Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Freedoooooom!!” Thirteen-year-old Delsin whoops loudly, jumping off the stairs outside the school and almost slipping on a patch of ice. 

Seventeen-year-old Reggie manages to grab his arm in time to keep him from eating concrete, rolling his eyes as he moves his little brother over to a dry spot on the sidewalk. “Dude, chill.” 

“I refuse to chill! I have two whole weeks of no homework, I am celebrating! Unlike you and Ash, who are going to spend the whole break reading.” He makes a face, shuddering as though that were the worst possible punishment in the world. 

“Well, not the entire break,” Ash speaks up from Reggie’s left side, a sheepish smile on his face. The sixteen-year-old is holding an armful of books from the library, mostly new topics he’d told Reggie he wants to learn about. 

“Any of the break is too much,” the younger teen says solemnly, earning another eyeroll from his older brother.

“Not all of us are allergic to books like you are, Del,” Reggie teases as he pulls his keys out of his pocket. It’s been an oddly snowy winter so far, and Mom had let him borrow her car rather than risk him and Delsin biking in the snow. “Do you need a ride, Ash? Or is Danny picking you up?” Ash’s older sister is in town for her college’s winter break, meaning she usually takes over driving for their mother. 

“Yea, otherwise I’m going to be sitting for a few hours,” Ash admits, sliding into the front seat while Delsin hops in the back “Mom and Danny are in Seattle doing some shopping.” He sets his backpack down and starts digging through it “Which reminds me, I was able to grab your birthday present! I’m sorry it’s a little late.” He sets a wrapped package on the center console, putting the pile of books into his bag.

“Thanks man, you didn’t have to,” Reggie replies with a smile as he weaves the car between students and other vehicles to get onto the main road. 

“You’re my best friend, of course I had to,” Ash argues, grinning. 

Delsin leans between the front seats, hand on the radio “I call picking the music!” 

“Delsin! What the fuck, dude?!” Reggie yelps, using one hand to shove his brother back into the backseat “Sit down and buckle your seatbelt!”

Delsin pouts but does as he’s told, kicking the back of Reggie’s seat lightly “Party pooper.”

“I’m trying to fucking drive,” Reggie snaps, fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “If I get pulled over, and you’re not buckled in, I’ll end up with a ticket and Mom and Dad will both have my ass.”

Ash turns the radio up, finding the Christmas station and peering over his shoulder at the younger Rowe “Is that the one you wanted?” 

A contrite look crosses Delsin’s face “Yea, thank you Ash.”

The older teen smiles “You’re welcome.”

Soon enough, the argument is forgotten, with Delsin singing loudly along to the radio while Ash and Reggie talk about school and their latest book series. When Reggie parks in front of Ash’s house, he picks up the package and peels the paper off, grinning at the book inside, the latest in his favorite series. “Holy shit, you found it!” 

“Yea, I can’t take all the credit though. I told Danny I was trying to find it, and she saw it at a bookstore in Seattle and grabbed it for me,” Ash explains, pleased that his friend likes the present. 

“Well, tell her I said thanks too.”

“I will.” Ash picks up his backpack, struggling a tad from the weight of all his books, and hops out of the car. “Thanks for the ride! I’ll call you tomorrow!” He waves and disappears through the front door. 

“Hey Reg, can we grab McDonald’s?” Delsin pipes up, leaning into the front seat again. 

Reggie lets out a long sigh and pokes his brother’s forehead “Pretty sure if we did, Mom would kill us. She’s making chicken for dinner, remember?” 

“Why? You’d still eat all of it even if we did get burgers. You’re always hungry,” Delsin points out with a snicker. Okay, fair point. Not like he can help it though, he’s an active teen. “Sorry Del, but no can do. I’m trying not to spend extra money. I need to buy stuff for Christmas and I’m still working on saving up for a car, remember?” 

“What kinda car are you gonna try to buy?” Delsin asks curiously, tucking his legs under himself on the seat, something that Reggie refrains from commenting on. His brother has always been a fidgeter. 

“Something that runs,” the older teen jokes, pulling into the driveway and putting the car in park. Delsin is out the door before he even turns the engine off. 

He follows him inside, toeing off his sneakers and ducking into the kitchen to grab a couple apples from the bowl, narrowly avoiding Betty who is bustling around with trays of cookies to put in the oven. His mom smiles at him and Delsin from where she’s wrist-deep in cookie dough, the mixer humming along with another batch. “Hey guys, how was school?” She and Betty always do ‘six days of cookies’ every year, starting on the last day of school and making enough for an army.

“We watched Polar Express! And had hot cocoa, and more cookies!” Delsin tells her excitedly, trying to snag a cookie and letting out a squeak when Betty swats his hand. 

“You can have some of these cookies after dinner,” the older Akomish woman says sternly, not moved in the slightest by Delsin’s pout. 

“Are you staying for dinner, Betty?” Reggie asks, sitting down at the table to finish his essay. Might as well get it done now so he has nothing else to do over break. 

“Yes, your mom and I are working on shopping lists for when we go with your dad into Seattle Sunday.”

“Speaking of, are you still alright with babysitting that day, Reg?” Roxanne asks, cleaning dough off her hands. 

“Sure thing,” he replies around a mouthful of apple. She gives him a look and he sheepishly swallows before continuing “By the way, the car was having trouble starting again.” 

Roxanne heaves a sigh. “Must be the alternator, it was acting up last week too. I’ll have your dad look at it when he gets home so you can use it Sunday if need be.”

He gives her a thumbs up and refocuses on his homework, getting so tuned into it that he doesn’t even notice his dad’s home until the man is ruffling his hair, smirking. “Earth to Reggie, come in Reggie.”

The teen rolls his eyes but doesn’t stop writing. “Hey Dad.”

Parker leans over his shoulder curiously. “English?”

“Yep, the prompt was ‘Would you rather change the past or the future and why?’” he explains, finishing off his last sentence and putting the essay back in his bag. “I finished everything else in study hall so I’d have the whole break to chill.”

Much to his chagrin, Parker ruffles his hair again with an affectionate smile. “Smart, kiddo. I’d like to say you got that from me, but I think we both know who you got that brain from.” 

“I thought Mom got a D in English?” Reggie points out, grinning when his dad starts cackling and Roxanne throws the pair of them a playful glare. 

“Reginald Malcolm Rowe, I have frosting and I am not afraid to use it,” she warns, brandishing her spatula like a sword, one hand on her hip. 

Delsin pops up behind her and steals it, licking the bright green frosting off before she can stop him and darting upstairs. 

“Delsin, get back here!” 

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While normally an early riser like his dad, breaks from school are one of the few times that Reggie gets to sleep in. Or at least, he usually does. But apparently fate had other plans for him today in the form of a small, heavy blur flopping on top of him. 

“Reggie! Psssst, Reggie! Are you awake??”

He groans into his pillow but doesn’t open his eyes, swatting lazily at the finger poking his cheek. “Del, whaddya want? What timesit? ‘M tryin’ to sleep.”

“It’s 8 o’clock! Can we go sledding? Pleeeeease? There’s a lot of snow and it’s Saturday and you promised we could during the break and I’m bored and-” his little brother doesn’t even pause for breath, and the teen groans again, rolling over and trapping the younger teen under his arm, pulling him to his chest like a teddy bear. The younger Rowe child tries to wiggle free, but Reggie’s grip is stronger. 

“Del, dude, chill. We have all break to go sledding. And we promised Mom we’d help with decorating the house today, remember?” Reggie mumbles into his brother’s hair, eyes still shut. His brother is a bear when it comes to getting up early on a school day, but always has a ton of energy on days off. Which of course means that the whole family gets to deal with it. “Gimme an hour, please?”

Delsin sighs dramatically but scooches under the comforter and snuggles up to his big brother. “Fine. One hour.”

