"GRANDMA, GRANDPOP!" Sophie ran inside the house, "We're here!"

"Hello, Sunshine!" Sam lifted his giggling granddaughter into the air, "You just missed Santa Clause"

"Santa doesn't come until I go to sleep, Grandpop," Sophie replied seriously as she was passed to her grandmother.

"When did you get so smart?" Stacy laughed.

"I say when she started going to school," Sugie declared, "Right?"

"Right!"

"Like, dinner smells amazing, Mom," Shaggy staggered in with the presents, "When do we eat?"

"Not for another hour," Stacy took half of the presents placing them under the tree, "You'll survive"

Scooby trotted in with the overnight bags which he took upstairs before helping sleepy Jade inside. The two of them collapsed in front of the tree

"Where's-"

Christina stepped inside with a nervous smile, "Hello"

"Come in, come in, don't be shy!" Stacy greeted, "Where is your grandmother? Norville said she'd be coming"

Christina stepped aside allowing the elder fae to enter "This is my Grandmother Maleficent"

"Thank you for having us," Maleficent smiled settling into the nearest chair while Christina shut the door to keep the cold out before joining Shaggy on the couch.

"Of course," Stacy quickly recovered from her shock, "The more the merrier" the doorbell chimed, "Speaking of which..."

Sam opened the door welcoming Duncan, Clawdeen, and their children inside.

"AUNT CHRISTINA!" the kids beelined for the beaming hybrid.

"Wha-" Shaggy was surprised, his slack-jawed expression perfectly matching his daughter's though Sophie quickly recovered rushing to join her friends in the hug.

"I reached out a while back," Clawdeen explained with a laugh, "We've been chatting for a while"

"I thought it only right to invite them for Christmas Eve dinner..which I should get bak to, excuse me," Stacy slipped back into the kitchen.

"I'll help, I'll help!" Sophie skipped excitedly after her finding the kitchen to be warm and messy, a dozen dishes going at once.

"Wash up, then!" Stacy laughed pulling Sophie's step stool over.

...

Christina was still wracked with nerves despite all Shaggy's reassurances. They'd decided to tell everyone after dinner but...

"Christy," Clawdeen startled her from her thoughts, "Can I speak with you privately?"

"Yeah, sure,"

The two headed upstairs where they had the least chance of being heard, stepping into what had been Shaggy's childhood bedroom but had been turned into the guest room after he'd moved out.

"What's up?" Christina perched on the foot of the bed.

"You're pregnant, aren't you? I can smell it"

"Yes. Shaggy dragged me to the clinc today the doctors said I'm only a few weeks along, we were going to tell everyone after dinner...I'm nervous"

Clawdeen hugged her friend tightly with a barely contained excited squeal, "You've got nothing to worry about, I won't spoil the surprise. You know this means Shaggy broke your curse, don't you?"

"Well, Boodika says it was Sophie and Shaggy"

"It was? It is?" Clawdeen went back to muffled squealing.

"Clawdeen, I can't breathe!"

"Sorry, sorry, my bad, Alpha strength,"

"It's okay, I'm used to getting the air knocked out of me working with kids an all"

"Speaking of kids Drake and Lupa-"

"Want me to read The Night Before Christmas? I'd be happy to, do you think Fafnir can sit that long?

"He has to, Santa's watching"

"Ah"

Back downstairs the two went. Clawdeen taking a seat cattycorner to Christina.

"Everything okay?" Shaggy whispered.

"Yeah, it's fine"

"Sure?"

"Positive"

"Okay," he nodded, squeezing her hand.

Sophie marched out of the kitchen with an angry pout.

"What's the matter?" Sam asked her.

"Grandma made garlic bread,"

"I'm sorry, Sunshine," Stacy poked her head out from the kitchen, "I was on autopiolit"

"It's okay, Sophie," Christina assured, drawing the girl onto her lap, "It happens"

"But you'll get sick"

"We'll put it in the fridge, wrapped up tight where it can't bother mommy, all right?" Sam patted her shoulder.

"Okay," Sophie nodded.

While Sam went to deal with the garlic bread Sophie wedged herself between her parents with her eyes on the present pile. Color-coded wrapping for every member of the family. Red, blue, silver, green, and, pink. The stockings hung on the wall beside the tree were the same color, Sophie's was the smallest, bulging with candy.

