DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.

Hi, guys! :) This is my first attempt at writing a short story for Flora and Helia. I've only written one-shots for them so far, so I thought I'd give it a shot at writing a longer fic. :)

The story takes place in Gardenia. The show makes it seem like it's this wonderful and huge city with only entertainment and happiness everywhere, but realistically, every city has its ups and downs. It's not just ice-cream and cherries everywhere. So, Gardenia, in this fic, will be a huge metropolitan city with its fair share of wealth and poverty. I wasn't too comfortable with using the name of a real city…so, fictitious it is! :)

~ 5:30 PM ~

It was that time of the year when sidewalks are caked with white flurries of snow and filled with footsteps and paw prints that crisscrossed around each other. The warm rays of the sun were prevented from walking on the earth as the wind howled, letting the flurries amalgamate into rickles and blind the young evening with ivory-white snow dust. The only color, other than the monochrome whites, was the soft, blurred shade of vivid saffron that lampposts and streetlights emitted.

Streets were showered with road salt to prevent the snow from freezing over and becoming a hazard to vehicles. Signs were put up to warn drivers to slow down, especially on bridges which would've been iced over hours ago.

It's hard to imagine that such a beautiful time of the year isn't so beautiful for everyone. Many of the thoroughfares, especially near the residential areas, weren't too crowded because of the frosty weather, but the harsh extremes didn't seem to affect the young mother-daughter duo that pulled their feet together and kept walking, head-on, in the raucous face of the wind.

A green-eyed, caramel-haired woman glanced down at her daughter with concern and sadness. The young five-year-old repeatedly scuffed her nose and sneezed frequently, unable to handle the limits of the cold. "Are you okay, honey?" Flora's jade-green eyes dimmed unsettlingly as she watched her daughter sneeze. Pausing their paced walk, the brunette bent down to the young girl's height before adjusting the old, dark-green scarf on her daughter's neck and tightening it gently. Watching her sneeze into the knitted fabric again, Flora looked down at herself before hastily taking off her sweater and helping the young girl put it on.

"B-But—mommy, you'll be cold," the five-year-old said in alarm.

Despite the freezing cold, Flora managed a gentle smile at her daughter's concern before leaning forward to kiss her chilled forehead, warming it ever so slightly. "I'll be okay, sweetie," she assured, keeping her voice tight to hold her teeth steady from chattering.

Flora stood up, rubbing her bare arms in an effort to warm them up. I can't fall sick, she willed herself to stay strong. Just a few more minutes, she pursed her lips together in determination before taking her daughter's smaller hand in her much larger one before resuming their walk.

The brunette quickened her pace when the all-too-familiar, rich scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, thanks to the lively cafe parked at the end of the street. A soft, childish sigh of content came from beside her, and Flora glanced down at her daughter only to see her close her eyes in bliss and let out a soft, satisfied "Mmmm". The brunette slightly smiled at the sight. Her worries seemed so small, so insignificant when compared to her child's innocent form of joy, one devoid of any dark blemish.

With somewhat increased enthusiasm, Flora pushed harder through the pouring snow and walked them both over to the open, welcoming doors of the cafe. Their cold, reddened faces eagerly welcomed the rush of warm air that instantly greeted them upon entry. Blood returned to their pale cheeks, and once more, their breaths grew invisible and became one with the heat in the air. Sounds felt much more pronounced and lively, rather than hollow and distant, as they had been for the past twenty minutes.

Without delay, Flora immediately bent to her daughter's level, before cupping her face in an attempt to warm it up faster and get the little girl's attention. "Sweetheart, why don't you sit over there?" Flora softly suggested, keeping her voice hushed as she cocked her head over to one of the unoccupied booths in the far right corner. "And try to be quiet, okay?" she tightly said, feeling guilt prick her eyes. Her voice grew thick and coarse once more, as her voice betrayed her wishful heart. Be quiet? No...her beautiful baby didn't deserve to be quiet. She deserved to make ruckus and chaos, like any other innocent five-year-old could. She deserved to be loud without having to worry about consequences. She deserved anything and everything her heart could ever wish for.

Like every time, the young girl smiled and nodded, listening to her mother with obedience and scurrying off to her usual seat by the window. Flora stood up, letting her eyes linger on her pride and joy for a few more moments before she made her way through the back and entered the busy kitchen, where employees worked well with exemplary speed and precision to bring menus to life.

