Sixty-Seven Years Ago, 2018

I ran after Tommy through the snow, screaming happily to him, "I'll get you, my little prey!" I laughed hard after I said that.

Tommy hollered teasingly through his shoulder, "You can't catch me, I'm faster than you!"

My paws went through the powdery snow and I laughed again, "I'll get you! I know I will!"

It's a fairly cold winter day, and me and Tommy are just chasing each other around in the woods far from his house, playing.

I feel like I'm a hatchling right now doing this, this is the most fun I've had in years!

Me and my brother hardly ever get to do this anymore and I thought that Wayne and the others wouldn't be interested in this.

So today after I spent the night in his barn near his house, this morning Tommy came and asked me if I wanted to go walking in the woods today. Just to enjoy the way the woods looked. So I agreed to go with him.

They look quite beautiful this time of year.

Just like a winter wonderland here.

According to Tommy, a big snowstorm actually came to Colorado and there a lot of snow has fallen.

Honestly I didn't care how much snow has fallen, this is beautiful.

Really makes me think that there are some things that are beautiful outside the city. Especially this place.

So while we're walking through the trees, the tree branches filled with snow, Tommy, who's wearing a very warm snow jacket, started teasing me about me not catching him because he's faster than me.

But I beg to differ with that and soon, we started chasing each other through the snow.

My heart beated ?fast while I chased him. He really is quite playful with me today.

So now here I am, chasing my little prey right now.

I'll get him, I know I will!

My head accidentally hit a tree branch and a bunch of snow fell on me. I cried out as the snow temporarily blinded me, "Aw, drat!" I shook my head and saw that Tommy's ahead of me. I narrowed my eyes at him, "I may have been vanquished by a tree full of snow, but I'm not stopping now!" I ran after him again.

I heard Tommy laughing like a maniac and he turned to face me, while he was jogging backwards, "You still can't catch me!" Then he giggled and turned his back on me. He kept running, his snow boots sinking through the deep snow.

I shot at him with a teasing tone, "You keep showing off like that, you'll turn into Neal!"

Tommy ran around a tree and shot back, "Might as well be a show off than be your prey!"

I dodged another tree branch that's close to my head. No way I'm getting myself in the same predicament again. I looked back at the tree branch and grinned in triumph. I won't fall for it again!

I turned my head, but not before a second ended, I didn't see that I was about to walk into another tree branch and my horns hit it. Another bunch of powdery snow fell on me, "Dang it!" I shook my head again and whined, "That's twice now!" I shook my body and wings, realizing that some of the snow fell on my back.

Soon I returned to chasing him. Tommy who was a bit far from me hollered back at me, "Give up yet?! Does that mean I win?!"

I padded after him still, shouting at him, while trying to stop laughing, "You're lunch when I catch you!"

Tommy screamed like a female and laughed, and I laughed as well. Tommy pleaded with a playful tone, "Oh please, don't eat me! I'm too cute to be eaten!"

I went around a tree and kept chasing him, "You're not cute, you're prey!"

Tommy shot at me over his shoulder, "Now that hurt my feelings!"

I laughed again and said, "Don't care!"

Tommy actually picked up some snow and started making a snowball. Then he whirled around and threw a snowball at me. I shrieked when he there it and I tried to duck down, but instead the snow hit me squarely in the chest. I narrowed my eyes at him, "Damn it!"

Tommy giggled and whirled back on me. He screamed like a girl again.

I growled a bit. You threw a snowball at me, it's personal. Then I grinned, showing my teeth. Playful kind of personal.

I dug my paws through the snow again, trying to trek through the trees as best as I could. Ancestors, he kinda is faster than me!

Well he's small when it comes to running around the trees, not to mention I can't trek fast through them like he does, I'm bigger than him.

I had a determined look on my face. Well I won't let the woods best me and I won't let a HUMAN best me!

I'll get ya Tommy!

I let out a roar at him. Not very loud though, my heart beating fast as my energy was being used.

I was breathing fast a bit, I was trying not to run out of breath.

I chased Tommy for a little bit more and soon he winded up out of the woods and into the meadow. Which is now covered in snow.

I smiled as the realization hit me. Perfect! No trees to stop me now!

Time to get my prey!

I flapped my wings a bit in excitement and shouted a playful roar at him, "Rawrr!!!!"

