A Very Merry Christmas To You

Chapter 7

A Series of Crushes Along With Surprising News and Screams

"Daddy!" A certain little cried and ran into her father's arms which responded with a big hug.

"Oh Kaitlin!" Clive exclaimed hugging his little girl. "I'm so happy to see you!" He held on to her, until he felt a hand rub his shoulders. Turning around he saw none other than his wife, Catherine. "Hello Catherine." Clive said letting go of Kailtlin to give Catherine a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello Clive." She replied smiling. "I'm very happy to see that you could make it for Christmas." He nodded cheerfully and led her into the hut where the rest were waiting to say hello.

"Why Virginia, Gallows!" Catherine said in delight as she hugged them both. "It's very nice to see you! I hope your battles went smoothly and well."

Before Gallows could even give a full like explaination, Shane butt in.

"Clive can tell you more about that." Shane said, almost covering Gallow's mouth. You must be starving." When Kaitlin and Catherine nodded, he lead them into the kitchen. But right when they reached the door, Kailtin turned to her dad.

"Hey Daddy, where's the cute white haired guy that's always with you?"

Clive turned a shade of pink, trying to realize what she just said about Jet.

While Gallows was on the floor laughing screaming "GAG ME!"

Clive turned a stern look at Gallows, but smiled when Jet was behind him, hearing what Gallows had said. But before Jet could punch h the former priest, Kaitlin ran up to Jet and clung to him, which made Jet nearly lose his balance.

"Hey! There you are!" Kaitlin cried clinging to Jet until he politely (well tried) pulled her off. "Haven't seen you for a while!" She grinned up at him.

"Uh...thanks." Jet stammered glaring at Gallows who was laughing uncontrollably. "Why don't you go eat breakfast with your mom huh?" Jet said just wanting her not to hug him ever again.

"Okey dokey!" Kaitlin said and followed her mother into the kitchen along with Shane and Halle. Right when they were out of ear shot, Jet turned to Gallows sending him icy stares.

"Why the hell are you laughing you dope?" Jet demanded.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Gallows laughed. "You can't see it?" He continued laughing until he was puched in the stomach by Jet who was about to blow up. He started to choke out of breath.

"Okay, okay okay!" Gallows coughed. Sitting up straight, he grinned at Jet. "Kaitlin has a crush on you!" He spilled out laughing once more.

"WHAT!" Jet shrieked. First Virginia and now the kid? He groaned. How much can he stand?

Clive chuckled and looked at Jet. "No, not that kind of crush that you're thinking of." He continued to chuckle, but discretely, not wanting to suffer the same like Gallows. "She says that to every boy she sees that she thinks is handsome or cute."

That's when Gallow's wiped the tears off his face. "You gotta be kiddin' me! Jet? Cute? This has got to be the funniest joke I've ever heard! How can she think that? I mean even with the handsome part! Jet handsome? Now that's some deep shi-"

WHAM!

Flying backwards, this gave Clive and Virginia a laugh. Still holding his fists up, Jet's face was as red as a tomato. Guess Gallows had popped a nerve in Jet's body system. Stumbling over the table, Gallows clutched to his stomach and started to whine. "Ohhhhhhh, my stomach hurts!"

"That's what you get for making Jet a tomato head!" Virginia laughed, and was soon joined by Clive.

Jet grinned as well, and turned to look at Virginia. Her smile on her lips brought great comfort to him, and just hoped her smiled would never cease to go away.

"Well, after that bright moment," Clive said, "I believe it's time to go back into the kitchen and actually socialize with my family." Staring at Jet, he smiled. "That means you too Jet." With a wave of his arms, he beckoned the three to follow him into the kitchen.

"Wait!" Jet called back to Clive. "I have some important stuff to finish." And without another word, he left the hut, ready to find Mr. Igans.

Virginia stared up at the ceiling as Clive, Gallows, Shane, and Halle talked for endless hours. She would be in the conversation right now, but she had too much stuff on her mind. Like, what if Jet doesn't like his present? Or what if the "almost kissing" thing was just something Jet would get over in a couple of days? In a worried expression, she sighed to herself.

"Virginia, are you okay?" Kaitlin asked when she saw the pale drifter.

"Yes Kaitlin, I'm fine." Virginia answered.

"Alright." Kaitlin said shrugging and returning back to the conversation.

"Don't worry Clive, I have gotten all of the presents, so you needn't show me where all the shops are." Catherine answered smiling sweetly towards her husband. "I've come all prepared." Clive nodded and turned to Gallows.

"Did you and Shane happen to finish decorating the colony?" Clive asked, and which caught Halle's attention.

