according to Simon, he was on the verge of asking Megan out when the whole pretend-dating debacle began. While sharing an interest in computers, she was loud and bubbly as opposed to Simon's reserve and shy tendencies.

Lara pretended to gag. "I thought I'd never live to see the day, Simon!"

His eyes glinted at her in the mirror. "What can I say? Love changes a man."

She giggled. "Oh, Simon! You sound so romantic, and so un-nerd-like. I guess you decided you can't marry your computers, huh?"

"I decided it was time to give love a chance."

"Aw, that's so sweet!"

Both of them turned to see Megan standing at the doorway, hands clasped against her chest. She smiled widely at Simon before turning to Lara. "You look gorgeous! The boys at the Daniels' Estate won't know what hit them!"

Lara laughed as she hugged her brother's girlfriend. "Uh, Megan, you do realize that it's mostly old married men who are going to be there right?"

Megan laughed gaily. "Duh, not all of them are married," she paused dramatically, a twinkle in her eye, "there's always Douglas."

Lara's face contorted. "Megan! He's like my nephew or something!"

"Well, he's not exactly a nephew considering he's your…sister-in-law's brother's son."

"Huh?" Lara and Simon both asked at the same time.

Lara recovered and waived her hands dismissively. "Whatever, he's five! I'm twenty, if you must know."

"Oh? I could've sworn Simon said you were…thirty," Megan murmured thoughtfully.

Simon coughed. "Hey, don't you drag me into this!"

"Aw, but, sweetie-pie, you told me you'd do anything for me."

Simon blushed furiously. He always got embarrassed whenever Megan used her little nicknames for him. She knew they were in the food industry so she always used food references as terms of endearment. Lara's favorite was 'mon poulet rôti,' which sounded romantic because it was French. Of course, the meaning wasn't romantic as it was 'my roasted chicken.'

"Ah, cupcake, but I didn't tell you Lara was thirty. I said she was twenty. Maybe you just heard me say the last part."

"Honey bunch! But I know you said-"

Lara interrupted them with a wry smile. "I'm going downstairs because you two are making me hungry, and there's a buffet table with my name on it at the Daniels' Estate!"

"Oh Lara, we didn't mean to-"

"She's just joking, sis-"

"Yes, my strawberry tart is telling the truth! I know you're only twenty-"

Lara moaned and licked her lips. "Strawberry tart, oh you just had to bring that up, didn't you!"

Simon chuckled. "Let's go, my lemon zest. Or else, she's going to eat us."

"I don't eat lemon zest alone," Lara muttered as they went downstairs.

"Well, you can always eat it with mon poulet rôti-"

Lara plucked a finger in each ear. "Stop, I'm begging you!"

Andy was at the foot of the stairs looking at them both curiously. "What in blazes is going on?"

"They're calling each other food names again!"

"Oh, someone's hungry," Andy remarked with a laugh. "But it's about time we left anyway. Mom and Dad won't like it if we're late, and we're supposed to bring some extra bottles of wine."

"Right, Simon will take care of that, won't you?"

"Yes, Ma'am," came his instantaneously reply.

"See, now that wasn't hard was it?" Lara said to Megan. "You managed two sentences without mentioning any food!"

After getting some extra wine boxes, they all piled in the car and drove to the Daniels'.

Simon's statement about giving love a chance made an impact on Lara. She had denied the love that JJ wanted to give to her. She didn't know if he was still waiting for her. She didn't know how she'd know if she was ready.

After the wedding two years ago, she and JJ dated. Things worked out between them. Her parents were happy. John Senior and his wife were happy, so were Dina, her sisters and brother. Leslie was the most happy of them all. Lara soon became a part of the Daniels' big bunch.

But it wasn't for long. It was ridiculous, she knew, but the moment a classmate of hers recognized JJ as one of the teachers, she grew uncomfortable. Another classmate noticed and she didn't want to hide the truth. More classmates noticed, and when it was a teacher who noted their relationship, she bailed. She broke things off with JJ, telling him she just wasn't ready. She didn't want him to get in trouble with the school either.

She cried when he kissed her goodbye, whispering that he'd always be waiting for her…right under the mistletoe.

She cried even more when she told Leslie.

It broke her heart too when the little girl ran away and refused to talk to her.

