Chapter 36: Merry Christmas

Authors Note: Hey, early Christmas present for you all and I hope you all enjoy and have a merry Christmas and here's hoping you all have a safe and happy holiday. Sorry about not having it up sooner I was exhausted yesterday. So here you go in case I don't update again have a Merry Christmas.

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman.

Victor Fries had just finished his final preparations for his wife's life pod. He had just carefully swapped her into her new pod and was running diagnostics to make sure she was still active after removing her from the pod. Victor would be lying if he said he didn't like holding Nora even for a brief moment. It was probably the first time since her illness that he had her in his arms.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the door open and footsteps approach him. He turned around to see Shadow standing in front of him with his hands in his pockets.

"What do you want Shadow?" Fries asked more bored and tired than angered and annoyed.

"Well, first I came to see how the misses is." Shadow said in a sincere tone. "And I also came to give you a Christmas present."

Shadow then pulled his hand out of his pocket and between his fingers he held a disposable jet injector filled with the Adonis formula.

"This is the Adonis formula." Shadow explained. "This is a perfect sample from my blood not the synthesized crap I keep in the freezer. I'm not sure how it will treat your wife, but knowing you, you can find a good use for it." Freeze took the syringe and started to scan it through on his computers.

"T-This is extraordinary." Freeze gasped as he looked over the data. "It could take some time but in time I could find a cure. Thank you." Shadow shrugged it off as he turned to leave.

"Don't mention it." Shadow said. "No one should spend Christmas alone." Shadow had just reached the exit before Fries stopped him.

"Your mortality is good." He commented. "In some ways you are just like Batman."

Shadow felt his eyes twitched as he whipped his head around towards Fries who had a small smile on his face.

"I am not like Batman." Shadow said while trying to keep his voice neutral.

"No, you are both different in many ways." Fries stated. "You have different codes of honor, justice, team work and tactics, but you do have his heart."

"What are you talking about Victor?" Shadow sighed.

"Boyle, you could have killed him." Fries said with a hint of amusement. "It was your job and your duty as an assassin to ensure evil is put down, but you chose to let him, Firefly and even Zsasz live."

"I give them each one chance to redeem themselves Fries." Jayden grunted as he walked over to Nora's pod and looked at the ice queens sleeping form. "Afterwards I'll waste them."

"I heard you encountered that Leonae character and Frost boy twice now and they continued to draw breath." Fries stated as he too walked over to Nora's pod.

"Because Gauntlet and Phoenix only have the right to take their lives." Shadow explained. "They wronged them badly in the past and if anyone is going to kill them it's those two. That's why I didn't kill Boyle he was yours to claim and you didn't want to kill him. Next time though I will take him down and no one will stop me."

"Are you trying to convince me or are you trying to convince yourself." Fries asked. Shadow remained silent and slowly walked out of the room. "Merry Christmas Jayden."

After a little sneaking thanks to his cloaking he was now on the outside of Arkham staring at the Asylum. Shadow had his mask off as he thought back to what Fries said. Maybe he was right maybe Jayden was just in denial. Even he didn't know, but he smiled at the thought that someone with such a cold heart had such a warm feeling towards Shadow.

"Merry Christmas Victor." Shadow said disappearing into the night.

(!)

Jayden had just put another nut into his favorite antique nut cracker as he waited for Sam to return. Jayden heard a knock on the door and jumped when he heard Sarah squeal. She came out wearing a black backless dress with Ally quickly following after her.

"What's all the all the hubbub bud?" Jayden asked as placed another walnut into the nutcrackers mouth.

"My boyfriend!" Sarah squealed. Jayden almost choked as everyone else looked over at doorway. Sarah opened the door to reveal a young sixteen year old blonde haired boy wearing a black dressy casual suit. Sarah smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "So glad you came."

"Hey thanks for inviting me." He said as Sarah took his hand and she led him into the main living room.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend Zack Andrews." She introduced to everyone in the room. "Zack this is everyone else."

"I know most of everyone here." He said as he looked at most of the team. "Jason, Blaze, Thomas, Christina, Jenny, Theresa (Theodosia) and…didn't you say Sam lived here?"

"He said he was gonna stop over Kris's place before stopping back here." Jayden said as he walked over to Zack and stuck out his hand. "I'm Jayden Warney. This is my girlfriend Ally, my bodyguard Marcas my tech expert Flynn and his girlfriend Hilary."

"Nice to meet you all." He said while Jayden gave him a confused look. "What's up?"

"You have a mother who works at Gotham General?" Jayden asked.

"Yeah, Jessica Andrews, why?" He asked.

"Nothing, she just worked on my aunt Barbra on the night of her accident." Jayden explained.

