Disclaimer: Uh, duh. I think you got it by now, right?

Authors note: Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a great time tomorrow, and tonight as well. I'm glad so many of you liked the chapter, and Shippo and K.J's song. ^_^ This chapter is the rest of the Christmas special. I hope you enjoy it as much as you did the last one. And for those of you who've been wondering, the story will be picking back up next chapter. Well, enough of my chatter…… Read on!

Chapter 24: Santa Clause has Dog Ears? Part 2

All of the mutants where less than pleased with this new development. That didn't, however, mean that they were going to even try arguing with the Professor. Of course, that didn't stop Logan. His voice could be heard protesting, loudly, for most of the morning.

It didn't do him any good of course.

A lot more complaining could be heard as they each learned of their respective jobs.

On the bright side, the Salvation Army had never gotten so many donations before through a bell ringer.

Inuyasha was secretly impressed that Rogue could get people to hand over their money just by ringing a bell and glaring at them. He mentioned that her job looked like a lot more fun than his.

She tried to rip his ears off.

Scott and Jean got assigned duty at the wrapping station. The only problems they encountered were Scott's inability to see the red paper, his frustration with scissors, and a slight, unexplainable scorch line burned into the table. The other wrappers wondered where it had come from.

Jean just kept glaring at Scott and muttering about annoying, impatient, men.

Kitty and Evan got stuck in the typical all around holiday store. You know, the ones that seem to spring out of thin air right around Christmas time.

Kitty muttered a lot about this being totally unfair while trying to control her allergies that had been sent into haywire from all the weird smelling………was that an ornament, or a flowery smelling ball of torture.

Evan just stared longingly at the skate store, strategically positioned directly across from them. Placed there just to torture young men dragged in there by their mothers.

Meanwhile, back at the institute….

Mystique hissed to herself as she trudged through the snow. Every time she tried to sneak into this stupid house something always happened.

This time it had been a red-haired female that she'd never seen before.

Said girl had immediately freaked out at the sight of the form she was currently in, that of a blue Russian cat, and run off screaming something about neko's and fish sausage.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a sudden reverse in gravity.

"Hello kitty, what are you doing here?"

Mystique stared. Shocked for the first time in her life.

She was staring into the face of her son. Or, at least, a seven year old version of her son.

Except that he had black fur instead of blue and blue eyes instead of gold.

'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!!' she screamed internally.

K.J tucked the kitty up in his coat. "I'll take you inside for a while to warm up, ok." He gave it a pat on the head and trotted inside.

"Whatcha' got?"

Mystique turned to see the mutant child that had tossed her out a window on her previous visit hop into the room.

"It's a kitty cat. Isn't she pretty." K.J scratched behind her ear.

Strangely, although she'd sooner scratch out her own spleen than admit it, she seemed to have a strange soft spot for this child.

Mystique sat back and basked in the attention being lavished on her by the two children.

"Mrroww?"

'Wait…. that wasn't me.' She realized with some confusion.

K.J's spine had snapped straight at the sound. With jerky movements, he looked over his shoulder.

His tail, normally in constant movement, was still, and hung close to his body.

"Oh no." he whispered.

Ranma-chan sat on her haunches directly behind them, cleaning her face with one paw-like fist.

Very slowly, K.J reached out and grabbed Shippo's hand. Then calmly began to back into the hallway. Once there he bolted down the hall as fast as his legs would carry him.

"Where are we going? And what was wrong with uncle Ranma? I mean, it smelled like him, so that means it is him right? But why did he have boobies? And red hair? And why are we running? K.J?"

K.J didn't answer. Too busy looking for a hiding place. "Baka, baka, baka, baka, you know what happens to cousin Ranma when there's a cat around. Baka, baka, baka." he muttered. Thinking back to the last time that had happened, he shuddered.

Finally, he spotted a storage closet and ducked inside, slapping his hand over Shippo's mouth to halt the flow of questions, he cracked the door open a little and peeked out.