When Reggie wakes up again, Delsin still snoring and half-sprawled on top of him, the clock reads 11:15. He carefully extricates himself from under his brother, shivering when his feet hit the cold floor and searching for a pair of sweatpants and the thick, fuzzy socks Betty buys for them every year before wandering downstairs. There are a ton of boxes in the living room, a couple of them already open, all labelled with his mom’s curling script. His dad must have brought them down from the attic this morning. 

Currently, his mom is wiping down the mantle, a fire crackling in the fireplace while she hums along to one of the Christmas records crooning softly from the record player. They’re always the first thing she unpacks every year. Roxanne smiles when she spots him. “Morning baby, how’d you sleep?”

He shrugs, walking up beside her and accepting the side-hug she offers, leaning his head on her shoulder. He’s an inch or two taller than she is after his latest growth spurt, but that doesn’t stop him from finding comfort and safety in her hugs. She smells like vanilla and the Blue Moon perfume his dad always buys her for their anniversary, her hand gently rubbing his back. If Reggie isn’t careful, he’ll fall right back asleep on his feet. Forcing himself to stand up straight, he looks around. “Where’s Dad?”

“He went outside to start on the lights and check the alternator on my car. Once your brother’s up, we can go look for a tree. For now, why don’t you go see if your dad needs any help?” Roxanne asks, kissing his head and drawing back to go put her cleaning supplies away.

Reggie makes a face. He’s warm, the last vestiges of sleep still clinging to his mind, and he knows as soon as he steps out into the cold he’ll snap awake fully. But he likes spending time with his dad, and he has all of break to relax. “Sure thing, Mom.” One of the nice things about winter is that he doesn’t really need to worry about brushing his hair, he thinks as he pulls on a beanie, grabbing his jacket and his boots and stepping outside. The brisk, icy wind sends a shiver down his back. Usually, winters in Seattle are cold and wet, though they’ve actually gotten a good amount of snow this year, something Delsin and Roxanne both adore. 

Parker has one of the ladders out, a string of outdoor lights in hand. They usually keep the outdoor decor simple for the holidays, just a wreath and some lights, preferring to focus most of their efforts inside (though Reggie is pretty sure that part of it is because his mom doesn’t like being cold). “Morning kiddo,” Parker says, glancing down at him with a brief smile before refocusing on the lights and staple gun in his hand. “What’s up?”

“Came out to see if you need any help,” Reggie answers, keeping his hands in his pockets for now to keep them warm. 

“Yea, you wanna hold the end of this?” 

Reggie reaches up and takes the bundle from him, unraveling it as Parker works. After about thirty minutes, Delsin peeks his head out of the front door. “Dad! Mom asked if you’re almost done?” 

Parker ducks under the edge of the roof to look at his youngest. “Yea, D, tell her to give me about fifteen minutes.” Delsin ducks back inside and the Rowe patriarch finishes stapling the last of the lights, climbing down the ladder and popping his back with a groan. He claps Reggie on the back and grins. “Getting old sucks, Reg.”

“You’re not that old, Dad.” 

I’m 37, that’s old,” Parker says with a laugh. 

“Mom’s only a year younger than you, so does that make her old too?” Reggie asks as his dad picks up the ladder and the two walk to the detached garage behind the house. 

Parker snorts, setting the ladder in its usual place and looking for the tree stand. “Reggie, bud, you and I both know to never call your mom old.”

Snickering, Reggie leans against the garage door, eyes roving over the tarp-covered shape nestled inside. “Hey Dad?”

Parker looks over his shoulder at his oldest. “Hm?”

“Do you think you’ll ever get it running again?” The teen asks curiously, gesturing at the tarp.

Setting the tree stand and the wreath near the door, Parker turns to face it as well, crossing his arms over his chest. “It needs a lot of work, and that just hasn’t been the priority over the past few years. Your mom’s had her exhibitions, Delsin needs a lot of extra tutoring, and you’ve had baseball.”

Guilt curls under Reggie’s ribs. He knows the Camaro is one of the last pieces of his grandpa that Dad has. It must show on his face too, because Parker reaches over and pulls him into his side, squeezing his arm. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t. You and your brother and your mom are more important to me than a car. I’d love to get it running again, but I’m not worried about it. Maybe someday.” 

He claps his hand on Reggie’s shoulder one more time. “Come on, we better get going before all the good trees are taken.” Grabbing the wreath and the tree stand, he starts back towards the house, whistling Jingle Bells. Reggie pauses, taking one last look at the old car, then follows his dad.

Someday.

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“I think this might be my best work ever,” Parker says proudly, holding up the downright hideous ornament. It’s a mixture of metal scraps and popsicle sticks, with an unholy amount of green and orange glitter glued to it, as well as some scraps of bright pink yarn. 

Delsin giggles, sitting on the floor to Parker’s left. “Holy shit, it’s so ugly!!”

“Delsin, language!” Roxanne chides from where she and Reggie are hanging more ornaments on the tree while Parker bursts out laughing. It’s a pretty one, full and rich green in color.

“He’s not wrong, it definitely is fuzzier than last year,” Parker hums, setting it down to dry. Rudolph is playing on the TV, and they’ve got most of the decorations up, having only paused briefly to eat dinner. Reggie breathes in the scent of fresh pine and woodsmoke, the soft crackle of the fireplace pairing perfectly with Bing Crosby’s voice. It’s dark outside, and the world seems to consist entirely of the cozy living room. 

“ I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree”

He sings along quietly, his mom’s voice joining in for the last verse. When the next song starts, Parker gets to his feet and takes the ornament from Roxanne’s hands, grinning cheekily at her when she gives him a confused look. Handing Reggie the ornament, Parker pulls his wife close, swaying to the music. 

Behind them, Reggie can see Delsin make a face, but the older teen simply rolls his eyes at his brother. He’s happy that his parents are in love. He’s heard stories of the messy divorce that his grandparents had, and how much it hurt his dad as a kid. He and Delsin have never met Parker’s mother, she’d left Salmon Bay well before the older of the Rowe kids was born, before his parents had even started dating . He’s not even sure if his grandmother is still even alive. She might have been at Grampa’s funeral, but he was only six at the time and barely remembers it. 

The song finishes, and Roxanne bounces on her toes a little to kiss her husband, the two blushing like they’re still newlyweds. 

“Moooom stop, kissing is gross ,” Delsin complains loudly, ducking a swipe from his older brother. Unfortunately, he can’t escape his mother, who grins mischievously and snatches him up, sitting on the couch with her youngest in her lap “Well then, smooch attack!” She peppers his face with kisses, making him shriek with laughter and try to get away.

“Noooo anything but that! Dad! Reggie! Help!” 

Parker sits down next to her, wearing an evil smile. “I know where my loyalties lie, sorry bud,” he laughs, hands skittering across Delsin’s sides. The tickle torture stops before it can become too much for the teen, and Roxanne shifts him off her lap to sit between herself and Parker and leans back, looking at Reggie and patting the spot next to her. He joins the rest of his family on the couch, relaxing into the cushions while Delsin picks another movie. 

Reggie wakes up to his mom’s gentle nudge, not realizing he’d fallen asleep at some point during Frosty the Snowman. Delsin is conked out on her other side, his head in her lap, snoring softly. “Bedtime, baby,” she whispers, smiling. 

He scrubs his face with his hands, sitting up. “Do you want me to carry Delsin upstairs?” His brother is surprisingly light, and it’s not the first time Reggie’s carried him to his room. 

“You sure kiddo?” Dad asks softly. “I can take him up.”

Reggie shakes his head. His parents deserve some alone time. “It’s fine Dad, I got it.” He scoops Delsin up, carrying him carefully up the stairs and depositing him in his bed, the younger teen stirring a bit. Tucking him in, he brushes his brother’s hair back, just like Dad does. “Night, Del.”

“Night Reggie.”

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They finish decorating right before Betty comes over the next day, Delsin chattering a mile a minute while he helps Dad do the dishes from breakfast. “-and Ms. Lily let me draw after I finished my test! I like her a lot more than Mr. Campbell.” 

