Hola! Okay, so I'm back. This is going to be the last . . . Sorry! I just realized I have this HUGE plot hole. :( But, on January 1, there is going to be an EPILOGUE. You hear correct, Cahills, an EPILOGUE (dang it, WHERE'S THE DRUM BEAT, ETHAN?) Sorry, my little brother was supposed to do a drumbeat . . . sigh . . . Hope you enjoyed this short holiday series! I'm going to do holidays stories like these during Holidays from now on.
Evan and Amy were sitting on the couch, hand - in - hand. Muttering things to each other.
Disgusting, Madeleine thought. She was behind the couch.
"Lean! Lean!"
Shut up, shut up.
"Lean!" Madeleine could tell Goldie was getting impatient. Goldie came in to the living room, and spotted her. "LEAN!"
"Madeleine?" Amy got up and stared at her on the floor. "What are you doing?" Evan got up as well.
"Oh . . . Well, I . . . Uh . . . " Madeleine picked something up. "I was looking for this."
Evan squinted. "Dan's ninja blade?"
"He told me to get it for him."
"He did," Goldie supported. Madeleine look back at Goldie, mouthing the words, Thank you.
Amy frowned. So did Evan. Then Amy shrugged, and smiled. "Sure. What is everyone doing anyway?"
"Rachel is playing boxing or something with Hamilton. And . . . Ian is ironing his 'jumpers'. Um . . . I haven't really seen the rest." Madeleine's phone beeped. She ignored it.
"Cool," Evan said. "Guess they're busy. Christmas is tomorrow anyway."
"Can you guys stay until then?" Amy asked them.
"Sure," Goldie answered, grinning.
"Now . . . I'll see you guys later. I have to retrieve a phone call," Madeleine said, grabbing Goldie's hand and backing out slowly. "See ya."
"Why'd we leave?" Goldie asked. Madeleine whipped out her iPhone.
"I got two messages." Goldie stared at the screen.
"Who are they? I remember seeing their names somewhere. Click the first text," Goldie supplied.
Madeleine did. The first message was from Nicole, a.k.a bookgirl39. It read: I'm watching C.W. planning her next disguise, rite infront of Grace's manor. Watch out.
"C.W.? Does she mean the channel, or a person?" Goldie asked.
"A person. Cheyenne Wyoming, I think." Madeleine texted back.
Thnx, Nikki. her description would help :)
Madeleine's phone beeped immediately.
Curly brown wig, gray contacts, and she has a mole on her left cheek. Nico, btw, not Nikki!
Goldie giggled. "Don't call her Nikki, she might ditch us."
"Nah. If I know Nikki, she's faithful no matter what."
Thnx again, Nikki. I'll call you Nico tmrow, for Christmas's sake.
Madeleine grinned as she read the reply.
whatevs. Wait . . . I think she's about to ring the door bell. make sure to answer. do not reply.
Madeleine scrolled down on her iPhone screen. The other message was from Volcanic Lily.
"I'll check this out later," Madeleine said, slipping the phone into her pocket and turning. Goldie could already hear her footsteps thumping down the stairs.
"Typical Lean," Goldie muttered.
Just as Madeleine rushed down the stairs, she saw that the door was already open. And her cousin Rachel was standing right in front of Cheyenne.
"Aren't you too old to be a Girl Scout?" Rachel was asked. No, Rachel, just shut the door! "And what kind of Girl Scout rings doorbells at 10:00 PM?"
"Why are people always judging me by my height?" Cheyenne pretended she was about to cry. "Even when I went to apply."
Madeleine could see Rachel softening up. Rachel was a girl scout, and when she was younger, she used to be shorter than average, but soon grew taller. She hated it back then when people made fun of her.
"Aww. I'm so sorry. What did you say your name was, again? And what types of cookies are you selling?" Rachel asked. Cheyenne smiled, and shouldered her bag.
"My name is . . . China." Cheyenne smiled, and shouldered her bag. "May I show you inside?"
"No!" Madeleine shouted, by accident. She blushed, and could see the cold look on Cheyenne's face. "I mean . . . We were kind of busy. I don't think my cousins would like it if someone came in. Can you come back . . . later?"
Rachel eyed her cousin. She quickly understood.
"What's going on?"
