Annika spent her entire Christmas Eve wrapped in a blanket with TJ on the couch watching movies and eating popcorn and tomato soup. She'd enjoyed her time with him but her mind had been elsewhere the entire night.

Christmas morning TJ had jumped on her to wake her up to open presents. Then they'd had German pancakes, one of the few actual things she knew how to make properly, and then she'd looked on as he'd played with his new toys. She'd loved the new scarf he'd gotten her and was surprised to find a present from Todd as well; a small gold bracelet with charms on it for both TJ and Lizzy. It was pretty but she couldn't bring herself to put it on.

By noon they'd settled in to watch their favorite holiday tradition movies. Brigadoon and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Something she used to do every Christmas with her dad. As much as she hadn't forgiven him for leaving, she still remembered the good holidays they'd shared.

As the day rolled on she became more and more anxious. She had yet to decide if they were going to dinner and it seemed as if TJ had resigned himself to not asking, which she appreciated.

It was five forty-five when TJ plopped down on the couch and announced he was hungry.

"Chinese?"

"That's not fair making the restaurant people work today."

She nodded. "True. Mac and cheese."

"On Christmas?"

In the three years since Lizzy's death, she'd not been as depressed and unprepared as she was this year. In years past she'd gone overboard with the decorations and parties and presents for TJ, everything to try and convince herself that she didn't hate this time of year anymore. But somehow, this year, she hadn't been able to do it. She hadn't been able to put on the brave face. Show the world that she was moving on. Pretend that it no longer crushed her soul. Unfortunately, TJ was paying for it. For the first time, she thought that maybe it would have been better if she'd left him with Todd for the week.

"What do you want?" She forced a smile. "You name it and that's what we'll do."

"Anything?" asked TJ.

She nodded.

He looked at his hands for a minute and then looked up at her. "I want you to be happy."

Annika was taken aback.

"It's hard for you at Christmas time. It reminds you of Lizzy. I just wish I could do something to make you not sad anymore."

Annika's eyes welled with tears. "You don't need to do anything, baby. That's not your job."

"I wish you could see her. That you could know that she's okay. That she's in a happy place."

Annika's ribcage tightened. "I wish I could too."

The words left her mouth before she realized she'd said them. As she thought about them she recognized, they were true. She did wish she could see Lizzy. That she could know for certain that she was safe. That she was happy and that she'd see her again someday. Until that moment she hadn't known that that's what she wanted more than anything. That if she saw her daughter she'd know that Lizzy wasn't completely gone. And hearing that both TJ and Jesse said they'd seen her only exacerbated her need. But TJ had been right. The whole time she'd been so wrapped up in her own pain she couldn’t bring herself to see Lizzy. And now... She wasn't sure she believed that TJ and Jesse could see her but she didn't believe they were liars either, so where did that leave her?

"You know what?" said Annika. "I know what we need to do for dinner."

The wipers on Annika's mustang pushed the falling heavy snow from her windows as fast as they could, but still, she had to concentrate hard to see where she was going. No other cars passed her on the road.

"I've never seen this much snow. What if when it stops it's taller than I am? How will I get to school?"

"We'll have to borrow someone's truck." She tried to keep her voice light and upbeat, despite her apprehension.

"Maybe we can borrow Jesse's."

She smiled. The thought that TJ liked Jesse made her happy.

"Mom!"

Annika's eyes went to the road too late. A deer stood in the middle of the street. She swerved hard. The car hit a patch of black ice and spun sideways. Annika's whole world slowed as she pumped her brakes lightly and turned into the slide trying to even it out. But there was no way to stop it. The ice took over. Her heart pounded as TJ screamed in the backseat. Everything flashed before her eyes as the car spun over and over and then slammed into something hard. Her head cracked against the side window and she looked around dazed. It all happened in a matter of seconds.

The headlight shone off the bright snow and everything around her seemed to keep spinning even though they'd stopped moving.

"Mommy?" TJ climbed into the front seat. "Mommy, your head is bleeding."

Annika looked at TJ's terrified face as it swam in and out of view. "I'm okay baby."

Her eyes drooped closed and then opened again as she struggled to stay conscious.

She swung her gaze to the road again and in the headlights stood a beautiful little blonde girl in a long purple sweater coat.

"Lizzy." Annika's eyes closed and she lost consciousness.

Jesse looked up at the clock. It was six twenty. She wasn't coming. Years of disappointment and longing bundled up inside of him. He'd waited too long. Why had he been such an idiot? Why had he waited? Now it was really over. She'd made her decision.

Jesse stood from the lavish dining room table and walked into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out the last bottle of beer that Annika had given him. He stared at it for a moment and then popped the lid.

"Here's to true love," he said. "May it always be this painful."

He took a huge swig and closed the refrigerator door. Turning he spit the beer all over the floor. Lizzy stood on the other side of the refrigerator.

