This is the Christmas edition of Stoll-en Pets!

Disclaimer: I don't own Travis, Connor, or any other PJO character.

Stoll-en Pets

Chapter four: Templeton and Ratticus

"His name will be Templeton!" (Travis)

"And he will have feelings!" (Connor)

"Nobody cares Connor." (Katie and Claire)

"I got you a- Ah, shit. Claire already got one."

Travis opened his present. "Mom… Thanks for the socks…" He trailed off. Claire snickered. He looked at Katie, whose father had passed this year making Travis feel bad and made him invite her for Christmas. "Why don't you open this present? It's from me."

Connor snickered too. Katie glanced at them and took the present. "Travis, this is yours." She handed it back, smirking.

"What?" He looked at the label. "Ah, crap. I put my name in the TO space." Travis unwrapped the wrapping paper slowly. It was a white box. Then he peeled the tape off and opened the box.

Katie looked over his shoulder at the contents. "Nice lacy underwear Travis." She said.

Travis's face was the color of the red lacy underwear. Connor couldn't contain his laughter longer. "Dude, a girl just beat you."

There was one more present under the tree. "Boys, this is yours." Claire slid it to them.

They examined the holes poked into the package then shot a wicked grin at each other. Travis carefully unwrapped one side and Connor did the other. It was a… Box? "Mom—"

"Open the box." She said.

Travis opened it and… "Oh my gods!" Travis squealed like a little boy.

Connor picked up the rat. "Eeeppp!" Connor shrieked. "I loved him, Mom!"

Travis snatched him. "His name will be Templeton!" Travis declared.

Connor did the weird I-Have-An-Idea thing with his finger."And he will have feelings!"

"Nobody cares Connor." Katie and Claire said at the same time.

Everyone burst into laughter at the 'Nobody cares Connor'. Okay, everyone… but Connor.

A knock came at the door. "I'll get it." Claire briskly walked to the door and swung it open. "Sherman!" She hugged him.

He wrapped his muscular arms around her. "Hey sis." Sherman looked over her shoulder. "Hey guys!" He waved.

Travis and Connor yelled, "Uncle Sherman! You can come sit by me!" at the same time then started arguing over who was he sitting by. Katie was in the middle of the couch, so she just sat on the floor.

Travis realized that Katie wasn't there while Sherman was helping Claire fix some coffee quickly. "Katie, what are you doing on the floor?" He asked.

Katie shrugged. "You guys want your Uncle Sherman to sit by you both, so I'm sitting on the floor; he can sit in the middle." She yawned.

Travis said," Get off the floor; you can have my seat."

"I'm comfortable down here." She said.

"Katie, if you don't get off the damn floor, I'll make you get off the floor." He hissed quietly.

"Travis, it's okay." She said while leaning against his legs.

Travis shook his head. He stooped down and scooped her into his arms. "If you won't take my seat, then you'll take my lap." H plopped down with her sitting on him.

"Claire!" She screamed.

Claire came running in with Sherman behind her. "What is it?" She asked.

"He's raping me!" Katie pouted.

"Travis, stop uncomfortably touching her. Katie, stop being a snitch." Claire directed.

"Mom!" Travis complained.

"Katie, he's your boyfriend; have fun sitting there." She winked and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Oh. My. Gods. Seriously? That's so embarrassing." Katie tried to stand up, but Travis held her down by yanking her back with her belt loop. She pouted.

Another knock came at the apartment door. "I'll get it, lovebirds." Connor said and went to the door. He opened it and there was his little cousin Matthew, a fourth grader, and his seventeen year old sister, April. "Hey guys! Where's Danielle?"

"Mom had to get your Christmas present. She's on her way up. Dad forgot it… AGAIN." Matthew said.

Sherman came out of the kitchen. "Hey kids!" He hugged his children tightly. "Look, here's Danielle!" He hugged his wife and kissed her.

Danielle was holding a small box. She was visibly pregnant. "Hey Connor, Travis… Uh, who's the girl?"

"I'm Katie. I would shake your hand, but I was being nice which made Travis put me in his lap." She silently reached back and slapped him.

"Ow!" He rubbed the left side of his face. "That's not very polite Katie."

"Neither are you." She said.

Sherman brought them to the living. "Who's lacy underwear?" He asked.

Travis and Connor and Katie burst out laughing. "Travis's." Connor answered.

April said, "He did the same thing to me last year. Same tag though except I was in the FROM spot." She giggled.

Sherman took out his present. "I got you a- Ah, shit. Claire already got one."

"Daddy, we can still give the rat to them." April suggested.

Travis took the rat. "His name will be—"

"You got to name the last one!" Connor complained and took the rat. "His name is Ratticus."

"And he has feelings!" The whole room declared.

Claire came in with a tray of food. "What did I miss?" She spotted the rats. "Oh gods." She quietly groaned.