Prompt: "Someone doesn't have anyone to spend Christmas with."

The weather was cold, bitterly cold, she could barely feel her own fingers. The wind was strong and sharp, violently blowing through her face, making her entire body shiver beneath the thick layers of her clothes.

Kate was sitting on a bench, watching other pedestrians strolling on the streets, coming in and out of the city's most famous shopping center. Everyone was carrying large shopping bags, probably filled with last minute Christmas supplies. She should really get inside the building too, warm up at least a bit on this cold and frigid december night, but she wasn't even in a mood for Christmas, not this year anyway, and she had no intention of going home either. Her little appartment was now cold and emty, haunted by sadness, thanks to that stupid guy whom she was endlessly in love with.

She was ready to get married with the love of her life not that long ago, whom she was dating since more than five years. She was ready to be a wife, to look forward new adventures. They both were ready to start a new chapter of their life, at least that's what she had thought, but the man who she loved with all of her heart apparently cheated on her, and left her at the altar on their supposed wedding day.

It was months ago already, but it still hurt, she was still broken and lonely, unable to move on.

Letting out a heavy sigh she tucked a few, wind-tousled lock of hair behind her ear, then she tore her gaze away from the crowd of people, observing the beautiful winter view all around her instead. The entire street was lit up, tiny Christmas lights glittering everywhere. The snow started falling heavily a while ago, slowly turning the city into a white wonderland.

If only she had someone to spend Christmas with, Kate had sighed aloud to herself, blinking hard against the little snowflurries blurrying her vision. Or was it the sudden burst of tears clouding her eyes?

"Hey, can I sit here?" A gentle, unfamiliar voice startled her, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yeah, sure." She replied faster than she wanted, quickly wiping the salty moisture away from her eyes.

"Are you okay?" The stranger then asked, sitting down next to her on that small bench, unable to keep his eyes off of her beautiful, slender frame. Her cheeks were rosy, stained with cold, her eyes green, and her chestnut brown hair was perfectly curling around her shoulders. She was like an angel.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied, forcing a smile onto her lips. No way she is going to discuss her problems with a complete stranger.

"What about you?" She then asked bashfully, surprised at her own quieston. She never used to start conversations so easily, she wasn't the type who opened up to people, especially not to a stranger, but there was something intriguing about this man, something which she couldn't quiet define.

"I'm okay too, waiting for my daughter." Replied the man with an oh, so charming smile. So he has a daughter?! Well, that makes sense, she thought, he seems older than her, but not that creepy kind of old. As in fact he was... handsome.

"My daughter is almost 18 already," he went on with that charming smile still claiming his face, "she says she is old enough to go shopping on her own, but you know, I still insisted to come with her anyway." The man grinned sheepishly, the corner of his lips curling upwards.

"Yeah, that's understable." Kate replied in a soft tone, slightly nodding, unable to hold back a smile.

Their gazes met for a moment too long then, his bright blue eyes holding her captive, and she couldn't help but wonder what if she would press her lips to his, what if...

"And what about you?" He then asked suddenly, interrupting her thoughts once again. "Are you waiting for someone too, miss..."

"I'm Kate." She filled in for him.

"And no, I don't have anyone to... spend the holidays with." She sighed out quietly, avoiding his eyes in shame, fidgeting with her finger out of habit, right on the spot where her diamond ring used to be.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that." The man answered gently.

"Don't be." She muttered under her breath, slowly lifting her gaze up to meet his ocean blues once again.

They didn't even know each other, but he was already amazed by her entire being, the way she moved, the way she smiled, and the way her face twitched when she spoke.

Her eyes were green, shining like an emerald now, but there was also so much pain, so much sorrow hiding beneath the dept of her gleaming eyes. He wanted to know everything about her, about this beautiful, angelic woman whom he only met a few minutes ago, but it was too soon to ask, or even hope for anything more. They are still strangers after all, he quickly reminded himself.

"What if we would spend the holidays together?" He then blurted out without even thinking, his sky blue eyes litting up with hope. "Just me, you and my daughter. What do you say, huh? Oh, and I'm Rick by the way." He added with a grin, reaching out his hand to shake hers.

"Oh, really? And what about your wife, Rick?" She snapped back teasingly with a raised eyebrow, accepting his handshake and oh, he definitely couldn't get enough of that sultry voice of hers.

"We are divorced."He stated quickly.

"Oh." Was all she managed to get out on a breath, surprised.

