Author's Note: I don't own Pinky & The Brain.

I'm back for the holidays. YAY!!

I know it's not quite x-mas yet, but I thought I'd do something a little different.

Brain/Erin shipping-romance is involved.

- -

It was late December. Nearly half the entire world was covered from head to toe in snow. A thick, white blanket was making it's presence known wherever it was sent. It had it's upsides like no school for children, making snow angels and snow men. And it's down sides like delaying flights, traffic and making people shovel out their cars. And of course, it had pretty much given the lab scientists the day off, which meant, their genetically altered specimens were allowed to wonder about the lab freely, which they did anyway.

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby...!!

Erin had turned up the lab's radio as she tapped up several items in wrapping paper. Across the lab, Pinky was happily decorating everything he could tape something to. Erin had made paper ring streamers out of construction paper and gave Pinky the task of covering the lab as much as possible, of course, Pinky, do to his own handy work, had drawn colorful pictures on sheets of computer paper. One of the pieces of his art work was a picture of him, her and Brain, which he'd tapped to the inside of their cage to make it more homey. Of course, the picture looked to be a five year old's rendering but it's the thought that counts. Pinky wondered over to where Erin was happily taping up sheets of wrapping paper.

"Egad, Erin, what is all this?" Pinky asked, curiously.

Erin shut the radio off because the news weather forecast bulletin had interrupted her cheery Christmas music. She looked at Pinky happily.

"I'm just about finished wrapping Brain's presents. It was hard to shop for him really, I mean...what do you get for the mouse who has everything? I mean, he's got me, you and soon, the entire world", Erin exclaimed, "So, I went practical", she then added thumbing towards the cabinet to her left, "I hid one of yours over there, you can go open it now".

Pinky happily climbed off the counter and went over to the opposite side, opening up one of the cabinet doors just underneath. He was able to pull a multicolored wrapped box from within, although he was sent backwards as it fell to the floor. Pinky got back up and climbed up on top of it, ripping the paper away.

"Zzzooorrrttt!!! OH ERIN! You shouldn't have! A popcorn maker!" Pinky delightedly replied, just about hugging himself with joy.

"I decided the lab's microwave wasn't safe for you after what happened last time", Erin told him, trying to forget Brain's last attempt to use the lab's appliances.

"Um...so, where is Brain?" Pinky asked, after a second or so, climbing back up onto the counter.

"I've been at the computer ignoring the sounds of Erin's Christmas music and the sounds of your inane laughing", Brain spoke up, walking over.

"I was wondering what that marshmallow thing was at the computer. Poit!" Pinky remarked.

Erin tried not to laugh and turned to Brain, "Oh come on Brain. Usually I wouldn't interrupt your plans for world domination but it's Christmas Eve", as she talked, she walked over and picked up a flat looking white envelope and brought it over, "Open this".

"If you insist", Brain sighed, bending down and opening up the envelope, he took out a mint green and white reserved dinner card, "You reserved a table on Christmas Eve?" He asked looking at Erin.

"I've had that reserved for weeks. I thought you could use a night off, I guess tonight would be a better night than any", Erin told him, when she noticed he was about to protest, she locked hold of his arm, "Oh, please Brain. I told the owners that you were very important and that you've been working hard every night for a long, long time. They wouldn't have let me keep the reservation if it had been anyone else and it's very hard for anyone to get into this place, they're very picky. When I told them I wanted to reserve a table for The Brain, they told Ben Aflack to take a hike and reserved the table for you".

Brain noticed the imploring look she was giving him and he knew she wouldn't have been looking at him like that if she didn't think it was important. After a second of personal debate, Brain nodded his head.

"Alright, fine", He agreed.

Erin happily hugged him. Brain went to hug her back when Pinky gave a snort of laughter.

"Oooo....Brain! Look what I found!" Pinky said, holding what looked to be mistletoe over them.

Brain and Erin let go of each other. Brain frowned, turning beat red and Erin just blushed and looked down at her feet.

"I'm just gonna..."...

"Yeah, me too".

Erin and Brain didn't look at each other as they departed in opposite directions of the lab, returning to what they were doing.

"Egad, was it something I said?" Pinky asked aloud, scratching the back of his head.

...

...

...

About two hours later, Pinky found Brain standing in front of the lab's mirror in the bathroom. Brain was wearing a black jacket with white shirt and black bow-tie. Pinky climbed up onto the sink.

"Gee Brain, you look spiffy", Pinky commented.

"Yes well, I've been giving this a lot of thought and I could use a night off", Brain replied.

"Zounds Brain, I've never seen you this happy before, except well...when you're trying to take over the world", Pinky pointed out.

