A/N: okay, here's another piece – little warning: I wrote this one around Christmas, so brace yourself for some sappiness and loads of Christmas-induce saccharine, at least towards the end. Other than that, I mostly had fun trying to picture what would happen should Killigan ever actually get fed up with Amy's attitude and habits. It's pretty much a given that he would lose his patience at some point since he has so little patience to begin with, and I couldn't resist to see if I could pull it off.


That day had definitely been a bad one. Not the worst ever, of course – nothing compared to being thrown in jail once again by Kim Possible and her dumb sidekick – but a bad day is still a bad day, no matter what, and Killigan was just this close to explode.

The trouble had begun around four in the morning, when Amy had gotten up to get something from the kitchen – how could she want to eat fried chicken in the middle of the night was beyond him, but he knew women can tend to crave for odd things at odd times when pregnant. To her credit, she had been quiet enough to not wake him up as she got out of the bed…too bad, in the dark she had stepped on that darn dogster-thing's tail, causing it to yelp and waking him up.

He couldn't honestly say if he had been more furious for being awakened like that at four in the morning or because Amy had let that freak inside the bedroom. She should just be glad that it was allowed to stay inside the castle, and he was certain he had been perfectly clear when he had told her that thing was to never get upstairs, let alone in his – their – bedroom.

He had rambled about that for a while, but Amy was apparently too busy cooing at that yelping freak and repeating that 'mommy would be more careful next time' to listen to him, which was just frustrating. He had eventually given up because he was too tired to even get mad, and he had eventually slept until afternoon – thus losing most of the time he had at his disposal to play golf since it would get too dark in barely a couple of hours. For a moment he had considered asking Amy why hadn't she woken him up, but he had decided against it: he had always told her to not wake him up while he was sleeping unless the castle was on fire or something, so he couldn't hold it against her.

He had eventually decided to skip lunch – there would be time to eat once it went dark – and to take advantage of the time he had left to play golf…only to discover that the rhinobunny had eaten at least half of his golf flags. Alright, he hadn't seen it eating them, but of all Amy's creatures it was the only one he could picture doing that.

He had tried to find it to teach it a lesson, but that freak just wouldn't show up – it apparently wasn't SO stupid. Fine, he would get it back some other day anyway…but he would have really needed to take out his rage on something, Killigan thought with a grimace as he walked inside the castle, his already foul mood getting worse with every passing moment.

The sight that greeted his eyes as soon as he stepped inside the living room definitely didn't help.

For a moment he just stood there, briefly wondering if he was in the right castle and in the right island, the his gaze fell on his own portrait hanging upon the couch. Yes, that was his living room…but for once he really, really wished it wasn't.

Everything – absolutely everything, ceiling included – was covered with Christmas decorations, and the few parts of the room that weren't were just covered with Christmas lights. Killigan blinked a couple of times, annoyed by the light's constant blinking, and he felt something awfully close to panic as he wondered just what kind of electricity bill he would get if he didn't turn them off now. What the heck was that lass thinking? When had she found those? How in the world had she managed to get them on the ceiling? Why…?

"Oh, you're back already!" the lass in question said as she got back inside the living room, her arms full of other decorations "isn't it cute?"

Killigan opened his mouth to speak, but it seemed like words failed him. "What…?"

"It's just a week to Christmas, remember?" she said, looking impossibly gleeful at the thought "so I thought it was time to start…are you alright, pookie bear?" she asked, a little worried as he saw his gritting his teeth, his face reddening with fury.

No, he wasn't alright, not at all – that had been the last straw. "I had told ye no redecorating, lass," he barked, "not ever!"

"But, pookie bear, it's just for Christmas," she chirped, apparently oblivious of how mad he currently was – she always seemed to be oblivious when he was angry for whatever reason, and the thought was now even more maddening than usual.

"I don't care!" he snapped "no exceptions, lass – I want ye to get this junk out of my sight!"

Amy frowned slightly, finally taking him a little more seriously. A little. "Now, don't get all grumpy," she chided him "it's just for –"

"I don't give a damn of what it is for! Everytime I let ye make an exception, ye take advantage of it," he shouted "just like those darn nicknames ye keep using, and that stupid dogster this morning, and that blasted rhinosomething, and…and…and all those others freaks ye keep creating and that I hate! I shouldn't have allowed them on this island – I shouldn't have allowed ye on this island!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Killigan realized he had gone too far. He promptly shut his mouth, but the damage had been done and he could only bite his tongue as he stared at her, waiting for a reaction. It wasn't the first time he snapped at her, it had happened countless times before – but this time he knew he had crossed the line.

Amy looked at him with a hurt and almost scared expression, her lower lip quivering for a few moments before she frowned – a real angry frown, Killigan as astonished to notice as she took a step forward, her index finger stabbing his chest almost forcefully.

