A week after the tree decorating party, Cady stood outside the closed door to her father's office, debating whether or not she should disturb him. There had been almost nonstop meetings with the Force and they had gone out on several secret missions. No one was telling her anything, just that she needed to stay in the castle and not leave without a guard.

Frustrated and more than a little annoyed, she found herself facing her father's door and wanting answers. Cady squared her shoulders and brought her fist up to knock.

"Come in!" Keith called.

Cady slid the door open and stormed in. Her father was bent over his computer, fingers flying over the keys. He looked up and gave her a quick nod, "Just a sec, Cady."

She placed her hands on her hips and waited impatiently, her right foot tapping.

Keith finished his email and sent it with a flourish before looking up and giving his eldest a weak smile, "What's up, sweetie?"

"I want to know what's going on, Dad."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

He raised an eyebrow in surprise, taking in her determined stance. With her hands on her hips and her chin jutting out in a defiant gesture, Cady was the spitting image of her mother. "I don't like your tone, young lady."

"Don't 'young lady' me, Dad. Something is going on and you are keeping me in the dark. I am the next in line, I have spent my entire life working with and for the people of this planet. It is totally unfair of you to do this to me. What is going on?"

Keith sat back and folded his hands on the desk in front of him. He had hoped to keep her hidden from all this, to protect her, but that wasn't right. He knew that. "Sit down, Cady."

She lowered herself into the chair opposite him, her heart racing. "What's going on, Dad?"

"It isn't my intention to keep you in the dark and I'm sorry you feel that way. You need to understand, Cady, that the most important job that we have is to keep your mother and all of you kids safe. You are the future of Arus. Everything we do, we do with your best intentions at heart. But you're right, you should know what's going on. But I need you to understand that what I tell you has to stay within these walls. You can't discuss this with anyone, not even Tristan."

She nodded.

"Cells of Vinn supporters have been popping up around Arus. We are trying to determine if they are a danger or if they are just seeking asylum here."

Cady's eyes widen, "What are you doing about it?"

"We've sent out scouting missions with the Force and soldiers. This is why we want you to lay low and stick close to the castle. We don't want the Garrison involved, at least not until we know all the facts, so I don't want you discussing this with Tristan."

"I know better than that, Dad. How many are there?"

"We are going on estimations, but as of right now there appears to be just under one hundred."

"What can I do?"

Keith smiled softly, "Just as I asked earlier, sweetie. Stick close to the castle and keep an eye on your brothers and sisters. If we don't have to worry about you guys, it will make our job a lot easier."

Cady nodded slowly, feeling guilty for her earlier behavior.

"Don't worry, Cady, everything will be fine. Why don't you go help your mother, she and Nanny are planning the New Years party."

She got to her feet and turned to leave, but thought better of it, "Dad, I really don't like the fact that I have to beg you for information. I am no longer a child and the safety of Arus and everyone on it is as important to me as it is to you. Would you please keep that in mind?"

Keith stood and nodded, "You're right, Cady, I'm sorry.

"What have you found with the scouting missions?"

"They appear to be settling about fifty miles south east of Alforia. It seems, at the moment, that they are peaceful and they may have some weapons, but not enough to cause a problem. We believe they are used to protect them from some of the wild animals."

"If they are here peacefully, then why are they not trying to settle in towns?"

Keith shrugged, "If they are trying to make a fresh start, they would not want to be recognized as threat. It is well known that Arus has offered itself as a place of refuge for misplaced persons. What causes us to question their arrival is that they seem to have sneaked onto our planet, they did not request sanctuary."

"Tristan told me that Vinn's trial has been moved up and he will be tried in three months."

"Vinn is no longer a problem, Cady. He is not as strong as Lotor nor does he have the powerful magic that Lotor had. He is being held under strict security. If these people are planning anything, I cannot believe that Vinn is planning it from his prison cell."

Cady nodded, "Can I come to you with any other questions?"

"Of course you can, you always can."

"Thank you, Dad."

"Just be careful, Cady."

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, Father."

Keith smirked and pointed to his door, "Go, see if your mother needs help."

"Trying to get rid of me?"

"Yes."

Cady walked over and hugged her father.

Surprised by his daughter's sudden show of affection, Keith slowly brought his arms up and hugged her back. "Go," he said gruffly. "Just be careful."

She nodded and stepped out of his embrace, "You too."

…………………………………………………………………………

Cady was once again sitting at her desk staring unseeingly at her textbook. Technically, she, like all the other University students, was on break for the holidays. But she still had assignments to complete before she started up again in the new year. Her plan was to finish them up quickly so she could enjoy Christmas and the New Year celebrations without any interruptions. But she couldn't keep her mind on the task at hand. Everything her father had told her was running through her mind and her first thought was to call Tristan. But she couldn't. Not only because her father had asked her to not tell him, but also because he would worry too much.

