BUT THERE'S JUST ONE THING I NEED Howd that poem go again? Twas the night before Christmas and all through
the house; not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse? Well if that was the
accepted theory, then Izaak was more than certain that the Finch household
was definitely an exception. He wasnt a particularly heavy sleeper, he had
heard the almost silent patter of his daughters feet as she slinked secretively
into her parents bedroom countless times throughout the night, as if they
might be some sort of indication as to whether Christmas had finally arrived.
But what was the real secret? The twenty-five year old was as equally excited
if not even more so than his little Ella Mae Finch because with her and Alexis
around, it had quickly grown to be his absolute favourite holiday. Especially
since joy on such a day had never exactly been part of his childhood, Marcus
had always handed them gifts with a cool detachment; they had never had a
Christmas tree, nor had they ever been given a chance to believe in Santa
Claus. And now, through the eyes of his daughter, Izaak was finally realising
the irrepressible excitement that captured the pure essence of a childhood.
The first fragments of daylight finally crept in through the cracks in the blinds
above the bedhead, filtering down onto the mans face and roused him from his
sleep at the first sensation of light against his eyelids. It came as second nature
to Izaak Finch to wake when the sun rose but still he groggily stirred and turned
to snuggle further into the warm body of his wife, only realising then that they
had fallen asleep with their hands holding onto one anothers and they hadnt
let go. As his lips pressed lovingly against the back of her shoulder, his senses
were suddenly doused with that sweet smell of vanilla and his fingers came to
brush over her rings, the three he had slid onto her fingers himself. But it was
her wedding ring he came to linger at, his thumb caressed the band as the word always surfaced in his mind. It had been this time of year, six long years ago
when they had first whispered that word to each other in the very bed that they
were laying in now. Teenage love never lasts, the critics of their relationship
had always argued. Back then Izaak and Alexis had known that it would, it had
been their secret and then their moment when they had finally tied the knot on
the sandy shores of Bondi, not much more than a year after Ellas birth, and
defied all the odds that had been set against them: Zaire, Isabella, Cassie, his
father even. They were Izaak and Alexis Finch now and by the love in his heart
for her and for their daughter, the azure-eyed man knew that they forever would
be. As excited as he was for the Christmas that was all so quickly approaching
them this morning, Izaak Jay couldnt wait for the many others that would follow.
Izaak wondered if the antics of his baby girl had finally worn her into the sound
sleep that he knew was long overdue, for the past three days Ella had been
bouncing of walls in anticipation of Santas visit, so much so that it had nearly
driven her parents to the point of insanity. In fact he was half-tempted to leave
the cosiness of Alexis slumbering side just to go and stand at the door of her
bedroom, content with just watching her sleeping. That was something Izaak
could do for hours, something he had done for days when shed had to stay in
the hospital for three months following her premature birth. The thought quickly
fled from his mind though when the pitter patter of her tiny footsteps stopped at
the frame of his and Alexis bedroom door. Izaak propped himself up on his
elbow and his gaze found his daughters identical azure eyes agleam with raw
excitement, grinning on their own in addition to the toothy beam that stretched
right across her angelic little face. Daddy, did Santa come? Ella whispered
across the room as she skipped the space between her and her parents closed,
her strawberry blonde locks bouncing sweetly with her. Izaaks smile equalled
his daughters who was now peeking up at him from her mothers side of the
bed, her blue eyes dancing excitedly between them. I dont know princess,
well have to find out. Izaak replied in a hushed whisper back to her, careful not
to wake his wife because he for one knew just how much she loved her sleep.
This mornings sleep-in though was going to be one she was deprived of, just
not by him. But youll have to wake up Mummy. As he watched his daughter
clamber eagerly up onto the mattress and place her tiny palm against Alexis
cheek in an attempt to rouse her from her sleep, Izaak allowed his mind to drift.