"You…!" she muttered, each word underlined by another rather painful jab "you are the biggest…the biggest meanie in the whole wide world!" she accused him, her lips pulled in a tight line. He expected her to add something, but her lower lip suddenly began quivering once again as if she was about to cry, and Killigan felt an almost painful twinge of guilt. He would rather have her keep yelling at him rather than watching her weep. He had never seen her crying – he probably had never even seen her sad for whatever reason since their first…meeting at the villain convention – and he doubted he would be able to stand it.

"Lass…" he began, but he was cut off as she turned from him and rushed out of the room, slamming the door closed behind her and leaving him alone, still standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by those awful decorations.

Great job, lad. Feeling better now?

No, he didn't feel better: he had simply turned a fairly bad day into the apotheosis of all bad days. But what the heck, she had it coming! He had told her to not 'redecorate' any part of his castle, and that the dogster thing should stay outside the room and…and…

…and that still wasn't a good reason to tell her those things. And she was expecting too, he thought with another stab of guilt – she was in the fourth month already, and he had yelled at her for something stupid like Christmas decorations. Killigan sighed, dropping his shoulders and mentally cursing himself for not biting his tongue off before speaking

But maybe it wasn't so bad; maybe she just needed some time to calm down, and then he could…apologize? No, not apologize – it would be a very, very cold day in hell when he would apologize to anyone – just explain he didn't really mean what he had said. Aye, that was it. It wasn't like anything serious had happened, right?

Right?

He uneasily glanced at the decorations around him, barely able to believe he had done such a mess for that. "Oh, what the hell," he finally muttered to no one in particular, getting out of the room to look for Amy.

Killigan took a deep breath before knocking on the door of Amy's lab – as he had expected, she had locked herself in there. "Lass?" he called, not quite sure of what he would say next.

The door muffled her voice, but it didn't take him much guesswork to understand she was crying. "Go away!"

"Och, I'm not getting anywhere until ye get out--" he trailed off, realizing it sounded too much like an order or a threat "…until we speak," he corrected himself.

"I don't want to speak with you," she replied, suddenly sounding much like an outraged kid who refuses to play with a nasty classmate that just broke her toy.

"I have all the time I need, lass," Killigan grumbled, leaning against the wall "and I'm not moving from here. Ye'll have to get out sooner or later."

"If you don't go away, I…I…"

"Ye what?"

"I'll create a nasty creature and send it after you," she finally said "I have all I need to do so here!"

Killigan's eyes widened. "Ye wouldn't!"

"Don't try me."

He gritted his teeth – it was more difficult than he had anticipated. "Lass, I just want to speak."

"You spoke enough already," she sniffled, turning away from the door and holding her Otterfly closer to her chest. She could barely believe Duffy had said all those mean things – she had always thought that deep inside he was a good-hearted guy despite his grumpiness and rough attitude, but maybe she had been wrong. Why had he snapped at her like that? She was just trying to get the Christmas decorations in place. It was important to her since it was the first Christmas they spent together – wasn't it important to him? Apparently not, since he said he regretted letting her on the island to begin with. She sniffled again, but she didn't start crying again – it wouldn't make any good to her child, and the last thing she wanted was to harm the baby in any way.

There was a brief silence from the other side of the door, and for a moment Amy wondered if he had left already, then: "Lass?"

She bit her lower lip and held the Otterfly tighter, refusing to reply.

"…Amy?"

She blinked. "What?" she asked before she could help it. As far as she could remember, Duff had used her name only a few times before…if he ever had. She had never given it much thought, but now it somewhat surprised her that he was calling her 'Amy' rather than 'lass' as he always did.

Killigan hesitated before going on. He rarely apologized – did he ever apologize at all? – and the thought of doing so didn't exactly thrill him…

Aye, but ye said something awfully stupid and hurt her. There aren't many cases in which ye should apologize, but this is one of those.

He sighed. "Look, what I told ye…I didn't mean it, alright?"

"You didn't?" he heard her asking through the door. She seemed relieved and hopeful, but still somewhat hesitant.

"Not a single word," he said. Alright, those nicknames could annoy the crap out of him, and he wasn't exactly fond on her plushies, or on those freaks she created, and…well, he could probably think of a lots of things that annoyed him, but that was not the right moment. And anyway, he could try to stand them if they made her happy, couldn't he? "C'mon, lass, ye know me! I say stupid things when I get mad…"

"You said awful things this time," she pointed out, but she didn't sound as angry as she had before.

"Aye, I did," he admitted, feeling once again guilty "I'm, uh…sorry about that," he forced himself to add.

Amy blinked, nearly dropping her Otterfly. "You…what?" she repeated, astonished. Since when did he apologize? Had he hit his head or something?

Killigan gritted his teeth – he had hoped he wouldn't have to repeat it again. "I said I'm sorry, lass."

"What?"

"I'm sorry," he unwillingly repeated, this time a little louder.

"I didn't hear you."

