From: "Renee M." <coolhorsechristy@yahoo.com>

 Flashback info:  The flashback is to have taken place
 before Amazing Grace, but after Eye of the Storm, I
 think.  I guess we don't know whether or not Margaret
 returned to Cutter Gap before or after Christmas, but
 in this story, she returns right after Christmas.

 Foxfire

 Early Christmas Eve Morning

 Christy Huddleston MacNeill stirred in her sleep as
 the bed upon which she was sleeping seemed to shift
 and a gentle hand caressed her face.  Even in her
 subconscious, Christy knew that it was her husband who
 had awakened.  Neil MacNeill, the physician of Cutter
 Gap, was probably headed out on another midnight
 medical call.
 Alas, Dr. MacNeill was not.  He was headed out on a
 different mission, a somewhat more important one at
 that.
 Neil knew that though his young wife seemed perfectly
 content with Cutter Gap life, there must certainly be
 some things she missed from her former home of
 Asheville.
 Throughout his own childhood years in Cutter Gap,
 Neil's family had hardly ever splurged on luxuries of
 any kind.  However, they were by no means poor, at
 least in comparison to other families in the Cove.
 Neil remembered getting a few lead pencils and a pad
 of paper one Christmas and an orange and a small
 handful of pennies another.
         But, along with everyone else in the Cove, a
 Christmas tree had never sat in the MacNeills' cabin.
 Neil was sure a Christmas tree had always been a part
 of Christy's Christmas.  So, he was determined to find
 one and surprise her with it.
         It was precisely three a.m. when Neil stepped
 outside his cabin with a lantern to begin his search
 for a Christmas tree.  If he remembered correctly,
 there was a small grove of pine trees to the far east
 of his cabin.  It was but half of a mile; Neil would
 be able to retrieve a tree and get it back to the
 cabin in good time.
         As Neil walked toward his destination,
 memories of Christmases past flooded his mind.  He
 remembered his childhood Christmases; when his mother
 would take him up on her lap and read the Christmas
 story to him and sing songs.  What wonderful memories
 those were.
         Another Christmas memory entered his mind:
 the first Christmas that Christy had spent in Cutter
 Gap.  Ah, what a Christmas that had been.  True to her
 parents' wishes, Christy had tried to return to
 Asheville for Christmas.  However, a raging snowstorm
 interrupted her plans. . . .

 [Flashback-morning of day before Christmas Eve]

