As most of the town slept, the Grinch readied his sleigh as he prepared for the final phase of his plan. He tied Max to the sleigh, who was frowning at having to wear makeshift reindeer antlers on his head. The Grinch hopped into the sleigh and started it up as they drove into town. He drove by the town diner and decided to bypass it when he saw an elderly woman sitting by the door holding a crossbow.

A couple of streets away, he stopped in front of his destination. The Christmas lights shined brightly on the front lawn, but there was nobody outside. The Grinch climbed up to the roof of the house, as he had done so many times before. Checking that the coast was clear, he hoisted the burlap sack on his shoulder and hopped down the chimney.

He landed catlike in the fireplace and looked around the house. It was decked out in decorations, presumably due to the boy who lived there with the mayor and sheriff. He moved around the room, throwing decorations into his sack. Once he had cleared the house of decorations, he went to work on the final piece, the giant tree surrounded by presents.

As he started taking the ornaments off the tree, the light flicked on. Turning around, he found himself face to face with the boy.

"Mr. Grinch," said Henry, "Why are you taking our tree?"

The Grinch cleared his throat, "Well, little boy, I take the tree because it gives me joy."

"I'm not a little boy," Henry snapped, "I'm twelve and I'm about to start puberty, well according to my moms I am. Why do you want our tree when you can buy your own?"

"The wizard's instructions were very clear," answered the Grinch, "Take the things that they hold dear."

Henry shook his head, "It doesn't have to be this way. My moms have magic, they can help you."

The Grinch laughed, "Only the wizard can help me from the start, as he is the one who has my heart." Looking the boy up and down, he asked, "Why do you care about Christmas so much? It's all about greed and such."

Henry shook his head, "It's not. Sure we give each other presents and buy expensive decorations, but it's so much more than that. It's about spending time with friends and family. Happy memories are worth more than expensive gifts."

The Grinch stared at Henry, having been thrown for a loop. Was he right? Was that the true meaning of Christmas? He didn't have too long to ponder it as Emma came bursting into the room, gun pointed at him. "Freeze!"

The Grinch stood protectively over the tree. "I need this for the wizard, in order to escape this blizzard."

"Your wizard is dead," Emma said. "He was killed by a woman seeking his power."

Shaking, the Grinch grabbed his chest where his heart would be. "It can't be true," said the Grinch, "I need my heart and a way to the land of Who."

Emma walked over to the cabinet in the room and pulled out the jar that held the Grinch's heart. The Grinch stared at it in surprise. "Here is your heart," Emma said. She brought it to the Grinch, who was frozen in place, eyes locked on the heart in her hand. She pulled the heart out of the jar and grimaced as she held it in her hand. She gingerly placed the heart back in his chest.

The Grinch felt a strange sensation as the heart was returned to its home. For the first time in thirty years, he felt love and compassion. He looked at Henry, who had gone to hug his mother. He finally believed the boy's words about the true meaning of Christmas.

Emma looked up from Henry to see the Grinch moving the tree back into place. They looked at each other before the Grinch said, "I'm so sorry for the pain that I caused. It appears that my reasoning has been flawed."

"We will get you home and all will be forgiven in the morning if you return all the stolen items to their rightful places."

With a smile and a nod, the Grinch placed all of the decorations back. In another blink, he was gone. He spent the rest of the night returning everything. He moved in and out of the houses without waking a single person. Soon, all was as it was before.