Tommy looked back a bit and raised his arms as he ran, "Ahhh!!!!"

I laughed as I ran fast after him. My claws and feet still digging in the snow. Some parts around here are deep for my feet.

Tommy was trying to run fast too, but he keeps falling deep in the snow, the snow going up to his knees. I heard him cry out in shock as the cold snow hit his legs.

I was almost there now. He's close to my grasp.

Tommy saw me and his eyes went wide, "Oh, no, no, no." He jumped out of the knee deep snow and managed to run, but it was too late.

I lunged at him as I got close, and he screamed and fell backwards. He fell on his back and I was now on top of him. My paws planted at both sides of his body. His eyes filled with shock and surprise as he was bested by me.

I gave him a tooth filled grin and shot up my head in pride, "I win!"

Tommy shook his head in denial, "Oh, I'm not giving up yet." He tried to crawl away and get up to run away again, but I planted a paw firmly on him, trapping him beneath me. He groaned and cried out. He even tried to push my paw off of him, but it was no use.

I got him now. Like he was my prey.

I lowered my head to his level and still smiled at him, "Give up now?"

Tommy sighed in defeat and just laid there now, my paw still pinning him, "Yes."

I giggled at him, "And you'll never say that you can outrun a dragon again? That you'd admit a dragon would always outrun you?"

Tommy grinned up at me, "Yes. Now get your paw off of me."

I shook my head and teasingly said, "Oh you're not off the hook yet, human. I didn't even let out a roar yet to announce my triumph."

His eyebrows were raised and he shook his head profusely, "Oh no, not that!"

I giggled and nodded, "OH yes that. And I'm going to do it." I took a deep  breath, puffing out my chest, getting ready to let out a loud roar at my prey.

Tommy shook his head and tried to beg, "No, wait, don't-"

But it was too late, I looked down and let out a very loud roar at him. My roar blew his hair away a bit. I finished my roar and gave him a smug grin of triumph.

Tommy groaned again and looked up at my face, "I think you made me go deaf by your roar."

I shot at him with a tease, "It's your fault for letting me chase you for a long time and plus it's YOUR fault for making me run into a tree branch with some snow fall on my face."

Tommy gave me a mock expression, "My fault? It was your fault for running into not one, but TWO tree branches filled with snow. Don't blame THAT on me!"

I closed my eyes and tossed my head back for a laugh, "Well at least I've bested you in a chase."

Tommy said, "Hey, I was the one who ran away from you the longest, so would I have bested you?"

I lowered my head to his level, my nose close to his face and said with smugness in my voice, "Nope. Humans don't best dragons, we best your kind."

Tommy shot a playful glare at me, "Well look who's feeling superior today."

I giggled as my nose breathed on his face, "I'm the one who's on top of you, so yep I'm superior than you."

Me and him both looked at each other, staring into each others eyes. Then I started to feel weird when I was looking at him. Looking into his eyes.

I didn't exactly show it, but the weird feeling was getting to me. That's strange, it's that feeling again.

For some reason, I've been having that weird feeling every time I look at him lately.

It's a weird fuzzy feeling. A feeling I had never felt before.

What was it? I can't figure it out.

I never told anyone this either, basically it's only just me who knows.

But as I stared down at him, Tommy actually had a handful of snow and smashed it against my nose. The snow felt surprisingly cold to my sensitive nose. I yelped and pulled my head back up. I scrunched my nose, trying to get the warmth back to it.

I shot a glare down at him, "Hey, you did that on purpose!"

Tommy laughed underneath my paw, "I only did it just to get back at you for besting me." He gave me a tooth filled grin of triumph, "Now I win! And we're even!"

My glare melted away and I laughed a bit, "Well I understand the point of this, we are even."

Tommy nodded, the back of his head brushing against the snow covered ground, "Good, now that is settled, do one favor for me."

I cocked my head down at him, "What would your favor be, my little prey?"

He shouted at me, "GET YOUR PAW OFF OF ME!"

My eyes went wide and I nodded, "Oops, of course." I removed the paw and Tommy finally crawled away from underneath me. As he got up on his feet, he brushed the snow off of him.

He sighed and looked at me, "Well...That was fun."

I chuckled, "Yeah, fun besting a human like you. Just to show you that you can't outrun a dragon."

He crossed his arms and pouted, "Whatever, you big show off."

