My eyes shot open as the alarm rang. Yawning, I pushed aside my blankets and swept out of bed, quickly putting my feet in my furry slippers beside my bed. It sure was cold!

After brushing my teeth and changing into my daily clothes - a white shirt with a red sweater, a blue tie and jeans - I put on a muffler and gloves, and headed out for the Command Center.

"Hey Kid." Sprx greeted.

"Morning Sprx." I replied, sitting beside him on the table. Grabbing the box of cereal, I glanced at the Christmas tree everyone had put up last night and the gifts beneath them. Smiling, I poured the milk into my bowl.

"Morning.." Nova walked into the room, wearing a muffler and gloves as well. "Gosh, it's cold..."

Before Sprx could start talking in his flirty voice and get Nova mad again,

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the waaaay!" I chuckled when I heard Otto singing.

"Did Santa come? Did he come, did he come?" He bursted out of his room, excited as ever.

Of course, Otto thought that Santa was real - and that's the only reason why we had to exchange gifts.

"Ooooh, PRESENTS!" He beamed and frantically looked through them for his.

"Otto, perhaps you should have breakfast first." Antauri said.

"Nu-uh!" He replied, not looking up from the presents. "I want my gift first!"

"Well if you be a bad monkey, then Santa won't give you anything next year." Nova warned.

He pouted. "Okay...then I'll make it quick!" He grabbed the bottle of milk and poured it in his MOUTH, then grabbed a handful of cereal and shoved it in his mouth. "DONE!"

Antauri, Sprx, Nova and I stared at him while Gibson facepalmed himself.

"NOW I WANT MY PRESENT!" He dove into the pile of presents and looked around for his - again.

"Maybe Santa didn't GIVE you a present this year." Sprx joked - but Otto took it seriously.

Tears formed in his eyes. "H-he didn't?"

"Otto don't cry!" I said. "Sprx was just kidding!"

He sniffed. "S-so I got a present?"

"YEAH! C'mon, I'll help you find yours." Nova said as she walked over to Otto and looked for his present.

"Got it!" She said after a while as she held up a green present with a white ribbon. "Here you go, Otto!"

"YAAAAY!" He beamed and tore it open.

"No.." His eyes were wide in awe. "A BUBBLE GUN!" He held up a large white gun.

"Cool!" I commented happily.

One by one, as we finished our breakfast, we went over to the Christmas tree and opened our gifts.

I got a Sun Riders' Comic book! (I had no idea when Sun Riders published a comic)

Antauri got a glow-in-the-dark lantern.

Sprx got pilot goggles and a helmet.

Gibson got - yet another - encyclopedia on worms and moon rocks.

Nova got two things - punching gloves and...AND...A BUNCH OF STUFFED TOYS! *bursts out laughing* Nova likes STUFFED TOYS? Who knew?!

And we all know what Otto got - a bubble gun.

It was a great Christmas - in fact, the best one ever.

Sometimes I sit and think about my older family. But now I let go of the past because I have a new one - and a WAY better one.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!