AN: One more chapter to go on this Christmas special, I've had this idea for a Rise of the Guardians story for a while and it's getting in the way for the other stories, I may start that one and finish my Digimon story on a cliff hanger as it's not as popular as the Pint Sized Pied Piper and I can kinda see why, I don't feel it's as well written, but anywho lets get on with the show!


Pint Sized Pied Piper Christmas Special

Chapter 2

Today was Christmas and Len knew it was going to be manic. And Hartley was not going to be the worst one today. Especially as it was not Hartley who was jumping on his bed. He wouldn't mind Hartley jumping on his bed, but not James.

James was jumping up and down Hartley was standing beside the bed watching James with a look of confusion and slight disapproval. James was trying to get Hartley to join in with him. However his plan was failing and Len was quickly getting angry.

"JAMES GET THE FUCK OFF MY BED!" Len yelled as he kicked the male so his head hit the ceiling and fell off the bed. Hartley just watched with a blank expression. Len outburst had either woken up or altered the others to James' antics.

"LEN LANGUAGE AROUND HARTLEY!" Lisa yelled back. Len rolled his eyes. It's not like Hartley could pick up the swearing as he was deaf. Len sighed as he looked at Hartley through a blurred vision.

Hartley yawned and climbed into Len's bed and and snuggled under the covers, content to fall back to sleep. Len smiled, happy to follow the boy. "James go and tell the others that me and Hartley are going to sleep a while longer." Len grumbled.

James gave Len a dirty look and leaves the room. Of course the silence and sleep didn't last long for Len as James returns with a megaphone. What ensued was Len half strangling James while Hartley was blissfully unaware in the deep realms of sleep.

After Hartley had woken up all the rogues gathered in the living room. Hartley had many presents most of them music based, along with a giant rat cage for at least six rats. They spent most of the morning laughing, telling crap cracker jokes and trying to understand either how to work a toy, put it together or how to get it out of it's box.

Len called the Allen household to see if they were all set to bring Hartley over. He knew that Jay and Joan Garrick would be there as well. This was confirmed when it was Joan Garrick who answered. "Hello, the Allen household, Joan Garrick speaking."

"Hello Mrs. Garrick, it's Len Snart, is it ok to bring Hartley over soon?" Len asked. He watched Hartley look confused as Lisa attached a custom set of hearing aids they had brought for Hartley to allow him to hear at a slightly lower standard to what was normal.

"Oh, yes of course. Barry is ready and after a slight tantrum from Wally he's also ready." Joan answered. She then took the phone away from her ear to call out to Jay. "Jay, dear, it's Mr. Len on the phone, he's going to bring Hartley over soon!"

Len smiled as he saw Hartley look between the Lisa and James as they spoke one after the other to make sure Hartley could hear and the look of amazement on Hartley's face was priceless.

"Are you still there Mr. Snart?" Joan asked, Len make a conformitive noise, she then continued. "We are all set so as long as you let us know what time you will be leaving for us."

"Thanks we'll be leaving in about 20 minutes." Len said and bid Joan goodbye. It took 20 minutes to get James to be ready and to stop playing with his new toys, while Hartley had been eagerly awaiting when Len told him they were going out.

Len wondered how Hartley at the young age of four could act older that a twenty year old that sat pouting in the passenger seat right at the back of the mini-van. Hartley sat next to Len in the front passenger seat happily watching the lights outside of peoples houses.

It took ten minutes to get to the Allen's household. The outside of the house was nicely decorated and Barry and Iris Allen were outside dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Wally West was also there in an elf outfit.

"Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!" Barry called out to them waving as he did. Hartley waved back yelling a garbled greeting in return. Wally also waved albeit it was a little delayed. Iris walked down the drive to the car once they were parked and picked Hartley out of his seat after he undid his seatbelt and opened his door.

"Have you been a good boy this year?" She asks him in a kind voice. Hartley shyly hides his face and nods slightly. She smiles finding Hartley's shyness to be rather cute. "Well then, good boys get rewarded." She carried Hartley over to Barry who was stood next to Wally.

