"Look at this mess," Lance said as he looked around the area they were in.

The bowl of eggnog now sat in front of them, of which was now going down rather quickly. Allura smiled as Pidge was resting his head in her lap, sleeping the rest of the night away.

"I think Nanny is going to have our heads if she sees this mess," Lance added as he poured himself another cup of eggnog.

"Just how many of those have you had Lance?" Hunk asked.

"I don't know, I lost count after Pidge nodded off," he said.

"That was an hour ago," Hunk said.

Allura smiled as she took the last sip out of her cup and placed the cup down. "Well I've had my fair share," she said. "We must never do this again."

Lance looked at her. "Oh, don't worry Princess, we'll look for an excuse to celebrate Christmas again," he said. "With or without snow."

Allura smiled. "This time I will be the one to bring gifts," she said.

"Well...don't you think its about time that we turn in for the night?" Hunk asked. "Looks like this Christmas has come and gone."

Allura looked up at the wall clock and smiled. "Is it that late already?" she asked. "I cant believe how the time just flew."

Hunk nodded as he started to gather the mess they had created in their area of the room.

"Christmas has that affect on people," Lance said as he too started to clean up the mess. "Do you think we should wake him up?"

Allura looked down at Pidge and smiled. "Well you kind of have to," she said. "My leg has just fallen asleep."

Hunk smiled as he let Lance pick up the rest of the mess to wake his young friend. The sudden stirring woke the young member, as he fixed his glasses.

"Wow, how long have I been out?" he asked.

"Long enough to know that you have to get some rest," Hunk said.

Allura smiled and then soon found herself yawning. Lance looked at her then smiled. "Looks like Pidge isn't the only one that is tired."

Allura smiled as she nodded. "And Im starting to feel it," she said. "Its a wonder why I haven't passed out yet, with all that eggnog I've had."

Lance smiled. "Wait till you get up in the morning."

Allura looked at him. "I don't like the sound of that," she said.

Once Hunk was able to get Pidge awake enough for him to stand on his own, Allura tried to get up on her own, but found her legs had cramped.

Keith caught her before she fell to the ground and a sudden dizzy spell over came her senses. She started to laugh as she braced herself against him realizing now, just how drunk she became.

"Hey you okay?" Lance asked.

Allura started to laugh when she saw him and then shook her head. "In all honesty, Lance...because of you, I am now totally drunk."

Lance laughed as he handed Hunk the garbage bag he held and walked over to her. He gently grabbed her by her arm and helped her to her feet.

"Feel better?" he asked.

She shook her head as the room began to spin.

"Oh great, she's gone." Lance said.

Keith smiled as he got to his feet. "I'll take her to her room," he offered as Lance helped him to stabilize her. "Why don't you help Pidge to his and we can come back to clean up here."

Lance nodded as he turned to the groggy young boy. "Are you sure you can handle her?" he asked. "Remember the last time she had too much to drink?"

"I remember quite clearly, Lance," Keith said with a smile. "As I remember, you had to dress as a woman soon after that"***

Lance soured at the remark but then smiled. "Hey, it was fun," he said. "I never seen her so drunk before."

"And nanny so fuming mad," Keith added.

He then lifted Allura by her arms to get her steady on her feet. She was smiling all through their conversation, her eyes glassed over by the amount of alcohol floating through her system.

"Do you think you can walk if I help you?" he asked her.

"If you make the room stop spinning a bit, maybe," she said.

"Oh boy, she's gone," Lance said.

"Come on, Al," Keith said as he draped her arm around his neck and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Lean on me, one foot at a time."

Lance smiled as he watched the two struggle to the door of the rec room. He then nudged Hunk and Pidge as they approached the door and it slid open.

"Hey, Keith.."

Keith turned as he came to stand in the door frame and he turned to them.

Lance smiled as he pointed above them then crossed his arms with a well, what are you waiting for' look.

Keith looked above him and let out a groan when he saw the familiar green and red plant, hanging just above their heads. Why he hadn't noticed it before, was beyond him, but knew that Lance had probably put it there.

"Lance..."

"Hey, rules are rules," Hunk started as he joined in with Lance. "A kiss under the mistletoe. I think its a law actually."

"And you can't break Christmas tradition now," Pidge said as he seemed to become fully awake now. "Don't want to give the princess any wrong ideas."

Allura turned to them, her brows furrowed and then looked up above her. "What is that?" she asked as she stared at the oddly shaped plant hanging above them. "Is that what you guys are referring to?"

"Yes, Keith, what is that exactly?" Lance asked with a smile.

Keith shot him, a im gonna get you later look' as he turned to Allura seeing that she was now standing on her own. She then met his gaze, with questioning in her eyes.

