Charlotte stood in the hallway, not knowing where to go. Usually her mommy woke her up but it was still dark outside & she couldn't tell time. On the other hand, she knew her father would amplify her excitement for her first Christmas.
She chose Changeling's door. She opened it & flew over to his bed, where he was sprawled out on the right side with his upper body on the floor.
She giggled to herself at his open mouthed snoring & laid on his chest. She kicked her feet & patted his shoulders. "Daddy, wake up!"
Changeling snored on.
"Daddy, wake up! It's Christmas!"
Changeling smacked his lips & continued snoring.
Charlotte closed his nose.
He twitched & squirmed before waking up. "Charlie? What are you doing?"
She giggled at his sleep ridden confused tone. "Guess what?"
"Huh?"
"It's Christmas!"
His drooping eyelids flew open. "It's Christmas!" He tried to sit up but he ended up sliding all the way to the ground. "Ow!"
Charlotte laid her head on his chest. "Whee!"
Changeling sat up. "I shoulda saw that coming. When'd you wake up?"
Charlotte shrugged. "Can we open presents now?"
"Oh yeah! Let's go wake up Mommy!" He climbed to his feet & held her close.
"Yay!" She clutched his neck & kicked her feet.
He strode to the door & went across the hall to Raven's room. He opened the door & went to her bed. He set Charlotte down & climbed into the bed & stretched out next to Raven's sleeping form.
Charlotte touched Raven's shoulder & peered into her face. "Mommy? It's time to open presents."
Changeling leaned over & kissed her cheek. "Wake up, Rae."
Raven's eyelids fluttered. She breathed deeply & drew back. "Charlotte?"
"It's Christmas, Mommy!" Charlotte still had her face in her mother's.
Raven pushed her away gently & turned her head. "Ah!"
Changeling grinned. He knew he was unnaturally close. "Hi."
Raven twitched a little before retaining her calm. "Why are you in my room?"
"It's time to wake up, Rae."
She took calming breaths. "That doesn't explain why you're in my room, in my bed."
"I've stayed a few nights in your room." He was being deliberately obtuse.
She narrowed her eyes. "Get out."
"No. Come on!" He popped up & grabbed her hand, lifting her up. "It's Christmas & officially time to open presents!"
"Yay!" Charlotte yelled.
Raven sighed. "Fine. Let me at least get dressed."
"No time!" Changeling pulled her across the bed.
"Changeling!"
"Who?" He grinned.
"You're so annoying." She snatched her hand away from him & stood up on her own.
He kissed her cheek. "Love you, too Rae."
"Love you, Mommy." Charlotte walked across the bed to them.
Raven ruthlessly stamped down any rogue feelings of elation & took a page from Changeling's book & grunted.
Changeling picked Charlotte up & took Raven's hand to lead them from the room. He went to the left to wake up Kid Flash, Jinx & Terra, who were at that end of the hall.
He let Raven go & set Charlotte on her feet before shifting into an elephant & trumpeting his trunk.
Raven glared at him as he changed back & began banging on the door belonging to Jinx.
Jinx opened her door, looking less than pleased with the wakeup call. "Has the world ended?"
"What? No." Changeling was confused.
"Then there is no reason for me to be up."
"It's Christmas, Aunt Jinx." Charlotte held onto her nightshirt.
"But I'm tired, squirt." Jinx groaned lightly.
"You can sleep when you're dead! Come on!" Changeling hit her arm & went across the hall to Kid Flash's door.
Jinx's fingertips started sparking pink.
"They woke me up, too." Raven commiserated.
"Ugh!"
Changeling did the funky chicken while banging out a beat on the door. "It's Christmas, Kid!"
The door opened to reveal a less than fresh looking Kid Flash. "Ugh! What time is it?"
"It's present o'clock!"
"Present?" Kid Flash perked up.
"There's a big old pile just waiting for us right upstairs." Changeling enticed.
Kid Flash grinned. "I'm in!"