Grabbing the standard purple apron and a hat that had the logo of the restaurant embossed into it, Flora quickly put them both on when—

"Flora! You're late!" an urgent voice and panicked footsteps came out of nowhere, frightening the unsuspecting and timid brunette.

She turned to see a pink-headed twenty-year-old running towards her with worry all over her pale face. Flora's eyes widened immediately before her heart hammered against her chest in anxiety. She had been in this situation far too many times to forget what this meant. "I'm so sorry, Roxy—" she started to profusely apologize.

"Flora," Roxy held her by the arm, flashing her a look of worry. "I told you that Adkins would be here today," she said, giving her a look.

"What?" Flora's eyes instantly widened in alarm before her head started to dart back and forth to catch a glimpse of the time on the nearest clock. Oh, no. She was...twelve minutes late. "...H-He's here already?" she whispered weakly, her heart sinking.

Roxy somberly sighed. "He's been looking for you," she bit her lip.

"I certainly have," a crass voice came out of nowhere, interrupting their conversation.

A cold shiver ran down Flora's spine as a stout, middle-aged man showed himself with a glum, disapproving frown on his face. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Ms. Linphea," he chuckled satirically. "I'm so glad you could join us. Mind letting me know why you were late to your shift? Again?" he wasted no time in asking.

Flora swallowed. "I-I'm sorry, sir—" she tried to apologize, stuttering.

"Sir, she was delivering takeout to the vehicles waiting outside," Roxy instantly chimed in, coming to the brunette's rescue.

Adkins folded his arms firmly, narrowing his eyes in suspicion at the pathetic excuse. For someone who was just outside, they sure dressed awfully warm...he sarcastically thought, observing Flora's flimsy, jacketless attire. "Remember, Ms. Linphea, that I expect discipline from all my employees," he sternly addressed, letting the blunt lie go...for now. "Which means that I'll be watching all of you," he finished, his glare growing even more straightlaced as he tossed Roxy a look. With that, he turned on his heel, heading off to check on his other employees. "Why I hire such ungrateful folks, I'll never know," he muttered to himself, ignoring the fact that he was within hearing distance.

Watching him leave, Flora let out a huge, visible sigh of relief anyway before turning to Roxy with a teary, grateful smile. "Roxy, I—"

"Don't," Roxy kindly smiled at her, cutting her off, before shooting a dirty look at that heartless prick. "Cheap bastard. He somehow thinks he's the highest paying dipshit in the country," she sourly grumbled, shaking her head in disbelief at the ill-tempered man.

Flora softly chuckled, blinking back the threat of tears that lingered near her eyes.

"C'mon, let's get back to work," Roxy ushered her. "Why don't you take that table? I think they've been waiting for a while."

Flora nodded, instantly scurrying off to the customers with a customary pocket-sized notebook and pen in hand. Easing her troubled face into plastering a pleasant smile as she approached their table, she cheerfully introduced herself, "Hi, welcome to Swift Feast. My name is Flora, and I'll be your waitress today. What would you like to order?"

One hour later, Flora whizzed back and forth between the kitchen and seating areas, rushing around with a notepad and biro to hurriedly take down orders and carrying trays to waiting customers as quickly as possible, all the while keeping a cautious eye on her little girl and letting her worn out self cheer up at least a little with a smile, every now and then.

As the sun went down way earlier than it would on a bright sunny day, Flora found herself glancing out the window every now and then, hoping against hope that it wouldn't snow tonight. At least for two more hours. For someone with no public or private transportation available, it was a long walk home, definitely not one someone should be taking during the crest of winter. All she needed was a thirty-minute window. A thirty-minute window of peace. And then the two would be able to make it home somehow. Safe and sound...and most importantly...warm.

Finding work during the holiday season had been inherently difficult, especially with a child in hand, but Flora somehow managed to seize one, though it didn't mean that things got easier from there on out. But it didn't matter to her. She was grateful for the cash, nonetheless. Some work was better than none. And who knows? She just might get lucky too. It was so close to Christmas, yet still far enough to attract customers, which means that business will still be packed and everyone's going to be in a happy, jolly mood. Heck, maybe they'll even be generous enough to tip her higher than usual. And if she made enough, she could probably even get her sweet girl something for Christmas. Perhaps a short trip to that scrumptious bakery with quintessential mouthwatering displays of steaming buns, chocolate drizzled cakes, poofy breads, sugar lace pastries, ice-cream, and fresh delicacies?

