Hello everyone! Or at least 'hello' to those who actually read this stuff. I am finally writing again! I kinda fell through with trying to stay ontop of my writing, but i am working on it as much as i can!

Anyway, while i am working on my long term fic, which is on the Feros mission, i had this idea bouncing around in my head and decided to put it down. Maybe its the season, maybe its just i needed something else to write, maybe i just wanted to multitask, i dont know. but i do plan to enjoy writing this out. I dont expect it to be more than a few chapters long, but it should be enjoyable.

Please give feedback on this, as it is only my second Christmas fic, and i was told my first was way too common.

Please Note: This is set after a number of side missions, which i have yet to write, and it is also set after Therum, which i have also yet to write. I knew i wouldnt get them written in time, so i decided to write it out now and see how it went. shouldnt be too much trouble.

Well, here it is, enjoy!

The door hissed opened, revealing the stairs that led to the crew deck. Spectre Agent Commander Shepard walked down said steps and turned left at the bottom, passing the elevator and coming into view of the mess hall. He nodded to the few members of the crew that made eye contact with him, one of which was a member of his Ground Team, Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko, who was at his station by the sleeper pods. Shepard continued his direction, coming to another door that hissed open as he approached. It was the door to the Captain's Quarters. His quarters.

It had taken the better part of a month to get used to the fact that the Captain's Quarters were now his. With his promotion to Council Spectre status, he had become the Commanding officer of the SSV Normandy, a prototype stealth vessel for the Systems Alliance. While he knew this would happen when he accepted the title of Spectre, Shepard had not thought of the fact that the Captain's Quarters would be his. The biggest challenge of this change for Shepard was the bed in said quarters. It was a large bed, big enough for two, and for Shepard, too much. Having gotten used to sleeper pods and barracks, having to sleep in an actual bed was difficult for the Commander. More often than not, Shepard would give up on sleeping in the bed and go back to what he knew: the sleeper pods. By now he was able to sleep pretty well, but he still would find himself spending at least one night every couple weeks in a sleeper pod out of habit.

Also in his quarters were two desks, one larger than the other and both with terminals, and personal effects lockers. The larger of the desks was set right next to the bed. That particular desk was the Commanders current destination. Sitting down, Shepard activated his terminal and brought up the reports and other information regarding the ship and the crew that needed checking. Seeing a number of them, Shepard looked to the side of the screen and opened another program, one that he used the most. Allowing himself a small smile, he pressed play and let the music fill the room, though not loud enough to leave it or make Shepard unable to hear his door opening.

After a while, Shepard heard just that: the hissing of his door opening. He turned to see Kaiden walking in, giving him a quick salute. Shepard returned it while continuing to work on his terminal. Kaiden, having walked in on Shepard working before, brought one of the extra chairs in the room a little bit closer and took a seat, waiting on Shepard to finish.

When he finished, Shepard turned his music down a bit and gave the lieutenant his attention. "Anything I can do for you, Kaiden?"

"Just checking in, Commander. Is… is that Switchfoot?" Kaiden nodded towards Shepard's terminal, the source of the music.

Shepard turned to look at his terminal for a second before responding, "Yeah, 'More than fine' by Switchfoot. Felt like listening to some of the older stuff. Shame they broke up back then."

"That was over a century ago, wasn't it?" the lieutenant inquired.

Shepard nodded, saying, "Yeah, but they had several good years of music. But I doubt you just came in here to talk about my music, unless I let it get a little too loud."

Chuckling lightly, Kaiden said, "No, sir, not at all. I was just going over the sleeper pod schedules and wanted to make sure you were still settled in."

"I appreciate it, Kaiden, but I think I'm good. Thanks for helping me out," Shepard said, referring to his trouble getting adjusted to sleeping in a bed again. Kaiden merely nodded his response. Shepard decided to ask, "So we've been pretty busy lately with all these extra missions, how do you think Liara has settled in?"

Kaiden leaned back a bit in his chair and took on a thoughtful expression. "To be honest, at first glance I thought it would have been a bit more difficult for her than it has."

Raising an eyebrow, Shepard asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well," Kaiden started, "when she first came aboard she seemed extremely reserved, tentative and unsure about anything other than her research. The most confident she seemed was when she was telling us about her archeological findings from over 50 years of work. Add that to her being a non-human now serving on a human ship and the difficulties that brings up on both sides. Remember that time with Pressly and Tali?"

"All too well…" Shepard trailed off, recalling that event. Pressly had mentioned his mistrust of aliens when Shepard first brought the new team aboard the Normandy. While he had assured Shepard that he wouldn't let it be a problem, Pressly had said something that was overheard by their resident quarian mechanic. The results were less than pleasing. When Shepard had heard about the problem, he had words with both parties separately before making them talk it out among themselves. Thankfully, Shepard had noted, that was the only real trouble between the humans and non-humans on the ship.

