Not the best I've ever written, but I like it. FP won't be updated until the new year. No idea when in the new year, but the new year. Uphill Struggle is looking to become a twoshot, because my brain is annoying.

To Santa

All I want for Christmas this year is for daddy to come home and make mommy stop crying.

Ruby Bolton

Lucille Bolton read the letter again, glancing between it and her six year old granddaughter. The words on the page had been the last thing she expected when she'd suggested that the little girl write her letter to Santa earlier that day. She knew Ruby was confused, she hadn't been told exactly what had happened. Gabriella had thought it was better that way. Better that she protected her child from things beyond her understanding.

"Ruby, baby." Lucille waited until she looked up. "Come here."

Ruby's eyes narrowed, but she stood up, approaching her grandmother cautiously.

Lucille smiled comfortingly, pulling her onto her lap. "You're not asking Santa for much this year."

"Only daddy."

"Not even a kitten? You've always wanted a kitten."

"No." Ruby shrugged. "Just daddy."

"How about you and I go and see daddy later?"

"Mommy said he's too sick." Ruby answered almost automatically. "She said 'daddy's too sick to talk' so he can't talk to me."

"That doesn't mean he can't hear you, sweetheart." Lucille faked a smile. "Daddy hasn't heard your voice in a while now."

"Since halloween." The six year old stated confidently. "He said he'd come see my costume, but he got sick and made mommy cry." She hesitated. "Mommy says the doctors are getting daddy better, but it's taking a long time so maybe they're not very good doctors."

"They're doing the best they can, honey." Lucille insisted. "Does mommy cry a lot?"

Ruby looked away at the sudden change in conversation before slowly turning back. "When she thinks I'm asleep and I'm not and she cries and I hear her." She bit her lip. "It's sad."

"It makes you sad?" Ruby nodded. "Have you told mommy?"

"She'll just be more sad."

Lucille sighed, glancing to the window as she heard a car pull up. "Looks like Mommy's here."

Ruby smiled, jumping off of her grandmothers lap and running for the front door, throwing it open to run to her mother.

"Ruby Roo!" Gabriella gave a weak smile, watching as her father-in-law moved to pick up the six year old. "Have you been good?"

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

Gabriella looked away from her daughter, hugging her mother-in-law when they reached the door.

"Any change?"

The young brunette shook her head. "Are you sure you're okay to keep her this afternoon? I can always take her."

"It's fine." Lucille assured her. "I was thinking that maybe I should take her to see Troy."

"Lucy..."

"Don't say no." She requested, watching as Jack took Ruby out of the hallway. "I'm not saying 'explain it to her', but she needs to see him, just to know that he's still around, that he hasn't left her." She paused. "I asked her if she wanted to write her letter to Santa. You know what she asked for?"

Gabriella shook her head. "No. I... I haven't even thought about Christmas."

"She asked for her daddy to come home and make her mommy stop crying." Lucille elaborated. "She needs to understand that he didn't choose to leave. I can understand you wanting to protect her from all of this, but the last thing anyone needs is her thinking that her daddy did something wrong."

"She'll get upset." Gabriella tried reasoning. "She'll talk to him, and he won't answer. She won't understand that he can't."

"Do you talk to him?"

"There's no point." The brunette sighed, heading past her mother-in-law and into the living room. "He won't answer. It's been five weeks, and the doctors said that there's no reason for him to have not woken up." She looked down, tears in her eyes. "They said that they don't know if he'll ever wake up. He could be in this coma for the rest of his life." She placed a had on her abdomen. "I can't do this on my own."

"You're not on your own." Lucille answered. "Whatever happens, we'll always be here. Not just for Ruby and the baby, for you too."

"I need him." Gabriella cried. "He can't do this. I need him."

Lucille sat her down, wrapping her arms around her in an attempt to calm her down. "He knows. He'll be fine."

"Mommy?" They both froze. "Mommy, don't cry." Ruby approached them, climbing onto the couch next to her mother. "Mommy, daddy's gonna be home soon. I asked Santa. He always gives me what I want." She paused. "I'm gonna go tell him to come home, mommy, daddy always does what I want."

