AN: Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed the first chapter! Here is the second and final part. I hope you enjoy it, and no matter when you read it-happy holidays!

Hale, with the help of Marcus, had given Kat the best possible Christmas present. She had been completely and entirely resolved to the idea that she would - probably - never see her mother's Frankincense Egg again. And she was okay with that, because it would help Hale's legacy and charity and peace of mind. But then Marcus-and Marianne-proved themselves to be the kindest, most wonderful and honest people Kat knew

And then Uncle Charlie arrived in Brooklyn with the Gold Egg, and not for the first time, Kat was actually very thankful for that little genetic trait that everyone in her family seemed to have, the one turned them into magpies at the sight of anything valuable and shiny. Something about knowing that the real Gold Egg was intact and in the care of her uncle reassured her. Her father's not-quite-a-joke about stealing the third egg soured the mood just a little, but as the five of them settled down to eat the dinner that Uncle Eddie and Uncle Charlie made, with the two Eggs of the Magi decorating the table, Kat couldn't have been happier. Hale was happy, her father was happy, her uncles were happy, her friends, across the world, were happy, so Kat supposed she was happy too.

After dinner was done, Kat, smiling, said her goodnights and her Merry Christmases to her family. She said a special goodnight to Hale, out of sight of her dad and uncles, and went about getting ready for bed.

She had already settled into bed and pulled up the quilt on the frilly pink bed when there was a quiet knock at the door.

"Kiddo?" It was her dad, holding a short, thin, and long box, wrapped in silver paper, with a red velvet bow on top. "What, are you already to fall asleep? You didn't think I forgot our tradition, did you?"

"No," She said, smiling. "I'm just used to your sense of over-dramatic timing."

"My timing is just dramatic enough." Bobby said, scrunching up his face into some vague expression of criticism. But then he smiled, that smile that was reserved only for her, and took a seat on the bed, right by Kat's legs. He held the present halfway between them, letting Kat get a better look at the box. "It's your one Christmas Eve present, and per tradition, I didn't steal this one." He shifted the box around, letting Kat see every side of the box, like a TV shopping channel sales person. "Although, in the holiday spirit of honesty, I didn't exactly buy it, either." He turned the box again, and, grinning, Kat held one hand, out expectantly.

"Is it something you made?" Kat asked, trying and failing to keep a straight face. Bobby chuckled in reply.

"No, no, I didn't make it, although I've been meaning to start crocheting, now that you mention it. But," He paused, turning the box again. "Continuing in the spirit of honesty, I did try to steal this, once."

Kat's smile shifted. It was fairly obvious from the shape of the box what kind of thing she would find inside, but now there was really only one thing it could be.

"Is it Mom's watch?" She asked, her smile warm. Bobby nodded, and set the box in her outstretched hand. Carefully, she pulled off the bow, and ripped the paper along the edge. Inside was a black box, and inside that was an antique watch.

"You and Hale never asked me what I was doing in Sydney. There's a collector there, I found him online. He had the right pieces, and a jeweler friend was able to fix it."

Taking a deep breath, she picked up the watch. It had been mother's and her great-grandmother's before that. Made in the 1930s, its style was vaguely Art Deco. It was white gold, with a skinny, rectangular face, made from shining silver mother of pearl. Around the face were a number of rectangular cut diamonds.

"It's been cleaned, all of the diamonds have been secured, and the clasp was repaired, but you should still be very careful when you wear it. It might attract a common street thief, and you've met and surpassed your quota for strange boys you can bring home."

"Thanks, daddy." Kat said, as she pulled the watch out of the box. Even though her father had just told her that it had all been fixed, she was still a little frightened by the idea of actually wearing the heirloom watch.

"Wear it proudly, kiddo." Bobby leaned over to kiss his daughter on the forehead. They shared a brief hug, and with another Merry Christmas, Bobby left, shutting the door behind him without a single sound.

Kat examined the watch in closer detail. There was a nick in the metal casing next to the 4, like she remembered, but the diamonds and gold were all much shinier than the last time she'd seen it, before it has been left in a London lock box owned by one of her father's aliases.

There was another knock on the door, and at Kat's bidding, Hale entered.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Hale sat on the bed, just where Bobby had been sitting, and Kat threw the quilt aside to move closer to his side. He, unlike her, was still dressed in his cheesy Christmas sweater and trousers, and from his pocket, he pulled out a little square box—roughly the size of a box that earrings or, even a ring, came in, wrapped in green paper.

"This," He said, holding out the box, and avoiding her gaze, "is present number one of sixteen."

