A man smiles cheerfully. Too cheerfuly. But she knows what he's up to......
"Christmas is the time of year when loved ones draw near to cherish there closeness. A time of faith and happines and good will towards men to be had by all." The man said ina happy voice thatwas well rehearsed. "So by him what he really wants ladies! Get him a Harley--click!"

Rachael rolled her eyes as she changed the tv. There HAD to be something else on other than corny comercials.

"--click--'Oh John! It's...beautiful!!''Marry-uh, merry christmas Luce'~kiss~--click--~singing~'No way november we'll say our goodbyes. When it comes to december, it's obvious why: noone wants to be alone at christmas time--blip!--"

"Humbug." Rachael said sarcastical as she turned the tv off and put down the remote to pick up a glass of egg nog before heading back to work to unpack her newly arrived things in her one bedroom&one office-studio, spacious apartment.

Picking up a large box with a huf she headed towards her bedroom, her knees giving a little as she walked clumsily down the hallway with it in tow.

It seemed christmas used to seem so special...but now, t just seemed fake somehow.
Maybe it's because it represented many of the things she currently lacked.....

>Up, running, and open for buisness, people! :D<

"Alright, ten more times everyone." Adam said cheerfully to the class he was helping to teach at his grandfathers dojo. To be honest this sort of thing did make him happy, easiest way to change the world after all, is to change the youth.

All to soon though the class was over and he and his grandfather were bidding the students good-bye.

"And for once I have the night to myself," He said with a grin. "...but nothing to do." That made him sigh. "Well then...might as well..." He said again looking at his gi as he was reading over his notes for school. "Yeah, that is MUCH more interesting them 'mechanical advantage'." He smiled pulling out the uniform and loading it up with the usual, flash powder, kunai, kodachi, mutsubishi, etc. and hit the rooftops. After, of course, calling home and telling his mother he'd be staying late at the dojo.

"The greatest freedom of all can be found twenty stories up." He said semi-cheefully sitting on the stone slabs next to the gargoyle he referred to as 'Mikey'. "Tell ya man, its the best time of year...too bad other people think its the best time to commit crimes." He shook his head. 'what i wouldnt do for a little company this year though' he though leaping down and hurling out a wire/grappling hook, catching on a lightpost he ignored the chill going through his body as he swung up onto a new building.

<<I hope that you guys don't mind, but I thought that I would get into this. It sounds like fun>>

It was December and Gar Logan sat in the small room and yawned. He wanted to be home, watching the Christmasy movies with Vic, and maybe anyone else who was at the Tower. But he was stuffed in the room with fifteen other actors and actresses.

He had been coming to the small theatre's acting class (not that he thought he needed it) for the last few months. Now he was sitting through the final presentations.

For some reason, the instructor had decided to give everyone a project. They were to take a short skit or a scene from a play and perform it for the class. Gar had gone first, the disluck of the draw. He and another person had chosen to a scene from the Christmas Carol. The other actor, Luke, was Scrooge and Gar had played Marley, a green Marley.

They had done pretty good, but everyone else was doing monologues and Shakespeare. Right now, he was hearing Hamlet's "To Be or Not To Be" speech.

'Don't these people have a Christmas spirit?' he wondered.

He couldn't wait to get back to the tower, and watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" with Cyborg.

OPERATION:NOEL

Mission Summary

Primary Objective: Spread Christmas cheer among the children of the world.

Secondary Objective: Spread Christmas cheer among certain members of Young Justice and the Teen Titans.

Tertiary Objective: Distract Invisible Kid from the fact that he is 1000 years away from the people he loves during Christmas.

Phase One: Materials

Primary Objective: Secure supplies for the Timesignal Computer.

Secondary Objective: Secure money for the purchase of Christmas presents on earth.

Tertiary Objective: Secure exotic materials for the creation of specialty Christmas presents, and purchase said presents.

Phase Two: Assembly

Primary Objective: Use exotic materials from Phase One to create specialty Christmas presents.

Secondary Objective: Repair and modify "sleigh" (delivery vehicle).

Tertiary Objective: Complete Project: Wayfarer in time for December 25th virtual unveiling.

Phase Three: Delivery

Primary Objective: Deliver Earth Christmas Toys to children of unsuspecting needy families, undetected, throughout the planet.

Secondary Objective: Deliver specialty presents to select members of Young Justice and the Teen Titans, undetected, wherever they may be celebrating the holidays.

Tertiary Objective: Hone clandestine operations skills by attempting to go undetected in delivering presents to those who would normally not be snuck up on (i.e. Falcon, Robin, Oracle, etc.).

Post Mission Analysis

Primary Objective: Debrief self over glass of egg nog while pulling all-day monitor duty Dec. 25 to allow those with families or friends to spend the holiday with them.

Shinobi soon finished his rounds a bit earlier then usual before returning to the dojo too find his grandfather practicing solo on the mats. He always thought that was a beautiful thing to watch his movements were slow and deliberate at one moment, then he would do the same kata over at a faster pace however his moves would never lose their meaning or their grace. That was one of the things he had always loved about martial arts: The grace of the arts. He watched the elder man, whom most would think nothing more then a harmless old man, as he performed the motions, Adam (for he was in the process of changing into his street clothes) was able to see the subtlties of his motions.

Finally Enoki turned to him and motioned for his grandson to join him. Kicking off his shoes and socks he walked onto the mat as well. They bowed to each other, then to the shrines shomen, a portrait of one of his ancestors drawn more then a century ago, and soon began a new set of katas. They moved with a unity practicing the kata he had only just learned before it ended. Adam bowed respectfully to his grandfather who obliged with a bow of his own and a light smile.

"Your mother is expecting you home soon." He said as Adam rushed out the door to his house.

Bludhaven.

Also known as Gotham's Wicked Stepsister. Truth be told, that wasn't far off base. Where Gotham had been on its way to corruption and self-destruction, the 'Haven had already been there and done that, 'got the T-Shirt. Three-forths of the city's law enforcement and political figure were as corrupt as corrupt could be. The good people who dwelled here spent more time being afraid to open their front door much less talking to one another.

And thus, even during the holidays, crime refused to rest. And in turn, the city's protectors refused to rest as well.

Such was the case this December evening...

"Aw c-come one man! Y-you can't leave us like this!" whinned a sorry excuse for a would-be electronic store robber, who found himself hanging upside down from a fire escape besides his two partners.

"Don't worry," smirked Robin the Boy Wonder as he fired off a grappling gun onto a nearby rooftop. As he did so police sirens could be heard off in the distance. "I'm sure the cops have a nice and cozy jail cell to keep you three in." Pressing the retract button on his grapple gun, Robin rose off the ground and raced across the rooftops into the night sky.

Landing on the roof of his new base of operations, Robin slipped inside the apartment building completely unnoticed to the other city's residents. Peeling off his green domino mask, Robin dropped down into the chair set before him massive computer consel and sighed. He could get past how truly annoying things in this city were.

At least in Gotham, Criminals usually eased off things during the holidays. But not in Bludhaven. Here, it seemed things just got even worse. And after a long evening like this, it just seemed worse.

Robin sat in silence for a long while in deep thought, not doing much of anything. He rarely allowed himself to do that. It was often too depressing to do so especially at this time of the year.

This would be the first Christmas he'd be spending as an orphan.

But it wasn't like he wasn't used to being alone during the holidays. Growing up, that par for the course, what with his folks doing the traveling the world bit, while he stayed at home. But still...

His dad was dead and step-mother was institutionalized. Wasn't exactly the warm fuzzy kind of Christmas they made holiday specials on.