After that, life went on and JJ was still there for her. He'd drive her home for the weekends or drove her back to school. He couldn't offer to tutor her because she no longer had Math classes but he still offered to help in any way. He didn't distance himself from her, but instead, proved several times how he was worth it.

Czar and Marianne respected her decision. So did her family and the Daniels, she knew. They didn't tease her about it, nor did they demand when she would give JJ a chance although several times they did say JJ still wasn't seeing anyone.

It took Leslie some long weeks before she finally wordlessly gave Lara a hug. After that, she opened up again to Lara, telling her things that happened at home and in school, and even sharing secrets about the little curly-haired boy who used to make fun of her.

Lara was twenty-years-old now and a senior, just a few months away from graduating. JJ was twenty-five and still a sophomore teacher. She wondered if it was time to give love a chance. How would she know for sure?

At the party, the entire Daniels house was full as to be expected.

Dinner was a crazy affair as everyone was talking at the same time, catching up on each other lives for things that happened since they last saw each other. All the seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, along with their families, made it. The Mills were also there, and the Fieldings.

Lara's heart skipped a beat when she saw JJ in his crisp white polo. He looked as every bit as cute, handsome and gorgeous as she remembered. She managed a small smile and a wave at him from across the room, which he eagerly reciprocated before coming over.

"Merry Christmas, Lara," he said by way of greeting before giving her a peck on the cheek.

She pulled back. "And to you," she softly said.

Somehow, that was their only interaction. The night wore on. Tables were cleared, and people began dancing. Some continued talking. But for Lara and JJ, they sat at different tables and talked with different people. Several times, she had the urge to go and talk to him but she didn't.

What could she say?

How could she ever apologize for walking away?

How can she ever repay him for still caring despite what she did?

"Somebody wants to hold his auntie!" Lily's voice broke to her thoughts.

Lara looked up and her face lit up. "Hey, it's SJ!" She eagerly accepted her first nephew, Samuel Jackson, who was still a baby. He was named after both his grandpas, and he was easily spoiled by his aunts and uncles.

"I want to hold him!" Andy complained.

Lara and Andy had argued several times on whose turns it was to hold him, much to the amusement of James and Lily. Simon, however, always stood his distance.

"Don't you think you should be practicing already?" Lara asked him.

Megan stifled a laugh, her eyes sparkling bright. "He'll be ready then, I'm sure of it."

"She sure sounds too confident," Andy muttered to Lara while juggling SJ on her arm. "Maybe she doesn't know what she's getting herself into."

"I bet Simon would design the computers to be the nanny," Lara agreed, her finger caught in SJ's curious and playful tiny hands.

"Hey!" Simon rebuked them indignantly.

James and Lily overheard, and they laughed too.

"Oh Simon, don't you want to hold your nephew?" Lily wheedled, holding out SJ who reached out to Simon with tiny outstretched arms. He made unintelligible sounds, Lara called, baby talk. Goo-goo and ga-ga were little Joe's favorite ones.

There must be something with new mothers that a person can't resist. Everyone watched as Simon managed an awkward hold on his nephew, staring at cherub face in his arms. "He looks so tiny," he muttered.

"Oh, don't worry," Lara teased laughingly. "I think he's supposed to grow bigger."

Simon shot her a withered look.

Dina and Don joined their group. "Hey guys!"

"Congratulations, you two!" Andy exclaimed. "Let me see that ring!"

"Hey, look, is Simon practicing to be a daddy?" Don joked.

"Yeah but I'm pretty sure you get to be a daddy first before he does, Don Landers," Lara pointed out with a teasing tone.

"Lara, Lara, sweet pretty Lara, still the nice person I see."

Everyone laughed.

Lily and James, trusting Simon with their baby, slowly backed away to join the group of the younger parents consisted of Jordan and Lizzie Mills, Ethan and Dana Mills, and Spencer and Sally Ridges.

Leslie approached Lara, all peaches and cream in her silk balloon dress. Already ten, she had grown some inches over the years. "Lara! Hi Simon and Andy," she greeted with an eager smile, and a peek-a-boo face at SJ. "Hey little baby," she crooned in a soft voice.

"Want to hold him?" Simon asked in a strangled voice.

