Author's Note : Merry Christmas everyone! So, due to unforseen levels of holiday chaos, I will most likely be posting another 1-2 chapters after Christmas is technically over. While I might be able to speed write something by tomorrow, I feel that it would be better to prioritize quality over timelyness. Anyways, I am excited to be publishing "Santa" today! I had fun writing this, especially the ending, so I hope you enjoy reading!

Replies to Reviews:

Spider-Man Super-Fan: Aw… Thanks! I really love writing fluffy sweetness. It's the best. And child Lloyd is super fun to write, so it's always nice to hear what people think of my characterization. Oh, I think you'll be quite pleased with how the whole letter writing business is gonna work out. Just you wait. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday!

JBomb217: HI! Aw, really? I wasn't even trying to be that comedic, but I had so much fun writing this and think about how everyone would respond to Kai's issues… This family has serious issues with self restraint. They're all so reckless. Perfect ending? That's so kind of you to say! I hope you are having a lovely holiday and that you are able to enjoy "Santa"!

Guest: I will do my best to work with your suggestion – after watching Wu's Teas, I totally think that Nya is a good artist. Probably will end up being addressed in Of Milk and Cookies, as Operation Christmas Lloyd is almost completed. Thank you so much for your feedback! It's super cool to here that you've been along for the Journey! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Lloydskywalkers: Aaaand you already know to check your pms, but I hope you appreciate the nod to Harumi I added just for you!

/\/\/\/\/\

Everyone let out a sigh of relief as Zane finally stopped circling the lot and found a parking spot a reasonable distance from the entrance to Ninjago City's mall complex. If only the holiday season didn't tend to bring out the worst in people's driving habits. Traffic had been horrible the entire commute from the Bounty (still parked not far from Dareth's dojo), thanks to the limited amount of time left before Christmas arrived. Hopefully the crowds inside wouldn't prevent the group from achieving their goal. Given Lloyd's fascination with Santa, they had determined that getting a picture with him was non negotiable. So, they had elected to visit the miniature North Pole currently located at the mall. A decision that definitely had nothing to do with the copious amounts of decorations they could expect to see, because Nya would never sacrifice practicality (the smaller businesses in the city were probably less heavily populated) for her admittedly excessive love of looking at Christmas displays. Though, she'd do her best to protect Kai from having a panic attack. She still wasn't sure exactly what to think of the revelation they'd had the day before during the cookie escapade, but she felt responsible for making sure everyone enjoyed this trip. The samurai tightly gripped Lloyd's hand as she climbed out of the car, careful not to lose her balance on the slightly icy asphalt. She sure as heck wasn't letting him wander off again. Not unless he wanted to get himself grounded for the next decade or so. Which, now that she thought about it, would probably inconvenient for his aspirations as the Green Ninja. Oh well, they could work something out if they really needed to.

"If you get yourself hit by a car, so help me, Lloyd, I'll-" Lloyd rolled his eyes at her.

"Geez, Nya. I know how to walk across a parking lot safely. I'm not a baby."

"You sure act like one some times..." Teased Kai. The small boy glared ferociously.

"I do not. Two words, Kai: Gingerbread. Men." He objected as they approached the crosswalk.

"Hey! That was low, even for you, green bean." Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh, but being the youngest was already annoying enough without his older siblings calling him a baby.

"Well, next time, don't-"

"Please tell me you'll stop behaving like this once we get inside? I'd really rather not get kicked out of Santa's village." Zane interrupted the two before the argument could progress into a snow fight, which from the way they eyed the surrounding drifts would have happened sooner or later.

"Wait – that's an actual thing that could happen?" Gasped Jay, suddenly panicked. He exchanged a fearful glance with Lloyd. That would be super embarrassing. Maybe even more embarrassing than that time his parents told everyone about his pillow… And Lloyd just had to meet Santa. The kid deserved to experience every possible Christmas tradition.

"You never know. But let's not find out. I know how much we've all been looking forward to this." Nya linked her spare arm with his. It felt nice to be rid of the awkwardness that had plagued them until recently. Nice to be out enjoying the day with her family without any sign of Serpentine, fake or otherwise. Why couldn't the rest of her life be like this?

"Suppose they have any mistletoe hanging up in there?" Her boyfriend asked jokingly. Kai and Lloyd immediately forgot their spat, letting out a mutual groan of disgust – as per usual.

"If they do, we'll have to make sure we ask Cole to get a picture, since he's been so invested in recording our most romantic moments lately." She replied with a giggle. They didn't plan on letting go of the incident anytime soon. Which meant that they were eager to take any opportunity to torment the ninja of earth. He, however, had chosen to roll with the punches.

