Young Justice Christmas Vacation

by Angelus-v1

The team's been given a Christmas vacation and gets into a few bumps between December 1st and Christmas Day. Takes place after season two and features a bonus song for Christmas. Based on both National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Jungle All The Way. Some characters are a bit OOC for the sake of the story.

Young Justice Christmas Vacation

By Angelus-V1

December 01, 8:00 AM

Flying through the air, the near invisible Martian Bioship descended from its higher, cruise altitude. Those inside had been traveling for the past three hours as they literally searched every northern state for a particular item of importance. Normally it was Batman who would issue missions, but since this was more of a 'Team Bonding Mission' it was voted for the group to all go without their mentor's involvement or knowledge, similar to the mission to Haley's Circus.

Cold winds created a light turbulence as the craft appeared from a bank of clouds thick with ready to fall snow. Its pilot, a Martian, expertly navigated the aerial vehicle to just below the offending head wind, creating a smoother ride for its passengers as they gently banked right towards Montana's vast wilderness.

"Are we there yet?" Sitting towards the front of the craft, Wally West, known to the hero and villain community as Kid Flash, slouched in his seat while blowing a drool bubble and waiting for an answer.

"Almost there, KF," Dick, who had his usual sunglasses on, replied as he looked up their destination on his holo-watch. "It won't be too much longer."

"And you really need to stop asking that question over and over again." Sitting near the redheaded speedster was his blonde Vietnamese fiancé, Artemis. Normally she would be sleeping at this time but a certain green skinned girl viciously woke her up from an eggnog induced coma. She swore it was the last time she would sleep at the rebuilt cave underneath where Mount Justice once stood this close to Christmas.

"Yes, please," Cassie said as she yawned and raked her black hair with her fingers. "Some of us are still trying to catch a few Z's."

"I know I've got mine." Bart Allen said from the seat beside her. His natural metabolism seemed to always make the brown haired speed demon peppy.

"Enough," a young Atlantian with green skin and a fish face said as he rolled his eyes. "It's getting to where a guy can't just sleep on a road trip anymore."

"Well if you didn't like what we were doing, then why did you come with us?" A young green skinned and haired boy by the name of Garfield asked as he sat next to his 'big brother' Conner. The youth held a few candy canes in one hand and was halfway facing his sleeping teammate.

"Nothing better to do." The fish faced team member crossed his arms as he stared outside the window.

"Why is everyone so upset?" Sitting in the pilot's chair was a green skinned girl with auburn hair just touching her shoulders. Unlike most of the passengers, she was giddy and excited for what they were doing. "This is supposed to be the happiest time of the year and none of you look too happy."

"Maybe it's because SOMEONE woke us all up at four in the morning to get ready to look for a Christmas tree, M'GANN," Artemis said through clinched teeth. "I'm all for Christmas but not this early in the freaking morning."

"I would have to agree, M'gann," their leader, Kaldur spoke up. "It is just a Christmas tree and we could have bought one from one of the many lots back in Happy Harbor."

"But that wouldn't be like a traditional family Christmas like everyone seems to have every year and with everything that has happened, we more than deserve one," the happy Martian replied.

"Family?" Cassie asked. "We're a team, not a family."

"I believe she means it as a non-traditional family," Kaldur explained.

"But this is just stupid!" La'gaan all but yelled. "A tree's a tree, a tree. It doesn't matter if-" Bringing his little tirade to a close was M'gann who looked at him with a look that could kill.

"La'gaan, I'm only going to say this once." M'gann said through gritted teeth as her shining green eyes seemed to shoot little bolts of lightning. "This is Christmas. We will be happy. We will celebrate it as family and friends should. It will be an old fashion, family type of Christmas and if you even dare to try to ruin it, I will make you walk the Earth thinking you are one of those little fish that love to suck on the dirty glass of fish tanks. Do I make myself clear?"

With his head fins outstretched and bulging eyes wide, he responded with a stutter, "Y…yes…ma…ma'am."

"Good, now Be Happy." M'gann then turned to face forward. "Everyone, BE HAPPY."

All except Conner nodded with wide, worried smiles stretched across their faces until Garfield elbowed the black haired Kryptonian to wake him up.

"Hm? What?" Sitting up, Conner inhaled deeply as he looked around the cockpit area and stretched his arms. "What the?"

Feeling something in his mouth, Conner grabbed the end of a candy cane and looked at it as if it were something he had never seen before. "How did this?"

Holding back laughs, the rest of the team members tried not to lose themselves at the sight of the broodish powerhouse. Unknown to him, Garfield had hooked a candy cane on each of his ears, hooked one on his bottom lip, which he removed, and painted the tip his nose red with Cassie's lipstick.

8:47 AM

The walk had been long and cold for most of the mission 'volunteers'. Since landing and departing the Bioship, the heroes had split into two parties, each charged with finding the best tree they could and cutting it down for the team's annual Christmas party. M'gann led Team Tinsel, consisting of herself, Cassie, Garfield, Bart, and Artemis. Team Noel consisted of Kaldur as leader with Conner, Wally, Dick, and La'gaan. The main reason for M'gann selecting the teams like they were was to make sure Wally and Artemis would stay on mission as well as she and Conner being they were the only couples in the ship.

Hiking through snow up to mid shin, Team Noel swore they were freezing their frankincense off as they traversed the frozen landscape with the temperature dipping to the low teens. Conner was the only exception as his Kryptonian physiology kept him warmer than the others.

"Oh man," Wally groaned. "I hope Ar…Artemis doesn't want kids anytime ssssss soon."

"Why…why is…is that?" Kaldur asked with dragon's breath floating from his mouth.

"Because it's reverse puberty over…over here."

"Ha," Dick laughed. "Alway…always knnnn knew you had emp…empty pants."

"SHUT UP!"

"I jusssssst want to…to say how unfair it iiiiiiiis the cl…clone only needs a, a long sssssleave shirt and p, p, p, pants while we have thhhhhick coats on and are still c, c, c, cold." Following behind Kaldur, who was in the lead, La'gaan shivered as he tried to keep warm.

"Could tell ya," Conner said as he, Dick, and Wally made up the back. "But then I would have to kill you." He then turned to the team's second in command, Dick Grayson. "Can I tell him?"

"Mmmmmmaybe later." Reaching into his utility belt under his jacket, the sunglasses wearing young man pulled out a paperback book sized pad. Once shook, it radiated heat and he slipped it into his thick coat, making sure Wally didn't see. He may have been his best friend, but that didn't mean he would share his heat pads with him.

"Ssssso, C, C, C, Connnnnnnner," Wally asked. "Wwwhat are you go, going to get Meg…Mega…Megalisssshhhh…M'gann for Christmas?"

Reaching into a pocket, the least layered of the group pulled out a booklet marked 'James Avery'. He turned to a page he had marked and showed his ginger friend a picture of a silver diamond ring with a red ruby in its center. "This."

Looking at the piece of jewelry, Wally's eyes grew wide. "Dude! That's an…an."

"Yeah. I hope she likes it."

"Likes what?" Dick asked as he looked at what Wally held. "Jeez! Are you serious?"

"Ssssserious about what?" Kaldur asked as he joined the others. "Whoa."

"You see this La'gaan?" Dick asked as the fish faced team member only stood there in the snow. "La'gaan?"

It was hard to tell when it happened, but La'gaan's wide open eyes had completely frozen over.

8:57 AM

"GOOD GOD IT'S COLD!" Artemis yelled at the top of her lungs as Team Tinsel continued searching the forest for the perfect Christmas tree. She could feel the cold stab her body through the thermal pants, sweater, and white padded coat.

"Just keep moving, Arty," Bart told her as he jogged in place. "Blood flow keeps you warm." The hood to his coat bounced freely as he worked on keeping himself from ending up like Artemis.

"Or just don't shave," Garfield said as he grew enough fur to look like Chewbacca dressed as an Eskimo. "Extra hair helps."

"Rrr, you're lucky I'm too tired to grab my crossbow, elf," the blonde archer growled.

Up ahead of the group, M'gann, in a pair of black tights and a light purple parka, looked at virtually every tree but couldn't find the right one. She let out a huff as she floated to another one but didn't like how its limbs were formed toward the top. "These will never do."

"Mmmmm'gann," Artemis stuttered as she ran up to the Martian, in part because both Garfield and Bart had started to tag each other with snowballs and she wanted none of the frozen water on her. "P, p, p, please, j, j, j, j, j, just pi, pick one. My toes are f, f, f, frozen."

"Not yet. I still haven't found just the right-"

"Hey!" Cassie yelled from several yards away. "I found it!"

With a wide smile, M'gann took to the air and flew to where her Amazonian friend was pointing at. Rolling her eyes, Artemis shouted "Finally" just as a stray snowball smacked her in the face. At the sight of the aggressive archer, both Bart and Garfield froze in place as they waited for her reaction. They could swear the snow on her face was being melted off from how angry she was from being hit with the frozen object. Both teens let out yipes as she gave chase with some not so joyful words being shouted at them.

It didn't take too long for Team Tinsel to get to the tree Cassie found. M'gann gasped as she saw the twelve foot fir with the greenest pine needles she had ever seen. It was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of branches to make it look full but not crowded. No bald spots could be found as she and Cassie flew around it for inspection.

"Cassie, it's perfect," M'gann told her second blonde friend. "It's everything a Christmas tree should be and more."

"Hopetht you liketht ith," Cassie said. Her puffy jacket was slightly unzipped to allow her to tuck her cell phone in her inside pocket. "I made thure to thend pictureth back to the otherth but my thell won't get retheption out here."

"Um, Cass, why aren't you talking normally?"

Looking at her green skinned friend, Cassie gave her a stern look as she placed her hands on her hips. "We've been out here tho long, my tongue goth frothen."

"…Oh. Sorry?"

Cassie let out a huff as she crossed her arms.

"Fancy meeting you here." Trudging up to Team Tinsel, Wally and Kaldur smiled and looked over what their friends had found. "Now that is a Christmas tree."

"It is truly magnificent," Kaldur commented just as Dick walked up with La'gaan who now had icicles hanging from his ear fins.

"Whath happenth tho him?" Cassie asked.

"He got his face frozen," Dick informed them. "Kinda funny actually."

"So is this the one?" Conner asked as he made sure his booklet was tucked away properly.

"Yeah, how do you like it?"" his girlfriend asked.

"It looks better than last year's."

"OW!" Garfield yelled as he, Bart, and Artemis finally joined the others.