Megan shook her head at him. "Oh no, you don't, my little quiche Lorraine. You are going to be holding him 'til his parents come back."

"He's heavy!" Simon managed to rasp out, switching his grip on SJ who squirmed and made more sounds. "And does anyone understand what he's saying?"

"He's ten months old, Simon," Andy retorted smartly. "No one understands."

Leslie played with SJ's tiny fingers before turning to Lara. "I-I think t-that, well, um…You s-see, there's s-someone...Um-"

Lara narrowed her eyes. "Leslie," she began warningly, "you don't usually stutter."

Leslie threw her a sheepish grin, laughing nervously. "W-well, t-there's always a-a…uh…a first for everything, right? Right, s-so… Nate wants to dance with you!"

"Oh." Lara was taken aback.

"He said he would i-i-if you'd agree. W-would it be okay if y-you, well, danced with m-my big b-brother?"

Which big brother? Lara wanted to ask. "Uh, sure," she said out loud instead.

Leslie grinned, looking pleased. "I'll go get him."

Lara glanced over her shoulder, and shrugged her shoulders at Andy, Simon and Megan who overheard. "What the heck, right?"

"He's only fifteen, Lara," Megan reminded, teasing.

"Very funny, you sirloin steak," Lara retorted dryly. The other three laughed just as Lara turned to see Nate standing before her. He stood just a few inches below her that they were almost level. She was genuinely surprised. "Wow, you've grown, Nate!"

He smiled coyly. "Thanks, Lara. You look pretty tonight."

"Ooh, be careful, sis!" Simon called out a warning before Lara was led by Nate to the open space that was the dance floor. She spotted James and Lily dancing too, James wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Facing Nate, she smiled. "So, how's school?"

"It's…okay."

"Right, that's how I felt too."

They danced in silence. But they moved around a lot, weaving in and out of the other Daniels. It was funny how Nate would say hello to his aunt or uncle, and Lara would manage a shy smile in their direction.

As they passed James and Lily, she heard James say, "-think it's like JJ making me jealous when he kissed you!"

"Ooh, except Nate's dancing with her to make JJ jealous!" Lily exclaimed in a hurried whisper.

Lara shook her head at them although they didn't see her and Nate didn't seem to have heard them. Instead, he abruptly turned them so that they switched places and she was staring right at…JJ.

Her breath caught.

Their gazes met, and held for a long time until the song ended.

Nate let go of Lara. "It was nice dancing with you."

She tore her gaze off JJ and turned to his little brother. "Thanks, Nate. You too," she replied, "One lucky girl at your school is going to have herself a great dance partner."

He grinned at her. "You're okay, Lara, you know that? I kind of missed having you around. But I'm sure not as much as JJ did."

At the mention of his name, she looked back to where he was standing and saw that he was gone. When she felt her heart sink, she knew what she had to do.

"Nate, thank you for this," she softly murmured before kissing him on the cheek. "I have to go…look for someone."

Leslie was suddenly standing there. "I think he went upstairs."

Lara turned to the two of them, putting two and two together. She furrowed her brow at them, and crossed her arms over her chest. "Did you two…"

Leslie giggled and Nate grinned.

"It was Tami and Anna's idea."

"We just executed it."

Lara laughed then and reached for both of them. She looked at Nate and then at Leslie. She shook her head, opening her mouth and closing it.

"Aren't you supposed to be looking for someone?" Leslie quipped, practically pushing her towards the direction of the grand staircase.

Nate whooped. "Good one, little sister."

Lara started walking. "Okay, okay, I'm going!" she exclaimed then she furrowed her brow at them again, but she was smiling. "I'll see you two later."

She tentatively went up the steps, her heart hammering in her chest. She glanced over her shoulder and saw everyone busy with the party. Maybe no one even noticed her leave. When she reached the landing, she spotted a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the chandelier.

She rushed up the rest of the way and then, feeling daring, leaned against the banister as far as she could to grab the mistletoe. It was too far, but she tried again. She strained to reach it, standing on her toes.

"Lara? What are you doing?"

She yelped in surprise and nearly let go of the banister, her upper body hanging in the open space. She felt hands on her waist, as she was pulled back.

It was JJ.

She closed her eyes and grimaced. "I-I was…"

"Trying to fix my grandparents' chandelier?"