"Oh, I'd be more than happy to. Just don't be surprised when I photoshop mustaches onto both of you." Cole declared, holding the door for his friends. Jay snorted.

"Like we'd even look badwith mustaches. Nya can pull off any look."

"Aw… thanks! I'll remember that if I ever have to go undercover as a police officer or something…" The teen paused, taking in the extravagant decorations that welcomed them, "Oh… Wow!" Everything was coated with a fine layer of glitter. Bow covered wreaths hung on the railings of the balcony above them, while long strings of oversized ornaments and snowflakes trailed from the ceiling. Poinsettias lined pathways leading to different stores. Not too far away, a forest seemed to have taken up residence, its trees adorned with tinsel and powdery fake snow.

"You can say that again. This place makes Wall-to-Wall-Mart look like a toddler decorated it!" Lloyd tried to pull away from her to get a better look at the nativity situated to the right of the entrance. Nya prevented him from succeeding, instead allowing herself to be drug along behind him. Pulling out her phone, she snapped a quick picture of the scene. Lloyd's green sweater looked a little out of place against the backdrop of figures wearing ancient Ninjagian garb, but he didn't seem to mind. He was too busy taking in all the sights and sounds around him. Even after all the places he'd gotten to travel to – though he'd prefer not to think about his time as Pythor's prisoner – there were still so many new and exciting things to explore here. Lloyd was certain he never wanted to leave, infatuated with the sparkles, lights, and displays, much as he had been the first time he was exposed to such things. The alcove they stood in was quite peaceful in comparison to the rest of the building. A song – Winter Wonderland? Played quietly in the background. Lloyd surprised himself by actually being able to recall the names of the songs his family had taught him. Was that Nya singing along? Man, she sure sounded pretty. But was the middle of the mall really the best place for her to be sharing her talents?

"That's a lot of people…" Nya stopped singing at the sound of Kai's voice, as if suddenly remembering where they were. He was pointing towards the continuously expanding line of individuals who were waiting to meet Santa.

"No kidding. Looks like we should probably go get in line if we want to be outta here before the new year comes around. It's a mess over there." Cole observed. Nya and Kai shared a look. They had things to do later. Important things.

"Yeah," The samurai reluctantly agreed, "Guess we'll have to do some long distance sight seeing for now, Lloyd."

"Oh. Okay." Lloyd said, taking one last glance at the display before following them to the roped off section that marked the end of the line. It looked like it went on forever… Nearby, he noticed Kai hanging back, looking slightly more tense than one would expect when not in immediate danger. He followed the teens line of sight, trying to figure out what could possibly be getting this reaction out of him. Oh. Yeah, that would explain it. There was an elf walking towards them.

"They can't hurt you. It's just a costume – Nya says the real ones are at the north pole, getting ready for Christmas." He told his older brother, squeezing his hand reassuringly. The gesture was surprisingly calming, given the dynamic that normally existed between them – not that he would willingly admit it. A child, especially one with Lloyd's history, shouldn't be the one doing the comforting. That was his job. Kai was an adult. Well, sorta... Did his exact age really matter anyway? Not really.

"Wait a second… I think we know that elf…" The ninja of fire stared confusedly as the person drew closer.

"Is that… Chad?!" Asked Jay.

"Hey, guys! I wasn't expecting to see you guys so soon after the whole cosplay thingy!" The teen in the elf suit greeted them cheerfully. Ah, so this was the person the ninja had mistaken for a Serpentine…

"We are awfully sorry about that…" Zane replied.

"It's okay! My girlfriend warned me that wearing that costume in the parking lot of Ninjago City's largest mall wasn't a good idea, but I didn't listen," Chad told them, "And you must be Nya – nice to meet you – And obviously, you're Lloyd. The Green Ninja. This is so cool! I wasn't expecting to meet a celebrity today! I mean, I wasn't expecting to meet your friends the other day, either, but you get what I mean…" he gave the small boy a fist bump. Nya smiled. If her brothers were going to have awkward run ins with civilians, at least it had been someone who seemed to be very understanding. And who could rival her boyfriend's extreme levels of energy. The two would probably be great friends if they continued to bump into each other like this.

"So… You work here?" Inquired Cole, wondering if they'd ever see this guy in normal getup.

"Yup! You're talking to the Head Elf of Santa's Workshop!" He explained enthusiastically. Jay's eyes widened.

"That's so awesome! I bet that would be the perfect job for me if I wasn't already a ninja!"

