I know it's a bit late for a Christmas Story but ohh well, I have to say this was by far the hardest Fan fiction I have ever written. Honestly I think its crap, but one of my friends liked it so I decided to put it up for her. This is my one shot a Star Fox Christmas. Heck, I don't even know if people still read these Fanfics at all. :) Enjoy!

000

Six years had passed since the Aparoid Invasion of the Lylat System. In those years the Team renowned as Star Fox had broken up three years later, no longer needed as often after the Cornerian Defense Force drastically improved its military doctrine and technology with the left over scraps from the Aparoid Invasion and the technology given to them from the Awing's by the Star Fox Team. The members of Star Fox Team each went their separate though ways seeing one another from time to time in their respective fields while all working together at the Cornerian Military Academy in the center of Corneria City. Falco had become the top flight instructor, teaching the recruits the finer points of flight, evasion, and combat. Slippy became a pioneering technician, merging the Awing's with Aparoid grade armor, weapons and shielding. Peppy did as he said and retired completely. The newest member to the now disbanded Star Fox Team, Krystal, taught at the academy.

Fox though had become an Icon to both the Academy and to the citizens of Corneria. Speaking in public, going to press conferences, meetings with diplomats and government officials, and more banquets then he could count. And he hated it, all of it. All he had wanted was to be able to finally sit back and relax instead of dodge every news reporter and every official he saw.

'Gah. General Pepper knows how much I hate this bull crap.' He thought to himself as he finished his second shot of whiskey holding up the glass so the bartender could see as he ordered two more. This was the only place he could find that he was able to truly relax into. The bar, situated a few blocks from a Cornerian military base, was usually full of soldiers looking for a good time while they were on leave or off duty, or in this case, on vacation for the Christmas holidays. No reporters came in to the bar due to the proximity to sensitive information from the base.

'I guess that's one good reason for living on base.' Fox mused as the bartender gave him another two shots and then left him to his thoughts. Occasionally he would run into one of his old team usually Falco or Slippy, or if he was lucky, Krystal would pop in. He had bumped into her three months after everyone had taken normal jobs at the academy and ever since then he had always came to this exact bar and sat in the exact same place hoping, praying, that she would walk in once more. Every now and then she would and they would talk and catch up but that was sporadic at best.

Thinking of the blue furred vixen just gnawed a sore spot in his heart. Ever since he had rescued her and invited her to join the team after their first mission to sauria he had been unable to get enough of her. To him everything about her was perfect, her hair, her body, the way she walked was just other-worldly. The orange vulpine scoffed at his self as his mind made that remark.

"Of course She's other-worldly you dimwit. She's not from Corneria like you are." He mumbled to himself as he finished his drinks and pulled out his wallet to pay.

"How much Jon?" He asked the older red feathered hawk that was the bartender as he pulled out his wallet, his eyes resting on the only picture he had of Krystal, She was sitting in the cockpit of her arwing giving him a thumbs up before takeoff.

"22.50." The bartender said.

Fox nodded and threw down a fifty credit chip and told him, "Keep the change, and tell your wife I said Merry Christmas."

"Will do, and Merry Christmas to you too Mr. McCloud" the bartender said as Fox donned his thick flight jacket and walked out into the snow that had just begun to fall as he headed to the empty home that waited him.

000

Krystal smiled as she walked up to the bar Fox had just been at. She had kept hidden from him because she knew if they had begun talking then her plan wouldn't work. She saw just how hard this time of year was on him as both his parents had died around this time by Andross, his mother in a car bombing and his father a week later on Venom.

"Hey Jon." Krystal said to the red feathered hawk.

"Oh, hi there Krystal, long time since I've seen you around here. What brings you back?"

"Well, I was actually hoping to ask you a favor, you know about Fox's parent's right? How he lost them around this time when he was still a young kit?"

"Yea, he's almost exactly like his father. Even sits in the same spot he did when he use to come in here after missions."

"Hmm, well I was hoping you could help me throw a Christmas party here for him. You know, just him and a bunch of friends, that way he's not all alone at home again like he usually is."

"Sure thing."

"Great. Thanks Jon, you're a life saver! Everyone will be here around noon to help ya set up."

"Alright have a great rest of the night." He said waving as she walked out and hailed a cab to head home.