"Mine are pink," she whispered to Christina as if sharing a great secret.

"No, I couldn't tell," Christina laughed.

"Christina's presents are always wrapped in purple," Maleficent smiled, "With silver bows she used to stick them in her hair when she was your age, Sophie"

"She did?" Sophie giggled.

"Yes, it was quite entertaining"

"I remember, when I was done I tucked them in an old hatbox"

"Are they still there?"

"Maybe"

"Time to eat!" Stacy declared from the kitchen doorway, "Everyone to the dining room"

...

The dining room was decorated just like the rest of the house. Bright red bows tied into overhanging garlands. A pine green tablecloth, and thick red candles smelling of apple cinnamon tucked securely into scalloped gold holders.

"I love that smell," Shaggy smiled, pulling out Christina's chair.

"Me too," Sophie chirped.

"And I make three," Christina grinned.

"What's for dinner?" Drake asked excitedly.

"Italan, like every Christmas!" Sophie clapped happily watching her grandparents bring out the serving dishes, "Lasaugna and breadsticks and cheesy bread and salad and spagetti and-"

"Okay, Sophie, okay," Shaggy gently shushed his daughter, grabbing her plate, "Do you want everything?"

"Yes, please," Sophie beamed.

"The ones in the green dishes are the meatless versions, Christina," Stacy explained with a kind smile.

"Thank you"

The conversation dissolved as everyone took generous first bites. Sophie was particularly messy, the sauce dripping across her shirt and crumbs falling onto her lap as she worked to scrape her plate clean mere minutes after receiving it.

"Sophie, remeber to chew," Christina gently chided.

"Sorry," Sophie mumbled around a mouthful of noodles.

"Yeah," Shaggy looked like a deer caught in headlights with half a breadstick hanging from his mouth, "Sorry"

Christina laughed, handing each a napkin, "What am I going to do with you two?"

"Love us forever?" father and daughter answered in unison.

"I suppose"

...

"C'mon, 'c'mon, it's time for presents!" Sophie was pulling her grandparents into the living room after dinner.

"It is?" Sugie feigned confusion from her designated spot beside the tree, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"Okay, then you might want to sit down, Sunshine," Sam caught his granddaughter placing the wriggling girl on the couch.

"I'll pass out the gifts," Stacy declared.

"Wait, wait, wait," Shaggy pulled Christina to the front of the room, "Like, first, we have a surprise"

"What is it?"

"Sophie isn't going to be an only child much longer," Christina managed.

"What?"

"You mean?"

"I'm going to be a big sister!" Sophie cheered.

The gifts were all but forgotten as everyone in the room rushed to hug Shaggy, Christina, and Sophie.

"Drake, Lupa, Fafnir, I need you to understand, we aren't telling the other kids yet, it's still early and it's already hard enough to get them to focus after Christmas, okay?" Christina calmly explained, "Can I trust you to keep this secret?"

"Yes, Aunt Christy"

...

And still, life marched on. Christina took to wearing loose clothing to hide her secret from the ghouls who were more distracted by Jade's apparent pregnancy. Excited by the thought of wolf pups tumbling about. By the time Spring Break rolled around in early March Sophie was ready to burst at the seams. Bouncing excitedly as Christina helped pack her suitcase for their trip.

"We tell everyone tomrrow, Mommy?"

"No, honey, later"

"I can't wait anymore"

"I know it's hard but we'll tell them soon, now go run along outside and play with the other girls"

"I can't"

"Why?"

"I might tell them"

"You just want to stay in here with me, don't you?" Christina asked, placing the giggly girl beside her suitcase on the bed.

"Maaybbbeee"

"Okay, okay, but you have to help now do you want to wear the pink swimsuit or the green one with the sea horses on it?"

"Pink please!"

"Okay, do you remember how to fold?"

"Show me again?"

"Like, there you two are!" Shaggy exclaimed, stepping into the room, "Are you all packed?"

"I am now!" Sophie beamed, zipping her suitcase up, and heaving it off the bed only to stumble to the floor.

"Easy there, chickadee," Christina helped her up, "Let's go outside now"

...

