Christmas Miracle Ch. 15
The Final Chapter


I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you get's me that way
I watch the sunlight dance across your face
I've never been this swept away
All my thoughts just seem to fade among the
breeze
When I'm lyin' wrapped up in your arms
The whole world just fades away the only thing
I hear
Is the beating of your heart


Llanview Hospital
Jessica Buchanan’s room


“I think I like the red dress, “ Jessica
Buchanan called from her hospital bed as she
helped her best friend get ready for her big
night out. “Although the black is definitely
sexy.”

Emily grinned at her reflection in the
small bathroom mirror as she undid the zipper
to the back dress and stepped out of it. “I’m not
going for sexy. I’m going for romantic.” She
called back.

“Oh, of course,” Jessica smiled. “Silly
me I should have known.” She paused as she
heard Emily zip up the discarded red dress
again. She grinned as Emily waltzed back into
the room.

“Okay, maybe a hint of sexy,” Emily
confessed with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Jessica laughed. “It’s great to see you so
happy. I’m so glad you and Nikolas found each
other.”

Emily paused and picked up the wrist
corsage Nikolas had sent her. Actually, he had
sent her half a dozen corsages knowing that she
had yet to choose a dress for the evening. It
was great to have a boyfriend who knew you
better than you knew yourself. “I’m just so glad
you are here to share this evening with me.” A
hint of sadness crossed her face. “You have no
idea how badly you scared me.”

“The white roses,” Jessica said absently
as Emily held up first one corsage and then the
other trying to decide. The last week had
passed in a blur, she’d spent most of it sleeping
and slowly regaining her strength after the
accident. Even now, seven days after the
accident, she felt weak and tired most of the
time and the doctors had warned her that she
would probably spend the next few weeks in the
hospital while her body mended. Then there
would be physical therapy after the broken
bones and bruises healed. It was going to be a
long road but she would get there. “I promised
you that I wouldn’t leave you.”

“I know, just don’t ever come so close
again, okay? I don’t know who was more
devastated when we thought you were dying
your family or myself or Will. You have no
idea how many people love you Jess.”

“I do now.”

“Good. Just make sure that you don’t
forget.” Emily said decisively. Her hair had
been done earlier, all she had to do now was
touch up her make up and she would be ready.

A few minutes later, she emerged from
the bathroom, ready to leave. She was wearing
a crimson dress with a full skirt, silver earrings,
her hair held up with crystal barrettes, and
Nikolas’s Christmas present draped around her
neck.

“You look like a fairy princess.”

“Do I?” Emily laughed. “I hope you are
not thinking of Cinderella because I’d hate to
think that I have to come home alone at
midnight. I intend to dance all night long.”

“I hope Nikolas took his vitamins this
morning.” Jess teased. “Although judging from
the way the two of you have been this week I’d
say the boy is living off love. You know I’m
going to miss him almost as much as I will miss
you when you go back to Port Charles.”

Emily frowned.

“Em?”

Being careful not to wrinkle her dress,
Emily sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m
scared to go back to Port Charles.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know...” Emily began then
stopped. “No, that’s a lie. I do know. Liz is
there. And Katherine. And Sarah. And Robin...”
She paused. “These last three weeks its just
been Nikolas and Emily and for at least the last
week or so it’s been heaven. But Port
Charles...Port Charles is so haunted for each of
us. I can’t forget the fact that I’m Nikolas’s last
choice there.” Sighing softly, Emily lay down
next to her friend. “How can Nikolas love
someone as neurotic, insecure, and screwed-up
as I am?

“Emily....” Jess’s voice trailed off as she
searched for the words she wanted to say. “All
those other women, they are his past. He isn’t
with them anymore because he wants to be with
you. Nikolas Cassadine could have just about
any woman on the face of the earth and we both
know it, but HE wants to be with you. HE is
crazy in love with you. Don’t forget that and
don’t let the past destroy your future. That’s
one lesson I learned the hard way.”

Emily sat up thoughtfully. “I won’t. I
just have to remember that I not only love the
guy, I trust him too. That means I trust him
when he says he loves me. And if I forget.....”

“I’ll remind you.” Jess said with a smile.
“Over and over if I have to.” She grinned. “Go
fix your make up again before prince charming
or Prince Cassadine arrives.”

Emily nodded, started to head to the
small bathroom, and then turned back to Jess.
“I wish you and Will were coming to the ball
tonight.”

“Next year. Next year we’ll all get
together and celebrate the real millennium.
Besides, considering all the whispers and furtive
glances between Will and half the doctors and
nurses around here, I think I’m in for some
surprises of my own this evening.” Her eyes
narrowed at the suddenly guilty expression on
Emily’s face.

“You know something don’t you?”

“Don’t even ask. I was sworn to
secrecy.” Emily evaded Jess’s gaze with a
giggle.

“Not even a hint?”

“Not even a hint.” Emily said firmly.

“Buchanans have ways of making
people talk.”

“And Cassadines have a way of making
people wish they hadn’t talked. Nik’s worked
almost as hard on your surprise tonight as Will
has and they would both kill me if I talked.”
She shuddered. “Nikolas threatened to invite all
of the Quartermaines to Wyndemere for a
formal dinner if I told you.

