A/N: Sorry this took so long! I've been really busy since school started up again. I really had wanted to finish by X-Mas but oh well. Here's the final chapter! Sorry again!

Chapter Seven~ "Merry Christmas to All"

"Syd! Syd, Sweetie! Sydney, wake up!" a voice calls out from a distance, floating closer and closer.

My eyes snap open and I see a figure emerge above me. Another angel?

My vision clears and my mind surfaces out of sleep. I realize that it's Francie.

"...Fran...?" I say softly as I sit up.

"Are you okay, Syd? You were screaming," Francie tells me with concern filling her voice.

"I... I was? What did I say?"

"You kept yelling about wanting to 'go back' from somewhere. And I swear I heard the name 'Vaughn' come up a few times. Who is that?"

I rub my head and think quickly. "Oh... just someone from my dream. He... he's just a figment of my dream," I explain, not entirely lying.

Francie nods. "Oh. Well, whoever he was, you seemed really worried about him. If he were real, I'd probably say he's some guy you're in love with."

I smile a little. "Me too," I agree quietly.

She grins. "Anyway, Merry Christmas, Sweetie. Are you alright to get up now? Because it's already 12:30 and Will's here. Again," she winks.

I laugh. "Yeah."

I push my covers off and rub my eyes.

Had it all been a dream? Did I never go to the pier and meet Kate? And she never showed me life without me?

Will had never been a drug addict, my dad had never gone insane, and Vaughn had never been tortured?

As I stand up and walk towards the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth, Francie calls to me again. "Oh, by the way, how was your drive?"

I stop. "My drive?"  

Francie hands me a yellow sticky note. "Yeah."

I read it.

"Fran,

Went for early morning drive. Good luck with the restaurant!

~Syd"

I gape. "Oh... oh, yeah. It was nice. Very relaxing."

It's only now that I look down and notice that I'm still wearing my jogging outfit. But this doesn't mean anything, right? I could've gone to the pier, come back, fallen asleep, then had the dream.

After finishing in the bathroom, I dress and head back to the kitchen. "Hey Will."

"Hi, Syd. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," I respond. I turn to Francie. "So how did things go with the restaurant?"

She grins. "So awesome. The place was packed!"

I give her a hug. "That's great. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks."

We pulled away and I heard my cell phone ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"Fisher's Skating Rink, two hours."

Covering so Francie wouldn't as questions, I say into the phone, "Thank you. Merry Christmas to you, too, Dad."

Will holds an understanding expression. He knows from my voice it wasn't really my dad.

I smile as the line goes dead. He's alright.

I hang up. "Come on, you guys. What do you say we open gifts now?"

"Sounds good to me," Will answering, grinning.

We head to the couch by the tree and I pull out two gifts covered in silver wrapping paper. I hand one to Francie and the other to Will.

They pass two back to me.

I rip into the paper of Francie's. A pink stress ball with the word 'Relax' imprinted on it sits inside the box, nestled in purple tissue paper. I laugh and look up at her.

She beams and shrugs. "Seemed like good advice."

I reach back into the box and pull out the other gift. It's the pair of silver hoop earrings I had wanted.

"Thank you, Fran."

Next, I open Will's box.

Inside are two DVDs. Austin Powers In: Goldmember and James Bond: The Spy who Loved Me.

"I know you love the Austin Powers movies, and I remembered you saying you were into James Bond movies," Will explains.

I laugh, recalling. It's true that I love Austin Powers, but what I had said about James Bond was that I sometimes enjoyed watching spy movies when I was in a bad mood just to laugh about how ridiculous some of them were. I had also mentioned that James Bond was the most amusing of all of them.

Will had laughed and asked why I didn't introduce myself as "Bristow, Sydney Bristow" on every mission.

When the gifts have all been opened and the shards of shiny wrapping paper have been cleaned from the floor, I excuse myself to my room. "Thanks for everything, you guys. You're awesome," I say.

In my room, I open a drawer at the bottom of my dresser.

Buried under a pile of shirts are three more gifts. Two are wrapped in green and the other in red. I smile and pull them out.

I reach for the brightly hued card on the top of my dresser and grab a pen. I'd been wondering for days what to write on this card, and now I've figured it out. When I'm done I seal it shut and tape it to the red box.

I hear a tap on the door.

"You can come in."

"Hey, Syd. You're not like... going anywhere are you?"

"Not anywhere far, Will. Just to see my... dad and a friend from work," I answer. We have to keep these conversations subtle in case Francie is listening.

Will understands. "Oh, ok."