Sinead met Madeleine at the bottom of the stairs. Madeleine noticed that Cheyenne was almost glaring at the sight of Sinead.
"Who is this?" Sinead demanded. Madeleine recognized the look on her face. Sinead knew fully well who it was. "Didn't I tell you guys not to open the door? Why don't you ever listen?" Sinead turned to Cheyenne and smiled in a sticky sweet way. "My apologies, but you must go. Mother told us not to open it unless it's our aunt . . . Beatrice." Sinead shut the door on Cheyenne's face. She dropped to the floor and began crawling.
"What are you doing?" Rachel asked.
"She must have bugged this place. Maybe the porch?" Sinead muttered. Madeleine's phone beeped.
Bug out there on the porch. like, a real bug. mechanical. I can disable it, don't bother going out.
~NICO
"It's okay," Madeleine told Sinead. "Ni - One of my friend'll disable it."
"Now back to Volcano Lily," Goldie said, as soon as Madeleine entered the room.
Volcano Lily's message surprised Madeleine.
Okay, so you may not know me all that well . . . But you know me, and I know it! What branch am I in? Very hard to tell . . . I'm a little of every.
"Isn't every Cahill?" Goldie asked.
"She'll find out her true branch, later," Madeleine said. "I hope she's a Lucian . . . "
"I hope she's a Janus . . . " Goldie murmured.
My team and I have been tracking Tevan Elliver . . .
"Who?"
Pardon me, I meant Evan Tolliver. (Don't ask questions.) We have reason to suspect that he is perhaps the Vesper spymaster, or simply a Vesper, if not part of the council of Six. I hope that we can work with you later on. In the ending, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays.
"She seems so . . . "
"Determined," Goldie finished.
Madeleine and Goldie heard shouting downstairs in the living room.
"All inner Lucians broke loose?" Goldie said.
"Hey - More like 'All inner Vespers broke loose.'"
Ten minutes before the shouting . . . (From now until you see the other parenthesis)
"You will not believe who was at the door," Sinead said, "Cheyenne Wyoming."
"Are we still supposed to be guessing?" Hamilton asked. Rachel had decided to take a stroll, and he and Dan were tired of playing. Now, Amy, Evan, Ian, Jonah, Dan, Hamilton and Sinead were all again in the same room.
"Why was she here?" Amy asked. She let go of Evan's hand, leaning forward to listen to Sinead. Ian smirked at Evan's rejected face.
"Pretending to be a girl scout. Can you believe it? I think she wanted to plant a bug here, or something," Sinead continued.
"A grenade?" Dan asked, excitedly.
"A bug," Amy snapped. "Thank goodness it wasn't a grenade."
"I can't believe it," Evan said. "She must have somehow figured out the address."
"No, duh, Tolliver," Ian said, while all the others stared at him.
"Did you just say 'duh'? Ian's turning American! Oh, Grace, have mercy!" Dan jokingly pleaded.
"What's your problem?" Evan demanded. "Ever since I started at the comm. center, you've been either ignoring me or insulting me. May I remind you, it was your idea to tell me all this."
"He has a point," Sinead said. Ian glared, as if telling her, You're my cousin, you're supposed to be on my side.
"I'm just pointing out the obvious that no one needs to mention," Ian said, smoothly.
"Then just ignore it," Evan replied.
Amy didn't like this. She had just started seeing Ian as more than just a cousin and a fellow Madrigal - She started considering him as her friend. But seeing him argue with Evan now . . . It reminded her of what he used to be like when he was fourteen.
"Guys - Stop it." Sinead grabbed both Evan and Ian by the ears. "Say sorry to each other."
"Are you joking?" Ian asked her, and Sinead twisted his ear harder. "Ow!" Ian yelped.
"They do this to Indians. You can ask your Daddy if you ever see him again."
"Have you gone completely mad? Father's not Indian!"
"Oh, yes, he is. He is if I say he is. Now. Say. Sorry," Sinead demanded.
"Him first," Ian said, pointing at Evan.
"Are you, what, five?" Amy asked.
"No, love, I'm actually sixteen."
"Did you just call my girlfriend 'love?'" Evan asked, trying to get out of Sinead's grip.
"No, I called my . . . Cousin love."
"You like her!"