0~0~0~

The next morning rolled around for Fox as his alarm clock blared loudly by his ear on the bedside table. While the alarm flashed that it was half past ten in the morning, Fox groaned and got up walking towards the shower where he freshened up trying to recover from all the shots he did last night.

'Ughhh, why do I always get strait whisky." Fox though as he let the hot water roll off him and the steam soak into him. After half an hour in the shower the water started to turn cold so Fox decided it was time to get out. Once he finished drying and getting dressed, the vulpine grabbed his keys and phone and walked out the door.

As he got into his car his phone rang answering he asked, "Hello?"

"Hey Fox, it's me Krystal." Fox's heart leaped as he heard her voice on the other end. "You there Fox?" she asked.

"Realizing he hadn't answered he stammered as he tried to talk saying, "Y… Yea I'm here, sorry. What's up?"

"Well, I was hoping you weren't too busy today. I was hoping we could grab a bite to eat or something you know? I'm off all week."

Fox wanted to say so bad that he was always free for her but something just held him back instead he told her, "Of course, I'd love to hang with you all day. I mean, that is if you want to too."

Krystal just laughed softly and said, "Great, could you come by my place around twelve-ish?"

"Sure thing, see you then." Fox said.

"Great, bye-bye then." Krystal said as she as she hung up. Fox just sat in his car using all his self-control to just not jump out of his seat and start yelling with joy.

'A whole day with the woman I love, and on Christmas Eve at that. How could this holiday get any better?" he asked himself as he cranked his car and headed towards her place, knowing it would take a while to get there through the traffic.

000

Krystal smiled as she hung up. She had planned out everything for the day until the evening when they would head to the bar for the surprise party she had planned for Fox. First they would grab a bite for lunch and then take a walk down to the pier's and after a couple more hours head to the bar. After that though, she had a faint idea of what she wanted. She smiled mischievously as she thought of possibly having the orange vulpine she loved still all to herself in his bed… possibly.

'Slow down there girl.' She thought to herself, "You don't even know if he loves you at all. It's been almost seven months since ya'll last spoke and almost over six years since ya'll were together on the team.'

"We'll see." She mumbled to herself as she got ready.

0~0~0~

An hour had passed as Fox drove up to Krystal's house. As he got out he saw the blue Vixen waiting by her car.

"Sorry I took so long the traffic was pretty harsh." He said as she wrapped her arms around his neck burying her muzzle into his neck.

"That's alright. You're here now and that's good for me." She said as she unwrapped her arms from him

'She was never this open around me on the Great Fox' Fox thought to himself as she drove them to lunch. 'Maybe she met someone who could make her happy.'

000

All throughout lunch and even after lunch as they walked down the street towards the pier's Fox's mind raced as he attempted to figure out why she was being so open.

"Are you alright Fox?" She asked as they stopped at the edge of the pier. It had nearly taken half the afternoon to walk there.

"Huh? Ohh yeah I'm fine." He said as he smiled at her.

Krystal smiled back as she slipped her arm around Fox's waist, causing her to giggle as he stiffened from surprise at her. When she made no move to remove her arm from around him Fox just relaxed into it and pulled her closer as a cold breeze bit through their clothes, bringing with it a wave of flurries. Fox smiled as he saw Krystal's hair become spotted with the snow, she looked so beautiful to him with the snow on her dark blue hair and her turquoise eyes and her spectacular curves. He wanted so bad to tell her how much he cared for her and how he truly felt about her right then and there but something deep down kept him from being able to voice his thoughts.

'Why would she want to be with you anyway?' The voice in his head asked him

'Well' he thought, 'I mean were both teammates, and we've known each other for over six years…'

'Yea but in those six years how many times did you call her on her birthday or ask her for lunch, hell how many times did you just pop into her office or by her place just to say hello?'

'Well…'

'Exactly my point, you didn't. So I ask again, what makes you think you have a snowball's chance in Hell with her?'

'I don't care; I'm just going to have to dive off the cliff and see if I land or crash and burn.'

'Your funeral.' His mind retorted as he gathered his courage once and for all.

"Krystal…" He said softly by her ear.

"Hmm?" she asked as she looked up at him, his muzzle mere inches from hers.

"I've flown into battle with crazy odds against me and never been as nervous as I am now. There's something I've wanted to tell you for a very long time now..." He said as he looked into her eyes seeing the sparkle with a feint sense of hope.

