Worthless (Camren)

"This is where it says I'm yours."

The whole house smelled like sugar and spice. Christmas music was flowing from the radio. Fairy lights in the hall twinkled merrily. Lauren pulled the last batch of colorful swirl cookies out of the oven and let out a happy sigh.

"Okay, we're done. Now all that's left is to enjoy our Christmas Eve. Would you like a cookie?"

Camila shook her head, her cheeks pink from the heat. "No, thank you. I'm still full from dinner. Do you need me to help you with anything else tonight?"

Lauren scooped a small pile of cookies onto a plate. "If you could just take these to the living room. I'll be there in a moment. We've definitely earned the rest of the night off."

Camila carefully picked up the plate and walked out of the kitchen.

Lauren followed her a few minutes later, five cups of hot chocolate steaming on the tray. When she entered the living room, her family was busy trying to pick movies to watch for the evening.

"Lauren, back me up," Clara exclaimed from her place on the sofa where she was tucked against her husband's side. "It's two against one here."

Lauren grinned. "Let me guess, dad and Chris want Die Hard and Home Alone again?"

"Yes!" Clara groaned. "I proposed Love, Actually and Mamma Mia."

"I'm with you, obviously," Lauren said immediately.

"Oh but see, it's still two against two." Her dad smirked with amused satisfaction. "We're at a stalemate, looks like we'll have to compromise."

Lauren arched her eyebrows over the cups he was setting on their Christmas coasters.

"Ah, not so fast. I'm sure Camila will agree that love, singing and dancing are much more fun to watch on Christmas Eve than terrorists or clumsy robbers with a fixation. Won't you, Camila?"

When there was no answer, she straightened up and actually looked around the room, frowning.

"Where's Camila?"

Chris shrugged with his mouth full of crunchy goodness. "She brought the cookies and left."

"Why?"

"Dunno. She didn't, like, say anything."

The tray forgotten on the table, Lauren rushed to Camila's room. The door was closed, but there was light visible underneath. She knocked.

"Camila? Are you in there?"

There was a whisper of paper and a startled, "Yes, of course. Please come in."

Camila was sitting on the edge of her bed, straight-backed and alert, a book on the sheets beside her.

"What are you doing in here?" Lauren asked.

"Oh, I haven't finished today's chapter in my book yet, so I'm doing it now before I go to bed. Did you need me for anything else?"

Lauren frowned. "Well, I hoped you would come sit with us, watch a movie, drink some hot chocolate. It's Christmas Eve after all."

"Oh, I couldn't." Camila looked down at her hands.

"Why not?"

"It's not my place to be there," Camila said simply. "Christmas is family time."

"And you're family now, Camila."

Lauren jumped at her dad's voice right by her side. She hadn't even noticed Mike follow her.

Camila's head snapped up. She was on her feet instantly and Lauren could see the way her legs buckled slightly with a lifelong instinct to fall to her knees when spoken to. In the end, she simply looked down in deference.