         " . . . have to go!  I promised them I would
 go back for Christmas, since they ended up staying
 here for Thanksgiving!" Christy cried desperately to
 Miss Alice, who was leaning on the piano looking out
 the window at the blizzard blowing about the mission.
 There would be no "play party" this Christmas Eve for
 Cutter Gap.
 "Christy Huddleston, thou art not able to plow
 through that storm even to get to the barn, much less
 El Pano; no one is."
         Christy knew Miss Alice was right, but a
 previous storm had hit the day Christy was originally
 to leave for Asheville, delaying her for the first
 time, and convincing her to sit quietly at the mission
 for a day.  However, there was now another frustrating
 storm roaring about outside.
 Neil, who had been sipping coffee and watching the
 whole thing quite amusingly, added his own
 reinforcement for the matter; one would always need it
 in dealing with the young and fiery teacher.
 "Alice is right, Christy.  I know you feel the need
 to be the dutiful daughter and return to your parents,
 but it would be foolish to go out in this."
 "Yes, quite foolish, Christy," Miss Alice
 interjected, glancing hardly over to the doctor, who
 had been out on call when the storm first hit.  Though
 Neil could have stayed at his patient's cabin until
 the storm passed, he had went ahead and set off for
 his own cabin.  However, he had faced a very long
 night and had luckily stumbled upon the mission during
 the very early hours of the morning.
 Christy sighed, "I guess you're right, I'm sorry."
 Miss Alice smiled.  "Well, let us be glad that we're
 all safe, together."
 David suddenly burst through the front door carrying
 an armload of firewood.  Ruby Mae also came running
 out of the kitchen, eager to start the stove for
 breakfast.
 "Oh, goody, Preacher!  Now ah kin start breakfast!"
 She quickly rushed forth and grabbed a log.
 Miss Alice excused herself, "I'd best go help Ruby
 Mae so that the doctor can have some proper
 nourishment after his hard night out."
 Christy gazed into the fire for several moments
 before being startled out of her reverie of home by
 Neil's deep voice,
 "I am sorry you will not be able to go home for the
 Holiday."
 Christy gave a small smile as she turned towards the
 doctor.  "Well, it can't be helped.  Maybe I can go
 back after Christmas. . . ." her voice trailed off
 into a sigh.
 "Aye, you miss your family?" Neil inquired.
 "Very much so."
 "But do you miss Asheville?" Neil asked carefully.
 "I suppose I do," Christy said, still not totally
 focused on their conversation.
 "I see," Neil said quietly as he sipped his coffee.
 Christy turned her eyes to the doctor at his slight
 change in tone.  "And what is that supposed to mean?
 I *am* allowed to miss my home, aren't I?"
 "Of course, and I understand why you would.  You've
 only been here a few short months, and Christmas in
 Asheville must certainly be much finer than it is in
 Cutter Gap-of course you'd miss it."
 Christy was taken aback by Neil's comments.  "Dr.
 MacNeill, it does not matter *where* I celebrate
 Christmas.  I care only *whom* I celebrate it with.  I
 do not miss any of Asheville's frivolous Christmas
 entities."
 "Well, then, what *do* you miss about Asheville?"
 Christy opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came
 out.  She realized that she had walked into a trap by
 unmeaningly contradicting herself.
 Not knowing what to do, Christy softly said, "I miss
 my family, Dr. MacNeill," and walked out of the room.
 That afternoon, they all decorated the mission, since
 the blizzard raged on outside.  Holly had been
 abundantly stored weeks before, it filled every corner
 of the mission.  As evening rolled around, the wind
 had died down, even though it was still snowing hard.
 Christy was sitting by the window playing with the
 scattered holly leaves when a gentle tap turned her
 around.  It was Miss Alice.
         "Christy, art thou feeling well?"
         Christy put down the leaves.  "Of course, Miss
 Alice.  I'm just tired, is all."
         Alice gave a small smile.  "I hope my words
 this morning about your return to Asheville didn't
 discourage you too much.  Perhaps you will be able to
 return for New Year's."
         "Oh, it's not that.  Just something someone
 else said to me earlier," Christy said as she turned
 to look back out the window.
         Miss Alice sighed.  With Neil and Christy in
 the same house, the fur was sure to fly.  "It was
 something Neil said, was it not?"
         Christy whirled back around to face her
 mentor.  She wanted to talk with Miss Alice and vent
 the frustration she was feeling, but would the Quaker
 be angered over the fact that it was her son-in-law
 whom was causing this aggravation?  "Yes . . . he
 accused me for missing my home."
         Miss Alice raised her eyebrows.  She knew Neil
 MacNeill could certainly raise questions in one's
 mind, but he wouldn't spitefully accuse someone of
 missing their own home, would he?
         "For missing thy home?"
         Christy sighed.  "He essentially said that
 since I'd only spent a few months in Cutter Gap, I
 would most certainly miss the 'frilleries' of an
 Asheville Christmas-that being here was not good
 enough for me."
         Miss Alice sighed.  Neil was accusing Christy
 of being coddled and shallow.  Miss Alice knew how
 Neil, like all the highlanders, felt about the
 outsiders and their world.  But the doctor should have
 known better.  Christy was none of that sort.
         "Christy, I don't know what came over the
 doctor to make him say that, but it is perfectly all
 right for thee to miss thine home.  Life is indeed
 hard here, and I frequently find myself wishing for
 some of the conveniences and indulgences of city life.
  But that does not make me, nor does it make thou, a
 shallow person."
         Christy smiled and whispered her thanks before
 heading up to her room.  As Christy entered the
 bedroom, she tried to clear her head of Neil's
 accusations.  Perhaps he was just having a bad day.
         Sitting down at her bed, Christy realized that
 if she was going to be spending Christmas at the
 mission house, she might as well wrap her presents.
         Christy reached under her bed to pull out the
 box of presents she had been keeping.  Long ago,
 Christy had sent a list of presents to her parents so
 they could purchase them in Asheville for her.
         Lifting the box onto the bed, Christy found
 that a roll of red paper accompanied the presents.
 She had forgotten about that.  *Might as well use it*,
 she thought.
         Christy brushed off the paper and pulled out
 the first item to wrap.  She smiled; George must have
 helped pick this one out.  The next present was
 Ida's-Christy would have to wait until she got back
 from Boston to give it to her.  Then came Ruby Mae's
 and Miss Alice's. . . .
         Christy finished wrapping the presents and was
 just about to put the box back under the bed when a
 small object in the corner caught her eye.  It was
 crudely wrapped in brown paper and carried an attached
 note.  She picked the object up; it was slightly
 larger than the palm of her hand, and was fairly
 heavy.  Christy opened the note and read:

 Dearest Christy,

 Please give this to Dr. MacNeill, as I know it is of
 great importance to him.  He has been waiting a long
 time for it.

