Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jesse yawned, stepping into the bathroom. Her tank top and boxers hung loosely around her, her hair a complete disaster, resting around her shoulders. She gazed at herself in the mirror above the sink and frowned. 

Christmas was soon, and she didn’t know how to handle it. Her parents gave her and Dylan the bare minimum, especially during the holidays. Sure, they were sad they didn’t get lots of toys or fun stuff, but they were always content with each other anyway. But when the AWE in Ordinary happened, Jesse was alone. She didn’t have her parents or her brother. No other extended family even existed outside of her hometown. The years she spent in foster care were hell. She was lucky if any of the adults or the kids even wished her a Merry Christmas. And the ward…

It won’t be like that now. I’ve got my family right here. 

Jesse reached for her toothbrush, running the water. She finally had a home again. She and Emily had moved into an apartment together, bringing Dylan along. That was Jesse’s only request, and of course Emily was already prepared to have him around. She wasn’t leaving him behind. As happy as she was, Jesse was still a bit frustrated and worried. She had plenty of money and space for gifts, but what could she get? The redhead already knew what Emily enjoyed: science. It wouldn’t be super easy to shop for her, but at least Jesse had a general idea. With her brother, however, she didn’t know what to buy him. And the same went for the staff at the Bureau. She had asked Arish and Marshall to keep tabs on everyone to find out what their interests were, and just last night they had both texted Jesse a very long list of ideas for each staff member. Now, her own brother was the only one she couldn’t figure out. 

I need to figure something out.

Jesse spit in the sink, washing the toothbrush off. She poured water in her mouth and swooshed it around before spitting that out as well. She left the bathroom and lazily walked back to the bedroom she shared with her girlfriend. Emily was beginning to wake up, and Jesse smiled. 

“Hey, babe.” Jesse’s voice was groggy as she crawled into the bed and wrapped her arms around her lover. 

Emily smiled back at her. “Hey.” Her voice was muddled with sleep, making Jesse chuckle.. “Any plans for Christmas?”

“Yeah,” Jesse murmured, pulling them flush. “I’m gonna host a small gift giving party at the Bureau. I talked to Arish and Langston, they’re gonna help set some stuff up. Oh, and Marshall will too.”

“Sounds great.” Emily sighed, content. “Are we doing a secret Santa kind of thing?”

“Hmm…” Jesse pondered. “I don’t know, we might. Or we can all get gifts for each other anyway. Either way I want to make sure everyone has a special gift that clicks with them.”

How many staff members do we have again? Hundreds? That’s gonna be a lot of gifts.

“Aww, Jess,” Emily caressed the redhead’s cheek, moving some stray hair from her face. “You’re the sweetest. You do realize you don’t have to buy for the entire Bureau, though, right? We have hundreds of staff.”

“That’s the thing!” Jesse spoke into Emily’s hair, holding her close and gazing out the window. “It doesn’t matter if there are ten staff members or a million. No one deserves to be left behind.”

No one. And I’ll make sure everyone feels welcome and safe. 

“Jesse,” Emily whispered, pulling away slightly. “What’s this really about?”

The Director held her breath, hesitating. They’d been dating for quite a while now, leaving little secrets between the two. Still, there were parts of each other’s lives the other didn’t know. Was Jesse ready to share this part of her? Emily squeezed her, her eyes full of love and support. Finally, she sighed. “My parents… never cared about me and Dylan all that much. Christmas was like just another day for us: dull, boring, full of fear. And after the AWE, I was put in foster care. I… was never treated nicely there. And once I got to the ward, well…” she trailed off. Talking about her time in the ward easily set her off, and Emily knew it. The blonde automatically held her tighter, gazing up with her gorgeous blue eyes. 

“It’s okay,” the scientist murmured. “You’re not there anymore. You’re safe. You’re home.” Jesse was all too used to this calming technique. Emily would always help her with her anxiety and PTSD, using breathing and sensory exercises to calm her down. 

I love her. So fucking much. 

“I know.” Jesse breathed. “Just… holidays weren’t an option there. The only reason I ever knew what day it was was when they’d offhandedly mention it when they recorded our sessions. And then afterwards… let’s just say holidays aren’t my biggest priority when it comes to myself.” She looked down at her lover then kissed the top of her head. “But now I have a reason to want to be festive. I’ve got you, my brother, the FBC. It’s finally okay . And no one deserves to feel left out or forgotten this Christmas. Not like I was.”