Shaking his head Tim stood up from the computer and made his way down to his bedroom. Despite how cold and empty he was feeling, especially during these days, he was going to do his best to stay light.

He couldn't allow himself to surrend to the void, that had nearly claimed him after his father had died. No matter how attractive and comforting it had been.

His dad wouldn't want that for him. Neither would his mother.

OPERATION:NOEL

Prologue

Phase One: Materials

The JLA Watchtower, Early November

"I don't understand."

"I just need to borrow it for a couple of days. 4, maybe 5 tops."

"Why?"

"I need to obtain some materials for a computer."

"A computer?"

"Yeah, I'm building it to contact my teammates in the 31st century. I remember the design from something Brainiac 5 and Rond Vidar came up with when half the Legion was stuck back here last time, but I don't have the equipment to make it work."

"Is that all?"

"Well, I'm also going to do some Christmas shopping, but you can't tell anyone."

"My lips are sealed."

"So, does that mean I can borrow it?"

"What about your Young Justice responsibilities?"

"Falcon gave me the time off I need."

"Are you able to handle it?"

"It's a relatively simple design, and I've been studying the specs. Piece of cake, as they say in this day and age."

"I didn't mean THAT. I meant the people you'll be dealing with."

"Oh. Them."

"They can't be trusted."

"Don't worry, I can handle them."

"Do they still exist in your time?"

"Ummm... I really don't think I should talk about that..."

"Fair enough. If you're sure you know what you're getting into..."

"I do. Don't worry, I can handle myself."

"Allright then. I just don't want any scratches on it."

"Do you want me to pick anything up for you while I'm out?"

"...Like what?"

"A crate of Oreos?"

"...?"

"Sorry. Those kind of stories survived even a thousand years from now."

"I... see."

"I didn't mean to offend, Sir."

"It's allright, I'm not offended. You just brought me back to..."

"The good old days?"

"Errr... something like that."

"Right."

"Good luck, Invisible Kid."

"Thank you, J'onn J'onzz. I can't thank you enough for letting me borrow your starship."

"Again, just be careful with those people."

"Relax, sir. Manga Khan and the Cluster won't know what hit them."

Phase Two: Assembly

The Secret Volcano Lair, Early November

"Perfect," muttered Invisible Kid to himself as he looked around the empty launch bay of the Secret Volcano Lair.

Young Justice didn't have a team vehicle of any kind, so this bay wasn't in use. It wasn't even being used for storage, with enough space in other places.

It would be perfect to hold all the great stuff he had acquired during his trip to the Galactic Shopping Channel known as the cluster. Of course, he had spent more than he had intended, but he had gotten just about everything he needed, both for the computer and for the Christmas presents.

All he needed to do was assemble them.

Of course, all the computer equipment was in his usual lab, but some of the stuff he had gotten for Christmas present material was quite... bulky. This launch bay would do nicely, for all of than and for Project: Wayfarer.

And so, he sealed the door, encoding the locks the same way as his lab was, and put a little home made paper sign on the door, written first in Interlac and below in English:

DO NOT OPEN UNTILL X-MAS

Phase Three: Delivery

Hawaiian Aerospace, Chistmas Eve

Lyle looked down out of his "sleigh" with a smile.

Actually, it was a slightly used sub-orbital transport with an even more used cloaking devise that wouldn't last more than about 36 hours use tops, but why quibble? He had gotten great deals on the things from Manga Khan who, naturall, couldn't explain why he was buying things that would only work a handful of times at BEST.

Still, they suited his purposes. He looked over his shoulder and saw the multitude of christmas presents assembled back there for his friends, and for those underprivelaged families that he would be able to help. Satisfied, he made sure the cloak was working and started heading east.

First stop: Bludhaven.

OPERATION:NOEL

Chapter One: Robin

Phase One: Materials

The Cluster, Early November

"...his Egotistic Eminence, Lord High Master of the Cluster, President Emeritus of the 'Manga Khan School of Melodrama,' the most Feared, Revered, Loved, Loathed, Reviled and Respected figure ever to soar the spaceways..."

Lyle's eyes slowly drifted shut as the robot droned on past the 45 minute mark.

"...prepare now to gaze upon his wonder, his splendor, his grace and beauty! Prepare to be bored beyond imagining by his penchant for endless tedious speeches!"

Having allready been bored beyond imagining, Lyle started to drool a little as he slept in the chair he had been given at the cluster's negotiating table.

"...Behold the magnificent, the majestic, the officious and pretentious Master of All He Surveys! The One and Only Manga Khan!"

A dramatic flash of light and Manga Khan, master of the Cluster, entered the negotiating room. "Look upon me and dread, for mere mortals cannot hope to match my powers, my wisdom, my wit and turn of phrase, my unsurpassed ability to..."

*SNORE*

"Umm, m'lord?"

"Yes, J-Lo?" Manga Khan said to the attractive (to another robot) female robot.

"He seems to have fallen asleep."

"Well, WAKE HIM!!"

"Yes, m'lord." J-Lo the robot motored around the table and slapped Lyle in the face. "WAKE UP, MEAT UNIT!!"

"What? What? I'm up, I'm up!! Yes sir, no sir, all ready, Cosmic Boy!" Lyle blinked. "What?"

"You are in the presence of the great Manga Khan, Lord High Master of the Cluster and all that other crap I just said."

"Right, right." Lyle checked his watch... almost an hour just to get through the titles? Grife, J'onn was right. "I'm Lyle Norg, inventor, medic, super hero, scientist and technician extraordinaire of Young Justice, of Earth."

"What a pathetic, small name for a pathetic, small mortal," continued Manga Khan. "It only serves to illustrate the sheer inferiority, the hopelessness, the dimness, the..." Superlative after superlative rolled off of Manga Khan's tongue as he meandered on to no real point. Bored nearly to the point of tears, Lyle took out his omnicom and started fiddling.

Hmmm... interesting. Twenty minutes into Khan's speech, with him showing no signs of stopping, Lyle took out a hormonal adjuster and aimed it at Khan, pressing three buttons in rapid succession. Instantly, Khan shut up.

The J-Lo robot looked back and forth between Khan and the devise. Finally, she spoke. "What did you just do?"

"My scans indicated that Manga Khan suffers from a rare chemical imbalance known as Soliloquania. I corrected the imbalance, temporarily. he should be good for three or four hours."

"Amazing."

"Isn't it? In the meanwhile, perhaps you and I could conduct the negotiations while your master sit's quietly?"

"Of course, of course. What did you have in mind."

"Well," began Lyle, "for starters, I noticed that your catalogue included supplies of Bgztllian Phase-Cloth..."

Phase Two: Assembly

The Secret Volcano Lair Launch Bay, Mid November

Kevlar... Nomex... multiple layers... throw in the colored cloth... voila! And, now, to add the phase cloth...

An extremely exacting process, Lyle had had to make the entire gift by hand. It had taken hours, and two attempts (since the first one would have been lucky to fit a five year old after some botched measurements). Now, finally, his present for Robin was complete.

Smiling, Lyle ran one last scan to make sure that all was in order... indeed, it was... and put it in it's box to await Christmas Eve delivery.

Phase Three: Delivery

Bludhaven, Chistmas Eve

Now, suddenly, being here, hovering right over the building where Tim Drake was now living, Lyle was nervous.

Asside from a few minutes here or there, he hadn't really... interacted... with Robin since before his father had died.

Lyle didn't know what to do.

He didn't know what to say.

And he definitely didn't know if he could face Tim directly, not knowing what he knew, knowing that he could have prevented the whole thing...

