The easy, excited grin fell from the teen speedsters face instantly and he was sorely tempted to pull the cell away from his ear and try to glare through the screen. Instead he settled for an irritated, if somewhat childish, whine.

"But dude, we do the tree lighting every year! You know it's my favorite!"

"It still can be! And besides, you mean the food's your favorite." Dick Grayson and part time boy wonder chuckled in correction on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, well of course, it's a pretty nice spread." Wally had to concede. The massive tree-lighting in Gotham square had a festival atmosphere and the best eats in Gotham came out with free samples and vendor stands. Egg Nog, Mulled cider, hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, candied pecans, baklava, cookies, cakes, hot fruit cobbler, pies, tarts, puddings, and a veritable plethora of fragrant roasted meats. "But that's not the only reason. It's tradition we do it together!"

"Dude, we'll still be together…"

"Not the same." And you know it. He added silently.

"Wally…come on. Please? Don't make me beg just to have you hang out with us."

Wally fell back into his pillows and sighed. How could he explain? Of course he wanted to have fun and hang out but… a red blur out his window in the distance startled him out of his thoughts and had him sitting back up.

"Hey, Uncle B's here, I'll think about it and call ya later."

"Okay, see ya!"

His thumb was just making it to the end call button when there was a breeze and the Flash was at his open bedroom door.

"What are you going to think about?" Barry asked immediately. Wally usually didn't have to (or want to) think anything over. Speedsters were good that way fast and instinctual thinkers so he was already curious.

"What? Oh…Dick invited me to the Gotham Tree Lighting." Wally explained with a half hearted shrug and a soul suffering sigh. Barry rose an eyebrow.

"Why's that something you need to think about? You didn't stop talking about it for a month last year." Hell, Barry had plans to run over there this year and check it out before he had gotten Iris some hard to come by tickets. Happy wife, happy life they say and there was always next year.

"He invited Zatanna and Artemis this year."

"I thought you were past the girls were icky stage? Need ol' Uncle Barry to explain the birds and the bees again?" The Flash snickered as his nephew made the desired face of exasperated disgust.

"GOD NO! It's not that they're girls it's…" He paused and snuck his uncle a look, deciding whether or not to continue. Barry shut the boy's door and sat next to him on the bed.

"What is it?" He asked gently without pushing. Wally frowned and kept his eyes firmly on his cell phone in his hand.

"Artemis. She died you know…" He waved a hand in the air in emphasis, making brief eye contact with his uncle for a minute before continuing. "In that training mission from hell, I mean. We'd been getting along better before that though and maybe we became friends, sorta." Wally found himself embarrassingly rubbing the back of his neck at even this lame confession.

"And afterward you knew how much she really means to you?" Barry guessed with a smile. The value of life and living for today was an important lesson for even young heroes it seemed.

"YES! NO! I DON'T KNOW!" Wally howled in frustration, causing his uncle Barry to reel back at the sudden outburst. After heavy breaths were had Barry patted him on the back.

"Explain it to me."

"I can't." Wally almost whined in anguish.

"Try. I can't help ya kid if I don't get what's wrong. Think it out for me."

Wally grinned for a moment at how simple his uncle seemed to make things. He hoped he'd get this ability someday.

"Uh…I guess the thing is the only other person I saw die was Kent Nelson and his last words were kinda romantic advice. That makes them extra poignant you know?" Uncle Barry nodded his understanding. "He said I should get a spitfire and while he didn't say her name, he only saw me with Artemis. Then I start seeing how not terrible she is, I mean she isn't Speedy but that's okay and even better. Maybe. Then she died. Now I feel all this pressure!"

"Pressure?"

"Yeah! I maybe was considering asking her out before but even then I felt like maybe I was just thinking about it because of the Dr. Fate thing. So I didn't but then she died and it was too late and I totally regretted not doing it after all."

"So what's the problem Wally? Can't you just ask her out now?"

"Because! Maybe I only felt that because she died and feel pressure to ask her out now to make up for some weird 'sorry you died' guilt. I wanted to take some time and figure this out. Maybe let things get back to normal first but now she's going to the tree lighting thing this weekend and it's going to feel like a double date. UGH!"

"I see." Barry sighed with a smile. "Well you don't have to go to the tree lighting. I mean if you tell Dick what's up maybe he could do something, bats work in mysterious ways."

"But…" Wally's voice fell to a whisper. "I can't leave him hanging. He never asks for anything and this is his shot with Zatanna."

