EMMA POV:650Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsg7tGEG5Hr
I've never been home for Christmas; not since I turned fourteen and joined the agency. I've always been on a case, trying to make the world a better place. My parents don't ever seem to understand that I will never come home for the holidays.. Every year since, I've either been in Europe or the States. One Christmas, I spent it in the jungles of Africa, waiting to take down a smuggling operation.
It's not like I never wanted to come home; I really did. Every damn year, I regretted that I wasn't home with my family. Every damn year, I would have to apologize for not being able to make it. It hurt. I missed my family around those times especially. It almost made it impossible to think about a mission my first Christmas away. As time went on however, I've learned to deal with it.
This year is different though. Last year, one of my siblings passed away around this time of year, so I knew my parents and other siblings would be going through a hard time. I couldn't bear to imagine how much more it hurt, knowing that I wasn't there. They feared for my life all of the time, wondering if I would come home safely.
As of right now, I'm in my hotel room in Germany and over looking the view from my window. The white snow reminds me so much of home, to the point where it makes me miss my family. I wish I was home for the holidays right now.
Just then, my phone rings and it's my Superior Officer. What could he possibly want right now?
"Hello?" I call, answering my phone.
"Detective Boisselle, I have some good news for you. We have a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird in the area dropping off some equipment for our allies in Germany. If you can finish up your assignment in one piece, our pilot is willing to fly you home," General Dorado explained.
My heart felt like it was going to burst out my chest and a lump caught in my throat. I was taken by surprise. I never thought that this would be possible in my entire life. I was given a chance to go home...for Christmas...to be with my family! A stray tear ran down the side of my face.
"General Dorado, I will do everything that I can to make it to that jet," I told him.
"Good, just be careful and good luck tonight," He said and we hung up.
JOSEPH POV:
"Joseph, stop waiting for her. She's not coming home," My mother told me.
I sighed and stepped away from the window. My mom was right, just like she was every year. My sister was never coming home for Christmas. For most of my life, she was never here, but trying to solve a case. It wasn't fair! it wasn't fair that my sister never came home! It didn't matter that I had four more older than her, I wanted her home! I'm the only child left at home. All of my older sisters are married and my only brother passed away last year. THIS WASN'T FAIR!. Emma's the only sibling that I have any chance of seeing this year. This would be my first Christmas as the only sibling. Never mind that I get spoiled and get all of the presents. I'll admit that I enjoy the presents, but none of them would compare to my sister coming home.
"Mom, I wish that Emma could for once be home for the holidays. I know I say it every year, but I want her home this year!" I said, my voice strained with impatience and anger.
My mom looked at me with sadness in her eyes. She gave a small smile and a tear ran down her cheek.
"I wish she was home this year too, Joseph," She replied.
I pushed back my own angry tears and headed downstairs to my room. It was late, I had to go to bed or else I would be super cranky in the morning and my parents wouldn't like that, especially on Christmas morning. Getting into my room, I got under my covers and went to bed in a sour mood; as usual.
EMMA POV:
"Where is that idiot?" I grumbled to myself as I navigated the hallways.
Gun held out, I searched for my target. I was suppose to capture one of my own people who had turned traitor and was working with the Germans. I had managed to deal with those guys, but looking for the traitor was like finding a needle in a haystack. I had to get him; he was selling all of our secrets to them. Rubbing my tired eyes and looking at my watch, I saw that it was two o'clock in the afternoon. I've been awake for twelve hours today. Ugh.
"Come on Dieter, let's get this over with. Give yourself up and we can all get some rest!" I called out as I continued looking for him.
I didn't hear anything and that bothered me. This guy was usually so talkative and would monologue whenever he got the chance, especially during a face off. When I rounded the corner and saw that it was empty as well, I worried. I followed him here. How could he possibly have disappeared all of a sudden? The only way out would be past me!
Suddenly, I heard something drop down from behind. Spinning around, I ducked just in time to avoid getting punched in the face by Dieter. He must have been hiding up on the scaffolding. As soon as I ducked, I swept a leg under him and he came crashing to the floor. He had been holding a gun and I quickly went to wrestle it away from him. Damn, he's a strong fighter.
"I could do you a solid, Detective. I could put you to sleep for the rest of your life," Dieter threatened as he pushed me off of him.
I tried getting to my feet, but he quickly pinned me down with a foot on top of me. Ouch, the pressure sure was intense. He held his gun right up to my head and he crouched down to, of course, monologue to my face. I hate this guy...