"Holy mother of pearl!" he shouted. "What the-"

"There isn't time," said Lizzy. "Mom and TJ have been in an accident. She's bleeding."

Jesse set down his beer. A ghost. He was honestly and truly talking to a ghost. "You... You're dead."

"You're not listening. There's been an accident."

A chill swept through him. Accident. Annika. TJ!

"Wait, what?"

"They were coming for dinner but the storm is too thick. Mom swerved to miss a deer."

Jesse ran from the kitchen to the front hall and grabbed his coat. Lizzy waited by the door.

"Where?" he asked, snatching up his keys.

"About three miles down the road toward town."

Jesse raced out the door and down to his SUV. He started the engine before he even jumped in. He threw the vehicle into 4-wheel drive and took off down his driveway. Lizzy had been right, the snow fell like the heavens were having a snowball fight.

He pulled out onto the highway. Even with his fog lights and low beams on it was like looking through cotton batting.

"There!"

Jesse slammed on his brakes and turned around. Lizzy sat in the backseat.

"Sheesh, kid. If you don't want me to end up in a ditch don't do that."

"Sorry. They're over there, see?"

Jesse could just make out the black mustang with a heavy dusting of snow covering it, stuck in a snowdrift. He rolled his SUV forward and stopped with his headlights on the car. TJ sat in the front seat with tears streaming from his eyes.

Jesse jumped from his vehicle and his knee buckled. Dammit. "Not now pal. Not now."

He hauled himself up and limped over to the car. Pulling the door open TJ jumped into his arms.

"Hey, little man. It's okay."

"Mommy's head is bleeding."

"Okay. Okay." Jesse looked over at Annika slumped against the window and tried to keep it together. He pushed TJ to arm's length. "You go jump in my truck and I'll get mom."

TJ nodded and slid out of the car. Jesse sat on the front seat and scooted toward Annika. He cut off the engine and turned on the hazard lights. He unbuckled Annika's seatbelt and slid over to her.

"Anna. Anna, wake up babe. I need to get you out of the car." His heart thundered. Please let her wake up.

He pulled on her shoulders and her eyes opened drowsily. "Jesse?"

Relief washed through him. Thank God. "There's my girl."

"There was a deer."

He slid his arm under her thighs and another around her shoulders and pulled her toward him. "Yeah, I know. Can you put your arms around me?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he backed up, taking her with him. At the edge of the seat he lifted her into his arms and carefully carried her to his truck.

Walking to the passenger side TJ leaned into the front and opened the door. They got her inside and TJ pulled on her seatbelt.

"TJ?" She grabbed him. "Are you okay honey?"

"I'm fine mom."

"My purse, where's my purse?"

"I'll find it." Jesse jogged back to the car and found her purse on the front floor like always. He pulled the keys from the ignition and closed the door.

Jesse got back in the driver's seat. "I should take you to the University Medical Center."

"No," said Annika. "They won't be open. I'll be fine. I just need some ice and to lay down."

"Do you want me to take you home or do you want to go to my house? My house is closer."

"Your house is fine."

Jesse put the vehicle in gear and turned around. "Stay awake, Anna. I want you to stay awake. If you have a concussion-"

"I don't. I just hit my head. It'll be fine."

Jesse drove cautiously. He hadn't realized how bad the roads were.

TJ reached forward and took his mom's hand. "I was super scared mom."

"I'm sorry baby. But Jesse came and we're going to be fine." Annika looked over at Jesse. "How did you find us?"

Jesse's ribcage tightened and he looked in the backseat. Lizzy was gone, but how did he tell Annika about her again? Last time she'd freaked.

"Lizzy told him," TJ said, saving Jesse from having to say it.

Annika looked at TJ. "She was in the road. I saw her."

TJ smiled and nodded.

They pulled into Jesse's driveway and parked in front of the house. Jesse rounded the car to Annika's door but she was already on her feet when he got there.

"Easy. Let me help you."

He tried to pick her up and she batted him away. "I'm not an invalid."

Stubborn as always. Jesse swooped in and picked her up despite her protests. "Always have to put on a brave face, don't you."

She smacked his chest. "Jess, put me down."

"Nope."

She squirmed in his arms. "I mean it. I can walk."

"I'm sure you can." He headed up the steps to the door praying he wouldn't fall.

TJ hurried up the stairs and stopped in the doorway, smiling.

"What's so funny?" Annika asked.

"He doesn't take your crap," said TJ. "I've never seen anyone who doesn't take your crap before."

Annika shook her head as Jesse carried her through the house to his large family room. He set her on the couch and took a step back.

She looked at him amused. "I suppose you're going to fluff my pillows and get me a blanket and some soup next."

Jesse smiled. "Nope. That you can do for yourself."

She rolled her eyes, but Jesse couldn't help but notice the smile she tried to hide.