"Sixteen?" Kat asked, totally incredulous. "Sixteen presents? And wouldn't—"

"The egg doesn't count." He murmured, brushing a lock of Kat's hair back, despite the fact it was in no way covering her face. "I could, if you like, prepare and perform a speech about why the Frankincense Egg was a present for me. I didn't even know Marcus was going to buy it, but it was a very selfish gift, for me, a very selfish person." A smirk slid across his face, and Kat's own smile warmed.

"Hale—"

"And that's why this—" He held out the little box, which, based on the lumpy corners, Kat assumed he wrapped himself. "Is present number one. It's my favorite present—" He cut himself off, and made a disgusted face. "Actually, it's my least favorite present, but," He drew the box back, "It's a secret. Which is why I'm risking death and dismemberment for the chance to give this—" He finally put the box in Kat's outstretched hand, "to you, while we're alone in the privacy of your bedroom, in your Uncle's house, while you're in your pajamas. So." He halted, as Kat slowly tore the paper away. "I hope you appreciate this."

Kat was right—it was the type of box that jewelry came in, black and velvet. She opened the little box and found, not earrings, and certainly not a ring, but a tiny origami swan, made out of plain white paper.

She glanced up at Hale, who seemed, surprisingly, insecure. Giving him another warm smile, Kat began to unfold the paper, which she could tell was not entirely blank, but there was no possible way she could see what was on it. Slowly, she unfolded the swan, careful not to rip a single part of it. Her hands were almost—almost—shaking by the time she had completely unfolded it. But not even W.W. Hale the Fifth could—

Oh.

Oh...

It was a photocopy of a birth certificate, for a boy born in April, 17 years ago. He was born in London, to two American parents. His name was—

"Oh." Kat said, staring at the photocopy. She understood the words on the page, objectively, but they seemed totally unbelievable.

"Yes." Hale said, nodding slightly.

After a beat, Kat tossed the paper aside, threw her arms around Hale's shoulders, and kissed her boyfriend, once, before she pulled away. Through her sudden giggles, she told him "I think I'll stick to calling you Hale."

Hale laughed, once, and hugged Kat in return.

"That's what I hoped you would say."

"Why would W.W. Hale the First's parents name him that?" Asked Kat, totally red in the face.

"Why did W.W. Hale the First hate his firstborn son enough to continue the name?" Hale scoffed in reply.

"It's—it's even worse than Scooter!"

The two dissolved in rather pathetic giggles, each supporting the other and keeping the the from falling onto the floor.

It took, by Kat's internal clock, two and a half minutes for them to calm down. By then, faces were flushed and streaked with tears, and Kat was fighting away hiccups.

"Thank you for finally telling me your name." Kat said, squeezing Hale by the hand, before wiping away the tears from her eyes.

"Yeah, well, your guesses haven't been getting any better, so you're welcome."

He smiled again, and Kat, who was proud to say that she had been the cause for a number of Hale's smiles, couldn't help but feel that warm, cliched butterflies feeling as she saw how happy he truly was.

She kissed him again, softer and sweeter, and then Hale whispered, "I love you."

Unable to fight down the bubbling feeling of mischief, Kat whispered, "I love you too—" and called Hale by his first name for the first time.

Hale's warm smile and gleaming eyes instantly froze over, and Kat started to giggle again.

Pulling away, Hale sighed.

"Merry Christmas," He said. "You still have fifteen more presents to open tomorrow. Thankfully, none of them will provide you with the chance to betray my love and trust in you again." And with another kiss to her cheek, he stood, and headed for the door.

Hale's outstretched hand was nearly to the doorknob when he turned, and leaned against the door frame. With a straight face, he asked, "Listen, I know it's already late, but would you mind being awake by 6:30?"

"What? Why?" Kat demanded, her giggles abruptly ending. Christmas mornings were a hallowed time, one to be properly observed by sleeping in.

"That's when the two dozen goats get here." He answered with that horribly self-confident grin that made Kat a little angry sometimes.

Kat, she was ashamed to admit it, was completely and totally shocked. Her chest tightened, and she couldn't tell if it was because she was about to laugh or because she was about to scream.

"You're joking. Look me in the eye, Hale, and tell me you're joking." She demanded, half standing from the bed.

"I guess you'll just have to find out in, oh, 6 hours." And Hale slipped out of the door with a final smile, and Kat really couldn't believe it.

She really couldn't believe it.

But still, by 6:29 the next morning, she was silently stepping down the stairs of the brownstone, wearing a shining white gold and diamond bracelet on her wrist, hidden beneath the sleeve of her flannel pajamas.