Ranma, meanwhile, glanced up from his bath to discover that his charges had disappeared. He/she cocked her head in feline confusion. A noise drew her attention to another cat that had just come in. One with two tails. Normally, Ranma would have attacked any other feline in her territory but she recognized this one as friend.

Kirara trotted up and mewed in question.

Ranma answered, and after a short, cat-like conversation the smaller one burst into flame, becoming a much large and saber-toothed version of itself.

Both nodded at each other and trotted off.

K.J opened the door a little wider, risking a longer look. Then with a sigh he turned to look at Shippo and the cat he'd found.

"I think we lost him."

Of course, that was about the time that he was yanked out by his shirt.

Shippo gasped and ran out to help his brother, but skid to a stop in confusion instead. The cat also stopping to stare in shock.

Ranma had K.J's shirt in his mouth and was holding the struggling boy in place.

"Run Shippo! Run while you can!" K.J yelled, still trying to break away from the cat like Ranma-chan.

Shippo blinked, not sure if he should leave. After a second of thought he grabbed up the cat and turned to hide, only to smack into Kirara's legs.

"Kirara?" he questioned.

The large cat just bent down and carefully grabbed up the kit. Shippo just hung there in confusion for a minute.

When Kirara laid down, placing the kitsune between his large flaming paws. Shippo turned to look at a sulking K.J in confusion.

"What's going on?"

K.J just sighed. "You'll see." the black furred little elf grumbled.

Shippo stayed confused for a minute more when a weird feeling caused his fur to bristle.

"K.J……….What are they doing?"

K.J's fur was also sticking out. Although he wasn't as shocked as poor Shippo.

"Giving us a bath." he muttered, shivering. "This is so gross!"

Shippo only then realized why his friend had been in such a panic earlier. He started to struggle but Kirara only pinned him in tighter. He tried pleading and bribes, but the fire cat seemed to find the whole thing very amusing and just continued to clean the kit.

Poor Shippo and K.J

++++++++++++++++++++++

Back at the mall…..

Miroku had no idea that enlightenment would come in such a form. But this was certainly heaven.

In case you're wondering, Miroku was placed in the calendar stand. The professor thought that he would cause the least trouble there.

Well, the Professor was right. Miroku spent so much time drooling over the swimsuit calendars that he caused almost no trouble at all.

Sango was placed in one of the most dangerous places during the Christmas season.

The toy store.

Never in her life had she ever considered children as a serious threat. But get between one and a toy and prepare to have your hand bitten off.

The parents weren't much better. They would almost attack her when she brought out the newest shipments.

It made Sango feel sorry for the other salespeople that didn't have the same combat experience that she did.

It also made her swear to never, ever have any children.

Poor Miroku, guess he's never going to get that heir of his.

Jubilee and Remy had been placed as sample dispersers for Hickory farms.

It would have been great if they both didn't steal all the samples. Force of habit.

But the one's given the best jobs of all?

"This fucking thing hurts my ears!"

Kagome sighed, grabbing the antlers from her surly friend and placing them gently on his head, avoiding his currently invisible ears. Then scratched at one.

"There, now its not."

The Hanyou-turned-reindeer crossed his arms and huffed. "Fine, but I'm not wearing that stupid nose."

She glanced over at the red monstrosity and agreed with him. Although dog boy did look cute all dressed up like that. Rogue had laughed herself sick when she'd seen it and now took every opportunity she could get to come over and "Play with his antlers"

With another sigh, Kagome looked over at her boyfriend. Dressed up rather appropriately as an elf, and having a grand old time giving sugar to already hyper children.

Kagome's job was to take pictures of all the screaming children, and to try to keep from dieing of laughter at the sight of Logan. All decked out in a red suit. Complete with belly, beard, and lap full of bouncing, screaming, drooling, child.

She watched with amusement as Kurt placed another child on Santa Logan's lap.