"Its what they call a Mistletoe, and I don't know how anyone could fine one here on Arus," Keith stressed the last part of the explanation but before Lance answered he continued. "but, its tradition that when two people are caught standing under one hanging above a door, they are supposed to kiss one another."

"Kiss?" Allura gasped and as soon as the realization struck her, she felt herself flush. "Oh....kiss...."

"So come on, oh fearless leader," Lance pushed. "Time's a wasting, and Allura needs her sleep."

Allura looked toward Lance, and with a smile she turned to Keith and met his gaze.

"Can't break tradition can we?" she asked.

Keith smiled down at her. "For tradition?"

"To Christmas," she said.

With three onlookers, Keith tried his best to stay..calm, but found this to be the most difficult task he had ever taken. Allura could only smile to herself as this moment between them felt like several had gone by.

As his face neared hers, she could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips, and closed her eyes.

Soon, she was greeted with the taste of sweetness as she was taken into a light kiss. It was a short one, but to her, it felt like an eternity. A welcomed eternity.

As the kiss came to its end, Allura could only smile as she met his gaze. She then turned to the others, stuck her tongue at them, before walking out the door. Keith smiled as he shrugged his shoulders and went to follow her.

"Al..."

She was leaning against the wall down the hall from the rec room, laughing to herself. She smiled as Keith approached her.

"I can't believe I made it this far without stumbling," she said. "Please make the hallways stop spinning."

Keith smiled as he gathered here into his arms, and slowly lifted her off the ground.

"I think we will make better time if I carried you to your room," he said.

She smiled as he made his way to the opposite wing of the castle and arrived at her room in a couple of minutes. She smiled as he let her down, in front of her door.

"Thanks for this special day," she said. "though I think im going to regret it in the morning."

Keith smiled as he handed her the gift they had given her. "Well, at least you will have some fond memories."

"Fond are they?" she asked "Definitely memorable."

"Do you think you handle yourself from here?" he asked.

She smiled then nodded. "If anything, I'll probably crash as soon as my head hits the pillow," she said.

He smiled. "Sorry about the mistletoe."

Her eyes brightened. "Sorry?" she asked. She then placed a hand on his arm and smiled. "If anything, that was the best way to end the evening, Keith."

"You didn't mind?"

She smiled, then leaned up to him, placing a light kiss on his cheek. "Why would I have minded?" she asked as she stepped away, and the door to her room slid open. "Who do you think hung the Mistletoe in the first place?"

Before he could answer she had disappeared into her room, the door sliding close before him. He let out a small laugh knowing full well that he was suddenly the punch line of a well planned joke.

Allura leaned against the closed door as she imagined Keith's expression. She could not help but laugh to herself knowing that Lance and the others would soon feel his...wrath.

She walked over to her dresser, and placed the jewelry box down on it, opening it one more time to listen to the small ballad that played within. She was touched by the sentimentality of the gift. And felt forever grateful to her friends for giving her this gift.

She pulled the pins out of her hair, letting her golden tresses fall free over her shoulders. She then noticed a small wrapped box sitting at the end of her dresser and quickly opened it.

A snow globe laid within in and within the globe, a replica of the Castle of Lions stood amongst the white as the flakes slowly descended on it. She picked up the card that laid within, and smiled as she read it over.

"Besides the jewelry box, the guy also knew how to make snow globes...since snow is such a rare occasion, here's a way to pass the time, until it comes again. Merry Xmas, Al, Keith."

She smiled as she shook he globe one more time and seated herself down at her dresser, suddenly lulled by the falling of snow, on the Castle of Lions.

"I hope we can all celebrate Christmas again...when the snow comes again," she said to herself.

"She didn't know about Christmas, huh.."

Lance looked up and smiled as Keith walked into the rec room as Hunk and Pidge cleared the rest of the rubbish.

"Well...she didn't know about the tree," Lance offered "And the gift."

"So when were you guys going to let me in on this joke?"

"Joke, Keith?" Hunk asked. "Us? Why would we play a joke on you?"

Keith shook his head as he walked over to Lance and took the garbage bag from him.

"Go on, help Hunk get the dishes back to the kitchen," he barked.

"YES SIR," Lance said as he grabbed the bucket where they piled their plates and glasses and handed them to Hunk. He then grabbed the cooking sheet the Cheesecake was on and walked with Hunk to the door.

"Ah guys?" Keith called.

Lance and Hunk turned to him as they came to stand near the door.

Keith cleared his throat and pointed to the little plant hanging above the door.

"Mistletoe."

Lance and Hunk let out a groan as Keith and Pidge enjoyed their laugh.

-fin-