… Rika Nonaka, and you know who you are, I am not very happy about the obvious similarities between your fic "Fallin"' and mine, "Reality?". You stole the tackling idea, I know it…. Gaw, the *one* time I don't copyright something… But, I will help you… Rika's parents are actually Aki (mom) and Kenji.
On lighter notes, Miyako, I'm guessing you like the fic… here's the next chapter you requested 3 times. Everyone else, thanks for reviewing ^_^ my god, I've found a couple I can write for… other than my own chars…

Charades had been considerably more enjoyable than previous games. Rika set down the glass of cider she was sipping and sighed. What a mess…she glanced around. No sign of Takato or Jeri, not a good sign in her book. All others were present and accounted for, ranging from Kenta who had been knocked out by an apparent cider overdose earlier, to Kim who was giggling as Kazu and Ryo arm wrestled in front of her. "Guys…" she mumbled, then looked over at whoever was tapping her shoulder. "Yeah?" she asked Michelle defiantly.

"Oh, nothing… just seeing how much attention you were paying to your surroundings.

Gaw, they're probably going to harp on me forever for that stunt… Rika sighed, picking her glass back up.

"Rika?" she panicked and practically spit out her cider when she heard Henry call her name.

"Yeah?"

"Thought I'd warn you… the bunnies are up to no good…" he pointed upwards, and she slowly looked up. She heard a small 'uh-oh' and saw a brown ear disappear onto a rafter. Above her, not previously there, was a plastic mistletoe.

"Ground them for me, will yah?" she sighed, walking toward a different corner of the room. Moments later, a shadow flashed across her face. "Lopmon… try it again, and I'm gonna…" she realized it was too late as she finally looked up. She jumped, snatched the plastic 'plant-of-doom' from the ceiling, and, upon a sudden burst of boredom and anger, set it on Guilmon's head before storming out of the room.

"What's up with her?"

"Oh, you know Rika. She's always uptight about something…"

I'm uptight, huh? Rika huffed, standing alone in the hall. Gaw, if it weren't for the sinking sensation that there are people in that closet… she paused her thoughts as something knocked on the door from the inside, I'd stand out here all night. The party's not over until 10:00… so I'm stranded, I'm guessing… she looked at the clock on the wall. For over another hour. Is that all the longer the torture took? That's it… "Yo, Renamon! Be back by dawn. The rest of you, I'll see you later," Rika rolled her eyes at the vacant stares she was receiving from the majority of the room and walked right out the front door.

"Leaving, but… it's only…" Henry reasoned, looking at the clock. Then at his sleeping sister, curled up on the sofa beside Marren's little brother. Adorable as she looked, he knew she was due home before nine, so he needed to take her home and then come back to the party. He was supposed to go to Takato's for the night, after the party, because it was less than halfway between his house and Jeri's, a much shorter distance to walk than that to his own. He sighed and picked Suzy up, calling quietly to Terriermon and Lopmon and explaining what he was doing, as well as that he'd be back within half an hour.

"Alright then…" they grinned, spinning back around and running off as Henry adjusted how he was holding his little sister and walked out the front door, in the direction of his house.

**********

"Hey, mom! Suzy's in bed, I'm headed back out!" Henry sighed, looking at the little brat, now curled up silently under her blanket. "And I'm still staying at Takato's after the party, right?"

"I suppose so… But this better not become a habit, of staying away from home on Christmas," his mom shook her head approvingly as he ran back out the door.

"I know, I know!" he called back, closing the door sharply behind him.

The cool air whipped around him as he wandered back towards Jeri's American style home. He passed more slowly past the dimly lit park, glancing at his watch. "Only 9:10… it's too bad Rika left so early…" he was barely aware of his path as he stared at the sky, the clouds parting momentarily, allowing a small amount of light from the full moon to seep through. "Beautiful…" he murmured, as he wandered, halfway daydreaming, across the park and through the light snow. He had, not even purposely, decided to take a short detour through the quiet landscape before returning to the Yuletide chaos of the party.

As he strode between the two forts on the field from their previous snowfights, he couldn't help but imagine the others there as well. Their many hours of fun together, between saving the world and homework… This was their last year in middle school; would they have time to hang out once their workload increased the next year? How likely was it that they would be headed towards the same high school? If not, would it cause them to drift apart, 8 lone warriors instead of one team? Where *were* they all headed…?

A soft humming brought him from his thoughts… He walked towards the source, one of the two snowforts. He leaned against the wall and looked over, at Rika, who was singing softly, with her back turned against the wall.

Then, predictably… the wall collapsed, leaving Henry and half the wall to tumble down beside Rika.

"What the?!" she yelled, turning too late to avoid the miniature avalanche. Henry had approximately the same reaction as he plummeted, face first, into the snow. "Henry?!"

"Sorry, sorry!" he panicked, struggling but failing to get back up.

"Are you ok?" they suddenly asked in unison.

"Y-you're not mad?" Henry questioned, forgetting to complete standing up.

"Provided you haven't been there for more than a minute…"

"Nope. Got here, looked over wall, fell," he laughed, grinning sheepishly and brushing snow off his vest.

"Oh… in that case," Rika sighed. Next thing Henry knew, however, he had been hit across the back of his head by something cold and wet.

"Hey!" he shouted playfully, tossing a handful of powder back at her. Within mere moments they were yelling and racing through the dimly lit park, exchanging random fire when oppurtunity permitted. Like children half their age, they dashed behind trees to avoid being hit by the other. Finally, a few minutes later, they both collapsed beneath a tree, side by side, laughing and gasping for air. They paused and looked at each other, only causing each to laugh harder as they saw the other covered in snow, until they finally both fell over backwards into the snow.

"That was so… unlike you," Henry sighed as he finally stopped laughing.

"I can't say it seemed identical to the average you, either Henry," Rika scoffed. They both sighed heavily.

"Why can't life always be like this…" they said, again at the same time. They both sat up instantly, amused with their synchronized thoughts. The moment was ruined as Henry's cell phone rang. They both groaned as Henry flipped the phone on and put it to his ear, shaking his head all the while.

"Yeah? Oh… um, hi Takato," he glanced at Rika nervously. "No, I didn't realize that… well, I'm…" he looked back at her helplessly.

"Make something up!" she hissed sharply. What would *they* think if they knew I was sitting around the park with him?!

"Oh, that was the TV, I'm at home still… Yeah, I'm still coming over later… I just have to babysit for now… no… I might not be over until after midnight, ok? So I'll see you later, then," he sighed heavily and clicked the phone back off.

"Why'd you do *that*?"

"The party's been extended another hour, it's only 9:50, and truth to tell, I don't much like the party games either…"

"What about the extra hour? What are you planning to do for about 2 hours?" she questioned, reminding him of the 'after midnight' statement.

"I don't really know… When do you need to be home?"

"Mom's out of town, so just before Grandma wakes up… anytime, anotherwards… Why? Hoping I'll be your strategist or something?" she demanded falsely, trying to hide her own hopes from even herself. Henry shook his head in response.

"Just follow me."

OMG OMG I thought I was gonna loose this fic 'cause my disk locked up! *hugs compu* thank god for Norton System Utilities! Ok, I'll add more (the last bit) soon… But I have a card tournament to win tomorrow, so for now, ja ne to heiwa! Review onegai, ai Lyra-chan!