"We split up only a few months ago," he went on, trying to explain, " and it will be my daughter's first Christmas without her mother joining us, so I was thinking..."

"Oh, there you are! Hey, dad!" A young, tall girl with a fiery red hair had exclaimed, trotting toward them in the freshly fallen snow with two large shopping bags in both of her hands.

"Oh hey, pumpkin. So I guess you are done with shopping?"

"Yeah, I bought everything I needed, and so much more!" Said the girl with a pleased smile, and Kate couldn't help but notice the similarities between the father and daughter.

"Oh, this is Kate by the way," Rick had said, gesturing toward her. "She is my..."

"New friend." Kate cut in quickly with a shy smile adorning her lips.

"Oh, hey, I'm Alexis." Said the girl hesitantly, but with a smile on her face as well. "Nice to meet you!" She then added, reaching out her small hand to shake Beckett's.

While the two women were introducing to each other, exchanging small talks and smiles, he quickly pulled out a small notebook from his coat pocket, tore out one page and jotted something down with a seemingly expensive pen.

Who is even carrying a pen and a notebook in his coat pocket? Kate had wondered, watching him from the corner of her eye.

Her daughter seemed to be freezing out here, even though she was wearing a warm coat, and that's when Kate had realized how cold the weather actually was. Not that long ago she felt like freezing too, but the presence of this handsome man warmed her up, inside and out. She didn't want to say goodbye to him yet, but she had to.

After the three of them said their goodbies Rick handed her that small scrape of paper and with that, he turned around and slowly walked away with her daughter by his side.

"Just think about what I said earlier!" He shouted back with a wink, taking one last glance at Beckett, before blending into the crowd of people.

When the two of them left, Kate slowly, carefully unfolded the scrape of paper clutched into her gloved hand. In instant she laid eyes on the handwritten note her entire face lit up, with a timid smile curling at the corner of her lips.

He gave her his adress. And his phone number.

After tossing and turning in her bed for hours later that night, unable to stop thinking about the man and his charming smile, she eventually gave up on trying to sleep.

Fumbling for her device in the moonlight darkness she grabbed the tiny strip of paper from her nightstand, quickly typing those handwritten numbers into her phone. Letting out a sigh, and biting her lower lip she placed the device to her ear, waiting for the other end to pick up.

That's how she ended up at his doorsteps two days later with snowflurries tangled in her hair, and with a warm, wide smile spreading across her lips.

They were having Christmas dinner all together after all, she, him, and his daughter. At first they were eating in awkward silence, enjoing the taste of his home made meal, then her daughter started telling funny stories about her school life, trying to lighten up the mood, which apparently she successfully accomplished.

A few hours later all the tension was drained, all the awkwardness was gone, the three of them laughing, having fun, enjoying each other's company. She didn't even remeber when was the last time she smiled that much.

It was late night then, when her daughter retreated into her room to get some sleep before Santa would come, leaving only the two of them on the cozy couch next to the giant Christmas tree, which Kate was admiring since the moment she stepped her foot inside the loft. Garlands, knick knacks and decorations were everywhere, apprently he was all in, when it came to Christmas.

The snowfall outside was slowly turning into a blizzard thanks to the strong gust off wind rattling hard against the windows, interrupting the pieceful silence of the night. She couldn't go home at this late hour, wouldn't be safe out there in this crazy weather, but honestly, she didn't even mind spending the entire Christmas night with him anymore.

She enjoyed his company more than she thought she would be, she enjoyed hearing his funny quips, his gentle, husky voice was like a music to her ears. She enjoyed listening the crackle and sizzle of his fireplace as a quiet background sound, she liked watching his face in the dim lighting of the room, as the twinkle of Christmas lights were dancing in the pool of his sky blue eyes.

She already liked everything about this man, about him, and she suddenly wanted more, so much more.

After all, he was the one who made her forget all of her problems, who made her laugh like no one else did. He was the one who saved her Christmas, who was able to bring back the long lost magic into her life.

He was the one, the only man she had finally kissed one week later, when the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, and for the first time in almost a decade, she stepped into the new year with hope, and with newfound love and joy.

A/N: I know this story is a bit of a mess, but it was a very last minute idea to write this. I came across this prompt online, and couldn't resist turning it into a small one shot. Hope you guys enjoyed it anyway. :) Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays, and even if you don't celebrate, I hope you are having a good time anyway. Thanks for all the responses, and the next chapter of "Holding Onto You" is in progress too! :))