Parker dries his hands, a smile on his face “Sounds like she was definitely a good placement for you then. Gonna be Mom’s little art prodigy, huh?”

“Uh huh!” He says excitedly, bouncing on his toes. 

“Well Mr. Prodigy, can you promise to be good for your brother while we're gone? That means no more paint experiments in the tub,” Parker says sternly, causing Delsin to duck his head sheepishly. 

“Yes Dad, I'll be good.”

“I’m serious Delsin,” Parker warns, “Otherwise you'll be helping me change out the plumbing. Again.” 

Delsin gives him a very serious salute, making Reggie snicker. It seems to be enough to satisfy their dad though, and he ruffles Delsin's hair despite the teen's protests, smirking and going to grab something upstairs.

Meanwhile, Roxanne finishes lacing up her winter boots and grabs her purse. “Reggie, I put gas money with your keys. If you could, grab some more salt for the driveway when you go out and I'll repay you tomorrow. Be careful on the roads, it's a wet mess out there and I'm sure it'll ice over once it gets dark. Oh, and make sure Delsin wears his seatbelt,” she instructs, though most of it Reggie has heard before. “We'll try to be back before it gets too late, probably around 8. Don't worry about dinner, we’ll stop on the way home.” 

“Got it, Mom. Have fun.” She and Betty both give him and Delsin a hug and kiss on the cheek before heading outside, Parker joining them a few minutes later after a quick goodbye to the two teens. 

Delsin slams the door shut behind them and rounds on his big brother with a grin.  “They’re gone! What should we do now?!” 

Reggie raises an amused eyebrow at the younger boy. “Uh, I hadn’t really thought about anything. We have the whole day though,” he notes, glancing at the clock. It’s only ten, so they have lots of time to do whatever they want. 

“Let’s go sledding!” 

Reggie hesitates, peeking through the front window. As his mother said, it’s a slushy mess outside, the yard a mix of snow and mud. “I dunno D, it looks like a lot of the snow melted.”

Delsin joins him at the window, frowning in thought. Reggie can’t help but be nervous about the way the gears are turning in his little brother’s head. It usually leads to some type of shenanigans that could get them both grounded. “What if we went to the Pass?”

Reggie blinks at him. “Dude, that’s like an hour away.” The Pass was the Rowe family’s affectionate nickname for the hiking trails they preferred to go on in the mountains. There was one area that had a gentler slope with very few rocks that he knew some people liked to go sledding on, and since it was higher in the mountains there was less chance of the snow melting. 

“Pleeeeease?” Delsin begs, grabbing his arm, “I’ll say you’re the best big brother ever!!”

“I already am, dork,” Reggie quips back, poking him in the forehead. “Fine, but we’re not staying all day. We need to get back before it gets dark, and we need to grab salt before we go.” He’s not the biggest fan of driving at night, and there’s a higher chance the roads will freeze over then.

“Okay!” Delsin beams at him, and the older teen wonders what kind of mess he’s getting himself into. 

“Lemme call Ash and see if he wants to come along.” He grabs the phone in the kitchen, dialing the number for the Nelson house. 

“Hello, Nelson residence, Danny speaking.”

“Hi Danny, it’s Reggie. Is Ash home?” He leans against the counter, watching Delsin run around to grab snacks and scarves and gloves.

“He is! One second, Reg.” 

The teen waits patiently, twisting the cord around his finger.

“Hi Reggie.” Ash sounds downright awful, voice scratchy and nasally, obviously congested.

 “Dude, are you okay?” Reggie asks, concerned.

“Yea, ‘s just a cold.” The sound of a sniffle. “What’s up?”

“Well I was going to ask if you wanted to go sledding with me and Delsin at the Pass, but you definitely don’t sound up to it.” Even if Ash tried, Mrs. Nelson would absolutely put her foot down.

“Sorry man, I’ll have to take a rain check. Be safe, kay?”

“I will, feel better man.”

“Thanks.”

He hangs up the phone and takes the jacket that Delsin is holding out to him. “Ash isn’t feeling so hot, so it’s just you and me. I’ll put the sleds in the car, you grab a couple snacks and write Mom a note about where we’re going.” Even though he wants to get back before they do, he knows it’s better to leave the note just in-case. Delsin darts off to do as he’s told, and Reggie ventures outside. The sun is bright overhead, despite the clouds in the sky promising more snow, and the wind isn’t too bad either. Smiling, he heads for the garage. 

It’s shaping up to be a great day.

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They make a short stop to get the salt, and then they’re heading out of Salmon Bay, Delsin singing along rather loudly to the radio, and very off-key. Reggie shakes his head, smirking at his brother’s antics. About a half an hour into the trip, he notices that Delsin’s gone strangely quiet. Glancing in the rear-view mirror, he can see his brother staring out the window, his good mood oddly dimmed. “What’s wrong?”

It takes Delsin a minute to answer. “Do I have to go see Gramma Sophie this year?” 

Reggie’s hands tighten on the steering wheel. “I think that’s something you need to ask Mom about.” Her Alzheimer's has gotten even worse over the last few years, to the point where sometimes she won’t even remember Mom or Betty, despite Roxanne’s biweekly visits to her nursing home. There will be visits where she stares at the wall, not even noticing anyone’s there, and other times she’ll fly into wild fits that he knows scare the tar out of his little brother. It’s hard, watching the decline, and it had gotten faster since Aunt Jessie died. But he also has more memories of his grandmother from before than Delsin does. 

“Okay.” Reggie thinks that’s the end of the conversation, but apparently Delsin isn’t finished. “How come we never go see Grampa Robbie? Or Uncle Rodney?”

“We saw Uncle Rodney last year for Mom’s birthday, remember?” The older teen points out, trying to stay focused on the road, though at least the traffic isn’t bad since it’s Sunday morning. 

“Yea, but that was the first time in like, forever . Does he not like us?” Delsin’s voice and face are hesitant, and Reggie can’t help but frown. This really is a conversation he should leave for his parents, but his chest aches seeing his brother’s sad expression. 

“No, coming home to Salmon Bay makes him feel sad. He and Grampa Robbie don’t get along very well,” Reggie answers, sighing. “Grampa Robbie wanted a kid who liked sports and stuff, and could carry on the family name. When Uncle Rodney got into plants and books, and said he didn’t want kids, Gramma and Grampa tried having more kids. They got Aunt Jessie and Mom, and then couldn’t have any more, so he got really mean. That’s why Uncle Rodney moved to Empire City when he graduated. We used to go see Grampa when you were little, but he said some really awful stuff to Mom and Dad, so they decided that was it.”

“What’d he say?” Delsin asks, leaning forward with wide eyes. 

“I dunno, you’ll have to ask Mom.” The truth is, he does know, he was there. He’d only been eight, but he could very distinctly remember what his grandfather had said, and it had been hard, at first, to see the truth behind the man who had taught him to love baseball. But Dad had eventually helped him make it his own, and his coach had said there was a very good chance he’d make it onto a college team if he kept playing how he’s been playing. 

Poetic, right?

“Did you sneak any of Betty’s cookies?” Reggie asks with a grin, deciding it’s time to change the subject. 

Delsin grins back, and holds up a ziplock bag. “Duh, of course I did!” 

“Gimme.”

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It’s nearly noon by the time they make it to the Pass, driving down the winding back road to the parking area. The mountains surrounding them are far cooler than Salmon Bay, and capped with brilliant, freshly fallen snow. They’re the only ones out here, but that doesn’t bother the pair, hiking the short half mile to where the hill is, the snow crunching beneath their boots. 

Delsin stands at the top and sets his sled down, hands on his hips. “This is a good spot!” he declares, and Reggie simply goes along with it. Honestly, it is a pretty decent-looking spot, so he’s not worried. 

