Hi.. this is Kanata. We have finally reached the last chapter of The Falcon and The Flame. I would like to split this story's dedication in four different ways:First, to my best friend who have helped me in not only giving confidence but also in torturing me to post all the chapters on time, Second, to all my fans and TFTF's fans... Third, to all the reviewers, and last but not the least to the entire staff and crew of the most famous anime "Alice Academy" which gave me the inspiration to write this story... Thanks all...

Chapter 15

A Very Merry Christmas

It was early morning and the wind blew gracefully over the well-kept gardens of the inhabitants on the small town. The roads were covered with pure white snow. Almost every house had put up Christmas decorations. The local bus stand was completely deserted but for a few people waiting for the bus to take them to the next town for work or some other domestic or social reasons. Just then, a local bus stopped at the bus-stand and a lady in her mid-twenties got out of the bus and looked around. Her long blonde hair moved slowly with the moderate winds and her black formals contrasted to her blonde hair and her emerald green eyes. A long silver chain decorated her fine neck and its locket fell before her formal-black shirt. Then she took a left turn and started to walk.

After around ten minutes she whispered to herself, 'I wish I'm not lost'.

'Move lady!' exclaimed someone from behind her.

The blonde turned at once to see a young boy of around five years with dashing raven hair and warm auburn eyes. She recognized him at once.

'Taka?' she asked bending down.

'Who are you lady?' asked the young boy taking a step backward, 'mom told me not to talk to strangers'.

'I'm a friend of your parents…' informed the blonde smiling upon the kid.

'I know!' exclaimed the boy at once, 'dad told me friends of theirs will be arriving today!'

'I'm quite lost,' said the blonde shrugging, 'can you take me to your place?'

'Sure… c'mon I'll show you the way!'

Within minutes the two were standing outside a beautiful house surrounded by flowers of all kinds. Many animals were roaming the area as well—rabbits, squirrels, puppies, kittens, chickens, sparrows—and the list goes on.

Taka barged into the house through the front door shouting, 'Mommy… someone's here to see you!'

'What's all the noise Taka?' came in a lady, wearing an apron, the same age as the blonde holding a bowl. She had long light brunette hair and Taka's eyes—Taka has surely inherited his mother's eyes.

'Miyu!' exclaimed the brunette and dropped the bowl at once which was caught by Taka just before it reached the floor. The brunette ran and hugged Miyu making her black outfit get covered with baking materials. She withdrew at once.

'I'm really sorry for ruining your dress, Miyu' she apologized.

'It's ok Mikan,' replied Miyu smiling and looking around, asked, 'where're the others?'

'What was all that noise about Mikan?' a voice came which was followed by its owner through the back door. He had jet black messy hair and striking amber eyes. He had a finger through his left ear.

'Papa!' shouted Taka, 'another friend arrived!'

'Miyu!' gasped Taka's father, 'long time no see!'

'Work…' explained Miyu, 'how are you Natsume?'

'Brilliant… until moments ago when my ear drums burst!' he replied.

His last comment earned him a hit in the head with a sauce pan by his dear wife and a retort, 'don't you dare make fun of me!'

'Ow!' exclaimed Natsume, 'you're so stupid, stupid!'

'Why you—?' started Mikan but was cut by a voice from behind Natsume.

'Don't tell me that they're at it again'.

'Yes they are!' announced Taka cheerfully, 'Yes they are!'

'Miyu how was the journey?' inquired the new arrival, who had sleek blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

'Fine,' she replied smiling, 'you're animal population seemed to have exceeded its limit don't you think Ruka?'

'Hotaru thinks it's worth it, because we can make nice calendars and advertisements with well-bred animals for her company,' he shrugged.

'Speaking of Hotaru, where is she?' asked Miyu.

'She's off to fetch Miu,' replied Mikan, 'she's at grandpa's'.

'I can't believe a daughter of Hotaru's more connected to your grandpa, Mikan,' said Miyu smiling.

'Taka hates going to the Sakura's… he thinks it's odd and smelly,' said Mikan throwing a dark look at her son.

'You can't blame him,' defended Natsume, 'it is dull and smelly'.

'What is dull and smelly?'

They all turned to see a raven-haired lady enter the house with a little blonde at her tail.

'Papa!' shouted the little girl and jumped onto Ruka.

'How was your day, honey?' asked Ruka affectionately to his little daughter.

'Great!' replied the blonde cheerfully.

'Stop making so much noise, Miu!' said Taka with a finger in his ear.

'Go away jerk!' retorted Miu, sticking her tongue out at him.

'Little girl!' snapped Taka, turning the other way.

Everybody in the room burst out laughing.

'The cake will be ready within minutes,' said Mikan breaking the laughs, 'Why don't you all go get the tree ready'.

'C'mon Ruka,' called Natsume, 'if we stay here any longer, my ear drums are sure to cry for mercy'.

'Very funny, honey,' said Mikan standing before him. She laid a slight kiss on his lips and added, 'any more sarcasm, you'll be hungry for a whole year'.

Natsume's lips formed a small smile and he replied, 'whatever you say'.

'Eww…' gasped Taka disgusted, 'I wish they would stop doing that in front of me'.

'That was really sweet,' commented Miu with a dreamy look in her eyes, 'you are just too odd'.

'Whatever!' exclaimed Taka and followed the two men out of the house.

'Let's finish that dinner then,' said Mikan and the two ladies and the little girl went to the kitchen while the other slipped into a chair and pulled out a laptop and started to work with it.

'Hotaru,' came Mikan, 'give a rest to your work for a day'.

Hotaru slowly closed the laptop and followed her into the kitchen going, 'you have to give me those awesome lilies then'.

'You are so…' Mikan left the sentence hanging.

The small group celebrated Christmas to their heart's content. The two married couples, the family friend from America, the two kids and the countless animals had a fun time eating cakes, opening presents and teasing Mikan.

After dinner, they all sat down at the grass overlooking the moon. A quite and calm serenity passed over them. The two kids fell asleep together on Natsume's lap. Natsume looked at the moon and lowered his gaze to Mikan and then to Taka and said to himself, 'Thank you very much Taka'.

The End

Finally, I finished another story with 15 chapters… Review me if it's good and if it's no good too… Hope it is the former, though…

Hope to see you guys in another enticing story...

Lot's of Love,

Kanata Saionji...