"He told you that?" Barry asked, surprised that Batman's ward was already trying to get with girls. How old was he these days? Wally looked at him plainly.

"He didn't have to Uncle Barry. He's my best friend. I think he got Zatara to release his daughter's house arrest under the guise of a group activity. Knowing Dick he knew something was up with me and Artie and thought this would be the perfect low pressure solution." He hung his head slightly. "First time he's ever been so wrong."

Barry sighed as he patted his nephew encouragingly on the shoulder before giving it a squeeze.

"It's alright kid. Sounds like you want to ask her out but not for the wrong reasons. We Flashes sure are a class act!" He mussed Wally's hair affectionately while the kid groused. "Seriously, just ask her out when you feel it's right and you'll be able to collect more data on the why (or if the why even matters) later."

"Hmm maybe." But the way some of his natural mirth was shining through Barry knew the kid was more than considering it.

"Besides, sounds like you already want to go to this thing."

"Yeah." For Rob. For the food. Maybe to see what the deal with Artemis was. "Yeah." He repeated with renewed confidence.

"That's the spirit kid. Now hurry up and get changed. There's this place in Australia with killer fish tacos and even better steak! It'd be a good chance to practice running on water."

Wally was in his Kid Flash outfit before Barry could say 'Throw another shrimp on the Barbie.'

Artemis wasn't expecting Zatanna to meet her outside the Gotham Zeta tube phone booth. She gave a silent thanks that she had stopped by the Cave to get her jacket earlier or else the magician would have been stood up in her stakeout.

"Zatanna? Why aren't you with Robin?"

"I told him to find a good spot."

"Heh, good luck finding him." Artemis nearly snorted. Gotham, his home turf, in a large crowd covered in hiding places. Zatanna gave her a knowing smile.

"I don't need luck, fortunately for us. "

"Ah right, the magic."

"Sure I could do that- Nibor rof yrcs!" She commanded and a purple swath of light shone in her hands. Within the smoky purple Artemis could clearly make out Robin in his trademark shades, black jacket, red silk shirt peaking underneath, and was that a black tie? He was standing two rings of people back from the velvet ropes encircling the massively bedecked Gotham Christmas tree and small stage. Suddenly Robin looked up and pulled out a cellphone, smiled as he recognized the caller id and held it to his ear.

"Hey. I just picked up Artemis. Where are you?" Artemis looked up at Zatanna and groaned as she grinned into her cell, pressing a few keys to make the noise in downtown Gotham fill the alleyway.

"Hey! I'm left of the stage, say two or three rows back? In the center."

"Okay! See you in a bit!" She ended her call and grinned. "Oh hey! I guess I didn't need magic after all." The purple vision winked out with a shake of her fist and Artemis could just shake her head.

"Okay, I get it. No need to make me feel stupid."

"Says you! I don't get a lot of chances with your team mates around."

"It's not so much you don't have a chance, it's more that Wally holds the crown of stupid."

"Ah! That's why I came to meet you actually! I just wanted to say thank you for coming out with us."

"Huh?" Artemis cocked her head in confusion. "Why would I need thanks? It sounds like fun."

"Well I didn't know if you were still angsting over Superboy and here you are spending the night with a wanna be couple and someone you say is stupid royalty." Zatanna explained. "Not necessarily what some would call a good time."

"Oh yeah, that." The archer shrugged as she searched for the explanation that eluded her on Halloween. "I wasn't upset because I had a thing for Superboy, more that they kept something so innocent a secret." She found she had unconsciously clenched her fists and shook them out to loosen them. "If they can't trust me with even that, maybe they aren't as close friends as I think they are."

"Oh." Zatanna slung an arm around Artemis's shoulders and tried not to shrug off the gesture on reflex as they headed out of the ally and toward the festivities down town. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. They were only so obvious to me because they were WAY into each other. Not so much a sneaky secret, more….I forgot you exist because I'm so wrapped up in this other person and this new thing we have."

"Yeah that makes me feel better." Artemis grumbled sarcastically. Except, it kinda did make her feel a LITTLE better about the whole thing. At least they weren't trying to keep her out of the loop. If Zatanna was right they were just being rude due to hormones. Stupid hormones.

"Sorry." But she was smiling too much for it to be an actual apology. "And what about the second part. Being with someone so stupid as stupid Wally isn't asking too much?"

"Okay you can stop calling him stupid." She growled in annoyance. He wasn't really stupid. He knew how to assemble an EMP emitter from random parts on hand without any reference materials at all. If anything he was a nerd.