He abandonned his earlier plans to simply sneak in and put the present, wrapped in its black and white paper and with a handwritten card on top, under the tree.

Instead, he set the cloaked sub-orbital plane to hover over the building and turned himself invisible, stepping out with the present and floating down to the window ledge. He left the present on the ledge where it wouldn't fall, and tapped on the window to get Tim's attention. That done, he returned to the plane and promptly flew away, before the window had even been opened.

The envelope read "To: Tim, From: Lyle Merry Christmas"

The card read

Dear Tim,

I've been working on this card for weeks now, and I've gone through about 50 different versions. Now, here I sit on Christmas Eve, and I still don't know what to say. I guess I'll just write and see where it goes.

I can't say I know what you're going through. I've spent almost every Christmas away from my parents, but they were always in the company of my surrogate family the Foccarts, or my teammates of the Legion. I've never gone through what you must be going through, so I won't insult you by pretending to know how it feels.

All I can say is that I hope things get better, and I am here for you if you need me. I hope you try to have some semblance of a happy holiday anyway.

Merry Christmas,

Lyle Norg

Inside the box is a cape, identical to Robin's normal cape in all respects except for being about 2 ounces heavier. Folded up into it is a handwritten note.

Cape 2.0-

Identical to your current cape, with one addition- a very thin layer of Bgztllian Phase Cloth, which prevents individuals with phasing capabilities from passing through it. The cloth remains solid even for someone who is normally capable of passing through solid matter. Designed and used by the residents of Bgztl, who are all capable of phasing (like Legionnaire Apparition, who I believe you have met). Guarenteed 100% effective against all scientific phasers. Not guarenteed against magic phasers- will work on most, but some very powerful magic users might get through. Cape is 2.152 ounces heavier than your normal capes, so it might affect your balance; I don't know if you'll want to wear it all the time. I hope you find it useful. I figured you'd appreciete a practical present.

-Lyle

(Hey! Double post?! No fair Jim. Give the others a chance to post huh? Oh well, guess I'll just have to writer around it. Don't worry, we'll get back to your gift later.)

---

Unfortunantely, Invisible Kid's present wouldn't be found for a long while, as earlier that evening...

Tim Drake thrashed against his blankets wildly, as if trying to escape.

The dreams were back. Truth be told, they never left, but they were a bit less frequent than they had been two months ago. Darla, Stephanie, Troia, Omen, his mother, his father...

All people he had cared about. All people he couldn't save.

"Wake up... Tim, wake up... Come on short-round..." whispered a soft voice. A black gloved hand reached down and shook the sleeping teen's shoulder gently, but to no avail. "Alright... you asked for it..."

Tim was then rudely ripped from his dreams, when he found himself being flipped off his mattress and going headfirst onto the floor of the bedroom. Rolling over Tim saw a smug looking Nightwing grinning down at him, while leaning up against the overturned matress.

"You know a glass of water in the face is a bit more traditional..." Tim grumbled.

"Yeah, but the face you make then is never as funny."

"Ha, ha..." Tim drolled. "Now I know why Oracle was always updating her security systems for you and Bruce." Tim stood up and untangled himself from the bedsheets and Nightwing let out a whoop of laughter.

"Nice boxers Timmy-boy. Bet Bruce would love those."

Tim looked down at his Superman boxer shorts and then back at Dick. "Like you're one to talk, Grayson. Alfred showed me those pictures of you in the Superman under-roos."

"Hey, I was nine years old at the time! I didn't know any better."

"Right..." Tim mocked as he pushed past his 'older-brother' and grabbed for the night robe hanging on the door. "So is there a reason you've broken into my nest, or are you just being the ghost of christmas pain in the ass?"

"Get into costume. We're going out."

((I figured it wouldn't be a problem, since the first post didn't actually involve any other characters; it was just prologue.))

December 24th

Gar Logan did his best not to run out of the small theatre. The last three groups had been really, really, really, really, <insert 20-30 more reallys), really boring. And everyone had asked his opinion on their work, like they really cared what he thought.

But now, Gar was going home to the Tower, where he would go to sleep and then in the morning wake up, have breakfast while Vic did his thing, then they go down to the tree, open presents...

'CRAP!' Gar had forgotten to buy something for Cyborg. He had gotten everyone else on his list, Kid Flash, Starfire, Superboy, Wonder Girl. He had even found stuff for Harm and Raven. But he had forgotten Cyborg. His best pal for many years, and he had forgotten him.

'I am such an idiot!' he thought as he quickly changed into a bird and flew in the direction of the nearest Radio Shack.

Once clad in his costume again, Robin climbed out onto his apartment's rooftop. Nightwing was sitting on the roof-ledge, cross-leged wearing of all things a Santa Claus hat. The older vigilante smiled at Robin before tossing him a matching hat.

"Put this on," he instructed.

Robin caught the hat and stared at it before looking back at Nightwing. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope, now put on the hat Short-Round, before I put it on for you," Nightwing replied. He pressed a switch on his guantlet and moments later a large sleek jet flew over head, completely in silence. Robin gazed up at the jet before scowling at Nightwing.

"Conspicuious much?"

"Oh get over it Scrooge," Nightwing said. "The jet doesn't make a sound, most people are asleep and those who aren't probably just came to believe in Santa Claus again. Now come on. We've got a long night ahead of us."

Two long ropes dropped down from the jet, and Nightwing took a hold on the first one, before getting lifted off the ground. Robin paused for a while and shook his head.

He had expected to spend Christmas Eve by himself. But if there was one thing he knew, it was that no one could stop Nightwing when he had a mission. Reluctantly he placed the hat on his head and grabbed the cord.

Once he had seated himself in the jet, he let out a sigh. "Okay, I'm here. Now what?"

"You'll see..." Nightwing grinned, before the jet blasted off into the night.

Rachael stretched and pulled herself up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. How long had she been asleep?
She untangled herself from the white cotton sheets and sat on the edge of the bed, hands on kneees, staring at the clock and the day by day calendar next to it. eight am. Christmas eve. .....she'd overslept.

Yawning, she stood up and stretched once again, then looked around her room while rubbing the back of her neck.

Well, at least the packing was all done and almost all tyhe christmas presents she had to go and give out tomarrow were wrapped, and she had spent at least two or three hours on patrol last nhight. She smiled, feeling a sense of productiveness.....but somehow it didn't at all feel complete. Even though it was chriswtmas eve, it certainly didn't feel like it.


She felt her stache growl loudly and headed for kitchen, serraching the fridge, and pulling out a large container of breakfast brown rice and a fork,prepared a nioce caffiene, digging in.

As she ate, she looked around the empty apartment. ....This wasn't right. Christmas was supposed to be spent with family: alfred, her, and anybody who knew a thing or two about baking in the kitchen; tower by sunrise to open presents. Not to much different than how she and her pother family had spent christmas back at her 'other home'.....cept for the late night patrol.

This was would be the first christmas she would be waking up on christmas alone. She knew it wasn't right, like she had thought before, christmas should be spent with .loved ones.

A tad sense of lonliness creeping in, she wondered how she ever thought that she'd enjpy being single (and now independent) again. She wasn't desperate now or anything, and npt so lonely that she couldn't stand it....yet. But she just felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled. Like the saying goes "No one wants to be alone at christmas time."

Rachael shook her head, polished off her breakfast, and pulled on a pair of sneakers. Being here and having enough time to even THINK about this stuff was beging to creep her out.

She was going for a walk. At least there was other human contact out there that didn't want to richochet her with bullets.