Emily smiled before leaning up to kiss her. “You’re fucking amazing, Jesse Faden. I love you.” She grinned, rolling over to straddle the redhead. Her underwear and small t-shirt were tight on her, making Jesse blush slightly. Jesse’s hair was sprawled along the pillow, and now it was Emily’s turn to blush at how beautiful she was. “Now, what do you want for Christmas?”

That’s an easy one. 

“You.” Jesse breathed. She pulled Emily in for a heated kiss, passion flowing in them both. Emily slid a hand up to Jesse’s cheek, caressing it softly. After a few moments they parted, with Jesse taking a few deep breaths before speaking again. “Let’s go eat breakfast real quick. We still need to go out shopping.”

“Jess, it’s only six-thirty.” Emily pointed at their alarm clock on the nightstand. “We can wait a few hours.”

“Hmm. True.” Jesse frowned. “But there’s this nice café near the mall I wanna take you too. It has the best coffee and small cakes. Pretty sure there’s a Wal-Mart somewhere we can stop by. Oh! And a Target. I saw another cute store the other day, I think it’s a small business. We can stop in there! And-“

Emily put a finger against Jesse’s lips, quieting her. “I love you, sweetie, but it is too early to be this excited,” she chuckled. Jesse grinned before suddenly taking Emily’s finger in her mouth and sucking on it suggestively. The blonde’s eyes widened. 

“What about now?” The other woman wiggled her eyebrows, smirking. Her voice was a bit off due to Emily’s finger still resting in her mouth. Emily blushed, making Jesse laugh. 

The laugh quickly turned into a low moan. 

Jesse stumbled, almost dropping her bags. She and Emily had indeed gone shopping, and Jesse was not holding back on gifts. They had spent over five hours in a Wal-Mart looking for the perfect gifts for the staff. She’d gotten plenty, with her stack nearly falling from her arms as well as Emily’s. The blonde offered to help carry them, and they both walked down the snowy street looking like busy elves. They finally were able to find their car, carefully stacking the boxes and bags inside before driving off to the next store. 

For the rest of the day, they traveled all over the city in search of gifts until both Jesse and Emily were satisfied. Shockingly, they got each other gifts as well without the other noticing. 

Once they were home, they sat in the living room, wrapping paper, bags, boxes, and tape scattered everywhere, and began wrapping presents. They weren’t even halfway done and they were exhausted. Jesse made her way to the bedroom to sleep while Emily wrapped a few more gifts, including Jesse’s. 

The next morning, the two lovers woke and immediately began wrapping once more. Their gifts for each other rested under their tree, along with Dylan’s presents. Jesse’s brother had actually gone out shopping on his own, getting Emily, Jesse, and Arish some gifts before locking himself in his room to work on his drawings. She smiled as she thought about it. Dylan always had a passion for art, so seeing him getting into drawing again brought tears to her eyes. 

After quite some time, all the gifts were wrapped and Christmas was only hours away. Jesse was excited and nervous about returning to the Bureau in the morning, but luckily Emily was able to calm her down and sleep a bit. 

Finally, Christmas morning arrived, and Jesse jumped out of bed and into Dylan’s room. She leapt on his bed, shaking her brother excitedly. “Wake up, Dyl! It’s Christmas!”

“Hrmfrmmmf.” Dylan groaned under his blankets, trying and failing to pull them tighter around himself.

Jesse grinned. “C’mon, bro, I got you a present! You’ve gotta open it!”

Emily leaned against the door frame, arms crossed in amusement. She had a T-shirt and matching pants with little heads of Albert Einstein wearing a Christmas hat patterned on. Her socks were fuzzy with a cute pink coloring them. “You two can be so hyper and cute.” She shook her head. “I’ll get the coffee ready. Put on your pajamas and meet me by the tree.”

Jesse laughed before leaving and quickly moving to dress in her room. After slugging off her night shirt and boxers, she put on some pants and a t-shirt with snowflakes dotted all around them. She went back into Dylan’s room, half surprised to find him completely dressed and combing his brown hair. His outfit was the same as Jesse’s, except hot chocolate replaced the snowflakes. 