She traced a finger down the edge of the frame that sat on her desk. Within it was a copy of the picture Tristan had on his desk. Cady remembered that day so clearly. The feel of his arms wound securely around her waist, her arms up around his neck, her fingers woven deep into his thick, dark hair. She missed him so much it was almost like a constant ache around her heart. Everyone had been sympathetic with her mood, but Cady knew they all thought she was being overly dramatic. But they didn't understand. It was different with Tristan.

With Tristan she wasn't just the Arusian Princess, next in line for the throne, daughter of two of the most powerful people in all the known universes. She was special and important for just being Cady. He loved her for who she was not for her name or her inheritance. Tristan was smart and kind, handsome and sweet, quiet and funny, and he was all hers.

A quick, excited knock on her door brought Cady out of her reverie.

"Come in!"

The door slid open and Nicky bounded in, "Ready to go, Cady?"

"Go where, Nicholas?"

"We're supposed to go shoppin'. You said you would take me into town so I can get Mom and Dad Christmas presents. 'Member?"

Cady slapped her palm against her forehead, "I completely forgot. Do you have any money?"

"Yes," he said haughtily, digging his hands into his pockets and pulling out balled up bills. "I have twenty two dollars and forty eight cents."

"Wow, you're rich. Where did you get all that money?"

Carefully separating his money and laying it on her bed, he explained, "I got this from Nanny 'cause I helped her clean. I got this from Uncle Lance an' Aun' Darcy 'cause I shoveled their sidewalk and this from Uncle Hunk for helpin' him fix Black Lion."

"You helped Uncle Hunk fix Black?"

"Uh, huh, I handed him tools. An' Aun' Becca gave me this 'cause I helped her put up Christmas decorations in the hospital. An' Dad gave me this 'cause I helped him stand guard in Castle Control last week."

"You've been very busy," Cady said, impressed.

"Yes I have. Like when I helped you brush down Starshine last week."

Cady smiled, remembering when she had returned to the stables with her horse to find her youngest brother looking for ways to make money for Christmas gifts. "And you did a great job. I haven't paid you yet, have I?"

"Nope."

She got up and crossed to her vanity where her purse sat. After digging out a ten dollar bill, she turned to Nicky, "I have to tell Dad where we're going, he's going to want to send a guard with us."

His eyes widened as he took the money from his sister, "But…but you can't tell him where we're going."

"I won't tell him what we're doing. Don't worry."

………………………………………………………..

Sky and Erik had sneaked away to her room for a quick half hour alone. After a morning of practices and meetings, they only had thirty minutes together before Erik went on duty and Sky was due in the gym where she and Gideon were going to practice hand-to-hand combat with Hunk.

Erik sat on the edge of her bed while Sky straddled his legs, her hands roamed over his bare chest as she gently kissed and sucked at the spot where his left shoulder met his neck. Erik had his head tilted to the side to accommodate her ministrations. With his eyes closed, he slipped his hands up under her sweater and was just about to unhook her bra when a loud beeping filled the room.

With a groan of frustration, Sky lifted her head and looked over to where they had set their communicators on the bedside table. They had learned from experience that there was nothing more embarrassing than accidentally dialing someone (particularly if it is your father) when you are in the middle of a make-out session.

She crawled off his lap and over to the table where the small green light on hers was blinking. "Collier," she said, a little too harshly.

"Schuyler," Keith said. "What is your schedule this afternoon?"

"Gid and I have hand-to-hand in about half an hour."

"Okay, change of plans. You and Gideon are going to escort Cady and Nicky into town."

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, sir. What time?"

"Meet at the front door in ten minutes."

"Will do."

"Thank you, Sky."

"No problem, Uncle Keith." She snapped her communicator shut and rolled over onto her back.

Erik stretched out beside her, "What's up?"

"Cady wants to go into town and she can't go alone, so Gid and I have to accompany them."

"Mm," he murmured uninterestedly as he slipped his hand under her sweater, tickling her stomach. "How much time do we have?"

"Ten minutes."

"Damn it. Stupid Princess."

Sky playfully smacked at his hand, "Watch it, Romeo, she's still my best friend."

"Why does she have to go shopping now?"

"It's not her, it's Nicky. She promised to take him shopping for presents for their parents."

"Damn it. Stupid Prince."

Sky sat up, "You have to go on duty anyway."

"I know," he sat up beside her.

"Maybe," she started buttoning up his shirt. "You can come and visit me tonight."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Are you really that dense?"

He leaned over and kissed her tenderly, "I love you."

"I love you too."

Sky and Erik left her room together five minutes later.