"I... I should have told you this from day one but I never could… I love you." There he had said it finally, with the faces just inches apart he waited for her to back up and reject him as he felt the familiar pain of loneliness already eating way at his soul. But she didn't back up, instead she did something he had never expected; she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and kissed him.

Their lips met with a fiery explosion of love, want, need, heat, passion, and lust all mixed and melted together as their mouths danced together against each other. Their kiss continued on for a little while longer until their lungs burned for air as they broke away panting from the intensity of it. Fox snapped back to his senses when he felt Krystal snuggle up to him under his chin say, "I love you too, Fox McCloud.

"Now let's head back." She said as the sun finally dipped below the horizon, "I've got one more place I'd like to stop by if you don't mind."

Fox smiled at her and said, "Well, let's go then."

000

Before they drove over to the bar, Krystal had Fox put on a blindfold as she had said, "I want it to be a surprise when you get there."

Fox smiled knowing he would never be able to tell the blue vixen he loved so much no as he put on the blindfold. As she drove they talked about little stuff, stuff that honestly no longer mattered compared to the three little words they had just confessed to each other moments ago. Everything compared to that seemed paltry when compared to the fact that he was now with the most beautiful and gorgeous vixen ever. All too soon though the car was put into park and they walked into the bar with his blindfold still on.

"Here we are." Krystal said as she walked him into the door and removed the blindfold.

Lights and sound assailed his senses as a group of people no larger than seven or eight people yelled at him "Surprise!" as they all turned on the lights to the bar Fox was at last night.

Fox was speechless, in less than 24hours they had turned the bar into a festive Christmas party with Christmas lights and trees decorating the walls and counter of the bar and drinks in all their hands. Smiling he saw Falco, Slippy, his wife Amanda, and Peppy at the bar with Bill Grey and Katt Monroe, while behind Jon and his wife were serving drinks and had a huge cake waiting for him.

"Merry Christmas Fox." Krystal said as she kissed his cheek dropping the biggest hint she gave him all night by far.

"You did this?" He asked still dumbfounded as she dragged him over to the bar where everyone was waiting for the two of them to sit.

"Well they decorated but yes this was my idea. I didn't want you to have another holiday alone, especially one you should share with your friends and family." The last bit she said quietly knowing how sensitive of a topic it was around him.

"Thank you…" He said as he kissed her for the first time in front of everyone there.

"About damn time you two got together!" Falco shouted as he threw back another shot. "But I'm happy for ya'll. Now get over here so we can cut the cake."

Fox just laughed as he joined in with the others as they began to celebrate Christmas Eve. Fox and Krystal never left the others side, throughout the party where one went the other went, both drinking and eating and everyone having just a good ole time. Eventually they all sat down at a large enough table and began telling stories of how they each saved the others hide one or more times during missions. Fox at the moment was recalling how he had to go on land one time to save Slippy on Titania.

Everyone started laughing as Slippy said, "Awe Fox really? You had to go and tell that story? Why couldn't you have told everyone about the time you had to save Falco from Leon of Star Wolf or something like that huh?"

"Hey!" Bill Yelled over the noise, "Are we just guna drink the night away or are we going to open these presents?" Fox hadn't noticed but over in the corner everyone had piled up the presents they had brought, including the once he had mailed out for everyone. And so the night progressed as everyone opened up their presents. They were nothing big, just small items that allowed for everyone to look at them from time to time and treasure the friendships they all had with one another.

As the night wore one everyone slowly filed out one at a time, Peppy was the first due to his age and him needing to get home in time to see his grandkids open up their presents, next was Slippy and Amanda, followed by Falco, Katt, and Bill, leaving just Krystal, Fox, Jon and his wife at the bar. Jon being the bartender he was seeing that both Fox and Krystal were in no shape to drive home said, " Ya'll stay here for the night, there a room up the stairs and to your left and right, but ya'll don't want separate rooms I would think. So I'll leave ya'll to figure out arrangements he said with a sly smile as he and his wife left and headed home.

Krystal was already on the stairs when she said in a seductive voice, "Hmm Fox its cold, would you please join me?"

Fox, needing no further encouragement, happily complied as they joined each other for a heated night.

0~0~0~

The next morning Fox woke up to the greatest sight of his life as he replayed the previous night's events over and over. Here he was with the most beautiful vixen ever, in the same bed with him and now they were mates.

He smiled as she yawned, and kissed her softly whispering in her ear, "Merry Christmas beautiful."