He could scarcely believe that she was turning four next week, it only seemed
like yesterday that they had brought her home from the hospital. She had been
the tiniest and most delicate baby he had ever seen and while she was still tiny
for her age now, Ella had grown so much in four short years that it frightened
Izaak witless. He was afraid that if he so much as blinked, shed be all grown up
and moved out of home with a family of her own. It was so easy to miss things,
so easy to take things for granted but Izaak found himself simply astounded by
Ella even as she whispered something sweet into Alexis ear to wake her. They
could not have made a more beautiful daughter if they had tried, the simple fact
that she was their baby still excited him, the proof that lay in those azure eyes
and in every other inch of her that looked so freakishly similar to Alexis was one
thing that Izaak would never ever take for granted and just one of the reasons
why he would forever love her. The twenty-five year old couldnt wait to have
a second child with Alexis, one that they had recently been trying for, because
now that he had it, Izaak knew that being a father was the best job in the world.
alexis adored a good-night's rest, it was sort of like her very own present considerin
g the family that she had. both izaak and ella were morning people who seemed to t
ake great pleasure in waking her up when she was in the heaviest of moments in he
r dreams. this characteristic that they both had, alexis had been sure, would apply
that morning. ella mae had been more happy than a kid in a candy shop, she was a k
id on christmas morning and as her mother, alexis finch expected and wanted to be w
oken up before ella got to see what santa had gotten her. although alexis had gotten a
ccustomed to her daughter snuggling between she and izaak in the mornings, she w
as still surprised to feel a tiny, warm palm cupping her cheek while she was being w
hispered to. "good morning mommy, don't you want to see what santa got us?" for a mo
ment, as alexis drifted between the line of sleep and awake, she struggled to recall wh
y a person would think that santa was real but then she realized, it was christmas da
y and it was her four year old daughter who was saying these words. it seemed a little
too good to be true, that she and izaak were so happily married and had this beautiful
daughter. a yawn left alexis' lips which she covered by barring her head into her pill
ow. the soft pillow hid her tired face for only seconds before the twenty-four year-old
had pushed her self up with flat palms on the white sheets. she could feel the excitem
ent of izaak and ella mae even before she opened her hazel orbs to see their faces. the y
oung mother finally slid her lids open and looked down at her the big blue eyes that b
elonged to her sweet, little ella mae. "of course i do, ducky." turning her head moment
arily to izaak, she smiled affectionately before looking back at their daughter who ha
d quickly scrambled out of their bed and began to pull her up. "c'mon then mommy!" al
exis grinned and stood up, following the little girl down into the living room.
seeing the presents all on the ground by the tree, was clearly a little much for ella. she
had already been bouncing off the walls with excitement leading up to the day, but no
w seeing it all in front of her was just a little much. "woah! daddy look at it all!" alexis
laughed gently, petting the strawberry blonde head of her daughter before asking the
little girl, "do you want to open your stocking first?" although it was clear that ella was
a little overwhelmed and would do anything just to open one thing, she nodded her head
eagerly at getting the little trinkets that she would get in her stocking. alexis and izaak
had put a variety of things in the red sock with the white trimming, that had ella's name
written in glitter by ella herself after a very messy day in the kitchen. walking over to
the stockings, she picked the three off the wall and passed one to ella gently, the other to
izaak after leaning up to give her love a kiss on the cheek. "good morning iz." in a fleeting
glance, affection for her husband was all over her simple features, before she turned back
to her four year old daughter who had plopped herself down on the ground and looked up a
t both izaak and alexis, waiting for a signal that she could start to open her stocking.
joining her daughter, alexis sat down on the ground with her legs crossed. although there
was a need for caffeine building up in the woman's body, she was more than welcome to put
that on hold to watch the joy in her baby's face as she experienced christmas and all it's won
ders, just as she had gotten to as a child and just as izaak had not. alexis was all too happy to
watch izaak and ella open up their stockings and presents while she did not open a single of
hers, for watching this was far better than anything that could have been given to her as a
present. as a child, alexis had not understood this in her parents but the first christmas mo
rning that she had shared with an (aware) ella mae, she understood completely why whene
ver she had asked what they wanted for christmas, they had both insisted that they wanted
nothing.
