Victoria and Cole walked in the ranch, carrying gifts, Sharon followed through, looking nervous from the thought of Christmas with Nikki, and without Nicholas being there.

Victoria smiled as she walked in and saw her parents smiling at each other “Dad is over the Brad thing, good”

She thought as she saw no evidence of tension between her parents, on the contrary, they looked relaxed, and her mom was actually smiling, something she hasn’t seen her doing in a while, she whispered to Cole “I can’t believe even dad managed to cheer her up”.

Cole looked with a silent smile, as he had been more aware than his wife about what going on between her parents, he wondered if he should tell Vicki about it, but decided not to, if things would work out- she would find out about it, and if they won’t, she wouldn't be as devastated.

Victor and Nikki got up as soon as they saw the children, Victoria hugged Nikki first, whispering “Hey mom, merry Christmas”

Nikki hugged her daughter warmlyand told her emotionally  “You too angel”

Victor and Cole exchanged greetings and Vicki turned to hug her father, “Merry Christmas Dad..”

Victor hugged him daughter and said “For you too my sweetheart”.

Nikki and Sharon stood there for a few moments, eyeing each other when Sharon said in a sugary tone “Good evening Mrs. Abbot”

Nikki replied with a smile that tried to look genuine but wasn’t “Hello Sharon, I’m glad you could make it”

Victor and Victoria looked at the scene worriedly as Sharon said in a sad tone “I know it’s important for Nicholas”.

Nikki softened in spite of herself, Sharon looked so sad and Nikki believed it was based on true emotions.

She didn’t want to, deep down she wanted to think she never cared for Nicholas, but as she looked into Sharon’s eyes she could see how upset she was, she still thought Nick was better of without her but... now was not the time to start a fight.

Nikki said, more tenderly than she meant “I know it is”.

Sharon looked up to Nikki with surprise, was it an actual affection she heard in her voice?

Nikki turned her head away, not wanting to say anything more than that, Sharon’s presence hurt her now more then any other time because she knew Nicholas had spoken to her, but didn’t call his own mother.

No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t help but feeling a little jealous of her.

Vicki turned to parents and said “I’m really glad we’re all celebrating together tonight, as a family, this is how it should be, and I know it’s what Nicholas wants - to know we are together, even if he can’t be with us”

Victor and Nikki smiled at their daughter and Victor said “You’re right, right now we should do whatever we can to make it easier for Nicholas, and I’m for one is very glad to be here, with all of you..”

He sent a look to Nikki who smiled softly at him...

Miguel walked in and offered eggnog for everyone.

They said nothing for a few words and than Cole broke the silence as he noticed the unwrapped presents and said with a sudden grin “Hey, I thought tradition is you don’t open the presents till Christmas morning!”

Victor and Nikki both looked like kids with hands caught in the cookie jar and Victor said “We made an exception” as he looked at Nikki who was almost afraid to look at him, afraid her feelings would shine from her eyes.

Vicki set down on the couch with a smile and asked as she put her hands on the wrappings and asked her parents “So, what did you get each other? It took me forever to decide what to buy!”

Nikki shot a look to her daughter who started opening the wrapping of Victor’s gift “I don’t believe you, you are so nosy!”.

Vicki asked lightly “Why, do you mind? was it something improper?”

She didn't take herself too seriously as she reached out to open the gift so she missed Nikki and Victor exchanging quick looks and Nikki turning her head away quickly as a slight smile crept on her lips from the thought...

Victoria revealed the coat and said “I love the coat...”

She smiled to her mother “Mom always had good taste...”

She was about to leave the gift alone when she suddenly said “Hey, what’s that?”

Nikki looked at Victor sympathetically, she knew it was a sensitive issue for him and he could have lived without Victoria asking too many questions...

Victoria stopped cold when she noticed the quilt...she picked it up slowly and played with it and looked at her father with a questioning look in her eyes and stammered “That’s... that’s.. the quilt you got for Nicholas isn’t it? When he was really small isn’t it..”

Victor replied quietly “Yes, it is..”

Victoria looked confused “Then why...?”

Victor explained “I miss your brother very much, Your mother just thought it is something I would want right now... and she was right”

He smiled warmly at Nikki who answered his smile with a warm look of her own.

Regret covered Victoria’s features as she apologized “Oh, I’m sorry Dad, I didn’t mean to pry...”

Victor smiled at his daughter “That’s okay, I don’t mind..”

Sharon looked at the scene ... She smiled as she looked at the blanket.

She said to Victor with a smile “I remember Nicholas showed me his photo Album as a baby, I remember seeing it there... actually, I remember seeing it in every picture!”
That broke the tension a little bit as Victor smiled at Sharon...

Victoria didn’t looked convinced and still looked so distressed Nikki decided to help her out and said “So, you’re not going to ask what I got?”

Victoria looked at Nikki with a half smile “I’m almost afraid to..”

Nikki showed her the bracelet, and smiled at Victor, Cole gave out a whistle and Victoria opened her mouth as she touched it “Oh Wow... it’s beautiful... oh...”

She looked at her parents with curiosity, they have always exchanged gifts in the holidays and on birthdays, but she didn’t recall anything like that, both Victor and Nikki noticed Victoria’s look but did their best to ignore it, they weren’t about to let on anything, not yet anyway.

Victor asked his daughter “So, I take it you approve?”