I have to find out for sure, this thing is still lingering in my mind. "Hey, Will, you know what I was just thinking about?"

"What?"

"The day we met, under the bleachers... what were you doing? I know that was random but I just suddenly remembered."

He blinks and looks down, quiet for a moment. "I... that.. that day I was going to try dope. My life was just so screwed up and I didn't know what to do. But when you showed up you stopped me," he grins sheepishly and jokes, "but I guess once a person makes up their mind about drugs, nothing can stop them for good."

He winks and I laugh a little, then pick up the gifts from the bed.

On our way out he whispers, "Say hi to Vaughn for me."

I smile, but am deep in thought. So the thing about Will wanting to drugs was true. I couldn't have known that if it was a dream.... It had to have been real.

Either way, I realize now what great people I'm surrounded by and how easily I take it for granted. I never want to do that again, and I want them to know that.

"Look, guys, I've got to go see some friends from work," I tell Francie and Will.

Francie gives me "the look."

"I'm sorry for running out. I know things are crazy with my job. I'm always everywhere except home. I'm really, really sorry. I want you guys to know how great you've been to me. You've been the best friends anyone could have in helping me with everything that's been going on... and I'm just so glad to have you in my life."

Wow. Talk about a soap opera monologue.

Francie smiles from ear to ear. Her eyes are shining. She steps forward and pulls me into a hug. "You too, Syd," she says. "Thank you, too."

"Merry Christmas, guys."

"Merry Christmas, Syd," my friends answer.

I let out a breath, grab a bag now holding the presents and a pair of black and navy roller blades, and walk out the door to head to the rink.

"Hey," I call out to him when I get to my destination. He's speed skating around the rink (which is closed to the public for Christmas.)

He hears me and loses his balance. Tripping, he stops himself just before he crashes into the low wall separating the rink from the carpet.

"Careful," I warn, laughing.

"Hey. Sorry calling you on Christmas. You must have been busy."

"No, it's okay. I wanted to see you anyway. But since I'm off of work, I figure this isn't about a countermission."

He skates up to the wall where I'm leaning and smiles. "No."

"So?"

He goes to the opening in the wall and steps up to the carpeting, then picks up a black bag off the floor. Out of it he takes a blue gift bag decorated with silver snow flakes. "I had to give you your gift."

"Vaughn, you didn't have to get me anything."

He just grins and hands it to me. I feel a shiver as our fingers brush one another's. "I know. But I wanted to."

I smile back. "Thanks," I say gratefully, then reach into my own bag and hand him the red-wrapped gift.

"No you didn't, Syd." He holds up a hand.

"Just take it, Vaughn."

He does. Then he points to the other boxes laying in the now opened black carrier. "Francie and Will?"

"No," I shake my head. "They got theirs. Those are for my parents."

A surprised look crosses his face.

"I know," I agree, comprehending what the look is about. "I was actually debating for a while whether or not I should give them to them. But lately I've been realizing... they are my parents and I wouldn't be here without them. And regardless of everything, I know they care about me."

Vaughn nods in understanding. "Look, Syd, I know I don't really need to explain and you keep stopping me anyway. But I feel like I know so much about your personal life and I owe you that same knowledge. Alice and I... after we met at that party, we decided to just see if there was anything left. We went back to the way things were for a little while to see how it went."

I have an urge to stop him, but I decide to let him continue as he'd requested. He was right. I don't know much about him personally.

I wonder if he really has a twin named Anya.

"I knew there was nothing left," he continues, "so I planned on ending it a couple of months after it started. But then her father got sick, and I couldn't bring myself to cause her any more pain. But she turned out to be the one to do it, right after I got out of the hospital. When you saw us at the bar, we were there as friends."

"Why'd she end it?"

He shrugs. "She knew we just weren't right together. She also said..." he stops suddenly, looking down and shifting his weight from one root to the other like he always does when he doesn't want to say something.

"What?"

"...Nothing. Just that 'Rita' must really care about me."

I smile and place a hand on his arm. "She was right."

Vaughn returns the smile warmly. "So, aren't you going to open your gift?"

"Yes, and you?"

We both pick up our presents. I reach for the card tied to the bag on mine and open it.

Syd~

I saw the book and thought of you. The other gift... well, everyone needs something to confide in, even if it's inanimate. But always know that if your pen ever runs out of ink, you still have my number. Merry Christmas.

There for you always,

MV

Tears almost forming and overtaken by the sweetness and perfection of his words, curious as to exactly what they are referring to, I carefully open the bag. Gently, I pull out two books. One is a smooth, sky blue journal decorated with three black Chinese word characters. "Hope," "Strength," and "Serenity."

