'Twas the night before Christmas. Not a thing stirred in the freezing blizzard (except, you know, the blizzard) that swept through the lands on that cold, frosty, night. Not a thing outside. But one needed only to peer hard at the closed curtains to see many figures moving within every building in Ferryport Landing. The next day was, after all, Christmas (not that any of the Everafter particularly cared. They just knew that it was a day to buy presents, be merry, and throw a party).

*the camera slowly zooms in on the Grimm household*

And here we have a stellar example of one such Christmas Eve being celebrated by like-minded Everafters. Everafters that were only aiming for one thing that night: to not fall asleep.

"I WILL CATCH THIS OLD MAN AND PROVE TO YOU THAT I'M MORE AMAZING!" Puck shouted, twirling above their heads in the form of a bird. To be honest, though this story started out with him, no one in the household cared. Puck was just being Puck, and no one found the need to pay any special attention to him now. Especially since other things needed attending to.

"Sabrina, pass me that huge pink thing."

"You mean the replication of Hamilton?"

"Yes. I want to hang it up over here."

"No."

Jake glanced down, annoyed. "Why not?"

"Elvis is chewing on it."

The man looked over, and found that, true to her word, the canine had something sticking out of his mouth as he stared at the fire in the hearth with rapt fascination.

Well, that certainly didn't bode well if the officer ever decided to drop in a visit that Christmas. It might be wise to mention that Elvis had been put on a bacon/meat-free diet. He was only allowed to sate his appetite on veggie kibbles. Why torture a dog like this, you ask? Suffice it to say... Elvis's collar couldn't reach around his neck anymore. Neither could anything that Elvis owned, for that matter...

"Granny! Look at my cookies!" Daphne cried in delight, jumping around in the kitchen.

"Mine, too!" Red added, in her tiny voice.

Relda glanced over and the mystery of the horrible stench was answered.

"Libelings... what are those made of?"

"The ingredients are a secret." Red said, wagging her finger at the older woman.

"It's our new, special, Red-Daphne recipe!" Daphne added, smiling widely.

There was a crash, and all three of them turned to look. Mr. Canis slammed the oven shut and rubbed his hand over his pale face.

"Forgive me... I... just need some fresh air... and something pretty to look at." The old man said, pushing himself off of the counter that he'd suddenly found the need to lean heavily on.

"Granny! Taste our cookies." Daphne said, smiling widely and offering the woman her tray. Relda smiled back at her granddaughter.

"Perhaps later, liebeling. Why don't you ask Puck? I'm sure he would be delighted."

Yes, Relda's smiling skills are worthy of praise. Awards, even. Because her warm smile never wavered the entire time the abominations/ cookies were held under her nose. Daphne nodded enthusiastically, unaffected by the polite evasion.

"Let's go ask Puck, Red!" She exclaimed, dragging the girl away.

As you can see, the festivities had spread to everyone in the household. Ah, Christmas. It can unite families. Even ones as loosely defined as this one.


She always cried, the little girl. The little girl always cried for one thing or another, the pain starting somewhere near her heart, moving up her throat and then behind her eyes, emerging as tears. She had a place where she'd go whenever she cried, too. To hide her pain from everyone else.

"I'm so stupid." She whispered. "I wish... I wish I could be better. I'm trying, but..."

She closed her eyes to the darkness already wrapped around her, making the little spots of light that she knew weren't there play across her vision. She knew she'd have to put on a smile again, soon. They would be looking for her, now. She stopped her sobs with difficulty, putting her cool hand on her mouth to feel the heat of her breath and cheeks. She wiped her tears away on her sleeve.

"Please, give me strength. Please, let me smile for them again. I don't want the to worry about me." She said, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes, hoping to gain what strength she could from her chant. Then she stood up, brushing her clothes off. She'd have to wait a minute or two to make sure her eyes weren't still red.

I watched from my corner of her mind, curious. Why did she cry so much? How was she strong enough to hold me back, and yet so frail as to shed so many tears? Even as I tried to take advantage over her seemingly weakened state, I realized that her will was simply too strong.

Shrimp. Let me out.

She froze: Never.

I said, let me out.

I grinned in malicious delight as I made a flash of images become vivid in her mind: memories. Of blood, of wind, of snow, and of freedom. She shuddered, and I growled in delight.

See? See, what you're missing by locking me away? Isn't the power so terrifying? So terrifyingly beautiful and powerful, working as it should, letting the powerful destroy the weak?

"No." She whispered. I wanted to rip her to ribbons. 'No?' No?

"You think my tears show weakness, don't you?" She asked me, aloud, which was't necessary.

Of course, I said.

"You know nothing, demon. You know nothing of true strength, though you rant on and on about it."

~o~

Canis, standing outside the door, smiled. A sad smile, but also a proud one.

"Good for you, child." He whispered, before he hurried away. It wouldn't do to let the girl know that he'd always known her hiding place. She would refuse to talk to him for at least a day or two, and that was something he wouldn't be able to bear.

