Merry Christmas to any devoted readers I still have left! :) I've had a hankering to do something, and it's a school break, so...enjoy!!

*I would recommend reading the other two GoT stories I wrote first, but it's not completely necessary.

"Christmas waves a magic wand over the world, and behold, everything is softer, more beautiful."

-Norman Vincent Peale

"Look, Charlie Brown, let's face it. We all know that Christmas is a big commercial racket. It's run by a big eastern syndicate you know."

-Lucy, A Charlie Brown Christmas

Isabel

Secretly, I've always believed in the magic of Christmas. Not in the legend of the fat old man who breaks and enters- Matt tried to make me believe in Santa Claus until he finally realized when I was in Year 8 that I was just humoring him, and that Mum had spilled the beans years ago. Even without the fairytale though, it holds something magic, some feeling of peace and joy throughout the Earth-

"What the HELL is up with the weather?"

Except, apparently, where Dillon trods his huge feet and mouth.

"I mean, seriously, it's a monsoon. WHY do we not get snow? It's like it's an Armageddon of water out there- if it's still raining on Christmas, I'll…I'll…"

"Please finish that sentence." Ethan's lying on the couch, half listening to Dillon, half-engrossed in the football rerun on TV. "I'm sure the weather gods are just terrified right now."

"There's still a week until Christmas, I'm sure it'll stop by then." Rochelle walks into the living room- her living room, actually, where Ethan, Dillon, and I are all sitting- looking tired but absolutely gorgeous even in jeans and a t-shirt. Ethan obviously thinks so too- he pops up immediately and kisses her.

"Are you feeling alright? Tired? Here- there's a spot on the couch."

Rochelle smiles gently at him. Since giving birth to Kaylee Laura Roberts a month ago, she's been pestered continuously by an over-protective Ethan. "I'm fine, just tired. Wrapping presents for you all is no easy task."

"Did you hurt yourself with the tape? Are you bleeding anywhere from misplaced-scissor accidents? Oh my God- DID THE WRAPPING PAPER CUT YOU?" Dillon actually nails Ethan's voice and tone dead-on, which, I swear, is the only reason I laugh.

Rochelle's gentle smiles are really only reserved for Ethan and small children. Dillon gets a look that could kill if she had the power.

"Sorry. Um. Really, it's cute that he worries, I have his man card for safekeeping until he wants it back- OUCH! Sorry! I really am…"

Dillon is saved by a thin cry from the bedroom, which grows into a wail.

"She's awake." Rochelle springs up and rushes away. "I call NOT waking up with her tonight."

"Shouldn't Matt and Neriah be back with the kids by now?" Ethan looks at the VCR clock, set by Arkarian after 3 hours of effort, which indicates that it's almost time for dinner. The two Immortals took Evie and Gabe to the mall for some "Christmas shopping." Very well meaning, but we all have a tendency to spoil the kids, and Neriah has the largest heart I've ever known, and Matt will do anything she does. So outings with Uncle Matt and Aunt Neriah tend to have slightly disastrous aftereffects.

"I bet Neriah bought Evie a whole store." Dillon groans, but I see the goofy smile that spreads over his face. Evie is his basically adopted daughter; he's dating her older sister, Jocelyn, who takes classes at the community college. They live in her apartment, about a mile away from this little house. Jocelyn and Evie also happened to have come through the portal in time from ancient Athens.

"Gabe's probably going to be on sugar overload all night." Ethan can't quite keep the expression of dread on his face. Gabe is the little boy that he and Rochelle adopted after accidentally bringing him from medieval France.

Yeah. We've got our issues.

Gabe and Evie, both 6, also happen to be members of the next generation of the Guard, the Chosen. Arkarian will begin training them either this year or the next, whenever he and Matt deem them ready.

We can hear the shrieking even before the door opens, and the two kids race in at full speed.

"MUM! DAD! UNCLE MATT LET ME DRIVE! HE LET ME DRIVE THE RED CAR!"

"Aunt Isabel!" Evie sees me first and comes running. "Aunt Neriah says to show you these!" She points to her ears, where there are large diamonds glittering. "They're Sparklies," she says importantly. "Aunt Neriah says they're practice."

"They're not real. Clip-ons." Neriah assures me from the doorway, having heard my thoughts. "They're just practice, right Eve?"

"Right!" From the little girl's smile, she could really care less that they're not real piercings. As I'm assuring her that she's heartbreakingly beautiful, Rochelle comes back in the room with Kaylee in her arms.

"Matt. You let my 6-year-old drive?"

"It was around the parking lot!" Matt assures her, exchanging looks with Dillon and Ethan, who doesn't look at all upset. "And it was a Porsche. Every man should know what that feels like at some point in his life."

"This is true." Ethan looks at his wife with an insolent grin.

She rolls her eyes, but is interrupted from further scolding by the arrival of a tall redhead woman, looking completely modern in a skirt and flowery tank top. "Hello, everyone!"

"Hey, Jocelyn."

"Jocelyn!"

"Jossey!" (From Evie.)

But it's Dillon's reaction that we all love to watch. His eyes light up and his smile turns from a smirk to a genuinely goofy 100-watt grin. He stands up and goes over to her immediately, making Evie giggle with delight as he kisses her sister. Jocelyn and Dillon hooked up pretty soon after her arrival in Angel Falls, much to the satisfaction of all who enjoyed watching her force humility on him.

"Finals all over?"

"I'm a teacher!" Jocelyn beams. She powered through a five-year program in three years, proving that Dillon got incredibly, incredibly lucky.

"That's awesome! I guess that means a celebratory dinner is in order then." Dillon smiles.

"Aww, that's just adorable." Ethan smirks from the couch. "With you paying and EVERYTHING?"

"Shut up." Dillon mouths when Jocelyn leans down to see Evie's new earrings.

"He said a bad word." Gabe immediately reports to the room.

"Alright, alright everyone- I think it might be time to leave." Neriah nods to the couch, where Rochelle has passed out on Ethan, with baby Kaylee sleeping peacefully on her chest.

Everyone tries to leave as quietly as they can, although Dillon grabs Gabe and twirls him over his head as the little boy laughs gleefully. "Me too!" Evie demands, stretching her arms out as they file out the front door.

"Guard meeting tomorrow!" Matt reminds everyone, ever the dutiful leader.

I stay a few minutes after everyone else, making Gabe sit down and calmly eat some Easy Mac before he runs to his room to play.

"Thanks Iz," Ethan is absentmindedly stroking Rochelle's hair. "We really appreciate your help. With school and work and the kids, it's not easy for Rochelle. I already know she's stressing over presents." Rochelle goes to school part time and looks after Gabe and Kaylee during the day while Ethan works. Shaun died last year of heart failure, leaving his leather-working shop and quite a bit of money to his son. Ethan knew nothing about leather-working, so he turned it into a bookstore. It does pretty well in business, but he and Rochelle have a lot to pay for with young children and school. Neither one of them will ever accept financial help either, although Matt and Neriah could get it quite easily.

"Aren't we all," I sigh. "I haven't the slightest clue what to get Arkarian. And it's a week away."

"Isabel. You're like a Christmas-spirit Nazi. You ALWAYS have gifts by November."

"Shut it." I wish I could hit him without waking the sleeping girl and baby on his chest. "What'd you get Rochelle?"

His grin vanishes. "Yeah, about that…"

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I didn't write this for the reviews, but a hello would be appreciated! It's been a long time, and I'm sorry.

-Halo