The Last Christmas

Chiro chuckled as he watched his two-year-old son playing with his cousins. He couldn't help but be proud of his nephews, both of which much older than Tsuki at ten and six respectively, for letting him join them. Kelly, the oldest of the two, was helping Tsuki push a snowball for a snowman.

He jumped a bit when he felt a nudge, and he looked up to see his older sister grinning at him. Her eyes were tired, but even with the chemotherapy, it didn't seem to be lowering her spirits as this was the first Christmas they had spent together in nearly ten years.

"You don't to watch them all the time, you know," Claudia said with a smirk on her face, "Kelly's responsible enough to take care of Tsuki."

"This is the same kid that set a dumpster on fire with a rocket!" Chiro protested, but he couldn't help but laugh as he thought about that incident even as he said it. "Do you need to sit down?"

"I'm okay," she assured him, pulling her beanie a little further down, "I've got to make the best of life before it's too late, you know?" She looked over to their boys having the time of their lives and Nick showing Tsuki how to make a snow angel, "They adore him, you know."

Chiro smiled, "Yeah. Am I still taking them for the summer so..."

She nodded, "But I'm hoping that it's just to spend time with Uncle Chiro and not because..." she trailed off, shrinking down a bit, before perking up with her usual cheer from their youth, "Hey! We should go sledding!"

"What?"

Claudia gestured to the sled just big enough to fit the two of them, and she put her hands on her hips, a playful smirk on her face, "Come on, don't tell me you're too grown up just because you're a police chief."

"You know that won't be the case," Chiro yelped when he felt the strong grip of his mother on his shoulder, and she laughed, age being much kinder to her than it had either of her kids who were only in their thirties.

"Mamma! Don't scare me like that!" Mamma rolled her eyes,

"Come on, Chiro, don't be such a wet blanket. I can keep an eye on your son."

He looked towards the sled, thinking back to his childhood, laughing and rolling around in the snow when it wasn't freeze-to-the-sidewalk levels of cold. He felt a gentle burning behind his eyes that he blinked away as he realized this may be his last chance to relive the good old days with his sister. Even if everyone had faith that she would get better, the pessimistic side that prevented him from using his full name in this town reminded him that when had luck ever been on his side? After all, he got his nightmare of a brother-in-law.

"Alright," he grinned and did his best to not think about anything that would make it painted on, "Let's do it!"

He helped Claudia onto the sled, and she rolled her eyes, "I'm not made of glass, Chiro."

"Doesn't mean slipping on ice is any less of a pain in the ass."

"Touché," she punched his arm, "Then shouldn't I be helping you too?" She kept a hold on his hand to help him on too, and he held tight to her, just like when they were little.

"Alright, you two," Mamma teased, "Are you ready?"

Chiro shrugged, looking down at the steep hill, which was just as nervewracking as an adult with his own child as it was when he was Tsuki's age.

Claudia had always been the more adventurous of the two of them, and she gave Mamma a thumbs-up, "Ready, Mamma!"

Mamma pushed them, and Chiro felt his stomach drop with the rest of him as they went down the path in the forest, and he leaned his weight occasionally to make sure they didn't hit a small tree that hadn't been cleared out of the way. Claudia whooped with delight, and his own fears aside, Chiro found himself laughing, relief at seeing her so happy making him forget how dangerous this could be.

They eventually came to a slow stop at the bottom near a mostly-frozen lake, and Chiro struggled to get off, then turned to see Claudia struggling to catch her breath. He bent down by her side to coach her breathing, praying she hadn't pushed herself too far as she had a hand over her breast.

After a few terrifying moments, she grinned at him, "That was awesome!" She hugged him tight, "Thank you for being here with me, Chiro, I know it was a hastle to come down here."

"Tsuki's wanted to meet you for a long time. I would have come down even if you weren't sick. Maybe next year when things are better you and the boys can come visit me and meet the new baby when she arrives."

"I'd like that," she whispered, leaning into his embrace and shivering from the cold. He closed his eyes and just held her, staying like that for a long while before both were surprised to hear the joyful shouting of children. Chiro turned and saw Tsuki running down the hill too, his cousins in tow, and he jumped to catch his son as the boy almost fell face first after slipping on some ice.

"I want to try that, Papa!" He giggled, and Chiro looked tentatively up at the path they had just come up from before shrugging,

"Alright. Kels, can you take Tsuki back up with the sled while I held your Mamma?" Kelly nodded, holding out his hand for Tsuki to take while Chiro helped Claudia onto his back, bouncing her gently to gain more support. He cringed when she didn't protest to the assistance like she would have a year ago. "Should I take you back to the house?"

"No," she insisted, "I want to stay out with you and the boys."

Despite knowing it wasn't the best for her, he couldn't bring himself to deny her request, simply nodding, "Merry Christmas, sis."

What he didn't know was that this was the last Christmas he would ever spend with her, as Claudia passed away the following July, breast cancer claiming her life after a long fight. 

All he had left of her was the memories they had shared, and be glad he could at least have fun with her in the snow one last time.