"Yeah, your energy and attitude are fantastic - and we could, like, totally hang out together at work and stuff. It'd be super fun! ... But… Ninjago needs you, so you'd better not quit anytime soon. We don't want any more giant snakes attacking the city, or anything… heheh." Though it was clearly meant to be a joke, none of them found it particularly funny. Especially when Nya noticed an article titled Girl Orphaned in Snake Attack Finds New Family In Time For Christmas on a nearby magazine stand. Both were an unwelcome reminder that the world they lived in wasn't always as wonderful as it seemed right now. So many people had suffered, no matter how hard they'd worked to keep the city safe. She hoped whoever the article featured was having a nice holiday in the midst of the recent tragedy. The success of the project she and her brother were currently pursuing would certainly help make the season more peaceful for everyone – if they could convince the other parties involved that it would be to their advantage to cooperate with them, that is.

"Anyway, I'm about to head out – but, I can sneak you up to the front of the line if you want? I mean, I'm sure you're awfully busy keeping those darn snakes away and all that jazz…" Chad was offering by the time Nya turned her attention to the conversation again.

"That would be greatly appreciated. If you're certain it won't get you in trouble, that is?" Inquired Zane. He didn't wish to cause more problems for their new… Friend, but it would be best to limit the amount of time spent standing around doing nothing. Certain members of his family had an attention span comparable to that of a flea. The 'Head Elf' waved his hands dismissively.

"It's no biggie!" He assured them. And so, they followed Chad through a maze of trees and ginormous candy canes until they reached a small side gate. They waited as the teen entered the clearing and approached a bearded man dressed in a fluffy red and white outfit. Santa! Lloyd was finally gonna meet Santa! Well… Maybe not the actual Santa, since he had to supervise toy making and reindeer games, but this was the next best thing! Surely this person, who was hand selected by the big man at the north pole (or so he'd been told) to help keep an eye on the children of the world would be able to help make his Christmas wish come true! Chad whispered something to the man. He smiled and nodded. It was okay for them to come in. Lloyd gleefully rushed forward, excited for his audience to begin.

"Hello little boy." Normally, Lloyd would have been offended by being called little, but, it didn't bother him so much when this particular old man said it. Besides, acting rude would only risk putting him on the naughty list, and that could not happen.

"Hi." He breathed, "I'm Lloyd."

"Nice to meet you." 'Santa' replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"I-it's nice to meet you, too."

"And what is it you want for Christmas this year, Lloyd?" The old man asked, patting his seat invitingly. The boy joined him in the rather large throne.

"Well… I know you're not really Santa," the man gave him a questioning look - that didn't normally happen, "cause Nya – she's my sister- right over there," He pointed to the others, "Says the real Santa sent you here to help him out since he's so busy and everything, but…You're here, and I know Santa doesn't choose just anyone to work with him, so I was hoping maybe…" In a whisper, Lloyd explained the details of the only thing he truly wanted. Because it was definitely going to take some holiday magic to work out. As an afterthought, he mentioned the comic book too, but that really wasn't all that important to him. He could always pester Kai and Nya until they took him to Doomsday Comics to get it.

"Goodness. I think that's the most selfless Christmas wish I've ever gotten… I'll do my best to see that it happens…" The boy's companion commented as he finished.

"Thank you." Nodding, 'Santa' motioned for the rest of the group to join them so pictures could be taken.

"It's what I'm here for…" They thanked him profusely after posing for plenty of less than flattering photos with a small smattering of actually decent (adorable) ones thrown in for good measure. One of the nearby employees informed them that they'd email them everything within 24 hours. The only female in the group looked quite delighted, stating that they'd have time to look at the entries for the tree decorating contest after all. Lloyd waved goodbye to him, looking incredibly happy.

Kevin had been working as a Santa at the Ninjago City Mall for well over two decades. Every year, he dealt with screaming, crying, and accidents, but it was moments like this that made him keep coming back. What a nice family. He'd never seen a group of teenagers so willing to take goofy pictures with a child. He glanced at his watch. It was almost time for his shift to be over. But first, he was going to make sure the he paid the photographer for their photo shoot. He might not be able to single handedly prevent Lord Garmadon from making poor life choices, but that didn't mean there was nothing he could do to give that little ray of sunshine a bit of holiday cheer. And then? Maybe he'd take his family to check out the trees the girl had been so excited about. After all, Christmas didn't last forever.

/\/\/\/\

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Nya asked her brother as they approached a dimly lit alley located on the outskirts of the city. Kai took another look at the crumpled piece of paper that had been delivered to them earlier.