Within a few minutes Nightwing's jet had cleared out of Bludhaven's airspace and was now entering the Gotham's. Nightwing was humming christmas tunes to himself, while Robin sat in the backseat, drumming his fingers on the side of the cockpit in a bored manner. He couldn't figure out what possible reason there was for Nightwing to fly all the way up to the 'Haven, just to pick him up and force him into a Santa Hat.

It wasn't that Tim didn't appreciate Dick's visit or the fact that he came to him for help, but it seemed unnecessary. After all, Falcon, Batgirl and Batman were still working in Gotham, so it wasn't like the city was undermanned.

As Dick suddenly switched his humming to the Chimpmunk's Christmas song, Tim started to grow even more impatient. "Would you PLEASE tell me what is going on, Dick?"

Nightwing rolled his eyes, and adjusted a few of the jet's consoles. "Not yet, grasshopper," he replied. "Can't ruin the suprise, you know."

"Aw come on, Dick," Tim moaned falling back into his seat. "What is it? Arkhamn breakout? Black Mask trying to steal from the Gotham Opera Charity again? Did you piss off Alfred again and need an alibi? What?!"

"Cool it, Tim," Dick replied. "You'll find out right about...." The Jet began to dropped down and gazing out the window, Tim realized that they were landing on top of Leslie Thompkins Clinic down in Crime Alley. "....Now."

The Jet landed without making a sound, and with a soft 'hiss' the doors opened. Nightwing leapt out of the cockpit like a child on their birthday, while Tim was a bit more relaxed in his exit.

Leslie Thompkin's stood on the snow-covered rooftop, wrapped tightly in a violet colored trenchcoat with a soft red scarf wrapped around her neck. Her aging face lit up at the sight of Dick and quickly embraced him in a tight hugh.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to make it this year," she said.

"Are you kidding?" Nightwing said in mock hurt. "I'd never miss this for the world, doc. Its tradition."

"Where's...?"

"He got caught up with on case, but he promised to meet us there. But don't worry, we've got another little helper." Nightwing pointed back towards Robin who was standing there in fompletely confusion.

Leslie smiled at the sight of him and nodded brightly. "Tim, its good to see you again," she said, pulling him into a hug. "How are you doing? Eating well?"

Tim pulled back from the hug with a small smile. "Yes, I'm eating as well as I can. Bludhaven's defiently a big change from Gotham, but I'm holding it together."

"And your step-mother?"

Robin's face fell and his shoulders drooped slightly. "She's... um... not so great."

A long awkward silence fell, before Nightwing finally cleared his throat. "So Doc, is everything set?"

Leslie nodded a bit and turned towards the excited vigilante. "Ready to go, Dick. Everything arrived this morning. Now you just gotta finish the job."

"Okay, enough is enough," Robin interupted loudly. "Would someone PLEASE tell me what is going on?"

"You didn't tell him?" Leslie asked Nightwing with a look that was a mixture of amusement and stern annoyance.

"Obviously not," Dick answered with a cheeky smile.

"Well come on then," Leslie said with a shake of her head. "Follow me."

The doctor led Nightwing and Robin down into the clinic and into one of the examination room. As Leslie opened the door, Robin was suprised by what he found. The entire room was filled head-to-toe with bags full of presents wrapped in festive christmas paper.

"What's all this?" Tim asked.

"Robin, my lad, tonight you get the honor of being Satanta Claus," Nightwing said wrapping an arm around his little brother's shoulder.

"Huh?"

Nightwing got a remaniscent look about him, and walked over to one of the bags and picked up a teddy bear with a large bow tied around its stomach. "Its one of the few Christmas traditions that Bruce and I ever shared. You see there was an orphanage fire on Christmas Eve the first year that I was living with Bruce. I had been in the Child Welfare Service system for a while, you know, and after Bruce took me in, well it just made me so sad and angry that the kids there, who had already lost so much had also lost Christmas, too. And so I had asked Bruce to do something."

Robin raised an impressed eyebrow. "So you and Bruce took them presents?"

"They took them Dick's presents," Leslie replied, caused Tim to let out a suprised gasp.

"I didn't need them," Dick said. "I had Bruce and Alfred after all. That was all I needed. But those poor kids. I couldn't let them miss out a Christmas."

"When the next Christmas came around," Leslie continued, "Dick presented Bruce with a complete plan of how they would visit the orphanage again, and Bruce of course agreed to go along with it."

"And we've been doing it ever since." Dick finished.

"So why...?" Tim began to ask.

"Tim, you're part of the family. Its only fair you join in on the holiday fun."

Robin felt himself blush, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by this. He had never even known about this, and he had been Robin for over four years now. He honestly didn't know what to say at being invited on this.

"Come on," Leslie said, placing a hand on Tim's shoulder. "Lets load up that jet of yours. Those kids aren't getting any younger."

With a deep sigh Will put Cassie's gift into a small black box. He couldn't believe her mom actually agreed to let him spend Christmas with them. Then again she also agreed to have Marx, Duo and Greta there as well. After all Cassie was the only one of them that actually had a home. Will, Greta and Duo were more or less orphans while Marx was away from his dimension. While Cassie's mom letting the others come didn't surprise him too much, the last time he'd seen her she was throwing him out of her house. I mean, sure she walked in and they were laying on Cassie's bed but come on....okay maybe from a mother's perspective it was the right thing to do. The only thing he could fathom was that either Cassie begged her to allow him, or she felt bad because of the condition he was in after he was attacked by Vicious. To be honest he didn't know if he preferred her hating him or pitying him.

After he'd finished wrapping Cassie's gift and put it in the glove department of the PM, he thought about the others he still had to buy. He despised waiting until the last minute to find them, but he couldn't help it. Cassie tended to be his first priority, he totally forgot about everyone else and if Greta ever found out he forgot to get her a present she'd kill him, even if she helped him decide what to get Cassie. Of course normally he'd ask for help to buy them, but since he was buying them for his friends he couldn't very well ask them, it'd spoil the surprise. Getting out the car he looked at all the other people who were doing they're last minute shopping. "You know, this would be so much easier if everyone else hadn't waited until the last minute as well." Dropping his head, Will made his way into the crowded mall.

---

Meanwhile at Elias, Marx was once again hanging there despite the "no boys" rule of the school. Of course with his superspeed he'd yet to be caught there, and nobody there who knew of him was actually surprised to see him anymore. Of course the only one's in the know were Cassie, Greta, Cissie, Traya, and of course Duo. He didn't know how she was doing it, but somehow despite the fact that he'd literally looked over the dorm up and down he couldn't find Duo's gift for him. He knew she got him at least one, he was starting to think that she didn't have it in the dorm. Which rose the question where could it be, the only other place he could think of was Will's room...and yeah, he wasn't going to look there. With a defeated sigh he turned back to the TV and began flipping through the channels before his eyes opened wide. "Oooo! 'Nightmare before Christmas'! I love this movie!"

"Oh yeah!" Adam hollered opening his gift. A set of dvd's for martial arts movies. "Seet, Bruce Lee, Fists of Fury, Jackie Chan, Master with Cracked fingers, do you have ANY idea how hard it is to get this movie? Brandon Lee, Laser mission! Sonny Chiba, Street fighter. And its NOT the horrendous version based on the video game. This rules!"

His mother laughed. "I thought you'd enjoy that."

"Oh yeah!" He said hugging her.

"Hey hey, little bro. I got you something too."

"Wow, and I thought college life was too expensive..." Adam said opening the other present. "Cool, a gift card for K-mart..."

"Yeah yeah." May laughed. "You got ME a ticket for Mcdonalds."

