"What is it, Jack?" Katy asked

"Do you need some help?"

"Yeah, Jack, could you go get some of the heavier boxes and bring them over here?"

"Sure, no problem"

"Thanks"

Katy watched as Jack brought a couple larger boxes over to the tree and set them close to the back of the tree.

"Jack what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked seriously.

"I was wondering when your birthday is?"

"The thirtieth of this month, why?"

"I was just thinking about maybe organizing a birthday party for you"

"Shot, how am I going to break the news to my mom that I won't be home for my birthday, or Christmas?"

"I have no idea, all I know is she's going to be angry"

"Angry, fuming sounds more appropriate!" Katy shook her head

"She sounds pretty hard to live with…"

"You have no idea!" Kat said "I grew up having to put up with her… you should have seen the fights we got into over the years"

"Were you older or younger…"

"Older, a good bit older, but she knew how to get on my last nerve and did so… often" Kat paused "I'm one of four children in my family, Bryan, Josh, and Sarah are my siblings… Bryan is the only one older than me"

"My mom, Sarah, is the baby of the family" Katy said

Kat walked away to check on Cruger, whom had yet to show his face and realized it was time for the rangers to go to bed

"Rangers, bed time!" she announced

"Aw… come on Kat, just a few more minutes… please?" Sydney pleaded

"No, Sydney, no more time, you know the regulations" Kat said

"Okay" Syd groaned "I'll try to sleep, but that might not happen"

"I'm going to get me some warm milk, that always helps me sleep" Z looked at Katy "Katy, do you want some while I'm here?"

"No, I love to but can't; I'm lactose intolerant, thanks anyway," Katy said gratefully

"Oh sorry"

"It's okay, I've lived with it all of my life, I'm used to it"

The rangers dispersed to their respective bedrooms and Kat stood admiring the directions when Cruger came into the rec. room

"The rangers did a fine job didn't they?" Cruger observed

"Yes, Doggie, they did," Kat smiled

"It's getting late, Kat, maybe you should try and get some sleep"

"Not yet, I want to admire their work a bit first" Kat sighed, her smile vanishing "Christmas, the one time of the year where I feel like the evil of the galaxy is thousands of light years away… not right at our doorstep."

"The one time when it feels safe to celebrate our friends and family… those we have left"

"You're right, but you don't have family left…"

"Think about it, Kat, what is a family?"

"A group of people that support each other," that was when it really dawned on Kat that this base, the rangers were nothing more or less than a family and couldn't help but laugh slightly

About half an hour later she and Cruger went to bed more than ready for a good night's sleep. Although, before Cruger went to bed he deposited one small gift box under the tree.

The next day came quickly and Jack was looking for Katy when he noticed her with a cup of tea in her hands.

"Good morning, merry Christmas" he said

"Merry Christmas" Katy smiled and stood

Syd looked at where Jack and Katy now stood

"Ahem, you two might want to check above your heads…" Syd giggled

"Oh you have got to be kidding!" Jack said as he realized they were standing under the mistletoe

"You two know what that means" Syd said as Sky looked up from his cup of coffee.

"Yes, we know" Katy smiled, but not for long… she liked Jack a lot, but she didn't know if she could kiss him… not yet, but he didn't leave her a lot of time to think before giving her one small, gentle kiss. Sky nearly spilt his coffee in his lap, he was right, they did care about each other, more than he'd figured.

The kiss lingered longer than even the two of them figured it would and the other rangers couldn't believe their eyes.

'I wonder what Kat is going to think of this…' he thought as the kiss ended and Kat walked in the doors it was obviously time for the gifts among the rangers, as most of the rangers had gifts in other locations to open. He couldn't help but notice her smile as she saw how close Katy and Jack were… perhaps she didn't care, perhaps she liked that Katy had fallen in love despite her mother… Sky couldn't tell, but it wasn't the reaction he had expected.

Cruger followed Kat and they knew it was time.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" Jack whispered in Katy's ear "I have a confession to make"

"Okay, I have one too" Katy replied

They all gathered around the tree and Kat's smile seemed relaxed and just simply hers as they waited.

"So who should hand out the presents this year?" Syd asked

"Someone who hasn't done it yet… Jack, will you?" Kat asked

"Sure, why not… sounds interesting." Jack smiled

Everyone chose seats around the tree as Jack took one in front of it.

"I'll give everyone their first and then go from there…" Jack paused "since Kat is our only one who has suffered an injury recently, I say she starts"

"No objections here" Z said

Everyone agreed and Jack went to find one of Kat's gifts as she would start the receiving of the presents. "Here, this one from Sydney" he handed it to Kat and she opened it. It was a sweater, cashmere no less.

Kat felt the light tan fabric in her hands, and it felt a little more luxurious than anything she would have ever bought for herself.

"Thank you, Syd"

"No problem"

Jack handed the others gifts then he came across the one that Kat had gotten for Cruger.

"Commander, this is yours, sir," he handed the box to Cruger who was shocked he'd get absolutely anything, he hadn't asked for anything that year, but then he saw the name on the tag and felt the sting of guilt, it was from Kat. If only she knew what he had done, she probably wouldn't have bought anything for him. He opened it and saw the watch he'd seen before and liked… she had got it for him.

Then Jack handed her the one form him that contained her repaired watch, but before that Z opened hers form Kat, a copy of the classic book "Pride and Prejudice" (a/n I could only think of two book titles"Pride and Prejudice"and "The Secret Garden", "Pride and Prejudice" sounded more like Z, so just work with me pls.).

"Whoa, I couldn't find this anywhere!" Z said "Where did you find it?"

Kat told her the name of the bookstore where she had to order that book they had it in their warehouse but not on the shelf. Then Kat was handed the gift from Cruger, she opened it and gasped…

To Be Continued…


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