They spend the next two hours sledding, racing each other to see who can get down first or see who’s faster, hopping onto the same sled to see if their combined weight can go faster, and having some killer wipeouts. They even manage to catch air a few times, something Delsin doesn’t stop gushing about, and the younger teen’s energy is quite infectious. Their cheeks are red from the cold, matching grins on their faces, fingers numb and legs sore from running up the hill. There’s snow in both their hair, even though they both have hats on, and quite a bit ran down their jackets too. Reggie calls it quits when they both start shivering, deciding it’s probably time to get back to the car and warm up. 

“We should totally bring Mom and Dad with us next time!” Delsin blurts out as they’re hiking back to the car, somehow still full of energy. Snow has begun falling, and Reggie is quite ready to go home and have some hot chocolate.

“That’d be fun! Maybe we could go after Christmas,” he suggests, digging in his pocket for the keys. He unlocks the trunk and puts both of the sleds away, and the pair slide into the car, Delsin popping into the front seat this time. “Del-” Reggie starts to warn his brother, who quickly interjects. 

“Mom lets me sometimes! And the heat’s better up front.”

Sighing, Reggie puts the key in the ignition. “Just this once.” He turns it.

Nothing. 

Frowning, Reggie tries again, and once again, nothing. No click, no grinding, nothing. The car makes no sound whatsoever. He double checks that he didn’t leave any lights on. No, all off. 

“Uh, Reg? Kinda freezing my ass off here,” Delsin points out, puzzled and not privy to his brother's rising panic. 

“Yea, I know. Hang on.” He pops the hood and gets back out of the car, checking the oil and what he can see of the engine. He’s not as well-versed in cars as his dad or Grandpa Lawrence, but he knows the basics, and everything seems okay, including the battery, so he’s not sure what-

Oh shit.

The alternator. It has to be. That would explain why he’s not even getting a click when he tries to start it. And there’s no one here to ask for help or try to jump it. He swallows and closes his eyes for a second. Don’t panic. Sheriff Miller told him that one time. No matter what, don’t panic. 

Closing the hood, he goes to the trunk, thankful for his mom’s foresight, and grabs the blankets she keeps stored there before getting back in the car. He hands one to Delsin. “Okay, bad news is, the car’s dead. Like, really dead. So we’re gonna be out here for a few hours. Good news is, we left the note, so as soon as Mom and Dad get home, they’ll find it and come get us.” 

Delsin blinks at him. “What note?”

All the blood drains out of Reggie’s face. “What do you mean, ‘what note’? The one I told you to write before we left!”

Panic overtakes the young boy’s face. “I forgot! I got distracted and forgot to write it!”

Which means their parents have no idea where they are, and the Pass is nowhere near the first place they’ll look. He really wants to panic now, but if he does, he’ll scare his brother. He has to be the grown-up one right now, even if he’s scared shitless. “Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna get in the backseat, get under the blankets, and have some snacks. We’re not going to freak out, and we need to keep each other awake until they come get us. They will come get us, I promise.” Delsin gives a shaky nod and crawls into the backseat. Reggie follows, situating the blankets around them both. It’s terrifying how easily he can lie to others. 

But he can never lie to himself.

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Parker frowns when he pulls into the driveway, noting that his wife’s car is strangely absent. “Huh, guess the boys must still be out,” he remarks, putting his truck in park. They’d dropped off Betty on the way home, deciding it’d be easiest that way. 

“That’s odd,” Roxanne muses, gathering up some of the various bags and boxes littered throughout the truck’s interior while Parker grabs what’s left as well as the bag of takeout. “I figured they’d be home now, we told them we were bringing dinner.” Their sons, especially Reggie, never miss a meal. The teen is practically a bottomless pit. 

Once inside, Roxanne searches the kitchen and the living room. “And Reggie didn’t leave a note. That’s unlike him.” Unless it was a simple trip into town and back, their oldest always leaves a note to tell them where he’s going when he takes the car. If it were earlier in the day, that would be Parker’s first assumption, but the small Salmon Bay grocery store closes at 6pm on Sundays. 

“Why don’t we give it thirty minutes, and if they don’t come home, we can call the Sheriff?” Parker offers, seeing the tension easing from his wife’s shoulders. 

“Alright.” She sets the food out on the table and grabs her sketchbook, sitting on the couch to draw. Parker stashes all the Christmas shopping in their bedroom closet and then joins her downstairs, only half paying attention to the movies put on the TV. 

After half an hour, neither of their wayward offspring have appeared, and Parker is starting to worry. The temperatures had already begun to drop on their way home, snow soon to follow. His son’s a good driver, but even an experienced driver can struggle with icy roads. “I hope the car isn’t giving them any trouble.”

“Well, you fixed the alternator, so if it is giving them trouble, they should be able to at least keep it running to stay warm.”

Slowly, Parker sits upright and turns to face his wife, face going pale. “Say that again?”

Roxanne’s brow furrows. “The alternator? I asked you to take a look at it yesterday when you went out to do the lights, remember?”

His mouth opens but nothing comes out. He doesn’t remember her asking him that. 

Her eyes widen in horror. “Oh my God.” She bolts off the couch and over to the phone. “Yes, this is Roxanne Rowe, my kids haven’t come home and we have reason to believe the car my son is using might have died… Yes… Around 10am, we went to Seattle for the day… Okay, thank you Deputy.” She hangs up the phone. “Deputy Jackson said he’d call the Sheriff and asked us to meet them at the Station.” 

He nods, and they’re out the door in seconds. 

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Reggie has no idea how long they’ve been sitting in the backseat, playing Go Fish with a deck of cards and a flashlight they found under the seats and eating Betty’s cookies. He can’t feel his hands, or his feet for that matter, but he’s trying to keep his little brother distracted. It’s been dark for hours, and he’s getting scared, but what else can he do?

“You’re go, Del,” he mumbles, yawning. He stopped shivering a while ago, and now he’s just really tired. His head feels kinda funny, like when he went to a party with Ash his sophomore year and got super drunk, and his words slur a bit. Delsin is leaning most of his weight on him, and when Reggie looks down, he finds the younger teen’s eyes are closed. “Delsin? Del, wake up.”

They have to stay awake. Right? Have to stay awake, have to- But he’s so tired. And he stopped feeling the cold a while ago. Maybe a nap won’t hurt…

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Parker can’t stop pacing the floor in front of Deputy Jackson’s desk. Sheriff Miller and Deputy Booth had both gone out to look for the car over an hour ago, arriving back only a couple minutes ago, and Parker’s nerves are starting to fray. He has no idea when the boys left, or where they were headed. They’d gone through a list of questions to try and narrow down the possibilities, but had had no luck.

“Let’s run through these again. You last saw the boys at 10am this morning.” Sheriff Miller confirms, leaning on Deputy Jackson’s desk. “Did they tell you any plans or anywhere they might think of going?” 

“No,” Roxanne groans, scrubbing a hand over her face. “We weren’t even sure if they were planning to go out or not.” 

“And as far as you know, they left no note, didn’t tell anyone where they were going?” 

“No, Betty was with us and they wouldn’t-”

“Wait.” Parker stops, frowning. “Rox, did you check with Ash?”

“I went past the Nelson house, Mr. Rowe, your wife’s car wasn’t there,” Deputy Booth pipes up, shaking his head. 

“But Reggie may have told Ash where he was going,” Parker points out. “It can’t hurt to at least check.” Deputy Jackson offers him the phone on his desk and Parker dials the number for the Nelson household, chewing on his lip while the phone rings. 

“Hello?” A sleepy woman’s voice answers, and Parker sighs with relief. 

“Vicky? It’s Parker. I’m really sorry to call so late but the boys are missing. Did Reggie talk to Ash today? Did he mention where he was going at all?”

“Oh, oh goodness, wait one moment, let me-” He hears her set the phone down and can faintly hear footsteps. He holds his breath, his heart pounding in his chest. It feels like hours, though it’s only a few minutes before he hears someone pick up the phone again. “Parker? Are you there?”

