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“I promise we’ll never spend another Christmas apart.”
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Red. Everything was Red.
The lighting in the room was a constant change from bright red to a dim dark, the flashing alarm lights giving the visual que whilst the massive blaring alarm was left ringing in his ears.
Donald didn’t care for any of it, his eyes trained and shrinking as he looked at the words that flashed on the massive intercom.
TRANSMISSION LOST
His eyes traced down to the figure standing in front of the massive computer, they were just as stunned and shocked as he was. Slowly the figure turned himself around to face the sailor.
Donald had never seen Uncle Scrooge so distraught.
“Lad…I…I…”
“Uncle Scrooge, what did you do!?”
“I didn’t…I didn’t mean for this ta happen…”
“What Scrooge!?!” Donald violently grabbed the Scot by his coat. “What happened!?!”
“I…I built Della a rocket…It was supposed ta be a present after the eggs hatched, but the lass must have found it early and now she’s…she’s…”
Scrooge didn’t need to finish, Donald looked back at the flashing screen, his face dropping before Scrooge did as he let the old duck go. The Richest Duck in the world vanished from Donald’s sight, his eyes shrinking and arms trembling, struggling to hold him up as he leaned on the console and watched the words continue to flash.
Della…what did you do!?
TRANSMISSION LOST!
TRANSMISSION LOST!
SHE’S GONE
The sailors' hearts froze as those words flashed on the screen. No longer did it display the usual message and blink every second, but now those words were staying on the screen, almost like they were staring him down.
SHE’S DEAD
Donald stepped back from the console, shaking his head. “No…No she can’t…”
YOU COULDN’T STOP HER
Donald kept backing up. He tried! He tried so hard to convince her!
YOU COULDN’T PROTECT HER
Donald grabbed his head, it was like the words were being screame directly into his ears.
YOU LET HER DIE
He fell to his knees, his eyes beginning to tear up as the words blared louder and louder.
YOU FAILED HER
“I’m sorry…”
YOU FAILED YOUR NEPHEWS
“I’m sorry!”
YOU FAILED YOUR FAMILY
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“I’M SORRY!!!”
Donald’s scream was soon followed by the sound of his face slamming into the wooden floorboards of the houseboat having tumbled out of his hammock. The duck took a moment to realize where he was before he pushed himself off of the floor, groaning in pain as he rubbed his sore beak.
Glancing out his windows, of course the first thing he saw was the full moon.
The night sky shone brightly over the Mansion, the first signs of snow were scattered all over the property, a warning that Christmas was soon approaching.
Sluggishly he grabbed the blanket and pillow that he had flung off in his sleep, dragging himself back into his hammock and slumping into the soft fabric. Donald readjusted himself and let out a deep exhale. Slowly closing his eyes, he prepared to slip back into slumber.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK
Donald’s eyes reluctantly peeled open.
Looks like he was going to have to put his sleep on hold.
Rubbing his eyes and smacking his beak he barely made his way to the Houseboat door, slightly surprised his luck didn’t cause him to tumble and crash and break half of his things. The tired duck pulled the door open, and straightened up immediately when he saw who had come knocking so late.
“Hey, got time to talk?” Della asked.
Donald wasn’t sure whether he should have or shouldn’t have expected it to be his twin sister at the door. Then again he wasn’t sure who else would come knocking so late in the night. He could ask her why she was asking him now, or why she was up to begin with, but even though his mind was begging him to get back into the hammock, he could clearly see Della nervously rubbing her arm. She probably wasn’t here to discuss her new Santa traps.
“...Sure, come in,” Donald welcomed her, the pilot walking past as the sailor shut the houseboat door.
“Want some hot chocolate?” He asked.
“Yeah, that’d be great.”
Soon Donald placed down two saucers, each with a hot mug of chocolate goodness, and a few marshmallows stacked next to them on the kitchen table. Della thanked her brother before she took the first sip, Donald slipping onto the other side of the table. He had to admit taking a few chugs of his culinary handiwork did help his body and mind adjust to suddenly being awake, letting out a satisfied sigh as he put his mug down.
“Mmm, I’ve missed your hot chocolate. It’s just like Grandma’s.” Della complimented, licking the marshmallow foam off of her beak.
“Thanks, I’m just surprised I didn’t start a fire this time.” Donald took another sip, “So what are you doing up so late anyway?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” Della answered, “Been having a bit of trouble getting used to a normal sleeping pattern. I’ve been trying since I got back but sometimes there’s just no point.”
“Don’t you get tired during the day?” Donald followed up.
“Nah, I’m too cool to get tired. Nothing can stop Della Duck!” She yelled, Donald chuckling as his sister joined him. However the mood soon turned more somber once again as he gripped his mug.
“So what did you want to talk about?”
“Well…I was going to ask for some help first but…Donald, are you okay?”
He had hoped no one heard his nightmare, maybe his bad luck wasn’t being so generous tonight after all.
“Yeah I’m okay, don’t worry about it. I just had a nightmare.”
“Must have been a bad one, that was a loud scream, even for you,” Della pointed out, “…wanna tell me what it was about?” she prodded.
Donald grasped his mug tight as he began to debate with himself. A part of him wanted to be honest with his sister, but considering what it was about, he wasn’t sure if Della would want to know anymore then that. The decision was soon made, and Donald looked his sister in the eyes.
“It…was about the day you went to the moon.” Donald admitted.
“Ah…right…” Della shuffled in her seat, her body lowering slightly as Donald continued.
“I was in the control room. It was just as the Spear lost communications. The screen was flashing ‘Transmission Lost’. You’d think reliving that day would be the worst of it…but…then it started to scream at me.”
“The screen screamed at you?”
