CC blinks ……. She is now, back in her bed. Sweet is pouring off of her as she bolts up to a sitting position. Her breath is coming out in fast blasts. She tries to clam herself, when nothing worked she ran in the bathroom and splashed water in her face. "It was all a nightmare."

Then the voice came "not if you don't stop your ways,"

"Who?" she spun around, to see yet, another ghost, in her apartment.

"That is what it will be like for you, the Sheffield's, the Fines and us……"

"No! That can't be!" she screamed once again. She felt something wet on her face.

"What the?" When she looks around her, she's sitting in her hot tub all alone. She put on a robe and went into the bedroom. She saw no one. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It's numbers lit up in green. It was only 3am. It was now Christmas Eve. And she knew what she had to do. "I can't let it end this way. Not for us. Yes, all of us. I have to save Christmas." She looked outside, to the snow covered the streets of New York. "Did I miss it? Did I miss Christmas?"

"No, no. It's now just Christmas Eve." One shouted back.

"Christmas is tomorrow." Yet another voice answered.

"Thanks." CC got dressed and raced outside. She saw that the kids that she was talking to were dressed in rags and shivering. She remembered Nanny Fine. Not this year!

"Here take this." she hands the kids a wad of money. "Buy some cloths and go have dinner."

"Thank you ma'am, and have a wonderful Christmas."

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled at the kids. She was about to walk off but she turned to the kids. "Come here." They hesitated at first but did come to her. She surprised both her and them by giving them a hug. "You too sweeties."

That was weird but it felt good now on to the mansion. On her way she sees that same lady with the swinging bell. The red headed lady was sleeping on a bench with a fire in a trashcan burning. CC stepped closer, took off her coat and wrapped it around her. "That's for me being so mean earlier." She takes out another wad of money and pushes it down the small slit in the can. "Here, don't beg to much this year."

This is so unlike me. What has happened? Have I found what I have been looking for? Have I found the real fears of Christmas? She stopped in front of the mansion and sighed. "Niles is going to kill me if I wake him up at this hour on Christmas Eve. I better go to the back." She started towards the back of the mansion. "I have a key somewhere." She mumbled to herself. She looked up. There was a light on in the kitchen already. And who did she see cooking already. Niles. He's dressed in a green apron with gingerbread people on the front. She laughed at that. It fits him. CC knocks softly on the door.

"What are you doing up this early Niles?" She asked as he opened the door.

"I could ask you the same thing but the sun's not up yet so you were still awake."

"It's smells wonderful in here. What are you cooking and why so early?"

"Lots. Today the whole Fine Family is coming and tomorrow all the Sheffield's are arriving from all over." She walked to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. "What are you doing here? You're not…" she knew what he was going to say so she cut him off. She wasn't going to let him ruin the mood she was in.

"Need help."

"Did you hit your head?" He walked over to her.

"No,"

"You must have a fever." He placed the back of his hand on her forehead. "Are you sick?"

"No, no. I just wanted to say….help?"

"You help." He glared at her. "You cook?"

"Yes, I do." she said proudly. "Well, some."

"Very well," he wasn't going to turn down the help if he was getting it. "I'll let you hand me things. Will that work?" he handed her a red apron with Santa on it.

"Sounds easy." Niles shook his head. What's gotten into her? Something's wrong. Maybe it's me that has the fever. CC handed things to Niles as he cooked. Fran and Max were lured downstairs by the smell of things.

"That's something," She pointed to the both of them peacefully cooking. "That I never thought I see."

"Me neither Ms. Fine. Me neither."

The end