"Hey...i was working up to a BETTER gift..."

"Suuuure."

"Oh mom, now its time for YOUR present."

Jun looked a bit surprised that her children had gotten her something, but opened the present none-the-less. It was a framed family photo of her, Adam, May, and Enoki. "Its great." She said with a smile.
(Adam's present based on a gift I got this year. YEA GO KUNG-FU MOVIES!)

“And you’re sure we have everything right?? Because I can always fly to wherever and get something!!” Cassie Was rushing about making sure everything was perfect, all the cushions on the couch were perfect, the tree lights were lit and the gifts to her friends were nestled together in bright coloured paper.
“Calm down Cassie! Anyone would think the Queen of England was coming to see us.” Helen Sandsmark, the host of this teen seasonal gathering said with a laugh as her daughters face dropped.
“She’s not is she?! OhGod!OhGod!OhGod!! We have no English teeeea!!” Cassie danced about, knocking stuff from the neat pile it had been collected into onto the floor.
“Ok…Breathe!! She’s not coming, we need no tea and the place is fine!” Helen grabbed Cassie at the shoulders to calm her. As they both tidied the dance mess she tried to certify the ‘friends’ “I know Cissie…but she’s with her mom right?”
Cassie nodded “Yeah, their having a quiet Christmas with no archery involved, though I think she said her mom’s interested in her agent….Now who else?”
“Greta who was in YJ with you I remember her from the photos you showed me. Mar…x….has the glowing eyes, from another dimension? Then theres ....Duo? She's got some issues i think you said so she'll be with Marx mostly and she has pure black eyes??"
"Yuhuh, all correct, but who are we forgetting?....Come on...I know you can't have forgotten!!" The young blonde's eyes were wide.
Helen shook her head, the memory of her throwing Will out re appearing in her mind, the fact that her daughter had returned a little while later fairly beaten, no Will to be found. Cassie had cried the whole day and not really explained why. Only that he'd 'Left her' Which she took to mean broken up. but now....
"Oh I remember alright, Long hair, Dark eyes, Violent if i remember right......I have nightmares about that boy"
"Your not the only one" Cassie said under her breathe "Wait...Violent? He's really sweet! Mom!....Mom!!"
But by now her mom had moved her cleaning into the kitchen and was checking on the food that cassie had helped make.
Quietly wondering what her mom meant she finished cleaning, stepping back to look over her work she accidently stepped on the remote. As the TV flicked on Cassie settled down to wait for her friends. "Oh!! 'Nightmare before Christmas'!! I love this movie!!"

'T'was the Night before Christmas...'

Robin couldn't help but feel that old story was more than appropiate for tonight. Not just because it was Christmas Eve, mind you, but rather what they were going to do.

During it tenure as Robin, Tim had been on many a mission. Some of the upmost seriousness and others... well not so serious. But this one felt like it could be one of the best in his career. Because tonight was something greater than justice. Tonight was a night for a good-old fashion miracle.

Nightwing silently landed the sleak black jet upon the rooftop of the Robert Kane Memorial Orphanage with the upmost ease. After doing this for nearly twenty-years now, Dick knew the plan like the back of his hand. After all, he had been the one to come up with it.

It was always a tricky game, even if through the years the orphanage staffhad become quite complicit with their vigilante Santa Clauses.

The cockpit window slid open and both the vigilantes leapt out to examine the scene. "You sure he's going to come?" Robin asked, slipping a hand under his Santa hat to scratch his head.

"Its Batman," Nightwing replied. "And if I know Batman, then he is right..."

"Here," grunted a voice, followed by Batman melting out from the shadows as pre-usual. "Is everything prepared?"

"Geeze, even on Christmas you make things sound like a life and death mission," Nightwing chuckled with a roll of his eyes. "Yes, everything is ready. As always."

Batman nodded his head, and both Tim and Dick could swear they saw his lips twitch upwards slightly.

"We saw that," Dick said off-handedly.

Batman ignored his son's jibe and turned to Robin. "Its good you could make it, Robin," he said in a somewhat softer tone. Robin didn't reply, but nodded his head in thanks.

"Alrighty..." Nightwing then said clapping his hands together and rubbing them. "Let's do this thing."

Duo walked back into her room to see Marxy sprawled out in front of the television, watching the Nightmare before Christmas with wide eyes excitement, happily singing the lyrics to songs as skeleton Jack pranced around in his new discovery of "Christmas Town".

She smiled fondly, with the year that her and her friends had been forced to endure she was pretty sure that they could have given the "Nightmare before Christmas" a run for it's money!

For the first time in a long while Duo was in a genuinely off the wall good mood, it was her first Christmas in 55 years!!! The first time in all that while that she was granted the ability to be genuinely happy and actually had something to be thankful for...even if she never would have expected the form in which it would come, she thought looking at Supersonic.

Duo walked further into the room, flopping down next to Marxy and she rested her head on his shoulder, a big goofy grin on her face, in truth she thought that she might have been more excited about Christmas this year then Super, and with his hyper activeness that was hard to do!

"I see you've given up on the present hunting, don't give me an innocent look Marxy I know you have been looking!!!" She said laughing, her attention half between mockingly scolding Marxy and the Nightmare before Christmas.

Will looked around nervously before turning his attention back to the clothes rack. He really hated these stores, okay, he didn't really hate the stores it was just being seen in a women's clothes store really messes up your macho factor. Then again what are the chances that anyone he knows would be....actually maybe it'd be better not to finish that sentence. Looking through the rack, Will picked out long sleeved dark red shirt with a jagged design on the front. "Hm, Greta should like this, I know better than to get her beige. She gets enough of that color 'on job'. Plus it goes with the black pants." Will said to himself as he held the two articles of clothing together. "You know there's a matching pair of jeans and a jacket to go with that top." Will turned around to see young woman looking intently at him, her eyes going back and forth between him and the top. "Um...thank you, but that's alright. I already have something to go with it, and if it's not already a set that just means it'll be that much more-" "Unique?" The woman finished Will's sentence before a smile started to from on her face. "Well now don't you have a good sense of fashion."

Will's eyes immediately went wide as his cheeks began to burn. Finally he rolled his eyes slightly and looked away. "So I've been told." He didn't want to admit that since he'd first gone to the mall with Cassie, he'd been shopping with her countless times. And she loved clothes stores. "I've seen you around here before. With that blonde girl. A couple of times in fact." ...oh well...so much for that. "Yeah. She's my girlfriend, really loves shopping." He said, trying to keep from blushing further. The woman's expression got a little more serious as she looked at him. "You know...I was wondering. After the holidays we're going to be a little short staffed. Would you be interested? You seem like a natural." Once again Will's eyes shot open. "Um..." The request completely caught him offguard, to be honest he never even thought about getting a job before. His mind was always on either becoming the best villain, or making up for what he did when he was, maybe one would be a good idea...but..."...I'm flattered. Really I am, but..." "This isn't really the place for you." The woman began to laugh slightly as Will's expression when she finished his sentence again. "Well, yeah. I think it would clash.." Will gave a slight glance at the bright pink top right next to him and back to the black shirt he was wearing which made the woman break into a fit of laughter.

"Well the offer's open if you ever change your mind. Would you like me to ring that up?" She made a motion to the outfit in Will's hand giving him a warm smile. "Yeah, sure." Will said as he gave her the outfit. Leaving the store, Will's mind went back to the thought of having a job. It wouldn't be too big of a deal since the Titans mainly met on the weekends, he'd just need one with flexible hours. Then the music store that he'd played for Cassie in on they're first unofficial date caught his attention. "Hm..."

