Merry Christmas Eve! I realize, that, depending on where you are, it could be Christmas Day and, if so, I hope you're having a wonderful time! As I'm posting this, it's 930 PM on Christmas Eve on the east coast of the US, so we have a ways to go yet. That being said, the last one will be posted tomorrow, Christmas day here,obviously late for those of you across the globe. (Sorry, hope you'll still read :))

My gift came in that my grandmother is home from the hospital as of today. It was a very stressful weekend of my family and once again, I just want to thank all of you for your kind words of encouragement. It really did mean a lot.

On to the story: Tonight's was sent in by NiatheWickedLover who requested Fiyeraba Lurlinemas celebration with their first child. Well, this came out quite a bit different than I imaged, but I think it works. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!


She was being watched.

The prickling fingers of awareness scarped across her nape, and she attempted to shrug off the distracting sensation until she could finish wrapping the gifts that she had been putting off for the better part of a week. Her intruder, however, would not be that easily deterred. She sensed the flutter of movement vibrating through the room and her gaze slid down just as a tumble of raven curls and two, wide, blue eyes peeked around the side of the table. Suppressing a wry grin, she looked away and appeared to lose herself in her project, but her exceptional hearing, honed from years of necessity, picked up the tiny, frustrated huff over the soft rustle of the paper.

She felt her chair wobble slightly under the sudden additional weight attempting to climb up and, failing to find a suitable grip, two small hands fisted in her skirts and gave a hard tug. Her fingers stilled in the mess of wrapping paper, tape and bows and, with an exaggerated sigh, Elphaba glanced down at her four-year-old daughter, who sat at her mother's feet, her attempts to use her mother's ball gown as a climbing rope fruitless. "Cressida," she drawled, "what has Mamma told you about interrupting me tonight."

The little girl wore a deep frown and she looked up at her with an expression so much like her fathers that Elphaba momentarily wonder if Fiyero had been tutoring their daughter in the art of swaying her with that adorable pout. At her words, however, the child's expression grew thoughtful before replying, "That I should 'cause I so arming

"Charming, darling." Despite herself, Elphaba chuckled, turning to lift Cressida onto her lap. "But, I don't think those were my exact words."

The little girl shrugged. "Daddy interrupts you while you wrap Lurlinemas presents."

"Daddy wraps Lurlinemas gift with me, my sweet."

I can, too!" she insisted adamantly, and Elphaba shook her head as she remembered her earlier attempts in instruct her daughter in the art of wrapping her father's gifts. Without a doubt, the girl would eventually pick up on the simple task, but she was very much in need of proper assistance and Elphaba was suspicious that their limited inventory of wrapping supplies would quickly be put to unnecessary waste despite the child's noble attempts."

"You will, Cressie," she soothed and she shifted her weight on her lap and tipped her chin up in order to more fully catch her gaze. "Patience. You must learn to walk before you run."

The pout returned. "But I don't wanna run." She insisted, brow furrowed. "I wanna wrap presents and be a princess like you, Mamma"

"And you will," the green girl smiled down. "With time and practice."

"Practice is boor-ing,"

Already Glinda has been influencing her. "But necessary if you truly wish to learn. There is much to know about being a proper princess… and wrapping a beautiful gift"

The girl paused to consider her mother's words. "If I practice, do I get a crown like you and Daddy?"

"Yes, Cressida. One day."

"Promise?"

"I promise," she vowed, placing a hand over her breast.

She paused again, chewing momentarily on her lips before looking up at her mother dubiously. "Cross your heart?"

Placing the final bow on the package, the green girl tipped her brown eyes down to her daughter's blue ones. "Of course, sweetheart. Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?"

By way of an answer, Cressie merely looked at the clock. "You promised Daddy you wouldn't be longer than when the big hand is on the three." She looked back up at her mother with accusatory eyes and said, with an artful raise of her brow. "It's now on the five."

"Oh, Sweet Oz," Elphaba murmured, her own eyes going to the clock. "I didn't realize it had grown so late. We're expected at the ball in twenty minutes."

"Daddy will be mad," she pointed out, offering her best attempt at her mother's own reproachful glare.

