A Very Mars Christmas

"Eli." Veronica peered into their living room where her fiancé was currently losing a battle against wrapping paper and scotch tape, his brow was furrowed in concentration and she had to admit it was probably one of the cutest things she had ever seen. "Eli?" Still nothing, he was either entirely focused on the task she had bestowed on him or he was ignoring her…"Elias?" His head finally snapped up and the tape fell to the floor; the look on his face made her laugh softly as she continued into the living room crouching down so she was at his level. "Are you almost done? We have to be at my dad's place in half an hour." Veronica said watching as he glanced at the clock then back at the presents still waiting to be wrapped. "Yeah…almost."

The way he hesitated made her smile even wider sitting down on the floor she grabbed some of the wrapping paper and one of the presents. "What are you doing?" Eli asked watching her, ready for one of her sassy comments. "Why I'm being a helpful elf." Veronica said as she pointed to her festive green hat making him roll his eyes. "I got this." She did her head tilt and he sighed, god after all this time it still got to him. "Hey." He muffled a groan as he set his now wrapped present aside and grabbed another. "I'm helping." Eli nodded his head, he could use the help; together they finished wrapping all the presents in no time and he was carrying them to the car. "Do you want to drive?" Veronica asked as she locked up their apartment. "Sure." Using the keys he loaded the gifts into the trunk before closing it up and walking to the driver's side.

Considering it was Christmas eve the traffic on the way to Veronica's dad's place wasn't that bad, and the soft Christmas music that filled the car didn't even bother him…probably because he'd grown used to them now. "So who all is going to be there?" Eli asked turning his head slightly so he could look at Veronica. "Dad, Alicia, Wallace, Darrell. You know the whole fam." She said cheerfully, a little too cheerfully making him frown slightly. "It's going to be busy then…" Eli said frowning slightly…this was his first Christmas with Veronica and he was a little nervous. "Don't worry it'll be great, I prepared everything when I was there earlier…all dad has to do is take the turkey out of the oven."

"You think they'll like everything?" He asked as they pulled onto the last street separating them from her old apartment. "I do, relax babe." Eli let out a breath as he pulled into a parking spot, she was right he needed to relax; this wasn't the first event he had been to with her dad and they seemed to get along well enough now. Alicia was a different story but she seemed off with even V. "I'm relaxed, so relaxed that I might just sleep here." He tried to tease, which earned him a smile as she rolled her pretty blue eyes at him. "Well maybe you should tense up a little then." "Tense up, relax, well which would you have baby." He asked as he gathered the presents, grunting when something was put on his head. "No, I am not wearing this." Eli stated, glaring at Veronica.

"Looks to me like you already are." Her sass was there in her voice as she closed the trunk and lead the way, his hands being full were the only one thing that was stopping him from pulling off the offensive Santa hat. The door to Keith Mar's apartment opened before they reached it and Keith stepped out a wide smile on his face. "Right on time, let me help you with those Eli." He said as he accepted half the presents from him. Wallace appeared a moment later laughing at him a smirk on his face. "I see our Christmas elf got you too." He said nodding at Eli's hat, one that matched the one on his own head. "Yeah she sure did." He would love to pull it off, but it seemed everyone was wearing one.

Music played in the background along with some Christmas movie, Veronica was already busing herself in the kitchen with Alicia; the smell of cooked food hitting him hard making his mouth water. "So Eli I hope you're hungry because the ladies have prepared a huge meal for us." Keith said the smile never left his face as they talked. "I'm ready to eat." He admitted as he allowed himself to look around, taking in all the decorations. "And then it's present time?" A voice Eli didn't recognize sounded to his left making him look in that direction. "Darrell." "Sorry mom, I'm just so excited." Eli laughed a bit. "What did you ask for?" He asked the kid, seeing himself in the excited youth. "I asked for a new remote control car!"

"Nice. I like remote control cars." Eli said as he sat down next to the kid, slipping into an easy conversation about cars…it was something he knew well. Time passed quickly and before he was ready it was time to eat, all the nerves were gone as they ate though, between the way Veronica and her dad joked the conversation was never dull, or lagging. Wallace was actually funnier than Eli ever gave him credit for and his relationship with V was actually heartwarming, they had a closeness most siblings never had. All three men helped with the dishes before they were disrupted by Veronica of all people. "Present time." She clapped her hands excitedly, her hat hung slight to the side and making her look adorable.

"I'm ready for my pony." Veronica said making him snort. "Always a pony." Keith laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "You have no idea." Apparently it was an on-going joke between them. "One day I'll get it." She said with a grin as Keith handed her a neatly wrapped gift, before he handed one to everyone else in the room, Eli looked at his trying to judge what it was by the size and weight of the box. Alicia was the first to open her gift, a laugh on her lips as she held up pajama's covered in cats. "Just in case I become the crazy cat lady?" She asked looking at Wallace. "Hey Darrell picked them." They all laughed together. Veronica opened her gift from her dad and snorted holding up a small plastic pony. "I got my pony."

Everyone laughed with each other, they watched a couple movies and then they were getting ready to head home. "Thank you for the new tool set Eli." Keith said as they shrugged into jackets. "Don't mention it, a little birdie told me all you had around here was a screw driver and a hammer. Now you have a whole set…just in case." Keith turned his attention to Veronica and shook his head. "Wrong little birdie." Eli said laughing at the surprised look on Keith's face as he turned to look at Alicia who was putting away leftovers. "I see. Well then." Veronica stepped up giving Keith a long hug. "Merry Christmas dad." Keith hugged her back tightly for a moment before letting her go. "Merry Christmas honey. Drive safe." Eli nodded his head. "We will, good night everyone."

"Goodnight Eli, Veronica. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas."

A/N: Merry Christmas, happy holidays and all the greeting to each and every one of you lovely people reading my stories. You all bring me great joy. And I hope you've had a wonderful holiday season and have an a wonderful New Year.