as ella took the first thing out of the stocking, alexis could see the little girl's eyes light up. it
was the bouncy ball, izaak's own suggestion and one that alexis could see breaking everythin
g, if it didn't get lost first. alexis was betting on the first, but she knew that she could replace
or fix nearly everything in the house and if she couldn't, she would just have to dig up her w
and to do what she could not. "don't bounce it too high in the house, ella," she said, as she saw
ella raise her arm to drop it on the wooden floor. there were no complaints on whines, instead
just a content nod that alexis appreciated as always. she had the most well-behaved child the
re could be, she was sure and it just made her wish that the second child that she and izaak we
re trying for would be so similar to their big sister, that is if she was able to get pregnant again
after the trouble that had happened with ella mae's birth. but she and izaak were forever hope
ful, it had been the one thing that had always been on their side during the tribulations that t
heir relationship had gone through in it's young stages.
there was no doubt in alexis' mind that her relationship with izaak could withstand anything
that the world wanted to throw at them because of what they had fought with so early on. alexi
s was also certain that the finches as a whole could go through anything and they would still
have the strong bond that they did, at least excluding marcus and his new wife. since day one,
leah and alexis had been the best of friends and now as sister's-in-law their bond in friendship
was so much stronger, just as jay's was with little ella. he was her protector and so close to ella
that she would have thought them to be siblings. it was a rare sight to see them apart, so alexis
couldn't help but predict what ella and jay would get into once fletcher, leah, jay and their bran
d new little one would come over for a late breakfast after they opened their separate christmas
presents.
BUT THERE'S JUST ONE THING I NEED Both father and daughter slyly arched their eyebrows in unison at one another as Alexis awoke
with a stir, a yawn and then fell right back into her pillows. It was a game the two of them played,
not always because that would be unfair to Alexis when he and Ella were up early most mornings
but when there was somewhere important to be or something exciting to be seen, Izaak and his
daughter loved to count how many prodding gestures it would take until Alexis would roll out of
bed and admit defeat. Ella Mae Finch didnt know it but this morning was an exception because
for her parents, seeing her fall into the magic of Christmas was an occasion they wouldnt miss
for the world. Izaaks azure blue eyes dropped from the identical hue of his daughters to the
sleepy form of his love as she stretched up beside him, her sweet voice beginning to gather itself
while she spoke to Ella. He couldnt not admire Alexis enthusiasm at such an early hour of the
morning, she was clearly out of her depths here but when she turned to appease him with a smile
of affection flitting across her lips, the young man realised that she was as excited as he was to
be spending this special day with their daughter, with each other and with the rest of the Finches.
And what was more, neither of them would have to wait long to get the day started; Ella had her
mothers hand and was pulling her eagerly from the bed. A laugh escaped Izaak as he watched
the scene unfold between the two girls he loved more than anything before he rolled from his side
of the bed and picked a shirt up off the floor to throw over his head. It had been so long, years in
fact, since he and Alexis had cuddled in bed on Christmas morning, only having really gotten up
when they had seen fit. But since Ella had discovered what all the fuss over Christmas was about
that tradition had been replaced with the one that Izaak was observing now and to be honest, he
didnt mind a bit. They were no longer just a couple, but a family now with a beautiful little girl.
Izaak was right behind his girls as they made their gleeful way down the stairs and in to the living
room, a smile was at large across his expression at the sight of the tree aglow in the corner and
what must have looked like a mountain of presents to his daughter. You must have been extra
good this year, Ella. He concluded with a smile, once he had chuckled over her overwhelmingly
excited exclamation. Ella had always been beautifully behaved, something she certainly hadnt
gotten from him or from her aunty for that matter, even as a baby she had never cried as much as
everybody had geared he and Alexis up for. She was the most perfect little mistake that the two
had ever made. His fingers reached out for her and threaded affectionately through her soft hair,
a gesture that caused her to spin on her tiny heels and grin upwards at him. Izaak was forever
wondering if his daughter was aware of the kind of magic she spun over him, if she knew what
one tiny smile could do for him. But as she plopped down onto the floor with her stocking in her
hands, she seemed so sweetly innocent. Having been tied up with his thoughts of Ella, Izaak was
pleasantly surprised to feel his wifes lips against his cheek and his smile grew impossibly wider. Hi beautiful, he murmured with a smile as his fingers curled around the stocking she had passed
him but Izaak had a feeling that so long as Ella was still tearing the wrapping paper off her own
gifts, it wouldnt get opened. Seeing that shining face of hers amongst all her Christmas presents
was more than enough of a gift for the twenty-five year old. His azure eyes watched carefully, as
if attempting to soak every last moment into his memory, as Ella reached a tiny hand into her
stocking and recovered it with the bouncy ball. Those Finch blue eyes of hers caught aglow right
before her parents and Izaak could begin to feel stretch of his subconscious smile. He loved how
the simplest of things had her in awe. A ball that bounced; it didnt get much simpler than that.