"Yep. This is definitely it."

"Ugh. Why couldn't he have chosen a less sketchy place to meet…" She shivered as an icy gust of wind buffeted her hair, "Maybe somewhere inside where it's actually warm? And well lit?"

"Think about who we're talking about, here. He thrivesoff of darkness and fear. A nice little Café somewhere in the nicest part of town wouldn't be in character for him. Like, at all." Commented the ninja of fire, shrugging.

"I just hope this doesn't turn out to be a trap…" Nya replied. They had both been fairly surprised when they received a response to the letter they had sent Lloyd's father – and even more shocked when they discovered that he wanted to meet with them.

"Which is why I actually listened when Jay insisted we turn on the trackers you guys installed on our phones. But I'd like to hope that there a slight chance of this working out. I mean, as much as I had to admit it, the guy does care an awful lot about Lloyd, so maybe?" They warily entered the alley, searching the gloom for any signs of danger.

"If it isn't the pyromaniac and the samurai…" A voice said from the shadows.

"Lord Garmadon." Kai stated coolly.

"You're late." The man observed. Hah! As if he'd actually been paying attention.

"Only by a few minutes – and it's not my fault you picked somewhere so ridiculously out of the way."

"Insolent child!"

"Look," Nya interrupted, "We didn't come here for trouble. Why did you ask us to meet you?" Garmadon stared at the two teens for a moment, his red eyes glowing.

"I wasn't expecting a letter like that. Not many people would be willing to reach out to their enemy on behalf of a child with Lloyd's background. I felt that I should address the issue in person. Mail can be so unreliable these days."

"Uhuh. And that has nothing to do with your scheming, I'm sure." Commented Kai. The dark lord continued, ignoring him.

"I am willing to offer you a truce until January first, but that is all. The Megaweapon will remain untouched for that time. When the time comes, my forces will continue to assist me in my end game. All I ask in return is that you refrain from actively seeking to destroy me or my associates until we have reached the new year."

"Wouldn't it be easier if you just, I don't know, gave us the weapon and stopped trying to take over the world?" The resulting glares Kai's suggestion received from both his sister and Garmadon forced him to give up on that plan, "….Or not…"

"We accept your terms." Nya declared before the ninja of fire could try anything else stupid.

"Good. I will make the necessary arrangements with the Serpentine commanders. I…. I do appreciate the lengths you've gone to for my son. My spies assure me that he has been getting to have a good holiday thanks to you." Replied their beloved baby brother's father, looking less terrifying than before. The siblings shared a smile. As evil as this man might be, he definitely had a soft spot for his child.

"We'd do anything for him. He's a pretty special kid." The samurai told him quietly.

"That is probably the only thing we agree on. But it is time for you to be going. I'm sure the others are worried that I've done something horrible to you. First, though, can you make sure Lloyd gets this package. It's very important that he doesn't think I don't… I just want to give him something for Christmas…" Garmadon held out one of his hands, showing them a box. It appeared to have been hastily wrapped with green paper. A few pieces of tape were all that was preventing the wrapping from falling off. Had the evil warlord done this himself?

"It's not a bomb, or something… Right?" Kai just had to inquire. The man frowned at him, sighing.

"I may be destined to face my son in battle one day, but make no mistake. I would never do something to end his life prematurely. If you do not trust me, you can open the box and see for yourself."

"I believe you. Weirdly. Uh… Merry Christmas, I guess?" Nya said awkwardly, taking the package from him.

"… To you as well, I suppose. Goodbye."

Kai and Nya were relieved to step back out onto a well lit sidewalk. The whole thing had been a bit odd and completely unexpected, but clearly, it had been worth the risk.

"I can't believe how smoothly that went." The fire ninja commented to his sister.

"I know. Lloyd's gonna be so happy when he finds out! Guess I should probably let the others know we're on our way home. There's no telling what mischief they've managed to get into without us…"

"Yeah. Good plan. I don't wanna have to deal with a panicky phone call from the sparkplug today." Nya pulled out her phone and texted a quick Hey, we survived. Xoxo to Jay. He replied within seconds. She soon found herself furiously texting her curious boyfriend the details of their latest adventure. The news was too exciting for her not to share as soon as possible. Christmas really did bring people together, didn't it?

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I hope you enjoyed reading this – it's the longest chapter yet, but I've been envisioning this ending for "Santa" for weeks – so, no surprise there... Please remember that feedback and suggestions are always welcome. Wishing you a fantastic Christmas!

~GwenBrightly