Some time had passed after the dancing and everyone was inside to have some warm cocoa to share together and get cozy from the bitter cold outside.
"Uncle Hatter, can't we have some hot chocolate too?" Jack asked.
"Yeah! We're thirsty after all of that dancing!" Jill added.
"Patience, children, patience..." Hatter replied as he brought out his infamous black and white checkerboard teapot and a couple of cups as he had brewed some hot chocolate with a Wonderland recipe to share with the twins. "I trust you'll enjoy this hot chocolate as hot chocolate you have never truly experienced before."
Jack and Jill tried to wait as they watched that Clara, Fritz, and Louise were able to have their own hot chocolate already and so were the other children who were guests at the party. Eventually, Hatter finished brewing his tea and gave the two children a couple of cups and poured the hot chocolate inside of their cups for them.
"Finally." Jack and Jill said in relief.
"What do you say?" Charles prompted his little prince and princess.
Jack and Jill looked sheepish then before they looked back at the adult man in front of them. "Thank you for the hot chocolate, Uncle Hatter." they then chorused together.
"You are both very welcome, my dear children," Hatter then said with an approving smile. "Hopefully you don't mind the Wonderland ingredients too terribly."
Jack and Jill then clinked their teacups together and blew on the rims of the cups before they sipped the hot chocolate given to them. After a little tasting, their eyes widened before they grinned at each other and drank some more.
"I'll take that as you enjoy my childhood hot chocolate recipe." Hatter then chuckled as they drank up quite a bit together.
"It's really good!" Jack nodded.
"Where did you get this recipe from?" Jill then wondered. "The White Rabbit? The March Hare? The Dormouse?"
"Oh, no. I've known this recipe far longer than I've known any of them from my tea parties even though a tea party is how I met dear Alice for the first time." Hatter replied with a warm smile.
Alice smirked and winked a bit at Hatter in response as that was very true for both of them.
"Just seems like only yesterday," Hatter sighed softly and warmly. "I'll tell you two about it sometime."
"Oh, yes. I think we'd love to hear that story someday." Jack nodded.
"Definitely." Jill added in agreement.
"So where did that hot chocolate recipe come from, Hatter?" Snow then asked the man.
"Yes, did it come from your family?" Charles added as the twins thoroughly enjoyed their hot chocolate.
"As a matter of fact, it did," Hatter nodded in confirmation. "My mother came up with this recipe when I was very young and it often comforted me during the winter or any other cold day, especially when I was feeling sad about something."
Jack and Jill looked soft as that sounded rather nice.
"She always had a way with chocolate and tea, but especially chocolate," Hatter then said softly. "Though perhaps that explains where your presents came from..." he then added a bit thoughtfully.
"Presents?" Jack and Jill asked a bit surprised.
"Oh, whoops." Hatter grinned bashfully as he said a bit too much just then.
"Hatter..." Alice tutted and sighed, shaking her head.
"So is this true, Hatter?" Charles soon asked. "Did you get presents for our little ones?"
"Well, I suppose I can't keep too much secret and safe from these two," Hatter said before he brought out boxes with the twins' names on them. "Merry Christmas, my dear Jack and Jill."
"Thank you, Uncle Hatter." Jack and Jill replied, accepting the boxes after they set down their cups.
Snow and Charles smiled warmly as this was probably the very best and special moment in Jack and Jill's young lives. Jack and Jill then began to open up the presents to be like any other kid at Christmas to see what they got. Soon, the boxes were opened, allowing the twins to see what they were given this year on their first true holiday celebration.
"Chocolate bars?" Jack asked as he picked one up and out of the box.
"You gave us chocolate, Uncle Hatter?" Jill added as she took out a chocolate bar of her own.
"Well, why not?" Hatter smiled. "Chocolate is the universal sign of happiness, whether in a fairy tale or reality."
"Thank you, Uncle Hatter!" Jack and Jill then said before hugging the man happily.
"You're very welcome." Hatter chuckled as he smiled and hugged the twins right back at both of his sides.
"Well, would you two like to eat the bars you have now and save the rest for later?" Snow suggested with a small smile.
"Oh, could we?" Jack asked hopefully.
"Of course! Why not?" Charles replied. "It's Christmas after all."
"Don't make it a Hard Candy Christmas though." Alice added with a nod.
Jack and Jill smiled, though they checked out the bars before they would eat them to see what was in them. They had the same chocolate bar known as The Scrumdiddlyumptious Bar with ingredients that included: scrumptious toffee, crispy cookie, and crunchy peanuts. That sounded good enough, so the twins unwrapped the bars and began to eat them up.