I giggled and placed a paw to my chest, "Me? A show off? Well if you wanted a show off, just ask Neal to chase you around the woods during winter. Plus, YOU were the one who was showing off."

He started grinning at me, "I did no such thing, you big black liar!"

I laughed hard and shot back at him, "I'm the liar? You're the one who's lying. You were show offing."

He shook his head, "Did not."

I shot at him again, "Did to."

"Did not."

"Did to."

He thrusted a finger at my nose, "DID NOT."

I pushed my face toward his, "DID TO."

We both stared at each other after that, and we both laughed. Then Tommy planted a kiss on my nose and said with a smile, "Well we're both show offs then, how's that?"

I gave his nose a lick, "Don't flatter yourself." Then he gave my head a hug and my eyes went wide. Whew, he feels warm against my head!

Well at least he'll get my nose back to warming up after he shoved some snow into it. My nose still feels cold!

Tommy let me out of his embrace and stroked my cheek, "I really am having a lot of fun with you, Rain. I haven't had this much fun since...I was little." Then he looked away with a glum look, "I haven't had this much fun, since I've played with mom when I was little. Those were the days."

I held a sad and pity look for the human. I know why he's glum right now.

His mother died last month in the nursing home. She died while she was sleeping.

Tommy was there visiting her that day and he stayed with her most of the day, that's how he knew that she died.

I had a chance to meet her twice before she died. Me and Tommy flew to the nursing home and Tommy showed me the window to the room she's staying in.

Tommy's mother, Alessa came to the window and actually met me. She really looked like him.

A son who liked like his mother. That's pretty precious.

Alessa was really nice to me, telling me that her son told her a lot about me.

Telling her that a dragon like me, was being so nice and friendly to her only precious son. She...Was actually proud of me. Keeping him company.

I even told her that I was helping her son overcome with his shyness and she was proud that I was doing that.

Tommy even acted like himself when he's talking to her in front of me. He never felt shy to her at all, just like he's not shy about me.

He wasn't really kidding about that.

Tommy felt safe with her and he felt safe with me.

But since last month, she passed away.

I remember the day when I came to his house one day and found him all alone on his porch, crying his eyes out.

I was pretty concerned for him. I never seen him cry before.

At first, he didn't tell me what's wrong with him, then he embraced my neck with his arms, pulled himself close to my chest and told me about it in sobs.

Telling me that his mother died and he kept sobbing. I didn't even know how long he has sobbed. He felt...Really alone.

He never even attended his mother's funeral. He felt really broken by her death.

For days after that day, maybe over a week, I stayed with him.

I never left his side, never went back to the dragon city. Until he started to feel better that is.

Of course, Wayne and the others came to comfort him as well, but he wanted me the most.

I know that Tommy liked Wayne and the others and he doesn't feel shy with them anymore. He treats them like they're his friends now.

But Tommy wanted me more, we both shared this connection for months and now this connection grew. And I think I know why.

I lost my mother too and I know how he feels.

Poor Tommy.

I wish your mother didn't die. She was really nice, just like you.

I wish she didn't die and I wish she wasn't sick at all.

I want you to be happy, Tommy. I always wanted you to be happy.

Just like you always wanted ME to be happy.

I cocked my head and asked with concern, "Are you ok, Tommy?"

Tommy glanced back at me and nodded, "Yeah...It still feels like it was yesterday that it happened. I...I can still feel it."

I nodded and let out a sigh, "I know how that gets. But it'll go away. These things take time, it only just happened since last month."

I nodded, "Yeah I know." He looked down at his feet, "But it's just so hard, you know?"

I nodded again and said, "Come on. Lets head back home. You're probably tired and hungry."

Tommy then gave me a devious grin, "Actually, I have a better idea."

I cocked my head at him, "What?"

Then he picked up another handful of snow, and that rubbing it together, making a snowball.

My eyes went wide and I whirled around on him, he ducked as my tail almost hit him, "Ah, don't throw another one at me!" I started running away from him.

Tommy threw the snowball at me and it hit my haunch. I cried out in surprise and he laughed, "Bullseye!"

I turned my neck to look back at him with a glare and hissed, "That tears it, you little bastard." I turned around to face him, "You'll pay for THAT!"

Tommy giggled and he started to run away again, "Best try to catch me again."

I yelled at him, "I thought we're even!"

