"Okay, I know this sounds crazy." Rachel said for the thirteenth time. They were in Naomi's room, Naomi sitting up in bed with Sara on her lap, and Jordan sitting next to them.

"Santa Claus. Reindeer. Magic." Jordan said, in her talking-to-crazy-people voice. "Right."

"Rachel, are you alright?" Naomi asked. "Are you getting enough attention?"

"Can I come to the north pole with you?" Sara said, the only one who believed her. "I promise I won't touch anything."

"Fine." Rachel said impatiently. "I'll make you believe me."

She opened the window and stuck her head out. "Get your behinds over here!" She yelled. Four reindeer dropped from the sky and landed on the roof, the sleigh behind them. Ax sat inside of it, munching on a cookie.

"Sorry we are not on time." Ax said. "Prince Jake decided we should make a few deliveries on the way here."

He popped the rest of the cookie into his mouth. "Oatmeal." He swallowed. "My favorite."

Naomi's jaw dropped. Jordan stared. Sara leapt out of Naomi's grasp and raced over to the window

"Where are the other reindeer?" Sara asked, patting Tobias on the nose.

"We don't need them." Marco laughed. "See, Santa's so fat he needs eight of us to pull him. Ax here only needs four."

"Whoa." Jordan said. She and Naomi walked over to the window.

"I'm dreaming." Naomi said. She reached out and touched Jake's antler.

"How the-" Jordan began, then glanced at Naomi. "I mean, How in the world did this happen?"

"I've been telling you for the last ten minutes." Rachel grumbled.

"Cool." Sara said. She peeked in the back of the sleigh. "What did you bring me?"

"We'll be back with your presents in a few hours." Rachel said, climbing through the window. She sat down and looked at her family. "We're counting on you."

They all nodded solemnly. "By the way," Rachel yelled as the sleigh began to pull away. "Can I be ungrounded? For saving Christmas and all?"

"Not a chance." Naomi said firmly, and closed the window.

December 25, time frozen

"Ax, would you fly?" Rachel snarled.

"I am trying!" Ax said irritably. He was dangling behind the others, kicking and flailing in a futile attempt to fly.

"We said 'on Ax' about fifty times." Jake sighed. "And we even said 'on Aximilli-Esgarouth-Isthill' a few times. What is the matter, Ax?"

"Maybe it is because the reindeer body was not even designed for flight!" Ax snapped. "No aerodynamics, far too much body weight, no way to reduce drag and increase lift whatsoever-"

"That's enough!" Jake said aloud. Then he thought spoke privately to Ax. (Look, Ax-man, if you keep talking like that, you'll never fly. Just let the reindeer mind take over and let the magic happen.)

Ax started grumbling.

"Chill out, guys. This is more like it!" Marco said, putting his feet up. "Man, it's nice to be back in my own body."

(You said it.) Tobias said. He was perched on the back of the sleigh as it glided over frozen streets. He pecked the green radio button. (Okay Greg, These kids want a few math books, a scientific calculator, a ruler, and a protractor.)

"Nerds." Marco sneered disgustedly.

(Um, Greg?) Tobias said after a few moments of inactivity from the teleporter. (Did you hear me?)

Realization suddenly struck them all.

"$&!" Marco swore, banging the front of the sled. "$&!$&!$&!"

(I believe that Marco is expressing his unhappiness at the fact that the Chee are frozen along with the rest of the world.) Ax said. (Or he wishes us to pull over so that he may go to the bathroom. I am not sure which.)

"Ok." Jake said. "Ok. Um, we need somebody to load the sleigh."

I CAN HELP WITH THAT. A voice cackled. Cryak appeared, floating in front of them, a hateful expression upon his face.

"We don't need your type of help." Marco snapped.

AFTER ALL I'VE DONE FOR YOU. Cryak sneered in a mock hurt tone. I'LL UNFREEZE THOSE CHEE OF YOURS, AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE.

"What other people?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

SOME OTHER PEOPLE. YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW. Cryak said mysteriously. ACCEPT MY OFFER OR DON'T.

"We-" Jake started.

"Accept." Cassie said.

EXCELLENT. Cryak said. I'LL GO NOW SO THAT YOU CAN YELL AT CASSIE.

Cryak disappeared.

"CASSIE!" Jake bellowed. "WHAT THE & WERE YOU THNKING?"

Cassie smiled. "I tricked him!" She grinned. "See, he thought we were going to say no. Only a complete moron is dumb enough to say yes to that offer. So I fooled him by saying yes!"

Everyone waited for Cassie to realize what she just said.

"Oh." Cassie's grin faded. "Hmm. There's something wrong with that logic, isn't there?"

Marco nodded, a sour expression on his face. "You think?"

"Hey guys. What's next?" Greg's voice came over the radio, interrupting Cassie's answer. Marco slowly picked it up.

"Calculator. Ruler. Protractor." He growled.

"What's your problem?" Greg asked. Marco grunted and turned off the radio.

"Here Tobias." Marco sighed as the items came over. He hefted them onto the seat, and Tobias grabbed them in his talons.

Tobias hopped across the roof, glared at Cassie one more time, and floated down the chimney.