"Easy, EASY!" Bart protested.

Dragging the two to the tree by their ears, Artemis threw them forward. Both boys shook their bottoms and pants legs, causing snow to fall out from Artemis shoving the frozen precipitation down their pants for hitting her with the snowball.

"Sweet, nice tree, totally crash." Zipping around the fir, Bart gave his approval.

"Yeah, this is awesome." Turning to his blood sister, Garfield asked, "So, who has the saw?"

All ten heroes looked at each other with dumbfounded looks on their faces.

The ride home took longer than they had planned. Since none of them remembered to bring along a saw, Conner and Cassie had to dig and rip the tree out of the ground, roots and all. They then carried it to the nearest clearing with Dick and Kaldur guiding the still blind La'gaan as M'gann had the Bioship land. After tying the tree with her lasso so the branches wouldn't get damaged, Cassie helped Conner load it on top of the vehicle as its Martian owner had a clamp form from its bio-morphic structure. The looks they got from a nearby plane were indescribable as M'gann was so excited about her tree, she forgot to put the ship in camouflage mode.

11:27 AM

"Ladies and gentlemen," M'gann announced as Conner and Cassie carried in the tree. "I give you our Christmas tree!"

Everyone in the newly remodeled cave beneath where Mount Justice once stood turned to see the new fir chosen to celebrate the holiday with. There were 'Ooohs' and 'Aahh's' as the two powerhouses carried it to the spot the others had picked to place it. A tree stand had already been placed with Mal holding it steady for the two to insert its now cut base into the holster.

Across the much larger common room, Kaldur sat La'gaan down on one of the three couches and turned the TV to a show about a panda training in martial arts. Apparently it was the fourth movie in a series. Already, large plastic bins with decorations befitting the upcoming holiday were lined against the wall the large TV was mounted on with an assortment of lights lying on the gray carpet. A few decorations were already on the kitchen walls with a ladder placed at its opening from the common room.

"Alright, let's untie this bad boy," Jaime said as he got up from detangling Christmas lights. He had his Scarab armor form a serrated blade on one hand as he went to help the others.

"Sorry, Blue," Cassie told him. "Indestructible rope holding it right now."

"Oh, ok. I'll just let you do it the old fashioned way then." He then had the armor rescind and stood with the others while Cassie and Conner both worked on getting the rope untied.

"Um, Cassie?" Conner called as he reached a part of her lasso that was too tight. "I think you got a knot on your side. I can't get this last part undone."

"Hold on, I see it." Grabbing where there was a tanglement of mystical rope and limbs, Cassie tied to pull one side but it refused to budge. A tug to the other side resulted in the same thing. "Hmm, maybe if I…"

"Cass? Cass, you got it yet?" Conner asked after a few moments when he heard a crack from inside the thick tree. "Cass hold on, I think you might be-"

With a loud 'whip' and 'thash', the tree was freed with Cassie holding onto her rope as she was knocked back on her rear and sat on the floor. She looked up at the tall fir and admired it for the first time on a warm environment.

"Girl, that looks great," Karen commented as she ran her hands over its needles.

"Very nice," Jaime added. "Muy bonita."

"What's happening?" La'gaan asked from his spot on the couch. "All I can see is white and gray spots."

"Now all we have to do is decorate it and…Conner?" Looking around, Garfield didn't see his big brother with the others. "Conner? You there?"

"OMG, like, the tree ate him," Wally joked.

"Conner?" M'gann called. "Conner where are you?"

"Pfft. Pitui, pfft, pfft." Coming out from behind the tree, Conner had his eyes closed as he spat out needles and pieces of bark. His long sleeve winter version of his 'S' shield shirt was covered in the green needles as was his hair.

"Conner, you didn't ruin it, did you?" his girlfriend asked with worry in her voice for her tree.

Looking incredulously at her, the Kryptonian hybrid shook his head. "No, it's still good. Really full. Lots of thap." Reaching up, he pulled a few pine needles from his mouth. "Sap."

December 4, 9:45 AM

He drew the short straw, that was all there was to it. He drew the short straw and now had to put up the Christmas lights on the large gazebo where the Christmas bar-b-que was to be held. No Atlantian should ever be forced to go outside in the freezing temperature to hang multi-colored lights. Regardless of how he ended up the one to brave the icy air, he kept thinking back to the previous night when he learned of his fate and the way M'gann chopped the fish filet in half she was about to cook. It was emasculating at best.

Dragging out a twenty foot aluminum ladder, Kaldur sighed as he looked over the five plastic bins full of the strands of lights Jaime had successfully untangled the night before. He felt sorry for him as the Hispanic teen's fingers were red, sore, and swollen from hours upon hours of work. Now it was his turn to go to work in the snow armed with only a ladder, a thick coat, and staple gun.

Extending the ladder to the twelve foot mark, Kaldur grabbed a line of lights and climbed up to the corner of the gazebo. Making sure the female end of the chord hung low enough to attach to another stand that would wrap around the support column, he began to staple the line to the edge of the structure. Slowly, he made his way across one side of the gazebo and started the next section. Had he have been paying more attention to where he planted the feet of the ladder, he would have noticed a patch of ice it stood on.

Unraveling more of the bundle he had wrapped around his arm, he placed it where he wanted and secured it with two staples. Repeating the process, Kaldur again stapled the strand and was just about to climb down from the ladder when he noticed he accidently stapled his glove to the wooden structure.

"Oh for the love of Atlantis." Letting the bundle of lights drop to the ground, the team leader tugged his hand but it wouldn't come off. He began to think maybe the industrial strength staples were not such a great idea at this point.

Bracing himself with his other hand, he pulled as hard as he could to pry the offending staples out when they finally gave and ripped from their housing. The amount of force he used was enough to have the ladder lift away from the gazebo, making him yelp as he panicked from falling to his back ten feet down.

Trying as hard as he could, he managed to get the ladder to go forward but became nervous when he thought he felt the feet slide a bit. He then pulled it back and managed to get himself in a precarious position as the ladder stood perfectly vertical on its two thin feet. With wide eyes, Kaldur found himself rapidly breathing as for the first time, he couldn't think of what to do.

"Oh by Poseidon, please get me down from here."

Gathering himself, the normally level headed leader knew the only way to get out of this was by careful action. Taking several deep breaths, he closed his eyes, said a prayer to every Atlantian deity he knew, and slowly leaned forward. Bracing himself, he prepared for when the ladder would hit the edge of the gazebo and gritted his teeth. The moment he landed back on the wooden structure, he felt himself slip off and wind up on the opposite side of the ladder. His feet kicked as he hung from his arms and managed to get them back on the metal rungs. With everything settled, he allowed himself let out a held a breath as he hugged the ladder.

"Oh thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, tha-"

He probably should have focused on climbing off the ladder instead of issuing his thanks as its feet slipped on the ice it stood on and he came crashing down on his back.

"Ow."

As if the universe chose to pour salt on Kaldur's wound, the strand of lights he just hung…fell to the ground.

2:47 PM

Inside the team's new training center, Garfield and Jaime were sparring in the fight circle. Both teens were tied with two falls a piece and were not only concentrating on improving their fighting ability, but were going over any plans they may have for Christmas.

"…So yeah, I'll be leaving on the twentieth for home. I'll be there until after the new year but I'll be here for the party." Jaime had Garfield's arms wrapped around his waist from behind and knew he was going for a suplex. He hooked one leg behind his sparring partner and began to pry his hands loose.

"Still, err, still hoping you'll get a, a car?" With his grip broken, Garfield found himself trapped in a full nelson submission hold. He hooked his right leg around Jaime's to prevent him from picking him up and slamming him on the floor.

"Yeah, I figured a car would be better to get around with and not be in the armor all the time to travel or use Zetas. "What about you?"

"I haven't really told sis but, grruah, I've been wanting a moped."

"A moped? Who rides a moped nowadays?"

"Eh, I like them. Bedsides, rrgh, my wings do get tired after a while when I'm a bird. And I told her I was saving up my money for one. So maybe she'll get a helmet or something I can use."

"But a moped? Dude, how are you gonna impress that Goth chick you like, driving around on a moped?"

Using the hold against him, Garfield bent down and leapt upwards. He managed to use Jaime's stature against him and flipped onto the Hispanic teen's shoulders, landing on his knees. He then planted both feet on the shoulders of his partner and performed a mule kick to Jaime's back as he fell to the ground.

The moment Jaime hit the floor, the computer displayed 'FAILED' in large red letters beneath him. A display of the overall skirmish time flashed under it reading, '00:17:56'.

"Whoa," Jaime said as he got to his feet. "It took us nearly twenty minutes for a best of three."

"And you know what Nightwing says," Garfield reminded his Latin friend.

"Best of threes should be done in under five minutes," both teammates said together.

"But dude," Jaime said as they left the training area, "a moped?"

Unknown to Garfield, his blood sister was in her day room with Conner discussing the very item he wanted.

"Okay," M'gann said after doing a mental sweep to see where her blood brother was. "Conner, the reason I called you into my room is because I have a big favor to ask you." Pacing back and forth, the Martian tangled her fingers together as she spoke with her boyfriend. "Gar has said he wants a moped but I can't exactly get the one he wants."

"A moped?" Conner asked. "Who rides a moped now a days?"

"Not the point."

"So you need some money? I think I have-"

"No, I don't need any money, it's just I can't get, I mean, I can't pick up the one he wants without him knowing and I need your help. Please?" She gave him a nervous smile as he sat on her bed.

"Sure. I'll get it. Where do I need to go?"

"Oh thank you!" M'gann literally flew into his arms and wrapped him in a tight hug, tackling him to the bed. Not allowing him to finish his chuckle, she quickly said where he would have to go to pick it up. "ItsinSanFranciscoandwillbereadytobepickeduponDecembertwentyfourth."

"Uh, what?" He held her away from him as he stared surprised at her. "On when?"

"Um, December, twenty fourth, Christmas Eve, in San Francisco?"

"M'gann, that's-"

"Please? It would mean so much to him if he got one and it was the only place that sold the one he likes. It was also the only place that had one left in stock."

"But it's on Christmas Eve." Conner quietly said. "And that trip will take all day."

"Please?" She planted a kiss on his neck.

"But-"

She moved up to his cheek and gently pecked it while cupping his head in her hands. "Please?"

"But, I-"

She nibbled his ear. "Pretty please?"

"Huuuuuugh," he moaned as she reached his weak spot.

With a grin, she moved to just above his lips and whispered, "Please?"