 Your father

         Carefully and curiously, Christy pulled away
 the brown paper, which revealed a shining silver
 medal, outlined in gold.  "What in the world?" she
 whispered, running her fingers over the chiselings.
         Upon examining the medallion more closely,
 Christy saw there was a large building with a seal
 stamped in the center.  Above the building was a
 phrase in foreign lettering.  On the gold plating
 running along the outer edge of the medal, hundreds of
 small characters in three lines formed a circle.
         Turning it over, Christy saw that three more
 lines of characters formed a circle along the outer
 edge of the medallion back.  In the middle, there was
 an uppercase M raised in copper.  An arch graced the
 top and from the middle of it came a straight line,
 which went completely through the middle of the M.
 The line continued and met in middle of the last
 element-a wide Ú that connected the arch ends, which
 were straight lines that extended from the top arch to
 fall even with the bottom of the M.
         *The MacNeill family crest,* Christy thought.
 A knock on the door startled Christy into almost
 dropping the medallion.
         "Christy?" a voice asked, "It's Neil, may I
 come in?"  After his earlier conversation with
 Christy, the doctor realized how hard and insensitive
 he had been on the teacher.  Neil hoped he could make
 it up to her.
         Christy hid the medallion in her pocket and
 put the box on the floor, quickly shoving it under the
 bed with her foot.  "Come in."
         "Supper is ready," Neil said as he opened the
 door.
         Christy smiled back, "All right, thank you."
 Neither of them moved.
         "May I escort you downstairs, Miss
 Huddleston?"
         Christy hesitated.  The medallion was big
 enough and heavy enough to be noticed in her pocket.
 But, perhaps in his own way, Neil was trying to make
 up for their conversation earlier that day by offering
 to escort her.  If Christy refused, he might be hurt,
 or become suspicious.
         "Of course."  Christy stood up from the bed,
 sticking her hands in her pockets trying to subtly
 hold the medallion.  At the moment, Neil did not need
 to know it was in her possession.  Despite Christy's
 best efforts, Neil still noticed her awkwardness.
         "Is something wrong, Christy?"
         "No, of course not," she smiled.  Christy
 would have to get the medallion out of her pocket-it
 was in her left.  Walking over to her dresser that was
 partly hid from Neil's vision by the door, she opened
 a top drawer with her right hand and pretended to look
 for something.  Closing it halfway, Christy slipped
 her right arm in Neil's and quickly pulled the
 medallion from her left pocket and slipped it into the
 drawer as they took a step out.  Replacing her left
 arm into Neil's, they started down the hall.
         *Sly lass,* Neil thought.  "Do you mind
 telling me what that was about?" he asked.
         "Noooo. . . ." Christy said slowly.  How in
 the world would she keep this from Neil?  He would be
 at her until she told him!
         "I see.  Is it a gift for someone?"
         They were now nearing the bottom of the
 stairs.  "Dr. MacNeill, that is for me to know and you
 to find out."
         Neil threw back his head and laughed.  "You
 know I will find out, Miss Huddleston."
         David lifted his eyebrows as Neil's laughter
 drifted through the hallway.  As the doctor and
 teacher entered the dining room, they took their seats
 and David offered the blessing.
         "Dear Lord, we thank you for this wonderful
 opportunity for us all to be together. . . ."
         Christy opened her eyes a tiny bit to look at
 Neil.  He was looking at the casserole on the table
 with his eyes open, but there was a soft expression on
 his face, as if he were remembering something.
         " . . . you for this food.  Amen."
         "Amen," Christy said as she lifted her head.
 Glancing outside, she saw that it had begun to blow
 again.  How long would they be trapped here?  Sighing,
 she turned her thoughts to Neil's words hours before.
         Christy did realize that she missed some of
 the nicer things of Asheville, but she also knew that
 Cutter Gap was the place she wanted to be.  Despite
 Miss Alice's reassurances, Christy still wondered if
 she was selfish and shallow.
         This train of thought was too deep for her
 mind, she decided.  Christy turned back to her food as
 she realized everyone was staring at her.
         "What?" she asked.
         David suppressed a laugh as he replied with a
 question of his own, "Deep in thought Miss
 Huddleston?"
         "Yes, David, I was," Christy said a bit
 testily.
         "I see.  Perhaps you would like to take your
 food out of your water now?"
         Christy quickly glanced down to see her fork
 and the remnants of Ruby Mae's casserole in her glass
 of water.
         No one could suppress a laugh now.  As they
 quieted down, Ruby Mae offered to refill Christy's
 glass.
         "No, thank you, Ruby Mae.  I think I'll go sit
 by the fire, I'm a bit chilly."
         "But ain't ya hungry?"
 Christy shook her head.  "No, but you did a good job
 with the casserole."
         "Thank ya, Teacher."
         Christy smiled and glanced at David as she
 walked out of the kitchen.  David picked up the signal
 and excused himself from the table.
         As Christy sat down next to the fire, David
 walked in and sat beside her.  "I'm sorry you're not
 able to be with your family."
         Christy nodded and sighed.  "I really miss
 being with them.  Right now, Mother, Daddy, and George
 would probably be putting the special glass ornaments
 that we always save for last up on the tree."  She
 paused.  "It's childish to miss them like that, I
 know. . . ."
         David placed his hand on her shoulder.
 "Christy, it is not childish at all.  The first year I
 was in seminary, there was a huge snow storm and a
 terrible train wreck."  He paused, shaking his head.
 "Entire families were killed in that wreck. . . .  The
 only working line was the freight line.  I didn't get
 to Boston for a month."  David looked at Christy.
 "Your feelings are not childish.  I was miserable."
         Christy smiled at his genuine care and
 concern.  "Thank you, David.  It means a lot to me."
 She took his hand and squeezed it.  Before Christy
 could pull away, David lifted her hand to his mouth
 and kissed it.
         As he walked away, Christy retreated to the
 kitchen to help with dishes, smiling.