"Go wake up Chris & help him wake up his parents. I'll get T & the Stones."
Kid Flash snickered. "Good one."
Changeling turned around with a wide smile. "Knew I was funny."
Kid Flash took in Jinx & walked over to kiss her hand. "Good morning."
Jinx smiled. "Good morning."
He winked at Raven. "Mornin, hot stuff."
"Dial it back, Wallace." Raven followed Changeling to Terra's room.
Jinx snatched her hand from him.
"What I do?" Kid Flash wanted to know.
"Good morning, Uncle Wally." Charlotte smiled up at him.
He smiled back & ran a hand over her braid. "Morning, sugar cube."
She giggled before levitating off the ground & following her parents.
"Don't be mad, Slowpoke." Kid Flash encircled her in his arms. "I love only you."
"You better." Jinx wasn't impressed. "Let's go wake up the others before you're permanently in the doghouse."
"Yes, ma'am." He picked her up & ran down the hall to Christopher's room.
Changeling beat on Terra's door. "Come on! Wake up, T!"
Terra opened the door. "Come on, C. Why are you so loud?"
"It's Christmas! Presents! Come on!"
Terra blinked rapidly. "Presents?"
"A huge pile, just waiting for us." He promised.
"Yay!" She vibrated.
"Alright, you go wait for us upstairs." Changeling picked Charlotte up & walked down the hall to Cyborg's room. He set her down again & shifted into a parrot & imitated the siren.
A minute later, the door opened & Cyborg ran out.
"Yo, Cy!" Changeling turned back & waved his arms. "That was me! There's no alert."
Cyborg looked around, trying to get his bearings. "What?"
"I just made the noise. There's no alert."
"I should kill you! Why'd you wake me up?!"
"It's Christmas! Presents! Don't you want to see if Santa came?"
Cyborg gave him a certain look that rolled off his back like water off a duck. "I really feel like hurtin you."
Changeling just grinned & went across the hall to Bumble Bee's room. He banged on the door & made a bunch of noise until she opened the door.
"Have you lost your mind?!" She glared at him blearily.
"Hi." He waved.
"Is somebody dead?"
"No."
"They will be."
He gulped. "It's Christmas?"
"I don't care!"
"It's Cal's first Christmas."
She blinked owlishly & her mouth rounded. "Oh." She nodded a few times before breaking out in a beautiful smile. "Yay!"
The corner of Raven's mouth kicked up. What a turnabout.
"It's Christmas, Aunt Karen." Charlotte pulled on the sporty girl's pajama pants.
Bumble Bee scooped her up & kissed her face. "Yes, it is. Come with me to wake up Cal."
"A tornado might hit." Cyborg muttered.
Raven chuckled.
Bumble Bee set Charlotte on her hip & went next door to Calvin's room. She went inside & set Charlotte on her feet before picking Calvin up. She began singing Silent Night to wake him up.
Charlotte stood amazed at this. She was used to her father singing her to sleep, not the other way around.
"Come on. We've got presents to open." Changeling kept his voice down.
Bumble Bee walked out of the room & they all traveled upstairs. A sleepy Nightwing, an excited Starfire & Christopher & an embracing Kid Flash & Jinx had joined Terra.
"Who's going to get our guests?" Nightwing yawned.
They all looked at each other before looking at him.
"They're not my parents."
"You say that a lot." Cyborg narrowed his eye. "I can't wait for Batman to come back here."
"I say we should send my new big sister." Changeling put an arm around Starfire, thereby anchoring her from her joyous floating.
"I am the big sister?" Starfire loved the sound of that.
Changeling nodded. "You're the big sister."
She let out a happy squeal. "I can do it! May I do the awakening of the parents?"
"Go for it." Cyborg ushered her off.
She soared into the elevator & punched the button to go down two levels.
Nightwing went to the tree & added a gift that he'd kept in his room. "Who's making coffee?"
"I seriously need a cup." Cyborg yawned.
