AN: Hey everyone! Just a notice before you start reading, but this chapter is a bit long. I didn't want to break it up so it is how it is. A special shoutout to StormyNightengale for chatting and keeping me on fanfiction. It was a constant reminder that I was trying to finish this chapter. Thanks!
Now, enjoy!

Everyone slid into the holiday routine with ease and soon there were no noises in the mansion before nine, not even from Quinn's or Caim's room. Having no school during the day was a nice break but most of the students found it weird to not be busy. The Snow Wars continued between last minute shopping trips and secret present wrapping sessions.

Soon it was Christmas Eve and Quinn was sitting on the couch in the living room, having just put her last present under the tree; it had been a pain to wrap since she wasn't very good at it. She yawned and shook her white hair back as she leaned against one of the small couch pillows. Everyone was asleep and the house was quiet, just like she liked it. Don't get her wrong, she liked the Institute and the people in it but some days she liked the silence.

The clock on the mantelpiece chimed once and it seemed like that was the cue for her eyelids to get heavier. She shook her head to snap herself out of her drowsiness and ruffled her closed wings, shifting her position on the couch.

The sound of footsteps coming up behind her didn't startle her, but she turned to see who was awake. Caim stood in the doorway to the living room, his dark hair disheveled, his feet bare. Quinn knelt so that she was fully facing him. "What are you doing up?" she asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

Neither spoke for a moment and Caim stepped into the living room. He walked over to stand in front of the Christmas tree and he looked it up and down, admiring the decorations. Quinn moved back to sitting on the couch as she watched her friend. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and she looked away. "Are you afraid of me?" he asked in a small voice. Quinn's gaze snapped back to him. "No way!" she shouted. Caim made a motion with his hands to quiet her. She narrowed her eyes. "Why would I be scared of you?" He shrugged and sat down at the other end of the couch.

"So why are you up?" Quinn asked.

"Same reason as you."

"Wrapping presents?"

Caim paused, and shook his head. "No." He looked away. "Never mind." Quinn sat up more and rested a pillow in her lap, leaning unmasked black and white arms on it. "Are you scared of me?" she asked. Caim glanced and her and a small smile appeared on his face. "No way," he replied calmly. "Why would I be afraid of you?"

Quinn laughed quietly. "So you can joke without Alex around, good to know."

"I'm not as stone faced at everyone thinks," he replied, looking away. Quinn rolled her eyes stifled a yawn with her hand. "So why are you up?" she repeated.

"Couldn't sleep…" He ran a hand through his hair, then got up and started towards the kitchen. Quinn followed him, knowing that if she stayed and ended up closing her eyes she'd fall asleep. When she reached the kitchen she found him putting a pill bottle back in the cupboard above the fridge. She sat down on a stool and smiled at the shocked look on his face when he turned around.

"You ok?" she asked, gesturing at the two pills in his hand.

"Yeah." He swallowed them dry and Quinn raised an eyebrow. He looked over at the clock on the stove and smiled slightly. "Merry Christmas," he said.

Quinn shrugged a shoulder and looked down into her lap. "Merry Christmas." She heard him walk away and she turned in her chair. "Wait- Caim!" He didn't reply and she followed him back into the living room. "What are you doing?" she asked. He sat on the couch and glanced at her. "I thought here would be a better place for you to sit. You looked like you were about to fall off that stool." Quinn was quiet as she stood in the doorway. It took her a minute before she went and sat across from him. He was playing with his gloves, pulling them up higher and tugging the sleeves of his sweater farther down.

"Are you doing that just to tease me?" Quinn asked. He looked up at her. "I'm teasing you?"

"Why are you always hiding yourself?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I have a reason."

"And I don't."

"I don't know. You tell me."

They stared at each other for a long time, both silent and not averting their gazes from one another. Caim was the first to look away, the first to speak. "Not tonight. Maybe later."

"Maybe," Quinn repeated.

"It's not a no."

"It's not a yes."

Once again they were silent, and a couple minutes into their speechlessness they heard someone come downstairs.

"What are you two still doing up?" Mark asked.

Both black clad people switched their gazes from each other to their friend.

"Just talking," Quinn replied. Mark laughed quietly and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Alright, well you guys should probably get to bed. You won't get much sleep once everyone wakes up." Caim nodded and stood, avoiding the slight glare Quinn shot him. Mark watched him leave before sitting next to Quinn and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him. She rolled her eyes but moved in closer to him.

"What were you two talking about?" he asked.

"Just… stuff," she replied, shrugging. He stared at her for a moment, waiting for her to elaborate. "So why are you awake?" she asked.

"Because I went to check on you but you weren't in your room."

"You went to check on me?" Quinn pulled back and frowned slightly. "What the hell? Creeper…" She looked away, her statement have been made half-jokingly. Mark sighed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her with him as he lay down. She grumbled but didn't move. Mark set a pillow under his head and one under hers. She bit her lip and he played with her hair. "I check on you almost every night," he told her.

"Really?" she asked.

"You're always asleep. Sometimes you'll wake up for a minute, but then you fall back asleep."

"I never see you, or hear you."

"You know I have mad ninja skills."

Quinn laughed and Mark joined in. The sounds rang like bells in Quinn's ears, and it sounded right. She snuggled in a bit closer to her friend. "So what are you going to do now?" she asked.

"I dunno. What are you going to do?"

Quinn shrugged and yawned. "Don't know…"

"Maybe going to bed would be a good idea."

"Mhmm…"

"Or just fall asleep here."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"Not in the least."

Quinn was quiet for a moment, but trying to speak was like trying to drag a shipwreck from the bottom of a lake. "That… sounds good…"

Mark laughed quietly and pulled the blanket from the top of the couch over them. "Sleep well Quinn."

Her eyelids fell forward and she distantly felt Mark pull the blanket better over them. The last thing she heard before she fell asleep was Mark whisper, "Merry Christmas."