AN: Y-you guys...after I saw all the wonderful reviews I got for the last chapter, I sat down and wrote this. You guys are awesome, I love you all! :') *joyful sobbing* I never was satisfied with the last chapter, but hearing how much you all loved it totally made my week! Thank you thank you thank you! :D I hope you all like this chapter, I wrote it literally just for you guys!

Me: And here we are again! Now, to sing this line, I have brought before you...Richard Morrell!

Richard: Uh, really? Why me...?

Me: Because you're the only Morrell I don't wish to back over with a truck.

Richard: Oh. That's...nice of you...

Me: And I have big plans for the last few people who are singing.

Richard: ...? And that would be?

Me: Huh? Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise now, would it?

Richard: I...guess not...

Me: Just go ahead and sing now, Richard.

Richard: Sure thing.

On the ninth day of Christmas, the Founder gave to me...A Christmas tree for trimming

X

"You what?" Eve asked blankly, not sure if she had heard right.

"I bought a Christmas tree!" Michael repeated enthusiastically. "It's in the car right now."

Eve blinked at him, putting down the magazine she'd been reading at the kitchen table. "A real Christmas tree?" she asked, still not quite sure she was following.

Michael nodded. "Well, not a real real one, one of those fake ones you have to build yourself. But still! A Christmas tree! I haven't had one since my parents moved out of town. Here, I'll go get it and show you." he said, taking off out the door before Eve could say anything else.

He was back in less then two minutes with it, though it was in three pieces. He walked past her into the living room where he dumped it on a clear space.

"We just have to build it and decorate it and decide where it's going to go! Just wait until Claire and Shane see this, I bet they'll be surprised!" said Michael. He sounded really excited, which made Eve feel bad about what she was going to say.

"Uh, Michael...we don't have anything to decorate the tree with." she pointed out.

"What?"

"Stuff to decorate the tree with. We don't have anything, do we?" Eve said patiently.

Michael frowned for a minute. "Oh yeah...but I bet the ones my folks used to use are still around here somewhere. Maybe in the attic?" he suggested.

Eve shook her head. "I don't remember seeing them when Shane and I were looking for the lights..."

"Well, they have to be around here somewhere, I know Mom and Dad wouldn't have thrown them away, and I don't remember them taking them with them, either. Some of them were from when Dad was little and Sam was still alive." Michael said thoughtfully.

Eve shrugged. "Maybe I just missed them, then?"

Michael nodded. "I think I remember what the box looked like...I'll go look for them. In the meantime, can you pop some popcorn?"

"What?"

"Popcorn, you know, for the tree?" Michael hedged.

Eve gave him another odd look. He sighed. "To decorate it." he clarified.

Now she raised her eyebrows. "We're going to put popcorn on the tree? Are we putting Milkduds and Raisenettes on it, too?"

Michael laughed. "I mean popcorn garland, babe. We used to do it every year, when I was little. Grandpa always liked to make it." he added sheepishly.

It seemed to dawn on Eve then. "Oh. Oh, okay, sure. Um," she blushed. "What else do we need for that, exactly...?"

Michael laughed again. "Just pop some popcorn, I'll worry about the rest."

xxxxx

An hour later, Eve was sitting on the couch in the living room, a massive bowl of popcorn in front of her on the coffee table.

"I found it!" Michael called as he walked down the steps. "It was under a bunch of my parents old junk."

He set the box down beside the popcorn and sat down next to Eve. "Oh, you already started on the garland?"

"Yep," said Eve, threading another piece of popcorn through the string she was working with. "But I haven't gotten very far. Where are we gonna put the tree?"

"Um..." Michael looked around. "How about over there?"

Eve turned to where he indicated. "It'll block the entry way there, won't it?"

"Oh, yeah...well, how about there?"

"Claire or Myrnin will knock it down when they open a portal."

"Ah, I forgot about that..."

"Well, what about right...there?" suggested Eve, pointing to a spot by the window.

Michael perked up. "Yeah, that'll work! That's more or less the vicinity we put it when I was a kid."

Eve shrugged. "Looks like a good spot to me. You still have to put the thing together, though..."

"It's only in three pieces, it'll be a breeze." Michael replied.

An hour later...

"Still a breeze?" asked Eve, leaning over the back of the couch to look at Michael, who was sitting on the floor with the pieces of Christmas tree. "Hey, I though there was only three pieces?" she added, looking around.

"There was," grumbled Michael. "But I pulled two of them apart since nothing was fitting together, so..."

Eve snorted. "And now you're stuck?"

Michael didn't quite glare at her, but it was close. She laughed. "Maybe you should wait for Claire?" she suggested.

"I can build a plastic tree, Eve."

"Then why is it in more pieces than what you started with?"

"I thought you were making popcorn strings?" Michael asked politely. Eve rolled her eyes.

"I've already finished, all I need is a tree to put it all on." she said sweetly. She grinned at the look Michael gave her.

"I'll make us some coffee." she said as he stubbornly turned back to his task.

xxxxxxxxxx

"We're home!" yelled Shane as he walked through the door with Claire. "Hey, I smell popcorn! You guys watching a movie?" he added as they made their way into the living room.

They found Eve and Michael making out on the couch, some strings of popcorn spread out all over the coffee table, and pieces of greenery everywhere.

"Hey, it looks like a Christmas tree exploded in here." Shane said, grinning as Michael and Eve sat up, looking flustered. "What happened? Uh, you can spare the personal details, please."

They both shot him scathing looks while Claire smacked him on the back of the head. "Hey!" he protested.

"Michael brought home a Christmas tree, but it was a little hard to put together..." Eve said, looking around at the mess.

"You know they make ones you don't have to put together, right?" Claire asked.

"And ones that grow out of the ground?" Shane added seriously, ducking another whack from Claire.

Michael rolled his eyes at Shane. "Yeah, but this was the one they had, so..."

They all stared at the sad mass of greenery a minute.

"I think I broke it." Michael admitted.

"You think?" said Shane.

"We could...go pick out a new one?" suggested Eve. "Together?"

Michael grinned. "Why not?'

"I'll grab the keys."

X

Two roommates shopping

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!

Richard: I hope that was okay.

Me: Fine fine, thank you!

Shane: Why the hell did you invite him?

Claire: (Shane, be nice!)

Me: Shane, don't start.

Theo: Very nice to see you again, Mr. Morrell.

Richard: Ahh, thanks.

Michael: So what's the big surprise you have in mind, anyway?

Me: My lips are sealed.

Myrnin: So long as they sing better than Oliver, I'm fine.

Oliver: Repeat that, fool!

Eve: What are you complaining for, Oliver. You didn't even want to sing!

Amelie: She has a point.

Me: Cutting this off, before it gets any worse! Oliver, put the stake down. Shane, if I see you point that finger at somebody again, I'll write so that it gets broken next chapter. Are we clear? Yeah? That's what I thought. Okay, for the next chapter...cookies. That's all I'm giving you.

AN: Okay everybody, I hope you liked it. :) Thank you again for all of your wonderful reviews, and thank you to everyone who has favorited and followed as well. You really brightened my day! ^_^

Song Suggestion: 'O Christmas Tree' (Haha, couldn't resist!)

Please read and review, it totally helps me write, and encourages me more than you could ever know! :)

Edit (December 2014): Just a few minor edits.