hi guys! Sorry it's been forever since an update...I wouldn't be surprised if most of you aren't even following this story any more. I took a break from fanfiction for the last few months mainly because I'm in my freshman year of high school and I was having a hard time adjusting and I really didn't have time or the energy to continue this.

However, I've recently started rereading Keys to the Demon Prison and have been getting stoked for the new spin off series of Fablehaven and my interest in this story blossomed all over again. I hope to do monthly updates .

Once again, I apologize for being MIA.

I got a request for a Christmas themed chapter back when it was...ya know, Christmas time and I never got around to it. But I am now!

Chapter 14:

Christmas Eve

The question really did puzzle him; what did Seth want for Christmas?

For the past month, he had been mobbed by family and friends over and over again about what he would want for Christmas and every time he responded with the same, overused answer: I don't know.

He'd assume that'd he'd end up getting the basics. Underwear and socks from Grandma and Grandpa Larson, a Subway gift card from Warren, a new belt for his sword from Grandma and Grandma Sorenson, a loaf of calico bread from his parents (which his mother insists she made herself), a day in Fairy Land with Bracken.

Maybe he'd get lucky and Vanessa would give him some kind of exotic animal, like a duck with a beaver tail. Oh wait a second...That was a platypus.

Then maybe some sort of chinchilla like creature with a turtle shell and poisonous darts for teeth. Yeah, that'd be cool.

He hoped Kendra would be more creative than last year when she had gotten him a glass unicorn horn (which he accidentally broke when opening it.)

Nevertheless, Seth hoped he'd at least be surprised by whatever attempts at gifts his friends gave him. He wasn't about to get dramatically excited over a stuffed panda just because a certain potion master had been stuck in China and had barely made it home on time for Christmas...yeah, never again.

Sitting up in bed, Seth peered out the window. The yard was covered in at least three feet of snow with trampled pathways leading in every direction. Despite the cold, the fairies continued to keep the garden in bloom, colorful flowers enhanced by ice crystals that were unable to kill the plant.

He spotted Vanessa and Warren walking together through the snow toward the woods, more or less in the direction of the naiad pond. Both were bundled in heavy winter clothes and Seth could see their breath as they spoke even from the attic window.

Flopping back onto his back, Seth faced a horrible problem that he'd been putting off for a month and was finally catching up to him. What was he gonna get Nyx for her first Christmas?

...

Kendra blew on her hot chocolate, fully aware that it was pointless. A plastic top set on the brim of the paper cup. All she managed to do was distort a small wave of steam that flowered up from the small opening in the lid.

Bracken sat across from her at the table; the grey beanie he was wearing made his silvery-blonde hair lighter than ever and made his usually light blue eyes a stormier shade of blue. He sipped his own hot chocolate without discomfort.

The two of them had been out at the mall doing some last minute Christmas shopping, hoping to find some good deals one day before the twenty-fifth. Instead, prices were higher than ever and after three hours of browsing, they had come up empty.

Currently, the overpriced hot chocolate at Starbucks was more appealingly priced than boots at the department store. So, there they sat in the coffee shop, staring out the window at the snow covered town.

Bracken coughed into his fist, breaking Kendra from her thoughts. She gave him her undivided attention. "Is that too hot?" He asked, giving a slight nod toward her cup.

Kendra stared down at her drink. "Yeah, a little bit."

"May I?" He asked.

"Sure." She pushed the cup across the table with her fingertips. He popped the lid off, then cupped his palm around the center circumference. A swirl of ice danced across the top of the drink, forming elaborate patterns. "Woah," Kendra said, her eyes brightening.

Bracken put the lid back into place. "Here. Try it now."

Kendra put the cup to her lips and gingerly took a sip. The drink tasted rich and creamy and not uncomfortably hot like before. "Perfection," she relayed with a grin. She hoped desperately she didn't have a mustache, swiping the back of her hand across her mouth.

Bracken flashed her a reassuring smile, as if reading her thoughts. "You look good in hot chocolate, Kendra."

Kendra fought down a blush she felt coming. Instead, she tried repositioning her earmuffs to take her mind off of how red she probably looked. "So," she started, setting her hazel eyes on his, "have you decided to tell me what you got me for Christmas yet?"

Front teeth resting on the brim of his coffee cup, Bracken cracked a teasing grin. "You're relentless, aren't you?"