"Well..", Brain paused as he spoke but didn't get a chance to finish.

Erin walked into the bathroom, standing in the door way. Brain's mouth went dry. She was wearing a dark purple dress that completely contrasted against her blue eyes and brown hair. Pinky was completely oblivious as usual.

"Oh Erin, you look very pretty", Pinky commented.

"Thank you Pinky", Erin said, trying not to look at Brain but was having a hard time trying.

"Well, we should probably get going", Brain suggested, climbing down from the bathroom sink.

Pinky followed him. He walked with them to the lab's door. Erin put on a matching purple trench coat, buttoning it. She handed Brain a similar jacket but his was dark gray.

"Now, you two have fun and don't worry about tonight being on a date!", Pinky reminded them happily, holding the door open for them.

"Thank you for reinforcing that phobia Pinky", Brain muttered, as Erin took his arm.

The two left the lab a second later, disappearing into the lightly falling snow.

...

...

...

Erin and Brain exited the taxi they'd taken across town. The restaurant was called: Italy's Garden. The two walked into the front entrance, an Italian looking man, Robert, was standing at the dark wood podium, checking the small booklet in front of him. He had to lean over the podium once Brain got his attention.

"We have a reservation for two", Brain told him.

"What's your name?" Robert asked.

"The Brain", Brain answered.

"Oh, so you're the Brain. What do you do in your line of work? Are you a scientist?" Robert asked checking off his list and then grabbing two menus.

"Actually, I'm a lab mouse trying to take over the world", Brain told him, leading Erin into the main area of the restaurant.

"That's some pick up line", Robert commented, reaching their table, he looked in Erin's direction, "I can see why your girlfriend loves you, you have some sense of humor".

"She's not...we're just friends", Brain said.

Everyone in the restaurant looked at him. Everyone in traffic, on the streets and people who weren't even in the building, looked in his direction. The Warner Brothers and the Warner sister, looked in his direction. Even Pinky, who wasn't there, looked up from what he was doing as Brain spoke.

"Okay...maybe I like her more than that", Brain muttered defensively, staring at the floor.

Erin and Brain climbed up onto the table, despite it being seated for two, they had to sit on top of the table because the chairs were too big for them. Brain helped Erin with her coat. They put their coats in the empty seats and just stood on the table.

"Hmmm....scented candles", Erin replied, turning to one of the floating scented candle decorations on the table, she turned back to her companion, "Isn't this wonderful, Brain?"

"The fact that you went to all this trouble for me...", He paused for a moment, "And I didn't even get you anything", he added, rather glumly.

Erin took Brain's hands in her own, "Brain, you don't need to. I like being with you 365 days a year, including when there's a leap year", she paused, blushing nervously, "And that's a good enough present for me".

"Oh no", Brain protested, waving his hand, "I put you through more than enough. I should at least make up for it".

"Brain, that's not necessary", Erin told him gently, "I don't mind, really".

She had some sort of notion he was going to make a big deal out of this, he always had to. She knew he couldn't relax, not when it came to her. Brain waved his hand getting a waiter's attention. The waiter came over.

"Yes, could you get my date and I a bottle of champagne?" Brain asked.

"Of course, I'll be right back", the waiter replied, nodding.

Erin took hold of Brain's arm, "Brain, isn't that a little expensive? You didn't have to...", she then realized what he just said to the waiter in terms of asking for the bottle of champagne. She then blushed visibly, "I didn't think this was..."...

Brain just smiled a little, "I heard what you said earlier", he said, taking her hand in his.

"About the mouse who has everything? I meant that", Erin stated, nodding, "You have me, Pinky and you're working on your goal for world domination".

"I don't exactly have all three", Brain muttered.

"I know. You've been working on taking over the world ever since", Erin began to say.

"No, it's not that", Brain shook his head.

"Then what?" Erin asked, raising an eyebrow, looking at him.

Brain didn't say anything, he just stared down at the table cloth. He could feel her fingers interlocking with his. He turned to look at her for a moment. He wondered why he'd never noticed how blue her eyes were before. She was just...something else altogether. She was unlike any equation or rational thesis he'd ever solved or could understand. She was a different genetically altered blue print. Sure her gene splice DNA was close to that of his and Pinky's but she was just...just more...complicated sometimes. And Pinky was right, this was more happier than he'd ever been.

"Your champagne", the Waiter replied, returning to their table.

"Actually, we'll be going", Brain decided after a second, "You can give this table to a couple of stuck up rich people who are lazy and stay home to watch Oprah".

Erin just looked at Brain for a moment but grabbed her coat as Brain lead her from the restaurant. They put on their coats as they got outside. Erin took Brain's arm as they walked up the sidewalk.