 |--|--|--|

 Mid-afternoon the next day, Neil decided to head back
 to his cabin.  The weather had cleared up
 considerably.
 As Neil was gathering his things from beside the
 fire, Christy approached him.
 "Neil?"
 He looked up and smiled.  "What can I do for you,
 Christy?"
 "I was wondering if you would join us for Christmas
 dinner tomorrow night?" she asked.
 Neil paused in mid-action.  It had been awhile since
 he had eaten a Christmas dinner with anyone.  But, he
 smiled, a change might be nice.
 "I'd like to talk to you, too." Christy said.
 Neil's smile faded as he remembered their
 conversation.  He still rebuked himself for going
 after her like that.  What had gotten into him?  Neil
 knew what had gotten into him, but this was not the
 time to think about it.
 "Christy, about our conversation, I'm-"
 Christy interrupted and held up her hand.  "We'll
 talk tomorrow?"
 Neil nodded, "Yes, tomorrow."
 Christy smiled, relieved.  "Wonderful, good-bye,
 then."
 "Good-bye, Christy."
 For the remainder of the day, Christy searched for and
 prepared a box to put Neil's medallion in.  Everything
 had to be just right for this gift.

 |--|--|--|

 Christmas morning dawned pristine and clear-beautiful
 Christmas weather.  After breakfast, everyone
 exchanged presents.
         Christy received two beautiful new "teacher's
 books" from David and Miss Alice-a grade book and a
 daily planner-and a roughly embroidered sampler that
 Ruby Mae had taken the greatest of care with.
         David was stunned and delighted with his
 Louisville Slugger bat clear from Kentucky, and Miss
 Alice loved her glass window hangings and lace doilies
 for her cabin.  But Ruby Mae was the most excited over
 her gifts.  She couldn't believe her luck in receiving
 talcum powder, perfume, and pretty toiletry items.  It
 was a wonderful exchange of gifts.
         Throughout the rest of the afternoon, Christy,
 Alice, and Ruby Mae slaved away at the Christmas
 dinner.  There was a small, sweetened ham, and many
 pieces of salt pork.  Christy made numerous biscuits
 and Miss Alice made pies from the preserved summer
 berries.  They also pulled out Jeb Spencer's special
 sourwood honey.
 As evening approached, Christy retreated to her room
 to change her dress.  She brushed out her twist and
 braid that she'd worn earlier.  For several minutes,
 Christy twisted and piled her hair trying to find a
 desirable look.  Finally, she pulled her top hair back
 and let the rest of it hang loose.  As she brushed
 through the long strands, she wondered if David would
 like it, and, for a few fleeting moments, what Neil
 MacNeill would think.
 Christy stopped in mid-brush at the thought of what
 Neil would think.  What *would* he think . . . about a
 lot of things?  From their previous conversations,
 Christy knew *exactly* what Neil thought on some
 subjects.
 Her thoughts flashed through the past months that
 she'd known the doctor.  Their . . . acquaintance had
 been quite interesting.  Christy had, for the most
 part, enjoyed their conversations together and even
 found their arguments somewhat exhilarating.  Strange
 . . . she thought as she shook her head.
 At around six o'clock, Neil arrived on his horse.
 Christy met him at the door, and was stunned by his
 appearance.  Neil's hair was not quite as unruly as
 usual and he had shaved and put on a new shirt.
 Christy thought he looked very nice.
 "Neil . . . hello . . . I. . . ."
 Neil grinned.  "Hello to you, too, Miss Huddleston.
 Yes, 'tis a rare occasion for me to be cleaned up like
 this.  And, might I add, you look very lovely tonight
 also."
 "As do you, Doctor MacNeill.  Thank you."
 "I look lovely?" Neil asked teasingly.
 Christy smiled up at him.  "Of course!"
 That evening, everyone enjoyed each other's company
 and the food prepared.  Merriment was in the air, and
 everyone knew there would be dancing later on.
