'Twas the night before Christmas,

When all through the house

Not a creature was stirring,

Not even a mouse

The gifts were all wrapped

And covert in my room

Only I was up watching

The Grinch without a gloom

The Dolls were all nestled

Or so it seems

While visions of fanfictions

Danced through their dreams

And I, wrapped in a blanket

With cocoa in my hand

Just settled down by my laptop

To finish what I planned-

,,-Bullshit !" the strong and ever so characteristic voice echoed in my left ear as I was sitting on my tiny purple couch in my cozy bedroom.

,,Excuse you ?" I turned with a slightly irritated expression to the source of my distraction, looking straight into those chocolate brown eyes of the Broadway actress.

,,I said 'bullshit'…" Patti repeated with a smirk lacing her face, her arms crossed on her chest and her legs spread upon my sofa in my direction.

I nodded, retorting rather sarcastically ,,Yeah, I heard you the first time, but what do you mean by 'bullshit' ?"

,,Well…" the blonde started with a light shrug of her shoulders.

,,Oh, I already regret asking…" I chuckled partly for myself, lightly shaking with my head, knowing this won't be any short kind of answer in this case.

However Broadway Dame continued quite uninterrupted ,,You're saying, you're settled to finish what you've planned, and yet you're here in half of the process of your 12 Days of Christmas Treat for your Dolls and you're watching Grinch !"

I take a breath, slowly closing my laptop and bringing the mug with cocoa closer to my lips, taking a short sip, before finally answering with a calm voice and calm mind, looking Patti in the eyes ,,First of all, I'm not in half of the process, I'm wayyy further. Second, it's Christmas Eve so gimme a god-damn break LuPone !" I chuckle with Patti at the same time. ,,Look," I smile at her kindly, anticipating compassion as I start counting on my fingers ,,After this dreadful year, after quarantine during which my mom kicked my self-esteem into its balls so hard, after twice losing my works from my laptop and thrice having it in service –once even not because of my clumsiness, after the tough first semester of the new college, after being a victim of duplication of my old works, after finally and successfully becoming a productive member of society by improving my attitude also my cooking skills and sense for cleaning the house –since my mom works in the center of Covid in our country-" I take a third and final breath during my speech ,,-AND after nearly scrubbing my skin off to make it up till this point all alive, even you gotta admit… I deserve a day off… or at least an evening."

Patti chuckles loud at my long statement, before nodding in agreement ,,Okay, okay, you're right. You've done your best to do everything right in the second half of this miserable, crappy year, and I'm actually proud of you cookie, even though I'm just a fragment of your fantasy."

,,Thank you," I smile kindly back at her as the tip of her toe of her right leg caresses down the side of my outer thigh in an attempt to comfort me. I reach to open my laptop to continue where I left off.

,,On the other hand-" she starts.

,,-Here we go again…" I murmur under my breath as I close the laptop carefully again, and slowly transport my focus back on the blonde beside me.

,,-I don't wanna be a buzzkill, but with all that family stuff that awaits you in following days, plus online school exams and online oral exams…" she is looking in the air above her, her finger drawing in the empty space in front of her, punctuating her diction before she looks back at me and teasingly waves with her brows at me, the tip of her finger landing in the corner of her lower lip as she says on purpose in an almost husky voice ,,What if you won't make it ?"

Suddenly the exact, but slightly more serious voice interrupts me from actually considering Patti's words, as Florence Seward appears sitting straight in my armchair by my bed, her hands folded in her lap ,,She's got a point…"

,,Oh…GOD NO…" escape from my lips as various characters start appearing across my bedroom, either taking a seat on my bed or on my chair by my table or on the carpet on the floor right in front of my tiny couch.

,,Right."

,,Yeah !"

,,True…"

,,Well 'ow 'bout tha'."

,,They're right."

,,Exactly !"

,,Well fuck…" I breathe out in near frustration, knowing I'm about to have actually an unwanted and uncalled for session, I already throw the white towel into the ring. I put my laptop sightly aside, pause The Grinch, wrap myself even more into the blanket, and wait till the ladies settle down.

The first who's to speak is Patti anyway because it was her theory at first, but the rest of the company probably heard her from the majestic, spacious penthouse they rent in my brain for free for some time already.

,,You can't break another of your promise to yourself, let alone to your readers, you can't get kicked out of school, and then again you made yourself a vow, that you will keep being a productive member of society AND a good daughter, sister, friend and person in general…" Patti reasoned, while nearly piercing me with her eyes, while girls finally silenced in my bedroom and listened as well when Patti continued ,,Now how do you want to handle it all and not get completely nuts ?!" She smirked as she crossed her arms on her chest again.

,,…Said a fragment of my fantasy who's admonishing me instead of letting me focus on the exact same work she's admonishing me about…" I scoff, giggling afterward as the rest of the ensemble briefly does when Patti gives an approving nod.

,,Touché.."

,,But still," Joanne with long brown curls, who's sitting on the edge of my bed, closer towards me utters ,,You still have a lot of work to do till the end of 12 Days of Christmas Treat and you haven't even published the first one yet !"