Kendra shrugged it off, giving her best innocent look. He'd been hinting at what it might be for over a month and Kendra was finally getting giddily impatient. Another full day seemed way too long. If only she could just get him to slip up, then maybe she could do the inferring on her own.

Taking a final swig from his cup, Bracken shook his head. "You've waited this long, you can wait another twenty-four hours."

"That makes it sound like an even longer wait," Kendra mumbled under her breath. It was fun to imagine all the wonderful possibilities, but come on!

Bracken raised his eyebrows teasingly. "Two days, Kendra. That's not that bad."

Kendra cast her glare to her hands, then flashed her eyes back up to Bracken where they held each other's gaze for a few moments. Finally, Bracken chucked his empty cup into the nearest garbage, fixed his collar, and grabbed Kendra's hand.

"Come on," he said. "We're expected back in an hour and there's still something I want to show you."

...

Seth sat crisscrossed on the couch, palms supporting his head as he stared blankly at the golfing tournament his Grandpa Sorenson and Dale were watching. Judging that he was pretty sure golf was currently out of season, Seth guessed it was an old recording.

After an hour of brainstorming with no avail inevitably brought Seth down stairs to continue his train of thought. He'd plopped down on the couch with Dale to watch TV and stared at the screen for seemingly hours on end as if an idea would just jump into his brain.

It didn't help that the Christmas tree and all the decorations throughout the house distracted his train of thought as well.

A pat on his back made Seth jump and the fourteen year old instinctively coiled into a defensive crouch. He looked over to find Grandpa and Dale watching him, amusement in their gazes.

Seth eased back into a relaxed slouch; even a year and a half after Zyxx Seth was still wound up with slight unease. It was a habit that he feared he may never be able to break. Still, he found that his voice came out as smooth and nonchalant as ever. "Yeah?"

"You got that look of concentration," Dale commented. "What are you thinking about?"

Seth's lips pressed into a thin line. He wasn't sure he wanted to explain his dilemma to his grandpa and Dale about how he wasted almost thirty days in his hunt for a gift.

"Just Christmas," he replied slowly. It wasn't actually a lie since it was Christmas related.

Grandpa gave him a hard look. "Are you sure that's all?"

"Yessir," Seth answered quickly. He hurriedly stood up and exited the living room before he was put on an unfair trial. Without any real destination in mind, Seth found himself in the guestroom that Tanu was staying in.

The big Samoan was sorting through different vials with a variety of colors. When he noticed Seth in the doorway, he broke into a grin. "What's up, Seth?"

Seth ran his finger along the grooves in the door frame's molding, then flicked his eyes up toward his behemoth friend. "Nothing really. Just thinking."

"Woah, that's dangerous," Tanu teased. He carefully placed a pink vial into a wooden box and closed it. Producing a key, he locked it up and slid it under his nightstand. "What do you need help with?"

"What makes you think I need help?" Seth accused. "Can't I just come talk to my friend?"

Tanu released a hearty chuckle, patting a spot on the bed next to him. Seth joined him without protest. "Let's try this again," Tanu suggested, face still flush from laughing. "What's eating you kid?"

Sighing, Seth recounted his problem about Nyx to Tanu. When he was finished, Seth waited for an answer silently.

Tanu rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmm. Quite a bind you've gotten yourself in, huh?"

"Tell me about it," Seth grumbled. He rested his cheeks on his fists, elbows on his knees.

"Tell me," Tanu mused, "do you like this girl?"

Seth shot up into a sitting position. "Woah. Woah. Dude, she's a unicorn princess and I'm a shadow charmer."

Tanu shrugged indifferent. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Rubbing his sweaty palms on his pants, Seth replied, "Light and darkness?"

"You're not evil."

"Of course I'm not."

"Then you're technically not darkness."

"Um.."

"You still didn't answer about whether you like her or not."

Seth's ears turned pink. "What's it to you anyway?"

Tanu raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, you came to me for help. It'd be easier to brainstorm gift ideas if I knew your feelings toward her."

Seth sighed again, running his hand through his choppy, dark hair. Maybe it was time that he was honest with himself. Did he have a crush on Nyx? Yes.

"Nope," he lied, putting on a convincing straight face. Just because he would be honest with himself didn't mean he had to be honest with anyone else. "She's just a really good friend."

"Uh huh," Tanu murmured. He still didn't look convinced.

Frowning, Seth stood up. "I don't need to stay here and convince you that I don't have a silly crush; because I don't!"