"Your enjoying this aren't you elf." Wolverine growled.

Kurt grinned wide enough to split his face. "I have no idea what you mean……Santa."

Logan growled. "Your wracking up some serious hours with me in the danger room after work elf. I got some stress to work off."

Kurt's grin slipped a little and Inuyasha snickered.

Poor Kurt.

++++++++++++++++++++

K.J, Shippo and Kitty Mystique trudged up the stairs. Without a word they each walked into the bathroom, turned on the bath, added lots of bubbles, and got down to some serious scrubbing.

The boys didn't even comment on the fact that cats usually hate water, too busy trying to remove the saliva covering their fur.

After about an hour, and feeling a bit better, they dried off using the blow dryers. Too lazy and tired to towel dry.

Once dry they left the bathroom and headed towards the bedrooms. K.J's fur fluffed out and Shippo was so puffy he clung to the wall. Static cling.

To sleepy from their many escape attempts to care much he grabbed ahold of K.J's tail and allowed himself to be dragged along the wall.

Once in the room, both boys and one cat collapsed on the bed, barely managing to pull up the covers before they fell asleep.

A few minutes after the boys where snoring away Ranma and a de-transformed Kirara trotted in. Both jumped onto the end of the bed to curl up and take a little catnap.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Later that night, Kagome and Kurt stumbled into the room and blinked in astonishment.

After a moment of staring Kagome walked over and shook her, now female cousin, awake.

Ranma blinked, confused for a minute as to how he'd ended up here. 'I remember gettin' splashed, and then those kids locked me out…….I remember runnin' into a ca-ca-cacacaca……..Feline!!'

He jumped off the bed as if it might bite him, then blinked again at the looks of amazement, shock and admiration on his cousin and her boyfriends faces.

"What?" he asked.

"How did you do it?" Kagome asked in a hushed voice.

Ranma scratched his head. "Do what?"

Kurt walked over and peered down at the two sleeping boys. "Get them to take a bath and go to bed early."

Ranma just shrugged. "No idea. Just that good I guess."

Kagome raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. After a quiet good night Ranma walked off to his room, still confused.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Several days later Inuyasha sat sulking next to Logan's chair. For some weird reason, little kids seemed to flock to them no matter how grumpy they were. In fact a few of them had even said his growl was…..cool.

Whatever the hell being cold had to do with anything. Damn kids and their confusing words.

With a huff, he glanced down to the box at his feet. The one that the kids had to put letters into. It confused him. How were the brat's letters supposed to get to the real Santa if they just sat in the box?

On top of that, he'd heard several parents complaining about not having enough money to buy the things their kid wanted. Why would they need to? Didn't that fat guy make them or something?

He needed to ask Kagome.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

"WHAT!!"

Kagome covered her ears as Inuyasha began to rant at the top of his lungs. She had no idea that he'd be so upset when she told him the truth. Maybe he felt embarrassed or something.

Suddenly, the Hanyou stopped. Lifting his head to reveal a set of glowing eyes filled with determination.

She blinked with confusion as he stormed out past her. His stride full of purpose.

'I wonder what that was about?'

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ranma came walking out of the kitchen, munching on a sandwich that he'd nicked. He was really enjoying himself so far. There was enough weird things happening all the time that he wasn't bored. And he could relax because he wasn't at the center of the chaos for once.

He'd had a long talk with his cousin. Telling her all about his life. How stressful it was, and how hopeless it seemed at times. He told her, haltingly, of his growing love for Akane. And how they where always being interrupted. Kagome had patted him on the back and told him not to give up hope.

So he decided not to worry while he was here and just enjoy the peace and quiet, such as it was.

Of course, things had been getting weird lately around the Institute.

Well, weirder than they usually where anyway.

Inuyasha had started disappearing at odd hours. And weird noises had started coming from the shed. He also growled at anyone who came near it.

Kagome had been making suspicious phone calls and getting mail from someone that she wouldn't let anyone read.