It was a struggle to contain the laugh that was itching to break out of him as Alexis warned their
daughter about bouncing it too high in the house. It was a reasonable enough request, one that
Ella was happy to oblige by but realistically, what vase or photo frame or phone even hadnt been
broken already? Between Kobe and Ella in her toddler years, even Jay as the boy he had always
been, there was nothing that hadnt been broken that couldnt be fixed. But even so, Izaak knew it
was the mere principal of things that Alexis was educating their daughter in and by the thoughtful
natured girl she had grown into, the first time parents had not yet set a foot wrong. However, one
was allowed to bend the rules sometimes. Hey Ella, can I have a go? Ella smiled, she knew that
face of her father, he was up to something and yet she handed over the bouncy ball with a giggly
smile anyway. Youve gotta try catch it, ok? Izaak raised his eyebrows up at her, challenging her
softly once she had nodded and braced herself for the grab. Between his fingers Izaak spun the
ball towards his body and dropped it onto the floorboards, it bounced back towards him miles out
from Ellas reach and puzzled, she coaxed him to do it again, I wasnt ready daddy. Again with
a scheming smile upon his face Izaak spun the ball towards himself, dropped it onto the floor and
didnt even have to reach for it as it plopped right back into his hands. Flummoxed over how the
ball kept returning to Izaak, Ella asked him to do it again and once more it bounced towards him
and away from her grasping hanfs. Howd you do that? Clearly awed by what appeared to be
her fathers magnetic pull, Ella asked in exasperation. But Izaak merely wiggled his eyebrows and
replied, Magic.Daddy! She giggled feverishly and fell into his strong chest, slipping the ball
from his hands as she did so and tucking her head beneath his chin. Izaak turned to his love as
he held their daughter in his protective arms and smiled a smile that only they were capable of
putting on his face. He knew her condition posed some problems along the way, but Izaak could
not wait for Alexis to fall pregnant again, he couldnt wait to tell Ella that shed soon have a new
baby brother or sister, he couldnt believe that it was possible to be any happier than he was now.
But somehow with Ella and Alexis not even the stars felt as if they were the limit to his happiness.
It wasnt long before the anticipation of the rest of her gifts had gotten to Ella and soon she was
scrambling from Izaaks lap to pick up her Christmas stocking once more. But instead of plopping
herself back onto the floor she skipped over to Alexis and snuggled contentedly into her arms. Ill
be back in a second. As quickly as was humanly possible, Izaak darted in to the kitchen to boil
the kettle, make both Alexis and himself coffees and grab the camera from the breakfast bar. He
wanted to remember each and every smile, every shred of wrapping paper and every light in his
babys eyes for a long time yet and what better way to preserve those memories? Izaak somehow
managed to juggle the two mugs of coffee and the camera in his hands, on his way back from the
kitchen and returned to his wife and daughters side with a spectacular glint in those signature
blue eyes of his. While their daughter rummaged around in the bottom of her stocking, Izaak set
their coffees down and greeted his lover with a soft kiss against her lips, brief but loving as he
squeezed her ringed hand with his. I love you Es. Came the mans gentle breath before Ella had
turned up to him with a big grin on her face, causing Izaak to ask, Whatd I miss, baby?
