AN: Happy Christmas Eve, guys! Here's my surprise gift from me to you. I've noticed that there's not nearly enough Fem!Jack fics out there so I thought I'd try to fill in that gap. Hope you enjoy this two-shot!

-oOo- Kiss Me: A Christmas Romance -oOo-

The key scraped in the lock as Jack Spicer unlocked her apartment, messenger bag bumping against her side. Closing the door behind her, she sighed, slipping off her shoes and coat. As much as she loved her job at PracTech Robotics, it was just that- a job. Today had been exceptionally dull as sh'ed had to take time off from the laboratory to catch up on paperwork. Which was never fun.

She hung up her coat and pulled out her ponytail, letting down her mid-length white hair. She'd long since stopped dying it. Not for any reason other than pure laziness; roots were a bitch to maintain. She'd also done away with the garish scar-like mark on her cheek. She still wore make-up just… Not as dramatic.

After stripping herself of her work clothes, Jack pulled on soft gray sweats and a worn maroon hoodie. She slipped her feet into shark slippers before padding softly to the kitchen. Her fridge was pretty bare, which was sad seeing as she was 23 years old, technically an adult by society's standards. Her fridge, however, said differently. She had… Ketchup, siracha, soy sauce, a 12 pack of Mountain Dew in the cardboard box, milk, chocolate-banana pudding cups, and one lone apple on its last legs. She selected a pudding cup before closing the fridge. Humming, she looked over the many take-away brochures magnetized to the door before selecting one. As she fished her cellphone out of her pocket to order food, she noticed a text from Kimiko.

That was something that had come of Jack leaving the conflict. Eventually, she realized that ruling the world was an unrealistic goal, something her childhood self had wanted so badly due to her own insecurity. Turning her back on the world she'd come to know, she'd applied to the best schools overseas and eventually got accepted into the robotics program at MIT. Before she left, she'd strategically divided the Shen Gong Wu between the monks, Chase Young, and Wuya. She'd sent out bots to do the deed, of course, aware that she'd only get her ass kicked if she went herself. Plus, she really couldn't bring herself to say goodbye. Despite all the chaos and bloody noses and doomed timelines, Jack considered them friends in a twisted kind of way.

After the Xiaolin monks had received their share of the Wu, she'd gotten a friend request on MindCreeperOnline from Kimiko. From then on out, they'd stayed in touch, gaming on their free nights. They occasionally discussed the past and present over their headsets, sometimes playing against each other, something teaming up. Eventually, they'd exchanged numbers.

Thanks to Kimiko, Jack knew all sorts of things about the monks. Raimundo had gotten his eyebrow pierced. Clay had a long-distance girlfriend in the States that he wrote snail mail to. Omi hit a growth spurt and outgrew all of them, which threw Jack for a loop. Eventually, she opened up about really being a girl which had thrown Kimiko for a loop. Her reasoning for doing so had been… Complicated. Mostly due to her own internalized misogyny; she'd truly believed she'd have been taken more seriously as a male villain. Apparently, in terms of the Conflict, things were pretty quiet; when Jack left, Wuya became the only constant contender. Chase was missing in action. But Kimiko knew he was still alive; his Spotify account was quite active and she occasionally snooped.

"He's been listening to Panic! At the Disco's latest album on repeat for the last week."

"He put together a playlist called Meditative Trance and it has all these indie songs on it. It's actually really pretty."

"Good grief, how often can one Heylin Overlord listen to Famous Last Words?"

Deep down, Jack knew the only reason why Chase even had a Spotify account was because of her. After all, she'd been the one to get an iPhone to run off Heylin magic and shown him how to use it. She'd even downloaded all the important applications to it, things like Facebook, Youtube, Spotify, Snapchat, etc… She had to admit, it left her feeling a bit smug to know he actually used the phone for something.

Jack and Kimiko often discussed Chase's musical preferences since Jack followed his account, too. Well, by followed, she bookmarked the page on her browser. Surely if Jack actually added Chase Young as a friend, he'd know who it was instantly and block her. So she didn't bother. She'd open up his profile several times a week, curious to see what the man was listening to. Music could tell you so much about a person.

