Hi! It's time for another update! (Even if it's just a bonus chapter^^')

I've actually uploaded a chapter for Halloween on the AO3 version of this story. As I've drawn it in its entirety, I wasn't able to upload it here as well. So, if you're interested, just search for "Watchdog of the Queen" on AO3 to read it!

Now, to this bonus chapter: Some years ago, I already did a "Three Times Christmas" special for another FF, meaning that I uploaded one chapter every day from December 24 to 26.

Last year, I have already wanted to do this and was even almost done with it. (I wanted to keep the three segments rather short, wanting to upload them all at once on a single day instead of on three different ones.) But, in the end, as I had to write something for school and I didn't have internet access during Christmas last year, I didn't get around to finish it.

This year, however, I didn't want to finish it at first as well, but then, it itched in my hands... and now, I am going to (try) upload(ing) one chapter on the 24th and so on!

Here's the first chapter, and I hope you'll enjoy it :)

To my grandmother.

Christmas Special:

Three Times Christmas (1) - Festivity and Fear

London, England, United Kingdom – December 1833

Every year on December 23, the Marchioness of Midford would invite a small number of guests to her legendary "Pre-Christmas Party." Everyone wanted to attend one of these famous parties as they were known for their extravagant entertainment, but not many could fulfil all of the Marchioness' strict criteria.

Simon Phantomhive and his family, however, were always invited.

Since he had been a young boy, Simon knew the Marchioness but despite the fact that they were good friends, he was still not very fond of the thought of attending her party. The reason for it was simple: Simon was not a friend of crowds. He had never been, and surely this would never change.

I didn't feel like doing anything today.

I just wanted to lie down, just wanted to go back to sleep.

The happy cry of a little girl, his little girl, broke his thoughts and made him focus on reality again. Simon looked up to see his daughter running towards him. Arriving in front of him, she hugged his legs. "Papa!" she said, giggling and making Simon smile.

Simon might not be very eager to go to Midford Manor, but his daughter Cloudia was. She was full of energy, always running around, and endlessly curious – always asking questions about everything and everyone. Cloudia was so different from him with her bright, easy smiles, her sheer never-ending energy, but just like Simon, she was uncomfortable around strangers – and she would have dreaded to go to Midford Manor like Simon did if it wasn't for their close relationship with the Midfords. They weren't strangers anymore, weren't it for a very, very long time now – they were friends, family.

For Cloudia, it was enough if she could spend time at a place with many strangers as long as she knew someone there. For Simon, it was still a nightmare.

Unfortunately, I couldn't go and talk with Barry and Penny all alone in some corner. Cloudie could do that with Allie and Gigi – but she was a child and I an adult. And adults couldn't just run off with their friends and forget everything around them.

But I wished, we could.

Cloudia let go of her father's legs, and Simon knelt down in front of her, not caring if his suit got wrinkled or not. His daughter grinned her wide, radiant grin – and, just like always, he felt a little bit better.

"What's the matter, Cloudie?" Simon asked softly.

His daughter leaned forward and whispered in his ear as if she was telling him a secret only he could know: "Mama's looking pretty." Cloudia started to giggle.

"She always looks pretty, Cloudie."

"Mama's looking more pretty," she firmly said with an expression on her face which reminded Simon a lot of his wife.

Simon pressed a kiss to her temple. "You also look very pretty, Cloudie."

The little girl giggled, grabbed her dress' skirt with her tiny hands, slightly lifted it, and made a little pirouette. Today, Cloudia wore a thick dark blue dress with frills on the dress' seam in an even deeper blue, and her hair had been coiffed into two high curly ponytails which were fixed by two blue ribbons.

She was just as beautiful as her mother.

"Really, Papa?" she asked when she faced him again, her eyes wide.

"Really," Simon answered.

"Mabel helped."

"Mabel did a splendid job."

"Splendid?"

"Good, wonderful, great."

Cloudia's eyes shone. "Ah."

"What are you two doing?" said a voice coming from the direction of the stairs. Simon looked up, and Cloudia turned around to see Penelope. Penelope who was wearing a pale blue and white dress with lace. Penelope whose curly hair had been pinned up with shimmering hairpins.

Penelope who looked even lovelier than usual.

Even after all these years, it still felt like a dream that, of all people, she had chosen me.

"Mama!" Cloudia yelled and ran towards her mother. She spread her arms to hug her mother's legs like she had done before with her father's. But right before she arrived in front of Penelope, Cloudia stopped and dropped her arms, most likely having decided not to potentially ruin her mother's dress.

Penelope smiled at Cloudia before reaching down and lifting her up. Cloudia giggled and pressed her cheek to hers.

And we had a daughter. A wonderful, wonderful daughter.

"Simon, dear, are you all right?" Penelope asked, worried. She sat down in front of him as best as she could with her dress. Cloudia had already freed herself from her mother's grip and was talking with Clifford who was waiting by the entrance door.

Simon glanced at her before turning his complete attention to his wife – and the emotions swirling in her deep blue eyes. The worry, the uneasiness, the exhaustion.

Penny was brilliant at playing roles but when we were together – not always completely alone, but like now, just alone by ourselves and unnoticed by everyone around us – she would be nobody else but herself. And, perhaps, no, I knew for certain, for sure, that this was the role hardest to play.

"I do not feel like going," Simon said, his voice low and his bones endlessly tired.

Penelope gave him a sympathetic look. "Me too. Do you think we could just write Adaline a letter and offer to visit her for tea instead? On a date of her choice?"

"She will understand and accept it even without us having to make an offer to appease her. I've disappointed her for a very long time now. And then, there's…" His voice trailed off when his gaze wandered back to Cloudia who was still conversing with Clifford.

"She was looking forward to it for weeks," Penelope softly murmured.

"We should have organised more playdates…"

But we hadn't found any time in the last months. Penny had been busier than ever at the opera, and I…

I had worked and worked…

I was certain that I had never worked as hard as I had during these past months.

I had always been useless, had always been nothing but a disappointment. I couldn't do anything right, could only do wrong.

But… but… There was one thing, that I, for once, wanted to do well. Even if I failed at everything else, I did not want to fail at that. And so, I had put all of the little energy I had into this project – and worked and worked…

And I thought, I guessed, I hoped that after a little while more, I would be able to…

Simon took another glance at his daughter, and Penelope took his hands in hers, turning his attention back to her.

"They are cold again," she said, gently rubbing them.

Holding hands, they slowly stood up.

"We won't talk to anyone tomorrow," Penelope said with a low voice, and he nodded before resting his forehead against hers.

"Because, today, we will do all the talking," Simon said.

"If we do all the talking today, we won't have to do it tomorrow."

"Yes."

"Yes."

He closed his eyes. "For Cloudia."

And she closed hers. "For Cloudia."

They took a deep breath, opened their eyes, broke apart, and Penelope quickly linked arms with Simon – her face shifting, her eyes now unreadable. And Simon straightened his back and braced himself.

"I will steady you, and you will steady me."

Like we had promised, like we had vowed.

And together, Simon and Penelope Phantomhive went to join their daughter and butler.

That was rather funny to write as Simon never appeared before, and as Penelope appears to be much warmer here than when she appeared before.

Hope you had/will have a happy Christmas Eve! Or if you don't celebrate Christmas, that you can enjoy your free days^^