Tanu shrugged, turning back toward the wooden box of goodies he had stored earlier. "I believe you Seth; after all, why shouldn't I believe you?"

He knew what the older man was doing. Guilt tripping was not going to make Seth admit to his crush. "Thanks for the help. I think I know what I'm going to get her."

"And what's that?"

"It's a surprise." Turning, Seth hurried out of the room, fully aware that he still had no idea what he was going to do.

...

When they had been window shopping at the mall, Kendra had been seriously regretting that she had brought her earmuffs. But now that Bracken was leading her through ankle high snow drifts behind a corner store she was grateful to have something to protect her ears from the wind.

Bracken's grip on Kendra's hand tightened for a moment, making Kendra's stomach flutter. Then he glanced back at her, all but his eyes hidden by a sliver scarf. "How you doing back there?"

Kendra inhaled steadily. Her sinuses were instantly overwhelmed by a blast of cold air. "Im holding up." He smiled from behind his scarf. "You kinda look like a ninja."

Bracken laughed, the puff of his breath crystallizing once it hit the frigid air. His hand tightened around Kendra's hand again. "We're here."

Straightening up, Kendra eagerly glanced around expecting to see something amazing. She was mildly disappointed when all she saw was a pond frozen over in a small clearing surrounded by dreary looking willow trees. Plus she was feeling that breeze, chilling her to the bone. Hardly romantic.

Bracken gave her a cheeky side glance. "Not what you were expecting?"

"Uh," Kendra murmured. She gave the area another quick scan to make sure she wasn't missing something obvious, then turned to face Bracken. "Not really."

Grinning, Bracken's lips moved in a whisper. Even though she couldn't hear his words, Kendra was certain that he had spoken in a fairy tongue. A second later, fairies the colours of white and silver darted back and forth across the clearing. Snow drifts swirled in beautiful waves around them. Fairies skated across the pond, momentarily unfreezing the water where their feet touched the surface.

Kendra couldn't withhold a gasp. "It's beautiful."

Bracken shrugged. "I hoped you'd like it."

Kendra leaned her head on Bracken's shoulder. Bracken slung his arm around her waist. "I really do," Kendra said, smiling into his arm. A sudden tension in Bracken's shoulder startled her, and Kendra glanced up at him. "What's wrong?"

Bracken's muscles relaxed and when he looked down at Kendra, he had a big grin on his face. "Seth just spoke with me telepathically; we need to get home and help him with idea for Nyx."

...

Seth rolled over onto his stomach. Three consecutive hours of listening to the Christmas Yule Log and he could only take so much. If he had to hear Deck the Halls one more time, he was going to do something drastic.

Christmas Eve had finally kicked off when the sun went down and everyone started gathering on the main floor. Delicious smells wafted from the kitchen where Grandma Sorenson and Grandma Larson had been cooking and Marla's baked treats were eyeballed by anyone who set foot in the room.

"Someone antsy?" Warren asked, taking a seat at the end of the couch that Seth was sprawled out on. He looked goofy in a Santa hat and a red sweater that had a reindeer stitched on the front.

"Why do you say that?" Seth chose his words carefully.

Warren shrugged, the ghost of a grin forming. "I'm sure it was nothing, but I had been talking with Tanu and so..."

Seth groaned. "Ay caramba."

"I didn't know you spoke Spanish," Bracken joked. He sat opposite of them in Grandpa Sorenson's recliner and was also rocking a hideous sweater.

Seth scrunched up his nose. "Shut up, Bracken." Bracken and Warren shared knowing smirks.

Stretching back, Warren slapped his palm against his stomach. "Is anyone else getting anxious for some of that food? I've been tormented by the smell all day."

"Yeah, it does smell pretty good," Bracken agreed heartily. "I'm sure Ruth, Gloria, and Marla did a marvelous job on the preparations and arrangements."

Seth raised his eyebrows. He found it amusing when Bracken would unknowingly slip into a more princely mannerism.

Out in the hallway, a door opened and a blast of cool air erupted in the room, forcing Seth to burrow his legs further under a blanket. Feet stomped through the door accompanied by a collection of voices. Bracken perked up immediately.

"What do you know," he mused. "Rhoswen managed to get them down here in time for dinner after all."

Seth felt like the air had been knocked out of him. "Uh, Nerida, Odette, Rhoswen, and...Nyx are here now?"

"Yes," Bracken affirmed with a side glance. "You sure you wanna go through with this?"