Zatanna lifted her hands in defense.

"Just using your words!"

"Yeah well, don't. He's just…immature. Infuriating."

"Annnnd?" Zatanna prompted with a rather large snarky grin. "You're still willing to hang out with him, don't make me pull an Ivo on you."

"AND…he might be kinda fun to insult and annoy back." She admitted in a barely audible grumble. "Happy?" Zatanna rocked back on her heals innocently.

"Maybeee…."

Just then Robin popped up right in front of her, nearly giving Artemis a heart attack.
"WAHHH!" Of course Robin cackled with pleasure at her distress and she punched him in the shoulder. "GAH! You two deserve each other!" She felt a little better as Robin and Zatanna glanced at each other and blushed before looking quickly away.
Robin belatedly grabbed his newly injured shoulder.

"Dang Artemis! That's not fair, how'd you get to be so strong?"

Normally she'd say 'hard work' loud and proud but she was actually wearing a red jumper dress in some kind of fake velvet over black stockings and a black turtleneck that her mother had insisted she wear (and frankly her mother cared more than she did at the time) and suddenly felt self-conscious. Wearing a dress she'd slugged a smaller and younger boy. Great, already a failure of femininity.

"Pulling a bow string, DUH." Wally sniped between chews of one of the many sticks of chicken teriyaki he held in his fist while the other relentlessly noogied the incognito boy wonder. He had zipped up from out of nowhere but somehow wasn't nearly as startling as their resident ninja. He offered up the rest of his sticks to the group and continued as Robin pulled out a mirror and discreetly tried to correct the damage his best friend had caused. "Seriously the tensile strength of a bowstring is something fierce, the pounds of pressure per square inch…man." He shook his head. "That's how that dude invented the bowflex on tv, you know." He paused and grinned as he shuffled from foot to foot lightly. "Hi, by the way. You're all looking nice…" His eyes lingered on Artemis for a moment. "And festive."

Artemis grinned. Now the fun could really start.

"Thanks. You'd know about festive too. That's some sweater…" Wally was wearing a slightly too tight brown and green sweater over his green polo featuring a crude rendition of three reindeer playing ping-pong.

"Ha! Yeah! Isn't it terrible? I love it! Aunt Iris knitted it. Her first sweater! Wait, wait…" He turned around and showed off the back. Rudoph sitting in the snow, looking depressed. "Get it?"

"Yeah, yeah, reindeer games, we get it. You look really nice, by the way. You put the En in chanting." Robin grinned over at Zatanna. She was wearing a long sleeve white, lacy blouse over a simple black skirt with red plaid pleats that fanned out when she moved. The santa hat had appeared on her head somewhere between the alley and the tree, Artemis noted.

"I wasn't talking to you." Wally grumbled to himself.

"Ha, thanks! You look quite dashing yourself. Oh that reminds me!" She made a quick movement with her hand. "Gniyps morf dad pots!"

Robin cackled happily.

"Good?"

"Good."

"Wait, so she seriously knitted that for you? And you're actually wearing it?" Artemis had to reiterate, ignoring the interruption. Wally smiled at the attention.

"Yeah, jealous?"

"Pfft, not hardly. Why? If I said yes would you knit me one?"

Wally smirked knowingly.

"NO WAY. YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO KNIT!" Artemis nearly screamed in disbelief. Suddenly any answer he was about to give was drowned out by a nearby speaker coming alive and playing a loud and rousing tune of Silver Bells as everyone directed their attention toward the main stage. She kept eye contact with Wally for a couple of additional seconds and he wiggled his eyebrows at her as he mouthed carefully.

"Don't I?"

Up above the festivities on a nearby rooftop Cheshire was holding a pair of binoculars to her eyes and shaking her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe she's wearing that dress." The sound of a bowstring being pulled taut had her rolling out of her position and lifting her sai, deflecting the oncoming arrow into the air conditioning unit to her left.

Red Arrow had charged forward in the time it took her to deflect and after a series of fast and furiously traded blows a sweep kick dropped the assassin to the floor. One movement later he was on top of her, holding his bow tight against her throat.

"Never thought you one to gossip about fashion Cheshire…"

"Why? Is it a topic you'd like to discuss? Perhaps you'd like to discuss the color red since you do seem to have an affinity for it."

Red Arrow spared a glance toward the stage. Bruce Wayne was heading up to the microphone with a beautiful brunet on his arm. The dress was a sequined bronze.