"Yeah, I thought I remembered you." Zack exclaimed. "My dad passed away when I was a kid so I had to go to work with my mom most nights. The night my mom was working on Miss. Gordon I remember someone causing all sort of hell. I looked out of my mom's office and I saw you taking on like eight cops and three doctors."

"Yeah, I don't even remember all that. All I remember is just hoping to see my aunt again." Jayden muttered.

"Sorry, didn't mean to dampen your spirits." Zack said.

"Nah its fine." Jayden reassured. "Let's change the subject. How did you and Sarah meet?"

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing, but I met her in school obviously." He said sheepishly. "I'm a real hard worker at school when it comes to soccer, football, lacrosse and Basketball which is coming up in a few weeks."

"Only poor Zack wouldn't be allowed to play because he was so busy playing that he didn't focus enough on his school work and homework he wouldn't be allowed to play." Jason chuckled.

"I also had work and I neglected some homework and projects I would have been held back if,"

"If the principle didn't recommend one of its honor roll students to tutor you." Jayden interrupted.

"He recommended, Kris, Christina and Sarah." Zack said. "Out of the three Sarah was the only nicest person I could rely on."

"You should see her other side." Blaze joked.

"So let me guess you two worked at school, worked at home and eventually you two clicked." Jayden finished.

"Pretty much." Zack and Sarah said.

"Awesome, well I wish you both nothing but happiness." Jayden said.

"Thanks Jayden." Sarah said as she tightened her hold on Zack's arm.

They chatted for a while talking about this and that when the door opened revealing a sloppy looking Sam. Everyone gave him a confused look as he let out a heavy sigh and plopped down on the couch. Everyone waited for a few minutes before Thomas finally broke the silence.

"What the hell happened to you?" Thomas asked as he sat down next to him. Sam let out a loud groan causing a few faces to grin.

"I take it the dinner didn't well?" Blaze snickered.

"Oh to say it didn't go well is an understatement." He said coyly. "It was a freaking disaster. It went well at first when I got there and Kris greeted me with a very nice and expensive Rolex. I greeted her with a very beautiful and very expensive diamond necklace. She loved it and things were going good. We started to prepare the turkey when I get a call from my leader and I sprang into action. Without thinking I took my watch off and threw it somewhere in the kitchen so I wouldn't brake it. After a night of working I made it back to Kris's house but I remembered where I threw my watch."

"In the turkey?" Everyone asked.

"In the turkey." Sam deadpanned. "Which was already cooked and on the kitchen table ready to be served."

"So you offered to bring the turkey out hoping to take out the watch before it was served." Jason said.

"I just reach in." Sam said as he extended his hand out motioning a grab. "Pull it out and have a merry Christmas."

"But when you grabbed it you fist wouldn't come out of the turkey!" Hilary chuckled.

"Everyone wondered what was taking so long they walked in just when I pulled out my watch." He said as he pulled out his grease covered watch from his pocket.

"Well there go your chances of being on daddy's good side." Jenny teased.

"To hell with the father, there goes your chance of ever getting laid." Jayden chuckled.

Sam glared at Jayden who suddenly felt a little warm. Jayden glared back at him and Sam could see a flicker of his Adonis formula. They two called truce as Sam turned to everyone else.

"And if you guys want your Christmas presents tomorrow then you better be quiet." Sam threatened causing everyone to shut up.

"Okay, well let's get going everyone Bruce isn't going to humiliate himself." Jayden said causing everyone to laugh.

"Hey is you know who gonna stay behind again?" Blaze asked.

Jayden knew he was talking about Ronin. He was hoping that his trusted friend would at least take his mask of for one night and enjoy his first Christmas with his friends but it looked like he was going to hide away again.

"Hey I'm ready." A voice said.

Everyone turned to see a twenty for year old man with buzz cut hair and some well-groomed facial hair. Everyone stared at him with blank expressions when Jayden finally broke the silence.

"So, you finally decided to accompany us tonight uh…"

"Maxwell Daniels." He said. "And I learned from Sarah about living your life separately from your other self." Sarah's face broke out in a smug grin which started to confuse Zack.

"What's he talking about?" Zack asked.

"I'll tell you about it another time." Sarah said as she dragged Zack out the door.

"Ugh, I wish I was twenty one so I could drink." Sam muttered as Jason and Blaze led him out the door.

"You forget we're rich, we can do whatever the hell we want." Jason said which seemed to cheer up Sam a bit.

"Yeah, she did laugh her ass of when she saw me, reminded me of the good old days." Sam said. Jayden walked up to Maxwell and grinned ear to ear.