He was just about to break when he felt another pair of hands reaching under his shirt. A grin formed across his lips at the feeling of his girlfriend putting two pairs of hands on him. "You're gonna do that-"

"Yeah." She smiled as she lightly kissed his lips.

"Okay. I'll do you…it. I'll do it."

They didn't leave her room for at least an hour.

7:45 PM

Journeying outside to where the large gazebo was, the entire team stood in the snow as Kaldur gathered the last of the electrical cords near the group. It had taken him some time, but he had finally finished decorating the wooden structure and was ready to show his work off to the others, even though he never really volunteered for the job in the first place.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he addressed as he held the ends of two extension cords, "I give you our newly decorated gazebo for the team's Christmas celebration. One thousand bulbs, one hundred strands, all creating an extravagant, one of a kind holiday display."

As one, the team members clapped.

"And now, to provide power by plugging in the last cord." Holding the ends up dramatically, he plugged them together. "Joy to the world!"

Everyone waited in anticipation for the display of lights to turn on…they didn't. Eyes went back and forth from the dark gazebo to Kaldur as he tried the plugs again and again. It looked as if their leader was actually losing his cool with the lights refusing to illuminate. The veterans were more surprised by his behavior as they have never seen him behave in such a manner or actually use contractions.

"Why won't this thing work?" Throwing the plugged in cord around, Kaldur tried unplugging and plugging it in repeatedly but it just wouldn't work. "Oh come on! I've been out here for hours working on this and it now it decides to not work?!"

"Um, Kal?" Wally said before the dark skinned Atlantian gave him a look that read 'Don't even start with me'.

"Kal, maybe you should calm down for a moment and rethink how you plugged in everything," Dick suggested.

"Everything is plugged in," Kaldur told them. "I made sure the lights were plugged into different extension cords and tried them out individually before putting them up." He stepped forward and looked around at the darkened lights. "I just do not understand. Where did I go wrong?"

"I'm sure it looks nice," M'gann said as she, Garfield, and Conner stood in a group. "Maybe it's a bad bulb?"

"It cannot be. I checked every one." Letting his arms hang to his sides, Kaldur got a bewildered look on his face as he went over everything he did during the day's work. "La'gaan, please, will you check the outlet junction to the back of the gazebo while I try to figure out what may be wrong?"

"Alright." Leaving the others, the team's second Atlantian jogged over behind the gazebo.

"Hold on a second," Mal said as he removed his arm from around Karen's shoulders. "Kaldur, you don't have to wait to see if the plugs are connected properly. Can't you just send an electric current through the wires?"

Behind the gazebo, La'gaan carefully stepped over a tanglement of extension cords to get to the main junction box where they all plugged into. Six heavy duty orange cords were plugged into a timer set to trigger the lights to come on some fifteen minutes ago.

"Well, the timer's getting power from somewhere." Kneeling down, the fish faced team member checked out the setup and went over where each cord plugged in.

Back over where the others were gathered, Kaldur cleaned off the metal parts of one cord and gripped them between his fingertips. "Here goes nothing."

Back where La'gaan was, he finished investigating what was wrong when he saw the problem staring him in the face. Under the timer readout, where the switches to program it were, sat the override switch, which was set to 'off'. Feeling stupid for not checking it first, La'gaan sighed as he reached out to flip it to the 'on' position.

The moment, the very moment his finned hand touched the timer, Kaldur sent a strong electrical shock through the wire he held. The current was strong enough to not only power the lights, but shock La'gaan as well. An incoherent babble flooded from his mouth as his body went stiff and lines of electricity covered his body. The snow around him didn't help as it prevented him from grounding out in the dirt underneath, but at least the lights came on.

"Wow!" Bart exclaimed with wide eyes. "This is so totally crash!"

"It's gorgeous," commented Karen.

The entire gazebo was brightly lit by the hundreds of white Christmas lights. There was not a dark spot in the entire structure as it was completely covered. Each of the eight columns supporting the roof was wrapped in lights as were the rails and beams holding them together. Kaldur was proud of what he did, evident on his face as a bright smile took it over.

"You did a beautiful job," Barbra told him as the lights twinkled in her eyes.

"Hey, anybody smell that?" Jaime asked. "Smells like…burnt rubber."

Sniffing the air, Garfield and Wolf quickly identified the source of the odor. "It smells like it's coming from behind the gazebo."

Reaching the spot first, Conner saw the fish humanoid on the ground with charred clothing. A puff of black smoke exited his mouth as he coughed and moaned, "I hate Christmas."

Looking back at the others, the Krypto-human shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "It's just a fried fish stick."

December 12, 10:47 AM

Waking up early, around ten, the team ventured out to Happy Harbor Mall to do some Christmas shopping. Since it was the month of Christmas, the mall was packed with shoppers of every age. Kids ran amuck to add whatever caught their yes to their Christmas list with their parents praying they would not ask for too much, which of course, they did. Wives bought gifts for their husbands, mostly some electronic device he's been wanting while teenagers bought gifts for their parents, like ties, gift cards, slippers, or any other item that was not too much so they could get themselves something. Then there were the husbands who searched for that special something for their wives, which was actually for them given they looked in the lingerie section.

Separating himself from the others, Conner Kent made his way to the James Avery store to pick up the ring he had picked out for M'gann. After some time waiting due to a young man proposing to his girlfriend right there in the store and an older couple complaining about how they were offended by being wished a 'Merry Christmas', he had finally made it to the counter where a young twenty-something brunette woman waited on him.

"And how may I help you sir?" the young woman asked with a bright smile.

"Um, I'm just here to pick up something." Handing her his receipt, he looked at the other pieces of jewelry in the case. Among them were a diamond necklace, a few sparkling earrings with the tiniest diamonds he had ever seen, several gem laden rings, and other beautiful trinkets women love.

"Wow, so you're the guy who reserved this one," the woman said as she pulled his order up. "Lucky woman. How long have you known her?"

"All my life."

"Aww, how romantic. I'll be right back with your order."

As she went into the back, Conner continued to look around the case when a hand slapped onto his shoulder. Turning with his fist slightly raised, he saw it was Wally of all people with Kaldur and Dick behind him.

"Whoa, take it easy, Supey, I'm on your side," Wally joked as he held his hands up as if surrendering.

"Sorry," Conner told him. "But you remember what happened last time I was in a jewelry store."

"Terror Twins, yeah, I remember. So you picking up one half of the shackles?"

"Shackles?"

"He means M'gann's ring," Dick told the fourth member of the original team. "Have you already gotten it?"

"Uh, no. The cashier went to go get it."

"Have you put any thought as to how you will ask her the question?" Kaldur asked.

"I was just going to ask." Conner responded.

"Dude, you can't do that," Wally said as if what Conner said held end of the world consequences.

"Yeah, I have to agree with Wally on that one," Dick said. "And when anyone agrees with Wally, it usually means he's right for a change."

"Dude, I have feelings."

"Only about food."

"Touché. So, Supey, to do this right, you have to be…pretty much anything you're-holy chimichangas, who is that?"

Turning to look at who Wally was referring to, Conner, Dick, and Kaldur saw the cashier coming back to the front with a small pink colored box in hand. It was as if the guys, sans Conner, were hypnotized by the young woman's beauty. Her eyes reminded Wally of Artemis while her hair color brought memories of Tula back to Kaldur with her body shape resembling Barbra's to Dick and her legs reminded him of Zatanna's.

"Okay, Mister Kent. I'm sorry but there was a prob, (gasp)" Before she could explain herself to Conner, Wally and Dick had pushed their friend to the side and were flashing her their brightest suave smiles. The young woman could only stare at them as it looked as if they were flexing under their coats. "Um, hi?"

"Hey," Dick smoothly said as he activated his 'smolder' look. How Conner just wanted to knock him out right then and there.

"Nice to make your acquaintance," Wally added.

"Wally," Kaldur said close to the ginger's ear.

"Window shopping never hurt anyone," Wally said through his teeth. "If you don't like what you see, go…outside. But bundle up, it's nippley…nippy out there."

"Or just stay in here where it's more hooter…hotter," Dick added.

Rolling his eyes, Conner pushed the two 'window shoppers' out of the way. "What were you saying?"

"Um, I was saying," the woman said as she looked at the two oglers. "There was a problem with the ring you ordered. It seems there was a backup at the home office where we cut the stones and due to inclimate weather, they are now just getting the materials to mold the band and cut the diamonds. It won't be ready until Christmas Eve. I'm sorry."

"Are you sure? There's no way whatsoever for me to get it before then?"

"I'm sorry, really I am. But the roads froze and nothing could get through."

Letting out a disappointed sigh, Conner nodded. "Alright. I'll be back on Christmas Eve then."

"Wait, wait," Wally said before Conner could turn away. "We, uh, we have a question to ask you on behalf of our friend here. You see, he has this girlfriend and he kind of doesn't have a romantic bone in his body."

"Wally," Conner snapped.

"Now, now, now, just let me finish, Supey. You see, he got that ring for her and we were wondering if he should give that to her before or after he gives her this." Reaching into a bag he was holding, he pulled out a white box and took the top off. Inside was a silk piece of green lingerie with delicate lace bordering it.

Looking at what was inside the box, his three friends tried to imagine the tomboyish archer wearing such a thing but couldn't see her in something so…feminine. In fact, the sight of it caused Kaldur's dark skin to redden across his cheeks.

Outside in the mall, Garfield, with a glamour charm on to have him look like a normal teenager, swerved between ecstatic groups of shoppers. Because of his training and animal-like agility, he managed to hold onto his extra-large coke and giant salted pretzel. He had originally gone off to look for a gift for M'gann but had not found anything in particular when he saw the group of older team members in a jewelry store. Taking another sip of his drink, he decided to join them and see what they were up to.

"So like I was saying," the young woman said as she looked the lingerie over, "Given how you described this girlfriend of yours, I would go with before you give her the lingerie, sort of like a surprise, intimate gift between you two."

At this time, Conner wished he could fly away to someplace where Wally would never find him.

"And personally, I would not wear anything like this."

"Why not?" Dick asked as the woman handed back Wally's gift to Artemis.

"It's not really something I could see myself wearing. And if I can't see myself wearing it, I doubt another woman would want to wear it either."

"What's wrong with it?" Wally asked.

"First off, it looks too cheap, as in floozyish. The straps on top look like they can break off with any movement and the hip area is too low cut."

"Well how high should it be?"