"you must have been extra good this year, ella." at this, alexis smiled, ella had always
been such a perfectly behaved little girl and it tickled alexis pink to be able to spoil her
all she wished on the holidays. as she watched her little family together, it nearly fright
ened her to think that she and izaak had, at one point, been so determined to avoid a situ
ation like the one they were in. but life had so drastically changed, just for this little baby
girl that was in front of her, that it made little sense to dwell on what could have been, esp
ecially when those things worried her as much as they did. so looking from one of the loves
of her life, to the other, she smiled and it grew more as he called her beautiful. it had always
been a pet name of his for her, but even after these years, when she could feel herself age eve
ry day, she was overjoyed that he thought this of her, even when there had been so many opp
ortunities to be with another. this little family, that was going to grow soon enough, was all
alexis needed in life. not the dream of oxford nor any other dreams lost and failed could be at
the same level as the one she was living with izaak jay finch and their wonderful little girl.
from the minute that she had said it, alexis had known izaak would tease her for her reque
st, he always did, but always in the sweetest of ways. looking over to izaak, she flashed in
a small smile, that asked him not to go against it. she was just trying to teach little ella ma
e how to act indoors, which included not throwing balls around. "hey ella, can i have a go?"
alexis watched as ella perked up and got ready to catch the bouncy ball and then as izaak
returned it to his own hands. the awe that was on ella's sweet face brought a similar expres
sion onto her own face. ella had both of her parents wrapped around her pinky finger without
even trying or knowing, it was like magic. but not the magic that izaak claimed to be using,
that magic made her to snort and have an amused expression onto her lips. the father and
daughter pair had such a strong relationship that it made her feel over the moon with joy. th
ere were so many children that had bad parents and ella mae finch would never be one of th
ose little girls. even if she didn't want it, and alexis knew that there would be times like that
when she was older, she would be dripping in love from her family. just as the little girl or bo
y that she and izaak wanted to have would be. even with all the problems that they could h
ave with her pregnancy, ella had turned out just perfect, better than perfect, actually, and
it was more common for lightening to strike you again once you've been stricken once. she o
nly hoped that they were so lucky again and their in-conceived child would not have to live
with what she did each painful month.
thoughts of the full moon were hidden away as alexis found ella sit on her lap and snuggled i
nto her loving arms. alexis rested her chin on the top of ella's head and whispered softly, "go on,
you've got a lot to go through. santa was really good to you, i'm sure he'd hate to have to bring it
all back." the thought of this seemed to shock the little girl and she said stubbornly, just as alex
is would have if she was presented with this at such a young age, "santa wouldn't take them from
me. i'm such a good girl, he should give me more." both mother and daughter giggled lightly at
ella's comment, before she continued to rifle through the red and white stocking as izaak left the
room shortly. each time something new was brought out, ella would show it to alexis and she
would lock the image of her sweet face into her memories, not thinking that a camera might be
helpful to capture every shade of azure blue in her shimmering orbs or strawberry blonde loc
ks atop her precious head.
a creak on the wooden floor told alexis of izaak's return, and the unmistakable scent of the
strong, black coffee made her peel her eyes away from the daughter that she held carefully
in her arms. "thank you, iz." alexis said softly, meaning not just for bringing the coffee
and the camera but for little ella and all the happiness that they had together as a family.
leaning up, alexis touched her lips to izaak's, wishing that their brief embrace may have be
en a touch longer. "i love you too," and she did, there was not a hint of doubt, or regret in being
with izaak over zaire, she wanted izaak. and that was why she was his wife. reaching around,
alexis held the steaming mug in her grateful hands, letting the caffeine energize her for the day
ahead. as she took a long sip and let the hot liquid slide down her throat and warm her from the
inside, out, she listened to ella answer izaak. "santa gave me chocolate! can i have it for breakfast,
daddy?" there was a hopeful and innocent smile tacked onto ella's young face as she tried to wea
sel her way into having chocolate for breakfast, that alexis simply would not allow, but izaak would
handle that one as she enjoyed her coffee.
BUT THERE'S JUST ONE THING I NEED There was something more lingering in his wifes thank you, something that dug a little deeper than
gratification for her morning coffee. Because after having been together for seven wonderful, and
sometimes challenging, years the couple could speak a thousand words between them in just one
touch, they could let the other know their emotions through just a mere glance. Hell, even without
looking at her, Izaak could tell how Alexis was feeling. They were what all married couples should
be, completely and happily in tune with one another. And so Izaak knew exactly what was meant by
her thank you. Imagine if they had followed through on the foolproof, babyproof, plan that they had
made once their relationship had gotten serious. Izaaks azure eyes chartered downwards and took
their picture perfect accident into account as she became consumed by the trinkets in her stocking.