~o~

The wolf inside the girl grew annoyed.

Girl, don't speak to me about true strength after you've spent half an hour crying over your misshapen cookie.


Sabrina stuffed the thing in her hand away as soon as she heard the door crack open.

"Sabrina? Want my cookies?" Daphne asked. Sabrina turned at the sound of her sister's voice. Daphne wouldn't meet her eyes. Sabrina sighed.

"You saw it?"

Daphne nodded. Sabrina pulled open the drawer and pulled the object out again. Daphne stepped forward, as if pulled to the small, twinkling, pink thing.

"Can I touch it?" Daphne asked, her voice barely a whisper, as if Sabrina would put it away again if she dared speak any louder. Sabrina held it out to her sister. Daphne gently plucked it from Sabrina's hands, letting the pink silk slither a bit across her skin.

"It's pretty." Daphne said, as she always did when she saw it. Sabrina sighed again.

"It's yours."

Daphne looked up at her with wide eyes.

"It was supposed to be my gift to you this year."

Daphne's mouth fell open, before twitching into a delighted smile. She ran forward and hugged her sister, tight.

"Thank you."

"Mom wants you to have it. She always liked how you're girly and energetic. She always said you look beautiful in pink."

"I'll wear it tonight!"

Daphne looked at her with shining eyes, and Sabrina laughed.

"I won't forgive you if you break it."

"I won't."

She paused.

"I hope I won't."

She smiled. Sabrina scowled.

"Chill, 'Brina. I won't."


Puck stared idly at the ceiling of his room, half-asleep. He shook his head viciously and sat up.

"No. I will not fall asleep. I need to catch that Santa Claus and ruin Christmas."

He grinned evilly at the thought, but his eyes drooped down again.

And for a few moments, he saw a pub. A warm pub, filled with faeries of every kind. Mustardseed was talking to him... Titania was striding across the room towards him, looking fancier than usual. He felt a sudden sense of dread, and as if to answer his suspicions, he heard a deep, deep familiar laugh echo around the already-noisy room.

He jerked up, clutching his head. What had that been? He looked around wildly for a few moments, thinking that he'd actually seen what he'd thought he'd seen. Then he shook himself out of it.

"Stupid Oberon. He won't even let me rest in peace after he's dead."

Enough of that. He needed something to distract himself. Maybe Daphne's delicious cookies were still in the kitchen somewhere.


As the old woman stared out the snow-filled window at a white nothingness, she heard a cough behind her. She turned around with a smile.

"Jake!"

"Mom, you have tears streaking down your face. A smile isn't going to cover it."

The woman froze, her smile losing some of its warmth. Her youngest son walked forward and held her close.

"Jacob Grimm. I am the parent in this house, not you," the woman protested.

"It was Christmas that time, too." Jake said quietly. Relda pushed her son away to look at him properly in the face.

"Yes, it was." She said. "And it's Christmas now. In a house full of the most wonderful people I've ever had the privilege to meet."

Jake looked down at her in surprise. Then he grinned ruefully. He might be two or three feet taller than his mother, but whenever she had that expression on, he always felt as if he were a kid again.

"Go on. Shoo. I have to get the presents ready for the kids. If you're not too busy, you could help me."


'Twas the night of Christmas Eve, but, more importantly as far as everyone in the house was concerned, time for dinner.

In one corner, Daphne and Puck dug into their food with the fervor of starved people. Sabrina sat between them, slowly picking at her food and trying to separate the semi-normal food from the completely weird food on her plate. Jake ate with practiced precision. Relda ate slowly, savoring each bit and smiling all around. Mr. Canis, as usual, looked impassive as he ate his food. Red took small, quick bites with plenty of smiling in between.

'Twas the night before Christmas.

And this night really was no different from any other.

But because the author of this story chose 'Christmas' as the theme, it had to be followed through.


And in the corner, forgotten, sat Elvis.

He looked at the author who was typing away at a laptop, sulkily.

"I only got a small part."

The figure in the chair jumped, before looking at him.

"You... talked."

"You forgot meeeee," He whined.

"I... oh. Oops."

"Oops? Oops?! You don't have me in a backstory! At least make me go console Relda! I fee so lonely and forgotten!"

"Sorry, Elvis. You're only in this part because I hadn't realized I had forgotten you until much later. If I put you in now, I'd have to change things. And I'm a lazy person, so..."

"How I despise you all. YOU ALL KEEP FORGETTING ME! I'M NOT APPRECIATED ENOUGH IN THIS FANDOM!"

"No, Elvis! Come back! Don't run away!"

But it was too late. The dog had run out of the dark room.

The author sighed tiredly. "Now I have to have him in my next chapter. Or I'll fee guilty."

The author sighed again. "I never did like dogs. I'm more of a cat person."

A girl from the audience throws a shoe at the author.

"What? Can't I have my own opinions, people? I'm a human, too, sheesh. Well, maybe an alien, like my profile might say. I don't know. Imagine what you will."

_
Disclaimer: Nah. I do not.