Avis, who's sitting for exchange in my computer wheel chair directly by my side, nods at me while supporting her head with her palm, her elbow dug in the armrest of the chair ,,And if you won't make it according to plan, you don't even get any punishment for yourself. Dolls will be disappointed and you'll get away with it unharmed !"

The second redhead approves from across the room, sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to look at me from behind the others, Cora's voice somehow high pitched from frustration as she can't properly see ,,That is indeed not fair !"

Now I look down at probably the eldest woman in the room, who's sitting on the carpet, her white curls falling from her bun to her face as she starts gesturing with her hand, only highlighting her strong accent ,,Besides you said it was a challenge. You should have some punishment in case you wouldn't make it in time."

I take a breath and offer a slow nod, lifting my eyes from Wanda to the rest of the ladies ,,I have all of you and you're doing a great job at my conscience right now. That doesn't count ?"

,,No," Patti shakes her head while scooting her knees to her chest and hugging them. ,,Girls are right. If there's not anything at stake, what's the point of this actual challenge ?"

I close my eyes and sigh in defeat ,,Fine." I turn to the others and patiently ask ,,What do you suggest then ladies ?"

Joanne with short, dark brown hair, also sitting on my bed suddenly lifts her Vodka Stinger-filled glass and yelps ,,You should drink a half bottle of vodka bottoms up, without any juice mixed in !"

,,You want to kill me, don't ya ?" I ask half seriously, half in disbelief.

Patti immediately shakes her head ,,No, right, this is serious. According to her condition-" her thumb pointing at me ,,-it's hazarding with alcohol poisoning. We can come up with something better Dolls…"

,,Let's feed 'er wit' one of me pies !" Mrs. Lovett with a red bun atop her head smiled widely into the room, receiving negative backwash.

,,Ew, no !" echoes across the entire room from everyone in chorus.

,,Besides," Patti waves with her hand ,,How do you think she'd make one ? She's crazy, but not murderous, and there's nobody who would kill for her…"

At that moment the all-time silent Christian finally uttered a word to the debate ,,Well…"

,,No !" everyone thundered again at Joan, who nodded disappointedly, but obediently.

,,Don't you even think about it !" Patti yet added, and Joan lifted her palms in defense, surrendering.

Brunette in a blue robe, who's been most of the time fidgeting with her wand suddenly gasped, taking over the attention of everyone, her eyes literally sparkled ,,I have an idea ! Let's make her hold in hand a tarantula."

I bulge my eyes at Henrietta, my face goes instantly pale as she proceeds.

,,She's scared as hell of those, at least she'll overcome her biggest fear ! Two birds, one stone," she smiles at girls, but thankfully Patti stops her dead in her tracks.

,,And how would we do that, huh ? ZOOs are all temporarily closed in Czech."

I slowly exhale while muttering for myself ,,Oh, thank God ! For fuck's sake…"

,,C'mon girls, can't we come up with something not that dangerous or heart attack evoking, but worthy of a dare she might do for not fulfilling her plan ?" Lucia paces across the room, encouraging everyone to think.

After a long-lasting while I break the silence on my own ,,I think I have an idea…"

Girls look at me in anticipation, including Patti, who nods at me, to encourage me to continue ,,Well ?"

I sigh deeply, my eyes flutters, before I shake my head ,,Alright, so IF…I won't fulfill the challenge of the 12 Days of Christmas Treat, I shall jump into the snow while only wearing my bra and my panties…how does that sound to you ?"

As I trailed my eyes from lady to lady, all seemed to be actually smiling at me and at each other, until my eyes met Patti's who appreciatively nodded and smiled at me ,,I think we have the winner. And you even decided on your own. Now it remains to think of some treat for yourself if …I mean when you make it according to the plan and schedule." Her smile warmed me up more than the hot cocoa in my mug and the blanket around my body.

,,My treat will be, that the readers will be happy for having content to read after this shitty shitty year," I admit honestly with a smile on my face.

,,Owww," there's another chorus echoing in my bedroom making me chuckle aloud.

,,Heck ! I may even sing the original song 12 Days of Christmas and put it on my channel on YouTube due to how happy I'll be that I actually made it after you have worn me down this much within last past half-hour…" I laugh wholeheartedly, shaking with my head, and slowly reaching for my laptop.

,,Oh come on, we only love to tease you," Roxana smirks while throwing her palla over her shoulder.

,,So I've noticed," I fully agree with a low, devilish chuckle, while fluently opening my laptop. ,,But I know you're only repaying me the way I tease you all in the fanfics…" I turn to Patti and offer a light wink.

,,Oh, by the way, since you already brought it up-" Avis lightly touches my shoulder, and all of the ladies are about to take turns in questioning before I stop them even sooner before the first question might pierce the air.

,,I'm not telling you anything, you all will find out soon. And now if you'll excuse me, I have work to finish, and I need to focus, so off you go, I'll pay you a visit as soon as I'm done tomorrow family business, okay ?" I smile at ladies as they fluently start leaving my bedroom through the door with content smiles and goodbyes on their way out.

I turn to Patti who's still sitting on the couch beside me, stretching her legs again so the tips of her feet touches my outer thigh. I look her in her chocolate orbs and I sigh ,,Including you, doll. I need to work, and then go to sleep, it's been a very busy day and a very, very busy evening."