"But despite that, Dr. T'soni has done rather well. At least, I think so," Kaiden said. He then went on to explain a bit more, "Dr. Chakwas took to her rather quickly and I think that helped out a lot. Both Tali and Williams seemed a bit on edge with her for a while, but I think that's done with, and she's more than proven herself in the field. All in all, I think she's doing alright."

Shepard nodded, saying, "Good to hear it. We need everyone to be able to work together to take Saren and the Reapers down. If we can work together-"

"Then so can the rest of the galaxy," the lieutenant finished with a smile.

The two shared a smile and a nod before Kaiden got up and started for the door. Just before he got there he turned back to the Commander and said, "Hey Commander, you know what date is coming up, right? We going to have a special dinner for the crew or something?"

Shepard thought for a moment on what Kaiden was talking about, coming up blank. Seeing the look forming on Shepard's face, Kaiden slowly started to ask, "You do know what date is coming up, right?"

"Uhh..." Shepard asked, raising his eyebrow in confusion.

Kaiden gave Shepard a look for a moment before starting to say, "Its, uh, December 22nd, sir. Christmas is coming up in a few days."

Shepard stared at Kaiden for a few moments before turning to his terminal and pulling up the calendar program. Sure enough, it was December 22nd. It really was 3 days until Christmas.

Shepard turned in his seat to stare at Kaiden. "Is it really three days before Christmas?"

Kaiden merely nodded. That bit of information really hit home how hard Shepard had been working lately. And not just him, Shepard knew that his crew, human and non-human, had been working just has hard. Shepard shook his head a moment to clear his thoughts, muttering, "Wow," under his breath.

For his part, Kaiden wished he could have found this situation funny, but he couldn't. He knew just as well as Shepard knew how hard they had been working lately. Just before thanksgiving they had found and welcomed Dr. Liara T'soni to the crew and ever since they had been doing what felt like non-stop side missions, most of which included some kind of firefight. It really didn't seem like a lot of time had passed since they, they being the Ground Team, had sat down at Shepard's request at thanksgiving and ate dinner together. While most times they ate at different times of each other, most times running into one or the other, Shepard had only asked them to all eat together very few times. This particular time, it was probably the most interesting thanksgiving Kaiden had ever been to.

Exhaling sharply, Shepard suddenly stood up, surprising Kaiden and saying, "Alright then. Seems like we got some work to do."

It was Kaiden's turn to raise an eyebrow in confusion, asking, "Sir?"

Shepard activated his omni-tool and opened a channel to the bridge. "Joker."

The pilot of the Normandy responded, "Yes, Commander?"

"We're on course for the Citadel still, right?"

"Uh, yes sir, we should be there within 12 hours," Joker replied, wondering why the Commander was asking.

Joker would continue to wonder though, as Shepard said quickly, "Good, thanks Joker," and deactivated his omni-tool. He looked up to Kaiden and said, "Lieutenant, I need you to double check our inventory and supplies. Food, ammo, the works."

Still somewhat confused, Kaiden responded, "Yes sir, but what exactly are you looking for?"

"I'll explain it later, but I need you to get it to me as soon as you can. I'm need to go talk to Pressly right quick."

Shepard began making his way to the door behind Kaiden when said lieutenant held up his hand to stop the Commander.

"I guess you haven't heard yet," Kaiden said, smiling a bit despite his confusion to Shepard's behavior. Shepard, for his part, was just confused again at seeing Kaiden's smile. He gestured for the lieutenant to explain, causing said lieutenant to smile a bit wider.

"Well, you remember how Pressly said he wasn't feeling too well yesterday?" When Shepard nodded, Kaiden continued, "He went to see Dr. Chakwas and she had him sleep in med-bay last night to make sure he wasn't coming down with something. When he woke up this morning, though…"

"How in the hell did I get the chicken pox in space?" Pressly groaned angrily as he sat back against the bulkhead behind the bed he was currently occupying in med-bay. Said Navigator was sporting a number of red spots on his skin and appeared rather pale in complexion. He was not alone in med-bay as both Dr. Chakwas and their newest crewmember, a young asari named Dr. Liara T'soni, was there as well. However, neither was sick and Dr. T'soni was sporting a white medical facemask.

"If we knew that, Pressly," Dr. Chakwas stated, writing down some information on a chart, "then we would have taken the proper precautions and prevented your current situation. Now just quiet down and relax. You're going to be here for a few days."

"A few days?" the navigator moaned while trying to sit up, "Look, Doc, I got to get back to wor-"

"Absolutely not!" Dr. Chakwas all but shouted, stepping over rather quickly and pushing Pressly back down onto the bed, though still letting him stay sitting against the bulkhead. "You are in NO shape to stand in the CIC and continue working as you normally do. If you have anything pressing that needs to get done, then you can do it here from your omni-tool or the terminal over there," Chakwas said, indicating her medical terminal to the side of the room.

Pressly, staying in his position on the bed, started to protest when Chakwas continued, saying, "Despite our advancement as a species, Pressly, we still do not have an instant cure for the chicken pox, common cold or hiccups. And until we do, you are still very much susceptible to severe weakness as well as passing along this disease to the other crewmembers. As the head medical officer on this ship, I have every right to quarantine you to med-bay until I deem you fit for duty, despite rank. You're staying here until you're well again. Do you understand me, Pressly?"