"So, you finally show us your face it's a Christmas miracle." Jayden joked.

"Yeah, look it's been awhile since I've actually been out in the open like this." Max admitted. Jayden put an arm around his shoulder and the two walked towards the door.

"Don't worry, were mostly going to annoy Bruce and the rest. But what we'll really do is just drink up all his booze and eat up all his food." Jayden reassured. "Then by tomorrow we won't remember a thing."

Max smiled a little as the two finally walked out of the penthouse.

(!)

The evening went well as they expected. Jayden acted like his usual arrogant self and he made sure his team kept true to his word when he said he would eat all the food and drink all of the booze. It was now Christmas Day and everyone was opening their presents.

Jayden had done most of the shopping and bought everyone things they would really want. He got Sam his own motorcycle, Marcas was tricky but Ally decided to get him a new suit and some sun glasses. Sam was also in the spirit as he picked up a few things for everyone else.

"Okay everyone I had to drag around Kris's crap all afternoon so if you don't like what I got you at least have the common courtesy to pretend to like it." Sam said in amusement while digging around his bag. "Okay, Blaze you have a sharpening stone for your knife. Hilary I got you that new Hitman game you've been dying for." He said giving her the game case. She smiled with glee before her face looked confused.

"Funny, this guy on the cover looks like my mentor." She said even though no one was really paying attention.

"Ally, of course how could I forget you?" He swooned as he pulled out a small black kitten. It let out little meows causing all the girls and Blaze to fawn all over it. Marcas freaked out as he walked out of the room. Ally was rubbing her cheek on its small head when Jayden heard a knock at the door. He got up from where he was sitting and walked over to answer it. When he opened it he saw that there was no one there and was about to shut the door when he noticed a small box on the floor.

Years of training taught him to be careful as he went to pick up the box, but then he noticed the To and From tag. It read 'To: Jayden, From: V.F's' he knew it was from Fries and opened the box. Inside was a custom made snow globe with a built in music box. Jayden looked through the glass and saw his team carved out on top of Gotham buildings but his was different. He saw that he still had his sword but he was dressed like Batman.

Jayden walked back into the living room while everyone was still opening gifts. They all saw Jayden place the snow globe down on the mantle as he pulled out a small card from underneath it. He held it up as the rest of his team looked over his shoulder at what it said.

'To the future Batman and his fellow Dark Knights. From Fries.'

Everyone was stunned at what it said. The team looked at Jayden to see his reaction but he was still emotionless. They all still remained silent before Sam finally asked the question that's been on their minds.

"Why does Fries see you as a potential Batman?" He asked. Jayden couldn't help but smirk as he pocketed the note.

"Because he thinks Batman mortality is starting to rub off on me." Jayden said referring to their conversation.

"Why does he think that?" Sarah asked while sipping her hot chocolate. Jayden the picked the snow globe up again and twisted the crank allowing a sweet melody to play throughout the room.

"He used Ferris Boyle as an example." He said while taking a seat on the couch. Ally's cat hopped up next to him. He ran his fingers down its back as he continued his explanation. "He said that I had a chance to kill him but I didn't. I told him that he had the right to avenge his wife and himself, but I guess he didn't believe it." Ally sat down next to him and took his hand into hers.

"Do you believe him?" She asked. "I mean will his predictions come true?"

"Doubtful, truth be told I thought about taking over Batman after I killed him, but that was before I regained my memories. Now, I'm not sure what to do. But I am not becoming a Justice League member. I burned that bridge long ago."

"Yeah, and if you ever did become Batman there is no way in hell I'm wearing that kiddie version of Robin's uniform." Sam joked. "I do not have the legs for it."

Everyone laughed at that picture of Sam wearing small green shorts and a yellow cape. Jayden shook his head and sat back up in his chair.

"It's difficult to say for sure, but I doubt it." Jayden reassured. "If I ever did become Batman I'd eat my boxer shorts."

"Sounds like a bet to me." Flynn said causing everyone to laugh again.

"Alright, enough of this nonsense." Jayden said getting up from his chair. "It's Christmas, we need pie."

"Sounds good to me." Hilary said.

"I think they are about done." Sarah said as she went to the kitchen.

Everyone else went to follow except Maxwell who was still staring at the snow globe. He was lost in a trance before he felt a hand slap down on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Marcas smirking at him.

"Sorry, just kind of you know…happy." He said.

"I can tell, you've had your mask off for more than twenty four hours." Marcas said. "I think we learned something from Whisper or actually Sarah. We have the rest of our lives ahead of us and they do't have to be behind the mask."

"Yeah, come on Marcas. Those pies smell good." Max said as the two left for the kitchen.

Today was a very Merry Christmas.