The longer Jack watched his Spotify, the more complex her feelings became. The Chase Young she remembered was, in short, an asshole. Practically dripping with pride and arrogance, the man was condescending, manipulative, and harsh. But after studying his music choices for roughly four years, it occurred to Jack that maybe there was far more to Chase than he'd presented. Sometimes the music was dark and edgy, jumping from don't-fuck-with-me ballads (which she honestly expected) to transparently depressing laments. Then other times, the music was soft and lilting, waxing poetic on longing for something more or dreaming of something beyond. He seemed to favor love songs, gentle and sad musings that tugged at Jack's heartstrings. Romantic would be the last word she'd use to describe Chase and yet… She had to wonder if someone had broken his heart.

"xmas party the temple, the 24th, 7 pm. b there or I'll drag your ass there myself."

Jack blinked at the message, pudding in one hand, phone in the other. How long had it been since she'd last seen them? Four years, at least, plus a handful of months. Her phone 'vwoop'ed as another message popped up.

"don't dress 2 fancy but don't wear that fucking trench coat."

Jack snorted, smirking as she tapped out a message.

"roger that. do the others know you're inviting me?"

"lol yes, they're excited."

"awww, ok i'll be there. do i need to bring anything?"

"just yourself."

"thnx for the invite, kim, srsly."

"wouldn't be a party without jack spicer. should i expect evil boy genius or graduated girl genius?"

"eeehhh, probs GGG. idk i'll keep you posted."

";3"

After ordering Indian take-out, Jack flopped down on the soft L-shaped couch with a groan. She pulled her laptop open, gnawing on the end of her hoodie string as she went to her browser bookmarks. The mouse icon hovered over the tab Chase's Spotify before clicking. The page opened. His status said he was currently listening to a Merry Christmas Mix. She shrugged, unsurprised. It was December, after all.

-oOo-

In the citadel library, Chase Young was lounging comfortably in a plush armchair, reading. His phone, which was resting on the side table, played Christmas music quietly. Although he was not typically a holiday person, his Spotify account had kept suggesting (quite aggressively) this particular playlist. Finally, with a sigh and an eye roll, he'd succumbed to the season.

To be honest, Chase wasn't much of a technology person. One look at his citadel proved that. However, when Jack Spicer had been his apprentice for that short week, the boy had somehow managed to rig an iPhone to run on Heylin magic, no charging or cell service or data plan needed. So, somehow, Chase Young wound up with an iPhone with all of one contact: Jack. Eventually, he'd found used for the iPhone. After browsing the many applications available, he'd downloaded a fair number of games and organizational apps. His notes were full of plans and schemes, organized into alphabetized folders. Then he'd found Spotify.

Chase hadn't realized how much he'd missed in the 1500 years he'd been busy being evil. Music was one of those things he'd missed. That, and movies. Thanks to Spicer's technological prowess, Chase had a Netflix account. He found himself watching show, documentaries, and movies in his down time, sometimes putting something on if he couldn't sleep. The world had completely evolved around Chase and, if he were completely honest with himself, he found that he'd missed being a part of it.

That's why, when a tiger brought Chase a bright red and green party invitation that had arrived in the mail, he found himself very tempted to attend. How long had it'd been since he'd been invited to a party? Nevermind a Christmas party. The thing is, Chase Young didn't have friends. Being evil was a solo gig. No honor among thieves and all that. But this invitation suggested that he at least had some matter of acquaintance with the Xiaolin Monks.

But ultimately what clenched the matter, what prompted him to RSVP, was the hand-written post-script scribbled at the bottom: Jack will be there.

Chase Young had taken a step back from the Conflict. Everyone involved knew that. But no one had thought to pause and really ponder the reason why. If anyone had, they might've realized that the day Chase stopped showing up for Showdowns was the day that Jack Spicer left for college. Without the boy there, Chase found no point. It all seemed so dull. So Chase did what he did best. He moped. He moped for a solid month around his citadel alone before he was hit with brutal realization: He missed the obnoxious insect, dammit. For a while, he tried to ignore the feeling, expecting that it would eventually go away and then he could go on being Chase Young, Prince of Darkness.

Only the feeling didn't go away. It grew.

And now, at the prospect of seeing Jack Spicer again, Chase felt an intense need to seize the opportunity.