"Hold him. I'll make coffee if Rae makes tea." Bumble Bee offered.
Raven nodded. They moved into the kitchen & got started. By the time they were done (with juice for the non-caffeinated drinkers), Starfire had returned with Rita, Clark & Alan.
"Alright!" Changeling blew on the top of his mug of tea. "Who wants to check if Santa's been here?"
"Me!" Christopher & Charlotte jumped around.
"Find the milk & cookies. If you can't, he was here."
The two nearly tore the common room apart. "We don't see it!"
"Then Santa came."
"Yay!"
"Let's check your stockings & see what he gave you!"
"Yay!" They flew to the mantle & Charlotte ripped their stockings down. They dumped the contents of their stockings out on the floor.
They had fruit, nuts, chocolate & small toys.
"I got a yoyo!" Christopher yelled.
"I don't know what this is." Charlotte held up a pendant on a pink strand.
"It's a Polly Pocket." Bumble Bee said. "I had it when I was younger. Santa must have thought you'd like one, too."
Charlotte smiled. "Thank you, Santa."
"It's present time!" Cyborg yelped. "On your mark, get set, go!"
The two toddlers raced to the tree & began pulling gifts to their parents to see who the present was for.
"It's a stick!" Christopher waved the Bo staff.
Nightwing facepalmed.
"That's for Grandma." Changeling pointed his daughter in the direction of Rita.
Charlotte walked over with the package. "Merry Christmas, Grandma."
Rita's heart melted. "Aww! Thank you, sweetheart!"
Charlotte just rocked side to side with a smile.
#happyholidays
The gift opening was winding down & everyone was in a feel good haze. Talk of starting breakfast was popping up so Nightwing pointed his son in the direction of the present he'd added last minute. "It's time."
Christopher dropped the toy in his hands & ran to get the box. He brought it over to Starfire & got down on one knee to present it to her. "It's from Daddy."
Starfire was very surprised as she took the small box. She opened it & gasped. It was a ring.
Nightwing got down on one knee beside his son. "This is a Claddagh ring. When the heart is facing the hand, it means romance. When it's not, it means friendship. I will always be your friend but I'd be delighted for you to wear it facing your hand."
Starfire swallowed hard. "I fear I do not understand, friend Nightwing."
"I want you to be my girlfriend."
A happy wide smile broke out over her face & she screamed.
Nightwing blinked as Christopher covered his ears. Changeling held couch cushions to his head.
When Starfire ran out of steam, she threw her arms around Nightwing's neck. "Yes! Yes! I would love this, yes!"
Nightwing smiled & patted her back. This had been the single most terrifying thing he'd ever done in his life but it worked out.
Christopher got in on the hug. "Yay, Mommy!"
Starfire kissed his face. "Indeed the yay, Christopher."
"Let's see that ring!" Bumble Bee clapped.
Starfire stepped away from her family & showed off her new ring. "Is it not the most wondrous piece of attractive silver you have ever gazed at?"
"It's some pretty nice hardware."
"Totally!" Terra agreed.
"I wonder how much it cost?" Jinx looked over her hand.
Raven pursed her lips. "Shouldn't it be the thought that counts?"
"That's something poor people say to make themselves feel better about the crap gifts they give." She waved a hand.
Raven rolled her eyes.
"Can I see?" Charlotte asked politely.
Starfire showed her as the boys surrounded Nightwing with big grins. "Look at you!"
Nightwing blushed. "Stop."
"Hoo! Hoo!" Changeling punched his back. "Smooth operator!"
"You got Raven earrings."
"Yeah, that I made."
"It's the thought that counts."
"I did have to take a jewelry making class…"
Cyborg waved him away. "You did good, man. I'ma tell you what I told C; hurt my baby sister & I'm gon have to introduce you to my robotic foot. The one that won't ever get tired of kicking your butt."
Nightwing nodded. "Noted."
Cyborg grinned. "Let's get started on breakfast!"
