Christmas day, a day for happiness and love.
Shiinto Tenun dragged her daughter and husband off towards the Uchiha compound. It was Christmas day and the two families were celebrating it together as they had for quite a while now.
"Okaasan, will Sasuke-kun and Itachi-kun play with me?" asked a seven year old Nikki, her golden eyes bright and full of happiness at the thought of being with Sasuke and Itachi for Christmas.
Her mother smiled, "Hai, Nikki-chan," was the reply from her mother, her voice sweet.
Nikki broke away from her mother and started running towards the Uchiha compound quickly, "Sasuke-kun! Itachi-kun!" she yelled, before she crashed into someone and falling backwards. However she was caught and picked up by Uchiha Itachi, who smiled at her as she hugged him.
"Itachi-kun!" she squealed happily.
"Nikki-chan, where is Tenun-sama and Samuke-sama?" he asked, reffering to her parents as he hugged her back.
"Otousan and Okaasan are back there, I`m faster then them, afterall, I am gonna become a better shinobi then them!" she exclaimed.
Itachi chuckled, "I`m sure you will, Nikki-chan, I`m sure you will."
"Nikki," came her father's voice.
"Otousan! I'm here with Itachi-kun!" she screamed.
"Okay, Nikki-chan!" came her mother's voice as they soon appeared in front of the two, "Nikki-chan, we are going to go help Mikoto-san with preperations."
"Hai, Okaasan, I`ll just be with Itachi-kun and Sas---" she paused, "Itachi-kun, where is Sasuke-kun?"
"We`ll go find him, okay?" he said, putting Nikki down, allowing her to go and hug her parents, before running back to Itachi and grabbing his hand, trying to tug him along.
Itachi smiled weakly at Nikki`s parents before Nikki dragged him off to go in search of Sasuke.
They soon found Sasuke, walking around in a bored manner.
His face lit up once he saw his best friend and brother.
Nikki ran over to him, basically tackling him when she hugged him. They fell to the ground, both laughing.
"Hey, Sasuke-kun, Itachi-kun, should we go see if the food is ready, I`m hungry," Nikki said, getting off of Sasuke. Sasuke and Itachi shook their heads, Nikki was like a human vacuum eating and eating, thankfully, she trained enough to loose the weight.
Nikki helped Sasuke up and looked at Itachi expectantly. "Well?" both Sasuke and Nikki muttered at the same time.
Itachi nodded, "Come on, Sasuke-niisan and Nikki-chan."
Sasuke nodded, "Hai Oniisan." He started to drag Nikki after Itachi.
When they got there, the food was ready.
"Arigatou, Mikoto-sama, Okaasan, Otousan, and Fugaku-sama," Nikki said cheerfully as she sat between Itachi and Sasuke.
They all nodded and ate the feast in near silence, besides some questions or comments from Sasuke or Nikki.
Before they left, they bowed slightly to the Uchiha's, Nikki hugging Sasuke and Itachi, whispering a quick Merry Christmas before running off to catch up with her family.
Little did they know, it`d be their last Christmas together, thanks to one of Nikki`s precious people.
Uchiha Itachi.
Two years later, both at the age of nine, Nikki and Sasuke sat in the empty house, staring at the dinner on their plates, remembering their last Christmas together.
Nikki looked up at Sasuke, "I miss them..." she whispered, crying.
Sasuke nodded and continued pushing the food around on his plate, obviously fighting to hold back the tears.
"I miss them too," was Sasuke`s reply.
They looked into eachother's eyes, understanding and love lingering in the air.
Six Years later, both at the age of thirteen, Nikki and Sasuke sit in the same house, eating their food slowly.
Nikki looks up at her dark haired friend, "Will things ever get better?" she asks, crying, not as bad as before, but still crying, just at the thought of her family.
"I don`t know," Sasuke replies, looking up at Nikki, not fighting the hold the tears back as much anymore.
Eight years later, both at the age of fifteen, Nikki and Sasuke sit in that same empty house, no food in front of them.
Nikki looks up at Sasuke, "Why?" it is Nikki`s only question, a few tears run down her face, then they stop.
"I don`t know," Sasuke mutters, not even bothering to look up at her, the air tense.
Eleven years later, both at the age of eighteen.
Nikki watches Sasuke through the window of the empty house.
"Merry Christmas Sasuke," she whispers, no tears appearing and she hears him whisper, "Merry Christmas Nikki."
She notices he isn`t crying either and then jumps off, they are fresh out of tears, the tears being replaced with pain, and the knowlege that Christmas will never be the same again.
Merry Christmas, let the love fill your heart and don`t take it for granted, because you never know if you`ll loose it all.