-oOo-

The golden star was plastic and glittery, leaving Omi's hands shimmering. He stretched his arm out to it's fullest extent to place it atop the tree. He grinned. It was beautiful. The large tree sat in the middle of the courtyard, decorated beautifully in a plethora of red, gold, and silver ornaments.

When Kimiko had checked the weather forecast and found it clear, she'd decided to have the party outside. The courtyard was decked out, the trees and rooftops connected by long strands of twinkle lights. Big red and green lanterns were hung from tree branches, tables and chairs set up that were sure to be laden down with all sorts of treats. Omi had seen the guest list. He was both nervous and excited; there were at least 20 people attending, both Xiaolin, Heylin, and outsiders. He hoped that KImiko's party wouldn't be ruined by petty squabbles.

"Um, Kimiko…" Clay had wandered over, guest list in hand, "You invited Chase Young?"

"Of course! Poor guy needs to get out more often."

Clay shook his head as Kimiko continued to hand plastic snowflakes from the light strands. His gaze met Raimundo's and they both shrugged.

"I think it is wonderful," Omi chipped in, "Heylin and Xiaolin coming together to celebrate a most joyous holiday."

"Well, since there hadn't been a Shen Gong Wu reveal in the last three months, some of the tension has evaporated," Raimundo agreed with a shrug, handing Kimiko another snowflake, "Besides, it'd be a pretty lame party with just us."

"You invited Jack Spicer too, I see." Clay drawled, raising an eyebrow.

"She's changed a lot, guys."

"I still do not quite understand why Jack Spicer is suddenly female." Omi frowned in confusion. Kimiko rolled her eyes.

"She was always a girl, Omi. Just… Hesitant to share."

"That being said," Raimundo clapped his hands, "You have a plan, Kimi?"

"Yes, I do," She stepped down off the ladder and turned to face the others. They all suppressed the urge to take a step back; she was smirking, "As we know, the sexual tension between Chase and Jack has always-!"

"Been present?" Omi offered.

"Been obvious?" Raimundo scoffed.

"Been more clear than my Great Auntie May's windows?" Clay laughed.

"Been there," Kimiko confirmed with a nod, "Chase has been moping around that citadel of his for the last four years. Jack isn't much better. She doesn't date, just goes to work, goes home, and maybe games. Now, that brings me to my plan…"

Turning her back on the group, she kneeled and began to dig around in the large box of Christmas decorations. The others leaned over her, trying to determine ahead of time what she was looking for. Eventually, she straightened again, holding several bundles of dark waxy leaves and clusters of white berries tied with red ribbons.

"Is that mistletoe?" Clay asked, unable to stop the grin that spread over his face.

"Mmmhm," Kimiko smirked, handing them out, "I'm hanging these all over the Temple grounds. If we're lucky, maybe we can get Jack and Chase under one of them. Because, honestly, I doubt either of them will have the guts to make a move themselves. Huh? Oh, alright, fine."

Raimundo, who'd held his sprig of mistletoe over her head, wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She leaned into him with a smile and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. Clay blushed and removed his hat to cover Omi's face. Omi huffed.

"I am 15, Clay."

"Still the youngest, partner."

-oOo-

Jack looked herself over in the mirror. Her black skinny jeans hugged her lean form, a nice contrast to the oversized red sweater. It hung off one shoulder and made her feel especially Christmas-y with her green nails. She pulled her hair up in a ponytail, frowned, took it down again. Finally, she loosely French-braided it, pulling little wisps down to frame her face.

Even though she knew she looked good, she couldn't help the ball of nervous energy rolling around in her gut. This was the first time she'd be presenting herself as female to the Xiaolin Monks. She kept her make-up simple: black winged eyeliner and Dr. Pepper chapstick. She prayed to the high heavens that the guys wouldn't hit on her. Well, she didn't mind getting hit of, just not by Omi, Clay, and Raimundo. Just… No.

Now, Chase Young on the other hand…

But no. Not possible. She'd wasted away three years of her life chasing after him to no avail. And then four years of absolute silence. Yet, she couldn't get that sexy, mysterious asshole out of her head.

Just her luck.

She ran her hands over black leather and she paused. Her old trench coat was scuffed, worn, and so very loved, bearing the wear and tear of many Showdowns. She was almost tempted to wear it just for old times sake. But no, instead she pulled on something similar, a black leather biker jacket. Still edgy, just a bit nicer.

