A/N There's just one more chapter after this, an epilogue. I don't do many of those--come to think of it, I don't really remember doing any--so I'm hoping it turns out okay.

'Twas The Wish Before Christmas

Chapter Six: Miracle on Turner's Street

...Narrator's POV...

I don't know how they did it. But then again, miracles aren't meant to be explained. The point is, they did it.

In one night the three 'spirits' had discovered a way to convince Dimmsdale's meanest babysitter to show a little holiday cheer. The wish had taken her back to her childhood, forward to her future, and on to present day Christmas. A holiday she still might share in the joy of, provided that she was willing to let go of her selfish ways.

...Normal POV...

Vicky was seconds away from being the world's ickiest ice sculpture when she suddenly found herself back in the Turners' living room. Flinching she tumbled off the sofa and collided with the television.

"Ow." she muttered before noticing that the mysterious door through which the 'Ghost of Christmas Present' had beckoned had vanished.

Staggering to her feet she was relieved to find that her injured ankle had healed. In fact, everything was in it's proper place. Just as she had left it, before her journey through time with the spirits.

"Weird," she commented, "I wonder how long I've been gone?"

"VICKY!" Tootie called out as she bounded down the stairs. "Timmy taught me how to play his new video game!"

"But I didn't teach her how to beat my high score." Timmy mumbled as he trudged down after her.

"Um, that's nice Tootie," Vicky smiled uneasily as memories of all those Christmases mistreating her kind hearted little sister came flooding back to her, "So uh, what day is it?"

Tootie's eyes widened behind the frames of her glasses, "It's Friday Vicky, a week til Christmas. Were you drinking Mr. Turner's eggnog or something?"

Now it was Vicky's turn to look surprised, "It's the same day? The week before Christmas? This Christmas?!"

Timmy and Tootie took a wary step back as Vicky's pink eyes grew large and twinkled.

"I HAVEN'T MISSED IT!!!" she cheered while leaping up and down like a lunatic.

"Oh boy," Timmy was starting to have second thoughts about his wish but before he could sneak away to question his fairy godparents on the matter Vicky bent down and swooped them up.

"AAAHH!!!" both kids shrieked in shocked confusion as the normally ill-tempered babysitter started smothering them with bear hugs and kisses.

"The spirits did it!" she beamed, "And all in one night!"

"There's a play going on somewhere around here," Timmy muttered sarcastically as the air was crushed (hugged) out of him.

"Oh Tootie! Oh Timmy! I'm so sorry I was mean to you and made you do all those dumb chores!" she apologized. Vicky actually apologized! Scary.

Before Tootie could question her sister's sanity there was a knock at the door. Timmy went to answer it and to his extreme delight his parents were home!

"Awesome! You're back!" he exclaimed, "Things were starting to get creepy."

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Turner!" Vicky smiled still holding Tootie in a captive hug, "How was your evening?"

"Uh, it was fine Vicky," Mrs. Turner answered, "How was yours?"

"Most enlightening!" she replied while Tootie wiggled out of her grasp.

"I bet I know why you're so cheerful," Mr. Turner grinned pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, "It's time for your quadruple pay!"

Blinking Vicky paused momentarily before doing something that she would've considered herself nuts for doing at any previous point in her life. "Mr. Turner that's okay I-"

She glanced down at Tootie then over at Timmy, both were giving her curious looks, as though she were some clone designed to behave like a complete opposite of her usual self.

"-I don't want any money." she finished, feeling a bit faint from the odd selfless words.

"You what?" Mr. Turner eyed her suspiciously, "Did someone melt my trophy again?!"

"No Mr. Turner I-" she swallowed the lump forming in her throat, "-I had fun babysitting Timmy, and he and Tootie had a good time, plus it is Christmas so...you really don't owe me anything. Th-this one's on the house."

"Vicky," Mrs. Turner gasped, "how very nice of you. Well--uh--thank you?"