Sighing softly, she tucked a few loose strands of ear behind her ear, knowing that it was no easy task to be able to afford such a fragrant treat. But...her sweet girl, her pride and joy, who had never once asked for anything or even complained about any discomforts...she deserved this win. While she can't celebrate like every other kid with toys, Barbie dolls, play kitchen sets, and gaming devices, she can at least look forward to something this year. She wouldn't be forced to celebrate Christmas like every other day, tucked in a house and having limited dreams for her future.

Christmas was a time of joy, and even though there was none in her life, Flora won't let the same thing happen to her daughter. With determination, she pulled herself out of the daydreaming and resumed her work.

She headed back to the kitchen to place a few more orders and get the cooking going when she saw caught of Adkins, intently observing her with folded arms. Great, she thought to herself. Of all the fifty-something employees in here, she had to be the one to fall in the manager's ungraceful looks. She bit her lip, focusing on her task at hand and taking great precautions to not make a mess of herself like she had done the last time he was here. Seeing a few more customers being seated at a table in the far right corner, Flora went to take their order.

"Hi, welcome to Swift Feast," she instantly plastered a welcoming smile, greeting them pleasantly. "My name is Flora, and I'll be your—"

"Mommy!"

Flora's hair stood up at that call as she instinctively turned her head towards the quick-paced, little footsteps approaching her and momentarily forgot about her waiting audience.

"Mommy, I need to pee," she said, tugging on her apron with a soft frown.

The brunette's blood ran cold when she noticed from the corner of her eye that Adkins was still keenly observing her. With goosebumps creeping up her arms, she bent down quickly and pointed to the women's restroom by the far end of the place. "Honey, the bathroom's over there," the brunette said, breathless, desperate to get her daughter out of here and away from evil eyes. After watching her leave safely, she turned red instantly as she turned to her customers. "I-I'm so sorry about that," she bit her lip, apologizing with worry on her face.

"Oh, no worries," one of the customers shrugged, flashing her an understanding smile. "She's really cute," he chuckled.

Flora shot him a grateful look. "Thank you," she said softly, thankful for his consideration. "So, I'm Flora, and I'll be your waitress today. What would you like to order?" she resumed where she was cut off, her mind never straying too far from the fact that...she had messed up. Again.

Returning to the kitchen, after taking that table's order and apologizing to them again, she handed the order over to the cooks. She breathed, tears springing to her eyes at the overwhelming rush of adrenaline rushing through her veins.

"Ms. Linphea."

Flora's hair stood up again at the voice that chimed from behind her. Turning to face him, she instantly remembered that Adkins had seen the embarrassing exchange out front. "Mr. Adkins, I'm so, so sorry that—"

He held up his hand, cutting her off. "I told you to not bring your kid to work," he reminded sternly. "Twice," he added.

"Mr. Adkins, please," Flora weakly pleaded. "It—it won't happen again!" she tried to protest. "I'll take care of that—" she tried to reassure him.

"...You said the same thing last time," he said, the glare on his lips softening into a grim, straight line.

"...Sir, please. She's...she's only five years old, and…" she trailed off, hanging her head with tears swimming in her eyes. "...And I can't afford a babysitter," she admitted with shame, blinking back tears repeatedly to keep them from spilling on her cheeks.

"And I can't afford to have my employees slacking off in their work," he retorted right on cue.

With desperate eyes, Flora pleaded with him again, "Mr. Adkins, please, I beg of you. I swear to you that this is the last time this will happen!"

"You're right. This will be the last time because you're done here," he barked before slamming an envelope of cash onto the counter.

"Mr. Adkins—"

"There are only so many chances I can give to someone. Finish your shift and leave. And don't bother coming back." He turned on his heel and left.

Flora sighed in defeat, fresh tears erupting in her despaired eyes. Not again…she whispered to herself weakly. Her daughter was too young to be left alone in the apartment, and they can't afford a babysitter. Her jade-green eyes fell on the svelte wad of cash, resting beside her. With a heavy heart, she took it slowly, her fingers tightening around the envelope with angst and humiliation. So much for that bakery. So much for that gift, so much for looking forward to one. Bitter tears stung her emerald-green orbs. She covered her eyes in an attempt to keep herself from breaking down right then and there. She can't break down. Not here, not now, not ever. There'll be no one to pick her up, dust off her injuries, or tell her that she'll be fine. So, what's the point of crying?

