"Aw, Bryce, you shouldn't have!" Edison commented as he peeked inside the box which he had just unwrapped. He held up the gift inside, which was one of Bryce's FlatScreens that he had just gotten approval to sell, and gazed at his audience with a look of disgruntled amusement. "You really shouldn't have. I've gotten into the habit of using Theora's."

"No, he should have!" Theora exclaimed, playfully smacking Edison in the shoulder with her free hand. "You wouldn't believe the useless things he records on my FlatScreen!"

"Well hey, it's better than taking the camera home with me every day," Edison said. "And it records in high quality." He smirked at Theora, who batted her eyelashes back at him, and then turned his attention back to Bryce. "Thanks anyway, though, Bryce."

"You're welcome," Bryce replied. "Actually I was working on a project to give to both of you, but it's not quite done yet. I suppose since I gave you the FlatScreen, the robotic pet can go to Theora."

"A robotic pet?" Theora stated, her eyebrows raising. "Bryce, please tell me you didn't make me a fly on the wall."

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, Theora, that's kid stuff. I'm not saying a word, but I know you'll love it."

"No fair, Bryce," Edison called. "Give us one little hint."

Looking even more exasperated, Bryce gave a perfect rendition of a cat's whine. "Meow. Now, on with the rest of the presents."

"A cat," Theora laughed. "You know me well, Bryce, I've got to say that."

"Yes, on with the rest of the presents," Murray spoke up from his seat behind the couch. "I've got to go in a few minutes to see Eva and Anni."

"All right, Mur," Edison said, getting up from his seat on the couch. He reached out to Murray and handed him what looked suspiciously like a wrapped bottle of liquor. "That's for all your troubles. Go out and enjoy yourself."

"Scotch," Murray said as he unwrapped the present, glancing approvingly at the bottle's label. "How old is this stuff, Edison?"

"Old enough," Edison replied. He gave Murray a shoulder-pat. "There's a card too, but Theora misplaced it."

"I did not!" Theora protested. "I just don't remember where I put it down. That's not the same thing."

"Actually, by definition…" Bryce began, but Tina put an arm around him and planted a kiss on his lips to silence him before he offended Theora.

"Look at Control losing control," Edison teased, and then reached down to squeeze her shoulder. "Oh, it's okay, Theora, you know we love you."

"I was, if you'll recall, distracted at the moment," Theora said. "Going into labor is a reasonable excuse for losing someone's Xmas card."

They all had a good laugh at that, and then Murray announced, "Well, I'm off. Thanks for everything, guys- merry Xmas." He made for the door to a chorus of "Bye Murray!" "See ya, Mur!" "Happy Xmas to you too!"

"Well now," Tina said, surveying the faces of her guests and settling back as Wil struggled in her arms, the glitter red of his pacifier sticking out amidst the drabness of his clothing. "Who here hasn't received a present yet?"

"I haven't," Bryce announced, and grinned deviously when Tina rolled her not-amused eyes onto him. "Oh really?" she declared. "What's this, then?" She tugged at the tie Bryce had around his neck, incongruous among the rest of his casual clothing. Bryce only gave her a hard stare when she bumped his foot with her foot. "Or these?" She indicated the flamboyant knee socks he wore on his feet, a gift from Edison and Theora. One was red and one was blue, and both had the images of computer chips and mathematical equations emblazoned across them. When Edison had come over to Theora's apartment wielding the socks and proclaiming that they would make a great gift for Bryce, who already had so much at his disposal, Theora hadn't even bothered to ask where he had gotten such things from. It would only complicate the matter.

"I was joking," Bryce said. "Every single time I'm around you guys it feels like I'm telling everyone the oldest punchlines in the book. What's with that?"

"Well, we don't tend to expect you to be funny," Theora said. She glanced down at the baby in her arms. "Do we, Julia?"

"Julia and Wil think I'm hilarious," Bryce bragged. But it wasn't much of a boast, as both children were too young to fully understand what humor was.

Theora said nothing in response to this, letting the topic drop. She only continued to gaze down at her baby, Julia Blue Carter, born just two weeks ago on a chilly December morning. It had not been a pleasant labor for Theora, and the triumph of it all being over was soured by the fact that Julia had been born a bit too early and had to spend the first days of her life in an incubator. But when Theora had woken up from the heavy process of labor, she had been comforted and surrounded by Edison, Bryce, Tina, Shawn, Winnie, and even Murray, who had faced his hospital-induced anxiety for her for the third time. And when she got to hold her daughter after the time in the incubator and notice that her eyes were exactly the brilliant shade of blue that Edison's were, she felt a deep, passionate love stir up inside her for her child. If it hadn't been for the night Wil was born, she reflected, Julia would never have existed.