---

"I see you've given up on the present hunting, don't give me an innocent look Marxy I know you have been looking!!!"

Super faked a shocked look before he gave Duo a smile as he put one of his arms around her, playfully pulling her closer to him. "Only for now. Mark my words, Duo. I will find those presents. And you know what? I'm not even going to open them. I'm going to find them just so I can say I did. And victory will be mine!" Marx exclaimed as he used his other hand to shake his fist which was morphed into a huge flag with "VICTORY!" written on it. He knew that Duo hadn't had a real Christmas since her previous life. Like all the holidays, he really wanted to make sure she enjoyed herself. Especially after all the things that had happened to them lately. His one hope was that they would just have a nice, uneventful time at Cassie's house. Okay maybe not uneventful, he would be there after all, Super and uneventful were mortal enemies that stayed away from each other at all costs.

"Though I would like to point out that you didn't find your gifts either." Marx taunted as he stuck out his tongue, morphing it almost three times it's normal length. While he didn't know where Duo had hid her gifts, he knew where he'd hid his, in the last place she'd ever think to look...you know...it'd be just straight up ironic if they actually hid they're presents in the same place. Turning back to the movie, Super began to quietly sing along with the next song. "I bet you Cassie's watching this."

Wrapping her thick winter coat around her tightly for warmth, Rachael started out at a brisk walking, taking in everything around.
It was an unusual, but nice, change for Gotham. People everywhere hurrying about bussily doing last minute shopping. Kids draging their parents into stores and bouncing about happily, friends laughing cheefully to themselves, coulpes huddling closer together for warmth and sake of being close. There were a few scrouges everywhere, but for the most part, Gotham seemed.....different this holiday season.....Had she by some chance entered the twilight zone or were people actualy this excited about christmas.

The more she thought about it, the more her pace quickened. From the light brisk walk to afasterone.

Why was it that everyone seemed so excited about it and yet she felt....nothing. At least as far as holiday spirit was concerned.

Her quick walk turned into a jog.

What was it? was it the fact that everyone else had someone to be excited about the holidays with and yet, as far as day by day seemed, she had no one? Sure, she still had Dick, Tim, Bruce, Alfred and Cassie around. That was alot of someones. But, for whatever reason.....

Her jog turned into a fullout run and she raced down the street, arms pumping and breathing hard. Running as if there was nothing else in the world.

Something was missing....but what?

Rachael continued her race with herself and her thoughts...


What had happened these past few months?When had the hole in the pit of her stomach started and why was it just now wanting to filled.
And with what?
She felt lonely. She wasn't exactly alone. Not when you consider it. She had people who cared about her, even if some of them were a bit far away.
To her, it didn't feel like christmas. Yet it was blasted to her in every way, shape, and form.
Something wasn't right. But why? She was doing what she always wanted. She finnally really felt like a member of the batclan, she no longer felt like she didn't belong. And even outside the batclan, so it seemed, she was following her dream. Oracle had her enrolled in the best art schoo lin Gotham. So she was doing what she loved.
She had lost alot of stuff in the bomb at the Clocktower. But most of it had been replaced. Save a few sketch books and pictures of "old flames".
Old flames...
Her and Tim definiitely had the bouts of coolness, awkwardness, and such. But even though they were no long in a romantic relationship, things were in the beginning of patching up so they could at least aybe reestablish their old friendship they had before the went out.

Despite all the things that should have led to a fullfiling life, it was undeniable to her:
Something was missing.
What?
What could be missing that should have been as obvious as broad daylight but....well, wasn't
Wasn't she too young to be feeling this way?
What could be causing this?
She wasn't exactly 'depressed'. She was pretty happy, but still.....

By the time she had left her thoughts, nearly half an hour to an hour had passed and Rachael had run a far ways. All the way from her apartment in the more modenst, middle class of up town, almost all the way to where uptown and downtown Gotham met.

Not slowing her un for a second, she hurtled over a metal railing to a four foot drop to the lowed grounds, landing on it in a crouch. Standing up, she leaned downwards in exauted breaths, hands on knees, and dripping with perspiration.
What was missing?

Rachael wiped her brow on her forearm and headed to a nearby water foutain to rehydrate. She sipped the cool refreshing water from the bronze fountain and sat down on a nearby bench to catch her breath.

All these thoughts were swimming around in her head and yet she didn't know what to think. She was feeling a little better now that she had run things out, but not much.
"What the hecks wrongwith me?" She muttered, shaking her head and standing back up. She streched out her legs and got ready for the long walk back to her apartment.
She took a deep breath and started the long walk back when something,or actualy the voice of 'someone' stopped her dead in her tracks.

" 'Ello Rachael, luv."

It was deadly quiet in the gymnasium of the Robert Kane Memorial Orphanage. On the far left of the basketball court had been positioned a massive fraiser fur tree decorated in blinking multi-colored lights, and adorened in red and gold bows. And for over an hour three living shadows worked tiredlessly on thei duty.

Reaching into his sack, Nightwing pulled out yet another large box wrapped in red paper of tied with a green bow. "I still think you should have put on the hat I brought," he told Batman with a Cheshire grin.

"If I didn't put on the hat or reigndeer antlers when you were 9, what chance do you thing you have now?" he asked sarcastically.

"My boyish charms and the fact that I have nearly twenty-years of Christmas related blackmail material and a JLA com-link." Batman's eyes narrowed dangerously and a frightening low growl left his throat causing Nightwing gulped nervously. "Just kidding..." he amended quickly, and held the bag upside down. "This ones empty. What else we got?"

Batman folded his own bag across his arm and examined their work with a critical eye. Even in the gleam of Christmas lights there was no mistaking the somewhat intimdating pose of Gotham's Dark Knight. "I believe we still have one last bag left in the jet," he said.

"I'll go get it," Robin replied and exiting the the gym. The hallways of the orphanage were as silent as the gymnasium, and so no one took notice of the lone figure moving about and traveling up to the rooftop of the building.

After grabbing the final sack from the jet's luggage area, Robin returned into the hallways lugging it over his shoulder. Tim hadn't admited it aloud but he had honestly found himself enjoying himself this Christmas Eve.

It had been a long time since he had done something that wasn't life or death related, and even longer since he did it with Batman and Nightwing, both of which were also having a good time. Even Batman. The good natured jibes being shared between the father and son was honestly a rarity, and this made Tim wonder if this had been what life had been like back in the old days of the original Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin.

Sure they got along great now a days, especially after their long estrangement, but the interaction between them was a Christmas Miracle in itself.

Tim felt a pang of unexpected sadness in his heart. He knew it was stupid, but he really did envy Batman and Nightwing. A father and son reunited. He'd never have that sort of relationship again.

Robin froze in mid-step when his heightened alertness kick in. He could hear the sound of someone in bare feet trying to tip-toe down the hall silently. Someone was following him. And it wasn't Batman or Nightwing.

"I know you're there," Robin said turning about to see a small red-headed boy with freckles and brown eyes peak out from around the corner of the hallway clutching a beaten old stuffed aligator. He was a very small child, somewhat sickly in appearance but Tim judged him to be no older than 7 years old. Even in the darkened hallway, one could see that the boy had been crying.

"Hi," said the boy in a soft and somewhat nervous voice. "Are you Santa Claus? You're too little to be Santa. And you're not fat. And you're dressed kinda funny. You aren't Santa are you?"

Robin's eyebrow raised and he felt a smile tugging at his lips. "Umm... no I'm not Santa... per say," he answered. "Aren't you up a little past you bedtime, kid?"

