It was Christmas Eve when all was quiet that the strange stooped apparition walked through the wall of the living room in the small house. It didn't even notice the large bright tree in the room as it made its way, following an invisible scent. It led the thing to Janise's bedroom; it turned from side to side until it reached out toward the object it was in search of. It grasped the skull as if it were a fragile porcelain doll. Carefully it placed atop its bare shoulders were a head belonged. A sour smell and greenish glow emitted from the place were the rotten flesh and the skull had met. With a sudden pop a head appeared in place of the skull, covered in deathly pale skin and the eyes blazed with white fire behind the glassy gray marble of the iris. Jet black hair fell down to his nose which he quickly brushed away from the pointed peak on his face. He looked down at himself and realized that although his armor still seemed rotted and faded with wear and tare, his body was once again in tact. He smiled feeling the muscles in his jaw flex. He heard a grunt of protest from the sleeping occupant's reaction to the strange odor. The pale man turned quietly so as not to be noticed. He stared at the girl in awed silence, marveling at her paleness. How was it that she was paler than he and yet alive he pondered? He noted the grace of her chest heaving silently up and down as she breathed. Why had she had his skull, where was he and who was this young lady? His brain puzzled and hurt, he'd forgotten what a pain it was to take in too much information at once. It had been so long since he had seen one of his victims that he'd forgotten how precious life appeared.

The girl stirred, he drew his sword swiftly then remained motionless. Janies rolled onto her back and sat up. Her arms stretched high above her head as her back arched in a yawn of contentment. She blinked several times to get use to the dark, she turned to leave her bed in search of water. Janise stoped at the door as realization dawned on her like a rainbow of surprise. She turned with wide eyes to the other being in the room.

As the man raised his sword above his head Janise cried out, "warten, ich bin ein Freund!"

The figure stopped mid swing, and stared at the girl.

"Sie sprechen Deutsch? wie?,"asked the man in silent confusion.

Janise shrugged, "Sie sprechen Englisch?"

"Not vell but eh do," replied the figure noticing her American accent. "You are Blue coat?"

"No, you're a little out of your time," she giggled, "The war has been over for about 233 years give or take" he looked confused again, "We won." She said pointedly and smiled. "My name is Janise Yalker, and you are?" He shook his head sadly. "You don't remember, do you?" He frowned at the floor in answer. She smiled brightly as if to say cheer up, but her face fell quickly when she realized that her latest artifact was missing. "What happened to my skull?"

"Your skull?" scowled the man tapping his newly created head. She gasped in horror and stepped back disbelieving what she saw before her.

"You're the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow ," she whispered

"Yes!" he said as he moved closer to her so that she could feel the icy chill of his corpse against her skin. She leapt forward and hugged him around the middle; she nuzzled her face into his decaying armor and giggled.

"I knew you were real, I knew you'd come!" she squealed in sheer delight. Dazed by the sudden action the horseman said nothing but merely pated Janise on the head.

"Chris"

"Pardon"

"my name is Christophe, I don't know quite how but I remember."

"I couldn't help but wonder if you knew what tonight is Chris?" Janise asked brightly. he shook his head. "Christmas eve!" She said merrily. Then a feeling of solemnity came about her, "It must be awful being stuck here while your family has moved on." He nodded sadly to her thought. "Well nobody should be alone on Christmas eve! Come here." She took the horseman by the hand and led him to the tree. She reached to the tree and pulled of a ball. "It isn't much but I think you'll like it." In hi hand she placed a beautiful glass ball painted with blue and silver snow flakes and glitter, along the bottom it read "to the one I love most." The horseman studied it long and hard.

"Danke,"

"gern geschehen," replied Janise blushing so much that the horseman noticed the change in his own icy temperature. He looked up and smiled a particularly grizzly smile that showed sharp pointed teeth.

"vill you join me for the Vantassel Christmas party?"