"You're welcome," Vicky grinned, surprisingly she felt kinda good inside, "Come on Tootie, let's go."

The Turners' watched as Vicky took her sister by the hand and led her outside back towards their house.

No sooner had the door shut than Timmy made a mad dash up to his room and over to the fish bowl.

"Cosmo! Wanda! It worked!" he exclaimed, "It really worked!"

"Well of course it did Sport," Wanda beamed, "Your wish is our command!"

"All done!" Cosmo called as he came swimming out of the castle.

"What's he up to now?" Timmy asked.

"He's decorated the castle with electric Christmas lights." she sighed.

"Isn't that kind of dangerous?"

"Well it's not like he has anywhere to plug them in," Wanda winked.

"And now for--the generator!" Cosmo announced happily. Using his fish fin he held up the tiny wand and created a miniature generator.

"That can't be good," Timmy sweat dropped.

"Cosmo wait!" Wanda panicked, "Don't plug those in!!"

ZAP!!

BZZT!!

CRACKLE!!

When the sparks shooting out of the fishbowl died down Timmy lowered his arms from his face and saw a very peeved (and singed) Wanda glaring at her burnt hubby who was twiddling his fingers and flashing a sheepish grin.

"I guess electric lights and underwater castles don't mix huh honey muffin?" he concluded nervously.

"No they don't!" Wanda snapped, "And you're just lucky it's Christmas Cosmo or I'd deck your halls!"

"Oh my gosh!" Cosmo gasped.

"What?" Timmy smirked, "Afraid she's gonna punch out your two front teeth?"

"No!" the green haired fairy picked up the murky fishbowl and held it to the light, "My chimney?!"

Timmy had to restrain his fairy godmother from embedding the star tip of her wand in Cosmo's head.

...Narrator's POV...

Well aside from Wanda almost permanently getting herself on Santa's naughty list. And Cosmo turning the two into a yuletide fish fry. The holidays went off without a hitch.

Timmy got to spend Christmas with his family. Cosmo's chimney got repaired and was fully functional for Santa's Christmas Eve visit. Wanda managed to talk Cosmo into putting up a wreath instead of holiday lights. And Vicky, well Vicky was better than her word.

She kept the Christmas spirit in her heart and spread the cheer throughout the season. And a small amount of that joy stuck with her throughout the year. She was by no means the world's nicest soul, but she did manage to tone down the ickiness. And with each passing year she grew less and less selfish and began to think of others first, especially those who managed to put all hard feelings aside and simply spread the goodwill.

"Here ya go!"

Huh?! A new scarf? Uh...thanks little lady.

See what I mean?

...Normal POV...

(Christmas Day)

"A new house for my dolls!" Tootie squealed in delight as she tore open the beautifully wrapped package, "Thanks Vicky!"

"Don't mention it squirt," Vicky shrugged, "Oh and...thanks for the purse."

"You mean you really like it?" Tootie asked in amazement.

"Yeah, it's really nice. Especially since, ya know, ya went and took the time to make it." Vicky smiled at the odd pleasant feeling swelling up inside at seeing her sister so delighted just because her gift was appreciated. This was much better than the vision the 'ghost' had shown her.

Tootie tackled Vicky in a tight hug. She was so sure that Vicky would have something mean or nasty to say about her homemade present. This was the best gift ever, to have her big sister in the season's spirit and not concerned with price tags or name brands.

Vicky was motionless for a moment, not really knowing how to react. Finally she shrugged to herself and wrapped her arms around little Tootie. "Just don't let this get out huh? I don't want people to think I'm going soft."

"Deal!" Tootie beamed.

A knock on the door broke the two happy siblings apart.

"Hello?" Vicky asked after answering the door.

"Merry Christmas Vicky," Timmy smiled.

Vicky couldn't suppress a grin when she saw the gift bag Timmy was holding out.