Tommy wasn't far from me when he stopped where he's at. He turned to holler at me, "Want to be even again? Come and get me!" Then he ran off again.

I watched him run, but before I could do anything, my chest started feeling  weird.

I planted my paw at my chest, curiosity filled my eyes. That weird fuzzy feeling came back again.

I looked at Tommy and it came back.

What is it? What is it really?

Tommy's voice interrupted my thoughts, "C'mon, Rain. Catch me!"

I shook my head and then I had a playful glare across my face, I crouched my front half of my body and wiggled my haunches up in the air, "I'll get you again!" I started running after him and laughed my head off.

Pretty keen on catching my little prey again.

*****

Several hours have passed since today, and the sky has turned dark for the night.

I'm laying on my stomach at Tommy's barn near his house, just staring outside threw the entrance.

I could see snow falling from the night sky. Light snowflakes. The winter weather came back to fall again.

I smiled at the sight. I like the sight of falling snow, especially when it falls back in the dragon city.

I could even remember the first day when I was a hatchling, when I was outside during winter. Seeing the snow fall from the sky for the first time.

I'll never forget that memory. That precious hatchling memory.

Then I took a peek through the nigh sky, thinking about my mother and father.

I wish you guys were here with me. Talking to Tommy.

I already talked to his mother, he'd love you guys if he talked to you.

He would even see the comparisons between me and you mom.

I...Really look like you.

All beautiful with those black scales. The curves, the horns, the smile, everything.

I miss you guys still, up to this day.

I saw Tommy coming through the snowflakes outside, wearing a light coat. He waved at me as he entered through the barn entrance, "Hey there."

I smiled at him, "Hi there, what are you doing out here? I thought you'd be sleeping for the night. It feels late."

Tommy stopped in front of me and said with a shrug of his shoulders, "Well, I thought since today is Christmas, I thought I'd spend more time with you, until tomorrow morning. I remembered that you told me that Wayne and Sierra are spending their Christmas together at Wayne's parent's house. So I thought, why not spend our Christmas together?"

I cocked my head at him, "You know that human holiday still is pretty new to me. I still don't get it."

Tommy giggled, "Well I already did tell you what Christmas is. It's a holiday where humans give each other gifts and they open the presents. Also make gingerbread cookies and all that."

I grinned, "Yeah and lets not forget that you told me you don't like Christmas fruitcake."

He stuck his tongue out, "Yuck!"

I laughed and shook my head, "I wouldn't like it either, it doesn't sound very...Savoring."

Tommy then pulled out something from him coat and showed it. It's something green and fuzzy. I lowered my head to his level and asked after I sniffed it, "What's that?"

Tommy smiled, "It's a gift for you, Rain. A Christmas present I want you to have this."

I asked, "But what is it?"

"It's a scarf. A scarf that'll fit around your neck. I bought this the other day and I want you to have it."

I was surprised by the gesture and then I waved him off with my paw, "You don't have to give me anything."

Tommy took a step toward me and insisted, "No Rain...I insist."

I stared at him for only a few moments. Then I nodded slowly and said, "Well...Okay."

Tommy came up to my neck and wrapped the scarf around me, tying it on me. He finished it and backed away, admiring it. He asked, "Do you like it?"

I reached up to my neck with my claw, it feels fuzzy, but comfortable. I smiled and said, "I love it, Tommy. Thank you."

He reached to my cheek and caressed it, "Merry Christmas, Rain."

Even though my kind doesn't celebrate this sort of thing, but I said it back to him anyways because he's my best friend, while leaning into his touch, "Merry Christmas, Tommy."

He giggled a bit and lowered his hand to his side, "Well glad you accepted the gift, or else you're being the Grinch."

I laughed at that, "Grinch? You're calling me a dragon, a Grinch? That's pretty stupid when it comes to name calling."

He shrugged, "Would it be better if I called you scrooge?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Quit calling me names, you little shit."

Me and him laughed after that. Tommy then said, "Oh I don't think you're none of those things. You look like an angel to me."

My eyes went wide at that. he called me a...Angel. I cocked my head at him and asked, "You're calling me an angel?"

He nodded, "Oh yes, because I think you're just some angel who descended from heaven to watch over me. To watch over me after my mother dies."

I shrugged with my paw, "Ah well, we already met before your mother died anyway."

