Our Boys

The Perfect Christmas

The next day...

JJ and Simon had decided to make Vik's homecoming a surprise for everyone, so not even Deji knew they were due to arrive with Vik.

The boys were sitting in the great room in front of the fireplace roasting marshmallows when their fathers burst through the door, startling everyone.

"You're home!" Tobi called out in shock, pulling his marshmallow out of the flames and laying it on a plate.

"And Vik's with you!" Josh happily exclaimed. He'd been really worried about the little guy, and he felt kind of guilty about passing his cold to the younger boy, no matter how many times everyone assured him that he wasn't to blame.

The four brothers rushed to the bundled up trio while Deji came in from the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about. He grinned at the sight of the reunited family.

"We've been so worried," Tobi admitted.

"Is he all better?" Harry called out.

"He sure looks better," Ethan claimed.

"He's better, but he's still sick. The doctor let us bring him home for Christmas," JJ told them all, brushing the snow out of his hair and taking his jacket off.

"Yep, seems he wanted to be here with all you maniacs," Simon told them, setting Vik down on the sofa to take off the boy's jacket.

Vik, meanwhile, was staring wide-eyed at all the glittering Christmas decorations and the gigantic, lighted tree in the great room, not to mention all the colourfully wrapped gifts piled underneath it. He'd never seen anything like it.

"Wow, look at all the pwesents," he uttered in awe.

The room went deathly silent as the boys stared at their little brother in open-mouthed wonder. JJ and Simon grinned like fools at the looks on their sons' faces.

"He...he talked," Ethan gasped.

"He actually freakin' spoke!" Tobi squeaked.

"Way to go Vik!" Harry cheered. "I knew you could talk! I just knew it."

"Congrats brothers," Deji beamed, wiping his soapy hands on a dishtowel.

"What made you decide to finally talk?" Josh questioned.

Vik looked down, blushing and picked at a loose thread on the sofa. "I just wanted to be home for Chwistmas. I didn't wan' to ruin it for you."

"Wow, you sure are northern..." Tobi murmured.

JJ kneeled down next to the couch; a bit upset that Vik had thought he would have ruined Christmas. "That was really sweet of you, baby boy, but it wasn't your fault you got sick. It wasn't anybody's," he said with a pointed look at Josh. "We were all just planning on having Christmas with you at the hospital. Christmas ain't about where you are; it's the people you're with, but we're all very glad you're going to be here at home with us all."

"We're blessed," Deji added with a smirk.

"Does this mean we won't be splitting Vik's presents between us?" Ethan asked, with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Vik and Harry whipped their heads around to stare at the older boy in alarm. Harry hadn't been aware that was an option.

JJ let out a roaring laugh. "Guess not Ethan. Seems Vik will be here to open his gifts after all."

Simon playfully smacked his husband on the back of the head. "Quit teasing him like that, you idiot. He's still too sick to recognise when you're joking."

JJ affectionately squeezed the boy's pajama-clad leg. "Oh don't worry, baby boy. We never would've given away your presents. We bought them for you and just for you. Santa gets upset when the presents he leaves for little boys get taken by other little boys. He gives those other boys big lumps of coal the next year."

Harry gasped in horror while Josh and Ethan rolled their eyes. Their father came up with the strangest stories sometimes.

Vik, meanwhile, spent a moment in deep thought. Papa was probably telling the truth. They wouldn't have given away his presents. He'd never had a Christmas in a real home before. The only Christmas he could remember was spent with his mother in a hotel in India. Santa apparently didn't visit hotels in New Delhi, but his brothers had assured him Santa truly did exist, and would not be skipping him this year. They'd even helped him write a letter to the man, informing him of Vik's new address. They attached a list of toy's Vik had pointed out from a few toy websites, but Vik was guarded about the whole situation. He'd learned the hard way in his short but eventful life, to never get his hopes up too high. It would just hurt more when it didn't happen.

All the excitement had exhausted the still sick preschooler and he started to sag against his daddy, who had sat next to the youngster on the couch. Simon pulled the sleepy boy into his lap and covered him with the blanket. The other boys quietened down and cheerfully went back to roasting their marshmallows. JJ got up from his knees and sat down next to his husband on the sofa, putting an arm around Simon's shoulders. He looked around the brightly lit room, at the beautiful Christmas tree, their sons, softly joking with each other in front of the fireplace, and down at their new son, peacefully dozing in his husband's lap. It had shaped up to be a wonderful Christmas. They had a new son, a new talking son, they were all home in one piece, and their other boys were happy and healthy. What more could he want? Glancing over at his husband's handsome profile his heart swelled. Nothing, absolutely nothing at all. Giving Simon's shoulder a squeeze, JJ settled back to relax and enjoy the rest of Christmas Eve.

Well there's the first part of the story complete! Don't worry though, it's not over yet, it'll just be taking a slight twist in the future...or should I say, the past ;)