Looking around the four men, the young woman made sure no one else may be looking or were next in line. "Well, since your friend with the ring and Mister Sunglasses are cute," she turned to the side and lifted her skirt above her hip, making all pairs of the boys' eyes widen. "What I'm wearing underneath is cut high on the hip. See? No panty lines."

"I so don't see the lines," Wally hypnotically said. "Do you see them Dick?"

"Not at all," Dick answered as he pulled his sunglasses down. "What about you Kal?"

"I do not see any sign of them either," Kaldur answered while shaking his head slightly. "Can you see them, Conner?"

"No." Now that the woman had turned, and he was paying her attention, he noticed her rump and chest profile resembled M'gann's. "Can't see the lines, can you, Gar?"

"Nope," the disguised green teen said with a wide smile, to which the woman tugged her skirt back down.

"Gar?!" All four men shouted his name in unison as they turned to face him, never noticing he had snuck up on them and was standing beside Conner until he spoke up.

December 14, 07:15 PM

"Alright, everyone here?"

Standing atop a steep hill, Wally West looked behind him as his best friend Dick Grayson and two others joined him. Wearing a pair of jeans and a yellow hoodie over his red sweater, the Ginger wished he would have listened to Artemis when she told him to bundle up more. It was just he was in so much of a hurry for this, a most sacred event, that he just grabbed the first thing he saw in the closet and ran out the door to the nearest Zeta Tube.

"We're here KF," Dick told him as he carried a plastic bag in one hand.

"Sweet, you bring the goodies?"

"Right here."

"Jeez, Wall-Man," Bart said as he zipped up beside Wally and looked over the area. He held a sled under one arm and was just aching to use it. "I have never seen snow like this. It was mostly falling ash from where I came from."

"Ash from what?" Dick asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

"This is so awesome!" Running up the small hill with a large, round metal sled to where the other three stood, Garfield, wearing his special charm to make him look normal, couldn't get enough of the amount of teenagers his age enjoying the fresh powder. "Ooh, I wanna go first."

"Not so fast," Wally told the young teen, "First things first. We need to get the sleds ready. Dicky boy, lube me. Lube me now."

"That sounds so wrong," the black clad young man known more for being Nightwing said as he reached into the bag.

"What's that?" Bart asked.

"This, my speedy friend, is a new, non-chloric, silicon based lubricant Mister Dark Night created that his former little bird swiped from the cave, otherwise known as, DUN, DUN, DUUUUUUUN…Batlube."

"Batlube?" Garfield laughed. "Who comes up with these names?"

"Me," Dick told him. "Someone had to have a sense of humor around Batman. And I am an expert at the formation of the unheard word."

"So this stuff will make the sleds go faster?" Bart asked as Wally sprayed the lubricant on Garfield's metal disk.

"You bet." He then pulled out a yellow handkerchief with the words, 'Flash-Rag' written in sharpie on it and began to polish the bottom of the sled with the lubricant. "This stuff is five hundred times more slippery than any oil out there. You're really gonna fly down the hill with this stuff."

"Um, Wally?" Garfield asked. "Has Batman ever tried this stuff out to make sure it's safe?"

"Not that I know of. Has he Dick?"

"I don't even want to think why he has that in the first place," the former Boy Wonder confessed.

"Alright, all done." Handing the disk back to Garfield, who originally got it from his sister's kitchen supplies, Wally began to grease the bottom of Bart's sled.

"Oh man, this is gonna be so cool." Placing his sled on the edge of the hill, Garfield sat in a cross legged position and readied himself to take off on his first downhill sled trip. "And now, going for a new amateur recreational saucer sled land speed record, Garfield Logan of Quarc!"

"Just be careful, Gar," Dick told him.

"No problem, what's the worst that can happen?" Digging his hands into the snow to create hand holds, the normally green teen flipped the hood of his jacket over his head and gave a thumbs up. "Later dudes." He then pushed himself off the ledge…and disappeared.

The three heroes, as well as non-powered bystanders, couldn't believe what just happened. One second, Garfield was on the edge of a steep, snow covered hill and the next, he was out of sight with a trail of fire behind him, making him look like a rocket instead of a teen boy.

"What that heck?!" Dick yelled as he stared at the trail of settling snow where Garfield had been.

"That…is…so…AWESOME!" Wally yelled.

"Oh, I SO have to try that," Bart said as he ran to place his sled on the hill's edge before Dick grabbed him and Wally by their jacket collars.

"You two need to go get him," Dick ordered.

"Oh he'll be okay," Wally told him.

"And if he isn't? You do realize both M'gann and Conner are extremely protective of him, right? What do you think will happen if we bring him back hurt?"

Freezing in place, Wally's mouth fell as his eyes widened. "Megs will turn me into a vegetable…and Supey will kill you."

"And I don't want to die before I get my own Batplane, Batboat, and Bat jet ski."

"Bart," Wally said in a high pitched voice before clearing his throat and lowering it. "Let's go, now."

"But it's my turn," Bart wined.

"I'll tell Artemis it was you who brought the Batlube."

"You can't prove nothing."

"Dick's a hacker. He can make a video look like you ran into the Batcave to steal the can."

With a sigh, Bart stood back up and dusted his legs of snow. "So totally unfair. Not crash, dude. Not crash one bit."

Down the hill, and within a nearby forest, Garfield let out a yell that reached Heaven itself. The disk he rode was flying over the fresh snow, leaving a visible trail behind him from where he took off. Trees whipped past him as he hung on for dear life, completely forgetting he could just bail out by turning into a bird and flying to safety. Then again, the uncontrolled danger of the situation proved to be the most fun he's had in a long time; that is until he began spinning.

"WHHHAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!" He was getting dizzy from reaching down the hill and spinning as fast as he was, not noticing he narrowly missed slamming into a group of trees as Bart and Wally caught up to him.

"Gar!" Wally yelled from the boy's left. "You gotta bail!"

"AAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Bail out! Bail out!" Bart yelled from his right.

"WWWUUUUUAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!"

By now, Garfield had a cone of snow in front of him from how fast he was traveling. Small dunes of the white precipitation had him bounce rapidly, letting out a gurgling noise from hitting them before reaching a larger dune. Taking to the air, he sailed over Bart who tried to move in front of the out of control teen to stop him but was flown over. White flakes fell from Garfield's takeoff, falling on the futuristic speedster as he watched the sled travel over him. He didn't realize until it was too late to see Garfield crash into a snowman someone had made. He emerged from the impact with Fosty's head on his own.

"Garfie-" Hitting a buried tree branch that had fallen from the snow, Bart fell face first and tumbled into a nearby snowbank. With how fast he was running, he couldn't stop himself as he continued going forward and crashed into a shack where a group of college kids were gathered, taking him out of the pursuit as Wally shot past him and he rested in the bathroom where a large woman had just exited from.

Continuing the chase, Wally tried to think of how to safely stop the snowman headed shape shifter when he saw something that made his heart skip a beat, the highway. "Garfield!"

"WWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Oblivious to the imminent threat of being run over, Garfield skidded across four lanes of heavy traffic. How he got across only scientific odds or God himself knew. Wally on the other hand, slipped on a patch of dry ice and landed in a thick snowbank on the side of the highway. His rear end poked into the air as he let out a grunt with his shoe dangling from one foot.

As Garfield still continued to sail across the land, he reached up and removed the Frosty head. "COWABUNG-AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The last thing he saw as he entered the parking lot of a Costco, was a 'Toys for Tots' donation bin where he crashed with a loud bang similar to two cars hitting head on. Toys flew into the air as the wood splintered and exploded outwards. Barbie and Monster High dolls buried him along with Nerf guns and Ninja Turtles. Luckily a large bag of stuffed bears and Sock Monkeys provided a cushion for him to come to rest on as he regained himself from his wild ride.

A few seconds later, Bart and Wally came to a stop where he lay and fought through a crowd of onlookers. Garfield was still lying in the pile of toys with something smoking next to him.

"Oh my sweet Georgia peaches," Wally said as he landed on a knee beside his younger friend. "Gar, are you okay? Are you hurt? Please tell me you're not hurt!"

"We're dead!" Bart yelled as he recalled what Dick told them if Garfield had even one scratch on him. "We are so dead!' D-E-A-D, DEAD!"

"I'm fine," Garfield said as he chuckled. "That was AWESOME!" He then picked up the object that was smoking. It was the metal disk he rode on, only it had a large hole in its center and was charred from the friction he created from traveling across the asphalt. "Aww, I wanted to go again."

08:02 PM

Back in the new cave under the remains of Mount Justice, Artemis, M'gann, and Zatanna were sitting in the common area with the TV on 'Home Alone'. The three had been busy discussing the upcoming holiday and their plans for that special someone in their lives.

"You can't serious, Zee," Artemis said as she and M'gann giggled. "He really likes that?"

"What can I say?" Zatanna said with a smile. "He likes it when I speak backwards."

"Well as for Baywatch, I'll just get him the same old, same old." Crossing her legs, the team's archer grabbed the remote to check the TV's menu for any other shows there may be on. "He never gets enough anyways."

Gagging on her hot Chocolate from laughing, M'gann put her mug down and wiped her mouth from a marshmallow mustache. "Artemis!"

"What?"

"What?" Zatanna said. "What you said is 'what'? The same old, same old?"

It took all but a second for Artemis to realize what that sounded like. She instantly sat straight up as her face was taken over by a blush. "Oh no, not that, I didn't mean that. I meant what he usually wants for Christmas."

"Which is the same old same old?" Zatanna teased as M'gann kept laughing.

"Yes…no. What I meant to say is that I'll get all his favorite foods together so he can pig out like always."

"Sure you did."

"Shut up." She tried to hold back her laughter but failed. Seeing her friends laugh at her expense, she decided to turn the tables. "So, M'gann, tell me. With you, Gar, and now Conner sharing an apartment, how do you and your superboy find time to…you know?"

"Um what?" The look and blush on the Martian's face made her friends begin laughing anew.

Across the area, unknown to the three of them, Wally, Dick, Bart, and Garfield were sneaking in through the rear entrance of the cave. Using the stealth he was known for, Dick squat-walked to the kitchen with the large metal dish Garfield used. The rest of the boys kept an eye out in case anyone should enter the food area and catch the young man in the middle of his heist.

Poking his head around the corner of a cabinet, he made sure the coast was clear before making his way to the oven. A grin etched itself on his face as he saw an identical metal tray inside with a batch of sugar cookies baking. Setting the ruined cookie sheet Garfield used to sled with beside him, he grabbed a nearby dish rag from the counter and carefully opened the oven door.