"What is this? An afternoon rendezvous?" Gideon asked as he left his own room.

"Jealous?" Erik teased.

"Nope, I'm my own man," Gideon teased, flicking his wrist as though he held a whip.

"What are you talking about?" Sky asked.

Erik shook his head, "Nothing. He's just being an immature moron."

Gideon continued to flick his wrist as he made his way down the hall.

"He thinks you're whipped?" Sky asked, confused.

"It's just him and Declan being stupid."

"Do you think you're whipped?"

Erik grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, lowering his voice, "Baby, if I'm going to be whipped by anyone, I want it to be you."

Sky felt troubled by this. She liked to think their relationship was completely equal. Was she overbearing? Was she using sex to control him on some unconscious level? She didn't think so, but maybe she was. They had slept together several times over the past few months, sneaking around and trying to find ways to be together. But she had always thought it had been equal on all levels.

"Sunny."

Erik's voice interrupted her thoughts. "What?"

"Don't let them get to you."

"I won't," she assured him as they stopped outside Castle Control. "I'll see you at dinner."

He stole a quick kiss, "Be careful out there, Babe."

"You too. Love you."

"Love you."

Sky waited until the door slid shut behind him, still feeling a little uneasy. Erik seems happy in our relationship, she thought as she walked toward the main entrance. There had been many times when she felt as though their relationship was based more on her happiness than his. She wasn't sure if he realized how much she loved him, how much he meant to her. As Sky pulled her coat from a hall closet, she decided then and there that she was going to make this the best Christmas of his life. She wasn't sure how just yet, but she would.

Cady was tugging on her gloves and Nicky was sitting on the floor pulling his boots on when Sky joined them.

"Where's Gideon?" Sky asked.

Cady rolled her eyes, "He forgot his scarf, he had to run back to his room."

"Do you know what you're going to buy, Nick?"

The little boy shrugged, "No, but I have thirty two dollars and forty eight cents."

"Wow, you have more money than I do."

"Really?"

"Don't worry," Gideon said, joining them. "She's a kept woman. All she has to do is bat her eyelashes and Erik will get her anything she wants."

"Shut up, Gideon, that's not true."

He flicked his wrist and made a whipping sound.

"Come on, let's go," Cady said, ignoring her brother. "I want to be back early."

"Yeah," Sky agreed. "I'd like to be back before dark."

Gideon and Nicky led the way with Gid trying to coerce information about presents from his younger brother. Cady and Sky followed the boys, keeping to the road that had been cleared of the two and a half inches of snow that had fallen.

"We should have taken a car," Cady grumbled.

"You said you could use the walk," Sky reminded her.

"Well, I'm an idiot."

"I won't argue with that."

Cady shoved her hands deep into her pockets and sighed. "I had a nice conversation with my father this morning where he filled me in on everything that was going on."

"What do you mean?"

"He told me all about the Vinn supporters who were settling on Arus and how you are trying to determine if they are a threat or not."

Sky nodded, "Yeah."

"What do you think?"

"They haven't done anything to raise suspicion other than the fact that they happened to just appear here after we defeated Vinn. If they were anyone else, it wouldn't be a big deal."

"Dad said they didn't apply for refuge, at least not yet."

"No, they haven't. But your parents are going to be sending a committee out to have them fill out paperwork, to get a record of who all is there and why they are here."

"When are they doing that?"

Sky smirked, "Well, it appears your parents are in the process of arguing who will go. Your mother wants to go, but your father doesn't want her to. But I think Keith is going to win out on this one. There are just too many of them to guarantee Allura's safety."

"There's a lot of them," Cady said. "Be honest with me, Sky, are we in danger?"

"There are about a hundred of them, we have 1300 in the Air Brigade and 1500 soldiers, not counting the Force and castle guards."

"Oh." A weight lifted from Cady's shoulders. It wasn't as bad as she had thought, her father had been overreacting.

As though she was reading her mind, Sky said, "But we can't let our guard down. When we do, that's when they strike. With such a small group, if they choose to attack, they will most likely do so on a smaller level and that can be just as devastating."

"What a great way to celebrate Christmas," Cady mumbled.

"Come on, Cady!" Nicky yelled. "I wanna go in here."

"What are you getting Tristan for Christmas?" Sky asked as they followed the boys into a gift shop.

"I already sent it. I wanted to make sure it got to Terra in time for Christmas."

"What was it?"

"I sent him a couple of things. A CD, a scarf I made him, some pictures, some cookies. I guess it was more of a care package."

"You made him a scarf?"

"Yeah, Nanny's been teaching me to knit."

"That's really sweet. I wish I could do something like that for Erik."

Cady stopped and studied a display of decorative plates, "Why don't you get some boudoir pictures taken?"