Tommy shrugged his arms, "But still, you understand the sentiment."

I nodded, "I think so...I think so anyways."

Tommy shrugged again, "Well at least I tried."

I lowered my head to his level and nuzzled his chest, "Well I like being called angel. It sounds...Beautiful."

Tommy leaned his forehead toward mine and gave it a hug, "You're welcome." He let out some kind of unhappy sigh.

I pulled my head back and asked, "Are you alright?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."

I gave his cheek a lick, "It's ok, human. I know what you're thinking."

Tommy sighed again and looked at my eyes, "This is my first Christmas without her."

I nodded, my eyes full of pity, "I know and I'm still so sorry for what happened. I wish there was something I could do."

Tommy started rubbing the back of his neck, "Well if you could somehow bring back my mother, you'd be my hero." He waved his hand, "If you could just somehow find some way to bring her back, that'd be great."

I gave a small smile, "Dragons don't have that kind of power." Then I held a glum look for him, "I wish we did, then you wouldn't have to feel so alone." I glanced  down at my paws, "I really feel for you. I feel for you for weeks."

Tommy sighed, "So...Can I ask you something? I don't think I've ever asked you this question, since mom died."

I looked at his face, "What's that?"

Tommy shifted his feet and asked, "You told me your parents died years way before I was born. Way before any of the modern day humans were born. I had to ask...How did you put up with their deaths? How do you live with that sort of thing?"

I was a bit surprised by the question, but then I answered it, "Well...At first I didn't put up with it real well. I thought it was the end of my own world. That was how I gotten so shy, because they were gone. I felt alone, despite that my brother took care of me and made me laugh. I still felt alone."

He glanced down at the ground and I went on, "But...How I put up with it...I didn't let the despair destroy me back then. My parents would want me to move on in my own life. To at least, see what the future held for me." I looked at my paws again, "Even though, I never thought in my life that I'd suffer a very traumatic event last year. But at the end of that horrible event, after Wayne and the others became my friends, the future still looks great to me."

I looked at him, "And I'm glad that their deaths didn't destroy me, because my mother especially, would want me to live, just like her. And also." I smiled at him, "I know that my mother would sleep by me, when I'm sleeping. And I'd bet that your mother's sleeping by YOU when you're sleeping, ever since she died."

Tommy grinned at me and asked, "You really think so?" I nodded and he asked, "How can you be so sure?"

I answered, "Because I feel my mother laying her wing over me, when I'm sleeping. It's just like that." I looked outside the barn over him, "I'd also bet both our mothers are watching us outside. Right now, watching us share our first Christmas together."

Tommy glanced back to look outside and he turned his head around. He looked down at his feet, "Well I think that takes care of how do you put up with your family member's death sort of thing." He looked at my face, "Thank you for that."

I leaned my head to nuzzled his cheek, "I'd do anything to make you happy."

Tommy stroked my neck while I was nuzzling him, "I know." Then he had a sad look.

I pulled back and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

He sighed, "I just feel...Like I don't have anything left, except you. Despite what you said to me, I'm trying to believe that mom's still here, but how can I?"

I said, "It's up to you how you can believe it. I can't you help on that."

He nodded, "You're right." He closed his eyes and said, "I don't know how I feel if I've lost you too. I...I wouldn't forgive myself if you'd die."

I shook my head, "I won't die. We both know that."

Tommy groaned in frustration, "Arrg, but why does it feel like I'm going to lose you, right now? Why?"

I cocked my head at him, "What are you talking about?"

Tommy held a worried look, "Look I don't know why I feel this way, but after mom died, I've been feeling it. Like I'm going to lose you too."

I frowned at him and he said, "I don't know why I'm feeling that, I just do." He fidgeted a bit, "I don't want to lose the one person who always talked to me, despite that I was shy. I don't want that to go away."

I shook my head at him, "But I won't go away."

He gave me a look, "Are you really? I mean...Your brother hates me."

I asked, "What about my brother?"

Tommy sighed, "I mean...One day, two months before my mom died, he came to me one day while I was with you in the city. He told me to stay away from you."

I growled a bit in anger, "I knew he'd do that."

Tommy said, "I could be wrong, but what if he'd be the reason why I'd lose you? I mean, I don't ever want you to leave me. I...I don't know what I'd do without you."

I got my head closer to his, "Tommy listen, you'll never lose me and you never will."