"Once I'm done with you, I'm going to make sure that every villainous operation knows of the secrecy in CTAV. Once they all know, no one will be safe again, not even their loved ones. It's a shame that you've never been home for Christmas to spend time with yours. Everyone seems to see you as their protector; their savior. I wonder how they will survive without you," Dieter said.
I growled under my breath. Nobody and I meant nobody, ever threatened my family and walked away alive from me. Dieter wasn't going to be the first either. This was my moment. I had been given the chance to go home for Christmas...my first time since before I joined the agency. He wasn't going to tear this opportunity away from me.
"You know what your problem is, Dieter? You talk way too much," I said.
With that, I swung a leg up and kicked him the groin. He went down and I sprung to my feet, gun picked up and poised at him. I made a grab for my phone to tell my team outside that I had captured Dieter when something stopped me. Dieter always kept his promises, both good and bad. If we captured him, he would find a way to make sure that our secrets got out to every villain operation around the world. Alive, he could still carry out his threats...all of them. Most times, making a decision to kill someone was hard for me, no matter how dangerous the criminal appeared. But no criminal had ever threatened my family before because none of them were traitors like Dieter. He knew my personal life; he knew my family.
"Well, don't I have a cell to be taken to?" Dieter asked, in a cocky tone.
It wasn't a very hard decision to make. Once I made up my mind, nothing could stop me.
"You threatened my family. What makes you think I'm going to send you to a holding cell where it's possible for you to still get hold of your contacts?" I asked.
Then he looked at me and had a look of fear in his eyes. It wasn't a fear I was used to from him before he turned traitor. He knew that I was dead serious about this. He knew that I was going to kill him.
"Merry Christmas, you filthy animal," I said and pulled the trigger.
JOSEPH POV:
I woke up hearing something coming from upstairs. It was probably my parents, putting more presents under the tree. But when I looked at my clock and saw that it was seven o'clock in the morning, I realized that they were too late to have been able to do that. Well now that I was awake and there was no possible way of getting back to sleep, I crawled out of bed and threw on my ratty red housecoat. Slipping my feet into my slippers, I headed upstairs.
"Mom, dad, you two are up way to early," I growled as I came marching up the stairs.
Coming up the second flight and turning in to the living room, I stopped dead in my tracks. There was a stranger in my house. Someone who had never been here before on Christmas. Making sure that my eyes weren't deceiving me or that I was dreaming, I rubbed my eyes and pinched myself. It couldn't be...
"Merry Christmas, Joseph," She said.
I smiled and before I could go over and give her a big hug, I ran for my parents room and knocked obnoxiously on the door.
"Mom, dad! Santa came late today!" I yelled.
"What is he talking about?" I heard mom grumble from the other side of the door.
"I don't know, but we better find out what he's rambling about before he marches in here," I heard dad.
The door opened and they walked out, looking a bit groggy. Seeing the big smile on my face, they wondered what was going on. Grabbing their hands, I dragged them in to the living room. I heard an audible gasp escape from the both of them and I think mom may have started to cry.
"You're.....you're home! Oh, I can't believe it! You're home for Christmas!" Our mother cried with joy.
Emma, who had been standing tall and a little bit stiff, loosened up as soon as our mother came over to embrace her in a loving hug. Dad joined the hug also, glad to have his youngest daughter home. As for me, I was still a little bit surprised that she was here. I had been praying all month that she would come home for Christmas, just once. Now that she was here, it seemed too good to be true.
"Joseph, come here," Emma called.
Then I smiled and went to join the family hug. As I hugged my sister, I felt at peace for once. I wouldn't have to spend this Christmas as the only child. I wish she could make up for those seven years that she missed for every Christmas.
"Emma, will you promise to come home for Christmas for the next seven years?" I asked.
Emma laughed, knowing that seven years had indeed been too long. With her final words, she brought me great comfort and happiness.
"For the next few years, I promise that I will be home for Christmas, no matter where I am in the world. Nothing makes me happier then being home with my family, who I have missed so dearly."
EMMA POV:
I wanted to be true to my words. My family had always been important to me, especially during the Christmas season. I'm grateful that for the first time in seven years, I've been able to spend it with my family, and not with a partner on a mission. I'm in a warm home and not a cold damp cave. I'm with people who love and care about me, not with people who want to kill me. As I counted my blessings, I felt a stray tear roll down my cheek.
For the rest of my days, I forever promise my family, that I'll be home for Christmas. And I am never going to break that promise.650Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7aOhE6eqn
THE END
650Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUb2I61ZOi
650Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbEjYJoI8o