“Yes, I’m still here.”

“Ash said Reggie had invited him to go sledding earlier. They were going up to the Pass. That was at around 10:30-11am.” 

Cold tendrils of fear wrap around his heart. The Pass ? In this weather?

“Thank you Vicky, I have to go.”

“Call me when you find them.”

“I will.”

He hangs up, and turns to the Sheriff. “They went to the hiking trails near Glacier Peak. There’s a few slopes that people go sledding on, that has to be where they are.”

Miller swears. “That’s a lot of road to cover. I’ll call the Park, the Rangers there can get started and meet us in the middle. Hopefully, that way we won’t miss them. Jackson, get the tire chains on your truck.”

“I can come with you, I know what route we always take, where they’re most likely to park. Please, Sheriff.” Parker isn’t above begging, not where his kids are concerned. 

Miller hesitates for only a split second. “You ride with me.”

Parker breathes a sigh of relief and Roxanne hurries over, giving him a quick hug. “You’ll find them, right?”

“I promise.”

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Thump-thump

Thump-thump…

Thump.. thump…

Thump-

Chapter Text

Parker bounces his knee anxiously. They’ve been driving for nearly an hour, random classical music filling the silence. Christmas music didn’t feel appropriate right now, given the circumstances. Normally, an hour would be sufficient to get to the Pass, but with all the snow, it’s taking twice the time. The Sheriff’s radio crackles to life. “Sheriff Miller, this is Officer Grey, copy?”

Miller picks up his radio, his eyes fixed on the road and the steadily falling snow. “Copy, how are things going, Officer?” 

“We’re having a bit of trouble getting to the areas we need to, there’s been a lot of accumulation up here and the trucks are struggling, but we’re doing our best,” the Park Ranger answers. “Two of our guys have gone ahead snowmobiles to start looking, and hopefully by the time you get here, we should have a good bit of it cleared.” 

The trails have five or six lots to park in, and at least two slopes to sled on. While the Rowes usually park at the first two, who knows if snow or something else could've forced them to another area. They have no way of knowing which one the boys were at, and they could still be trapped on a road to or from that area. Time is running out. 

The radio is mostly silent for the next hour, aside from occasional check-ins. Eventually, Parker can make out headlights ahead, as well as the much brighter beams of a plow. Sheriff Miller pulls off to one side and hops out, Deputy Jackson parking right behind them. The three hurry over to join the plow, snowcat, and trucks marked as the Park Rangers and Park Warden for the area. A lean, wiry man with a thick beard covered in snow trudges over to them. “Sheriff Miller? Officer Grey.” 

The Sheriff shakes his hand and gestures to the two men with him. “These are Deputy Jackson and Parker Rowe.”

Officer Grey locks eyes with Parker, a faint frown on his face. “Are you the boys’ father?” 

“Yes sir, have you had any luck at all?” Parker asks hopefully as they walk over to join the rest of the group, squeezing his gloved hands together in an attempt to warm them.

Officer Grey glances at one of his colleagues, an older man with greying sideburns and a serious expression. “Mr. Rowe, this is Officer Peterson. He’s the Warden in charge right now.”

“We haven’t been able to find any sign of your sons or the car,” Officer Peterson tells him, straight to business, like his words aren’t a punch to the chest for Parker, knocking the air from his lungs. “It’s drifting pretty hard, and the snowfall is going to get worse within the next two hours. If we stay out here much longer, we’re going to get stranded and more people will be put at risk trying to rescue the rescuers. I’m sorry, but we have to call off the search for now.”

Parker feels numb, in a way that definitely isn’t the cold. “You’re- you’re giving up? My kids are still out there somewhere!” 

“I know,” Officer Peterson says solemnly. “But with the temperatures being what they are, and how deep the snow is, there’s unfortunately a very good chance that your sons are already gone, and I have a responsibility to protect my team.”

No. “No. No!” Parker snaps, anger and fear warming his core like a blazing inferno. “I refuse to fucking believe that and if you want to just give up on them, fine, go to hell, but I am not leaving here until I find them, goddamit!” 

“How?” Peterson demands. “Have you ever operated a snowmobile before? Do you even have a license for one? You’re only going to get yourself killed.” 

“I have a license for one.” Deputy Jackson steps forward, coming to stand next to Parker. “And experience, I grew up in Wyoming. I’ll take him.”

Peterson’s gaze bounces back and forth between the two. “Fine. I’ll give you twenty minutes. But I’m not putting anyone else at risk.”

“I’ll go with them.” Officer Grey volunteers, jogging to his snowmobile before his superior can protest. One of the other rangers hands Deputy Jackson a key and a couple pairs of goggles and the two men hurry to get on the other snowmobile. Parker sits behind Deputy Jackson, holding tight to his jacket as they follow Officer Grey. 

“Thank you, Deputy!” Parker calls over the roar of the engine. 

“Call me Billy!” He shouts back. Parker’s head is on a constant swivel, looking everywhere. His heart is in his throat, his pulse thundering, his fingers numb. He can’t see the mountains, can barely see ahead of them, but Officer Grey seems to know where they’re going. 

After about 15 minutes, they stop, and Parker wants to sob. How is he supposed to go back to Roxanne and tell her that he failed? That he gave up on finding their kids because they ‘might be already dead’?

“Mr. Rowe! Deputy Jackson!” Billy pulls up alongside Officer Grey, who has a digital GPS and a paper map spread open in front of him. “I wanna search this area again! Something’s telling me to go there, and I’ve learned to always trust my gut on this job!”

“What about Peterson? That’ll take us past the twenty minute mark!” Billy yells over the wind and two engines. 

“Screw Peterson! No kids are dying on my watch!” He barks back, putting everything away and revving the engine. They both take off, and even with the snow, Parker gets the feeling that he knows this area, the trees looking very familiar. He taps Billy’s shoulder. “Go that way!” he points, and Billy obeys, Officer Grey close behind. His eyes scan as far as he can see, straining for a sign, anything, when the snowmobile’s headlights flash past a drift, and he’s certain he sees a glint. 

“Wait, wait!” He pats Billy’s arm. “There! Right there!” 

“I see it!” The two snowmobiles gun it, and Parker barely even waits for the vehicle to stop before he’s already leaping off, stumbling in the deep snow. The wind has blown snow almost entirely over the car, hiding it almost completely from view, except for part of the driver’s window. Parker digs as fast as he can to clear the window fully, Billy joining him. The deputy yanks a flashlight off his belt and shines it inside. 

Empty. 

Where-

“Here!” He hadn’t even realized that Officer Grey had cleared the back window, a flashlight in his hand as well. Parker scrambles over, and his heart thumps painfully in his chest when he spots Reggie and Delsin huddled together under blankets in the back seat. Neither seem conscious. Officer Grey hurries over to his radio.

“Officer Grey to Sheriff Miller, we found them. Repeat, we found them. Beacon is ready.”

“Copy Officer Grey, on our way.”

“How are we gonna get them out?” Parker asks Billy worriedly. Getting to the doors seems out of the question, if they’re not frozen shut. 

“I have an idea, I just hope you don’t care about your windshield.” Billy says with a grim smile.

“I don’t give a shit about the car, Deputy.” 

“Good. Help me clear it off.” 

The two work in tandem, clearing snow off and around the front windshield. Taking a deep breath, Billy slams his boot down on the center of the windshield. Spiderweb cracks appear, and Billy brings his boot down again.  Behind them, Officer Grey moves the snowmobiles so that the headlights point to the car, giving them more light. A hole appears, and he quickly kneels down, punching through the rest of it and clearing out the glass. Once it’s clear, he shimmies through the open space and into the car. Parker’s heart is in his throat, the whole world seeming to go still. Billy removes one of his gloves and presses his hand to Delsin’s neck first, then holds it in front of his mouth and nose. “Got a pulse and breathing.” He does the same thing with Reggie and sighs with relief. “Same here. Pulses are slow, but there.”