The second is one of those pocket sized books that tell everything about a certain date. Usually you get one describing your birthday, but not this one. In purple block letters across the cover, "October First"  is spelled out.

My heart is bubbling with happiness and caring and I look up to see him reaching for his card. I put a hand out. "Read it later."

He looks confused for a moment but obeys. He sets the card down and lifts the top off the box. He picks out the two thin pieces of shiny paper from the top.

Looking at them, he chuckles. "Coupons for Slush-Os?"

I shrug. "They're delicious."

He seems amused that I remembered that, then he pulls out the second item.

A small, plastic black fist-sized disco ball covered with multi-colored lights. "What... how did you..."

I smile, delighted at his expressions.

Still looking down at the slightly strange object, he speaks quietly. "When I was about 10 years old, these things were so in. I always wanted one but I never told anyone. For some reason, I thought they were too girlish. Like only a girl would want a flashing rainbow ball in their room. But, I mean, I grew up with only my mom and twin sister... it was hard to be totally boyish..." he stops, realizing he's rambling.

The words "twin sister" stick in my mind.

"How did you know, anyway?"

I grin. "Well apparently, you did tell one person..."

He laughs, green eyes shining. "I'm going to kill Eric Weiss."

"Oh, don't blame him. I practically had to beat it out of him. Besides, you know you still wanted one."

"Well, maybe a little..." he chortles.

There is silence suddenly as we try to take in the connection and normalcy of these moments.

Then I remember something he said a moment ago and become curious. "Anya."

He looks up, surprised. "What?"

"Anya. That's your twin sister."

"Yes. How did you...?" he begins, then grins. "What else did Eric tell you?"

I shrug, not wanting signs of my misleading to show through, but still in awe.

This is the final proof. It all really happened, I know it.

"Vaughn?" I ask as I pull on the roller skates I brought with me.

"Yeah?"

I stand and skate back over to where he's standing. "Did something ever happen to you that you can't explain? Something that defies logic and reason?"

He is about to answer, but before he can get a word out the lights suddenly snap off with a whir. The plastic disco ball illuminates and begins to turn, casting the rainbow lights all around the walls. It's not even plugged in.

Alarmed, Vaughn places it down on the floor. He looks back up at me. "Yes. Yes it has."

Smiling, he puts out his hand. I take it and we skate out to the rink.

Hand in hand, saying nothing, we glide around the smooth surface, the rainbow lights dancing around us.

I look up at the ceiling where a real silver mirror ball begins to turn, the white circles bouncing around the multi-hued ones, moving gracefully across our eyes.

Hovering just next to the ball is the shimmering figure of a girl, no more than fifteen or sixteen, with chestnut brown curls and glinting sapphire eyes. She winks at me and grins widely, showing thumbs up. She then points to something next to her.

I see it and wink back, returning the smile, just as she disappears in a quick flash. 

I inhale deeply as we glide towards the very center of the rink, just below the mirror ball and the spot where she had been gesturing to. There, I came to a stop with Vaughn by my side.

I point up to the green leaves spotted with red berries, directly above our heads and laugh. His eyes follow my hand and he sees, then he looks back down and out eyes lock.

"Merry Christmas, Michael," I whisper.

"Merry Christmas, Syd."

It's at this moment when everything else just runs together, and all the fear and doubt and lies and pain melt away, and all that I'm left with is light. And I know the truth now, Now more than ever.

It really is a wonderful life.

*****

Sydney's card to Vaughn:

Vaughn,

Last night I was at my lowest, my most depressed. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be living anymore. But against the offer you made me when we first met, I ignored the fact that I have your number. You see, for those dark moments last night, just those moments but still for far too long, I doubted the strength of our relationship.

That was stupid and I'm sorry. You've been there for me every time I needed you, and for that I'm deeply grateful. It was wrong of me, even for a second, to think that what we have is in illusion.

I need you in my life, and I care about you more than you'll ever know. What we have, the things we share... it's one of the most important things I have in my life right now and I want you to know that. I don't know how I would have ever gotten this far without you.

So again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Merry Christmas, you deserve the best one anyone could have.

All my love,

~SB

*****

*THE END*

A/N: Well, did you like it? I'm sorry that it's finished like... 2 months after X-mas but o well. I'm glad I at least finished. Lol. Did you guys like the ending or was it too corny? Tell me what you thought! Hehe. And now, off to write my Valentine's Day fic. Lol.