“A fate worse than death” Jessica
agreed. “Although one I would gladly face iif it
meant helping you out.”

“I always knew you were the better
person,” Emily said solemnly, still shuddering at
the thought of Edward and Stefan sitting down
together. “Besides, you know you love
surprises.”

“Oh I can handle being surprised.” Jess
agreed. “It’s the waiting for the surprise I can’t
take.”

Emily giggled and ignored Jess’s
grumble as she slipped into the bathroom to
touch up her makeup before Nikolas arrived.


I can feel you breathe
You're watching over me
And suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby all we need is just "to be"
Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby isn't that the way loves' supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe

Later that evening

Nikolas let himself relax as Emily pressed
against him as they danced, silently in sync with
each other’s movements as the music
surrounded them.

“It’s so beautiful,” Emily whispered as
she looked around the glittering ballroom.

“You’re beautiful,” Nikolas whispered
back as he enjoyed the flush of color that
stained her cheeks. “I love you.”

“It’s so hard for me to believe that just a
few weeks ago I was on that plane to Llanview
not sure what the holidays were going to be
like. If I had known when I got on that plane
that everything in my life was going to
change.....”

“You probably would have taken off
running.” Nikolas teased.

“And never stopped.” Emily smiled
ruefully.

“Then I would have ran after you and I
would never have stopped until I caught you.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Hell yes...” Nikolas said fiercely as he
leaned forward to claim her lips in a kiss that
shook both of them.

“It’s a good thing we’re in the middle of
a crowded ballroom,” Nikolas whispered
huskily, “Or I might be tempted to try to show
you how much you mean to me.”

“What crowd?” Emily whispered, her
brown eyes shining up at him. “It’s just you and
me and this moment.” Nikolas groaned at the
love and trust in her eyes and pulled her even
tighter, the rest of the couples dancing around
them fading into nothingness for him too.

“Then know this, Emily Quartermaine. I
love you. I love you more than I ever imagined
it was possible for me to love someone. That
will never change no matter what the next
millennium brings us. I will always be there for
you.”
“I love you too Nikolas,” Emily
whispered shaken by the intensity of his words
and the look in his eyes that seemed to shoot
through her soul.

“I’m a little scared to go back to Port
Charles,” Nikolas whispered.

Emily stared at him in shock. “You’re
scared?”

Nikolas nodded. “Let’s face it, your
family, especially Jason, aren’t exactly high on
my list of admirers. Jason these last few months
has treated me with contempt. Then there’s Liz
and Katherine and....” Nikolas let loose a long
deep breath as his grip on her tightened. “I was
such an idiot for so long and I’m so afraid that
when we get back to Port Charles you’re going
to remember all the stupid things I did and I’ll
lose the chance to make you see that I’ve
changed.” He grinned at her ruefully. “I know
that sounds crazy but you mean so damn much
to me.”

Emily felt a curious kind of peace settle
over her. She’d never completely banish the
ghosts of their past but she could take them,
along with her stupid insecurities, and lock
them away in a room.

She moved closer until he was simply
holding her on the dance floor, all pretense at
dancing dropped. “It doesn’t sound crazy
Nikolas. Port Charles is where a lot of things
went wrong for us.” Emily conceded in an
understatement. “But that was the past. That
was then. I’m not the same Emily I was back
then, I’m not even the same Emily I was two
weeks ago.” She looked into his chocolate
brown eyes and the love she saw there, the love
she knew instinctively she would always see
there, made her heart catch. “And you’re not
the same Nikolas.” She lowered her eyes for a
moment, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with
emotion. “This Emily and this Nikolas love each
other and the future is so bright its unbelievable.
Llanview is the place where we found love.
Port Charles is the place where that love will
grow. If Port Charles holds bad memories for
us, then we’ll just create new ones.”

“You make it sound so easy.” Nikolas
whispered unsteadily.

“It won’t always be.” Emily admitted.
“But loving you is not something that I intend
to change no matter where we go. I don’t think
I could stop loving you if I tried and I don’t
want to try.”

“I don’t deserve you.” Nikolas said
shakily. “But I need you too much to let you go
now.”

“Good.” Emily said softly. “Because I
don’t want to go anywhere that takes me away
from you.”

“Thank you for giving me a second
chance.” Nikolas said solemnly.

“Thank you for not giving up on me.”
Emily said equally solemn.

“Happy New Year, Em.”

“It already is, Nikolas. It already is.”

Nikolas bent down for one long kiss,
full of both passion and promise, before pulling
back. Still keeping their eyes locked together,
he pulled her close and they stepped back in
time with the music.

In a way I know my heart is waking up
As all the walls come tumbling down
Closer that I've ever felt before
And I know
And you know
There's no need for words right now

I can feel you breathe
You're watching over me
And suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby all we need is just "to be"
Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby isn't that the way loves' supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe

Jessica had fallen asleep after Emily left
and she woke up slowly, her eyes fuzzy and
slightly unfocused as she rubbed the sleep from
them.

She smiled when she saw Will sitting by
her bedside.

