Okay, well I hadn't been planning on updating this soon, but a certain someone's review said that today was going to be their birthday (actually it was a couple of days ago….yeah sorry about that…)! So happy birthday for you this one is going to be like a Christmas in October chapter (aka its Christmas time).

XX

"Ouch!"

"Well Gretel if you had bothered to brush your hair every once in a while it wouldn't be so tangled." Gretel's mother defended and pulled the brush through her hair again.

Gretel sat criss-cross on her bed patiently as she could while her mother ravaged her head by ripping a brush through it. Today was a very important day and so far she was spending it holding in her winces.

"I do brush my hair," Gretel huffed. "I just find it unnecessary and inconvenient to do so five times a day."

Her mother rolled her eyes and brought her hand down from her head. With her free one she smoothed down the shoulders of her daughter's dress and smiled softly.

"Well you look beautiful, Gretel. And your hair finally looks tame."

Gretel made a face.

She felt like a circus clown with all the lace she was in. Sure it was spectacular dress and when she had first seen it her eyes had widened and she smiled. It came down to her knees with red and white silky patterns and lace. Her hair was in soft curls and after losing a handful of hair, it was finely tangle free and shining brightly.

Gretel tucked a hair behind her ear and glanced behind her to the window. "Thank you mother, you look beautiful as well." She spoke passively. Lately she had felt herself growing apart from her mother. Between the constant comments on how she should dress and look and the reminders to sit up straight and speak in a lady like manner she felt their relationship drifting.

Gretel knew how she was supposed to look and act. But she couldn't help but feel as if this was unfair. The men of this time rarely were drilled for brushing their hair multiple times throughout the days. And while the old and younger Gretel had loved to clothe herself in pretty dresses and play with the many different dolls she owned the aged and newer Gretel considered different things pleasurable.

Sometimes, as absurd as it sounded, she wished she could do what all the other men did.

"Well tonight is a very important night for your Father." Gretel's mother spoke, bringing her from her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Were you not listening at all? Tonight is a special night that's why it is necessary to dress so." She explained.

Gretel looked down to her lacy dress and made a face. "Oh." And here she thought they were dressing up because it was important for the family.

After a silent moment Gretel looked up to her mother and spoke with hurt.

"I just don't understand why ever Father would want us to have dinner with such frigid people."

Gretel's mother clucked her tongue in disapproval. "Gretel you shouldn't say such things. I don't know what has gotten into you lately but these are very important people. In fact…I believe you Father plans on having you and Bruno eat by yourselves in the kitchen."

Gretel gaped at her mother and jumped from the bed and to her feet, sending the brush her mother had been clutching to plummet to the flooring.

"What? I knew it! You and father are embarrassed by me!" Gretel screeched a little too loudly for the thin walls of the house.

Gretel's mother winced. "Gretel, honey, it's not that. It's just that lately with the way you've acted with Lieutenant Kotler were both just surprised he has yet to raise his hand to you."

Gretel fisted heaps of lace that cascaded from her dress and sniffed as she drew in a large, shaky breath. "Of course he has not." she said in a dignified tone. "What reason would he have to?"

"Gretel –"

"Kotler hates me, Bruno just thinks I'm some hopeless case, and you and Father are embarrassed by me!"

"That's not it at all." Gretel's mother barked loudly at her.

Taken back for a moment Gretel just shook her head, "Then let me eat dinner at the table. Like you said before, tonight is a special night and nothing makes it more important than sharing it with the family."

"You know we cannot do that."

Water filled her eyes easily and when she looked away she could see her reflection in the window. How stupid she looked. The child trying to act like a grownup. Suddenly the dress never felt so stupid and her hair look so ridiculous.

She knew she'd get in more trouble if she were to ask her mother to leave her room so she took her chances and without a glance behind her, left her mother standing there alone.

XX

She had just been roaming around the downstairs, passing by different uniformed men when one's eyes widened and he called out to her.

"Gretel!"

Gretel looked behind her and narrowed her eyes at the sight of Lieutenant Kurt Kotler beckoning her over to him. He stood right beneath the large Christmas tree that took over the western corner of the dining room, with a dazzling smile on his face.

"What do you want?" she asked him with a hand on her hip.

He looks so beautiful, was the only thought that ran through her mind when he used his index finger to motion her over.

"Come here."

Kurt, who looked much happier than a couple days ago, smiled so brightly he actually did look like a child on Christmas day.

Gretel looked around her suspiciously. Bruno had left to go outside and into the snow about half an hour ago and there was a man standing quietly by the foot the stairs. She bit her lip and walked over to the Christmas tree. It was decorated with different colored lights from every assortment. And with Kurt standing just to the side, it radiated beauty and warmth.

"You called?" she asked once she was a couple feet or so before him.

Kurt brought his arms from behind him and presented her with a neatly wrapped gift. He placed it in her arms and when he pulled back he pushed the rim of his hat over his face to hide his growing embarrassment.

"It's a gift." He explained. "For you."

Gretel blinked at the lumpy package in her arms and without looking up spoke, "So is this your way of saying sorry?"

Even before it was out of her mouth she knew it sounded rude and was out of line but she could still feel an unsettled band of anger tighten in her stomach from the fresh memory of just a couple days ago.

Lieutenant Kotler shifted. "Well no. No, it's not. This isn't my way of saying sorry…" he sighed. "It's my way of saying merry Christmas." Gretel thumbed the paper in satisfaction. He may tend to speak before he thought, resulting in hurt feelings, but he sure did manage to have a way with words. She bit her lip in thought.

"This present really is for me?" when Kurt nodded, her face broke out into a grin. He had gotten her a package. Kurt had gotten her a present. But all too soon her smile fell, "But…I didn't get you a present."

Kurt laughed. "This present is for you. I don't need one in return. Now go on, open it up."

The silvery paper fell to the floor in shreds and she lifted up a hat. Gretel's eyes widened at the hat in her hands. It was a magnificent hat indeed. It may have had prickly fabric but it was a hat that showed great importance.

A hat just like his.

XX

Originally this was going to be alotttt longer, at least twice as long but I have a lot of homework this week (yuck) so I'm just gonna split it into two parts. The next part will be uploaded eventually though.

All reviews are welcomed though constructive criticism is preferred over destructive.