Working carefully, Billy pulls the blankets apart long enough to move Delsin out, wrapping him back up in one and lifting him over the front seats to hand him to the other two men. Parker has never seen his son so pale, or so still. Even when he sleeps, he’s always been a fidgeter. Officer Grey wraps him up as best he can, using his body to shield the teen from the wind. “As soon as we get them out, we should head out to meet the snowcat! I have a GPS beacon so we can find each other!” 

“Good plan!” 

Billy maneuvers Reggie over to him and crawls out of the car. “Can you hold him and steer?” Parker asks Officer Grey with concern. 

“Yes, I’ve done it before. Will you be able to hold your other son and still keep a hand on Deputy Jackson?”

“I’ll make damn sure of it.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

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Warm. 

That’s the first thing he notices. It’s warm. He’s still tired, and everything feels heavy, and sore, but he’s not cold anymore. There’s a hand in his hair, and he tries so hard to open his eyes, but his eyelids seem to each weigh a hundred pounds. 

“Reggie?”

He slips back under, into warm, blessed darkness. 

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Parker turns from where he’d been sitting beside Delsin’s hospital bed and joins his wife. She’s leaning over Reggie, her hand gently running through his hair. “Is he awake?”

She presses her lips into a thin line and shakes her head. “Not really. He was conscious for a split second, tried to open his eyes, then passed back out.”

He sighs and wraps her in a hug. “It'll be okay, Roxie. They're both alive, and so far all the tests and scans have come back normal. We just gotta give them time.” 

“I know, but it's hard. I want to see my babies awake, and be able to talk to them, know for sure that they're okay.” She mumbles against his chest. 

He doesn't reply, she knows he feels the same way. 

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Delsin surprises them by waking up first. Although, then again, maybe it isn't surprising, given how much energy their youngest has. He's disoriented, but relaxes when he sees his parents. “Hi Mama,” he mumbles sleepily, blinking up at her. 

Roxanne breathes a sigh of relief and leans down to kiss his cheek, smiling at him as the doctor enters the room, coming to Delsin’s other side. “Hi sweetheart, how are you feeling?”

“Tired. Hurts,” he tells her, closing his eyes briefly and then opening them again. 

“What hurts, Delsin?” The doctor asks softly as she checks him over. 

“Everything,” he yawns, looking around, brows knitting together with confusion. “Where am I?”

“You’re at the hospital, sweetie,” Roxanne tells him gently. “Do you remember what happened?”

A look of concentration covers his face. “We were sledding… and then we tried to go home. The car wouldn’t start. It got really cold, and Reggie-” He stops short, panic taking over as he struggles to sit up “Where’s Reggie?! Is he okay?” 

Parker and the doctor gently push him back down. “Your brother’s right there-” Parker gestures with his head “-he’s asleep. Rest, you can see him when you’re better.”

Delsin doesn’t look convinced, but closes his eyes nevertheless, falling back asleep in minutes. Parker exhales slowly, running a hand through his son’s hair. The doctor smiles at him, making a note on Delsin’s chart. “Your boys are close, I take it?”

Parker returns the smile. “Yea, they are.”

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Reggie wakes up late in the night, a few hours after his little brother, slowly moving his head to one side, then the other, blearily looking around. Parker looks up from his book when he spots movement, breathing another sigh of relief when he sees that his oldest is awake. Setting the book down, he crosses the room to stand beside the bed, taking Reggie’s hand. “Hey bud, you with me?” he asks softly, keeping his voice down so as to not wake his wife, asleep in the chair by Delsin’s bed.

He gets a frown in return, like the teen is having trouble focusing on his face. “Where’s Delsin? Is he okay?” 

He has to hide a smile, not surprised in the slightest that that’s Reggie’s first concern. He’s always been a very protective big brother to Delsin. “He’s fine, kiddo, he’s sleeping in the other bed. He was worried about you.” Parker sits on the edge of the bed. “So were your mom and I. Glad to see you’re okay. How ya feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a truck,” he mumbles, flexing his fingers. “One good thing about being frozen is you can’t feel that everything hurts.” 

Parker hides a wince. Neither boy has been awake long enough to really describe anything that happened yet, and he’s been trying not to think about how close he came to losing both his sons. 

“What day is it?” Reggie asks, looking a little more awake now.

He checks the calendar on the wall. “December 25th.” They’d been stuck in the Park Rangers’ cabin for several hours, not even realizing that Christmas Eve had started, working to warm both boys and keep them alive until the snowfall lessened and an air ambulance could get to the top of the mountain. After that, it became a waiting game, hoping the teens would wake up, that there would be no lasting effects. And now it’s Christmas. “Go back to sleep, kiddo. I’ll be here when you wake up, okay?”

“Okay…” He’s back asleep as quickly as Delsin, and Parker’s shoulders sag. There isn’t really anyone to blame for this, it was a mess of misunderstandings and bad luck, but the Rowe patriarch still feels responsible. Setting Reggie’s hand down gently, Parker returns to his seat and eases himself into it with a quiet groan. Fuck, he really is getting old. He rests his head back against the chair and closes his eyes. 

They’re safe, and that’s the best Christmas present he could ask for.

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At first, when Reggie wakes up again, he really hopes he’d been dreaming. But nope, opening his eyes reveals not the familiar ceiling of his bedroom, but the dimmed lights of the hospital. He’s still sore as hell, but his mind is clearer this time. He looks around and notices that his parents are both awake, talking quietly in the corner. Craning his neck, he can see Delsin in the bed next to him, fast asleep and covered in blankets. 

“Good morning, young man.” 

He blinks and searches for the voice, finding a man in scrubs to his left. “Uh, hi?”

“I’m Doctor Young, I’m going to ask you a few questions and check a few things, is that alright?”

Reggie nods, his parents gradually making their way over while the doctor does his exam, asking Reggie things like his name and birthday, checking his eyes, his hands. He’s thorough, and it takes longer than Reggie would like, but he’s smiling when he finishes up. “Some very minor frostbite on your hands that should clear up pretty soon, but other than that, you should only have to deal with some lingering fatigue and muscle soreness, which should get better over the next couple of weeks. You and your brother are very lucky.” He straightens up and turns to Reggie’s parents. “As far as I can see, they both should make full recoveries, though with severe hypothermia, issues can remain hidden for weeks, so keep an eye on them. Make sure they drink plenty of water, and make a follow-up appointment with their regular doctor within the next two weeks.”

“Thanks, Doc.” Parker shakes his hand and the doctor walks out the door, leaving Reggie alone with his parents and sleeping brother. 

“Hey baby,” Roxanne says with a smile, sitting on the bed and giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. “How are you feeling?”

“Same as before.” He tries to sit up, and this time Parker lets him, moving the head of the bed so he doesn’t have to sit up on his own. “What day is it? What happened to the car?”

“Still Christmas day,” Roxanne explains, offering him a large styrofoam cup with a straw. He takes a sip, making a face at the warm water. It feels good on his parched throat though as he swallows, forcing back tears. They completely missed Christmas Eve, and they’re going to miss Christmas too. “The car is still where it was. They’ll tow it home once the snow clears up. Can you tell us what happened though?”

He tells them from the beginning, calling Ash, the forgotten note, Delsin’s questions on the drive there, and the terrifying moment that he’d realized the car wasn’t starting. “I tried to keep us awake, but it didn’t work… The next thing I remember is us being here.” He looks down at his hands resting in his lap. “I’m sorry.”

Roxanne and Parker exchange a glance. “For what, baby?” His mom prompts softly, squeezing his arm. 

“Delsin almost died cause of me, and I ruined your car, and Christmas.” His vision blurs, and he hurriedly swipes at his eyes. “I should’ve told him no.”

