Autor's Note: Yes, I'm still continuing this, cause with Mark, my fiance in Germany this year, I need the fluff. Axel is the only muse who will be in it, that's not a Johnny Depp muse. He comes from the video games, Kingdom Hearts; Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 2, but he reminds me so much of Sands in personality, I couldn't help it.

Still dedicated to LadySparrowJack and also my fiance.

Unbeta'd

To keep Sands from figuring out that I'd found out about the tree, I cranked my music up in the study and tried to go back to the somber mood I'd had earlier, but the idea that they were TRYING to give me a Christmas was cheering me up more and more.

I should have known something would wreck it and I was so right when I heard something out side the study window as the sun set and darkness crept in, the clouds coming black from the imposing rain and snow.

A soft scratching was emitting from behind my drawn curtains and I heard it behind my Harry Chapin music. Frowning, I turned down my music and got up from my chair, starting for the window cautiously.

Since the end of October I'd started receiving the twisted and sick affections of a stalker. A stalker with a sick sense of humor. And I should have been prepared for what I found behind the curtains, but one is never REALLY prepared for such things.

In a rather furious way, I snapped the curtain aside and promptly screamed at the top of my lungs. Hanging from the screen, which had been slashed in several places, was a half dead rat, blood dripping down the glass pane.

I heard crashes behind me in other places in the house and the sound of running footsteps. Less then a minute later, the study door slammed open, causing me to jump and scream yet again. I spun around, my eyes wide and my skin much paler then normal, from shock.

Sands was standing in the fore front, a 9 mm automatic in his hand, eyes scanning the scene. Behind him was Jack, hand on his saber, Dean, with a hard expression and Mort, carrying the fire poker.

Sands was by my side before I could even open my mouth, a sneer on his lips at the sight of the rat. "Sparrow..." Sands started.

"Two steps ahead of ye. I'll grab Fred and we'll search the grounds." Jack replied, before leaving the room.

Sands nodded his approval, before holstering his gun and looking at me. "Alright, sweets?" He asked calmly.

"Alright?! It's a bloody rat! And I do mean BLOODY!" I cried, trembling. Sands took this outburst calmly. He nodded to Dean and Mort.

Mort had propped the poker against the corner of the wall, and with out looking at the rat, came over to my side, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. "Come on Ally."

"Take her to the living room or the kitchen. Corso and I'll find a way to get that thing down." Sands said, looking back at the screen. All I could do was stare around at them as Mort escorted me out of the study.

He took me to the kitchen and dug through the fridge before handing me a soda. I managed to sit down at the table with out falling out of my chair, the can sitting between my trembling hands.

"Ya know, you should have just told us, to begin with about the stalker, Ally." Mort said, sitting down next to me with a can of mountain dew.

I looked over at him, eyes still wide. "How...how did..." I started, but couldn't form the words.

"Sands...briefed us all on it the other night." Mort said with a gesture and looked at me over the edge of his glasses. "Honestly, Ally...you could have told me...I've...dealt with that kind of thing before."

"Shooter doesn't exactly qualify as a stalker any more, Mort." I muttered, giving him a look. "He and I have had conversations on it."

Mort looked embarrassed, not meeting my eyes.

I sighed. "I didn't mean it like that luv." I said gently, placing a hand on his arm. "You know I don't mind you being a split personality. And Shooter has come to my terms when he shows up, so everythings okay."

Mort smiled gratefully but the silence fell as we both fell into thought. I finally broke it. "Morty, can you tell me something...and be honest. Are...all writer's crazy?"

Mort pouted. "I'm not crazy."

"I wasn't talking about YOU Morton. I was talking about me...I don't know all this...stalker business is...nargh!" I gave off to making on of my noises of irritation that's a trade mark.

Mort blinked a couple times, then asked. "Weelll...no one's showed up at the front door claiming you stole a story have they?"

"Not off the top of my head, luv. But remember what I say about this place." I remarked. I lived in a nice house, an older house, but nice, at the side of a large lake. It was in a nice little lake side community and although I loved the place, I was under the opinion that it was nothing more then Thriller Vile waiting to happen.

"Any idea...who's behind all this?" Mort asked taking a drink of his sode as I lit a cigarette. "Cause I mean...Jay..."