She opened her eyes and laughed meekly. "Yes, I was doing that. You caught me. It's, um, something I've been interested in lately."

JJ raised his eyebrows. "Chandeliers?"

"Yes, sparkly things that, um, light up a house… Hanging a little too far away," she trailed off, looking sheepish.

A corner of his lip titled. "It wasn't perhaps the mistletoe you were reaching for, right?"

"What? Mistletoe? Oh, look, there is one. I didn't even know!"

His hands burned against her hips, and she realized he hadn't let go of her.

The realization nearly knocked her off her feet. After everything she did to him, he was still willing to hold on to her. She looked down and wrinkled her brow, resisting the tears that were threatening to spill.

"Lara, are you…is something wrong?"

She refused to look at him, but she couldn't speak so she merely shook her head. Her hand came up to cover her mouth, preventing a sob from coming out.

He gently let go off her. "I wish I could…do something for you," he whispered fiercely. He turned and walked away from her.

A tear spilled onto her cheek. It wasn't him, it was always her.

A door opened and a gust of cold wind blew in. Through the thin fabric of her cocktail dress, she felt the winter breeze but she didn't care. She followed him out to the veranda.

He turned, surprised. "Lara! It's freezing out here."

"JJ, I'm sorry I walked away." It was the first thing that came to mind.

Wordlessly, he shrugged off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. Stepping back, his face softened. "Lara, we've been through this before. I told I completely-" "Understood, yes, but I…I was stupid and insecure. I let a bunch of people dictate how I felt about you, and I shouldn't have-""Lara-"

"I was so scared and I let what other people thought about us control how I really felt about you and I just wish I could take it back and spend the past months loving each other than waiting instead…"

"What happened is in the past, Lara. I completely-"

"No, please, let me finish. I just don't…" She looked at him. "How can you still care for me after what I did?" He opened his mouth to say something but she held up her hands. "Never mind, because I actually know why. I mean, I just can't believe…" She stopped, and her voice broke. Her eyes pooled with tears. "I-I j-just can't b-believe you're…real. I've waited for someone like you my whole life and you…you came."

He smiled. "I'm just here, Lara. I'll always wait for you, Lara," he said softly. "It'll be always, even if I have to wait forever."

I don't want to wait forever, a voice whispered fiercely in her head.

And with that thought, Lara shook her head vigorously. She rushed to him, crushing herself to him in a tight embrace. "No more waiting," she whispered emotionally.

He engulfed her in a tight embrace. They both stood for some time, in silence and just simply hugging each other. In the dark winter night, she didn't feel the cool air but the warmth, reassurance and strength that his presence always gave her.

"Oh God, JJ, how could I have ever walked away and left you?"

His eyes smoldered in their depths, as he caressed her cheek. "You never left me, Lara. You were always there…waiting for the right time."

"No, you were waiting for me. I was being stupid and letting my head win against what was in my heart."

"You are never stupid, Lara."

She sighed and laughed quietly. "I am stupid. I tried to reach for that mistletoe hanging from your grandparents' chandelier."

He chuckled. "I knew it."

"I just wanted, well, you know…It's kind of ridiculous but sort of, as the perfect ending maybe to my childhood tradition…"

"What?"

She burrowed her face against his chest, embarrassed. "I was going to come up to you and hang the mistletoe above your head and then be the first to kiss you after you last kissed me goodbye..." Her voice was muffled as she spoke. Then she felt him move and she pulled away slightly.

He held a sprig of the familiar evergreen green leaves and red berries on his palm he fished out from the pocket of his khakis. "It can still be a perfect ending."

"JJ…!" she cried in a delighted whisper.

He grinned. "Maybe this is something I can do for you?"

"It's more than something. It's everything." She took the mistletoe from him, and grabbing a fistful of his white polo pulled him closer and hung it above his head. "JJ, Mr. Just John, Mr. Cute Handsome Gorgeous Book and Bar Guy…" He laughed at this and Lara softly giggled before she continued, "I love you."

His face softened at this. "As I love you," he whispered to her.

"I know. I was just too scared to fight for it. But now…" Wrapping her arms around his neck, still holding the mistletoe above him, she moved her face closer to his. "I'm ready to love you for always."