"Sorry to do this to you, M'gann." Reaching in, he removed the hot metal sheet and replaced it with the ruined one. He then placed the baking cookies back in the oven directly on the metal wire frame. After closing the door, he set the oven on broil and snuck back out.

"Okay, now let's go get something from McDonalds for everyone, bring it back, and we'll be all clear."

"Alright, cool." Wally said as they all snuck back to the rear hanger area.

"I love this espionage stuff," Bart said as they left.

"Yeah, if only the Mission Impossible or James Bond theme would play," Garfield told him.

"So come on, spill it, girl," Zatanna told M'gann who really looked Christmassy with how red her green skin was. "How do get the wreath and Yule Log to meet with Gar just down the hall?"

"Wreath and Yule Log?" Artemis said as she laughed. "Where did you come up with that? I love it!"

"I'm not discussing that with you two!" M'gann said as she felt her face become warmer.

"Do you, like, tell Gar to go to your uncle's?"

"Artemis, I-"

"I can just hear them," Zatanna took over. "Gar, go see Uncle J'onn for the next half hour and if the building shakes, don't worry, we're on it."

"Oh god." Artemis said as she laughed harder.

"Zatanna!" M'gann was now even more embarrassed than before.

"Oh, I got another one." Clearing her throat, Artemis lowered her voice to mimic Conner. "Hey, Garfield will you-" She stopped and sniffed the air. "You smell that?"

"Why would Conner ask Gar to smell something?" asked Zatanna.

"No, I'm being serious, do you smell that?"

Sniffing the air, the other two girls looked back towards the kitchen.

"Oh, crap," Zatanna said as she recognized the smell of burned cookies. "M'gann, your cookies!"

"Those aren't mine," M'gann told her. "I'm not baking!"

"Then whose are they?" Artemis asked.

The moment the archer uttered those words, M'gann sent a mental message to the person working in the kitchen. A second later heavy footsteps rapidly ran down the hall from the section of day rooms, through the common room, and into the kitchen.

"MY COOKIES!" Conner yelled as he dashed into the kitchen.

"Conner's making cookies?" Zatanna asked with a bewildered look.

"And burning down the kitchen," Artemis added as a puff of black smoke filled the cooking area.

Leaping from the sofa she was on, M'gann flew into the kitchen to help her boyfriend. "Conner, what went wrong? I thought you did everything I said."

"Apparently, they burn up the bedroom and they burn up the kitchen." Zatanna said, causing her and Artemis to laugh again.

December 17, 03:16 PM

With only a few days left until Christmas, Garfield was becoming desperate to find something special for his blood sister. It seemed no matter where he looked, he could not find that one gift that said 'M'gann M'orzz'. He tried everywhere, the mall kiosks, Dillard's, Old Navy, Cracker Barrel, and many other places, but nothing was right for her.

Then he saw it, the perfect gift for the Martian girl who had taken care of him since his mother was murdered. Within the window for the mall's Build-A-Bear Workshop, was a poster with several new dolls available. One in particular caught his eye as it was a female baker complete with an apron and a wooden spoon in one hand. She even had the same color hair and freckles as M'gann.

With the idea of getting her the doll in mind, the charm wearing teen ran into the store and was shocked by the amount of people in there, mostly girls with their mothers. Nearly every shelf was empty with the exception for the one stuffed doll he saw advertised in the window. There was only one left. All he had to do was grab it, add the stuffing, and select the accessories. Making his way over to where the last doll was, he was forced to weave in and out of traffic with several people stepping on his toes. The closer he got to the doll, the more people there seemed to be. He wished he could simply morph into a monkey and leap over the crowd, but that would only serve to blow his cover, regardless, he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding until he had the doll in his hands.

"Hey, I was getting that," screamed a teenage girl with blonde hair and wearing a pink dress. "Give it to me. I need that doll for my collection of things I won't do when I grow up."

"Um, okay, that's a weird collection to have," Garfield said as he turned to add the stuffing to the doll from a machine filled with the white fluff. "But I got to it first, it's mine."

"It's the last one and I need it. So hand it over, now."

"Again, no. I got it, I'm buying it, and I-"

"Are a big baby for buying a doll."

"I am not!" Garfield yelled as he grabbed the apron and spoon. "And it's not for me, it's for my sister. Besides, you're not the one who should be calling anyone a big baby."

"What did you say?" the girl asked with a hint of venom in her voice. Her teeth grinded from either not getting her way or what Garfield told her, possibly both. "Nobody talks to me like that. Nobody talks to Kitten like some, some, common person."

"Yeah, well, I just did." Walking away with his gift, and leaving the angered teen girl behind, Garfield paid the clerk and walked back out the store and into the mall. There was just one more thing he was going to get M'gann to go along with the doll, a cookbook.

A quick stop at the mall bookstore rewarded him with a deal on two cookbooks loaded with recipes he was certain his sister would love to try when he was hit from behind. The force of whatever it was toppled him off his feet and into a nearby Mall Santa display.

"Hey! Who did that?!" Getting to his feet, with the help from one of Santa's elves, Garfield looked around but saw no one who could have pushed him.

Dusting himself of the fake snow around the Santa setup, he reached for his bag lying on the ground nearby and felt his heart stop. The only thing left in the bag was the cookbooks. The doll was gone and was nowhere to be seen.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Dropping to his knees, the teen boy searched everywhere but couldn't find his present for M'gann.

"What's wrong, kid?" Santa asked as the photographer placed an 'eggnog break' sign on Santa's seat. A mall crew was already trying to fix what Garfield messed up when he fell on the display.

"My present, it's gone," Garfield told him as he continued searching. "I had it in the bag when I fell but it must have fallen out.

"What was it?"

"A chef doll for my sister. It had brownish red hair, a pink dress with a white apron, and a wooden spoon in one hand.

"Oh, you mean those dolls at the bear workshop?"

"Yeah. It has to be here somewhere."

Bending down slightly, Santa brought the teen close to whisper something to him. "Those are hard to find right now, but if you meet me in ten minutes by the warehouses a few blocks from here, I can get you one, no problem."

It was a no-brainer for the teen boy; he had to get M'gann that gift. Doing what the Santa told him, he met the 'jolly old man' at the warehouses and was quickly ushered inside one building with a green wreath painted on the door. Another man dressed as Santa poked his head out from a hidden panel for a moment before disappearing back inside and opened the door for them. Garfield couldn't believe his eyes. Inside the large warehouse were dozens of Santas. Some were tall, others were short. Some were large, others were skinny. And then there was the midget. Besides the numerous Saint Kicks, there were boxes and boxes of toys, expensive cutlery, clothing, electronics, and much more.

"Okay, now you said you wanted a Build-A-Bear chef doll right?" the Santa asked.

"Uh, yeah." Looking at the number of items the Santas were moving, Garfield's inner hero came to life as he was hit with the feeling of 'everything's stolen' when he heard a very familiar voice.

"So how much are you gonna give me?" the vice asked a very tall Santa.

"For this thing? About seventy five," he answered.

"Seventy five? That's it? Those dolls are hot right now. I can easily get two hundred for it on ebay and not mail it."

"Fine, one fifty, final offer, cash, now."

"Just give me the money."

Peaking around a crate, Garfield saw the same girl he ran into at the mall with the doll he had bought for M'gann. Not stopping to think, he ran up and grabbed the toy from Kitten's grasp and faced the Santa's who were now quiet.

"Hey," he yelled as he held the doll in one hand and the bag with the books in the other. "You know what you all are? A bunch of crooks. I bought this not even a half hour ago and this…girl, stole it from me. You're nothing but a bunch of con-artists in red suits."

Thinking his actions over, Garfield quickly came to the conclusion that maybe calling out a den of thieves, and standing in the center of said den, was not such a good idea.

"What did you call us?" the Santa who brought him asked as he took his fake beard off.

"You heard me, you're a bunch of crooks." Garfield was more than ready to morph into a gorilla and make a break for it.

"Kid, from where I'm from, them's fighting words."

"And what do you plan to do about it?"

"I'm not going to do anything, he is. Oh Ogilvie."

Answering the call the Santa gave, the giant man in a red suit Garfield saw as he entered the building, stepped forward. If the boy didn't know any better, he could have sworn he was looking at Bane's twin brother, especially when he took his coat off to reveal his large muscles.

"Oh, crap." Garfield muttered just as the large fake Santa took a swing at him.

Ducking the tree sized arm, Garfield tried to run for the nearest door but was blocked by the other Santas. All were yelling for Ogilvie to crush his tiny teen body. Clutching the doll and books, the black ops member went on the defensive and stayed one step ahead of the larger man. Somewhere in the chaos, Kitten was asking if anyone wanted to place bets on how long he would last, there were no bets placed on him. Making a last ditch effort to escape, and keep his powers a secret, the teen tried to make a dash for a conveyer belt but had his legs tripped by the midget Santa.

"Where do you think you're going, small fry?" the littlest Santa demanded as he sat on Garfield's chest and wacked his head with a whiffle ball bat.

"Get, off, of, me!" Whacking the little man over the head with his books, Garfield got back to his feet in time to see the larger Santa cock his fist back. He had just enough time to switch places with the tiny Saint Nick and held him in place as the ham-sized fist came forward and struck the small Santa so hard, he flew backwards into a stack of cardboard boxes filled with packing peanuts.

"Little buddy?" the giant Santa said just as the door to the warehouse burst open and a squad of cops came rushing in.

"Everybody freeze!" the lead officer ordered with a SWAT crew coming in behind him.

"Cheese it, it's the Grinch!" one Santa yelled as the thieving Saint Nicks scattered.

Amid the chaos, Garfield kept his head low as cops chased after Santas. Fights were breaking out with the officers tazing practically everyone they could, including Kitten who tried to climb out of a window. No one paid attention to the teen boy with the doll and books as he morphed into a monkey and hid in the stuffed animals.

6:57 PM

In what seemed like days, Garfield had hid among the stuffed animals until the warehouse was clear enough for him to get out. It wasn't hard to climb the crate to the roof, morph into a pelican, and fly back to the cave with the bag of gifts in his mouth. Wanting nothing more than to settle into a day room and relax, he first had to hide what he bought his blood sister, and he knew just the place.