 After supper, Christy prepared to "present" Neil with
 his medallion.  Hastily, she ran up to her room to
 grab the box, and retreated back down equally as
 quickly.
 Approaching the parlor, Christy wondered how Neil
 would take receiving his medallion-she was nervous
 about giving him such an ornate and seemingly special
 gift.
         Christy set the box in the parlor and went in
 search of Neil.  As she was walking towards the
 kitchen, Christy realized that it would probably be
 best if her and Neil discussed their previous
 conversation *before* she gave him the medallion.
         Christy found Neil sipping coffee at the
 kitchen table with Miss Alice.
         She approached him almost timidly.  "Dr.
 MacNeill, can I speak with you . . . privately?"
 Neil put his coffee down and stood up.  "Of course,
 Christy.  Please excuse me, Alice."
 Miss Alice nodded and smiled.
 Christy nervously played with her dress as they
 entered the parlor.  As Neil sat down in a chair near
 the fire, Christy moved to sit next to him, only to
 trip over her chair and lean precariously into the
 fire.  Neil quickly pulled her back into the chair and
 questioned,
 "Christy, are you all right?  Are you feeling ill?"
 Christy nodded and tried to hide her embarrassment,
 distractedly not absorbing the full question.  Her
 face was as red as the embers in the fire.
 "Yes, of course."
 "So you're saying you're ill?  Do I need to examine
 you?" Neil teased.
 "Yes.  I mean, no!  I'm fine, Doctor," Christy said,
 still embarrassed and fumbling over her words.  She
 took a deep breath to calm herself.
 They both sat in silence for a few moments.  Neil was
 the first to speak.
 "Christy, about our conversation the other day . . .
 I was wrong to criticize you like that.  I had other
 things on my mind, and I wasn't thinking.  I
 apologize."
 Christy turned in her chair to face the doctor
 squarely.  "I accept.  You *were* right about my
 missing Asheville, though.  I do miss the luxuries of
 it; the food, the stores, the things.  But when I look
 to Cutter Gap and see the children's hopeful faces, I
 know that I want to be here, and I forget all about
 Asheville.  My heart is just completely filled with .
 . . with . . . well, I can't describe it."
 Neil smiled.  "I do know what you mean Christy, about
 the feeling here and the things you miss from the
 city.  While I do not so much miss the luxuries, I
 miss the medical paraphernalia; the laboratories, the
 equipment, the advantages.
 "Then we both have city longings," Christy said
 softly.
 "That we do, Miss Huddleston."
 Christy was about to get up to the retrieve the
 medallion when another question entered her mind.  But
 did she dare ask it?
 "Neil?  What was on your mind during our argument?"
 Dr. MacNeill started at the question.  He hadn't
 expected Christy to ask.  Neil stared into the fire,
 his mind riveted on the question at hand.
 For many moments, Neil did not speak.  Christy
 started to feel embarrassed; should she not have
 asked?  But what could he have been thinking of?
 Finally, Neil spoke.  "I was thinking of Margaret,"
 he said quietly.
 Christy did not move.  Margaret, his wife, his *dead*
 wife.
 Neil continued, "It was the Christmas just before she
 passed on, and the first one we had celebrated in
 Cutter Gap-most of our Christmases before had been
 spent in the city.  Our . . . our marriage had fallen
 apart by then, but I'd bought her many indulgent gifts
 to try and make her happy."  Neil paused a moment to
 gather his words, then continued, "However, Margaret
 paid no mind.  All she could think of was the things
 in the city, and we had a big fight.  She ran off and
 caught pneumonia."  Neil stopped.  He couldn't say any
 more.  He had completely opened his heart to the woman
 beside him, and the painful memories washed over it
 like saltwater does on a raw wound.
 "But . . . why were you thinking of her that day,