"Seems to me that's the color you're so occupied with." He smiled with a sneer.

"Only for the moment." She agreed as she tested his hold. Damn. Solid. Her moment spurred him to seriousness.

"What are you doing here Cheshire? Who's the target?"

"What are you doing here, arrow? You have no back up, you didn't expect to see me here."

Roy made sure his eyes didn't flick over toward Wally, Robin, Artemis, and Zatanna. He wasn't a baby-sitter. Nor was he that bored that he felt like checking up on what Barry had let slip as 'first date' material to Canary. Instead he smirked.

"Maybe I think I can handle you alone. I'm doing okay so far."

"Hmm…Cocky."

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Bruce Wayne's voice erupted from the microphone after the complete rendition of Silver Bells. "Welcome! It's once again 'Christmas time in the city' and that means the Gotham City Christmas Tree Lighting! This year we're honored to have the Metropolis Jr. Marching Band here to assist our own Gotham South Jr High with the music this year."

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Roy hissed into her neck.

"Enjoy the festivities and please be sure to make donations to your favorite charity this year, it is the time for giving! Thank you and Merry Christmas. And without further ado…Santa can I get some help here?" Wayne's voice continued.

"What a coincidence. Besides red, hand me downs were on my mind…." A hand came loose and trailed down Red Arrows firm chest slowly…

Down below a jolly Santa wandered across the stage and wagged a finger at Bruce and his date for apparently being naughty, garnishing a laugh from the crowd and rolled eyes behind the shades of one boy wonder.

"HO HO! I know you're all good boys and girls out there but let's help out old Santa with one more thing! Let's count this down! I need a 3-2-1 Merry Christmas, okay!" There were shouts of agreement and cheer from across the group picked up by the microphone.

"THREE!" Came the shout and Red Arrow felt his pulse quicken. Her hand was free and what the hell was she doing?

"TWO!" He needed to neutralize it. He pinned it with his elbow but it wouldn't hold long.

"ONE!" She pushed the elbow free with better leverage before snatching the other sai at her waist and lunging up as Red Arrow flipped back.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Smoke bomb tossed at his feet and she was gone through the haze of smoke and the new overpowering mystical glow of the newly lit Christmas tree.

"Happy Holidays, arrow-boy! And tell your little friends too…" Came a feminine disembodied voice and Red Arrow cursed as he took off in the direction he guessed she disappeared to.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Robin, Wally, Artemis, and Zatanna shouted as the tree in front of them lit up suddenly in a beautiful glow of moving and twinkling lights. They laughed and ahhhed in wonder with the rest of the crowd.

Robin pulled a box from his pocket and grabbed Zatanna's hand suddenly.

"So, Merry Christmas, Zatanna!" His usually precise and dexterous fingers quivered as he abruptly shoved the box into her hand.

"Oh wow! Robin, I didn't get you anything!" She exclaimed as she worked the red ribbon off the box.

"It's okay!" He waved her concerns away with a hand. "I just happened to see it and…" he finished with a shrug, knowing whatever he would have finished with would've been more than cheesy.

"Oh, it's lovely, Thank you!" She held up a porcelain Christmas ornament of a magician's top hat adorned with holly and with a dove in flight coming out of it. She carefully gave Robin a hug while he chuckled happily, tips of his ears turning pink.

Artemis and Wally watched this exchange awkwardly and tried to look back at the lights and enjoy the now playing band.
"Wally, you brought Artemis something, didn't you?"

"WHAT?" Wally's neck nearly whiplashed back to Robin's face. Artemis too had turned to look but her eyes were firmly on the speedster.

"You got me something?"

"He sure did. You didn't forget, did you? Left pocket."

Wally swore to himself as he reached into his pants and discovered a box planted there earlier without his notice. Damn it, Rob! He frowned in irritation. Dick's intentions were good but why couldn't he just make his own romantic decisions on his own.

"Dude, you're crazy. Why would I get her anything?" He knew immediately he had screwed up as Artemis's face hardened and both Zatanna and Robin (no longer embracing) winced.

"Dude…" Robin whispered in part awe and part apology.

"Of course he wouldn't get me something. " She grumbled to herself, more angry at herself for suddenly feeling a weird and baseless swell of hope and then disappointment. This wasn't a date. They weren't a cutesy crafty couple. They were just barely friends and out as nothing more than fellow chaperones.

"No…listen, Artemis, I…" Wally began as he ran a hand through his hair only to be interrupted by a huge rumble and explosion.

