Innocence

Chapter 17

Mitch POV

I cracked open my eyes slowly, afraid of being blinded by the dazzling snow outside.

I heard chatter from downstairs, but I thought nothing of it.

Slowly, I turned over, but before I could fall back asleep-

"MITCHIE!!!!!!!"

Three voices caused me to scream, startled.

Scott, Mar, and Will jumped onto my bed.

I was engulfed in warm hugs and I laughed.

"Well, good morning!" I exclaimed, planting a kiss on Will's forehead.

"Hey," Scott answered, nuzzling my cheek.

Mar sent daggers at us, glancing downward at Will.

"Hey Willy, why don't we go check on those cookies and milk Santa ate last night? We should clean that up, right?" Will nodded, following Mar out of the room.

"So," Scott said, smiling at me.

"So?" I said, breaking into a grin.

"There may or may not be mistletoe on top of your bed," he said, chuckling.

I looked up and sure enough, a little bundle was tucked right over our heads.

I giggled, pulling myself closer to him. The contact I'd been craving since forever was awarded as our lips touched gently.

After, we laid peacefully, my head on Scott's chest, an arm around me snugly.

"You know," he started. I looked up into his sea-blue eyes. They were watering at a painful memory. "I was about to... end it... when I decided to call Tyler. Figured I should have a good time for one more night, you know?"

I nodded, silently thanking whatever gods Tyler worked for that we had met.

"You saved my life, too, Scott. Will, he wasn't going to get any better with me. And god knows what would've eventually happened to me..." I said, shuddering. "I am so thankful to you, you have made my life infinitely better and I couldn't hope for anything more amazing than you and Will and Mar. You gave me a home, more importantly, a family."

And it was true. Scott had given me everything Will and I had ever wanted, all we'd ever needed, and I owed so much to him.

"It was nothing," he murmured. "I couldn't help it, I mean, have you met yourself? You're smart, beautiful, talented. Anyone who didn't give you exactly what you wanted has to be insane." I smiled into his shirt, which smelled of his cologne, amazing.

"I just- I love you so much."

"And I you." He grinned, kissing me again. "Now, let's see what those two are up to."

"Oh god," I said laughing. "Who knows?"

***

Scott POV

We found Mar and Will under the tree, looking anxiously at presents.

I could hear her excited voice, "Oh look! That one's for you, Willy! And that one is from Santa! Oh, that one's mine!" She was more excited than Will from what I could hear.

"She's so good with him," Mitch whispered to me. It warmed my heart to see the fondness in his eyes, looking at them, practically our two little kids, one that was incidentally my age, but she still acted Will's age.

I nodded in agreement.

"You guys wanna open those presents?" Mar and Will spun around excitedly.