Chapter 6: The Ending
That night, Blitzo and the others stepped into the van to stop at Striker's cabin, so Striker could grab his bag. Once he grabbed his bag, he placed it in the trunk with all the other bags and stepped back into the van.
Then they made it to Blitzo's house.
Blitzo brought out some blankets and pillows from his closet, so that he could offer them to Striker, Kaitlin, and Jake, who were sleeping in the living room.
"You can sleep on one of my couches, Striker," Blitzo suggested.
Striker walked over to the couch and started to lie down with a yawn.
Blitzo tucked him in.
"Goodnight, Blitzo."
"Goodnight."
Kaitlin and Jake sat on another couch when Blitzo handed them a blanket, sleeping bag, and two pillows.
"Thank you, Blitzo," Kaitlin and Jake said simultaneously.
"You're welcome."
Jake stepped onto the floor and slid in through the sleeping bag. "Goodnight, Blitzo."
"Goodnight, Jake."
"Goodnight, guys," Kaitlin said.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Just then, Kaitlin and Jake heard Striker snore and saw Bombproof lie on top of him, keeping him warm.
Seeing this, Blitzo put a blanket on the hellhorse. "Aww. Goodnight, Bombproof." Then, he went to join Stolas and Riva in bed.
"Goodnight, Dad," Jake whispered, smiling at the sight of his sleeping father.
"Goodnight, Striker," said Kaitlin.
Curly and Octavia slept together in Curly's bed.
Carrie and Mandy slept in Carrie's bed.
As usual, Moxxie and Millie slept in the same bed.
…
The next morning, Striker woke up, feeling refreshed.
"What's the date today?" he asked himself, rubbing the back of his head. He yawned. "Oh, shit. That's right. It's Christmas. The ghosts have given me another chance."
He took off his blanket and slid off the couch.
In the kitchen, Blitzo was making bacon and saw the cowboy imp walk in.
"Morning, Strike," Blitzo greeted.
"Morning, Blitzo and Merry Christmas."
"Same to you." Blitzo winked at him.
Riva was flipping pancakes.
Striker sat next to Jake and Kaitlin.
"Merry Christmas, Dad," said Jake.
"Merry Christmas, kiddo," Striker said, ruffling his hair, "And Merry Christmas to you, Kaitlin."
"Thanks, Striker. Merry Christmas."
Riva placed a plateful of pancakes on the table.
"How are you feeling, Striker?" she asked.
"Much better, Riva. Much better. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas."
Blitzo set a plate of bacon and everyone gathered around to eat breakfast.
Curly watched as Striker ate his breakfast.
"My mom's a good cook, isn't she?" Curly whispered.
Striker nodded. "Oh, yep. She is." Then he sadly looked at Moxxie's and Millie's youngest daughter, who had a cast on. So he got off the table to see her family.
"Here's a sharpie," Carrie said, handing him the sharpie.
"Thanks, Carrie."
Striker opened up the sharpie and signed the little imp child's cast.
"Thank you, Mr. Cowboy," Mandy said gratefully.
"You're welcome, Mandy."
"That's Striker, Mandy," Moxxie told her.
Jake and Kaitlin went over to Striker to meet Mandy, Carrie, Moxxie, and Millie.
"Hi, Mandy," Kaitlin said sweetly.
"Hi."
"This is Kaitlin, my new wife and my son, Jake."
"Hi, Mandy," Jake said.
"Hi, Jake and Kaitlin."
Kaitlin and Jake took turns signing Mandy's cast.
"Merry Christmas, Mandy," they said.
"Merry Christmas."
Then, Stolas and Octavia signed Mandy's cast since Blitzo and his family as well as Moxxie, Millie, and Carrie already did it before Christmas Eve.
After breakfast, Jake and Kaitlin gave Striker a present, which he started to unwrap. It was a grey and tannish scarf.
"Thank you, guys," he said gratefully. "Now I have something for you."
Then Jake and Kaitlin opened up their presents. Jake got a pocket knife to use when necessary since Striker recalled the day he trusted his son to use his rifle and other blessed weapons when needed. Kaitlin got a Nightmare Before Christmas mug.
"Thank you, Striker," said Kaitlin.
"Thanks, Dad," Jake said.
"You're welcome."
...
That night, everyone gathered around for dinner. They had turkey, cranberry sauce, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and carrots with maple syrup on them.
"Mom? Dad? Carrie? Can you please pass me the mashed potatoes?" Mandy asked politely.
"Well, since you asked nicely, here you go," Millie said as she scooped a scoop of mashed potatoes.
"Thank you, Mom."
"Your mum's a good cook, Curly," Octavia said.
"Thanks, Octavia," Curly replied.
"I admit you outdid yourself, Riva," Stolas said, cutting up some ham before putting the pieces into his mouth.
"Why, thank you, Stolas," Riva said with a smile.
"My parents are good cooks, too," said Carrie.
"Here's a signature for my deadly little pumpkin spice granddaughter," Joe said sweetly as he signed Mandy's cast and winked at Carrie to let her know that he loved both girls equally, which made the latter smile.
"And here's another one from your grandma," Lin added, also signing Mandy's cast.
"And from your favorite auntie," Sallie Mae said as she signed her niece's cast, but got nudge from another one of Millie's sisters.
"Sallie, they like us both equally," one sister reminded her.
Sallie shrugged. "Right."
Then, Millie's other siblings, including her one sister who admonished the former, each signed Mandy's cast.
…
The day after Christmas, Mandy got her operation and her arm got better and thanks to her family and friends, especially the cowboy imp, Striker.
"Satan bless us everyone," Mandy said, holding onto her sock monkey.
The End
AN: Riva, Curly, and Mandy belong to JamieTheFandomGirl
Jake belongs to LadyAnaconda
Kaitlin (Me) belongs to well, me