 during our argument?" Christy asked ever so softly.
 "You are so like her, Christy. . . .  I see her in
 you, and as I reminisced, that horrible Christmas came
 back to me.  I did not mean to take my thoughts out on
 you."
 "Are you saying I have the same heart as Margaret?"
 Christy asked, a bit miffed.
 "No, not at all!  Christy, Margaret was rotten and
 selfish.  But she had a fiery spirit, and I see that
 in you also.  I believe she had a good heart, but
 perhaps I turned it sour. . . ."
 Inwardly, Christy ached for what this man had went
 through.  And he had entirely opened himself up to
 her; Christy had never seen him so vulnerable.  She
 grabbed his hand and held it in her own.
 "Neil, you did not do anything to make her that way.
 Perhaps she just selfishly did not want to pull her
 own weight.  Margaret was extremely lucky to have a
 husband like you."  Christy could not meet Neil's eyes
 as he raised his head at her last sentence.  He
 squeezed her hand and she looked up, her eyes full of
 pain and hope for the man sitting beside her.
 "Thank you, Christy."
 For moments, Christy found herself riveted on Neil's
 eyes.  She finally pulled away and stood up to
 retrieve the box.
 "And now, Dr. MacNeill, I have something for you,"
 Christy said in a lighter tone.
 "And I wonder what it could be?" Neil asked.
 "Well, remember when I was, ah . . . acting strangely
 the other night in my room?"
 Neil laughed.  "How could I forget?  And I will find
 out about that, Miss Huddleston."
 "You certainly will, Doctor, because this has to do
 with that," she smiled.  Christy sat back down in the
 chair and took the box from behind her back.  She
 handed it to the doctor, who stared at it for a few
 moments before taking the top off.  Christy waited
 nervously as Neil removed the red paper from the top
 and sifted through the brightly colored paper
 confetti.  Finally, the shining medallion was fully
 revealed and Neil was staring perplexedly at it.
 "Christy, where did you find this?  This is
 remarkable!"  He quickly turned it over and over in
 his hands.
 "My father sent it to me along with some Christmas
 presents awhile back.  I didn't know I had it until
 the other day.  What is it for?" she asked.
 Neil scraped his chair closer to the fire to hold the
 medallion in its light.  Christy followed suit.
 "At the school in Edinburgh, Scotland, when you
 graduated and got your medical degree, you received a
 medallion from the school, much like this one.
 However, because I was able to directly trace myself
 to the Clan MacNeill in Scotland, I received this one,
 with my family's crest."
 "What does everything on it mean?" Christy
 questioned.
 "Well," the doctor said, pointing to the building,
 "this is the original building of the school, built
 hundreds of years ago.  The stamp in the center is the
 seal of the king.  The phrase above it is the motto of
 the clan to which the original founder of the school
 was from.  I forget what it means.  On the back-"
 "Is your family crest," Christy finished.
 Neil smiled.  "Yes, and along the outer edges on both
 the front and back is the Hippocratic oath.  When I
 graduated, I received it in a plaque, but soon after,
 it was stolen.  I just can't believe your father found
 it."
 "But is it yours?  Couldn't there have been another
 MacNeill?"
 Neil shook his head.  "I was the only one.  And even
 if there was another one, each medallion is numbered.
 Mine is number 1793."  Neil turned the medallion over
 and looked closely near the building.  Sure enough,
 the number 1793 was there.
 Just then, Christy and Neil noticed that Alice and
 David were humming a tune in the kitchen.  Neil set
 the medallion down and stood up.  "May I have this
 dance?"
 Christy smiled, "Of course."
 As they began to dance, Neil pulled her to him and
 whispered, "Thank you for the best Christmas ever,
 Christy."