Sure an unplanned pregnancy had seemed like the end of the world as a teenager but now, Izaak
couldnt bare to think about what they may have never had. And whatever had gone wrong in their
contraception measures the night Ella had been conceived, Izaak could not thank its faults enough
and knew that Alexis was thankful too. Bringing Ella Mae into the world was undoubtedly the best
thing that had ever happened to the young couple.
The young family had a whole living room to spread themselves about, a copious amount of floor
space seemed to surround them and yet they were content to snuggle into one another in the midst
of the towering city of presents. Izaak grinned into his coffee mug simply for the thought of it all and
that he had somehow managed to have it at twenty five. Not many other men Izaaks age could say
they had accomplished such a feat, they were all out sowing their wild oats. But Izaak Finch had
been there and he had done that, nothing could compare to what he had now with his beautiful little
family. "Santa gave me chocolate! Can I have it for breakfast, Daddy?" His Ella Maes words simply
snapped his mind from the direction his thoughts had trailed to and found himself having to repeat
the sentence over in his head as he gazed down at that sweetly innocent smile and those huge
blue eyes. Of course you can. Izaak grinned with enthusiasm to match much to the delight of the
little girl who squeaked in excitement that her father had actually given in. However, from the corner
of his eye Izaak caught his loves and realised that his answer probably wasnt the smartest one to
give. But it was Christmas, there was very little that he would deny Ella of today. So to appease all
parties, Izaak matched his azure eyes up with the very same ones his daughter had inherited from
him and slipped in a few compromises. But only because its Christmas Ella and you have to brush
your teeth straight after and... Izaak licked his lips cheekily following this and, and spoke lowly to
Ella in the most playful of tones. You have to give me some. Ella Finch seemed both amused and
shocked by this ultimatum that Izaak had set, those azure eyes wide and sparkling gleefully as she
swallowed down the appallingly kept secret that her father enjoyed bending the rules a little himself.
Still she traced her gaze gingerly between her parents as she broke the foil wrapping of her candy
and offered up Izaak a piece. He traded it for a kiss upon her cheruby cheek and plopped the sweet
treat into his mouth, relishing its creamy flavour before chasing it down with a mouthful of steaming
hot coffee and grinned an innocent grin over at his wife, one that differed little from Ellas. In many
ways the father and daughter were strikingly similar but then again, so were mother and daughter.
It were as if Ella had taken the best half of both of them and fitted each piece together perfectly into
the beautiful little girl she had grown to be. Would the baby they were hoping to conceive be just as
wonderful as the child curled up in Alexis lap? Izaak could only wonder but he had an inkling, quite
a severe one, that the answer was a wholehearted yes.
As Izaak watched his daughter staring awestruck at the piles of presents, munching down on her
chocolate as she did so, he spoke up with a smile lingering in the brightening timbre of his voice, Go on and pick one Ella. That was all the cue that the little girl needed to bounce up and off her
mothers lap and into the overwhelmingly bright mounds of plastered wrapping paper. While their
daughter busied herself by sifting through gifts, Izaak dropped his coffee mug to the floor to snake
his strong arms around the girl he still had to pinch himself to believe he was married to. She is
going to be such a great big sister. He grinned into the kiss he pressed to his loves cheek before
drawing back so he could catch those hazel eyes of hers, the green in them eternally predominant
these days. Hows Izaak began to ask of their conception situation while he held Alexis, running
his hand absentmindedly up and down her arm but was interrupted as Ella returned with a present
she wanted to unwrap, namely one of the biggest ones. The couple were forever being interrupted,
but it wasnt as if either of them minded, not if it was their daughter. This ones mine! That excited
little grin of hers followed her exclamation and stayed put as she sat in front of her parents. Izaaks
azure eyes combed over the present and it didnt take him long to figure out what it was. It was a
boogie board. Before she had even learnt to walk, Ella had been taken by Izaak on his surfboard.
Only in the shallows of course as they sat idle and glided over the gentle waves. But even then she
had been fascinated by the water and the idea of being able to sit on top of it, and it had been an
affinity of hers ever since. But now that she was a little older she was able to hold her own in the
shallow waves, so a bodyboard was something he had thought was more than fitting. Well lets
see what it is then princess. And with that, Ella began to tear at the paper with her tiny hands.
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