"Boudoir pictures?" Sky furrowed her brow. "What are…oh! Shut up, Cady, that's not even funny."

"He would love it."

"He would also love a PlayStation 8246. Maybe I'll get him that."

"How romantic."

"Yeah, like I would really pose for dirty pictures."

"They're not dirty pictures, they're quite tasteful."

Sky raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Are you serious? How do you know? You didn't!"

"No, I didn't, but I thought about it. I looked into it."

"You looked into…"

"Cady," Nicky interrupted them. "I wanna get this for Mom." He held up an angel dressed in white and gold with large, feathery wings. She had long golden hair and her head was tilted to the side with a violin tucked under her chin.

"She'll love that, Nicky," Cady said, taking it from him and checking the price tag, it would practically wipe out his savings.

Sky glanced over her shoulder and saw the predicament, "Oh, you know what, Nick?"

"What?" He asked, holding his hands up for the angel.

"I completely forgot," she told him, taking her wallet out of her bag. "I still owe you money for helping me in Castle Control."

"Yeah, you do," he said excitedly, taking the ten dollars from her.

"You were a big help, thanks, bud."

"Come on, let's go pay for this then we can go find something for Daddy," Cady said, steering him toward the cashier.

"I wanna go next door," he told her, setting the angel on the counter. "Gideon said I could buy Dad something manly there."

Cady looked down at him, confused, "Something manly?"

"The hardware store," Sky whispered to her.

"Gideon told you that?" Cady asked her brother.

"Uh huh."

After paying for the angel, the four of them went back out into the bitter cold and hurried into the next building. It was warm and brightly lit, smelling faintly of sawdust and paint thinner.

"It's done very discreetly," Cady whispered as they followed the boys down the wide aisles.

"Knock it off, Cady."

"I'll do it if you do it."

Sky felt the heat rise to her face. Could she do it? No. She shook her head, "No, Cady."

Cady shrugged, "Fine, get him the PlayStation. It just won't be the same."

"If my father ever found out…"

"You think Erik would show Uncle Lance?"

"Shut up, Cady."

"Cady! Cady look!" Nicky ran up the aisle toward them, a small package clutched in his hands.

"Nicky, don't run," she chided.

He slowed himself to a fast walk, "You think Dad'll like this?"

Cady took the box from him and studied the picture on it of a screwdriver with interchangeable heads. "I'm sure he'll love it," she assured him.

"Let's go get in line, little man," Gideon said, joining them.

"What's your hurry?" Cady asked.

"I have plans this evening."

"I thought Lynnai was going to visit her grandmother for Christmas."

"They leave next week."

Smirking, Sky flicked her wrist and made a whipping sound.

Gideon shook his head, "It doesn't even compare, Schuyler."

"How much money will I have left, Cady?" Nicky asked as they approached the counter.

"You'll have a couple of dollars, why?"

"Will it be enough to go to the bakery and get a half-moon cookie?"

"You have Nanny's cookies at home and you want to get a bakery cookie?"

"Nanny keeps sayin' I'll ruin my appetite."

Gideon grinned, "So you want to sneak out and get cookies when she's not around?"

"Yup."

Gideon clapped a hand on his shoulder, "That's my boy."

Snow was starting to fall lightly as they left the hardware store and made their way down the street to the bakery. Stopping along the way to admire window displays or to see the puppies in the pet store window.

Sky glanced around and noticed three people on the other side of the street. They had the deep rose complexion and the bright blue hair of the Bittors. "Hey, Gideon," she said lightly.

"Yeah, I know."

She lowered her voice, "Once we get to the bakery we should call for a car to give us a ride back to the castle."

He nodded as they passed two more Bittors, their heads down and their blue hair falling in their faces.

Cady took Nicky up to the counter so he could get a cookie, Gideon sticking close to them. Sky stood just outside the door, enjoying the beauty of the pink tinged snow falling from the gray sky as she pulled out her communicator and dialed up the castle.

"Castle Control," Erik answered.

"Hey, Erik, can you have a car sent to pick us up?"

"Yeah, where are you?"

"The bakery."

He turned from the monitor and sent the request to the guards on duty. "All right, Sunny, he should be there in five minutes. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just a precaution," she lowered her voice. "There are some Bittors in Alforia."

"What are they doing?"

"Right now they're just walking around."

"Wait in the bakery and be careful."

Sky rolled her eyes, "I can take care of myself Erik, I am here to protect the Princess and Prince."

"I know, just don't take any foolish chances."

"I know what I'm doing."

"I know you do, don't be so sensitive."

Sky saw another small cluster of Bittors approaching, "I have to go, Erik, I'll see you later." She closed her communicator with a snap and leaned against the building, trying to appear nonchalant as the group walked past, not even acknowledging her.