Edison, of course, had been understandably nervous when Theora announced for the second time that she was pregnant by him. This time they were more careful. Theora steered clear of any potentially harmful activities, and made sure to always go with Edison to the parking garage or other places where she might be targeted for her femininity. It was only when she could feel the baby move inside her, when her stomach was swollen so that she no longer fit into her old clothing and she found herself undergoing mood swings, food cravings, and strange impulses to do things that normally would make no sense to her that she let out her deep breath of suspense. The baby would be fine, and so would she. Of equal importance was the fact that Edison was just as overjoyed as Bryce had been on the day Wil was born, and stayed with Theora throughout the entire birth process. Second only to the adorably innocent expression in Julia's eyes when her mother first held her was the look in her father's eyes when he caught sight of her for the first time.

"Whatever, Bryce," Tina dismissed him, waving her free hand. Wil squirmed and she whispered, "Ssh!" before leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Let's see… we gave Julia her present…"

Theora glanced down at the miniscule jingle-bell-adorned bracelet wrapped around one of Julia's wrists and murmured, "Yes, indeed you did." Julia reached up just then, waving her arm around in the air, and a soft tinkle of bells came from the bracelet. Theora bent over her, letting Julia grab on to one of her long fingers. Smiling, Edison reached over and tickled Julia's toes, which were hidden by the tiny pink crocheted baby booties that Edison had bought as an Xmas present. Again, Theora hadn't asked where he had found them.

"I do have a small thing for you, Tina," Theora said, slowly adjusting herself and Julia so that she could reach down to grasp the bag on the floor beneath her feet. "It's not going to be as fancy as what Bryce gave you, but at least it's pretty."

Automatically, everyone turned their heads to the ceiling to look up at what Bryce had gotten for Tina. He had installed a disco ball and several colored lights into the ceiling, so that all they had to do to open the apartment for parties was to move away the rug and push the couch into a corner of the room. Coupled with Tina's old turntable, their newly-renovated apartment was now the perfect swinging hot spot, provided that Wil was put to bed at a reasonable hour before the music began.

The apartment was currently decorated with silver tinsel and Xmas lights that flashed on and off- Bryce was trying to get them to flash to the beat of whatever music was playing at the moment, but the challenge was proving to be difficult- and so it took a moment to draw one's eyes back from the spectacular sight and towards the small box that Theora had produced from her bag. She handed it over to Tina, who tore off the ribbon and lifted the lid with a trepidatious smile on her face. What she found inside made her gasp.

"Oh, Theora! It's brilliant!" She held the box up for all to see, in which sat nestled a lovely diamond necklace. Bryce made an appreciative sound, though Theora thought he might be faking it, and Edison glanced over at Theora inquisitively. Is that what I think it is?, his eyes asked, and Theora nodded softly. Now the last vestiges of her past unhealthy relationships were gone, dead, and buried.

"It certainly doesn't compare to Murray's gift," Tina smiled, and everyone chuckled, remembering how Murray had declared his gift was to give everyone on his team a day off. "But I love it, Theora. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Theora said politely. "Is that everything?"

"Well…" Tina glanced from side to side before taking a deep breath. "It's not a gift, but I definitely had something I wanted to announce to everyone."

"Oh?" Edison said, and Bryce reached out to lay his hand on Tina's and turn up the full smolder of his brown eyes. "Please tell me," he drawled, "that it's nothing I haven't heard before."

"Oh, you know about it all right," Tina said smoothly, looking away from Bryce. "You helped make it happen, anyway. Edison and Theora haven't heard, though. The fact is, I'm having another baby."

"You are?!" Bryce gasped dramatically, and then before anyone else could say anything, laughed at his own reaction. "Old news, guys. She told me about it this morning."

"Oh, Tina!" Theora cried. "What a great Xmas present!" She got up from her seat and reached out to give Tina a one-armed hug, as Tina did the same.

"That's the second time she's used the 'I'm having your baby so I don't have to buy you anything' excuse," Bryce informed his guests, making quotation marks with his fingers while his eyes twinkled. "Sooner or later she's going to have to give up…"

"The best part is," Tina said, gazing happily at her friends surrounded, "that Ovu-Vat had nothing to do with it this time."

Edison immediately leaned over to punch Bryce in the shoulder. "What d'you know? You're a man now!"

"Technically, I was a man before I even met Tina," Bryce said coolly. "Sixteen years old is adulthood, right?"

Edison shrugged. "Wonderful news, guys. I'm very happy for you."

"Drat, and now I feel so unoriginal," Theora sighed. "Julia was born so close to Xmas that she deserved to be Edison's present."

"And I couldn't have asked for a better one," Edison said. He moved to kiss Julia on the head, and then exchanged a tender smile with Theora.

"I was wondering what she got you," Tina piped up.

Theora turned her eyes onto her friend. "So surely you must be wondering what he got me, too? Because I haven't a clue."

Once again, everyone present laughed, even little Wil, who clapped his hands together in joy. Then, once the laughter had died down, Edison said, "Actually I did get you something."

Theora looked over at him, giggling, "Then where is it, silly?"

Instead of laughing it off, Edison gazed seriously into Theora's eyes for a few moments before standing. Never once breaking the ocular connection, he reached into his back pocket and drew out a small black box. Then, breathing slowly, he sunk down onto one knee before Theora and Julia.