“It’s about time you woke up,
sleepyhead,” Will teased lovingly, his fingers
gently stroking the side of her cheek. Since he
had almost lost her, he had been possessed by
this intense need to touch her, to feel warmth
where he once felt such bitter cold, to feel life
where he had been so afraid there was none. “I
was afraid you were going to miss your
surprise.”

“I don’t need any surprises,” Jessica
whispered. “I have you and that’s everything.”

She and Will had finally, finally, talked.
She told him about the guilt she had carried
around with her since Megan’s death and, with
his help, she had finally been able to let it go.
Megan had been right, once she had let the guilt
and pain go, she had been able to remember the
love and joy being carrying her daughter had
brought. The pain would never really go away,
but now it was diminished by the warmth and
love Megan had brought her.

Will had been the only one she had told
about meeting Megan as she lay dying. It had
been his arms that had held her as she finally
cried for all they had lost and rejoiced in all they
had found. It had been his eyes that had glowed
when she had told him again she loved him.

His touch which strangely enough
managed to bring both passion and a sense of
peace.

Things were finally, finally, right with
the world. She could almost see Megan’s smile
at her parent’s happiness.

Surprisingly enough, the one scene she
had really dreaded had never materialized.
Christian had not come to see her since her
accident. She had seen his mother and even
Antonio and Andy had called, but Christian had
been a no-show. Not that she really missed him,
but she had to wonder what had happened to
him. Every time she brought the subject up
though, either Will or Emily or Nikolas changed
it so eventually she stopped asking.

“I love you so much Jessica,” Will’s
words brought her back to the present as his
lips claimed hers. “You are everything to me.”

Jessica let the feel of him take her away
for a few blessed moments. She couldn’t wait
until she felt well enough to really return his
kisses. She grinned impishly at thought.

“What was that smile for?” Will asked.

“Ask me in a few weeks,” Jess replied.

“I will you know.” He leaned over her.
“Are you ready for your surprise?”

Jessica looked at Will and for the first
time noticed the tuxedo he wore. “You’re
dressed up.” A puzzled look crossed her face.
“Are you going some place?”

“It’s New Year’s Eve,” Will said. “We
have a date.”

“Will I’m in a hospital room in a
hospital bed. What kind of date can we have?”

“The best kind because we’re together.”
A nurse wheeled a wheelchair in. “But I
checked with your doctor and as long as we
don’t over due it, I can bust you out of this
room for a little while.” Reaching down, he
carefully picked Jessica up and placed her in the
wheel chair, despite her laughing protests.

“Will my hair is a mess.....”

The nurse interupted. “Your friend left
some make up, hair brushes, curling irons,
etc...”

Jessica grinned. Emily. She turned to
Will. “Five minutes. Give us five minutes.”

“Not a second longer,” Will warned.

Four minutes and thirty seconds later
the nurse wheeled Jessica out of the room to
where Will was waiting.

“You look beautiful.”

“You look pretty handsome yourself.”
She smiled as Will took control of her
wheelchair. “I don’t suppose you are going to
tell me where we are going.”

He wheeled her towards the hospital
cafeteria.

“And spoil the surprise? Not on your
life. “

She could hear music coming from the
cafeteria. “Will did you put a stereo in the
cafeteria....”

She stopped as he wheeled her through
the double doors.

“Oh my God.....”

The couples dancing on the makeshift
ballroom floor stopped as Jessica and Will
entered. The orchestra stilled and the music,
suspended for a moment in the air, dissipated.

Jessica stared in shock and amazement.
The cafeteria had been transformed into a full
blown ballroom. Chandeliers hung from the
ceiling. Decorations for the New Year’s Eve
party adorned every table. Everywhere she
looked there was light and sparkle.

And family and friends. Her mother
dancing with Ben. Her father with someone she
didn’t recognize. Her uncle Bo and Lindsay.
Sam and Nora. Joey and Kelly. Kevin and
Cassie. Emily and Nikolas.

She turned to Will flabbergasted. “How
did you?”

“You missed Christmas with your
family. I couldn’t let you miss New Year’s.”

Emily and Nikolas walked up to join
them.

“I told you they had been working hard
on this project all week.” Emily grinned leaning
against Nikolas. “It’s kind of scary what
Cassadines and Rappaports can come up with
when they put their minds together. They had
carpenters working on the cafeteria all day,
caterers in and out, musicians flown in from
Europe......”

“Somehow after everything that’s
happened these last few weeks it wouldn’t have
been right for the four of us not to be together
on New Year’s,” Nikolas said simply. “It’s not
that big a deal.”

“It’s the biggest.” Jessica said.

Nikolas grinned. “Your welcome.” He
turned to Emily. “Let’s leave these two
lovebirds alone. I have this intense desire to
have you in my arms.”

“Again?” Emily teased. “If you insist.”

Her laughter rang out as Nikolas
growled and pulled her onto the dance floor.

“They are so happy,” Jess said.

“As happy as we are.” Will said. “Happy
New Year Jessica.”

“The happiest,” Jess said softly before
Will kissed her as the music continued to play.



Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby isn't that the way that loves' supposed to
be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe

I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way