“Yeah. It…It basically said I had failed you. I failed to keep you safe, I failed the boys…That I was just a failure.” Donald took a large swig of his drink, placing the mug silently back down he could see the shock and horror on Della’s face. An air of silence fell between the two, Della fidgeted and tapped the table, Donald simply stared blankly at nothing, just letting the hot chocolate do its job until his sister finally broke the silence.
“Do you have that nightmare a lot?”
“Not constantly. Some nights I’d have it, but it was pretty sporadic. But it happened a lot more during the holidays…and especially around this season.”
“Yeah…that makes sense…”
“Back at the Pier I couldn’t always give the boys the best everytime, but I tried so hard each holiday, especially for Christmas.” Donald remembered the several times he had spent what cash he had on a gift for his nephews rather than food for himself. “But since coming back to the mansion it’s been better, I don’t get them as often now. It’s still sporadic but there's less stress on my mind then there usually was.”
“Well good. That’s great Donnie…”He swore he could see the guilt literally weighing down on Della’s shoulders. “It wasn’t your fault Donald. It was me who took the Spear, I was in the wrong.”
“I couldn’t keep my promise Della. I said we wouldn’t spend another Christmas apart.”
“You never broke that promise Donnie. You never did let anything stop you from spending the holiday with me. Even when you were in the Navy you'd find a way back home. I was the one that stopped you from keeping it.” Della risked slipping from her seat she had slumped so low. “Maybe I should’ve stayed on the moon…”
“Della!” Donald gasped, eyes wide as he couldn't believe what his sister had just said.
“I’m serious! I’m a complete mess Donnie. This is my first Christmas after being back from the moon, and all I can think about is how I can screw it all up, like how I’ve screwed everything else up..”
“Della-”
“I mean it! That’s why I came out here to ask to talk, I have no idea what to do!” Della cried, “The boys are so amazing, you’ve raised them so well. But I’ve only spent so much time with them, I-I don’t have a clue what to get any of them for Christmas!”
“Well-”
“It’s going to be the worst, I can feel it. I’ll get them crappy gifts they won’t want and I’ll be responsible for another ruined Christmas-”
“DELLA!”
The loud squawk of her brother made Della stop her self-loathing rambling, the pilot blinking as Donald slammed his mug down and walked up from his seat. Della had to put her own mug down before she was turned around to face her brother, Donald’s hands gripping her shoulders tight as he stared down at her.
“You are not a screw up. You’ve made a few mistakes sure, and yes going to the moon was a massive one. But don’t you dare think for a second that you could ever ruin Christmas.” Donald softened his grip on her shoulders as a small smile grew on his beak. “You have no idea how happy I am that we can spend Christmas together again, ask anyone else in the mansion and they’ll give you the same answer. No matter how chaotic and crazy things get for us, I’m just glad to have my sister back.”
Tears were welling up in Donald’s eyes, the duck truly glad that he could finally be here and once again cup his sisters cheeks, which caused his feathers to get wet from the hot tears streaming from Della’s face.
“You know…back on the moon, every Christmas day I’d look at the picture of us all together, and wish you guys a Merry Christmas.” She admitted, “I still worked on the Spear, but every so often I just…stopped, and stared down at Earth. Always thinking about you, Scrooge and the boys. Thinking about the look of joy on the kids' faces when they tore open the first gifts under the tree, thinking on what festive dessert you guys cooked up, thinking about what traps Scrooge laid out for Santa, thinking about you in your Christmas sweater…a lot of time thinking really.” Della’s hands clenched together as she relived her past decades worth of Christmases. “So…now that I am here, and I’m suddenly reminded of all the extra pressure that comes with the season, I guess my mind was just left wondering whether I had a place in it all.”
“Well you won’t have to wonder anymore Della,” Donald’s warm smile fully covering his beak, “In a few weeks, you’ll be right there with us, where you belong.”
Della immediately wrapped her arms around her brother, Donald happily returned the gesture.
“Thank you…” Della whispered as her head rested on Donald’s shoulder.
The cold night was not even noticed as the two siblings enjoyed the warm hug they shared.
“Don’t worry about gifts for the boys, I’ll help you go shopping today if you want. I need to get something for them too.” Donald making an offer as he patted Della’s back.
“That would be great.” She replied.
The two of them pulled back from the embrace, Della wiping the remaining tears from her eyes as Donald went to sit back down.
“Hey, do you remember the Christmas we had when we were fifteen?” Della asked.
“Oh don’t remind me. That’s when you really started to go deep into helping Scrooge with Santa traps.” Donald’s eyes rolled.
“And I’ve got just the trap this year planned for my amazing comeback. What else do you think I’ve been working on since I got back?” Della flashing a wicked grin.
“Please don’t tell me you're going to make that elaborate hidden snowplow shovel trap to hit Santa in the face.”
“No promises.”
“Well watch yourself, you might just end up getting a lump of coal Dumbella.”
“Ohh, like I’m scared of a big fluffy polar bear. I bet you’ve got a secret spot to put some cookies up for your fellow softie Fauntleroy."
“...Touche Della, Touche.”
There was a gentle calm that settled over the two, both of them simply slurping the now simply mild temperature chocolate in their mugs, any marshmallows had either melted or been chewed. Donald and Della continued to talk until Donald eventually told Della to go to bed, the pilot agreed and went back to her room in the mansion. As Della laid back down on her bed and Donald fell onto his hammock both of them enjoyed the best sleep they’d had in years.
It had been a harsh, long decade, but the two were finally together again.
The season was still prompted to be chaotic and stressful no doubt, not just this year but every year following. However they would still tread hell or high water to spend every Christmas together.
That was a promise they both made.