A/N - And the shortness continues but that's probably because I'm saving the long spiel for the final chapter...which I promise will be up later this evening! Other than that: MERRY CHRISTMAS! Or Happy Holidays if you prefer : ) Hope everyone got at least one gift that they really wanted even if you didn't get 12 days worth of outrageous gifts with unusual value ;P Power to the River Dance : D

Chapter 11

Wilbur returned home from visiting Lewis to wish him a Merry Christmas, surprisingly, with Cornelius' permission. As he landed the time machine in the garage and got out, he could hear the sound of bagpipes coming from somewhere in the house. "What's with the bagpipes?" Wilbur began following the sound of the music until he reached his mother's music room. "I never knew mom's frogs knew how to play bagpipes."

Wilbur opened the door and sure enough there were eleven bullfrogs on the stage playing bagpipes in the most beautiful arrangement Wilbur had ever heard. He almost felt as if he were being mesmerized by the sound of the bagpipes. And apparently, he wasn't the only one who felt mesmerized by the sound of the music. First, the partridge flew into the room, having been let out of its cage by Lucille after it had begun twittering and flapping insanely. Next, the two turtle doves flew into the room after also being let out of their cage by Lefty. The birds flew around twittering along with the bagpipes, bringing Wilbur out of his trance. "What's going on here?" he wondered aloud. He heard the clucking of chickens as the three French hens entered the room followed by the four calling birds. "If the rings come in on their own after me and grandma burned them, I'm out of here!" Of course they didn't, but neither did any of the other gifts. "I guess the geese can't if they're lying on their eggs," Wilbur said thoughtfully. "But where's the swans, the yaks or the dancers? Where's the maid milking cousins or the fancy foot prancers?" Wilbur paused for a moment. "Wait, why am I rhyming!?"

Franny came into the room. "Hey, sweetie. I see you're enjoying my gift. Aren't they great? And just in time for them to entertain us all at the Christmas Eve party for Robinson Industries tonight."

"Yeah, but do you notice something…unusual?" Wilbur asked as he looked around at the birds.

Franny also looked around. "I guess they just really like the music too."

"It's like it has some hypnotic power over them or something," Wilbur said. "I think it had me caught up in it too. It's almost like that pied piper story or something."

"Don't be silly, Wilbur. I highly doubt that's the case," Franny laughed at the notion. However, she had to admit that the birds were acting bizarrely.

"Wat's dis. Frankie's bein' replaced? Is dat it?" Frankie asked as he and the band came into the room.

"Of course not," Franny said. "But they are pretty good aren't they?"

"I guess they're swingin' enough for nutin' but some pipers," Frankie answered unenthusiastically. "Come on, fellas, let's teach 'em how to really swing wit a band." The band began playing their own music and the bag piping bullfrogs picked it up quickly and followed along.

"Hey, that's a pretty nice sound," Cornelius said as he entered the music lounge. "Are those bagpipes?"

"Yeah, my Christmas gift," Franny answered.

"That's wonderful. I remember how you used to have a thing for bagpipes when we were kids."

"Only because of that time in the 8th grade when our music class went on a field trip to see River Dance," Franny said with a laugh as she recalled the experience. "Those bagpipers were really good."

"I know, I know. It's all you talked about for days on days," Cornelius also remembered. "But then you got a bagpipe for Christmas…and…well…" Cornelius didn't finish.

"What happened?" Wilbur asked with wide eyes.

"Basically, I was really bad," Franny admitted.

"Bad is putting it nicely," Cornelius said nervously, his hand rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Okay, okay, so I was horrible. But someone could have at least told me how bad I was instead of letting me think I was really good," Franny crossed her arms and pouted a little.

"Gaston told you at least three or four times," Cornelius interjected.

"Yeah, but why would I believe him?" Franny had never believed a word Gaston ever said when they were children. "Instead, I woke up one morning to find my bagpipe completely slashed through the middle and mama said it was too expensive to have it fixed. I was devastated!"

"I remember that too," Cornelius replied.

"I never did find out who did that to my bagpipes. Gaston and Art both denied it, so maybe it was mom or dad," Franny said with a sigh.

"Maybe," Cornelius said in such a seemingly guilty manner that Wilbur eyed him suspiciously.

"Oh well, mama sat me aside after the fact and you had the tape of me playing and I was just so horrible that it was practically an injustice to have let me continue," Franny giggled. "And I used to make you listen to me practice! You must have really loved me to never complain or say a word about it," Franny said admiringly.

"Well, I wasn't going to risk losing my future wife now was I?" Cornelius asked hypothetically.

"Again…" Wilbur added mischievously, recounting all the times he had visited his dad's younger self only to find him and his mom's younger self arguing.

"Wilbur…" Cornelius warned.

"Fine, I'm going. I was going to leave anyhow," Wilbur retorted as he turned to leave the room. "You two walking down memory lane is a pda fest waiting to happen. No thanks."