Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! Hope 2006 treats you well! My year started out the same way it ended, I worked today! I know that dorms normally close for the holidays, but we're going to pretend that these ones don't. P.S.: If anyone can tell me where the title of this chapter originated, I'll give you cookies!

TygrLily: I thought you might see it my way…hehe.

hockey-girl90: Here's your update, but I think the 'soon' part may have been lost in translation! J But it's the thought that counts, right? I hope you like it.

Wise Old Owl: Yes, I was surprised myself when the story went that way. I'm glad you like it.

firexelement: I actually got them out of a book, I can't think of the title off the top of my head, right now, though. I used to end letters that way when I was little, so that's where I got the idea.

SweetNJuicyX0: I hope so, too. We'll see where the story goes. I swear it has a mind of its own, some days.

Chapter Nine

Yes, Mackenzie, There is a Santa Claus

"O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant. O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold him, born the King of Angels." Willow sang along to the radio as she and Mac decorated their dorm room.

"Can you believe that it's Christmas already?" Mac asked as she hung garland from the door.

"Its only Christmas Eve." Willow started singing again.

"Whatever. Same difference."

"Can you believe in roughly a month, I'll give birth? I'm so excited! I can't wait to hold my baby in my arms and tell him or her how much I love them!"

"Alrighty then. I think that someone has had a little too much sugar this morning." Mac laughed.

It had been about two weeks since the last time Adam and Mac had talked to each other. The only time they saw each other was when they passed each other in the hall. They barely acknowledged each other.

"Hey Mac, how come you aren't going home for Christmas?" Willow asked.

"Because I'm afraid that if I see my mother, I won't be able to stop myself from maiming her. I don't want to do anything that I'll regret. We aren't really talking to each other at the moment, not after what she told me the last time we spoke."

Mac paused to turn up the radio as one of her favorite Christmas carols came on.

"Broke my bat on Johnny's head; somebody snitched on me. I hid a frog in sister's bed; somebody snitched on me. I spilled ink on Mommy's rug; I made Tommy eat a bug; bought some gum with a penny slug; somebody snitched on me!"

"And besides all that," Mac continued once the song ended. "I wasn't about to let my very pregnant best friend stay in Minnesota all by her lonesome. How would I sleep at night?"

"On your stomach, like a baby." Willow replied, grinning.

Elsewhere

"Merry Christmas, dude!" Portman said as he, Fulton and Julie came into Adam's apartment.

"Christmas is tomorrow." Adam replied automatically.

"You're ruining his fun." Julie said. "I brought Christmas music. And I'm putting it on, whether the three of you like it or not." She said above their groans.

The first song that filtered out of the speakers was one they all knew. "Rocking around the Christmas tree, at the Christmas party hop. Mistletoe hung where you can see every couple try to stop."

"You have interesting taste in music." Portman informed her.

"Yeah, but I think you'll get over it." Julie replied.

Knock, Knock.

"I thought you said that no one else was coming." Fulton said as Julie went to answer the door.

"I didn't think anyone else was coming." Adam said as he followed Julie to the door.

The door opened to reveal a man about six feet tall, who was rather handsome, but at the moment looked like crap.

"Who are you?" Julie asked.

"I got on a plane at 6 AM four days ago and flew to New York. I then took a cab to a train station and a train station to another cab and the cab to my mother's house. Do you know what she did when she saw me? She screamed obscenities at me and slammed the door in my face.

"Just as I was about to turn around and leave, the door opened again, and a man I had never met before introduced himself to me as my step father. He informed me the Mac was going to school in Minnesota and had refused to come home for Christmas.

"So I took the cab back to the train station and the train station back to another cab and that cab back to the airport where I was informed all outgoing flights were booked solid from Thanksgiving to New Years.

"So I was directed to a bus station. I spent three days on a bus sitting next to a mother with a baby that screamed nonstop from New York to Indiana. By the time I got to Minnesota, I had seventy bucks to my name, an hour to go to get to Mac, and nowhere to sleep for the night.

"I have not showered in three days, I smell. When I finally got the campus I realized that I had no idea where Mac's dorm was. You owe me a shower, roughly seven hundred dollars and one hell of a thank you, Banks."

"Hello to you, too, Liam." Adam said, laughing.

"Just let me use your shower, Banks, then point me in the direction of Mac's dorm room." Liam sighed.

Once Liam was out of hearing, Julie turned to Adam. "Who the hell is that?"

"That is Mac's brother Liam. I called him to come visit his sister. They haven't seen each other in twelve years." Adam replied.

Once Liam was freshly showered, he and Adam started out towards Mac's dorm room.

Mac and Willow

"What do you think about the name Holly Jennifer? For a girl? 'Cuz I really like it, and I don't care what you say, if I have a girl, I'm naming her Holly Jennifer." Willow said.

"If you already have your mind made up, why are you asking for my opinion?" Mac laughed at her.

"Because, as god mother, you're supposed to have some say in this, right?"

"Whatever you say. What if you have a boy? Then what?"

"I don't know. I haven't gotten that far. I can't think of a name for a boy. I hope it's a girl."

"Only because you can't think of a boys name." Mac laughed at her again.

"Stop laughing at me. What do you think I should name it if it's a boy?" Willow asked just as somebody knocked on the door.

"I don't care what you say, if that kid is a boy, I'm all for the name Patrick James." Mac said as she swung the door open.

"Hey Mac." Adam smiled at her.

"What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your family or something?" Mac asked, confused.

"Do you remember the letters you wrote me? In one you wrote, "I wrote to Santa,

and I told him that the only thing I want is to see Liam again." Do you still believe in Santa?"

"What kind of crack are you on Banks? I haven't believed in Santa since I was eight."

"That's too bad, because he brought one of your gifts to my apartment by mistake, I thought I'd bring it here for you."

"What are you talking about? You aren't holding anything…" Mac trailed off when Liam stepped into the doorway.

"Hey sis." he smiled at her.

"Liam? Oh my wow! You're really here! I can't believe it!" Mac threw her arms around him and hugged with all her might. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." Liam smiled as he hugged back.

"I think I'm going to go now." Adam started backing away when suddenly Willow cried out.

"I hate to break up your happy reunion, but my water just broke."

Songs Used in This Chapter

O Come All Ye Faithful

Nuttin' For Christmas - S. Tepper, R. Bennett © 1955

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee

A/N: Please review! You decide: Holly or Patrick.