Theora felt her blood run cold. She snuck a quick glance at Tina and Bryce, and was horrified to find them smiling knowingly in her direction. They had been in on this-

"Theora Jones," Edison said, forcing Theora's attention back onto him. He held out the box and flipped the lid open in a single movement. Inside, a golden engagement band stared solemnly back at her.

"You are the most important person in my life," Edison said, and Theora swore she saw him tremble with the effect of the powerful words. "You're my control, my rock, my love, and the mother of my child. Our child." He took a deep, steadying breath and continued in a whisper that Theora swore only she could hear, "In short, I love you, Theora. And I hope you feel the same way about me. Will you marry me?"

The room became silent enough that even the drop of a feather would have rung out like a pistol shot. Theora wouldn't have noticed, however, because her heart was pounding far too loudly. She stared helplessly at Edison before glancing up at Tina, Bryce, and Wil's happy faces. She looked down in her lap at little Julia, beginning to fall into sleep. And then she looked at Edison again, and saw that the flame in his blue eyes had multiplied a hundredfold. He looked at her as if she was the only human being left on Earth. According to that look, he would follow her anywhere.

Deliberately, Theora rose to her feet and resumed the stare at Edison from a higher position. The way he looked up at her from the ground was reminiscent of a god, although Theora knew that he would never put her on a pedestal. She didn't ever desire that. A full second stretched out in that manner, the worshipper who was a reporter and the idol who was a controller locking eyes with each other while their child slept between them.

Quietly, Theora whispered, "Get up." Edison didn't appear to understand at first. His eyes crinkled around the edges, and he drew to his feet, still holding the ring in one hand. Theora took the time to read the emotions running across his face- confusion, worry, pain at being rejected- before she shifted Julia into the crook of one arm and reached out to touch his cheek. She smiled, and it was only then that she noticed that tears were running down her face.

"I love you." The statement came out choked. "And I will be your wife, Edison. But don't ever… don't ever think that I am more than your equal." Her voice cracked, and Theora threw her free arm around Edison's neck, burying her face in his shoulder. He slowly moved his hands so that they rested comfortably around her waist, and then guided his lips to her mouth. The kiss that ensued was dizzying, intoxicating, and nothing like anything Theora had experienced before.

Tina and Bryce, for their part, burst into applause at the sight of the kiss. Theora didn't even hear them. She pulled away from Edison and stared smiling into his blue eyes, brimming with unshed tears of happiness and relief. As blue as the sky, as blue as the sea, as blue as Julia Blue's eyes… He pulled her in for another kiss, and the tears they wept ran into their mouths and gave the kiss a salty flavor.

"Best present ever," Tina said softly as she watched the two, and Theora and Edison fluidly broke apart with contented laughter. Together they sank back onto the couch, and Theora passed Julia over for Edison to hold while she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well," said Edison, not looking at either Tina or Bryce but instead at the baby in his arms. "Shall we go ahead and see what's on TV?"

"I-I-I am!" Max boomed from the nearby screen. "In just a f-f-few minute's time-t-t-time, the ho-ho-holiday special of the Max-M-M-M-Max Talking Headroom Sh-Show is going to air! A-Air! Stay tuned, fe-fe-fellas!" He zapped away, and Theora was left watching the screen with a more peaceful feeling than she had felt in a long time.

"Oh-Oh-Oh, and b-b-by the way, Bryce," Max said as he popped back up again, "you think you could m-m-make me a present? A ch-ch-change of clothes, perhaps-haps? How ab-b-b-bout some arms and l-legs for a change, huh? Huh? Or m-m-maybe a bride?"

"I'm not going Frankenstein for you, Max," Bryce chided his creation. "It was hard enough creating you! Besides, who would I scan to be your bride?"

Max glanced out innocently from the TV screen. "Well, Th-Th-Theora's a good place to start…"

"What do you think?" Edison asked her. "Virtual you meets virtual me and they fall in deep virtual love?"

Theora giggled as she tugged on his arm. "Edison. We don't need virtual versions of ourselves just to be in love."

"That's true." Together everyone turned their attention onto the TV, where Max was beginning his show.

"He-He-Hello and welcome to the Xmas special of the Max-M-M-Max Talking Headroom Sh-Show! Tonight we have a great-gr-gr-great show lined up for you- but first… let's hear C-C-C-Candy C-Cane's rendition of 'It's the Most W-W-Wonderful Time of the Y-Year.' Thank you!"

A smooth female jazz singer appeared onscreen, her white dress streaked with red like her namesake, with a children's choir behind her. She began to sing-

"It's the most wonderful time of the year! With the kids jingle-belling and everyone telling you 'Be of good cheer!' It's the most wonderful time of the year…"

Theora snuggled into Edison to share his warmth, and he smiled and put the arm that wasn't cradling sleepy baby Julia around her shoulders. The ring box still lay forgotten in his lap; slowly Theora reached over and slid the ring onto her finger, smiling with delight.

Tina and Bryce mirrored Edison and Theora, huddling into each other with gentle smiles on their faces. Wil beat his fists in the air to the music, and Bryce laughed. "We've got ourselves a philharmonic here."

"It's the hap-happiest season of all…"

Together, the two couples and their respective children faced the future with all their might.