"Point for Captain of the Obvious!" Hamilton yelled, as if he were a spokesperson.
"Hamilton Holt!" Amy protested.
"Hammer, you should watch what you say," Jonah warned. (And that was the yelling in ten minutes :D)
Dan noticed Madeleine, Goldie and Rachel with their jackets and bags. Madeleine sent him a text message. Emergency. One of my teammates recognized a threat. Vesper. Outside of your house. We'll take care of it . . . . Hope you have a Merry Christmas, Dan.
Know what, Maddy? Dan texted back. I think I WILL. :D Happy Holidays.
Dan blocked everyone's view so they couldn't see the three leaving. When he was sure they were gone, Dan picked Saladin up and sat by the fire. He continued watching the argument, which made no sense anymore (they moved on to who had more in common with Amy), and then . . .
DING.
All the Cahills stopped talking at once.
DING.
The sound echoed through the empty manor.
DING.
"What time is it?"
DING.
The grandfather clock was really getting on their nerves now.
DING.
"We get the point, already!"
DING.
"Do you think it's punishing me for trying on Amy's spoiled lip gloss?"
DING.
"Was it in the trash?"
DING.
"Uh . . . "
DING.
"I can't believe you did that, Hamilton!"
DING.
"Um, guys, I think it's - "
DING.
"It's . . . ?"
DING.
"Twelve o' clock AM."
"We know."
"And what was today - I mean, yesterday?"
"December 24?"
Sinead waved her hands . . . Waiting for her cousins to get what she meant.
They didn't.
"IT'S CHRISTMAS TODAY!"
"Oh!" They all said in unison.
The Cahills, sleepy but also energetic, rushed to the Christmas tree. Dan was first.
"Lemme open this one first . . . Oh, look, it says 'From Ian'. He has a heart!" Dan exclaimed. Dan excitedly opened the present . . . . "And he even has a brain!" Ian had gotten Dan his own ninja sword with Dan's initials.
"Thank you, Cobra," Dan choked out. "I'm gonna practice with it!"
"Don't break Grace's vase, this time!" Amy yelled after him. Amy was glad that her small plan worked. They all seemed excited, around the glowing tree, while snow was falling outside. Even Ian and Evan seemed to calm down.
"Guys, I think we should open it . . . after we wake up again," Sinead suggested. "So drop the presents . . . Yes, Dan, no more opening."
Everyone was tired anyway, so they trudged themselves upstairs . . . And collapsed in Jonah's room.
"Why do I get the bigger room?" Jonah sighed, as he fell asleep.
After they woke up . . .
"Christmas, everybody, CHRISTMAS!"
Dan was downstairs in the living room, cereal by his side, his hand on one of the presents. Sinead made him promise not to open one single box until everyone else finished breakfast and came. Only his sister was taking the longest time.
Amy was the last one to wake up. She went downstairs, and found everyone around the tree.
"Too late! She woke up later, so it doesn't count," Dan argued.
"Wait until she eats breakfast, Dan!" Sinead exclaimed.
If I had drank the serum, I wouldn't need to wait.
But Dan waited.
"Do you want breakfast, Amy?" Sinead asked.
"Know what? I'll eat it after." Amy smiled at Dan. "Consider it as another present."
They all started opening the presents at once.
"Whoa. Thanks for the weights, Evan dude!" Hamilton thanked.
"How queer. How did you know I wanted these gloves, Sinead?"
"Amazing! How on earth did you get this, Jonah?"
"Amy, homes, you are the best."
"Hamilton, thank you so much!"
"Wow, Dan, I'm impressed." Evan held up his package. "Did you take out the computer parts yourself, just so I could fix it?"
"It was no biggie," Dan said, waving a dismissing hand.
Amy smiled to herself. Just thirteen days ago, they all had miserable expressions on their faces. Now, they were all thanking each other. Wouldn't Olivia be proud?
Amy knew Olivia would be the only proud one. Their Mom . . . And Dad would be, too, that she and Dan weren't fighting. Instead, they were getting each other gifts. I know your alive Dad, Amy thought to herself, her smile disappearing. Are you there? Are you watching us?
The end! This was the most awesomest chapter for me! I enjoyed writing it, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it! Happy Christmas, and Merry Holidays, guys - You'll always be in my heart!