Author's Note: Here's an update for you, my beloved readers! :) Thank you for all your support, reviews, favorites, and follows, I really appreciate them from the bottom of my heart. ^_^ Hope you enjoy!

Me: And now, for your reading pleasure...Theo!

Theo: I'm honored.

Me: The pleasure's all mine! So how about it, Doctor? Think you can sing this line of the song for me?

Theo: It would be my greatest pleasure. *Ahem*

On the eighth day of Christmas, the Founder gave to me...Two roomates shopping

X

"So, where to next?" Claire asked Michael as they walked out of the camera store.

"Hmmm, dunno, I still have to find something for Eve. Where do you want to go?" he replied.

Claire shrugged. "I haven't gotten Eve's gift yet, either. Plus I still have to pick up Myrnin's."

Michael raised his eyebrows. "What did you get him, something shiny?" he asked.

Claire scowled at him. "Don't start on that, you sound like Shane."

Michael raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry, but I had to ask."

She rolled her eyes. "If you must know, I ordered him a new pair of bunny slippers. And I saw a big Lego set that looked like it would amuse him."

He laughed. "Legos?"

"The clerk assured me it would keep children entertained for hours."

"But are you sure it will do the same for 800 year old vampires?" Michael asked, still laughing a little.

"If it keeps him occupied for ten minutes, I'll be fine." said Claire with a sigh. "But anyway, do you have anything in particular in mind for Eve?"

Michael nodded slowly. "Uh, yeah, sort of. If it's still at the antique shop."

That perked Claire's interest. "What is it?" she asked.

"It'll be easier just to show you," Michael said with a slight wave of his hand. "The shop's just up the street here. I want your opinion on it, anyway."

They walked along in the shade close to the buildings, Michael in his long, thick duster and hat to protect him from the sun. Claire cast him a sideways look.

"You know, we didn't have to go out today. We could have waited until later..." she said lightly.

Michael looked at her in surprise from under his hat. "Why? Because of the sun? Don't worry about it. It's not too sunny today anyway, plus we're in the shade. I'll be fine. Besides, most of the shops around here close as soon as it starts getting dark."

He rolled his eyes when he saw that Claire still looked worried. "It's fine. Besides, this has been fun. And we both actually have a day off for once, that hasn't happened too often lately."

Claire nodded, but they had reached the shop before she could reply.

"Aw, says they're closed for lunch." Michael sighed, reading the sign on the door. " 'Be back in 45 minutes'. All, well. Come to think of it, we haven't had lunch yet either. Wanna grab a bite?"

"Sure, I'm hungry." Claire replied. "You pick."

After some debate, they decided on hamburgers and milkshakes at Margo's. After teasing each other on their burger and milkshake flavor choices, they dug in, and were about half-way through their meal before they started talking again.

"So, how's rehearsal going?" Michael asked around a mouthful of fries. He was polite enough, at least, to swallow most of them first. Shane wouldn't have.

Claire groaned. She'd been waiting for this. Shane hadn't stopped teasing her about it, and Eve hadn't stopped pestering her about it since she found out. Michael, though, hadn't even mentioned it until now.

"Okay. I mean, I'm doing alright, though the director keeps screaming about none of us having any chemistry, whatever that means. I think he's mostly talking about Oliver, though."

Michael snorted into his milkshake. "I still can't believe they cast Oliver as Scrooge...that was actually pretty brilliant, I can't think of anyone who could play him better."

Claire grinned in spite of herself. "Yeah, he is pretty good." Something dawned on her all of a sudden. "Oh yeah, I forgot! I've got to pick up a present for Paige!"

"Who?"

"One of the actors," Claire explained. "We did a secret Santa drawing, and I got her. I have to get her a gift and give it too her at the wrap party, I totally forgot until now..."

"Secret Santa?" Michael asked. "Wait, did Oliver have to do it?"

Claire chewed her hamburger thoughtfully. "You know, I don't know...I doubt it, since it's Oliver. That or if he did draw a name, that person's just out of luck."

"Probably." Michael said with a snort. "Who knows what he'd give as a gift, anyway..."

They went over the possibilities that Oliver would give as gifts, debating all through the car ride to the antique store.

"Nah, I bet they'd still be Common Grounds gift certificates." Michael said as he held the door to the shop open for Claire. "Or coal, I wouldn't put it past him." She snickered.

"Now, I think it was over here..." he muttered, indicating a section of the store. "Yeah, here we go, right here." he said, leaning over a glass display case. "What do you think?"

Claire leaned over and inspected the item. It was an old antique brooch; silver, with old gothic designs on it, and what looked like a ruby in the middle.

"Very Eve." said Claire as she took it in. "Yep, that just screams 'Eve'. Nice find, Michael, I'm sure she'll like it!"

Michael smiled in relief. "Well, that's what I thought, but you girls are just so hard to pick for..."

Claire rolled her eyes and gave him a light punch on the arm. He gave a 'Hey!' and rubbed his arm like she'd really hurt him, which she hadn't. "No, you boys are just bad at picking things." she told him sternly, though she grinned after a few seconds.

He grinned back. "I guess I'll go ahead and buy it, then. Then we can go find something for your friend."

Claire nodded. "Plus I still have to get Myrnin's gift."

"And that." Michael added. "But hey, how about we grab some hot chocolate first? Festive and 'Tis the season and all that..."

Claire grinned again. "Why, certainly." she said, taking Michael's offered arm and linking her's through it. "After all, 'tis the season for good friends and hot chocolate." she added, before they both laughed.

X

Many gifts for wrapping

Lots of lights a-blinking

One crazy boss!

Four stubborn men

Three ancient vamps

Two nosy boys

And a play I hope no one will see!

Theo: Was that to your satisfaction?

Me: Of course, that was wonderful!

Oliver: Absurd.

Me: What?!

Oliver: That was far from wonderful.

Myrnin: It was better than yours.

Theo: Well, I-

Claire: Just ignore them, Dr. Goldman.

Eve: Yeah, Oliver just has a stake up his-

Me: Ai yi yi, here we go again...who will sing the next line, you ask? You shall have to wait and see, Muhahaha!

AN: And there you have it. It was...not much, I'm sorry. Kinda fluffy and a little boring, I know, the next chapters should be entertaining. I hope. Anyway, thanks for reading! :)

Song Suggestion: 'Sleigh Ride', any version. I don't think I've ever heard a bad one!

Read and review, please, that encourages me more than anything! :)

Edit (December 2014): A few minor edits and a sentence that was bothering me.