Rogue had begun to trail Inuyasha, then started disappearing as often as the dog-demon.

Shrugging, He took the last bite of his sandwich and walked into the hallway. He narrowed his eyes as he saw his cousin hang up the phone.

"Talking to your mystery friend again?"

Kagome gave him a big smile and walked past him into the rec room.

Then stopped and blinked several times.

Rogue sat on the couch, idly running her hands through Inuyasha's silvery hair.

The Hanyou himself was dead to the world.

Kagome watched as the mutant girl reached up and began to play with one twitching ear.

Then she bit her lip to keep from laughing as the dog-boy's right leg started motoring away.

With a snicker she backed out of the room. Leaving those two to their quiet time and cheesy Christmas specials.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As usually happens, the day before Christmas snuck up and smacked everyone in the face, practically screaming 'Christmas is tomorrow! You dunce!'

Of course, the girls had done all of their shopping early.

The boys however……..

"Wait! Christmas is tomorrow! Are you serious?!"

"WHAT! ALREADY!?"

"I'm so screwed. I'm so screwed."

Yeah……they forgot.

So in a mad rush they all piled into Scott's car and tore off down the driveway as the girls glanced out the window and snickered.

Finding a parking space was murder. At least until they finally got fed up and played dirty.

Evan spiked someone's tires as they tried to pull into a space and Kurt ported them over.

Once in the mall they stopped and gaped. Scott went into leader mode and gave them each a task. Every man geared up and prepared themselves for war.

Many hours later the girls watched the boys trudge into the house. Clothes torn and singed, hair messed, holo's flickering, but triumphant nonetheless.

After a laughing fit that brought them to tears the girls took pity on their men and let them rest for a while before setting up for the party.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ranma sighed in contentment as he watched Kurt pick up a sleepy Shippo and cuddle the fox-boy close as Kagome picked up K.J. smiling gently as the boy yawned big enough to swallow his foot.

One of Ranma less appealing traits. He hoped it wasn't genetic.

He watched the two young parents headed for the stairs to put the children to bed, then turned and munched on some chips.

Of course, most normal people would notice when they are being dragged down the hall by their pigtail.

But then, this kind of thing happened to him so often that it took him a while to realize it was happening.

He craned his neck around as far as his restricted mobility allowed and saw Inuyasha was the one dragging him down the hall.

He watched as the Hanyou stormed up and grabbed Kurt by the tail as he was coming out of the kitchen with his hands full of stolen cookies.

The elf blinked and looked over at Ranma. "Vhere are we going?"

Ranma just shrugged, eyeing the cookies hungrily. "Hey, can I have one?"

Kurt bared his fangs and growled at him. "Nein."

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder. "Blue boy, where's your mate?"

Kurt shrugged, used to Inuyasha's attitude. "I don't know."

The dog-demon sniffed the air, and then turned into the living room, still dragging Kurt and Ranma along behind him. He spotted Kagome talking to Jean and stormed up to them. He let go of Kurt momentarily to throw the girl over his shoulder, then grabbed the fuzzy mutants tail again and headed back towards the front door.

Kagome glanced down at her cousin and boyfriend. "Where're we going?"

Both shrugged.

She then smiled sweetly at Kurt. "Can I have a cookie?"

With an answering smile he gave her the biggest one.

"Hey! How come she can have a cookie but I can't?" Ranma pouted.

Kurt grinned at him. "Because she gives me kissies and you don't."

Ranma's eyes went comically wide. Then he nodded. "Good point."

Inuyasha suddenly stopped, dropping all three of them onto the floor.

Rogue stood in the doorway, next to a large sack. She glanced at Inuyasha in his fire-rat outfit and raised an eyebrow. "Your not going out like that are you?"

Inuyasha folded his arms. "What are you talking about wench?"

She ignored his choice of words and walked up to him. Pulling a red Santa hat out from behind her and placing it on his head, making sure not to cover his ears. She grinned at him. "There, now you can go."