“No, baby you are absolutely not at fault for this. Your dad and I had a miscommunication and I thought the car was fine to drive. If the alternator had worked, nothing bad would’ve happened, you would’ve made it back home without a problem. And you used good judgement, you did everything you could to keep the two of you alive until help came. The car is replaceable, Christmas is replaceable, you and Delsin are not. We can celebrate when we go home, okay?” 

He’s not sure why, but he’d expected them to be angry. He still feels guilty, but at least they’re both alive. He’d never been more scared in his life than when everything just went numb and he couldn’t wake up his brother. The sound of rustling blankets reaches his ears and he looks over to find that Delsin’s awake too. Dad goes to help him sit up too, and he perks up considerably when he sees his big brother. “Reggie! You’re okay!”

He smiles. “Course I’m okay. And see? Mom and Dad found us, just like I promised.”

Delsin nods, accepting the water that their dad hands him. “When can we go home?” 

“Doc said we can take you home tomorrow, and we can celebrate Christmas the day after.” 

“Okay.” Delsin’s gaze drops, his chin wobbling, and then he promptly bursts into tears, startling the older teen and their parents. “I’m sorry Reggie, I should never have asked you to go to the pass, it was dangerous and stupid and we almost died and we’re missing Christmas and-!”

Parker scoops him up, avoiding all the leads and IVs, and sets him into his lap, hugging him tightly. “Delsin, buddy, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. These things happen sometimes.”

“And I’m not upset, D,” Reggie speaks up, shifting in the bed. “We still had a lot of fun, and I could’ve said no. Shit just went sideways, and in a few years we’ll laugh about this, okay?”

Delsin sniffles, his face pressed to Parker’s chest. “Okay…” 

There’s a knock at the door, and the family looks over in time to see Deputy Jackson peek his head in. “Hey there Rowe family, sorry if I’m interrupting. Mind if I come in?”

“Not at all, Billy, it’s good to see you,” Parker says with a smile before gesturing to the teen in his lap. “Hope you don’t mind if I don’t get up.”

“Oh yea, no need.” Billy opens the door with his hip, a cardboard box in hand. Behind him is a tall man with grey hair and warm green eyes, holding another box. “We just wanted to bring some stuff over for you.”

“Officer Peterson?” Reggie notices his dad seems stunned by the other man's appearance. 

“Hello, Mr. Rowe. Officer Grey asked that I send you his regards and ask after your boys. He left first thing this morning to get to his parents’ house for the holidays.” 

“That was sweet of him. We’re very grateful for everything you and your team did,” Mom says earnestly as the two men sit the boxes on a table in the corner. 

“Just doing our jobs, Mrs. Rowe,” Billy tells her with a warm smile. “And I hope you don’t mind, my mom sent some food over, said you deserve something better than crummy hospital food for the holidays. Sheriff Miller and his wife and the Nelsons also sent over a few things.”

“The other Rangers also added some treats in there,” Officer Peterson continues. “I have to get back, but I’m glad to see everyone’s okay.” He turns to leave, and Parker places Delsin back on the bed, jogging over to him. 

“I’ll walk you out.”

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Once they’re out of earshot, Parker turns to the man walking next to him. “‘Officer Peterson, I owe you an apology. You and your crew were already risking your lives to help me and my family and I shouldn’t have lost it on you.”

The man smiles sadly and shakes his head. “You had every right to be upset. Your kids were in trouble, and you seem like a good father who loves them very much. And trust me, I’ve seen people lose it far worse than you. My job forces me to make hard choices sometimes, weighing lives is one of the worst parts of it. I never want to stop searching, especially when there are kids involved, but I’ve lost good men trying to push for those last few minutes, and it’s even worse when we lose someone only to find out the person we’re searching for was already gone. I’m sorry for seeming callous that day. Your story had a happy ending, which I’m grateful for, but I’ve seen too many over the years that haven’t, and it never gets easier.”

As angry as Parker was then, he gets it now, and he’s thankful he’s never had to make a choice like that. He hopes his kids never have to either. He holds out a hand. “Thank you, Officer Peterson.” 

The older man grips his hand and gives it a firm shake. “I’m glad your boys are okay, Mr. Rowe. Hope they feel back to normal soon. Enjoy the goodies.” 

Parker watches him go, feeling better than he has over the past few days. His family is safe, and tomorrow they can go home and celebrate the holidays together. When he returns to their room, he finds Roxanne pulling tupperware containers out of one of the boxes while Deputy Jackson chats with Delsin and Reggie, a bright grin on his younger son’s face. There are a few presents at the end of each bed, and two sitting on the room’s vacant chair. Raising an eyebrow, he joins his wife, who smirks at him. “Guess the Rangers and Sheriff Miller decided that if we’re stuck in the hospital for Christmas, they’d send a little bit of Christmas to us,” she teases, handing him a container and a fork. “I didn’t think there would be any stores open, but I guess a few were probably open Christmas Eve. Vicky sent both of us something too.”  

Warmth spreads down to his fingertips and he sits down in the vacant chair after moving the presents over. The container in his hands is stuffed full of food, and he suddenly realizes how hungry he is. Deputy Jackson bids them goodbye, and the family is left alone again, though the mood in the room is vastly improved. Roxanne sits next to him with her own food once she gets both teens situated with theirs. “I talked to Betty, she has some leftovers from the tribe’s winter party for us when we get home.” The Akomish elder had come by yesterday to check on all of them, bringing extra blankets from her house, the woven material warmer and softer than any of the hospital blankets.

He’d forgotten all about the party, too busy worrying about Delsin and Reggie. Oh well, there’s always next year. The nurse comes in while they’re eating to check vitals and give medications, turning on the TV in the corner for them before she leaves. The Grinch is playing, one of Delsin’s favorites, and despite everything, it feels like Christmas. 

The X-Box his sons receive from Deputy Jackson helps too.

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Reggie has never been happier to be home. It wasn’t so bad, as far as hospital stays go, but the house is warm, and familiar. Dad and Delsin are playing cards, and he’s catching up on a new book series on the couch, leaning against his mom while she sketches. Ash and Mrs. Nelson had come over earlier, not long after they got home, to bring over dinner and check on things. 

“I’m glad you’re okay, man,” Ash had told him quietly, finally over his cold. 

“Me too. I’ve never been so grateful for a cold. If you had gone with us, no one would’ve known where we were,” Reggie had pointed out in return, a sobering realization that shook him to the core. The experience is not one he ever wants to repeat. 

He ends up falling asleep with his head on his mom's shoulder. When he wakes up again, it's dark, a chill in the air. He nearly panics, his mind going back to the cold interior of the car, but something warm and soft covers him and blinks, looking up at his dad, who smiles and brushes his hair back. “You're okay, Reggie, go back to sleep.”  

He picks his head up from where it was pillowed on his mom's thigh to watch his dad add more logs to the hot coals in the fireplace, coaxing flames forth once more. Delsin is curled up on the floor with a pillow and about three blankets, and Roxanne is asleep as well, covered in another of Betty's blankets, her head resting on the arm of the couch and her legs pulled up next to Reggie’s arm. 

With the fire going once again, Parker checks the thermostat and gets comfy in the recliner, stretching out with a yawn. “Night kiddo.” 

Laying his head back down, Reggie closes his eyes, the warmth from the fire and the blanket sinking into his bones. 

“Night Dad.”

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Reggie is the first one up, the house quiet aside from Delsin's soft snuffles. There are presents under the tree now, probably put there by Dad last night after everyone fell asleep. Getting off the couch, he follows his dad's lead and gets the fire going again, then wanders into the kitchen and gets the coffee maker going. Leaning against the counter, he listens to it sputter and hiss, gaze wandering over his sleeping family members. He knows Parker and Roxanne are both tired, having barely slept since he and Delsin were found. Even with Mom's reassurance, he still feels guilty for putting them through all that.