"I'm--" he trailed off as he heard something remarkably similar to a giggle coming from the lab "wait a minute – ye heard me, lass!" he protested, feeling both annoyed and somewhat relieved by how she had tricked him into apologizing again.

Amy chuckled a little. "The first time I didn't believe my ears."

"Aye, right. Don't get used to it," he said with a brief snicker "er…are ye getting out now?" he asked, and he held back a small sigh of relief as Amy unlocked the door and opened it a little, smiling somewhat sheepishly.

"I overreacted, uh?"

No, I've just been an idiot.

"Just a wee little bit," he said, causing her to giggle and throw her arms around his neck, leaning her head on his chest – she was slightly more careful with those rib-cracking hugs of hers lately, he noticed. Maybe it was because of the pregnancy.

"I'm sorry, honey bunny – but for a moment I really thought you didn't want me here."

"Ye shouldn't have believed me," he said with a shrug, holding her just a tad closer "and if I say something like that again, smack me."

"Oh, don't say that – you know I wouldn't do it for real," she said with a chuckle, apparently oblivious of how much those jabs she had given him had hurt "do you want me to take down the decorations?" she suddenly asked, looking a little unsure "maybe it is a bit too much…"

"Och, who the heck cares," Killigan shrugged "leave them there – I don't want ye to start climbing on a ladder to take them down," he added, glancing down at her stomach.

"But pookie bear, it's not a problem at all yet," she said, and it was true – unsurprisingly enough, her shape hadn't changed at all though she was already four months expecting. No one would have guessed by looking at her.

"Whatever – they can stay there for now, I'll take them down after Christmas. Just…let's shut off those lights sometimes, alright?"

"You're the sweetest," she cooed, hugging him tighter and causing Killigan grimace a little – but he also gave a silent sigh of relief. Thankfully things had gone for the better…yet he still felt a nudge of guilt. Maybe he would make up or that mess later, he decided – there was still a week left to Christmas, after all. He would think of something.

"Shouldn't we be waiting until tomorrow morning, pookie bear?" Amy asked with a giggle, apparently amused by his impatience – he really behaved like an impatient kid sometimes. She briefly wondered if the baby would just as impatient, and she giggled a little at the thought, absentmindedly caressing her stomach.

"Not in this castle, lass," Killigan replied with a grin, glancing at the clock. He had the habit of opening the gifts as soon as the clock rang midnight since when he was a wee laddie: he was always so impatient that his grandmother eventually allowed him to stay up until midnight to open them – technically, it would be Christmas already. His father had probably tried to protest a couple of times, but he always gave in easily when it was his own mother to say something: he would never admit it, but it was the old lass who truly ruled the island, and she had always had a soft spot for Duff. To be quite honest, she had spoiled him rotten.

"Midnight!" Amy said cheerfully as the clock finally chimed "Merry Christmas, Duffy," she said, handling him her gift with some difficulties. Killigan had to hold back an amused chuckle, wondering what was the point in wrapping it in that awful pink paper when he could see from a mile away it was a golf set – but he immediately got what the surprise was once he finished unwrapping it.

"What the…och, lass, just how much did ye spend for it?" he asked, bewildered as he observed the golf set – not just 'a golf set', but probably one of the best golf sets available.

"It's not polite to say a gift's price," she scolded him, pleased to see he obviously liked the present.

"Aye, that's true. Thanks, lass," he grinned as he swung one of the golf clubs – the balance was perfect. He just couldn't wait to try them out!

"I'm so glad you like it, pookie bear," she cooed, hugging him and nearly cracking his spine in the process "I really know nothing about golf, so I just walked in the store and asked for the best – ohh, what is this?" she giggled as he handled her a small package.

"Och, it would be too easy this way," he grinned "ye have to open it," he said, bracing himself for the squeal that was sure to follow…and he wasn't disappointed on that regard.

"Oh, honey bunny!"

"Ow! Easy, lass – I only got these ribs. No spare parts."

She gave him an apologetic grin as she pulled back, her face gloating as she observed the object in her hands – a small miniature of an Otterfly like the one she had around her neck, to be worn as a brooch. She knew they were awfully expensive and that only a few of those had been made for the twentieth anniversary of the creation of the first Cuddle Buddy. How could Duff get his hands on one of those was beyond her…then again, he did have his connections.

"How did you know about this?" she asked excitedly, putting the brooch on.

"Considering that ye've been talking about that thing for a month since when it came out, it wasn't hard to guess," he said, and she giggled again as she gave him another hug.

"Thank you so much, sweetums – it was so sweet of you…!" she chirped, causing him to roll his eyes "and you keep saying you're not swee--" she trailed off as Killigan efficiently silenced her by bringing his mouth down to hers. It was the trick she often used to make him shut up when he got carried away with his ramblings or when he was starting to get mad about something, and he had rarely used her own trick on her – it was unusual, but it wasn't like she minded. Not at all.

Especially since they were standing under the mistletoe.