The Christmas Plan

A/N: I wanted to write something for Christmas this year, but lately I seem to be lacking the time. I hope to get up the second (maybe third) part up as soon as possible. I at least wanted to start in time for Christmas. So everyone: Happy Holidays!

As for the story, very AU, but it has to be this way. Hope you enjoy.

Frederick Crane found himself on his way to Seattle. Originally the plan had been to spend Christmas at home in Boston with his mother, but then his father had fallen ill on his birthday. Freddy had realized that his father was growing older. Young people didn't just pull out their backs after all, especially not while trying to pick up a muffin. His father had sounded terrible on the phone; almost as if he were drunk, but then again not. He had sounded sick. In fact he had sounded so sick that even his mother had been worried. His mother was never worried about his father. Never. She usually wasn't worried at all. There was reason and logic for everything. People simply got older, their bodies became frail. To her these things were the normal cycle of life. Freddy was only just beginning to realize how things were really changing in the grown up world of which he was not yet a part of.

Part of flying out to Seattle for Christmas was punishment. At Thanksgiving, he had tried to trick his parents into buying him a mini bike. Smart as they were, they had caught – and grounded – him. Freddy had never been grounded. He liked staying at home, there was no reason to force him to. Lately he had found joy in hanging out with other kids. Children that were, as his mother always said, less bright than him. Freddy didn't care so much. They were nice to him and not everyone was. So instead of celebrating with his mother and meeting his friends the following days, Freddy would spend the holidays with his father. He loved his father very much and loved spending time with him. Sometimes he tried too hard though. Freddy hoped he would get to spend some quality time with his grandfather. He was a great guy, much more exciting than his father actually. Of course the person he looked forward to seeing the most was Daphne. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. The way she smelled, too! Freddy thought about it right before they were going to land. He knew she was going to pick him up, because she often did. She was something like a maid, he figured. Not that it mattered to him.

Just like he had expected and hoped, Daphne was waiting for him. He grinned at her, then he remembered he didn't want her to think of him as some silly child so he closed his mouth again. She held one of these self-made posters with his name on it. It said F. Crane and made Freddy feel real grown-up. His heart beat quicker than a butterfly as she engulfed him in her arms. At least she wasn't angry with him after what he had tried with his parents. Seeing her made him feel guilty anyway. He didn't understand it, but he couldn't shake the feeling off.

"Your father is so happy to celebrate Christmas with you here. He's having a party tonight, you know." Daphne told him. She carried his suitcase. As Freddy watched her, he thought she looked different. It hadn't been long since he'd last seen her, but there was something about her that had changed. He knew she was engaged, but that wasn't it. It was almost as if her thoughts were somewhere else.

"How is his back?" His mother had mentioned that stress could have something to do with it. That had made Freddy feel guilty, too. After all, he had caused his father some grief.

"Oh, it's much better, don't worry about him. Sometimes he is such a baby." Usually she would have giggled after a comment like that. She hardly smiled. Freddy wondered what was bothering her, but he didn't dare to ask.

"I'm glad. It's pretty cool to be with dad at Christmas." He was trying to make conversation, but Daphne just nodded. Had he been younger, he would have asked her about it. He was too old to act childish.

The drive to his father's place took forever. At least it seemed like it to Freddy. When they finally arrived, he almost jumped out of the car. He had certainly expected it to go differently. Daphne was always so nice to him. No matter what he did wrong, she always treated him like a prince. Not this time. Freddy was certain it had to with what he'd done the last time he'd been here. He followed her silently. He knew a party was planned for the night. Maybe his father would show him off to his friends. Freddy was used to that; his mother did it, too, all the time. It was why it sometimes annoyed him to be an only child. He always had to be the good, the model child.

"Freddy!" His grandfather grinned, opened his arms wide. The boy couldn't help but smile and hug him. He smelled somewhat funny; a little bit like dog, but also like bacon. His grandfather always smelled like bacon even if he hadn't had any.

"Your father will be back soon. He forgot some special kind of wine or something."

"That's fine." Freddy said. Daphne had put his suitcase by the couch. He took it into his father's bedroom. He looked around as if searching for something. Maybe a sign that things had changed, but it all looked the same. So he went back to the living room.

Daphne was putting up some decorations. Just looking at her, Freddy felt that certain sting in his heart. He knew it had to be love. It couldn't be anything else. Whenever he smelled almonds, he thought of her. The way she would hug him and the way she loved him – even though she was not related to him. His aunt Maris had never loved him. If she had, Freddy would have been surprised. She had always scared him. He had never told his uncle Niles, but he was glad he was no longer married to her. Freddy knew that he, too, liked Daphne. Adults were complicated when it came to love. Uncle Niles had never told Daphne about his feelings.

"Hey, babe." Freddy watched with envy as Daphne's fiancé, Donny, walked into the apartment as if it were his own. He was a small man with dark, curly hair. The boy didn't think they made a great couple. Suddenly he felt that if he couldn't be with Daphne himself, he wanted his uncle Niles to marry her. Somehow he had to get some together.

As soon as possible.

End, part I