He let out a noise suspiciously like a woof then reached into his jacket and pulled something out, shoving it into her arms and turning away before she could see his face turn red. "Merry Christmas." he muttered. Then grabbed up his charges and the bag and bounded off into the night.

Rogue smiled and walked back inside to cover for them incase anyone noticed their absence.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Kagome stamped her foot. She still had no idea what the hell was going on. Inuyasha had just plopped her down and told her to slow time. She'd warned him that she only had a radius of about five blocks if she wasn't in their direct vicinity. Anything outside of that was in normal time. He'd just keh'd and told her to stay put. Shivering she glanced over at a bench a few feet away and with a shrug walked over and sat down. No sense in standing while she froze to death.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Inuyasha really hadn't explained anything to the boys either. Just told Ranma to carry the bag and Kurt to port them inside of different houses. It didn't take them long to figure it out though.

The surly, grumpy, hanyou was playing Santa.

Kurt didn't think it would be good for his health to say how generous and good hearted of him that was, so he kept his mouth shut by stuffing it with the cookies they found in the houses. Hey, porting took a lot of energy.

They had learned that Inuyasha had been taking the children's letters from the box. And listening to the parents that said they couldn't afford to buy anything.

He made a list of all those children, then made them toys.

Who knew he could carve things so well? Although with those claws it should have been obvious. It seems that Rogue had found out at some point and helped him by painting the toys for him.

Toy maker he may be, artist he was not.

In one of the last houses they came too Kurt got really thirsty from all the cookies he'd eaten. This one had a glass of milk sitting next to the plate so he grabbed it up to take a big gulp.

Only to whimper in despair when it only oozed out at a slow pace.

Holding the glass tilted over his mouth, determined to get at least a drop, he walked over to stand next to Inuyasha.

Splash!!

Inuyasha whipped around at the sound to see Kurt, blinking at him through all the milk sluicing off his face.

"What the hell happened?" he questioned.

Kurt opened his mouth to say that he had no idea then stopped and blinked in astonishment.

Inuyasha felt a tug on his pant leg and glanced down to see a little blond girl, no more than two with her arms wrapped around his leg.

She was staring up at him with huge blue eyes. Then reached up with one chubby hand.

"Puppy."

Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head then flicked forward.

The little child giggled at this. "Puppy, puppy!"

Inuyasha reached down and picked the child up by the back of her feety pajama's. holding her up so that he was looking into her eyes. He sniffed at the little human curiously then woofed.

The little girl cooed at him and reached up for his ears. He flickered them under her hand and she laughed, then let out a jaw cracking yawn.

The little human snuggled into the startled Hanyou's chest and promptly fell asleep.

Inuyasha blinked then walked over and laid her down on the couch, covering her with a nearby blanket. He reached in and pulled out a little stuffed dog, one of the few stuffed things that Rogue had helped him make. Tucking it into her arms, he huffed to keep from smiling as she hugged it in her sleep.

Kurt walked up and glanced down at him. "I guess we went out of Kagome's time bubble.

The Hanyou just snorted and grabbed the elf and in a puff of smoke they where gone.

Kurt belatedly wondered what kind of effect this would have on that little girl, and what her poor parents where going to say when she informed them that Santa wasn't fat at all and that he had dog ears.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Back at the Institute the three flopped down onto the couches surrounding the Christmas tree. Rogue came in carrying a blanket and snuggled up to Inuyasha's side, carefully covering all four of them in the large blanket.

They drifted off into peaceful slumber. Kagome woke up once, a strange feeling stirring her into awareness. With a shrug she shook it off and snuggled back down between Kurt and Ranma.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

The next morning all four woke up to the shouts of two excited boys. Bleary-eyed they all watched the boys tear into their gifts as the other residents stumbled in.

Shippo blinked as he pulled out a blue package. He read the card like his mama had told him too, then blinked in confusion. "From Grandma Blue. I didn't know I had a grama blue?"

