It was snowing outside Beacon Academy. Renovations had come and gone.

After the Thousand Grimm Siege, as it would come to be known, Ozpin summoned Team CTNE and AVNJ into his office. He explained that as of that night, Team AVNJ were now students of Beacon.

This was met with much rejoicing and hugging.

It was winter in Vale, and Team CTNE was cooped up in their dorm with nothing to do.

"Fuck, why'd they have to suspend classes? I'm going crazy in here." Noah remarked.

Currently, it was just him, Caught, and Tim. Evan was off doing god-knows-what (most likely pranking the teachers) and Michael had mysteriously vanished as well.

"According to Ozpin, they're celebrating something like Christmas this month," Tim replied.

Everyone was drowsy and on the verge of sleep when Evan kicked the door open. He and Michael came in with bags of groceries that looked full to bursting.

"BOYS. If I have to suffer through one more day of seeing you mope around, I'm gonna lose my shit. So Team AVNJ and I came up with a plan!" Evan boomed.

He pulled out a giant scroll of paper as if from nowhere and spread it out on the ground. There were drawings and commentary scribbled all over it in crayon. At the top, this was written:

Natalie, Vince, Jeff, and Evan's Super Lit Chaunukkahmas Master Plan Of Extreme Badassery And Revelry Involving Alcohol

Caught was staring at it with his jaw wide open.
"In the name of the ancient Chinese sage, Ho Lee Shit," Caught deadpanned.

"And you plan for all this to happen next Saturday?"

Evan nodded eagerly with a silly grin on his face.

And so work began immediately on making Evan's Super Lit Chaunukkahmas Master Plan a reality. Noah's project was making the menorah and finding the perfect Christmas tree.

This turned out to be a much harder task than expected. "Too thin," Evan would say, or "Too fat." Somehow, Evan's demands for the Perfect Tree were spread out over two days. It was only on the third that they found the tree Evan declared "the bestest goddamn tree you could have gotten, Noah."

As soon as they hauled the tree in, decorating began. This task was one assigned to Jeff and Tim, who did quite a good job of it. Everyone created ornaments for it, even Nimby (whose tiny kitten pawprints they stamped in plaster for an ornament.)

Noah's very small menorah was set on the windowsill for one member of Citrine or Advantage to light per day. The tree loomed over it all with a tiny statue of Baphomet resting on the very top.

The cooking was left to Vin and Evan, and they took to the task with relish. Delicious smells wafted out of the communal kitchen.

On the seventh day, they rested and looked at their creation in shock.

All of Team CTNE and Team AVNJ (even Jeff and Michael) gathered in Citrine's dorm to celebrate The Super Lit Chaunukkahmas.

"Alright, let's all take turns for gift-opening. Leaders start first." Caught reassured.

Jeff passed his brother a suspiciously large box. Alex tore the lid off and a tiny Shiba Inu puppy jumped out. The dog's collar said only one word: Sparky. Sparky jumped out of his box and padded up to Nimby (who curled up next to him.)

Jeff turned to his brother. "Now, I know it isn't really-" Jeff began before being interrupted by a tight hug. "Thank you." was all Alex said in reply, still squeezing his brother tightly.

Natalie gave Caught a letter. He opened it gingerly and a photo fell out. Caught picked it up and his eyes threatened to pool with tears. The picture was of him as a little child. Underneath was the name he had never known.

Steve. His face cracked into a grin. "Out of all the names I think I was expecting, it definitely wasn't that. Thank you, Natalie," Caught began.

"but I think Caught sounds better. So I guess I'm staying Caught for the undetermined future?"

What they received for presents was these (excepting the new cameras they all got):

Noah received an electric guitar, a journal, and some brandy. Tim received an dracopipe (Vale's version of the cigarette without the nicotine), some money and a ukelele. Evan received knives, an hoverboard, and an wickedly long katana.

And as for Team AVNJ?

Alex received a puppy, a copy of House of Leaves, and a soft blanket. Vinnie received a heartfelt letter from Evan and Jeff, an apron, and two enormous cookbooks that threatened to break somebody's arms. Natalie received several books, a record player, and an actual hug from Caught. Jeff received a bottle of BBQ sauce, a pair of golden spandex shorts, and a computer.

Even Michael received presents! (A pocketwatch, a top hat, and an amazingly intricate piece of armor, respectively.)

Then it was time for dinner.

They read the contraband fanfiction Noahbrand had recovered out loud at the dinner table.

In breathy, vaguely erotic noises.

Even Michael joined in, doing his best Patrick impression for the others.

Evan laughed so hard he fell out of his chair crying.

Noah, when reading the Vampire Harem fic, even pulled out a pair of fake fangs he had gotten from somewhere that his team-mates didn't want to know.

They felt at home together. At last, they felt like a patchwork family.

As the festivities wound down and they went outside to play in the snow, Tim looked out into the snowy forest.

He could see glowing red eyes in the dark of the woods.

And he got the sense that someone was watching him.

Author's Note: The holiday chapter you never knew you wanted.

Noah's arc is ended, and now Tim's arc begins. The Vampire of Emerald Forest. :)

I'd love to hear your guesses on what that means.. Reviews, reviews!