On the 24th of December, The Stern Family had arrived at the Hermitage where Jeremie Belpois and his family lived. Calvin was the most excited, being that he and their child, Antea, had been dating for almost 2 months now. They were about to enter when suddenly they were ambushed by a kid around Calvin's age wearing a purple hat and jacket riding a snowboard down a huge snow hill. He then came to a stop and ended up getting snow all over everyone.

"Hey, Sam." Calvin said annoyed. Sam got off the snowboard and picked it up.

"Hey, guys. Fancy meeting you here." He said. He then turned to Ulrich and Yumi. "These must be your parents I'm guessing."

"Yep." Ami said. "Mom, Dad, this is Sam, Calvin's roommate and Uncle Odd's son."

"Well, that figures." Ulrich said. "He's a lot like his father, if not the same."

"Um… Nice to meet you, too." Sam said

"Aloha!" They heard someone shout. Rumiko immediately recognized it.

"Hi, Dennis." She said walking up to him.

"Well." Yumi said. "Now that everyone's here. Let's go inside."

"What about Uncle Hiroki?" Calvin asked.

"He's not coming until later tonight. Remember?" Rumiko said

"Oh yeah." Calvin said. They then went inside to find Antea standing in the foyer.

"Calvin, you made it!" Antea said hugging him.

"Good to see you, too." Calvin said returning the hug.

"Aww." Rumiko said. "That's so sweet."

"Hello, my guests." Antea said rather formally. "It's nice to have you here. Mind if I take your coats while you get yourself situated?"

"Not at all." Yumi said. "My, how polite."

"I know, right?" Said a voice from upstairs. Coming down the stairs was a blonde-haired man with thick glasses in a sweater. "As with her looks, it comes from her mother."

"Hey, Einstein." Ulrich said. "Good to see you again."

"Same with you." The man said. "Hey Yumi."

"Hey, Jeremie." Yumi said

"'Einstein'?" Calvin asked

"It's just a nickname we gave him." Ulrich said. "Everyone, this is Jeremie Belpois. One of our oldest friends back when we were kids."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Belpois." Calvin said

"Please, call me Jeremie." He said. "You must be Calvin Stern. My daughter's told me so much about you. She says you're much better than that lying cheat, Dennis."

"Hahahahaha." Dennis said sarcastically.

"Don't blame him." Ulrich said. "After all, he is William's child."

"Ulrich, please. Not this again." Jeremie said.

"He is a jerk." Yumi said. "Back when we were in college, he threatened to tell my parents something they would never forgive me for unless I was his girlfriend for a year. Not to mention what he did to Ulrich years after that."

"Oh yeah, I remember that." Ulrich said. "What did he have on you, anyway?"

"Please, Ulrich. I'd rather not say." Yumi said

"Anyways. Let's put all of this behind us and make yourselves at home." Jeremie said. He then turned around to see his daughter with a look of sadness. "Honey, what's the matter?"

"I just wish Mom was here." She said. "I can't even remember the last Christmas we spent together."

"Well, you can still open up a web chat with her on the laptop." Jeremie said. "I think I left it in the closet. Why don't you go get it?"

"Okay. I guess that's better than nothing." Antea said opening the closet door. When she looked inside, her eyes widened.

"Hi, Sweetie." Aelita, who was standing right in the middle of the closet, said.

"Mom?" Antea said.

"It's so good to see you, again." She said hugging her. "Look at you. You've gotten so big."

"Oh my God!" Sam shouted. "DJ Aelita Stones!"

"Yep." Jeremie said. "Me, Aelita, Ulrich, and Yumi were all good friends back during our school years."

"What?" Sam shouted. "Your parents were friends with the greatest musician on the planet and you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't even know." Calvin said.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends, Antea?" Aelita said.

"Yes." She said. "This is Sam, Dennis, Ami, Rumiko, and my boyfriend Calvin."

"You have a boyfriend?" Aelita asked.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Belpois." Calvin said

"Just call me Aelita." She said. "Please take good care of my daughter. Don't let anything happen to her."

"You have my word." Calvin said.

"Alright, kids." Yumi said. "Me and Aelita are going to get dinner started. Until then you guys can do what ever you want."

"Really?" Rumiko said. "You can let me pierce my own lip?"

"You know what I mean, Miss Smarty-pants." Yumi said.

"Alright." Rumiko said. "How about…"

"Snowball Fight!" Sam shouted.

"That exactly what I was gonna say." Rumiko said.

"I don't see why not." Calvin said. "What about you, An?"