The small boy shrugged. "No one cares," he said softly.

Robin looked someone suprised, but his face softened. "What's you name kiddo?"

"Jimmy."

"Well Jimmy, my name is Robin. I'm kinda of giving Santa a hand this Christmas. So, wanna tell my why you're up so late?"

"I couldn't sleep," the little boy said softly, whipping a tear from his eyes. "Some big kid said Santa wasn't coming. That he wasn't real. But my daddy always said that he was real."

Robin frowned slightly. "What happened to your daddy?"

"He... He went away," Jimmy whispered. "Mrs. Lampert... she lived next door to me and daddy, she said he was in an accident. I-I miss him..."

"I'm sorry," Robin said softly. "My dad went away too. Just a few months ago."

"Do you miss him?"

Robin did his best to fight back the tears under his the lenses of his mask. "Every single day," he whispered.

Rachael turned around slowly to see what she already realized would be there. No way this was Impossible...
"Vic?" she blinked, her eyes scannin over the bleached blond, green eyed, tall Irish man in front of her." What are you....doing here?" fumbling over her words
Victor McCloud. A summer romance from her time training in asia under the guide of Richard Dragon. A million questions raced through her mind and in that moment, she realized her state and felt embarreseed.
er hair was combed bck, but she had o make up on, sweat pants, thick winter jacket, a little sweaty...."Oh god, I look terrible." She said in self awareness, Amidst all that, a bright blush creeped along her cheeks before she finnaly drove it back to her ears as she waited for him to say something.

(Okay kids, Falcon asked that I play Vic, for those curious. I'll post for Robin again later.)

"Ye look gorgeous, pet," Vic said with his best devilish grin and thick accent. His bleach blonde hair was cut somewhat differently than it had been last they saw each other, but his peircing eyes, high masculine cheek bones and swagger expressions were the same as always. "As always."

He shifted somewhat awkardly, like he wanted to move in for a hug or kiss, but didn't follow through. He wasn't certain if that kind of thing would be welcomed. After all, it had been nearly 6 months since Rachel left Asia.

"An' ta answer ye question, I'm on holiday," he said. "Old Dragon gave me a wee bit of time off, and I thought to meself, 'where would be the best place to spend Christmas?' Well, where better than good old Gotham City USA? Have some of those cheesestakes I'm always hearin' 'bout and get away from Dragon and Tiger."

He grinned a bit before shifting once again uncomfortably. "Truth be told luv, I just missed ye."

Rachael blinked, dumbfounded and at a loss for words. She brought the edges of her mouth up into a small smile for a second before dropping it into a more serious look.
"Um....I honestly don't really know what to say, Vic.. It's been awhile, I thought you would have..." Moved on? Maybe a day, a week or so after she left? Trying to think of something, anything to say she rubbed the back of her neck with her lleft hand uncomfortably.
It wasn't like she was the only one though. He didnt really look like he was to much at ease either. "Would you--uh...would you like to maybe get a cup of coffee or something?"

Vic shifted his weight again, uncomfortably. "Umm... this would probably be the point where ye called me a creepy stalker and beat the hell out of me," he said with weak grin.

"That sound like a brillant idea," Vic said with a sigh of relieve. He hadn't been certain how Rachael would react to him showing up in Gotham unnannounced, but so far so good.

---

A long silence fell between the two orphanes, neither one quiet certain what to say next. Robin had dropped the large sack on the ground behind him, while Jimmy kicked his bare feet against the cold hallway floor, as he tightened his grip on his stuffed aligator.

"What's his name?" Robin asked suddenly, causing the boy too look up with wide eyes.

"Gator."

Robin let out a chuckle. "Of course. Well, did Gator want something for Christmas this year?"

Jimmy nodded saddly. "Daddy."

Robin winced slightly, realizing that he had walked into that one. If he had been Jimmy's age when Jack died, he'd have said the same thing. "Well, that's kind of a tall order, Jimmy," Robin said sadly.

"I know. But I really miss him." Tears began to fall freely form the boy's eyes. "Why... Why did he have to go?"

Another silence fell between the two boys, before Robin finally stepped forward and knelt before the boy. "Jimmy, come here," he said, holding out his hand. The boy looked uneasy at the masked teen before him, but nodded and moved next to him. "When I lost my dad, I asked myself that same question. But then I remembered that no matter what, he loved me. And that he wouldn't want me to be unhappy. I'm certain that your dad is the same way."

"But... I miss him so much."

Robin nodded saddly. "I know you do. But your dad loved you, Jimmy. And you loved him. So as long as you remember him, he'll always be with you..." Robin pointed to Jimmy's heart. "...right here."

"Really?"

"Positive."

The neck instant took Robin by suprise when Jimmy threw one of his arms around his neck, while clutching the gator tightly in his arms. At first Tim wasn't certain what to do, before he returned the small boy's embrace.

11 am
Rythm Cafe


"back to you
it always comes around
back to you
I tried to forget you
I tried to stay away
But it's too late

over you
I'm never over
over you
there's something about you
It's just the way you move
the way you move me"
Came the soft medly of the musician/guitarist on the stage in the dimly lit, bluesish cafe. The place definitely set a mood for itself.



Rachael looked up at Vic finnaly, after sitting there for what to her seemed forever but in actuality was a mere few minutes; wiping a strand of hair from her face and spoke up. "So....what are you really doing here." She siad, trying to sound emotionless. She couldn't tell wether or not if it was working.

Vic sipped his moca-latte, and weighed the answer to her question. Smacking his lips he gave a long sigh in order to draw out more time. "Well, its really like I said earlier luv," Vic replied. "I missed ye. It hasn't really been the same without ye. And I know that we agreed to just be friends after ye left, but I'll be honest with ye, Rachael. I still care for you. And I thought... maybe, you might too."

As if on cue the music from the stage had died down leaving an awkward silence between the two. "Oh bloody... that isn't fair..."

---

Lifting the small boy up into his arms, Robin smiled softly. "Come on kid. Lets get you back to bed." Jimmy had pressed his head into the Boy Wonder's shoulder and nodded.

Holding Jimmy in one hand and grabbing the bag of gifts in the other, Robin made his way down the hall towards the sleeping quarters of the orphanage for the boy residents. Opening the door, Robin saw a long chamber with beds lined up on either side. Tim walked down towards the vacant bed on the left half of the chamber and lay the child on the cot. Pulling the covers up around Jimmy he gave a smile and stood, ready to go catch up with Batman.

"Wait."

Rachael looked Vic over silently. She wanted nothing more than to except it and say: 'hey, yeah ok. I care for you to' But she couldn't. She had to be responsible about this. She had to have a level head and realize that the fuzzy warm feelings were a passing sentiment and that if she was with him, she'd have to open a swarm of secrets that weren't hers to give and ...and...

"Vic..." Rachael said seriously, fidgeting with the mouth of her cup of Carmel macchiatto."You can't just come here and expect...us to still be together. And for me to...feel the same." She was mainly a gotham girl now, but she still grew up in the south, meaning she talked with her hands alot, like as she did now. "I have a life here. I have a...a 'night-job', school, friends, family, and secrets. A LOT of secrets..... And because of that, I don't know if we would even work out...I can't be open with you, vic. And so you can't just ...I can't do this." She said with a calm, quiet voice, trying to not draw any attention. But although her voice was calm, her eyes were nervous, anxious, ...she seemed like a rabbit that had been cornerd. Attacked on her own turf. Everything else was clam, but her eyes were....scared

She pinched the bridge of her nose with her left hand and then picked up her drink, taking a quick drink before resting her elbows on the table and looking back at Vic, furrowing her brow. "Can't you see..."

Vic nodded, and took notice of the way that she kept avoiding his gaze. "What I notice, is a beautiful lass who is alone on Christmas looking like she's got the weight of the bloody world on her shoulders.

"Look, Rachael, I understand what ye are saying. And I get that ye got a life here. I get that ye got a lot of secret. But it ain't like I'm asking you to tell me your bra size ('unless you want to tell me, I won't hold it against you.' Vic chuckled a bit.) And it ain't like I'm asking you to marry me or some rot. But just cause ye're got these... wee complications, doesn't mean ye have to be alone." Vic trailed off, and his eyes shifted uneasily from Rachael's face.

"Look, I'm sorry if I've bothered ye lo- er... I mean Rachael. If ye want me to go, I'll understand," he sounded somewhat regretful, but he gave an obviously forced smile. "No harm, no foul, right? But you can't tell me this is how you wanted to spend ye're Christmas."

"Yes, it does mean I have to be alone. Thats what the suit has meant for everyone else. As for 'alone for christmas'...I don't know" rachael mumbled with down cast eyes, again taking to fidgetting with her coffee. Rachael muttered. Thing is, she didnt know if she wanted something if it was JUST for christmas. If it was JUST or a few weeks. And to her, being in a relationship was never about just having fun, it was about...something more. And she kept trying to deny it, but last summer, Vic was deffintely something more. But...she didn't know if she was ready to lay her heart on the line again. As she had before.

'The quickest way to ruin a relationship with someone is to actually have a relationship with them.'

To her, thinking about how most of bruces relationships had ended, how dick and babs relationship had ended, and how Tim and her own relationship had ended, that actualy made perfect sense.

" The truth is... I'm scared that I might really.... " she mumbled under breath, barely audible and hardly easy to process.

"Oh bullocks," Vic said with a roll of his eyes. "I may not be one of those bloody masks men, but I'm pretty sure the suit doesn't mean ye got to be alone. What about all them others who are married and even have kids, eh? Ye're friend, Ms. Lance. Her mum was one of ye, and she had a family and kid. I even heard a rumor that Superman might be hooked up with someone. And don't tell me its different for ye Gothamites. That's rubbish and ye know it."

Vic had to strain his hearing to understand what Rachael said, but he understood the gist. "That ye might... what?" he coaxed.

---

(Am I the only one whose noticed Rachael and me are the only ones to post in this section lately?)

Gar stepped out of the store with a large bag. He hadn't found the perfect gift for Cyborg, but he had found some crazy looking doodads that the big guy had been wanting to buy the other day. Something about a Trans-phooey whatchamacallit.

Deep down, Gar was glad that he was finally finished with his shopping, and he still couldn't believe that he had forgotten Cyborg.

'Well, time to get home, I guess.' he thought, 'Got to get ready for tomorrow.'

"Ok, so maybe up to now I've been talkin nothin' but B.S., but god Vic...See, this is what annoys the heck out of me. Every single time I try tocome up with a good excuse or a good argument for anything, you don't take no for an answer a nd you end up making me look like an irrational, babbling idiot. It annoys me, bewilders me, and at the same time, dammit, its what makes me want to be different." Her last few words were softer as she realized what she said, her lids droping in thought. Maybe it was time she told.....the truth for once.


"I lied to you Vic. Months ago, when I told you that the reason I didn't want to come back here was because I didn't want to face the mess I had madeof my life back in Gotham? It was a lie...I knew I could eventualy straigten things out. The real reason was because I realized I might really..." She paused a second and gathered her pride, speaking softly. " Love you. And that meant that...you could hurt me. So thats why I really left. I wasn't facing my fears by going back to gotham, I was running away from them with my tail between my legs. Which scares me even more because I have never been so afraid of being afraid or feeling incomplete.Afraid shouldn't even be in Gotham Knights vocabulary." She sat back, finnaly facing the music. Waiting for him to say something and meeting it with silence. She cleared her throat. "Annnnd.....this would be the part where you called me a 'crazy bint' and run off." she said with a little bit of strained humour and a raised brow, looking up at Vic for some kind of response

Stepping out of the music store, Will thought back to what had happened. It had been a lot easier than he thought it would be. The manager actually still remembered him from when he played in there for Cassie, after all he did attract a number of people into the store with his playing. Will tried but he couldn't completly hide his smile as he walked through the mall, despite how crowded and annoying it was getting. He had a girlfriend, a job, someplace to go for Christmas. He remembered telling Duo that her previous actions didn't define her, that who she is now is what was important. That she deserved to be happy and have fun...have a life, but when it came to him he never really thought he did. Duo was dragged into the darkness against her will, but he on the other hand sought it out, and for a time was happy with what he found. It wasn't until he met Cassie and saw the rewards of being a "good guy" that he really chose to change his ways. And now, he wouldn't change that choice for the world, he was actually happy.

Looking into the various bags he had, Will counted to make sure he got presents for everyone. "Super...Greta...Cassie's mom...who am I missing?" He definitely had the feeling that there should be another name..."DUO!" Slapping himself in the head, Will hurried to the PM, throwing the presents in the back. Looking in his pocket he took out a little slip of paper with writing on it as he pulled off. With Duo's present he wouldn't be able to get it at a mall.

Vic's eyebrows rose at the comment involving the word 'love'. At first he thought maybe he had misheard her, but the blush that had graced her cheeks was more then enough to confirm is hope.

"Crazy... okay ye got me there. Anyone who runs around in leather and spandex isn't all there," Vic said with a humours grin and scratching his chin in amusement. "But ye ain't no 'bint' and I ain't gonna run off."

Reaching out, Vic took a hold of Rachael's hand and squeezed it, as the music in the cafe began up again, playing 'Breakway' by the lass who had been in that singer reality show. "Pet, I'm not going to say I understand what life is like what that Bat-group, but me mum always said what is the point of livin' if ye don't take a bloody chance once in a while."

"So how about it? Take chance with me, maybe?"

>>~twitch~He has...a reality tv...show? Ack!!!<<
Rachael gave a weak smile. She pressed her hand in his, feeling a bit more of a blush as she did so and her smile widened a little.

Again, a million questions raced through her head. But most of them were aimed at herself. What now? What should she say? Was she out of her mind? Was she ready to do this? How long would this last? ...Did it really matter anymore? Did she care? Or would she always wonder what would have happen if she took that leap of faith, but didn't?How could she experience life if she never took a jump? How could she know how he felt? ...Did her love her too?


"I think..maybe it's time I took a few chances for a change." Rachael said, leaning forward a bit, and leaning her elbows on the table and inching forward a bit.

(No, he doesn't have a reality show. I'm talking about that Kelly Clarkson song 'Breakaway'. Don't get me wrong, I hate that girl, but that is a pretty appropriate song for Falcon and Vic at this point.)

Vic smiled a bit, and leaned in forward in his seat towards Racheal. "Maybe it is..." he whispered before, bringing his lips within a few inches of Rachael's. "Rachael, I-" but before he could finish his thought his lips pressed lightly against Rachael's.

>>Ohhhh. Okay. I read your post wrong.<<


Rachael closed her eyes and fell into the kiss. Her other arm automaticly came up and wrapped its way around his neck as their kiss got a bit deeped.
It was definitely powerful, She found herself exploring the kiss and lingering in it before finnaly pulling away, leaning her brow against his , aand her eyes opened halfway. "Wow..." their lips pressed together a second time for a slightly lighter, shorter kiss before pulling apart again. "So, what now?"