With everyone either training or eating dinner, the green teen snuck up to the storage area towards the end of the hall. After climbing into the attic-like environment, he brought up the ladder and shut the door, making sure no one would notice he was up there. It didn't take him long to find a box to hide the gifts in for the time being. Standing back, he let out a breath and patted himself on the back for a successful mission. There was even no word of him or any description of him on the news about the raid, meaning he was never seen at the crime. He was getting better at utilizing stealth and this was proof.

Down in the hallway, La'gaan was carrying a few gifts Kaldur had asked him to hide in the attic area. Since they had gone halves on Aquaman's gifts, they needed to make sure the water based hero wouldn't find them, given he's a peeker. Switching the gifts to under one arm, he took hold of the door's cord and pulled.

As Garfield finished congratulating himself, he thought of how M'gann would enjoy the gift he got her when he suddenly dropped to the floor below. He was okay, completely fine after the sudden fall. La'gaan on the other hand was knocked out cold from the teen landing on him. After making sure he was okay, Garfield checked around him to make sure no one else was around and quickly made his way to the kitchen as if nothing happened, leaving the Atlantian in an unconscious heap.

December 24, 11:17 AM

He had woken up late. That was the reason he was now running down the streets of California after parking the camouflaged Bioship beside the nearest hidden Zeta Tube. Admittingly, it would have been easier and faster to arrive via the teleportation device but Garfield was still in the cave and would be home in M'gann's apartment in Chicago later in the day. Since he also lived with M'gann, Conner had to be careful on how to get Garfield's moped back to the cave where he would find it parked beside the tree. After a mental 'discussion' with his Martian girlfriend, and some 'night persuasion', it was best decided for him to take her ship to pick it up instead of using the Zeta Tubes.

Rounding a corner, he spotted the store a few buildings down. People were entering and leaving, taking their motorcycles, four wheelers, and gear with them. With only forty three minutes until the store closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the team's male powerhouse counted himself lucky for leaving when he did.

If the outside was any indication as to how busy the store was, Conner should have opted for M'gann to join him as she could phase through the bustling group of people to get to the register easier. It actually took him over ten minutes to get to the service desk within the small building, which had a number of cycles on display for the people to look over before they made their purchases. Approaching the desk, he pulled out his ticket and waited for his turn to be called.

"Next," said the cashier as he took his ball cap off and wiped his forehead of a small amount of sweat. His cul-de-sac hair style was a surprise to Conner as he thought he had a head full of hair with the amount sticking out of the sides.

"Uh, yeah," Conner said as he stepped up to the man. "I'm here to pick this up."

Taking the receipt from the Krypto-human, the cashier brought up the purchase on the computer and printed out a proof of pick up. "It's still on the truck, but if you sign here and initial here," he said while pointing to two lines on the paper, "I'll go to the truck and get it for you."

Leaving the register, the man grabbed a set of keys from under the desk and exited through a back door while Conner signed where he was told. After pushing the paper back and checking his watch for the time, his super hearing picked up on a struggle from behind the door the man left through.

Leaving the store quickly, Conner rushed around the front of the building and around the side to see an eighteen wheeler take off from where it was parked behind the store. The driver didn't care if there were people in front of him as he refused to slow down and entered traffic amidst loud honking and swerving cars. Ignoring the maniac truck driver, Conner ran up to the injured man who was lying on the ground.

"Hey, are you hurt? Do you need me to get you to a hospital?" Conner asked as the man sat up. A light trickle of blood fell down the side of his head.

"I don't think so," the cashier answered. "Guy came out of nowhere and hit me with…well, it looked like a club of ice."

"Ice?"

"Yeah. He was thin and blue skinned with white hair."

It wasn't hard for Conner to know who the man was talking about. There was only one person fitting that description, Icicle Junior, Camron Makent. By this time, a few other employees came to see what was happening from hearing the customers yell and scream when the truck took off.

"What happened?" the cashier's supervisor asked as he came up to his employee and Conner.

"Guy jumped me and stole the keys to the truck. He took off towards the highway." The cashier then turned to Conner. "I'm sorry to say, but your moped was it in the trailer."

"It's alright," Conner told him, "as long as you weren't frozen or anything."

After making sure there was no other problems at the store, Conner quickly made his way back to the Bioship. He wasted no time in getting to the pilot's seat and, since M'gann configured the ship to him anytime he used it, he had no problem in pulling up a satellite image of the store around the time the theft occurred. Still photos from an orbiting satellite showed the eighteen wheeler sitting in the lot behind the vehicle store with the second showing the cashier right before he was jumped. Further photographs of the scene showed Icicle Junior sneaking up on the cashier, knocking him down with an ice bat, and taking the truck.

"Alright," Conner said as he took his leather jacket off. He was in his mission gear, black boots, navy blue cargo pants, and his black long sleeve shirt with 'S' shield. "Where did you go?" He then had the ship levitate into the air and followed the trail where each picture showed.

12:13 PM

Following the images supplied by the satellite was easier thought of than done as the images had to be pieced together like a puzzle to get a sense of direction the truck was heading in. It turned out Icicle Junior drove the semi to a warehouse some thirty miles from the dealership he stole it from.

Parking the Bioship on the roof of a neighboring parking garage, Conner grabbed a pair of binoculars and looked the area over. The building Icicle Junior drove the truck into sat in the middle of three others. Behind the metal structure was the San Francisco Bay, and at least one way he couldn't gain access through. Checking his watch, he saw the Christmas Eve party at the cave would begin in less than an hour, leaving him unable to hide the moped without anyone else seeing it, including Garfield. He had to hurry up but didn't want to go barging in without a plan, so he did what he was trained to do as a member of a black ops team, go in quietly.

With the layout of the area in his head, Conner stuck to the sides of the buildings and dumpsters as he neared a side door to the center warehouse. With less than twenty feet separating him from the building's side entrance, which also had a wide open area for him to cross, he took one look around then squat ran to the door. He was almost there when the sound of weapons cocking caught his attention.

"Well if it isn't the clone, or is it Tommy Terror?" Standing in a window above the side door, Icicle Junior leaned against the frame with his arms crossed. "I was hoping none of you do gooders would stick your noses in my business but at least my extensive planning and security force alerted me to you being here."

Looking around, the black ops member saw he was completely surrounded by over a dozen men with grenade launchers and RPGs. All of them had laser sights on him, lighting his chest and head up in red dots.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Conner rolled his eyes. "Cameron, you know what I can do. Grenades and RPGs aren't going to stop me from getting to you and-"

"Oh I think they will," Cameron interrupted. "You see, I've seen what you can stand up to, and one, two, or even twelve might only be able to slow you down, but what about, three times that much?"

At his words, the windows to the center warehouse where he stood opened with two more men each. They too had RPG's, grenade launchers, and even several M202 FLASH four barreled rocket launchers. Before the hero could do anything, Icicle Junior fired a stream of ice at Conner's feet, encasing them and holding him in place as he let out a laugh.

"Blast him into the-" Before the criminal could finish issuing his orders, a loud, shrill sound was heard by all those around the lone man.

"Could you, um, please give me a moment?" Conner asked.

Rolling his eyes, Cameron signaled him to go ahead and answer what was obviously his phone. He couldn't believe the ring tone that played, Katy Parry's Extraterrestrial, and figured it might be the Martian girl Cameron himself once had tried to kill in Bialya.

Looking at the screen, Conner saw a picture of himself with M'gann and her name underneath. She of coarse picked the ring tone for she called him. "Uh, M'gann, now's not a good time."

"M'gann? I'm not M'gann, clone."

"La'gaan?"

With a snort, the Atlantian let out a chuckle. "She's kind of indisposed. I think she's in the shower. I can go check on her if you wa-"

"Don't you dare," Conner said as he held the phone tighter than he thought he was. "Why are you calling me?"

"Relax, she asked me to remind you about the party and something about your mission. She's with Garfield and Artemis (crunch, chew, chew, chew, swallow) they're getting the last of the food in for the party from grilling it in the gazeebo. Mmm, these are sooooo good. (crunch, chew, chew, chew)"

"What's that noise? Are you eating something?"

"Yeah, these Christmas cookies M'gann made. (crunch, chew) She baked a lot of them but these ones shaped like Superman's 'S' shield are even better. (chew, chew, swallow) They are sssssooooooooo good."

Conner instantly knew what he was talking about. Every Christmas, M'gann would go that extra mile and make him a batch of sugar cookies decorated with icing in the shape and color of the symbol he and Superman shared. His eyes widened and nostrils flared as he pictured the Atlantian with his special batch of treats. "You're eating my cookies?!"

"Well, (crunch, chew, chew, crunch, chew, swallow) someone has to since you're not here, chuuuuuummmmmmmmmp."

"STOP EATING MY COOKIES!"

"But they're sssssooooooooooo delish."

"La'gaan you…you…cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit, stop eating my cookies!"

"Oh that's it," Cameron said as he threw his arms up. "Just fire already."

Looking up, Conner completely forgot about everything else as he saw and heard the numerous rockets and grenades being fired at him.

2:02 PM

The party at the cave was in full swing, every member of the black ops team was enjoying good food, good drinks, and good yule tide music. Everyone was dressed in the ugliest Christmas sweater they could find with the girls all wearing reindeer antlers and the boys wearing Santa hats. A long line of foldable tables lined the wall next to the kitchen with bar-b-que, ribs, chicken, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, and various other edibles. Later, the main feast would be replaced with desserts everyone had chosen to be made or bought. As everyone ate or conversed with each other, the door to the hanger area opened and in stepped Conner.

The first to notice him was Mal Duncan who, while going to throw away his used paper plate, saw the Kryptonian and stared at him with wide eyes. As he walked past the large African man and into the main area the party was in, every one of the remaining team members froze in place as they saw him. It was as if they were all frozen in place as they didn't move once he came into view.

"Whoa," Tim said as he lowered his sunglasses.

"Ay chiwawa," Jaime muttered as Conner walked past him.

There was no one on the team who hadn't seen Conner lose his shirt in a fight before; however, this was worse. He only had one boot on, his bare foot slapping against the floor with every step he took. His pants now looked like shorts with his right pant leg somehow still intact and wrapped around his ankle. His boxers had a hole in the right buttock, something Cassie was blushing at when she saw it. The shirt he had on was now nothing more than a collar and left sleeve. Black soot covered his face and body and his hair was sticking out in all directions.

"Whoa, Supey," Wally said as Conner neared him. "What happened to you?"

Instead of answering, the demi-Kryptonian held up a finger to signal 'one moment' as he continued to walk by.