I narrowed my eyes at the mention of my rather psychotic ex fiancée who had been the bane of my life for the last couple years since our break up. He'd cheated on me...made sure I'd discovered him cheating on me and then proceeded to make my life a living hell. "It's not Jay...I mean...I dont' think it's Jay...Jay's not this...smart...this guy...this stalker is...intelliegent...scary intelligent." I muttered, drawing a long drag off my cigarette.

Mort frowned. I stayed silent. But I jumped at the sound of scratching at the kitchen door. Mort and I exchanged a look, then Mort got up, going over to the door and flipping on the outside light, before unlocking the door.

As he opened it, Martitus, Sands' red Doberman came trotting in and over to me, I smiled tiredly and scratched the faithful dog behind the ears. "What are you doing outside, Martitus?" I asked the dog, who proceeded to jump up on my lap with his front paws.

The action succeeded in getting another scream out of me, as red paw prints now covered my jean legs. Martitus jumped back and cocked his head to the side. It was the color red of what I didn't want it to be, but knew it was.

"Ally!" Mort was next to me in a second, looking from my jeans to Martitus. I was breathing fast and hard. And was not surprised to hear Sands entering the kitchen. "Now what?" He trailed off upon seeing me, Mort, Martitus and the red stains.He took the dog by the collar, kneeling beside the animal and grabbing one of his front paws, inspecting it, as a double set of footsteps filled our ears.

"Grounds are empty." Jack said as he and Fred came in, both looked grave however.

"Problem?" Sands asked sarcastically, letting go Martitus to look at the two.

Fred frowned. "Sorta...there's a nice amount of mess out there."

"Get the rat down?" Mort asked Sands.

'Ta." Sands replied with a nod.

I sit there in silence, looking back and forth between them, before finally speaking. "Alright, look, I'm sorry for not telling any of you about the stalker...but...I mean...that is to say..." I trailed off, laying my head on my arms on the table with a defeated sigh.

Sands had handed Martitus off to Fred, who nodded and led the dog from the kitchen to get cleaned up. Sands leaned over me, stroking my hair. "Baby Doll, you don't need to worry about this. We're well aware of what we're dealing with." I snorted, but didn't reply.

"Besides," Jack put in. "We can always put Morton outside yer door with the fire poker." He said with a half cocky grin.

"Hey!" Mort snapped back, giving the pirate a cold look.

"Don't even start, either of you." Sands said to them calmly, giving them both a look.

"Wha's with all the screaming?!" Came a suspicious voice from the doorway. Ally turned to see a red headed young man, who's hair was spiked and shoulder length. His eyes were a light, almost iridescent green, and they were narrowed on everyone in the room but Ally.

"Where the hell have you been?" Sands growled, glaring at the young man.

"Out, with Roxas." Axel asnwered, coming over to stand next to Ally, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She touched his hand. "It's alright, Axel, its just been a long evening." She told him. "How's Roxas?"

"He's fine. What happened, Ally?" Axel gave her a pointed look.

Ally grimaced under her newest muse's gaze and looked at Martitus.

"Her stalker showed up." Jack said with a sigh, thumping Axel on the shoulder as he passed. Most of the muses didn't like Axel, because he wasn't a Johnny Depp character. Jack made an effort to get a long with the Fire Elemental, cause he was one of Ally's original characters, like Gallagher.

Axel touched her nose. "Why is it, every time I leave you alone, something drastic happens?"

Ally smiled slightly and got up, taking Axel's arm. "Come on, Axel, come keep me company while I get in some video game time."

"You go do that." Jack said with a nod. "We'll take care of things here." He gave Sands, Fred and Mort a pointed look.

"Right." Fred and Mort answered. Sands sighed, but nodded.

Ally smiled wearily, but thankful to them and let Axel drag her off to her bed room where her play station was.

She flopped down on her bed while Axel went through her games. "Kingdom Hearts?" He asked.

"Nah." Ally answered, putting her hair in a bun.

"From Russia With Love, we can play two player and you can shoot me to your hearts content." Axel gave her a brillant smile and Ally laughed softly.

"Alright." She agreed and watched the redhead set it up. Then climb on the bed next to her, handing her a control. Ally leaned against Axel, feeling his skin warmer then the others thanks to his fire control. That was one of the things she loved about him. She sighed, letting the game and her fire muse make her forget things, for now.