He misses his mom stirring on the couch, so wrapped up in his own thoughts, until she joins him in the kitchen, fetching a cup from the cabinet behind him. “Morning baby, how are you feeling?” she asks softly, pouring herself some of the coffee once it finishes brewing and taking a sip. 

Reggie gives a half-hearted shrug. “Muscles are sore. Had some bad dreams.” He feels drained despite all the sleep he got, but Doctor Young said to expect that. 

Roxanne sets her coffee down and pulls him into a hug. He hugs her back, closing his eyes and breathing in her perfume. “You'll feel back to normal soon. And if you want to talk about anything, you know your dad and I are here for you.” She hugs him until he lets go, then picks up her coffee again. “Thank you for making coffee. You up for helping me make breakfast? Or do you need to go lay down?” 

He shrugs. “I can help.” 

Everything necessary to make pancakes, bacon, and eggs soon clutter the counters, one of Mom's records spinning on the player. Delsin and Dad both remain asleep, the two far heavier sleepers than mother and son in the kitchen. Cooking with his mom has always been one of Reggie’s favorite activities since he was small enough to sit on the counter and help stir. It's calming, grounding. 

Roxanne hums along with the music, swaying in place and flicking the skillet expertly to flip the egg inside, while Reggie stirs the pancake batter. Setting the pan down, Roxanne starts brewing another batch of coffee and steals the bowl from him, grabbing his hands with a bright smile. Soon enough, they’re dancing around the kitchen, wearing matching grins, pausing briefly when they pass by the stove to make sure nothing's burning before spinning off again. 

“Behind my back with a younger man, Roxie? How could you?” Parker’s teasing voice draws the pair’s attention, and Roxanne winks at her husband. 

“I couldn’t help myself, he looks just like you, but his singing voice is much prettier.” 

Reggie’s ears heat up, but he can’t stop smiling. 

“Can’t argue with that,” Parker jokes, pouring himself a cup of coffee and stealing a piece of bacon. He squeaks and darts out of the kitchen when Roxanne swats at him with a rag, settling back into his recliner and sporting the same mischievous smile that often finds its way onto Delsin’s face.

Roxanne rolls her eyes and returns to the stove, scooping the eggs onto a plate and starting on the pancakes. The smell of breakfast finally rouses the youngest member of the family, the teen stumbling into the kitchen and wrapping his arms around his mother. “Morning, Mama,” Delsin mumbles sleepily into her side. 

She wraps an arm around him and kisses his hair. “Morning sweetie. Ready for pancakes?” 

“And presents?” 

Roxanne laughs. “Yes, and presents.”

Reggie slips upstairs to take a quick shower, warm water soothing sore muscles. He almost falls asleep in the shower, but luckily, Dad’s knock snaps him awake. “You okay in there, Reg?”

“Yea, almost done!”

“Okay, food’s ready when you are!”

He hurries to dry off and get dressed, not wanting to feel cold, and joins the rest of his family downstairs, their Rankin-Bass Christmas dvd already playing with Parker quoting every line when his mouth isn’t full of pancakes. Delsin curls up next to Reggie on the couch with his plate, contentedly munching on a piece of bacon. It might not be Christmas Day, but it feels like Christmas nonetheless. 

After breakfast is done and the dishes are clean, they get down to business opening presents and stockings, wrapping paper flying through the air. Normally, Reggie is a bit calmer than his little brother, but presents. New books, a new bat, a box set of the Killer Slimes trilogy, and a couple new board games. Delsin is already tearing into his new art supplies before he even finishes opening his other presents, exasperating both of the adults in the room. 

A few hours later, the presents are all opened and the mood has shifted from excitement to a settled kind of happy warmth. Delsin is curled up amongst the wrapping paper mess with a blanket, his new sketch pad clutched to his chest like a teddy bear, while Reggie is similarly snuggled into the recliner, nose-deep in one of his new books. His parents are sitting together on the couch sharing a bottle of wine, the TV turned down to a murmur. 

“Oh! Reggie?” 

He looks up at his dad, who has an arm wrapped around his mom and a twinkle in his eyes. “I almost forgot one of your presents. Should be hanging on the tree, by my new masterpiece.” 

Puzzled, Reggie puts down his book and tiptoes around Delsin to the tree. He spots Parker’s newest addition to their ornament collection and spies the small leather pouch hanging nearby. Plucking it off the branch, he shows it to his dad. “This one?” 

A nod. “That one.” 

Loosening the strings, Reggie tips the contents of the pouch into his waiting palm. A key slides out, attached to a keychain made of braided leather. He blinks, slowly looking up at Parker. “I don’t understand.”

“That’s the key to the Camaro.”

His fingers curl around the cool metal in his palm, a thrill of excitement shooting through him. “Are we gonna get it fixed?” 

Parker shakes his head, and a split second of confusion zings through the teen. “It’s already fixed.”

… Huh? “You’re serious?!” Reggie squeaks, eyes wide. 

A bright grin splits Parker’s face. “I’ve had it fixed for over a month now. A few friends in town helped me find a good mechanic who works with classic cars. I figured you’d need a car for college, even if you go somewhere local.”

Reggie’s excitement dims. “But what about Mom? Won’t she need a car?” Dad had told him about their rescue after they got back from the hospital, and unfortunately there’s a decent chance his mom’s car won’t be salvageable. 

“Let us worry about that, baby. And besides, I’ve been meaning to look into a new car for a while.” Roxanne has a fond, exasperated look on her face. “I still say the Camaro has too much horsepower for a 17-year-old, but I suppose as long as you’re careful…”

Reggie still hesitates. “Are you sure, Dad? I mean, this was Grandpa’s car.” 

“And now it’s yours.” There’s nothing but warmth in his dad’s eyes. Beaming, Reggie darts over to the front door and yanks his boots on, not bothering to lace them, instead shoving the laces down next to his leg and bolting out the door, just barely remembering to grab his jacket on the way. The weather is crisp, snow falling lightly in big, fluffy flakes and collecting in his hair as he sprints to the garage outback. The big door opens with a loud clatter, and there she sits. The tarp’s been taken off, bright orange paint gleaming, free of dust and cobwebs. Reggie runs a hand over the hood, unable to keep the smile off his face, and pops the door open, sliding into the driver’s seat. 

He can’t believe it’s his. 

000000

“I’ll be back,” Parker says as he kisses his wife’s cheek, handing her his wine glass, and follows his son outside, though at a more sedate pace. He finds the teen sitting in the driver’s seat, a look of awe paired with a dazzling smile that makes Parker’s chest ache with something bittersweet. His kid still looks so young, but he’s almost grown. Soon he’ll be going to college, maybe move out, maybe one day start a family of his own. As Parker slides into the passenger’s seat, he watches Reggie rest his hands on the steering wheel, and a memory pops up. He remembers sitting in the driver’s seat, his son only a toddler at the time, smacking tiny hands against the leather wheel while sitting in his lap. 

God, how time flies. 

“So, what do you say? Wanna take her for a spin?” Parker asks with a smirk. “We’ll keep it quick, I’ve got a glass of Moscato still calling my name.”

Reggie laughs, breathless and bright. “To the inlet and back?” 

“Sounds good! Oh, and I better not catch your ass doing any racing, cause knowing my luck it’d be Booth that catches you,” Parker jokes as Reggie puts the key in and turns it, the engine roaring to life, the familiar rumble like an old friend saying hello. 

“Course not, I’d never do something that stupid,” his son remarks as they pull out of the garage and onto the road. “I’m not Delsin.”

It’s Parker’s turn to laugh. They keep the drive short, since it is still Christmas (sort of), and they don’t want to neglect Roxanne and Delsin. Once the Camaro is safely nestled back in the garage, they walk back to the house, side by side. 

“Dad?”

Parker glances sideways at his son. “Hm?”

“Thanks.”

He stops and pulls Reggie into a tight hug, never wanting to let go. “Merry Christmas, kiddo.”

“Merry Christmas, Dad.”