Slipping her feet into black combat boots, she couldn't help but feel a little excited; time for Jack Spicer to make a comeback.

-oOo-

The party was in full swing by the time Chase got there. He paused in the full-moon entrance to the Temple grounds, swallowing at the nervous lump in his throat. He smoothed down his dark green changshan with shaky hands then tightened his ponytail. Was Jack already there? He scanned the scene for bright red hair but didn't see it. Maybe it wasn't too late to back out of this. He could still leave if he wanted to; no one had seen him yet.

Or so he thought.

"Hey, Chase!" Kimiko grinned when she saw the warlord, leaving a small group of people behind to greet him, "So glad you could make it, come in!"

Before he could refuse, she'd pulled him to her group. After five minutes of terribly forced conversation, he wandered away from them to lean against a tree, one hand tucked in his pocket. He swirled the contents of a bright red drink he'd plucked from the concession table, deciding he was far too sober for this event. Sipping the overtly sweet cocktail, he scanned the party again, taking note of all the occupants. The monks were there, of course, but so were Katnappe, Tubbimura, and even Le Mime. There were quite a few people there that Chase didn't recognize. Likely friends of Kimiko's. He hadn't seen Jack yet. Would he even be there? Maybe this was a trap, a ruse to get him here.

"Well, look who came out of the cave."

"Hello, Wuya."

The witch had wandered over, her own drink in hand. She was dressed in a long-sleeved black qipao decorated with purple flowers and Chase had to admit, rather reluctantly, she looked good. That ship had long since sailed, however. She'd warmed his bed for a short period of time and now, it was over. She'd proved herself to be just as selfish as a lover as she was normally. Quite the turn-off, if he was honest.

"He's not here yet."

Chase kept his face blank and bored but his heart rolled over in his chest.

"I don't know whom you speak of."

"Don't play games, Chase. You know damn well who I"m talking about." Chase chose not to grace that with an answer. He sipped his cocktail idly, not feeling a thing. What was this thing spiked with? Apple juice? "He isn't going to stay single forever, y'know."

"Your voice is grating on my nerves, Wuya," Chase growled, "If you have something to say, just say it."

"Jack is an emancipated adult in his own right, if the rumors are anything to go by. If you want him, you better make your move tonight. But hey, if you do…" From her pocket, she procured what appeared to be a sprig of mistletoe. He gave her a sharp look and she smiled smugly, "You may as well kiss him." She advised as she tucked it into his pocket.

With that, Chase drained the rest of his drink. Damn Wuya and her infuriating insights.

-oOo-

Jack arrived fashionably late, helipack folding up on her back. She was greeted by a barely restrained squeak and a big hug from Kimiko. Staggering in surprise, she hugged back.

"Holy shit, you came!" Kimiko was beaming as she took a step back, "You look great! Wow!"

"No need to sound so shocked, baby." Jack smirked, unable to help herself. Kimiko waved her hand dismissively as Raimundo came over out of curiosity.

"Oh please. I'm just glad you're here."

"Is that you, Spicer?" Raimundo asked, squinting good-naturedly. Jack grinned.

"In the flesh!"

"Aye, you look pretty good for a girl."

"I will kick your ass, Raimundo; don't push me."

Despite being gone for so long, the banter was familiar, comforting even, and Jack found herself smiling throughout the evening. Clay tipped his hat to her.

"Nice to see ya again, Spicer. You clean up real nice."

"Missed you, too, country-fried."

"Jack Spicer!" Omi all but shouted, almost knocking Jack over with his bear hug, "I am so happy to be seeing you again!"

"Omi?" Jack choked out, craning her neck to look up at him, "What the hell happened to you? Get stuck in a taffy-puller?"

"I grew!" He chirped, grinning widely as he looked down at Jack, who was still gaping.

"Told ya he outgrew us." Kimiko giggled, nudging Jack's side.

"Spicer?"

And there is was. A voice Jack was pretty sure she'd never hear again. All the same, her legs turned to jelly and it was a miracle she managed to turn around. It was as if someone had upended a bucket of icy water over her. She'd forgotten just how handsome Chase Young was.

To Be Continued...

(Part 2 to be posted Christmas morning)