Thanksgiving approached quickly. Belle hadn't been able to make it over seas to see Chris. Even though it was the off-season she was still busy. She had taken a lot of time off over the past few months and she couldn't bring herself to request more time even though she missed Chris more than she thought possible.

Thanksgiving consisted of her dad, Hutch and his wife Sylvia, as well as Allie and Matt had decided to come to. Matt's family lived a couple hours away and so Allie and Matt were splitting their time between Belle's family and Allie's parents.

A little after 11 Thanksgiving morning Belle arrived at her dads to help cook. It had become a crazy tradition that he had started the year her mom died. It was a terrible holiday season, the first without her mom. Hutch and his wife, known as Aunt Sylvia to Belle, had come over to try to help make that first Thanksgiving a little more bearable for both Belle and Nick. Nick had decided he would cook the turkey. It started out as a disaster but thankfully Sylvia had stepped in and with Belle's help, once they kicked the boys out to the living room to watch football, they created a delicious thanksgiving dinner. And every year without fail it was the same thing. Allie usually ended up at Nick's after dinner as well. Of course, Hunter had come a couple years. This year Belle's heart ached for Chris to be apart of it. But even if he was able to be home he would be at his mom's probably. And Belle wouldn't go - she couldn't break Thanksgiving tradition.

Sylvia had already started much of the preparation and Hutch and her dad were already in the den watching football when Belle arrived.

"There's my girl." Sylvia was in the kitchen working on peeling potatoes. She stopped long enough to embrace Belle in a hug and hand her an apron.

"Here let me take over that." Belle slipped the apron over her head tying it behind her waist before reaching out to take over the peeling of potatoes.

"After you show me that ring finger." Sylvia demanded.

"Oh I forgot you haven't seen it." Belle lit up and showed her the engagement ring with giddy excitement.

"Oh my. He sure knows how to pick a rock." She took Belle's hand in hers bringing it closer to her face to examine the ring closely.

Belle nodded. "He did good."

"You did good." Sylvia patted her hand. "I'm disappointed I won't get a chance to meet him. Your dad and Mac gush of how great of a young man he is."

"I wish you could meet him to." Belle sighed.

"Maybe Christmas."

"I hope so. Definitely before the wedding."

"How is planning coming along?"

"Great, actually. I know exactly what I want. So now I'm basically waiting till May." She rolled her eyes.

After everything for dinner was prepped and in the oven, Belle wandered upstairs to her old bedroom to try to facetime with Chris. It went straight to voicemail and she sighed. Glancing at the time it was a little after 1 in California which meant it was a little after 10 in Berlin. She had spoken to him briefly this morning at 7 am but he seemed rushed. Laying down on her old childhood bed in the room that her dad still refused to make one signal change to, she yawned. Holding her phone near to her chest she slowly drifted off to sleep.

"Belle?" A voice calling out woke her up. Squeezing her eyes tightly before opening them she took a minute to remember where she was. Oh right, it was Thanksgiving. She had fallen asleep. Her bedroom looked dark, what time was it? Looking at her phone it was after 4. She had slept for 3 hours?!

"I'm in here." She called back swinging her legs off the bed, she sat up. Her throat felt scratchy and dry.

Sylvia peeked in the door, "You've been napping all afternoon. Dinner is ready."

"Oh, ok. Wow. I didn't realize I was that tired."

"You have company downstairs as well." Sylvia smiled as Belle followed her out the door.

"Matt and Allie are here already? I didn't think they were coming till later."

Still in a sleepy haze Belle slowly padded down the grand staircase and into the kitchen. She thought she must still be asleep because it wasn't Allie and Matt who had arrived. No, it was much better, and she had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Hey gorgeous girl." Standing in the kitchen was a very tired, very exhausted but happy looking Chris.

"You- what- how?" She stuttered before running over and flinging herself into his arms.

"You're here." She reached up to touch his cheek needing more conformation that he was indeed standing in her dad's kitchen.

"I'm here." He confirmed. "I had to see you." He lowered his mouth to her ear, his voice husky.

Belle brought her mouth to his for a sweet kiss.

"Ok, enough mushy stuff." Hutch cleared his throat entering the kitchen. "I was told its chow time."

"I always did have good timing." Chris shrugged.

Belle laughed grabbing tight hold of his hand. She didn't want to let him out of her grasp in fear he might disappear.

Dinner was fabulous. Chris had the table cracking up with on set stories and near airplane catastrophes from his day of travel that he thought would never end. Matt and Allie arrived a little after dinner had ended and joined in for desert. Hutch and Sylvia left around 7:30. Nick retired to his bedroom leaving Belle, Chris, Allie and Matt to have a second helping of dinner and finish off desert.

Looking around the kitchen with a full heart Belle reached out to squeeze Chris's hand. It had without a doubt been the best Thanksgiving she had ever had.