"Conner?" M'gann asked as she came up to him. "Are…are you-" Seeing the look in his eyes told her everything as she backed up and let him venture into the section of the cave with the day rooms.

Shutting the door behind him, Conner closed his eyes and began to breathe hard. He could still see the incoming rockets and grenades as they were fired at him. He never had time to free his legs of the ice Camron shot at him and was completely overwhelmed by the sheer firepower they threw at him before he found himself being flung into the bay from several explosions.

Logic dictates he inform the others of what happened. Logic also told him to not go back there alone without back up. Logic informed him he not care about it as this involved getting his girlfriend's gift for her blood brother, a teen boy who was like a little brother to him as well. He was very protective of him and knew M'gann was as well. He would make sure he got that moped for Garfield and would make sure he got a Merry Christmas if he had to level San Francisco to do it. His eyes shot open, and he knew exactly what he would do.

Hopping in the shower, he rinsed off the soot from his body. After quickly drying himself, he grabbed a new pair of socks, underwear, and Navy blue cargo pants to put on. He then ripped a new pair of black boots out from the closet along with a belt. The last item of clothing he needed, a shirt, was pulled from a dresser, but unlike the other items of clothing, he didn't put it on right away as he saw something laying on a futon with a note.

Grabbing the yellow slip of paper, he read it and saw Garfield had left him something to wear to the party so that he could match with him and M'gann, given they both had green skin. Looking from his usual shirt he wore for missions and the one lying on the futon, he knew which one was best suited for what he was about to do.

Outside in the common room where the party was being held, the team members were worried about what had happened to Conner when he came out of the day room. Everyone saw the look on his face and knew there was no stopping him as he was determined to finish whatever was started earlier. His friends quickly got out of his way as he made a beeline to the Zeta Tubes and whistled.

"Wolf, Sphere, you're coming with me." Obediently, his two 'pets' rushed from where they were at to be right by his side.

Passing Kaldur, he saw La'gaan standing next to the team leader and socked him right in the face, knocking him out. "That's for eating my cookies you son of a…"

"Conner, where are you going?" M'gann asked as she flew up to him. She was then surprised when he grabbed her by the waist, brought her in, and planted a deep kiss on her lips. After a surprised yipe, she felt herself melt into him a moment before he let her go. Her legs felt like Jello from the passionate show of affection.

Reaching the Zeta Tubes with Wolf and Sphere, Conner turned back around to face the others who stared at him in shock. "I'll be back." The three then vanished into the bright light.

"Okay, what just happened?" Dick asked as he helped Kaldur wake La'gaan and stand him up.

"I think it's safe to say Conner's gone Terminator," Cassie said. "And doesn't need any mistletoe."

"Uh, sis?" Garfield asked as he checked on M'gann.

"Huh?" The Martian girl had a dreamy look about her and a blush that was still heavily present.

"Are you…are you alright?"

"I'm…I'm fine Gar. Juuuuuust fine." With her smile still in place, she looked over at the fish faced Atlantian. During the kiss, Conner gave her a mental replay of his earlier phone conversation. "And you," She delivered a psychic blast to the finned Atlantian, knocking him out once again, "never eat Conner's cookies."

2:28 PM

"Okay, let's get this stuff loaded to be shipped out! We don't have all day and the buyers are already lined up!" Walking in front of a line of thugs, Cameron was glad to see his plan to steal and ship out the motorcycles, ATVs, Quads, and in this case, a moped, was going smoothly.

Four trucks were parked inside the warehouse he had the joy of blasting the Kryptonian who had caused him so much grief in the past from. A satisfied smile was still on his face as he remembered seeing his enemy being bombarded with heavy ordnance before a final wave of RPGs sent him into the bay. Clearly he was fish food by now as even the Kryptonian needed to breathe.

As he continued to watch his men work diligently, several loud blasts came from outside. A large fireball erupted into the air as the yells of the men surrounding the area flooded around the buildings. The men loading the trucks next to Camron began to panic at the sound of the loud explosions and stopped what they were doing. Boxes of spare parts were dropped to the floor as they contemplated on either staying to fight or running for their lives. The moment they heard a loud, anger filled roar, was the same moment they decided to make a run for it.

"Hey," Camron yelled after them, "where are you-"

Reaching the side door Conner tried to use earlier, the group of unarmed men came face to face with the snarling white wolf Conner had adopted. His teeth dripped with saliva as he growled threateningly and his eyes blazed with a fire of their own.

"Nice poochie," one of the men nervously said.

"Want some jerky?" asked another.

While the men stayed in place, Camron aimed his fist at Wolf to freeze him in place when the front door was ripped off its hinges and flung at him. The heavy object landed on top of him, pinning his arms to his sides as Conner walked in with Sphere behind him. Her guns were smoking from the firepower she laid down moments ago.

Placing a foot on the door to add his weight to it, Conner cracked his knuckles and gave an evil grin. "Now, where's that moped?"

All Camron could do was shake in fear under the door and stare at the Kryptonian's green shirt. It had a picture of the Grinch smiling wickedly and the words 'MEAN 1' written below the image.

3:41 PM

It had taken him some time to get back to the cave, but he was glad to finally be entering the underground compound with the rest of the black ops team. M'gann had told him to hide Garfield's moped in the cave until morning, but with what happened at the motor sports store, the ambush, and having to go back to the warehouse to deal a kick in the pants to Icicle Junior, he just ended up hiding it in his and M'gann's bedroom with a sheet over it. This of course was after carrying it up a flight of stairs after the other residents in the apartment building had left him enough time to do so without them suspecting him of being a super strong hero, although he could have told them he was the Grinch and his heart had finally grown three sizes.

With the computer announcing his arrival, the others looked in his direction, causing him to give a small nod before heading for the kitchen as Wolf and Sphere ventured into the common room. Wally and Artemis were together with the blonde tossing pieces of frosted popcorn in his mouth known as Christmas trash.

"Hey, Supey, how's it goin'?" Wally asked as he caught another piece of popcorn in his mouth. "What happened earlier?"

Before Conner could answer, Dick ran into the kitchen with his eyes wider than his sunglasses. "Wall, Wall," he said as he caught his breath. "Code red, repeat, code red."

"What? What's wrong?"

"We are in so much trouble."

Back in the common room, the group of the younger team members had gathered in front of the large TV with various drinks and desserts in their hands. All were staring at the screen as a TV host came on while a theme song played.

"Welcome back to Ridiculousness. I'm your host Rob Dyrdek with three of the most wonderful people in the world, the sweet Sterling 'Steelo' Brim, the beautiful blonde bombshell Chanel West Coast, and this large piece of man is my best friend, Big Black Boinkin."

All three of his guests, two dark skinned men and a blonde, bronzed skinned woman, waved for the camera as they sat on a long, red couch. Rob, the host, was standing on a set designed to resemble an oversized laptop computer with its screen displaying the shows logo, a blacked out person hitting the ground with their legs coming close to hitting their head, a move known as a scorpion. Like always, he wore a skater's ensemble complete with baggy jeans, a gray hoodie, and a backwards facing ball cap. Stello relaxed behind a control box with a shirt saying, 'Shut the ELF up'. The larger of the two men had a shirt on with, 'Santa's lap now open' written on it, while Chanel, the lone female, had her hair with streaks of red to resemble a candy cane for Christmas.

"Now, normally, we wouldn't take tapes from off the street as we don't want people doing dangerous stunts to get on this show. But one of our producers was out recording some family fun time when he came across this gem of an incident. Now, I just have to say, do not try this at home."

"What's going on?" M'gann asked as she joined the group.

"Um, M'gann," Karen said nervously, "you might want to sit down for this."

"Why, what's-"

"And two trouble makers had better get in here, now!" Barbra shouted as both Dick and Wally sunk their heads between their shoulders and obeyed.

"Please tell me you didn't do anything stupid," Artemis told her fiancé. "Again."

"Uhhhhhh, okay." Wally shut his mouth after that.

As the video the show's producer took began rolling, the gathered team members saw Wally, Bart, Dick, and Garfield standing on top of a hill. Captions appeared on the bottom of the screen with what they were saying, which was mostly phrased as 'inaudible' as the camera couldn't pick it up. However, the group did identify the word 'Batlube' a time or two. Both Dick and Wally got a fierce Batglare from Barbra after that.

No one spoke a word as they saw Garfield climb aboard the metal disk and shoot down the hill with a trail of fire behind him. The remaining three, Bart, Dick, and Wally stood on the hill for a few moments before making their way off camera, which panned to film Garfield sledding down the hill at a high rate of speed. Two yellow blurs shot after him soon after with one crashing in the woods and the other crashing across a busy highway as the boy it was chasing skidded across four lanes of busy traffic, only to end up crashing in a Costco parking lot.

Everyone in the room looked at the four who were on camera as the TV audieance laughed at the video. Replays were shown with Garfield's head being covered by a Snowman's and how close he came to being run over. The host and his guests even made fun of the use of the word, 'Batlube'.

"Oh my god, Garfield," M'gann yelled as she looked her brother over. She carefully inspected his face, head, arms and gave him a tight hug after seeing there were no marks where she checked.

"Meg…M'gann…sis…" Try as he did, the green teen couldn't tell her anything from how tight she was hugging him.

"Dios Mio," Jaime said as he ran a hand through his hair. "I so want to imitate that!"

"I almost did," Bart told him, "but Dick and Wally stopped me so I could help rescue Gar."

"What were you thinking using that stuff?" Artemis yelled as she slapped Wally upside the head.

"And where can I get some," asked Virgil. "That would be awesome to use after the next snow."

"Dick, if you know who saw this, you're as good as dead," Tim said as he leaned in close to the team's second in command.

"That, that was just…I cannot describe it actually," Kaldur said as she stared at the TV with his jaw hanging open.

"Grayson," Barbra said with her fists clinched, "you have got some- Dick?"

Looking where her partner in crime fighting was, she was surprised to see he was long gone, although given he was Batman's partner for years, she should have expected he would do something like that.

"Wally, I'm gonna ki-" Turning to where her future husband stood, Artemis found he had disappeared as well. "Wally!"

The next sound they heard was the Zeta Tubes activating and the voice of the Computer saying the boy's names. Both girls wasted no time in chasing after them, Barbra with a Bat-A-Rang in one hand, and Artemis with a loaded cross bow.

"Me…M'gann…cho…choking m…me!" After being let go, Garfield took a deep breath as Conner came up behind him. "You're not gonna hug me tight too, are you?" he asked worriedly. "Cause I don't think I can survive a Kryptonian hug after that."