"Does everyone have their suitcases?"

"Yes," the girls chorused lifting their bags so Christina could see.

"And we packed everything we needed? Toothbrushes, socks, underwear?"

"Yes," they replied less enthusiastically.

"Everyone's here, I don't want a Mcalister situation"

"Yes"

"Then one by one you're going to step through the mirror and folow Clawdeen's directions when you step out the other side"

"Aren't the boys coming too?" Dani raised her hand.

"The boys have their own portal, Dani," Christina smiled, "Who wants to go first?"

Lupa wasted no time leaping through the portal already yelling greetings to her parents. Winnie was next, howling with excitement. She was quickly followed by Tannis, then Webbigale. Harper flew headfirst into the portal, dragging Dani, luggage and all with her tailwind. Giggling, Phantasma floated through.

"Are-are you sure they're okay with us?" Felix paused his hand on Valerie's shoulder to keep her from charging through.

"Yes, Felix," Christina assured, "Miss Grimwood and Matches are coming too, you don't want to be all alone, right?"

"Right," Felix nervously chuckled, "Come on, Valerie"

"Ready, Sophie?" Shaggy picked the bouncy excited blonde up.

"Ready"

...

Christina was last to step through the portal that snapped shut behind her. The warm winds of Skull Shores blew through the open window of the large beach house making her smile.

"Christy," Clawdeen hugged her in greeting, "What took so long?"

"I'm sorry, I had to make sure we didn't forget anything, where are the girls?"

"Racing for the water with the Gravedale boys," Duncan explained as he stepped into the room.

"Makes sense," Christina shrugged.

"Come on," Clawdeen grabbed her hand, "We can have lemonade on the porch, it's nice and breezy today, "Shaggy's already out there, greeting his family"

"My goodness, are you sure you have enough room?"

"Plenty"

Outside the students were playing in the waves or combing the beach for seashells while their teachers napped inside, already in vacation mode. Christina and Clawdeen set at the outdoor table, anxious to talk.

"How's the baby?" Clawdeen poured glasses of ice-cold lemonade.

"Healthy and thriving according to the doctors when I went back Vivika discovered they'd misdated in the excitement, I was closer to a month along"

"So you're almost five monthes now?"

"Yep"

"Do you know what the baby is yet?"

"No, not yet"

Clawdeen hid her smile in her lemonade, taking a long drink before asking what Christina was hoping for.

"I don't care as long as it's healthy, I'll love it just the same"

"And how's Jade's pregnacy?"

"She's ready to pop any day now"

"Do you know how many she's having?"

"I can't recall right now"

"You'll think of it"

"How are you doing?"

"I'm glad to be on vaction with my kids"

"I saw the stores in the Maul putting out your new collection when I took Sophie last week, It's very nice, the line was out the door"

"You're just saying that"

"I am not," Christina swore, pulling her phone from her pocket, "I took plenty of pictures to prove it"

"That...that is a lot of ghouls"

"I thought the employees were going to be trampled when they opened the door"

"Were they?"

"No, thankfully," Christina laughed, "But I believe they were sold out within the hour"

"That's good," Clawdeen smiled.

"Mommy!" Sophie ran up the porch steps, "Are you going to come play with us?" she looked at wear Harper waiting with a bright pink beach ball.

"Later, Sophie, okay?" Christina promised hugging the girl.

"Hey, Squirt," Sugie swooped in, picking Sophie up, "Why dontcha come play Marco Polo with me?"

"Okay!"

"She's excited about being a sister," Christina giggled, "But, she's done very well keeping the secret"

"Shaggy said she's been following you around more than usual"

"I didn't know there was a usual but she likes to talk to the baby"

"She like, tells it good night," Shaggy added, coming up behind Christina.

"And sings to it and tells it stories"

"Aww"

"I know, it's the cutest thing," Christina smiled.

"She's going to be the best big sister"

"I know"

...

After two rounds of Marco Polo, Sophie was happy to let the waves push her back to shore. Over and over and over again while Harper buried Drake up to his neck with Lupa's help. Not far from them Winnie was holding a sandcastle-building contest between herself and the entire class of Cadets and was being cheered on by the remaining Gravedale boys. And still, the adults chatted away in the shade, sipping lemonade. Some of her more distant great great relatives were calling to her, making kissy noises but Sophie didn't want to suffer through that embarrassment, not in front of all her friends.