"You think that'll work, Roo?"

Ruby nodded, clearly happy to have gained a response from her mother. "He's gotta listen to me, mommy, always always always, he promised."

"You really want to see him? Even though he won't talk to you?"

"He's gotta, mommy. He promised."

"Baby, sometimes..." She hesitated, almost flinching at the confusion in her daughter's eyes. "Sometimes people make promises that they can't keep, no matter how much they want to."

"Daddy always keeps his promises."

"I know." Gabriella nodded. "I know."

"He only ever didn't once."

"I told you babe, I'm going to be back to take her, I'm just leaving now."

"She's excited."

"So am I. I didn't think she'd let me, you know. You always take her. Trick or treating is kind of your thing."

"I still don't see why we can't all go."

"It's cold out." Gabriella could almost see her husband's face as he spoke. "You're pregnant. You don't have to be supermom all the time."

"I think I'll just be sleepymom while you're out with her." She hesitated. "Troy, you're not driving are you?"

"Hands free, remember?"

"Still, you need to concentrate on the road."

"Just about to leave the parking lot. You want me to hang up?"

"Not really."

"I'll be home in twenty minutes."

"You better be."

She smiled as he laughed. "I love you, Elle."

"Where did that come from?"

"Am I not allowed to express my feelings?"

"I love you too." Her smile faded when the sound of screeching metal carried through the phone. "Troy?" She paused, hoping for a response. "Troy?"

-ACW-

Lucille frowned, watching her granddaughter closely as she slowly approached the bed, tugging gently on the sheets.

"Daddy?" Her voice was small. "Daddy, you missed my costume." She turned back to her grandmother, gaining an encouraging nod. "Daddy?" She turned back to him. "You have to come home for Christmas." She paused again, watching his eyes for any sign of movement. "I think mommy forgot, we didn't get the carrots for the reindeer or anything." She turned to the door as she sensed another presence, changing the subject at the sight of her mother. "We just saw my baby. It was on the TV."

Gabriella leant against the door, feeling Lucille's comforting hand on her back as they watched Ruby talk. She looked away, unable to watch the one sided conversation.

"Are you okay?"

Turning to her Lucille, she allowed her to see the unshed tears. "I just thought that maybe he'd respond to her. That maybe her believing she could get him to wake up would be enough."

"He'll wake up when he's ready. He always has taken his time."

Gabriella nodded, biting her lip. "What do I tell her?" She paused. "I can't keep telling her that daddy's sleeping."

"Give him some time." Lucille urged. "Not much point in upsetting her when he could wake up any minute."

"Ow!" They both glanced up at the complaint, once again concentrating on Ruby. She turned to face them. "I think daddy wanted to hold my hand."

Gabriella glanced from her daughter to her husband before her gaze settled back on the child's face. "He can't, sweetheart."

"He did." Ruby insisted. "I put my hand on daddy's, like when he says his hand is bigger than mine, and he moved his fingers and it hurt because he has very long nails."

Gabriella sighed, approaching her daughter. "Honey, daddy hasn't moved."

"He did, mommy!"

Lucille stepped forward, noticing how distressed Ruby was making her mother. "I think it's time we went home and got some dinner, okay?"

She watched as the six year old's eyes narrowed, her feet planted firmly on the ground. "No."

"Ruby Jade Bolton, you will do as you're told."

"Daddy wants to hold my hand!"

Lucille glanced over to her daughter-in-law, slightly surprised that the woman was not objecting to her daughter's defiance, to see the tears falling steadily.

"You made mommy cry." Lucille turned back to her granddaughter at the accusation. "Daddy'll be mad at you."

"Apologise." Ruby frowned, looking over at her mother, meeting her stern gaze. "Apologise to your grandmother, now. You do not speak to her like that."

"No."

Gabriella bit her lip uncomfortably, looking over at Lucille. "She wouldn't be acting like this if Troy was awake."

Lucille nodded, taking hold of her resistant granddaughter and leading her out of the room, knowing that Gabriella would follow soon after.