"Yes we did Clive." Shane said, not wanting Gallows to take forever on what and how they decorated. "We set up a couple of candycanes, stars, fake snowflakes around the streets." He looked back and his grandmother. "If you want me and Gallows to do something else, it would be are pleasure."

"It would-OUCH!"

Shane looked at Gallows with stern eyes. "Yes Gallows, me and you would be happy too." It gave Gallows a couple of minutes to catch on.

"Oh yeah Granny," Gallows said throwing winks at Shane which made Virginia's eyes roll. "Me and Shane will do whatever you want us to do."

"There's nothing else to do you big galoot." Halle said not forgetting to insult. "And stop talking foreign, you made my brain actually try and listen on what you have to say."

Gallows grunted in annoyance, and everybody laughed.

"So," Halle continued after everyone stopped, "I think we should hang the stockings tonight, and make the cookies. Who would like to help?"

Virginia was about to raise her hand, but she held herself back. What good is to help at two things I'm not good at? She stayed silent and let Shane and Catherine volunteer.

"Okay, that's a good team." Halle said absoloutely delighted. "We'll start out with the feast for tomorrow and then on with the cookies."

Shane and Catherine nodded and decided follow her outside to get the ingredients.

"Hey Clive! I still haven't gotten something for Granny!" Gallows sent slapping himself. "Wanna help me pick out a present?"

"Oh what the hell. Sure." Clive got up and followed Gallows. "Make sure to stay with Virginia at all times." Clive called back to Kaitlin before they were out the door.

Kaitlin got up and grasped Virginia's hand and led her up to the bedroom. "What's wrong Kailtin?"

"Shhhhh." Kaitlin said and closed the door behind them. Once it was quiet, she jumped on the bed next to Virginia. "I wanna talk about..."

She paused.

Virginia was getting interested. "About what?"

She grinned. "About you and Jet..."

Virginia gulped.

"Oh hello Jet." Mr. Igans greeted him as he was currently still selling his trinkets. "What can I do for ya?"

Jet was being more nice this time. "Yeah, uh...I was wondering if you could tell me what this is. And if it would be a good present for Virginia." He reached into his pocket and took out the thing the dragon had given him. Mr. Igans took one look at it, and his jaw had dropped.

"Boy, do you know what that is?" He asked in awe.

"No." Jet replied. He was confused. "What the hell is it?"

"This here thing is the stone of The Dragons." He replied in awe.

"Soooooo...it's a?"

"It's a wishing stone!" Mr.Igans exclaimed.

"A what?"

"A wishing stone! It's a powerful stone that grants you one wish! Anybody that possess it, can wish for something!"

Jet's mind started racing! A wishing stone! Maybe I could wish for the perfect gift for Virginia, er...no wait! Give it to her, and let her make a wish! "So it would be a good gift for Virginia?" He asked.

"Of course it would!" Mr. Igans cried. "It's a great gift for anyone! Those things are rare they are. So keep it safe until Christmas!"

Jet nodded and grinned. "Oh don't worry, I will."

Before Jet left, Mr.Igans said one more thing.

"Dragons multiply. Don't forget."

Jet choked. "Pardon?"

Mr. Igan's smile faded. "They multiply. Meaning, that dragon might wanna come back for that gem. They can only multiply up to ten of them. So if one of their gem's is taken, they can not multiply without all of their magic, so be careful now. The multiply trick is their only attack and defense strategy.

Jet nodded silently, and ran back to the hut.

"Why would you want to talk about me and Jet?" Virginia asked suspiciously.

Kaitlin smiled. "I've seen the way he looks at you...I think he's in love with you or something."

Virgina gasped. "Do you think so?"

"Yeah, he really does!" Kaitlin said jumping up and down. Then she started to whisper. "I overheard Jet and Clive talking this morning, and Jet said something that-" She stopped, not wanting to go any further. "Nevermind what I just said."

Virginia looked serious. "Please Kaitlin!" She begged. "Tell me!"

"I can't." She admitted.

"Why not?"

"Because I might say something you don't want to hear."

Virginia's face fell. Do I want to find out? She thought for a moment. "I want to hear it." She finally said. "And I promise not to tell anyone."

Kaitlin sighed. "Well, alright." She held her breath. "Here it goes..."

Gallows and Clive hung up the stockings and wreaths while Halle and Catherine baked the dressing, turkey, and the rest of the feast. Shane was busy cooking all of his famous desserts. His gingerbread cookies were roasting pleasantly in the oven, while he stirred his christmas cakes and pies.