Blonde smiles though as she understood, she slowly stood up, putting her palms in her jeans pockets, and on her way to the door of my bedroom she turned to me, walking backwards ,,How about a coffee tomorrow, before your brothers with their wives, and the whole bunch of kids may arrive for lunch ? Sounds good ?"

I smile and bite my lower lip, before I respond ,,How about two rounds of mulled wine and a shot of eggnog instead ?"

,,That's my girrrrl !" Patti smiles lifting a finger in my direction before she waves me goodbye in doors ,,Goodnight doll !"

,,Goodnight my Goddess ! And Merry Christmas…" I yet answer, and then the door closes, and the entire room is all peaceful and quiet again.

I look around and let out a deep sigh. After a while, I call into the empty room ,,Johnny ?"

Johnny appears right next to me, on the spot Patti occupied until a few moments ago, his million-dollar smile shining at me as he asks ,,Yes sweetheart ?"

I smile kindly at him and caress his shoulder ,,Would you be so kind and lock the penthouse for me until I tell you to unlock it again ?"

,,Sure thing," he smiled and disappeared to do so before he appeared again. ,,Would you like me to stay and make you a company or you need to focus ?" he smiled, not caring about anything else at the moment.

,,I'd really really really like you to stay, but… I do need to focus, hence the locked penthouse-" I hang my head lightly down.

,,I've heard and I have no idea what was their point, but probably to truly boost you. Anyway, it felt more like a burning your conscience alive, to be frank," Johnny slowly sat on my computer chair close to me.

,,Yeah, but they're right…I need a goal, and if there's nothing at stake…who knows how it might have ended after all," I look into my laptop in my lap, feeling Johnny's palm landing on my shoulder and caressing me gently.

,,You know what I think ?" he said to me, making me look in his puppy eyes, sparkling at me.

,,That I wouldn't have made it without them kicking my butt ?" I ask in a low tone.

,,No…that you will make it no matter what because you've always had faith in yourself and your writing, even if it was as small as the head of a pin… And now I believe in you, and yet I will happily sing the 12 Days of Christmas with you at the end," Johnny laughed with me at the end of his statement, making me almost lose a tear or two.

,,You've always been there for me, long before them all," I take his hand and kiss the back of his tattooed palm, before running my thumb across it.

,,Just like you were there for me all the time with all the other Deppheads," he repaid, stroking my cheek, making me for a brief while close my eyes.

,,Oookay, enough of sentiment, enough of teasing, enough of fucking distraction !" I laugh out loud, making him chuckle and stand up.

,,Okay, I'm gonna go look for some leftovers from your dinner table, and I'll be back to unlock the penthouse in an hour and a half let's say ?" he smiled slowly heading to the door of my bedroom.

,,Sure, and thanks Johnny," I offer a nod with a humble smile.

,,At your service mademoiselle," he pretends to tip his captain's hat before he slowly left.

I look around my room for a brief while, looking at the paused screen of Grinch, and then back into my laptop.

,,Alright," I say in a slightly pitched voice, to bring myself back ,,Where was I ?"

'Twas the night before Christmas,

When all through the house

Not a creature was stirring,

Not even a mouse

The gifts were all wrapped

And covert in my room

Only I was up watching

The Grinch without a gloom

The Dolls were all nestled

In the penthouse, or so it seems…

While visions of their stories

Danced through their dreams

And I, wrapped in a blanket

With cocoa in my hand

Just settled down by my laptop

To finish what I planned

12 Days in a row shall be fulfilled

With joy and reading

No longer my Dolls

Ye All might be grieving

This entire year sucked

Without any doubt

But that's not the topic

We shall speak about

It is the fact that

I'd like to repay

All of my readers

In the most generous way

For sticking up with me

In all those long years

I've prepared for you

12 Days of Christmas cheers

So open your eyes and sharpen your senses

For a lot of fanfictions in the upcoming time

Merry Christmas to All of you

My darling Dolls, you all are sublime

A.N.: Hi my lovely lovely dolls ! If you made it till the end, I'm so happy ! Because I'd like to thank you once again, for making my last past four years incredible and full of encouragement, and so I've decided to grant you back, after last past two and a half bloody unproductive years (especially this crappy one). SO hopefully you liked this kind of Night Before Christmas –my style. Also, I hope you took the glimpse into my brain with humor and understanding, because we all have a certain kind of fantasy, or craziness inside us, and I allowed you to see a brief look into mine :333

PS.: The challenge is REAL, okay… I mean, of course, I had to somehow challenge myself to take this entire project as deadly serious as I possibly can, and I rrrreally want to finish it, but God knows what the following days will have in store for me, so I've decided to give myself a kick, which might keep me going no matter what… so if I fail (HOPEFULLY NOT) I'm jumping into the snow with my bra and whitey tighties :D

Without any more delaying from your Christmas Day, I wish you a Very Merry Christmas, and see you all tomorrow for the 2nd Day of Christmas ;-)

Your ever so thrilled ZiZi hugs and ZiZi kisses xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo