A/N: By request, here's a Tratie AU! It's a ship I've never written for before, so I'm a little inexperienced, but I hope you like it anyway!

When you're pulling into a McDonald's parking lot at midnight, Christmas Eve, you start to wonder where your life went wrong. Katie didn't mean to become this pathetic, but things had been going downhill all day after her flight back home got canceled thanks to the snow. She had meant to order a pizza and leave the money outside her door with a note so she didn't have to face the delivery guy, but then she fell asleep while Netflix-marathoning and the only pizza place actually open on the day before Christmas closed for the night. As it was, she wasn't even sure McDonald's would be open, but it was her last hope. Wendy's, KFC, even the 7-11 down the street, were all closed. Katie almost hoped McDonald's was closed too, so she wouldn't have to face the shame of having fast food on Christmas. If it weren't for the fact that there was nothing in her fridge, she'd have turned the car around by now. If only Chicken McNuggets weren't so enticing, she thought, parking her car and stepping out into the snow.

To Katie's relief, the door opened when she pulled on it. She stepped inside, brushing snowflakes out of her hair. The guy at the counter didn't notice her at first. He was sitting on the counter, messing with his phone. She had to admit, he was pretty cute. Katie tried not to stereotype, but she had to admit that when she pictured the kind of person to be working at McDonald's this late at night on Christmas, she imagined some no-lifer with a creepy beard and a fedora. But this guy- Travis, according to his nametag- was actually kind of cute, if not exactly her type. He was tall and lanky, with curly brown hair that fell into his eyes. Katie cleared her throat as she approached the counter.

The guy, Travis, looked up, his eyebrows first furrowing in confusion and then lifting in amusement. "Seriously?" he said, grinning crookedly.

"What?" Katie snapped. So much for cuteness. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with some guy who, mind you, worked at McDonald's, laughing at her.

"McDonald's? On Christmas Eve?" Travis said.

"Says the guy working here," Katie said, glowering, "And sitting on the counter, nonetheless. That must be all kinds of health code violations."

"Touché," he said, hopping down and standing behind the cash register, resting his palms on the counter. "What can I get for you tonight?"

"Ten piece McNugget meal," Katie said, digging through her purse for her wallet.

"Will that be a medium or a large?"

"Large."

Travis laughed. "Quite the appetite tonight," he said.

"Shut up and get me the goddamned chicken nuggets," Katie retorted.

Travis laughed again. "That's not a very jolly attitude. 'Tis the season, you know." He pushed off the counter and sauntered back into the kitchen, humming "Jingle Bells" under his breath.

Katie sighed in exasperation. "Can I talk to a manager or something?"

"Manager's at home with his kids. I'm the only on here," Travis said, returning up front with a tray of McNuggets, fries, a cup, and a straw. He shoved it across the counter to Katie.

"Could I get this to go?" she said.

"You sure about that?" Travis said.

"Pretty damn sure," she sneered.

"Why don't you take a look out the window?"

Katie rolled her eyes, but did as he said. To her dismay, the snow was coming down harder than ever now. So hard, in fact, that she couldn't even see across the parking lot to her car. She groaned.

"This is just great," Katie said. "Whatever. I'll just have to brave the snow."

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"Please. I know how to drive," Katie said.

"Then you should know that driving outside right now would be suicide," Travis said. He swung over the counter and landed on the other side, standing next to Katie. She stepped back away from him, taking her tray of food with her. She took one last forlorn look out the window, then sighed.

"Fine. I'll stay, but only for a few minutes until the snow clears up. Then I'm leaving," Katie said.

"That's more like it," Travis said. He grabbed her cup and straw off the tray. "I'll even get a drink for you. What do you like, Pepsi? Sierra Mist?"

"Lemonade," Katie snapped, "And I'll get it myself." She snatched the cup back from him. Travis raised up his hands in surrender, flashing that stupid grin she was already sick of. She pushed past him and stalked to a table at the back of the eating area. Slamming the tray onto the table, she plopped down into the booth. Travis followed her and stole a McNugget.

"Hey!" Katie shouted, reaching for it. He devoured it in one bite before she could steal it back. Katie glowered at him. "Who do you think you are, stealing my food?" she said.

"Relax," Travis said, "And technically, it's not your food. You forgot to pay, and I was just going to let it slide because it's Christmas."

"If I pay for it will you go away?" Katie said.

"Probably not. We're going to be here for a while," he said, nodding towards the window behind Katie, where the blizzard continued. "What's your name, by the way?"

"Why should I tell you?"

Travis shrugged. "I'll just have to guess, then. Nicole? Samantha? Elizabeth?"

Katie rolled her eyes.

"I could keep going, you know. Caroline? Monica?" Travis said.

"Katie," she snapped, "It's Katie."

"Nice to meet you, Katie. I think we need a Christmas tree, don't you?"

It was going to be a long night.

After Katie finished her nuggets, or more accurately, Travis ate seven of her nuggets and she had three, the snow still hadn't let up. It was starting to look like it never would. At the center of the table sat a makeshift Christmas tree made out of the garland that normally hung along the walls and some duct tape he found in the back. Somehow, a Charlie Brown Christmas tree sounded a lot more charming in theory than in practice.

"How do you feel about Christmas music?" Travis said.

"Can't stand it."

"What a killjoy," Travis said. He got up from his seat across from Katie, and for one glorious moment she thought he was going to leave her alone. Instead, he went back behind the counter and turned on the radio. Christmas carols flooded the restaurant as he returned to the booth.

Katie groaned. "The songs are so overplayed. I've heard this version of 'Deck the Halls' at least two hundred times this year alone." She ran her hand through her hair and sighed, realizing just how tired she was. "I should be with my family right now."

"At least you have family," Travis said, with an amount of contempt in his voice Katie wouldn't have expected possible.

"What?" Katie said, looking up at him. She actually felt a little bit sorry when she saw the pain in his face.

"Mom's dead. Dad's in jail. Brother's at college," Travis said, "Not much more to the story than that. You?"

Katie couldn't think of what to say. Surely she should offer her condolences, but how?

"Katie?" Travis prompted.

"Oh. Um, my flight was just delayed. I'm so sorry about your family," Katie said, suddenly regretting how she'd been treating him. Had she really thought he'd wanted to be here anymore than she did?

Travis shrugged a gathered his smile once again. "Hey, shit happens. I try to make the best of it." He stood up and held out his right hand. "Speaking of making the best out of bad situations, may I have this dance?"

"Oh, no. I don't dance," Katie said.

"Neither do I," Travis said, shrugging, "But 'Jingle Bell Rock' is a pretty catchy tune and we've got nothing better to do."

What the hell, Katie thought. She took his hand.

Katie didn't know for how long they danced, but eventually they both noticed the snow had stopped.

"Looks like you get to go home after all," Travis said. Katie couldn't help but notice he sounded a little disappointed, and although she hated to admit it she didn't blame him. She wouldn't have minded staying for a few extra hours.

"Looks like it, yeah," Katie said, failing to cover her own disappointment.

"How about I walk you to your car?" Travis said.

"I'd like that," Katie said, grabbing her coat and purse from the booth. They walked arm in arm to the door, where Travis stopped abruptly. "What?" Katie said.

"Look up," Travis said.

Katie laughed. "Mistletoe," she said.

"Well?" Travis said. He sounded kind of nervous, which only made Katie want to kiss him more.

"Well, we can't break tradition," Katie said, and she kissed him before he could reply, pulling his face down to her level by the collar of his jacket. It had been a long time since she'd kissed anyone, but it felt as natural as walking.

When she was done, and she made sure to take her sweet time, Travis grinned and raised his eyebrows.

"You know," he said slyly, "There's no reason you have to spend Christmas alone. You could come stay with me."

Katie rolled her eyes. "Nice try, lover boy."

Travis shrugged. "I tried," he said.

"How about instead, I give you my number and you can text me sometime?" Katie said.

"Works for me," Travis said. This time, he kissed her, pulling her up into his arms.

It was the best Christmas Katie had had in a while.

A/N: Reviews are always appreciated!