The Navigator merely nodded and said, "Yes, maim." It was then that chuckling could be heard from the door, announcing that Commander Shepard was there. He had come in about halfway into Chakwas scolding unnoticed and was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching the exchange.

He spoke up saying, "You better listen to the woman, Pressly. She's scary when she's mad."

"Don't you go and act like that doesn't apply to you, Commander. You are by far my worst patient, though Pressly is doing his best to move up my list," the doctor said while pointing an accusing finger at both men.

Shepard merely held up his hands in surrender, not daring to say anything even though he was unable to stop smiling. Dr. Chakwas then asked him what he needed and Shepard said, "I just had to come and see it for myself. I thought Alenko was pulling my leg when he told me, but it looks like he was telling the truth. How are you feeling, Pressly?" the Commander asked sincerely but with a smile.

"Just a little under the weather, Commander. I probably look worse than I am," Pressly answered.

Shepard saw the confused look on Liara's face at hearing that comment, though half hidden behind the medical mask. He turned to her and explained, saying, "It's a human term saying you don't feel well. There are a few different phrases that say that, but 'under the weather' is the most common one."

Nodding her head, the asari said, "I see. Thank you, Commander."

Once again noticing her facemask, Shepard turned to Dr. Chakwas, who by this point had gone over to the terminal she had indicated earlier, and asked, "Doc, can the chicken pox be transferred to other species? I thought it was one of those 'human only' diseases?"

Not looking up from her terminal, Dr. Chakwas said, "Technically, the chicken pox is a human-only disease. However that doesn't mean that other species are completely immune to the bacteria of the disease. I highly doubt that Dr. T'soni will be breaking out in spots like our Navigator-"

"Hey now," Pressly said from his seat, causing Shepard and Liara both to chuckle slightly.

Chakwas continued as though she didn't hear him, "but she very well could develop some symptoms of her own if she isn't careful. So I'm not taking any chances. In fact," she said, leaning over to a drawer and pulling out a syringe and a liquid medicine in its glass container, "anyone who comes in here without a facemask will be receiving an injection of some basic antibiotics, just to be safe."

For anyone who noticed, it was Shepard's turn to go slightly pale at the doctor's words. He knew for a fact that she was referring to him having come into med-bay unannounced and without a facemask like Liara's.

By the time Dr. Chakwas had filled the syringe and turned around to look for the Commander, he was right at the door. "Commander!"

Shepard stopped only for a second before turning around and walking backwards towards the door, saying, "Sorry, Doc, but I've got some important things to take care of that just came up. Get well soon, Pressly. I'll be sending you a message about something here soon."

Shepard said all of that rather quickly before turning around at the sound of the door opening and fast walking out of there. Chakwas started after him, calling out, "Commander, get back here, now!"

But her call fell on deaf ears as the Commander had gone towards the ships elevator and was beginning the slow trip to engineering. Dr. Chakwas sighed before going back to her desk and putting up the syringe. Hearing a small chuckle, she sent a glare towards Pressly, shutting him up, before looking to Liara, who was just standing there watching with silent amusement written all over her face.

"Doctor, the next time that man, or anyone else on this ship for that matter, attempts that, I want you do use your biotics to keep them here. If you do not, then I might find some asari medical injections or something along those lines somewhere in here as well. Understand?"

Said asari merely nodded her head.

Hearing his omni-tool chime, Pressly brought up his left arm and saw that Shepard had indeed sent him a message. Opening it, his eyebrows slowly came together in confusion as he read the whole message, smirking when he was done.

To: Navigator Pressly

From: Commander Shepard

Subject: December 25th

Pressly,

Alenko reminded me that the 25th, Christmas, is coming up soon. I had all but forgotten and as such we don't exactly have any plans in place, even by military standards.

I've asked Alenko to do another check of our supplies and inventory and to get a report to me ASAP. When I get that report, I will be immediately forwarding it to you. Unless something else presents itself, we may just have to do something similar to how we did Thanksgiving last month.

I'd like for you do help with making sure we have some extra supplies so that the entire crew can have a proper meal for Christmas. Even if that is all we can do, it should be enough to boost morale as well as the general spirit of this place.

Help however you can, but don't push yourself. I don't want Dr. Chakwas coming to find me because I overworked you.

-Shepard

Well, here it is. First Christmas chapter. I was thinking about this while writing, that its a really good thing that we dont see anything like birthdays or holidays in the games, though it would have been nice to see. But since we dont, it gives us writers and fans a change to write out how we see these personal events could go, how they could play out. A lack of definition that gives us the chance to write out our own. fun stuff, aint it?

anyway, just wanted to share that. Do please comment and let me know how this sounds. i may change it up slightly, but i am liking where ive got it heading. do you?

Oh and please please please please check my polls. i could really use inputs on those. Thanks!

-halfbreed