The second I enter a dozen different sensations hit me. I hear Michelangelo and April clanging about in the kitchen. Behind me, Raphael yells as and Casey drag a tree through the pull-throughs. I dodge them. The female lizard and spiked turtle follow after him.

Donatello is messing with the radio in his lab and I hear other animals and Karai and Shini running around in the dojo.

I feel like a stepped into a madhouse. Somewhere I don't belong.

"LEO!" Raphael shouts," Your rabbit is here!"

"Shut up, Raph," Karai shouts back.

I turn to the dojo. I hold my gift behind my back, letting it sink behind my shoulder blades. As Leonardo walks out, I notice the colorful lights and plants decorating the walls and ceiling of the lair. So pretty…

Leonardo strides to me, a red material in his hand. His bandana is down around his neck and he's obviously been up in a tree, most likely decorating.

He grins as he shoves the material over my head. I flinch at the movement. "Merry Christmas!" he hollers.

I feel the hat. It covers my top knot and on the sides are flappy bits of fabric. He holds up his phone and I see the ears and the little puff ball behind my head.

"It's tradition," he states.

I smirk," Oh, then where is your boshi, tsuki?"

He smirks back. "Taiyo, don't make a fuss."

Donatello yells and we look toward his lab, then back to each other. Behind me, Mona giggles and I know Raphael is flexing as he's setting up that tree.

I shuffle and bring my gift from behind my back. "I brought you something. Kurisumasu migoto."

I hold the black sheathed sword out to him. Leonardo's eyes light up as he takes it from me. " A sword! Wicked! I got you something, too!"

Then he takes off down the hall to his room, leaving me alone. I turn back to Raphael and his friends. The noise, smells and sounds invade me once more. April and Michelangelo are cooking something sweet in the kitchen. The chocolate and sugar smell is almost undetectable underneath the smell of the pine tree. Raphael and Casey are under the tree, putting it in a stand as the other turtle holds it straight. Music wafers from Donatello's lab, filling the room with a cheery feeling. What is this holiday?

"Usagi!"

I turn right as April shoves something into my mouth. "Try this! Mike and I made it. I'm worried it doesn't taste good."

The thing is sweet. There is a soft layer on the top and the rest is like a soft cracker. I taste the chocolate immediately.

"April," Leonardo scolds, appearing beside me," easy with the cookies. They might be too rich-"

"It's fine, Leonardo-san." I say, though my mouth is full. I finish chewing and swallow. I bow to the kunoichi and state," They taste wonder, O'Niel-san."

The red-head smiles and bows, then walks back to the kitchen, telling Mikey-kun the recipe worked.

Leonardo laughs and we turn to each other. In his hands is a blue sheathed sword. He holds it out to me and bows. "My gift, Usagi-senpai."

I grin and take it. "A sword. What a wonderful gift."

I run my hand over the sword. The sheath is smooth metal, no doubt welded by Donatello. The handle is heavy and images of a rabbit are carved into it and the ridge around the handle and blade.

Before I can look at the blade, Raphael yells, "Get a room, you two!"

"Raphael, don't make me come out there!"

As Karai and Raphael begin their quarrel, Leonardo takes my arm and leads me to his room to set up our normal sleeping arrangements.

"Thank you for coming, Usagi. I know this has to be weird since you're not Christian…"

"No offense at all, Leonardo-san." I say," I'm just as open minded as you." He chuckles. As we approach the door, I question," What are we to do for the next week?"

"So you are staying for New Years?" The excitement in his voice is obvious. I nod. He grins and then turns to the door. "Well, we will be taking you sledding, Mike will probably want to make cookies with you. Tomorrow we'll have a big dinner. We'll binge watch classic Christmas movies. Christmas we'll open gifts and read about the birth of Christ. Later today we'll decorate the tree and after Christmas, we'll head to the farmhouse, maybe go caroling. We'll watch the ball drop there. Then you'll be free to go."

I don't know half of what he says. By this point he has the tatami mat rolled out with blankets and pillows to complete it. I set the sword against the bed and cross my arms," It doesn't sound too bad."

His grin turns dark. "That's what you think. If you haven't got to know us well enough yet, you're about to."

Leonardo was right. I knew nothing and I thought I did. Many times on that trip, I questioned why I was friends with teenagers. Rockwell, Leatherhead and Slash all eased my worries. But, I did have such a good time that I hardly wanted to leave.

I came to every Christmas after that. I wanted to sing and quote Charles Dickens and make cookies. I still don't understand Christ but I know Leonardo's belief is deep. I do not question it.

I value those days. I even got to bring Jotaro once and that was havoc in itself. I experienced other holidays, like Easter. Vowed to never come there during that holiday again. I came at Thanksgiving which made some sense to me. I came at Halloween. That one will forever scar me.

But Christmas…I loved it.

Another firework goes off and I see myself lighting one at the farmhouse and running from it as it roared into the sky. Happy New Year…

The farmhouse…

I flinch. The song is almost over. Now I'm here at my final memory of Leonardo…and he's not even alive…