Victoria looked at the bracelet with awe as Nikki smiled at her “Are you serious? It’s gorgeous...let me see.. well, a piano, lilac,  a horse... what are these? Our birthstones?”

Nikki nodded and Victoria continued “A Strawberry, that one is obvious..”

Sharon asked with curiosity “Why a strawberry?”

Vicki commented “Oh, mom can’t live without her strawberry fix at least once a day... “

Nikki elbowed her daughter “I’m not that bad...”

Victor commented “Yes you are...”

He told the children with a smile “A little after your mother moved into the ranch I started to notice the strawberries are slowly disappearing from the kitchen... it took me a while to realize why though...”

Nikki looked at him, memories flowing back and said in a husky voice “Yea... and once you realized you always made sure there was a dish with strawberries waiting in the fridge...”

She stopped and looked at Victor... electricity was flowing between them, Victoria looked at them, she definitely felt it, something was going on between her parents...the way they reminiscing, the looks... the question is - what was it all about? Cole noticed Victoria’s look and wasn’t sure he liked it... it was obvious by what Nikki was saying earlier that not everything was settled between her and Victor, and he didn’t Victoria to get hurt.
 

Sharon smiled at the story, and commented sadly “Nicholas loves strawberries too, now I know where he got it from...”

Everyone went silent as Nikki wiped a tear away, she looked at the phone and said “I wonder when he would call...”

Cole said comfortingly “I’m sure it won’t be long now...”

Victoria asked “So, do we all get to exchange gifts today?”

Victor shook her head “No, you wait till tomorrow”

Victoria pouted “Hey, you opened yours”

Nikki smiled sweetly at her “Because we’re the parents.. we are allowed...”

Victoria looked toward the tree “I already put Nicholas’s gift under it...”

She looked tearfully at Nikki who wrapped her arm around her daughter’s shoulder “I bought him a new CD, I forgot I ordered it for him weeks ago...it seems so...out of place”

She looked at Nikki “What did you get him, Mom?”

Nikki said quietly “A new shirt...”

She looked at Victor who sat on the couch in a pained expression “Dad?”

Victor replied, not looking at her “Two tickets for the Mets game... I ordered it a while ago.... the game is in a week”

Vicki looked at Sharon “Sharon?”

Sharon replied tearfully “I was going to make him a special dinner, an evening just for the two of us...”

Vicki shook her head as she stood up and walked around the room “Are we just kidding ourselves? Is he ever going to get out of there” She looked at her father “Dad, be honest with me, is there any hope?”

Victor nodded silently “Yes there’s hope... but the amount of time it might take is what scares me, it is obvious Amy knows something, but we have a problem in triggering her memory... we also found out Matt has purchased a gun, and apparently it was the gun he was shot with”

Nikki’s face lit up and she asked eagerly “Well?! Isn't’ it enough, it would prove he was lying!”

Victor shook his head and said “No, the person who sold it to him won’t testify because it would mean she would get into troubles for selling a gun without the 24 hours waiting period”

Nikki shook her head tearfully “I just don’t believe it, it’s one dead end after another...”

Sharon sniffed and asked “Did you tell Nicholas that?”

Victor shook his head “No, and I am not going to either, it’s a dead end, no point of bringing it up...” Cole said “Oh man... I doesn’t look like this is ending...”

Nikki rose from the sofa and walked to the other side of the room, saying angrily “No, Cole it’s an on going nightmare! I can’t imagine what Nicholas must be going through there”

She stopped next to the fireplace and looked at his photo, tears falling down her cheeks, Victoria went toward her and hugged her silently as Victor looked at Nikki and his daughter sadly....

At that moment, Miguel walked in carefully “Hmm...I’m sorry to interrupt but... dinner is ready”

Nikki shook her head ‘I don’t want anything”

Victor approached her and told her “Come on, lets at least sit down at the table...”

Nikki silently nodded as they sat at the table that was loaded with all the Christmas goodies, a huge roasted turkey was placed at the middle of the table, truffles mushroom, shaved on top of vegetables, a Portobello mushroom stuffing, with wild rice, a Gingerbread House, cranberry sauce, Asparagus and many more things...

Victor said “Everything looks wonderful Miguel...”

Miguel smiled faintly “Thank you, Mr Newman, I just wish Nicholas could have been here...”

Nikki said “So do us Miguel...”

There was silent for a moment and Victoria said “Dad... do you mind if I’ll say the prayer?”

Victor looked at his daughter and said “Not at all sweetheart”

Victoria put her hands together, closed her eyes and tried to find words to describe what is on her heart:

“Dear god, We thank you for the food that is on our table, for our health and for having each other to lean on at this dark hour for our family, as my brother is locked at jail for a crime he didn't commit”

She sniffed and tried to control her tears as Cole put a comforting hand on her hand.

Victoria continued “We’re asking you to take a good care of him, we love him so much and we don’t know what we can do without him...”

Victoria’s voice choked as she tried to continue “My brother is such a good person, who had never done anything wrong...”

She paused again, as everyone tried to control their tears... “We’re asking you to guide him through that hard time, so that he won’t change in prison, and remain the sweet, kind, good man I know now... and to help us god, so that we would not lose hope... “

Her voice faltered as she fought to finish “Amen”.

At that moment, the phone rang... and everyone froze...