Caleb still could not believe it as he left the house in the morning, to carry his article to the editor of Brighton Daily Post. He still could not believe that he not only finally saw the girl the previous evening, but carried her to bed-- his bed-- and stayed next to her the whole night, too. Now he could not see the moment to get back to the house and see that strange, beautiful girl belonging to a different world again. 

"Pardon me," he said as he rushed past a group of people strolling outside the office despite the freezing rain, but he did not look at them until Penelope's shrill voice pulled him out of his reverie.

"Caleb, wait!" she called, making him turn around and bow politely in greeting to her, her parents, and her two brothers.

"Good morning," he said, kissing the womens' hands. "It's a surprise to see you here..."

"Mother wanted to invite you personally for the Christmas dinner tomorrow... I was hoping to meet you here, we are on the way to church, will you join us?" Penelope said quickly.

"Hmm... I'm sorry Penelope, I cannot come with you now. And I'm sorry Mrs. Clark, I'm... leaving the town for a few days so I won't be able to join you tomorrow. Have a happy Christmas." He said, then touched his hat in greeting and turned on his heel, striding away from them.

🎡🎄🎡

Caleb entered the house just as Faith was descending the staircase. Her long, curly, red hair was muddled by sleep, it made her look crumpled but beautiful, like a new-born flower. He stopped and stared into her green eyes, the cold air streaming inside around him making her shiver and wrap her arms around her slim, sleepwear-clad figure, as the drops of rain falling off the rim of his hat gathered into a small puddle at his feet.

For a fleeting moment they saw each other clearly. 

The moment he faded away she sank down, sitting on the stairs, feeling stunned. The front door was closed, and if there wasn't the small puddle of rain water on the black and white floor tiles, she would think she had only imagined it.

"I wish I knew your name..." she muttered. "I'm Faith."

He heard her voice coming from his side and even though he could not see her any longer, he knew that she was sitting on the step next to him.

"I'm Caleb. Nice to meet you, Faith."

Caleb was sure that she did not hear him as he watched the puddle vanish some time later when she wiped it off the floor.

He shook his head and took his coat and hat off, then headed to the drawing room. He rekindled the fire and sat down to write at his desk.

🎡🎄🎡

Faith made herself a cup of coffee, then got changed. While the lunch-- for two-- was simmering on the hob, she brought the Christmas tree inside from the garden. She dragged it into the sitting room and set it by the fireplace, smiling as she noticed the fire already burning on the hearth. Cutting the string protecting the branches of her Balsam fir from breaking, she let them spring back into place, releasing the tree's wonderful scent and the drops of rain hiding among its short needles.

Caleb started as a few drops landed on the sheets of paper covering his desk. He chuckled as he noticed the tree appearing in his drawing room, followed by a large box of Christmas decorations suddenly sitting on top of his papers.

Faith startled as she heard his low chuckle. There was no doubt about it-- they were both here, together, and yet... they were not.

She walked back into the kitchen to check on her lunch and came back with two mugs of mulled wine. Something was telling her that her... friend was working at the large writing desk by the window. She placed the mugs there, caressing its ancient wood.

Picking up a glass ball from her box of decorations, Faith turned towards the tree. She nearly dropped it when she noticed a small, old fashioned angel hanging on one of the branches.

Caleb bought the angel last night, along with the chocolates and the rose. Seeing the Christmas tree he remembered it, took it out of the drawer of his desk and scribbled his name on one of its wings.

She noticed it as she let her fingertips caress the delicate angel. "Nice to meet you, Caleb." Faith whispered.

Caleb could not hear her. Sipping at his wine he watched  more decorations appear on the tree, even as the box still sitting on his desk emptied itself slowly, wishing he could see her.

🎡🎄🎡

But it wasn't until midnight that he saw her again.

Caleb thought that she was sleeping as her side of the bed looked crumpled when he went to check, but the sleep eluded him tonight. He stayed up late, working on his book. 

At the stroke of midnight he placed his presents for her under the tree-- a book, as he noticed that she liked reading, and a set of earrings for the one she had lost. At that moment she appeared in the doorway, and it seemed that their two worlds merged into one.

"I... I can see you, Caleb." she whispered, the gift-wrapped box she carried shaking ever so slightly in her hands.

"I can see you too, Faith." He said, approaching her slowly, afraid that she would fade away if he moved too fast. 

She observed him as he walked towards her-- his dark curls and broad shoulders, his warm brown irises and full lips...

"Merry Christmas," she muttered, passing him her present.

He smiled and kissed her hand, then led her towards the sofa.

She sat down and while he poured out some wine, from his bottle this time, she looked around. Finally she could see his papers spread over the old writing desk, where she only kept a pile of unread books.

"Are you a writer?" She asked as she accepted the glass he passed her.

"Only a journalist. But I'm working on a book... about us." he admitted, following her look to his desk.

"About us?" Faith asked, smiling at him over the rim of her glass. "Can you explain 'us' to me then, please?"

He shook his head, smiling back at her. "Not sufficiently, not yet. But I'm sure we... live in some... parallel worlds."

"So... when are you from, Caleb?" 

"You should not ask when, but where. I live in this house, in Brighton, in the year twenty twenty-one..." 

"Me, too..." she whispered, staring at the man dressed in Victorian clothes sitting at her side. She reached out to him, then paused, her hand suspended in mid-air inches from his face, blushing as she realised how she must look to him... But she really wanted to touch him, to feel him to make sure that she wasn't dreaming.

As if he felt the same way he took her hand and brought it to his cheek, then held it in his as they continued talking into the small hours of the Christmas Day.

When they could not keep their eyes open any longer they walked up the stairs, towards their bedroom, hand in hand. Each lay down on their side of the bed.

"Will you be here when I wake up?" Faith asked, wrapping her arms around him. "I don't want you to go..." she muttered, letting him kiss the rest of her sentence off her lips.

"I don't know but... let's believe in the magic of Christmas." He whispered back, pulling her closer. 

🎡🎄🎡

Faith stayed in bed, afraid to move, scared to open her eyes, long after she had woken up. What if he was gone?

"I'm here," Caleb said when he was sure that she was awake, and she could hear the smile lurking in his voice

She opened her eyes finally, smiling as she found him looking at her.

"Hi," she muttered. "So... what are we going to do today?"

He chuckled. "Let's just... be together."

"That sounds perfect to me. Would you like some breakfast?" Faith managed to ask before his lips found hers, and she felt herself melting into him.

🎡🎄🎡

It really seemed that their two worlds merged, they noticed as they walked into the kitchen later. Her modern appliances were still there, but so was his Victorian furniture.

"Shall we go out?" Faith proposed after breakfast, noticing for the first time that it had snowed at night as she walked towards the window facing the back garden, while Caleb scribbled some notes on a piece of paper while he sipped at his tea. "I want to show you my pier."

Caleb reached her by the window in no time. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, making her lean into him. 

"I'd love to show you how it looks in my world but I don't think we'll see either of the two now. I believe that we will find a new reality waiting for us beyond the door, a place we created for ourselves."

"Well, that just sounds like a dream to me... " Faith said, looking into his eyes, scared to find a hint of regret there. But she needn't worry. 

"Let's go then." Caleb said, his eyes lighting up with boyish excitement, curiosity, and the same love she could feel blossoming within her own heart.

Giggling, she let him drag her towards the front door, help her in her coat, and precede her cautiously into their new reality.

They stood still on the doorstep, holding hands, for a short moment, letting the cool, fresh air smelling of sea, snow, happiness and love fill their lungs for the first time.

Wherever they were, they were in the place they wanted to be-- in a world they somehow created for themselves, by falling in love and wishing to stay together.