Elphaba quickly set the gift aside before returning her full attention to her daughter and, learning down, whispered, conspiratorially. "Only if he catches me."

"He always catches you, Mamma."

"No, darling, he doesn't. I usually catch him. Though he does have a tendency to be very sneaky, doesn't he?"

The girl nodded, with a smile. "Am I sneaky, Mamma?"

This drew a smile. "You are, darling. Though you come by it honestly. However, you do have a ways to go before you catch up to your father."

"Will the new baby be sneaky, too?"

"Of cour-" Her thoughtless words came to an abrupt halt as the questioned fully registered, and she suddenly felt dazed. "Did you say baby?"

"Mhmm Hmmm." Cressie murmured, casually. "Daddy said to ask you?"

Her heartbeat fluttered erratically as she attempted to gauge if such a thing were even possible. "Does Daddy know something I do not?"

The girl shrugged. "I asked him if I could have a baby sister for Lurlinemas, but he said I had to ask you." Turning her hopeful gaze to her mother, she asked, as casually as if asking for a new toy. "Can I have one, Mamma? Please?"

Elphaba's astonished "Why?" escaped without any attempt at tenacity.

"Because girls are better than boys," Cressie answered with a roll of her eyes, as if that fact should have been perfectly clear and her mother was suddenly a traitor for even daring to consider the alternative.

Momentarily stunned, Elphaba chose to ignore her daughter's reasoning and asked instead, "Cressie, do you realize what another baby would mean? You would have to share your toys, our attention, everything." Why her voice seem to be rising in tone with each word.

Cressida was that easily deterred. "I know, Mamma. I can share."

When had her little girl decided that she wanted a sibling? Elphaba was not so foolish to think that Fiyero would ultimately be satisfied with one child, given his five brothers and sisters as well as his love for children in general. But, she also knew he respected her wishes enough to know her reservations about expanding their family. Besides, Cressida had seemed perfectly content to be the spoiled, only child of the Prince and Princess of the Vinkus. But how could she ever hope to refuse them both, when they had already sacrificed so much for her.

Do you truly wish to refuse them?

Elphaba swallowed hard. True, she had taken to motherhood rather well after Cressida's birth, perhaps much better than she ever expected, but to do so a second time could prove precarious at best. After all, Fate had blessed her and Fiyero with one perfect child; surely to tempt fate again would not be in their best interest, would it? Growing bored with her continued silence, Cressie had taken to playing with the beads on her mother's elaborate gown.

"I'll be a good big sister, Mamma, I promise. Even if I get a brother instead."

There was a note of pleading in her voice, causing Elphaba's throat to tighten as she gathered her daughter into her arms. "You would be a wonderful sister, darling. I've little doubt. But you can't just wish for a brother or sister for Lurlinemas. There's quit a bit more involved."

Cressie blinked, then scrunched her small face. "Like what?"

"Well…there's..erm..it takes time to….um…that is a baby…"

"What your mother is tyring to say, sweetheart," Fiyero smoothly interrupted as he strolled into the room, a bright smile lighting his handsome face. "Is that we have to…discuss the matter further." He stopped beside the table and bent down to smooth a hand over his daughter's hair. "Will that do for now?"

"Yes, Daddy." She replied with a grin, effortlessly making the transfer from her mother's lap to her father's waiting arms. Elphaba passed her off without comment, secretly wondering how long her husband had been lurking outside the doorway.

Fiyero hugged his daughter close, kissing her cheek. "Now, it is well past your bedtime and your mamma and I have to go be nice to a lot of people that we don't really even like," and then met his wife's suspicious gaze with an impish grin and a wink. "We shall see you in the morning for presents, yes?"

A dutiful, though solemn, "Yes, Daddy," was murmured before the girl flashed an identical grin down at her mother. "'Night, Mamma"

"Goodnight, sweetheart," she murmured absently, her eyes still locked on Fiyero as awareness began to descend upon her once more. As she watched the duo disappear out the door and up the stairs, she knew, without a doubt, that she had just been uncharacteristically played to perfection. Scheming man.

Rising from the chair, she began to follow the path left by the two scheming loves of her life. After all, she had her sneaky husband did have much to discuss.


Last one will be up sometime tomorrow! Merry Christmas Eve! :)