He asked, "How? Why?"

I nodded and said with words of true honesty, "Because I believe it. Because I'd chose to believe it. I'm your angel, Tommy. Just like you said I'd be. An angel who has been sent down from the skies to watch over you, even before your mother died. Well I think that's why we met, because your mother was going to die. I don't think it was just about overcoming your shyness. Or having a dragon for a friend. I've found you, to watch over you."

I smiled at him, "And I'm glad that I did. I...Feel so close and happy with you. You're the most fun that I've had in years. And I'll never let that go. Not for another thousand years."

Tommy started to smile back and I said, "And I won't let my brother stop me from seeing you, because I care about you, Tommy." I nuzzled his chest again and sighed, "I'll always be your angel, Tommy. I always will." I looked at him and said, "Even when I'm dead, I'll never leave your side."

Tommy had a tear of joy fell down his face and he said, "I don't need any kind of gift in return from you, Rain. YOU'RE the best Christmas gift I could ever have." Tommy then threw himself into my chest and hugged me tight. I wrapped my paw around him, embracing him back.

While we were hugging, the weird fuzzy feeling came back again.

What? Again?

Wait a minute...I think I know what it is. I think I know now. And it took me just now to realize it.

The way I care about him so much, the reason why I always wanted to help him through his shyness and pain, the reason why I feel so happy and close with him, the way we talk to each other. That we're both...So close.

Like Sierra who has fallen in love with Wayne, and like Neal who has fallen in love with Amanda.

I've come to fall in love with Tommy. The human.

That's the reason why I've been having this strange feeling lately.

It's because I love him.

I'm more than just a angel to him.

For years and since that drake mounted me that night, I've always been picky when it comes to choosing drakes.

But now...I think I know what I want.

The only drake that I would trust to be with, is Tommy.

Because he understands my pain, he understands my feelings.

He treats me like I'm a human to him.

And that's another reason why I love him.

And another reason, is that I was shy like him. We're both alike. We both know what that's like and we've both overcome it.

Only Tommy doesn't know that. He doesn't know how I feel about him.

But...How would he feel if I just said it? If I tell him how I feel?

Would he find it weird?

I'm a dragon and he's a human. He's not Wayne, nor Amanda. He's Tommy.

Can I really do this?

Tommy pulled himself away from my chest and sighed, "So uh....Can I sleep by you in the barn? Since it's Christmas? I don't want to leave you out here alone during the special time of the year."

I nodded and smiled, "Sure, Tommy. Sure you can." I started to curl around on the barn floor, lifting my leg to invite him to sleep by me.

Tommy always liked sleeping close to me, it's not our first night in here.

Tommy took his jacket off and threw it to the side. Then he got on his hands and knees and crawled toward me. When he got real close to my body, I curled my leg around him. Tommy hummed in comfort, "You feel pretty soft and warm as usual."

I blushed a bit after he said that, "Thank you."

Tommy laid down on his side, as my leg is still curled around him. He said, "I don't think I would trade anyone for this. I don't think I could ask for a better friend than you. A better angel than you."

I said shyly to him, as I only moved my eyes to my left for a second, "Tommy....There's something that I want to tell you."

He looked up at me, "What is it?"

I lowered my head to his forehead and pressed my snout to it, to give him a kiss. I pulled back a bit and said, "I love you."

Tommy beamed at me. Then he reached up with his head and kissed my nose in return, "I love you too." He gave my nose a good pat and he started to lay back down on the floor.

I watched him close his eyes and went to sleep and I was still watching him.

I let out a sigh of disappointment. He doesn't know.

I could tell by his expression that he thought I was saying I love you as a friend. Not as a lover.

He didn't get it at all.

I smiled at his sleeping form close to my body. I'm still wondering if I'll ever tell him how I feel. And I'm afraid to try it again, for real this time. I'm afraid of how he'll react. I don't know if I'll ever tell him really how I feel.

But I'll enjoy this night with him and I'll enjoy everything with him while it lasts.

I'll be the angel who watches over him.

I'll watch over your son, Alessa.

I promise.

I lowered my head to the floor and curled it around Tommy. Looked at his sleeping form one last time, before I closed my eyes and went to sleep too.

I still had a smile on my face after I closed my eyes.

Merry Christmas, Tommy.

And...I love you.

I'll always love you, Tommy.