Concrete and ornaments went flying as the Christmas tree suddenly sprouted huge flowing and growing roots and seemed to lift itself out of its Gotham Square resting place. Screams pierced the air and the crowd scattered with the name of the most likely suspect already on their lips.

"IVY!" Robin cursed as the vixen in green slid down an adorned branch to land on the stage next to Bruce Wayne. He moved to run when Harley Quinn popped out of a nearby decorative present.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I MEAN, MERRY CHRISTMAS, !" She giggled

with a cartwheel till she was flanking him and effectively blocking his escape.

"We've got to help him!" Artemis growled.

"I'll contact the league!" Zatanna pulled out her communicator.

"WAIT." Robin put his hand on hers as he stared at the scene.

Ivy pulled Bruce closer and nuzzled him intimately.

"I think you know what we want so you're coming with us!"

No one would notice but Bruce had met Robin's eyes and now his hand was making a series of quick movements.

Do not engage unless level 3 or more emergency upgrades the situation.

Robin signaled back. Clenched fist open, palm up. Acknowledged.

"No. I'll signal Batman. He'll want to take care of this. Let's go catch a movie or something…"

"WHAT?" Zatanna and Artemis mouths dropped open together in shock.

The massive tree grabbed Bruce Wayne in its branches, lent a branch for Ivy and Harley to climb aboard, and started heading West.

"In case you haven't noticed Boy Wonder, Batman isn't here! WE ARE!" Artemis hissed.

"Mr. Wayne has had training from Batman, he can handle himself until Batman arrives. Trust me guys!" Robin appealed as Zantanna leveled a disappointed and pissed look in his direction.

"I can't BELIEVE YOU! Leaving a civilian in danger on the hopes Batman will come take care of it? You're not who I thought you were! Come on, Artemis!" She surged ahead in the direction of the kidnapping tree and with an angry nod Artemis was at her heals, leaving a shell-shocked Robin behind. Wally patted Robin on the back in sympathy.

"Dude, the problem is that she really doesn't know you. Well who you are anyway. Looks like you're engaging despite the bat's wishes."

Robin gave Wally a small smile and with a shared nod they took off after the girls, catching up a block or two later with a little piggy back ride on the speedster.

"Thought you had a movie to go see…" Artemis sneered and Wally was ever so glad she'd never glared at him like that. His glares were more…playful he guessed. Robin looked appropriately contrite.

"Sorry, Wally talked some sense into me. I'm in."

"You're kidding?" Artemis asked in disbelief. Robin shook his head. Wally made a mental note to bro-fist him later.

"Okay then," Zatanna smirked "Then we need a change of clothes." A spell later and a uniformed mini-team descended on a poorly hidden Gotham Plant Conservatory. It actually was pretty well hidden, the big Christmas Tree sticking out of it's now broken domed roof kinda gave it away though.

The team stealthily entered unseen and watched as a fistful of goons seemed to be itching to play with the two villainesses new main squeeze.

"Ladies! You didn't have to kidnap me! If you want to go on a shopping spree I'll just give you my platinum card! It's never questioned!" Bruce pulled out his wallet, only for the whole thing to be snatched away.

"I'll take the whole thing if ya don't mind! I promised to get Mr. J something nice this year!"

Ivy rolled her eyes, wishing that the girl would drop the clown but she knew better than to believe in Christmas miracles.

"Sure, sure! You better hurry though! The shops will be closing in a couple hours!"
"Unfortunately he's right, Harl. Let's get a move on." Ivy smiled as she had the tree lift her aloft once more, extending a hand for the Joker's number one lady to grab.

"We'd invite you along Mr. Wayne but we think there's more at that nice place of yours so it'd just be better all-around if you're dead when we get back! Toodles!" Harley waved back as she jumped and grabbed Ivy's hand.

The goons surrounded Bruce Wayne. Artemis notched an arrow. Zatanna opened her mouth. Robin and Kid Flash watched.

A shadow came across Bruce Wayne's face as he let himself be the bat. The amnesia spray in his hidden belt should take care of any unwanted memories, that is if the pounding he was about to deliver didn't do the work for him.

In a fluid movement Bruce Wayne began to move, blow to the jaw here, back of the neck there, flipping this thug into a wall, that thug into another uglier thug. A kick to drop the goon about to strike him from behind. He looked at the now dispatched foes and sighed as he pulled out his cell phone.

"Alfred, could you cancel my credit cards. Harley and Poison Ivy took my wallet. Yes, again."