"Where are we going Brain?" Erin asked.

"Somewhere more private", Brain said.

...

...

...

The two lab mice had taken another taxi out of town and to NASA's look out building, which was closed. Erin and Brain climbed up onto the roof of the building. You could basically see forever. The city's buildings and lights seemed so far away and everything was so tiny. It was still snowing and growing darker. The flood lights were on but they were always on, even if nobody was there.

"Doesn't get more private than this", Erin stated, nodding her head and then turned back to Brain, "So...what were you trying to tell back at the restaurant?" She asked curiously.

Brain looked at her, "I don't know how to tell you", he admitted, quietly.

"Then don't. Make some sort of gesture or write it down. You don't have to tell me, you know", Erin exclaimed, smiling gently.

Brain's eyes lit up and he slipped his hand inside his jacket pocket, "Close your eyes for a moment".

Erin laughed and covered her eyes. Brain walked over to a post and climbed up it.

"And no peeking either", Brain added, looking over his shoulder.

He took out the mistletoe that Pinky had had earlier. He secured the string with a tight knot, letting the mistletoe dangle off the post and it hung just over him and Erin. Climbing back down from the post, he put his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Alright, you can look", Brain replied.

Erin uncovered her eyes and looked around, "Why did you want me to close my eyes for?"

"No reason but...I think that's mistletoe if I'm not mistaken", Brain remarked casually , pointing upwards.

She looked up. And sure enough there was mistletoe dangling over them. Erin looked back at Brain.

"Did you?..." She asked, unsure whether or not how to ask her question.

"It's a gesture", Brain told her, shrugging his shoulders.

Erin smiled softly, walking up to him. They were about three inches apart from each other. The fact that there was no sound except for the snow, their quiet breath rising in the air, the world sound muted, this didn't exactly register with either of them. Nothing else at the moment mattered. Erin placed her hands gently on his shoulders. Brain slipped his arms around her waist. She was the exact same height as him, which suited him just perfectly.

"Merry Christmas Brain", Erin said quietly.

"Merry Christmas Erin", Brain whispered back.

In what seemed to be rapid slow motion, the two leaned in at the exact same time. Erin felt simple happy bliss run through her as Brain kissed her. She didn't respond back at first, letting him claim her mouth for his own but after a minute, she responded back. His right hand fell to the lower region of her back, pulling her closer, holding her against him. After they broke the prolonged kiss, they just held each other for a while. Erin clung to Brain, burying her face against his chest. Brain kept the same expression on his face like when he was pondering to himself. After what seemed forever, the two broke their little hug but they held each other's hand.

"We should probably get back to the lab. Not only is it freezing up here but I'd hate to leave Pinky alone for any amount of time", Erin replied, laughing softly.

"Leaving Pinky in a lab full my failed plans, glue and chemicals...I almost wish I had a camera feed to the lab", Brain exclaimed.

Erin just shook her head, laughing slightly, "You are amazing, you know that? But I love you".

"I know", Brain remarked.

...

...

...

Pinky was watching a Christmas special on TV when Brain and Erin returned to the lab a half an hour later. The clothes they had been wearing were soaked from the snow. Brain and Erin changed out of them and were once again naked white lab mice.

"So, how was your night?" Pinky asked.

"It was...interesting", Erin said, smiling at Brain.

"Very", Brain agreed, smiling genuinely at her but then cleared his throat, turning serious again, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to plan for tomorrow night".

"Gee Brain, what are we going to do tomorrow night? Oooo...Zort! Are we going to build snow forts and make gingerbread houses?" Pinky asked.

"No", Brain replied, shaking his head, "The same thing we do every night..."....

Erin laughed, wrapping her arms round Brain's right arm, "Try to take over the world", she finished for him.

"Exactly", Brain stated, looking at her again.

"Awww...you two are like two peas in a pod", Pinky commented in an awed manner.

Brain just looked at Pinky, "Don't you have a Christmas special to watch?"

"Oh right! I'll just leave you two alone then", Pinky laughed and went back to watching TV.

Brain went back to the computer, where he had been working previously that night. Erin went and filled two small caps of water from their cage's water bottle and brought them back over to Brain. He turned around and took one, while Erin held the other.

"To us", Erin exclaimed.

"And to world domination", Brain agreed.

They clinked the two caps full of water and drank from them. After they were done, Erin took the cap that Brain was holding and kissed his cheek.

"I'll let you get back to work. Have fun", Erin said and walked off with the two caps towards the other end of the counter where the trash was located.

Brain watched her for a moment longer before finally turning back to the computer, although despite concentrating on taking over the world, his mind was her and for once he welcomed the distraction.

...

...

...

REVIEW!!!