She lightly sniffled, blinking back her tears when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't have to look up to know who it was. The only stranger, the only person who had spared an ounce of kindness in this cruel world was Roxy. "I'm fine," the brunette whispered. Her lower lip quivered, however, betraying the pain she had been trying to bottle up.

"Flora…" Roxy softly sighed, giving the brunette a sympathetic, sad look. "Here," she bit her lip before handing her a piece of paper. "Take table four," she said. "They're regulars and they tip really well."

Flora looked at the paper and saw that it was a list of menu items. She glanced at Roxy, wondering why she'd do this. They both had bills stacking up, and in this world...two people struggling to make ends meet, the most they could give for one other is words of comfort and solace, nothing more.

"...I know you need the money more than I do," Roxy softly said with sadness, offering the last bit of kindness she could.

Tears welling in her eyes, Flora sniffled, "Thank you, Roxy," her voice cracked as she wiped her eyes.

~ 8:45 PM ~

Tucking the young girl's little hand warmly into her much larger one, Flora led them out of the place, with a flimsy wad of cash tucked into her right jacket pocket. Her green eyes watered, though the tears froze in place, in response to the cold weather that greeted their faces. It was freezing outside, no longer retaining any traces of warmth from the day. The snow had grown so thick in the last few hours that it no longer crunched under their boots. And Flora thought in dismay...the absolute zero temperatures was only a harbinger for a frigid storm ahead, possibly tonight.

Intent on hurrying home and no longer having the mental strength to do any other work today, Flora walked quickly, desperate to get this stupid restaurant out of her sight before she could have another meltdown. She wiped her eyes and walked faster, barely noticing where she was going until she bumped into something hard and tumbled back a few steps.

She gasped softly to hear a male grunt. The files in his hands flew out of his hand and tumbled to the floor. Flora covered her mouth in guilt and quickly wiped her eyes. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" the timid brunette said quickly before letting go of her daughter's hand and bending down to pick up the fallen papers. Great. Like she didn't have enough mess on her plate. Seriously, what was she thinking? The last thing she needed tonight (or any night, actually) was trouble from a stranger. She quickly scrambled to scoop up as many papers and files as she could, cursing herself in concern for her own daughter. Every second out in the cold only meant that her baby would have higher chances of falling sick. And they were in no condition to afford that. They barely had the means to scrape for a tomorrow, let alone fend off a sickness.

Having picked up every paper, she sighed softly in relief to see that none of them have gotten wet or damaged. The brunette stood up, straightening the files, before handing them over to the tall male, who was somehow frozen in his stance like a statue. "I'm so sorry again," she said softly, keeping her head low to avoid any confrontations. He looked pretty well-off, and the last thing she needed from a privileged person was him gloating in her face of just how pathetic and miserable she is.

...

"...Flora?"

…

The brunette had turned to leave with her daughter when she suddenly froze at how a stranger could have possibly known her name. She raised her eyes to meet his piercing silver-blue ones. She fell speechless, her orbs growing wide as she recognized the man immediately, even after six years of having last seen him. She stood frozen in stance, her fingers involuntarily tightening around her daughter's little wrist. "…Helia?" she whispered in shock.

...

Thank you for reading! :) I hope you liked the prologue? :) I know Christmas is technically seven months away, but it's my favorite time of the year! I love the festivities and holiday spirit so much that I couldn't resist writing about it here!

I actually wrote this during last Christmas (that explains the snow in the fic :D), but I've been so nervous about posting because there's a child involved. I've never written anything that involved kids because I've never gotten the chance to be around them. :( But I have read so many stories where authors write about young children. And for some reason, I've never agreed with the way a child's linguistic abilities are portrayed. C'mon, I really doubt five-year-olds pronounce 'yellow' as 'yewwow' or 'blue' or 'boo'. When I came across such things, I was like...hmm. So, I spent a lot of time studying many research papers and journals to get an idea, and I guess I was right? Healthy five-year-olds are able to talk clearly and even tell little stories. Bless their sweet little souls. ^-^ I'd never be able to write this story, if otherwise. xD

Speaking of five-year-olds, does anyone have any ideas for names? ^-^ You might've noticed that I didn't name Flora's daughter yet. xD I have a few in mind, but I just can't seem to select one. Any suggestions? :)

I hope I get the chance to continue this, but there are so many great FxH authors, and I'm kind of a noob when compared to them, so I don't know how well I'm doing. Please let me know! Thank you so much again for reading! :)