"Another Wonderland treat?" Snow then wondered.
"Actually, they come from a place known as Willy Wonka's chocolate factory." Hatter replied mysteriously.
"Who's Willy Wonka?" Jack then asked.
"That is another story for another day," Hatter chuckled. "I'll tell you more about him when we have more time."
"Perhaps after we finish up here, we should retire back to Fabletown," Alice soon suggested. "Jack and Jill can file an adventure report to Looking Glass after they enjoy the rest of their Christmas vacation."
"Well said, Alice," Snow nodded. "Let them enjoy the holiday while they're still young."
"Indeed," Alice added with a sigh. "I just wish that my dear sister Marie could be here to enjoy this lovely and joyous day of all days."
"I'm sure that she's probably here and we just can't see her, my dear Alice." Hatter comforted, putting his arm around her and gently patted her shoulder.
"Oh. Thank you, Hatter," Alice nodded. "Perhaps you're right."
And so, the Avengers Grimm family sat comfortably and began to enjoy the rest of their Christmas tradition together as Jack and Jill enjoyed their Wonka bars very much so far. However, little did they know, the Wonka bars would be the answer to one of their newer adventure after the holiday season would be through.
"I want to thank you all for coming to join my family on this visit," Drosselmeyer said to Alice, Hatter, Snow, Charles, and the twins. "It was really nice having you. Especially you, Alice."
"It was my honor, Drosselmeyer," Alice replied as she curtsied to the man. "It reminded me of when I was a little girl with Marie as well."
"Ah, yes... You were always a curious young thing, Alice," Drosselmeyer nodded. "I knew you were a lot better than what others said about you and regardless of Lord and Lady Ascot trying to arrange you with Hamish."
"The less said about Hamish the better." Alice mumbled slightly.
The others chuckled a bit, agreeing with her about Hamish even if they didn't really know him.
"Hopefully this means we can see more of you in the future." Drosselmeyer then said to Alice.
"I'll have to see what I can do." Alice smiled warmly as Clara soon approached Jack with a flower in the background.
"I look forward to it then." Drosselmeyer nodded hopefully.
Soon, the others then looked over as Jack took the flower from Clara before bowing to her so she curtsied at him. The two kids then walked off together, hand-in-hand, and decided to have a solo dance together that looked like something out of a ballet.
"Oh... Isn't that just adorable?" Charles smiled fondly.
"And us without our camera from our honeymoon." Snow added as she nodded at her husband.
Jill watched Jack and Clara dance together as she sighed to herself and still hoped that she would be able to go to Dance School back in Fabletown. All and all, it was a very nice adventure and an even better Christmas evening back with everybody that made it feel even more special. Snow and Charles soon looked at Jill and they looked thoughtful about something as they knew what she was thinking and knew how she would get when passing by The Red Shoes' Dance School back from school for homework and Avengers Grimm duties. Soon, Clara and Jack ended their dance and suddenly heard people clapping and cheering before they blushed and looked over to see that they had a captive audience. They then smiled and waved at them while Clara decided to put the flower in her hair and took Jack's hand on the way back over.
"I hope I can find my special someone." Jill sighed and pouted to herself as she thought about how she had crushed on Peter, but he would stay in Neverland and probably never return feelings for her.
"Don't be so down, my darling princess," Charles comforted his adoptive daughter. "You'll meet your very own Prince Charming soon enough."
"I really hope so, Father." Jill said softly.
"Your father's right, dear," Snow soon added. "Someday your prince will come like mine came for me after the defeat of The Wicked Queen Gwendolyn with help from the seven dwarves."
Jill smiled softly as it sounded so easy, especially since they all came from a world of fairy tales, but sometimes, she wasn't too sure.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Louise smiled at Fritz.
"Yeah, I guess it is." Fritz shrugged in response.
"Very lovely indeed." Benjamin remarked on the other hand.
It was still a very lovely ending to such a wonderful story and a very special holiday adventure.
"Would you all like to stay for Christmas dinner?" Drosselmeyer soon asked.
"Well... We're on a tight schedule," Alice paused before smiling. "Well, sure. Of course we will stay. What better place to have the holidays than in the house I grew up in?" she then decided.
The twins then looked hopeful and excited about staying for Christmas dinner as well. Alice and Hatter also smiled as things were wrapping up nicely as everyone soon went to get settled and enjoy the rest of their holiday together until their next adventure. Only time would tell of when it would be though as everyone retired to get comfortable and settled, especially the young ones as they began to live happily ever after. And until next time we see The Avengers Grimm, that is...
The End