"It's pretty here," she flipped onto her back, staring up at the bright blue sky above.

"It's the best," Lupa chimed in agreement, "Just wait until we go hiking"

"I've never been hiking"

"I'm sure you'll like it, Sophie," Dani suddenly appeared above her, "Since you like the gardens so much just remeber the bug spray"

"And the sunscreen"

"I won't forget," Sophie climbed out of the water, "I'm going to see if Mommy and Daddy will come swimming now"

Deftly dodging the greats' who were only there to escort Scooby's family, she bounced up the porch steps wedging herself between her mommy and daddy she beamed up at them, "Will you come swimming now?"

"Sophie, honey, if I put on my swimsuit-"

"Thet'll see"

"Yeah"

"Then I'll stay here with you," Sophie climbed onto Shaggy's lap.

"You're like, not tired already, are you?" Shaggy grabbed the nearest beach towel and began to dry his daughter's hair.

"A little bit"

"Okay then"

"Count to three, Sophie," Christina instructed.

"One..."

In a bright sparkling puff of purple smoke, Sophie's wet bathing suit was replaced by a watermelon tee shirt, red shorts, and striped sandals. Her dry hair pulled into a braid that matched Christina's making her giggle with delight.

"We match!"

"Here," Christina handed her a glass of lemonade, "Drink up"

"Sophie, what do you hope the baby is?" Clawdeen asked with a secret grin.

"I dunno, I just wanna help Mommy take care of it"

"You'll change your mind, I'm sure," Christina laughed, "When you smell the diapers"

"No I won't"

"Okay"

...

Just before evening, Duncan fired up the grill, a mountain of various foods ready to be cooked while the tired kids tromped inside to clean up. Meanwhile, a very tired Scooby-Doo dragged himself to the porch for a nap at Jade's request. The Dane had done little else than show his various relatives to see Jade, sometimes, multiple times while doing his best to both catch up with everyone and attend to his mate's every need. It had taken the combined efforts of Ruby-Doo, Dee, Fluffy, and even Whoopsie to convince him to take a break.

"Feelin' okay, Bud?" Shaggy stopped to pat him on the head.

"Ri'm Pooped!"

"Like wish I could tell you it gets easier"

"Worth it," Scooby sighed, resting his head on his front paws.

"That's right,"

Soon after everyone was seated at the picnic tables set up in the backyard Clawd, Draculaura, their babies, Dracula, Vana, and Sibella arrived.

"What took so long?" Clawdeen cornered her beast friend.

"Sorry, we missed our connecting flight," Draculaura apologized, leaning in close she whispered, "I have the stuff"

"Shh," Clawdeen urged with a glance at Christina who was helping the kids fill their plates, "Great, the other ghouls are coming tomorrow"

"What are you ghouls whispering about?" Christina called.

"Christina," Clawd came to the rescue, "Would you like to hold your niece and nephew so I can take the lugge inside?"

"Give me the babies!"

Thank you, Clawdeen mouthed to her brother. He gave her a discreet thumbs up in response before hefting the luggage into the house. Once Clawd had returned and everyone had plates in front of them, Shaggy stood calling for attention. Christina handed the babies to Clawdeen, standing with a nervous grin.

"We've like, been hiding a secret," Shaggy began with a bright smile.

"Some of you already know but several of you don't," Christina continued, helping Sophie to stand on the bench.

"I'M GONNA BE A BIG SISTER!" Sophie excitedly cried.

A plethora of excited reactions occurred as family and friends rushed forward to hug the little family offer their congratulations and ask all kinds of questions. More than once Shaggy had to work as a human barricade as distant relatives reached to touch Christina's belly. Thankfully, Stacy was there to bring order and more or less make those family members leave through a portal back to their homes after repeated assurances that the Doos would be a-okay.

"Thanks, Mom," Shaggy's shoulders sagged in relief.

"I've wanted them to leave all day!" Stacy laughed.

"Hey!" Duncan called, "Let's eat!"

"I don't think Spring Break could get any better," Christina happily sighed.

"Like, we'll see, Christy, we'll see"