"No," Conner answered, "but I will throw Nightwing and Wally off a building the next time I see them."

"After I make them think they're girls for a week," M'gann added.

No sooner had the party resumed, when a special news broadcast interrupted the current show with Vikki Vale coming on screen.

"This is Vikki Vale reporting from San Francisco. Christmas is usually a time for celebration and warm feelings but that is not the case for what happened here. Earlier today at, Goobersmooch's Motor Sports, Icicle Junior was caught on security footage stealing an eighteen wheeler loaded with special ordered sports vehicles from behind the store. One man, forty seven year old Ross Goobersmooch Junior, was injured in the getaway, but a young man was reported in helping him and soon left before authorities arrived."

Establishing a private link with her boyfriend, M'gann avoided looking at him in an attempt to not give away it may have been him who was there earlier. "Conner, was that why-"

"Yes," Conner answered.

"But how-"

"Shortly thereafter," Vikki continued, "sounds of what witnesses have reported as thunder was heard outside the city. No one paid it any thought as construction was occurring around the same area until there was another round of thunder reported and authorities investigated the area. It was there where they found Icicle Junior tied to the rafters with at least fifty or so wanted criminals tied up under him and the stolen semi-truck with a strange note reading, 'Here's a Scrooge from the Grinch'. What this means is anyone's guess but Authorities have discovered an arsenal of high powered explosives including rocket launchers within large crates. There is also evidence they were used recently but there is no sign of a Grinch or what some of the rounded up criminals are saying a flying motorcycle or a white dog."

Again, everyone's attention turned from the TV to who the reporter mentioned. Conner felt a very cold chill run up his spine with the way his friends stared at him. They're faces all said, 'What did you do?', except for Garfield's saying, 'Why didn't you take me on your mission, too?". With no explanation ready to use, since he really couldn't tell them the truth with M'gann's blood brother there, he clasped his hands behind his back and took a step towards the Zeta Tubes Wally and Dick used for a retreat when a small noise caught everyone's attention.

"What was that?" Bart asked.

"Sounded like a squeaky hinge or something," Virgil commented.

The noise occurred again, bringing Mal's attention to the tree. "I think it came from the Christmas tree."

"Did someone put an ornament that makes noise on it?" Cassie asked as she and Mal went to inspect the decorated fir.

"No, I do not think so." Placing his drink on a nearby table, Kaldur went to see if the others found something in the fir's foliage.

Moving limbs around, Cassie tried to get a better look within the tree. With the amount of ornaments the team decorated it with, it was easier said than done. "Huh, it stopped."

Holding the branches apart, Cassie peeked her head inside a little more when the sound was made again and she shrieked to high heaven. Her sudden cry of fear scared Mal who jumped back from his place and actually hid behind Karen who let out a scream of her own as Cassie turned to face them with a large, brown squirrel on her chest and neck.

"GETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF!" the blonde Amazon cried as she swatted at the small animal.

"SQUIRREL!" Virgil yelled, sending everyone into a tizzy.

Leaping from its spot on Cassie's chest, the squirrel landed on Bart's head. He would have succeeded in capturing it but Tim dove at it, missing the forest creature, and tackling the speedster instead. M'gann tried to use her telepathy to catch it when Kaldur tripped on Jaime, who tried to use a blanket as a net and had his Beetle armor form a hammer on one hand, and fell onto the beverage table, sending the punch bowl flying at M'gann and landing on her head. She was drenched in Christmas punch while Kaldur was covered in egg nog.

"I got it!" Garfield yelled as he morphed into cat and gave chase, only for the squirrel to turn the tides on him and scratch his face. The green cat took off in the opposite direction after the sudden attack with the offending animal behind him.

Seeing his chance, Conner dove with his hands out when everything went black. Jaime's blanket fell over him, blinding him and causing the Kryptonian to run head first into a stone wall, putting a crack in it. Karen grabbed a broom and one of the pot lids to fend off the little critter if it came near her. As it did, she swung the broom back and smacked Mal right in the face before dropping her 'weapons' and trying to climb on him for safety.

With the team focused on catching the fuzzy critter, Conner yelled for Wolf and Sphere to go after it. No one noticed the computer announce the arrival of several of the League's members, and no one noticed them standing in the entrance to the common room as they continued to chase the squirrel.

"Hey, guys," La'gaan said as he came out from the hall leading to the medical wing. He had a bandage over his heavily bruised nose area from where Conner hit him and another bandage around his head from when M'gann telekinetically threw him, "what's going on?"

Those were his famous last words as the squirrel jumped on him for safety right before Sphere ran him down. His unconscious body lay on the floor as the sentient object rolled off of him, completely missing the animal as Wolf snarled while chasing it himself.

The large, white animal didn't let anything stand in his way as he leapt on tables, ducked underneath them, and weaved between the bodies of the members of the team until finally chasing the creature down the hall towards the day rooms. Then, THEN, did the team see the League members and froze in place.

Looking them over, Batman narrowed his eyes at the mess they made. "Explain."

With everyone as still as can be, they were afraid to give an answer. Garfield was under a tray of dropped Buffalo wings, his green cat fur covered in sauce. Karen was on Mal's back, her legs wrapped around his chest as she clung to his head. He in turn had a black eye forming from being hit with the broom earlier. Tim was under the coffee table with his sunglasses askew and in the middle of Cassie's rope, which somehow failed to touch him but was wrapped around the table and two of the couches. Sphere was covered in the food dropped on the floor with Virgil trapped between her and the cracked wall with his feet keeping her from squishing him. His legs were shaking from the strain as to not be crushed. Bart was tangled in the blanket with pie filling covering his face and Cassie was sitting in a bowl of potatoes from slipping on a spilt drink. No one seemed to notice La'gaan knock out again or seemed to care.

"M'gann?" J'onn asked as he saw his niece and her boyfriend.

Standing in the middle of the chaos was the couple. Conner had his hands up as if he were being arrested by the police with his Martian girlfriend around his waist. There was a simple explanation to their compromising position as she had slipped on the spilt banana pudding and caught herself on Conner as she fell…with her hand actually cupping his crotch.

"Hi, Uncle J'onn." She gave him a small wave before placing her hand back on Conner's crotch and became still once again.

"You kids," Superman said as he couldn't believe what he was seeing, "at…at ease." Once they got to their feet again and out from where they may have been trapped, each team member stood before the four League members. "Now, what happened?"

"And don't skip on the details," Flash added as he crossed his arms. "Cause it looks like you all had way more fun than we had at our party."

"Barry," Wonder Woman snapped.

"Sorry, but it's true."

As if things couldn't get any worse, both Wolf and the squirrel came running back into the common room. Taking the League members, except Batman, by surprise, they moved out of the way, except for the Flash as he was, unbelievably, too slow to dodge the forest critter leaping on his face. As he tried to get it off, Wolf pounced on him, sending both he and the animal back into the Zeta Tube and out of the cave.

"What…was…that?" Superman asked.

With a sigh, Wonder Woman shook her head. "You had better have a good explanation as to why Barry was just attacked by a squirrel."

"And in case you're wondering if you can keep the squirrel, Conner, the answer is no." Giving them the bat glare again, the Dark Night waited for their reason as to why the cave was a complete mess as Conner crossed his arms and looked away.

11:57 PM

It had taken them a while, but the group had finally finished cleaning the cave and applying spackle to the spot Conner cracked with his head. With everyone out of the cave for Christmas and home, the League left for wherever it is they go to for Christmas Day.

At the apartment Conner, M'gann, and Garfield shared, the three were already turning in for the night. The green teen boy was already in bed, dreaming of what he would get in the morning from his surrogate parents. All was quiet in the apartment as Conner made sure the front door was locked and M'gann set the thermostat.

"I still can't believe that happened," the Martian girl said as set the temperature for the night. "What a mess."

"Yeah," Conner responded. "At least it didn't take long to clean up, what with Bart eating most of what was left."

"Did you see Tim taste the pie on his face with his finger? He was so upset it was the one Cassie brought for the party." M'gann began to laugh quietly at the memory.

"Yeah, that was pretty good."

"And you know what else I couldn't believe?" Meeting him at in front of the lit tree, M'gann wrapped her arms around Conner's neck. "You went through all that trouble in picking up his moped for me and keeping it a secret."

"Well, I wasn't going to disappoint him if I could help it." He wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close.

"There's just one thing that's on my mind right now though." She brought him closer to her until their noses were touching.

"And that is?"

"After all the trouble you went through for Gar," she then smiled as their lips came even closer, "I'm wondering…what did you get me?"

Conner looked up with wide eyes, hanging jaw, and the awful realization he had forgotten to go back to James Avery and pick up…the ring.

The End

And now, a Christmas song-

Batman Got Run Over By A Reindeer

Batman got run over by a reindeer

Walking from the Batcave Christmas eve

You can say there's no such thing as Santa

But as for me and Nightwing, we believe

He'd been drinkin' too much Bat-nog

And we'd begged him not to go

But he'd left his cape and cowl

So he stumbled out the door into the snow

The team found his costume Christmas mornin'

At the scene of the attack

There were hoof prints on his mask's forehead

And incriminatin' claw marks on its back

Batman got run over by a reindeer

Walkin' from the Batcave Christmas eve

You can say there's no such thing as Santa

But as for me and Batgirl, we believe

Now were all so proud of Nightwing

He's been takin' this so well

See him in there watchin' football

Drinkin' Bat-beer and playin' Bat-cards with the hot Batgirl

It's not Christmas without Batman

All the League is dressed in black

And we just can't help but wonder

Should we play with all his gadgets or pawn them off?

(Pawn them off)

Batman got run over by a reindeer

Walkin' from the Batcave Christmas eve

You can say there's no such thing as Santa

But as for me and Robin, we believe

Alfred's goose is on the table

And the pudding made of fig, ahhh

Then we got a call form Catwoman

She said they're on vacation eating a roast pig

We've all told Lieutenant Gordon

Batman's taking a vacay

When he asked us who he is with

We said he's with a woman with a whip and a bat fetish

Batman got abducted by Catwoman

Walkin' from the Batcave, Christmas eve

You can say Bruce doesn't love Selina

But as for me and Nightwing, we believe!

(Sing it Robin!)

Batman got abducted by Catwoman

Walkin' from the Batcave, Christmas eve

You can say Bruce doesn't love Selina

But as for me and Nightwing, we believe!

Merry Christmas!