"Sure." She said. "Wanna join us, Dad?"

"I'd love to." Jeremie said. "But I have work to do."

"Okay then." Antea said.

"So how should we separate?" Dennis said. "Boys vs. Girls?"

"No way." Ami said

"Why?" Rumiko asked. "Because it's the lowest form of discrimination?"

"Discrimination isn't something to grade based on form." Ami said. "Discrimination is discrimination."

"How about an arbitrary selection?" Calvin said.

"That's not a bad idea." Sam said.

After a few coin flips to determine who will be on which team, the fight began. Snowballs began flying through the air. People were being hit back and forth.

"Take that." Dennis said throwing a snowball at Ami. Ami just jumped back.

"Hi-yah!" Rumiko said as she jumped forward grabbing the snowball. She then spun around and threw it back at Dennis.

"Woah." Sam said before he himself was pelted with a snowball thrown by Calvin.

"Don't let your guard down, Della Robbia." Calvin said.

"Yeah, your right." He said throwing a snowball towards Calvin. But he ducked and it hit Antea. Antea then threw a snowball which, intending to hit Sam, hit Calvin. Calvin then threw a snowball at her, but he missed.

"Nyah Nyah." Antea said as Calvin ran up to her. He then tackled her and they began flinging snow at each other, laughing in unison.

"I take it the fight's over." Sam said.

A short while later, they went inside, dried off, went into the living room and sat down on the couch and watched whatever was on TV.

"Well." Rumiko said. "I'm taking a hot shower. Where's your bathroom, Antea?"

"Upstairs, first door to your right." She said.

"Thanks." Rumiko said as she headed up. "Calvin, you peep on me again; I'll give you something much worse than a detention."

"You peeped on her?" Dennis asked. "And I thought I was sick."

"It was an accident!" Calvin said annoyed.

"No. The accident was you being born without any common sense." Rumiko said

"Rumiko!" Yumi shouted

"Seriously though, Calvin." Antea said. "Who's gullible enough to believe that they're boys' facilities in the girls' dorms?"

"Hey, go easy on him." Aelita said. "Sissi pulled the same joke on me on my first day."

"Sorry." Antea said.

"Dinner should be ready in a couple hours. Can you wait?"

"Sure." Calvin said. "What are you making?"

"Smörgåsbord."

"Gesundheit." Sam said

"No." Calvin said. "A smörgåsbord is a layout of various foods in a buffet-style."

"Okay. I'm officially in heaven." Sam said.

"Well." Dennis said. "How do we burn a couple hours?"

"We could rent a movie on demand." Antea said.

"Sure. Why not. Just as long as I pick." Sam said as he picked 'The Room'. An hour and a half later, everyone was giving their opinions.

"Well, that sucked." Rumiko said.

"Worst excuse of a film ever." Dennis said

"That was some of the worst acting I've ever seen." Sam said

"And what's with all the pointless moments?" Antea said

"I can't believe this film even exists." Ami said

"I liked it." Calvin said. "Actually, I found it quite intriguing."

"Wow." Sam said. "You have a bad taste in music and film."

"Just because I don't like electronic music, doesn't mean I have bad taste."

"Well, what music do you like?" Sam asked

"Alternative Rock."

"Well, you've got me there."

"I'm gonna walk around for a little bit." Calvin said. "Let me know when dinner's ready."

"Alright." Rumiko said.

A half hour later, Yumi came into the room to find everyone minus Calvin on the couch.

"Kids. Dinner is ready." Yumi said. "Where's Calvin?"

"And where is that electronic beat coming from?" Antea asked.

"Hey, Sam. Turn that crap off!" Dennis said.

"That's not me." Sam said.

They then traced the noise to the basement. There they found Calvin mixing music on one of Aelita's turntables; he was doing pretty well, too. Almost as good as Aelita. Calvin then stopped when he noticed everyone watching him.

"I'm sorry." He said. "Was that too much?"

"Not at all, Calvin." Antea said. "In fact, that was amazing."

"We may have found another position for you in the band." Sam said

"Well, I've always wanted to try the turntables when I was a kid." Calvin said.

"Why?" Rumiko said. "You hate electronic music."

"Yes." Calvin said. "But I love mixing."

"Well, come upstairs." Rumiko said. "Dinner is ready."

"Coming." Calvin said

"Great mix, Calvin. Just one thing." Aelita said. "Next time, please ask before you touch my stuff."

In a short time, everyone came into the dining room and noticed a huge buffet was laid out on the table.

"Alright." Yumi said. "Although everyone can pick whatever they want, we took the liberty to make everyone's' favorites. Such as sushi and onigiri for the girls and grilled cheese with pickles for Calvin."

"Alright!" Calvin and Antea shouted as they each grabbed a slice.

"Wow, no wonder they like each other." Rumiko said grabbing a couple pieces of sushi. "They're both freaks."

"Rumiko!" Yumi shouted

"Mā kare wa! Pikurusuguriruchīzu o tabete daredesu ka?" Rumiko shouted in Japanese.

"Sore wa īwakeda, Rumiko-san!" Yumi shouted back. "Anata wa dono yō ni kubetsu otōto wa furīku to yoba rete iru shitte iru! Shazai suru!"

Rumiko then went up to Calvin.

"Gomen'nasai." She said.

"Entschuldigung akzeptiert." Calvin said in German.

"God." Dennis said. "Let me know when you guys decide to speak English."

"Hey, Calvin." Sam said. "You should try these sandwiches I made. They're delicious."

"Well, what's in them?" Calvin said

"My special recipe." Sam said. "If I told you, it wouldn't be special anymore."

"Alright then." Calvin said taking a bite he then spat it back out.

"Tham." He said with a swollen tongue. "Whad di oo pud n thith thanwich?"

"Nothing." He said. "Just some cheese, peanut butter, ketchup, cole slaw, tuna, and…"

"Tuna?" Calvin shouted. "I allerig oo theefoo!"

"Well, you could have told me." Sam said

"He's right you know." Rumiko said

"Thut up, Rueego!" Calvin said. Dennis and Sam just laughed at his misery, (As well as his lisp.)

"It's not serious, is it?" Antea asked.

"Don't worry." Rumiko said. "His tongue just swells up for thirty minutes to an hour depending on how much he ate. He's also allergic to nuts, but that just makes him break out into hives."

"Thee dothen't nee oo know tha, Rueego!" Calvin said.

"Alright, alright. Don't hurt yourself." Rumiko said.

A short time later, the swelling wore off. For now, everything was back to normal. Just then, a short man with messy black hair entered through the front door, followed by a young red haired woman.

"Hello. Anyone home?" The man asked.

"Uncle Hiroki!" Ami and Rumiko shouted as they went up and hugged him.

"Hey, what about me?" The woman asked.

"Hi, Aunt Milly." Ami said hugging her.

"Hey, Aunt Milly. Hey, Uncle Hiroki." Calvin said as he walked in.

"Calvin." Hiroki said hugging him. "How's my soccer star nephew doing?"

"Just fine." He said

"Hey, big sis." Hiroki said turning to Yumi.

"Hey, Hiroki." Yumi said. "How was the flight?"

"Boring." He said. "Not even the movies were any good. Oh hi, Ulrich."

"Hey." Ulrich said.

"So, Calvin. Introduce me to your friends."

"Okay." He said. "This is Sam, Dennis, and my girlfriend Antea."

"Girlfriend?" Hiroki asked. "How old are you now, Calvin?"

"I'm fourteen." He said.

"Hey, Yumi!" He shouted. "This kid's found himself a girlfriend 2 years younger than you when you decided to be with Ulrich!"

"Shut up, Hiroki." Yumi said. "How are Mom and Dad doing, by the way?"

"Oh, not so good." Hiroki said. "Dad lost his job."

"Again?" Yumi asked.

"Yeah." He said. "They even lost the house to foreclosure and had to move in to their friend's apartment. Milly and I are now working double shifts, but that's still barely enough to make it through."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Ulrich said.

"I know." Hiroki said. "Let's go talk some more upstairs."

"Alright." Yumi said. "Kids, we're heading upstairs to talk for a little bit. So don't barge in on us."

"Alright." They said as they sat down on the couch and watched some more TV.

Well, this is officially the longest chapter I've done so far (9 pages, 2,712 words). I was originally going to split this into separate chapters, but I felt that a lot more could be added in just one, so I decided to keep going. And I know it's far from the holidays, but don't worry, I plan on making a separate story for the holidays. After this chapter will be the continuation and another past story. Please Review.

Translations:

Rumiko: Well he is! Who eats grilled cheese with pickles?

Yumi: That's no excuse, Rumiko-san. You know how sensitive your brother is about being called a freak! Apologize now!

Rumiko: I'm sorry.

Calvin: Apology accepted

For those who cant make out the "swollen tongue" speech:

"Sam, what did you put in this sandwich?"

"Tuna? I'm allergic to seafood."

"Shut up, Rumiko."

"She doesn't need to know that, Rumiko."