Robin slipped out of the building the way they came, followed by Kid Flash, Artemis, and Zatanna.

"We…weren't supposed to see that, were we?" Zatanna asked in whispered shock.

"Nope." Robin sighed. "Not even a little."

"Can we pretend that didn't just happen?" Artemis asked.

"Sounds good to me."

"Wait, before we do that." Zatanna pulled out the ornament Robin had given her and said a quick spell, turning the dove into a robin and the holly into Mistletoe. "I'm sorry. I should have known you'd have a reason." She held it above Robin's head and gave him a big kiss. He stood there wide-eyed behind his domino mask for a second before he kissed back. Asterous. Very Asterous.

Artemis and Wally shared a smirk as they glanced at the happy couple.

"You knew this whole time, didn't you?"

"Yeah." Wally shrugged. "Wasn't my secret to tell. Oh! By the way…" Wally pulled out a tiny purple cloth bag tied with a white ribbon. "Merry Christmas."

"Wait, you did get me something?" She exclaimed as she opened the bag with a gasp.

"Yeah…it's not what Rob slipped into my pocket. An ornament or earrings or whatever, but you can totally have whatever that is too, I just wanted to give you my gift when the time was right. " If the time was right, he added silently.

She poured the contents in her hand and gasped in recognition.

"Yeah, I stole some of Roy's arrowheads. I think I got some cool ones. That one there is definitely foam. That one is an acid capsule. That one is a tracking device. This one here is…"

"Wally?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing for New Years?"

Wally just laughed.

"I was going to ask YOU that!"

END

— Omake bonus —

Meanwhile in Happy Harbor, RI

Outside the Happy Harbor Community Rec center crowds poured out of the main hall, still congratulating the elementary school students on their heart-felt(if slightly out of tune) concert of Christmas carols. There was a bit of commotion as the crowd slowed to a standstill at the doorway to the adjacent park and play area. Mouths hung open, in amazement at the winter wonderland around them.

A cry of pure joy and excitement made its way through the crowd as children took their parents hands and ran out to explore the wonders! Ice sculptures! Igloos! Snow forts! Snow underfoot! HOW? Rhode Island was hovering at freezing temps but there had only been one freak snowstorm back before Halloween!

Off to the side Conner smiled and nudged Megan lightly to point out some kids already making snow angels, snow balls and snowmen laughing and having a ball already.

"You should be proud Conner! This was your idea. This definitely has everyone feeling the Christmas spirit." She commented mentally, sending a sample of the overwhelming warm fuzzy feeling of happiness, cheer and contentment.

He adjusted his Santa beard and grinned back at his Mrs. Claus, suspecting as she clumsily sloshed the fruit punch she was pouring, that maybe it was possible for Martians to get a contact high or become emotionally drunk from being around so many people feeling the same things. She was blushing as she nudged him back toward his sleigh, so maybe…

"LOOK! SANTA'S HERE TOO!" One child shrieked and just like that Conner couldn't think anymore as a stampede of children came from everywhere and swarmed all over him, having pictures taken, asking him questions, telling him what they wanted for Christmas. Those not abusing the invulnerable Santa (who knew invulnerability would be such an important trait for Santa. Maybe Santa was Kryptonian? He flew and wore red. He'd investigate this later…) were drinking Megan's punch and hot cocoa, or devouring her peppermint brownies and peanut butter cookies.

He did wonder why there was a line of good looking women (and a few boys) to pet Reindeer Kaldur (or Kaldeer for short) Kaldur had been the most hesitant about this plan. The using of a borrowed previously confiscated cold ray and his water bearers for no hero purposes was probably most swiftly why, but Conner thought he wouldn't want to be bothered by too many people either.

On television the mistletoe plant hanging above someone's head usually lead to people laughing and avoiding it. He had thought he was pretty smart by tying the sprigs of mistletoe to Kaldur's fake antlers. A joke on Aqualad too! Robin and Kid Flash had told him a good joke on Aqualad was more valuable than gold. People were supposed to laugh at the small plant and avoid him!

Some cute girl kissed their Kaldeer on the cheek and he blushed with a smile as his mostly hidden gills flared a muted purple.

"Ho!Ho!Ho! Merry Christmas!" Conner laughed in his best Santa voice.

He wasn't expecting the chorus of "Merry Christmas Santa!" to be returned to him but when it was he was so strangely happy he briefly worried if he'd have to carry Megan home.

In the end, he wouldn't mind at all.