When The Lights Go Down

Tradition

December 25, CHRISTMAS

Bailey’s POV

Christmas used to be my favorite holiday, I remember Nick and I getting up at 5 am and running into Joe and Kevins rooms and jumping on them to wake them up so we could all sneak downstairs and try to scope out all the loot before Mom and Dad busted us…shaking and rattling the brightly wrapped gifts, trying to guess what was inside…we sucked at guessing but it was still fun to try. It has always been a very special holiday, a time for family to come together and be thankful for our loved ones in our lives…we would stay in our pajamas all day and drink hot chocolate with candy canes…(literally the only day of the year Mom lost her mind enough to give four children cups of melted chocolate with a stick to stir made of candy) we would bounce around high on sugar and Christmas cheer all day long….I miss when things were simple….I miss looking forward to Christmas…

*B lays on her bed staring at the ceiling…4:58 am…anticipating the inevitable sneak attack that is about to happen*

4:59…

5am

*door creaks open and in tip toes Nick toward B’s bed*

(Nick) *hops on B’s bed and starts to jump* IT'S CHRISTMAS *smile*

(Bailey) *sarcastic groan* yay

*Nick’s smile fades and he plops down to sit next to B*

(Nick) whats wrong?

(Bailey) it's Christmas

(Nick) I know…I just said that….’cept mine sounded less like I wanted to cry over it….what's wrong? *turns B’s face toward him and sees she is crying. Immediately he assumes the position…laying down beside her and extending his left arm out wrapping it around her as she snuggles into her spot on his shoulder* Heyyyyyy…..talk to me

(Bailey) You guys leave in one week for LA…ONE WEEK

(Nick) *sigh* I know….I was trying not to think about it

(Bailey) well then you have super powers because It's all I can think about…I cannot believe Mom and Dad are making me stay here until tour its so unfair

(Nick) you are in school, plus the LA stuff is all busy work preparing for the tour you would HATE it…Mom and you are staying here because we wont be staying in LA we will be flying to different cities a lot of days for promotional stuff and interviews…its a lot of unnecessary travel for you…

(Bailey) I can do PACE work, and all of it is “unnecessary” travel for me…I do it because you don’t just leave half your family at home while you go flying around from interview to interview! *irritated*

(Nick) B, Dad says we will be making a trip back here at least two or three times during the weeks and on the weekends if there is nothing tour related booked

(Bailey) OH well why didn’t you say so… that changes everything….two or three times seeing you  in 4 weeks and a POSSIBILITY of a weekend, WOOO *snarky* you know what makes it even worse is the fact that it doesn’t seem to bother you at all…

(Nick) *hugs B and kisses the top of her head* hey….you are my favorite person on the planet….it does bother me…I'm trying to not dwell on it…the weeks before tour always fly by because there is so much work to do….and then you and Mom will join us for the tour and you will be soooooooo sick of us after being cramped in a bus after a week it will all even out *smile*

(Bailey) *snuggles into Nicks shoulder* How am I gunna go four weeks without this…

(Nick) *smirk* I'm sure you can find someone elses smelly armpit to snuggle into

*B smacks Nicks chest*

(Bailey) I'm going to miss you too much

(Nick) I'm going to miss you too….BUT we still have phone…and text …and online video chat AND we still have a week before we go…and its Christmas *smile*

(Bailey) Do you promise to be horribly miserable without me everyday while you are in LA?

(Nick) *chuckle*of course

*B snuggles in*

(Bailey) I love you

(Nick) I love you too 

*Nick and B slowly drift back to sleep*

*10 minutes later the door creeps open*

(Joe and Kevin) *both jump on top of the twins* WAKE UP

(Bailey) ARGH!

(Nick) OOOF! 

(Kevin) come on you two…tradition is tradition….we have things to do!

*Joe grabs B’s hand, Kevin grabs Nicks and they pull them out of bed*

(Joe) First one downstairs gets to open that huge present addressed to all of us!

*All four scramble toward the door at the same time B grabbing on to Joes shirt and pulling him backwards trying to gain ground… Nick doing the same to Kevin… all four nearly wedge themselves in the doorway as they try to exit at the same time*

Bailey Inner Monologue

Once we all cleared the door we knew full and well who was going to win, it was a well known fact, when it came to competition….especially anything involving running…Nick reigned supreme…he confirmed this as he hit the bottom step as Joe Kev and I trailed at least 7 steps behind.

(Nick) YES! I WIN! *fist pump in the air*