"Man, I think this'll be the best Christmas ever!" Gallows said cheerfully as he hung up his own stocking. Clive smiled back at him and resumed hanging the red socks by the fireplace.

"Yes, you're right Gallows." Clive replied. "This Christmas is going very smoothly...more smooth than I expected." He added chuckling.

"Ya, tell me about it." Gallows laughed. "As long as the punk doesn't do anything stupid like always, Christmas will be very goo-"

"Ahem."

Gallows choked. "Oh shit." Slowly turning around, he came face to none other than Jet Enduro, the "stupid" punk. His arms were wrapped around him, and his face was stern and filled with annoyance. "Heheh..."Gallows swallowed hard. "Just playing the traditional Christmas joke around. Hahahaha-ha...ha...ha?"

Jet didn't even crack a smile. But surprsingly, he sighed instead. "Whatever," He said raising his arms up for truce. "Not worth ruining my gloves." He then cracked a sneer, not a smile, and headed into the kitchen.

"Whew." Gallows took out a breath. "Close, close call huh Clive?" He looked up at Clive who was just smiling to himself, still hanging stockings.

When they were done, they stood backwards to admire their work. Eight nice and neat stockings were hanging by a scorching fire, all lined up together, with all of the names embroidered on the socks. In a desperate tease situation, they hung Jet and Virginia's stockings very close together, with a nice picture drawn on the sock. Looking at one another, Clive and Gallows gave eachother a snicker. Then they stopped and headed inside the kitchen to meet the others.

While the others were chating in the kitchen, Jet looked in his pocket, holding the gem closely in his right hand. What did Mr. Igans mean that the dragon will come back for it? He thought to himself. He shook his head. I don't wanna know. Jet shrugged and listened to the group's non interesting conversation.

"Oh..." Virginia said in disbelief, well atleast trying not to believe what Kaitlin had just told her. "Are you positive?" She asked once more.

"I'm pretty sure." Kaitlin answered in a sorry look. "I would never tell you this just to kid around. I'm telling the truth."

"I can't believe Mr. Igans would do such a thing!" Virginia cried. "He sold me the thing that Jet was going to give me! And he went all the way to a different place to earn it!" She suddenly clutched her heart. Virginia was deeply touched. Jet Enduro, the cold-hearted drifter she once knew, cares for her? This can't be true...but then again, he's been acting strangely since he kicked me...maybe he does have feelings for me. Facing Kaitlin, she grinned. "Do you really think he likes me?"

"Definitely!" Kaitlin said nodding he her vigorously.

Finally, Virginia stood up and headed for the door. "What should I do?" She asked Kailtin in a desperate voice.

"Nothing!" Kaitlin suggested. "Let him come to you. That's what my mom always tells me."

"Okay." Virginia agreed and left.

Walking into the kitchen, she found the others there, and Jet standing and talking to eachother. Well, Jet was the only one that wasn't saying anything. So Virginia decided to break him.

"Hey Jet!" Virginia greeted himskipping towards him.

Letting go of the stone, Jet tried to smile back. "Uh...hi." He couldn't think of anything else to say.

Virginia pinched her cheeks, not wanting to blurt out what Kailtin just told her. Just let him come to you. She thought, but then paused. Well, that doesn't mean I can't push it outts him does it? Grinning she turned back to Jet. "So Jet..." She started to say.

Jet gulped. The fear of having another conversation with Virginia was unbearable. He winced. Especially after what happened the last two times. "Ye-yeah Virginia?" He said, not wanting to anger her, yet not wanting her to talk to him.

"Christmas is tomorrow!" She replied gleefully. "Have you gotten all the gifts for friends?" She was desperate here.

"Um...yeah." He answered, shaking quietly but obviously. "Wh-why do you ask?"

Ignoring his last question, she stared into his violet eyes. "Did you get me anything?" She heard his heart stop. This is fun! Virginia thought silently.

"Of course! Why the hell wouldn't I!" Jet suddenly cried. When he finished, the room was dead quiet. He blushed and turned to Virginia. "Erm...yes, I mean, ya, er, yeah...I did." All eyes were pointed at him. He tried to ignore it, but he couldn't stand all the attention. "Shows over people! Get back to...whatever you were doing!" He said angrily.

Everybody turned back on Jet, and started to whisper, which made Jet only sigh.

Before he could make it out of the kitchen alive, all of them heard a terrible scream from outside. Jet looked at his fellow drifters, and they all reached for their arms and ran outside.

A/N: I know! I know it's short and no fluff! But I'm grounded for two weeks. That's why I haven't been on! I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY FOR ALL YOU READERS! Hope you review. Another week, and everything will be back to normal! Ttuall soon!

PeAcE