Loosening his grip on the arm of the couch, Seth nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm ready."

Warren raised his eyebrows. "Ooh. You boys were planning something?"

"Why don't you talk to Tanu about it." Seth quipped.

"Hey," Warren said, "I was victim to curiosity. And you of all people can't talk concerning curiosity."

"Touche," Seth conceded.

Rhoswen and Nyx glided through the door into the living room, both of which were looking stylish in red and white striped Christmas sweaters. Rhoswen had her orange hair curled up and pinned with a tiara that appeared to made of snow that couldn't melt. Nyx had decided to let her hair return to its natural black color opposed to pink.

Seth's heart skipper a beat when Bracken stood up. "Hey!" Bracken hugged each of his sisters in turn.

Rhoswen poked at his chest. "I see you participated in the ugly Christmas sweater thing as well."

"I was about to say the same thing about you two," he replied pointedly. "Ro, you remember Warren?

Rhoswen waved. "Yes, of course. And I know Seth."

"Hey, Ro," Seth grinned nervously.

"Princess," Warren acknowledged politely.

Bracken glanced at Nyx. "You already know everyone here."

Nyx giggled. "Yeah that's a good point." She winked at Seth. "Hey, Seth."

"Hi Nyxie." Seth replied. He was unsure of how to proceed when, perfectly timed, Kendra poked her head around the corner.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said, forcing an apologetic grimace-it was hard not to smile at Seth so she tried to avoid eye contact. "Bracken? Could you, Ro, and Warren help us out in the kitchen really quick?"

Warren, who was not a part of Mission Mistletoe, looked about ready to protest but Bracken interjected before a complaint could have been voiced. "Of course! Let's go then." He gave Warren's knee a good natured slap, a pleading look with his eyes, then led his sister and Warren out of the room.

"Huh," Nyx mumbled as she plopped down on the couch beside Seth. "I wonder why they didn't ask for our help too."

Seth shrugged, secretly relieved that she hadn't noticed how stiff his body had gone when she sat beside him. "I really wouldn't question it otherwise karma might make them come back and make us help them."

Nyx giggled lightly. "Even on Christmas you're lazy."

Seth shrugged again, surprised to find himself relaxing the tiniest bit. "What would be a better time to be lazy?"

Nyz gave a gentle tap between Seth's eyebrows with her forefinger. "You tell me, wise guy. This is my first Christmas."

And the butterflies were back; she had just left an easy transition for Mission Mistletoe to be put into action. After slaying demons, stealing a unicorn horn, becoming a shadow charmer, and a bunch of other stuff Seth had no excuse to be scared.

"On that note, do you want your first Christmas gift?" Seth asked, putting on a straight face before quickly adding, "Well it's not an actual materialistic gift, but ya know.."

Nyx's eyes grew in excitement. "Of course! I've been waiting only for forever!"

Seth's jaw tightened in anxiety, but he forced himself to loosen up. "Okay. Stand up and give me your hand."

Nyx did as she was told, a goofy yet excited smile etched on her face.

"Close your eyes," Seth said.

She closed eyes. "Don't run me into a wall."

"Never," Seth promised. Leading her a bit at a time, he helped guide her until they were both standing directly under the mistletoe. When they stopped, he did a quick sweep to make sure Kendra and Bracken had kept their promise about keeping everyone out of the living room. True to their word, no one except Seth and Ny were present.

Ooh," Nyx murmured gently. "We stopped walking? Should I be nervous?"

Seth responded by planting a kiss on Nyx's cheek before he could chicken out of Mission Mistletoe.

Nyx's eyes fluttered open in surprise, her hand hovering over the spot where Seth's lips had touched her. A blush of crimson spread across her nose and colored all the skin from her eyes and under. "Seth?"

Seth tried hard to ignore his burning cheeks. "I figured that you're first Christmas present should be one of the popular earth traditions that we celebrate at Christmas since I'm such a nice guy."

"I hope it isn't a seasonal tradition," Nyx grinned. "Because I don't think I can wait another year for that."

Seth didn't care about his stupid grin.

sorry the ending was rushed-the first draft deleted and I just wanted to wrap it up fast so I could be done with it. I love Seth and nyx, maybe we'll have some of their pranks in the future. More brackendra as well

I got an idea for another social media chapter, but I'm not going to start writing it until I know ppl are still interested in this story.

-pinkfangurl-