 [end of flashback]

 Neil smiled as he remembered that Christmas.  It was
 then that he knew he was truly falling in love with
 Christy.
 Neil was now about three-fourths the way to the tree
 grove.  Suddenly, something ahead caught his eye.  He
 rushed forth to examine it more closely.  Neil
 couldn't believe what it was.
         "Well, I'll be," he whispered.  As Neil sat
 there staring at the stuff, he had an ingenious idea.
 Immediately, he started to arrange the bits and pieces
 into bars, curves, and letters.  When his masterpiece
 was finished, Neil quickly continued on to his tree
 grove.  He wondered if he could get the tree back to
 the cabin fast enough and bring Christy out here
 before the sun rose.  It was probably around three
 forty-five by now . . . perfect.
         Arriving at the tree grove, Neil searched
 through the clusters for the perfect one.  Finally, he
 came upon a relatively small and bushy one.  It was
 just right.  Neil hoped it wouldn't be too hard for
 him to get back home.
         An hour and a half later, Neil returned to the
 cabin with the tree.  It had been a challenge to bring
 it all the way back from the grove, but not extremely
 difficult.  He hid the tree behind the house and
 tiptoed inside.  After cleaning up a bit, he stepped
 up to the bedroom to wake his wife.  The moon cast an
 angelic light upon her face, and Neil did not want to
 wake her, but this was something she would enjoy.
         "Christy, dear, wake up."  Neil gently shook
 her.
         Christy's moonlit eyes opened slightly.
 "Neil, what?" she asked groggily.
         "I want to show you something, lass."
 Christy thought a moment.  She was tired, but it must
 be important.  Besides, she would have been getting up
 soon, anyways.  "All right, just let me get dressed."
         "I'll go saddle up Charlie."
 Minutes later, Christy and Neil were headed back in
 the direction from which Neil had just come.  On
 Charlie, they made good time.
         Soon, there were nearing Neil's designated
 spot.  "Alright, Christy, we're here.  But, you'll
 have to close your eyes," he said as he dismounted and
 helped her from the horse.  Taking her hand, Neil led
 Christy through the trees.  A few minutes later, they
 stopped.  "Open your eyes, Christy," Neil said softly
 as he leaned close to her.
         Slowly, Christy opened her eyes.  The sight
 that met her eyes took her breath away.  In a small
 clearing among the forest trees, Neil had arranged
 some glowing "stuff" in the design of the MacNeill
 family crest.
         "Oh Neil," she whispered.  "What in the world.
 . . ?"
         "It's called foxfire," Neil said.  "It's
 common in these woods, you just have to know where to
 find it."
         "What is it made of, and why does it glow?"
 Neil smiled and took Christy's hand.  "When the wood
 rots, lass, certain fungi can start to grow on it.
 When the wood is fully decayed, the fungi will glow
 during the night."
         "It's beautiful.  Thank you, Neil," Christy
 sighed.
 For a few minutes, they stood gazing at the glowing
 emblem of their family.
         "Why the family crest?" Christy asked softly.
         "In remembrance of your first Christmas here.
 The medallion you gave me from medical school meant
 more to me than anything."
         "But my father's the one who found it for
 you."
         "Ah, but the fact that *you* gave it to me
 made it special, Christy.  The time we spent trapped
 that year at the mission made me realize how important
 you were to me.  You always knew just what to say.  I
 loved you then, lass."
         "And I was a fool not to realize it," Christy
 sighed.
         "Nay," Neil whispered, "I should have told you
 how I really felt."
         "Well," Christy said as she smiled up at him,
 "it doesn't matter now."
         Neil smiled and said huskily, "Merry
 Christmas, lass," as he lowered his head to hers.
         "Kisses under the Foxfire moon," Christy
 whispered before her words were embalmed with a
 passionate kiss.

 THE END