K.J just shrugged and ripped into his own present from the mysterious grandma.

Shippo squealed in delight as he pulled out a red plush fox, hugging it to his chest. He grinned over at K.J who was hugging his own stuffed toy, a blue monkey. "I love Grandma Blue!" Shippo declared, then reached for his next present.

K.J glanced over at the cat lounging on the sofa and winked.

Mystique blinked then purred in contentment. Settling down to watch her grandchildren open gifts, as her son chased his girlfriend all over the living room with a sprig of mistletoe, ribbons tied to his waving tail.

Inuyasha grumped as Rogue stuck another bow to his hair but didn't really get angry. He was about to retaliate when something under the tree moved. Curious, he crawled under the tree and pulled it out. He blinked at the card.

The card that had his name written on it in fancy green ink.

He opened the card and narrowed his eyes in confusion.

Dear Inuyasha,

Thank you for all your help last night. You've certainly made my job a lot easier this year. I hope you enjoy your gift.

Sincerely,

Chris Cringle

The box wiggled again and he jumped back with a growl. It kept moving so the Hanyou crawled forward slowly, ears perked and nose wiggling. Once he was close enough, he carefully pushed the top off and stuck his nose in.

Only to jump back with a very canine yelp as something wet touched his nose.

A little white ball of fur tumbled out and rolled across the floor. Then sat up and shook its head. One ear flopped forward while one stood straight up. With a yip and a wag of it's tail it stumbled its way over to Inuyasha, who stared at it in shock.

Reaching down and picking the pup up by the scruff of it's neck, he glared at it.

The puppy licked him on the nose again.

With a huff the Hanyou tucked the pup into his lap and patted his head.

"Wow, who's this cute little guy." Kagome came over and scratched the puppy behind his floppy ear. Then glanced at the tag around his neck.

"Hello, my name is Shiro." she read, then scratched him again. "Hello Shiro. Your such a cute puppy. Yes you are."

Kurt came over and tried to pet the puppy too.

Only to have his hand almost snapped off.

Inuyasha smirked. "Good dog."

"AND A HANYOU IN THE GOD TREE!!" Two childish voices suddenly burst out.

Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched. "You little brats. PREPARE TO DIE!!"

"Inuyasha! Stop picking on Shippo and K.J! Inuyasha……..SIT!"

SLAM

The door ringing was ignored in all the chaos so with a smile Ranma hopped up and walked over to answer it.

"Hello, can I help………." He trailed off and just stared.

A girl stood there. A pretty girl with short dark hair and large brown eyes. A sweet smile, one that never failed to turn him into mush, on her face.

"Hello Ranma."

Gulping he managed to choke out an "Akane!"

A hand on his shoulder drew his attention to his cousin, he looked at her in confusion.

Kagome smiled. "Merry Christmas cuz." then she turned and pulled Akane into the house, turning her to face him. "Ranma, I'd like you to meet my mystery friend…..Akane Tendo. Akane, this is my cousin Ranma Saotome."

Akane smiled and extended her hand. "It's nice to meet you Ranma……wanna be friends?"

Ranma smiled and took her hand. "I'd like that……a lot."

With a sigh Kagome watched her cousin walk back into the living room. Then cringed as another crash sounded from that same direction……followed by cursing.

"SIT!" she called.

Kagome listened to the telltale thud and muffled cursing, then sighed. This had been the best Christmas that she'd ever had.

And she hoped to have many more just like it.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Authors note: Have a Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you liked the chapter. If anything confused you be sure to ask so that I can answer, I'm not sure if I explained it all enough. To much going on. Anyways. Next chapter K.J goes home. *Weeps bitterly* I'm gonna miss him! You learn his real name and meet another member of the future family. He he he. Also Magneto makes another appearance. So hope you all have a wonderful holiday, see ya next chapter. Later. Sayin_girl.