"Thanks twerp," she took the bag and dug the candy dish out of the tissue paper. It was all just as the vision had foretold. The shadows of the present Christmas Day that the 'spirit' had shown her were correct, only now she was much more appreciative of these heartfelt gifts.

Timmy had turned and was about to leave when he felt a hand pull on his shoulder. "Wait up twerp." Vicky disappeared inside and came back with a wrapped box that's tag read 'To: Timmy From: Vicky'. "This is for you. Merry Christmas!"

Surprised Timmy took the unexpected present from his babysitter and started unwrapping the box. "Whoa..." he gasped, "...a Crimson Chin Chin-tastic, fully equipped, remote control operated Chin-Cycle!!"

"Yeah well, what's a few hours of waiting in line at the toy store between friends huh?" Vicky shrugged.

"Thanks Vicky!" before he knew what he was doing Timmy had embraced Vicky, his height only allowing him to squeeze her knees together.

"TIMMY!" Tootie exclaimed, having recognized his shout, "You came over for Christmas!"

"Uh...yeah." Timmy gulped, he'd forgotten to get something for Tootie!

A certain pair of fairies posing as his earmuffs and scarf secretly poofed him a package inside his coat pocket.

Pulling it out he breathed a sigh of relief, "Uh, here ya go Tootie. Merry Christmas!"

"Oh Timmy!" Tootie tore into the present and pulled out a pink wristwatch with a heart shaped face. Timmy's face went redder than Santa's suit, that was a bit too mushy for his tastes.

"So um...ya wanna come over to my house and build snowmen or something?" he desperately tried to change the subject and fight off his blush (which was resulting from seeing Tootie swoon over the gift).

"Sure Timmy!" Tootie hopped up and down in excitement before slyly adding, "Right after I give you your gift."

"What gift?" Timmy sweat dropped when Vicky smirked and pointed overhead to the mistletoe hanging from the doorframe. "Uh-oh."

Tootie pounced.

XOXOXOs

KISS! KISS! KISS!

SMOOCH!

Vicky laughed while Timmy scrambled away from Tootie and rushed back to his house with her little sister close on his heels.

"I could get use to this holiday cheer stuff." she said with a snicker, "Don't know that I could ever spread as much as Tootie though."

...Narrator's POV...

And so ends our tale of holiday cheer. That blissful emotion we should carry throughout the year.

"WANDA! COSMO! HELP!!!"

Uh...so remember the lessons learned by this sour teen. The rewards of kindness and the penalties of being mean.

"HERE I COME TIMMY!!!"

Where'd she get that snowmobile?

Ahem, treat each sole in a compassionate way-

"AAAHHH!!!!"

-and you'll always know love each Christmas Day.

"GOT'CHA!"

"LOVE STINKS!!"

SMOOCH!

"YUCK! TOOTIE COOTIES!!!"

Sigh.

Next year, I'm going back to advertising for that used Christmas tree lot.

Amanda/Artiste: There's one more chapter (the epilogue) and then this fic is done! The narrator won't be needed though. He's requested to go home early. ::shrugs:: Please remember to review, no flames. Next Chapter: Was the future changed? If so, exactly what changed and how much? Steal a peek ten years into the future and see how Christmas will be for your favorite characters.

Vicky: This is going to shoot my reputation to-

Cosmo: HELLO!

Vicky: ::startled:: Aren't you supposed to be haunting some other Scrooge right now?

Cosmo: No silly! In fact, I'm not even a real ghost. See I'm really Timmy's fairy-

Timmy: ::interrupts hastily:: My FAIRLY odd cousin! Yeah uh, he must've gotten away from his caretaker again. Hehe...

Cosmo: ::confused:: My what?

Wanda: ::brandishes a large needled syringe with a menacing grin:: Oh Cozy! It's time for you sedative!!!

Cosmo: ::gulps:: AAAHHH!!!

::Wanda chases Cosmo around the room cackling manically.::

Timmy: Merry Christmas to all-

Vicky: ::gestures to Cosmo:: -and that guy's about to go night-night.