Wally looked a bit grumpy as he was an elf, but other than that he seemed ok with what was going on, when you think about it they live in a world of grow arse men running about in costumes robbing banks or catching bad guys, how was this any weirder?

"Why hello there, Hartley, have you had some good presents?" Barry asks in a deeper voice than his normal one. Hartley timidly nodded. Barry was grinning under the giant woolly beard. "Well then why don't we head inside?"

With that they all headed inside, the house was decorated lovely, no tacky decorations that the Trickster had forced upon them, all the colours matched and there was no clashing, again unlike what the Trickster had forced upon them. The living room had a modest tree standing proudly by the far wall, center of the room. Presents sat at the trees pot, neat wrapping and carefully done. Which was a change from Digger's approach to wrapping presents, Digger had wrapped everyone but Hartley's in the bags the presents came in, so you knew where he went to buy the things.

There was a coffee table in the center of the room, with two plates, one with cookies the other with mince pies, and a mug for everyone. Jay and Joan were in the kitchen, Joan stirring a large pot with hot chocolate in it and Jay setting the table for dinner. The presents were for everyone, and there were loads. Most were for Hartley and Wally, but everyone even the rogues had at least one present.

Hartley had opened all but one last one, he opened the pretty mistletoe paper to reveal a dog collar and lead. Hartley looked perplexed, after all all in the room doubted he ever had a dog, but also because there was no dog to be seen, that is until Wally opened a present to reveal the same, both boys shared a look of bafflement, before turning to the adults with a look of gleeful expectancy.

Jay had disappeared after he opened his presents, no one taking much notice, too absorbed in opening their own presents and thanking the correct people to be concerned or curious. "Merry Christmas, boys!" Jay announces as he enters through the hallway door, two young puppies in his arms.

One puppy was a Husky, it's fur jet black and snow white, it's little eyes a vivid blue and it's small tail wagging violently as it wriggled about trying to get down and see everyone. The other was a greyhound, it was a sandy blond in colour and had brown eyes, it seemed a little timider than the Husky.

With that Jay put both down and the Husky bombed towards Hartley, while the Greyhound nervously went to Wally with a little encouragement. Hartley happily let the Husky dive bomb him, sending both sprawled, Hartley giggling and the Husky puppy happily yipping and urging Hartley to play.

"Thanks uncle Barry, Auntie Iris, Grandma Joan and Grandad Jay!" Wally practically yelled with excitement as he hugged his puppy close to his chest, having already put on her collar. "I'm gonna name her... Mikil, 'cause it means quick and nimble." Wally announced.

Hartley had Len trying to help him get the collar on the dog as he was darting around the room like a mad man. "Innus!" Hartley yelled a he managed to grab hold of the puppy in a hug. "Innus, stauy!" Hartley told the dog as he held it so Len could collar it.

"Innus? What's Innus mean? I mean it's obvious that 'Stauy' was stay, but what's Innus mean?" James asked. Hartley looked at James and then pointed to the Husky. "Do you mean dog?" James asked.

Hartley shook his head. "NO! Innus, is Innus!" Hartley tried to explain. The adults looked at each other. Jay looked thoughtful.

"Maybe it's the name he chose for the pup." Jay looked at Hartley for confirmation and got it. Hartley nodded making a 'uh-huh' noise as he did so. "It's a name, Latin is my guess, sounds like it anyway." Jay concluded.

Hartley nodded happily as Innus liked Hartley's rest of the day went by like a blur. the food was good the jokes awful and dogs destructive. All in all how a christmas should be.

Jay had taken HArtley into the living room as both of them had finished and Hartley wanted to be read the night before christmas. LAter once all of the rest had finished and made their way to the living room they found them both asleep in the armchair closest to the window, the book lay hazardously at Jay's feet.

After everyone said goodbye the rogues left with Innus curled up asleep next to Hartley in the van, who also fell asleep. Len sighed, hoping beyond all odds, if they had to deal with a teenage Hartley he won't be as bad as most teenagers. Especially if they give him some space and understanding. Was that too much to hope for?