-ACW-

Jack sighed, watching the steady breathing of his only son, glancing at Ruby, asleep in an armchair by the window in the private room., before speaking. "Your mom and I are looking after them the best we can, but it's you that they want." He heard a voice just outside the door, and turned to see two passing nurses. He shook his head, sighing. "Ruby's acting out. She's confused. Needs her daddy to explain it to her." He placed a hand on his son's arm. "Gabriella's a lot harder to look after. Just as stubborn as you. She's not eating right, and the doctors are worried about her and the baby. You need to wake up for her, son. She won't listen to either of us."

He cut off, moving back as he heard his wife's voice, opening the door for her as she walked in, Gabriella walking silently by her side. He glanced over at his wife, sighing as she shook her head. "Gabriella, you have to eat." She barely acknowledged he'd spoken, just sat down by the bed, observing her husband. "Are you going to stay here all night?" A nod. "We can take Ruby home if you want."

"I want her here with me."

"We'll go home and get her presents then." Lucille put in. "Santa can visit her at the hospital this year."

They watched as Gabriella's only acknowledgement of the statement was a nod, taking their time leaving the room.

Gabriella waited until they had gone, watching them turn the corner at the end of the hallway before focusing back on her husband.

"I know I haven't been talking to you." She struggled to hold back the tears as she spoke to her husband. "I hate talking to you and knowing that you're not going to answer." She paused, swallowing. "Why won't you wake up? Just wake up and talk back." She'd already written off her begging as pointless. "I can't be a good mom without you." She could almost hear his denial of that claim. "I've already proven that. She's out of control. The way she talks to your parents, it's..." She cut off, letting the tears fall. "I need you." She sobbed, placing her hand on her husbands. "Please don't die. Wake up. Please wake up." She reached up with her free hand to wipe her tears away, glancing over at Ruby. "She needs you." She turned back to her husband. "Please, don't leave me." She buried her head into the sheets by his hand. "Please don't die."

"Who said anything about dying?"

She froze at the sound of the gravely voice, barely registered the feeling of a hand on the back of her head, fingers running through her hair. "You're not talking."

"I don't have to." His voice was faint. "Not if you don't want me to."

Her head darted up, and she automatically looked to his face to see his eyes still closed.

"Now I'm imagining things."

"Crazy woman."

She almost jumped when she saw the movement of his lips, was barely managing to restrain herself from jumping on him. "You're awake?"

"Apparently." She almost laughed at the response. "Why am I so tired?"

"Troy," She began, moving her hand to his face and running her thumb over his cheek before softly kissing him. "Don't panic, okay? There was an accident, you're in..."

"The hospital." He interrupted. "I know. I could still hear you." He sighed. "What day is it?"

"Christmas Eve." She paused, standing up. "I should go and get the doctor."

"Not yet."

She listened, clutching his hand in hers. "I thought..."

"You should have believed her."

"What?"

"Ruby." He coughed. "She told you that I tried to hold her hand. I did."

"I didn't want..."

"I know." He paused. "The baby?"

"He's fine."

"He?"

She nodded, biting her lip. "You can't do this again."

"Okay." His response reassured her, despite her knowing he couldn't really prevent car accidents. "Go get a doctor." He relented to her earlier statement. "Then go and eat."

"I don't want to.."

"I'm not asking." She flinched as a violent cough followed the statement. "Go on."

-ACW-

Lucille smiled as her son watched his daughter, the intense focus in his gaze hard to break. "She's fine."

"Dad said she's been acting up."

Lucille sighed. "She was confused and scared. It was how she coped." She turned at the faint groan, smiled at the small yawn her granddaughter gave before her eyes flickered open. She approached her, picking her up and carrying her over to the bed.

"Hey, Roo."

They smiled as she rubbed her eyes, finally focusing on her father. "Daddy?"

"Hey."

"You missed my costume."

"I'm sorry, honey."

"It's okay." She paused. "Are you gonna make mommy stop crying now?"

He couldn't help but smile. "Yeah. No more crying for mommy." He looked over to the door as she walked in, shaking his head at the sight of her. "What could you have possibly eaten so fast?"

She ignored the question, going back to her position by the bed and clutching his hand again.

"Mommy!" They both turned to their daughter simultaneously. "I told you Santa would get me what I wanted."

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