Too hyper to contain herself, Jesse gripped her brother’s wrist and all but flew out to the living room, jumping up and down. Emily, who had been pulling out the few Christmas gifts from under the tree, looked up in surprise before a soft smile settled on her face. 

“Sit on the couch, I want pictures.” Emily smiled. 

Dylan rolled his eyes. “You’re not my mom.” Still, he followed Jesse to the couch and sat down, watching as Emily pulled out her phone. 

“Merry Christmas, you two.” Emily murmured before snapping some photos. She sighed, smiling, and handed the siblings their presents before settling down with her cup of coffee. She sneakily kept her phone recording, positioning it against her stomach without the others noticing. Luckily, they were too engrossed in their gifts. 

The siblings sat side by side on the carpeted floor, grinning like children. Jesse tore the wrapping paper off of a medium sized box, glancing curiously at Dylan. When she opened the lid, Jesse’s hands flew to her mouth in shock. Emily smiled, sipping on her coffee. 

“You did not!” Jesse squealed, taking out a black T-shirt with the Old Gods of Asgard logo on it. It was signed by Odin and Tor themselves. “You-! How did you-? there’s no way!”

“What’d you get, Jess?” Emily asked sweetly, moving her phone to capture the moment. 

Jesse’s grin said everything. The redhead’s eyes were lit up as she held the shirt over her chest, showing it off proudly. “ Old Gods shirt signed by the band members! Fuck yeah!” She turned to her brother. “How the fuck did you find this anyway?”

Dylan shrugged, picking at the wrapping paper on his gift. “Ahti guided me to it, actually. He’s such a weird dude, but he makes the best jokes.”

“Ahti?” Jesse breathed, eyes slightly wide. “Ha! I can’t believe it! This is… thank you!” She leaned over and hugged Dylan, kissing him on his temple. 

He scoffed before finally opening his small box. “What’s this? Wait…” slowly, he unwrapped the extra packaging paper to reveal an old Walkman. “I’m…”

“I hope you like it,” Emily murmured shyly, tracing the rim of her mug. “I know you get frustrated when you can’t listen to your music in the Bureau. I figured this would be perfect for you! Oh, there’s also a cassette wrapped in there with it. I put all your favorite songs on there.” She smiled, blushing when Jesse stared at her with adoring eyes. 

“This is great,” Dylan murmured. “Thank you. I’ll finally be able to control my anxiety better there.”

“Of course.” Emily nodded, adjusting her phone. It kept recording. “Oh, and the box over there,” she pointed under the tree, “is for Jesse.”

The redhead perked up before skittering to grab her gift. She also pulled out another box, shoving it towards her girlfriend. Both boxes were half Jesse’s size, making both of them give questioning glances at each other. Immediately Jesse tore hers open and gasped, making Dylan lean over from curiosity. 

“Emily…” Jesse breathed out. “Holy shit.”

This is incredible. 

“Jesse…” Emily murmured, opening her box with wide eyes. She slowly pulled out a short sword, engraved with her name on the hilt. Jesse proceeded to do the same, with her own name on the hilt as well. Then Emily burst out laughing. “We got each other the same gift!”

Jesse laughed along. “It seems so!” She examined her sword, eyes sparkling. “Thank you, Em. I was half tempted to buy one for myself anyway.” 

“Really?” Emily squealed. She grinned, gesturing wildly to her lover. “Join me in my knife collecting!”

Dylan had a soft smile on his face when the two women turned to face him. He glanced at them questionably before sighing and pulling one last box from under the tree, handing it to Emily. “For you.”

Emily widened her eyes, carefully unwrapping the gift to reveal a brand new toolbox filled with precise scientific tools she used during fieldwork. The box even had Emily’s name engraved inside, along with a small post it note drawing of the three of them together. “Dylan…”

“Jesse kept moping about getting you something else,” the man waved her off. “I told her to stick with the sword, but she wouldn’t listen. So I bought you this instead.”

The blonde blinked back tears, smiling. “Thank you. Really.” She stood, turning off her phone that was somehow still recording and moved to hug the siblings. “Both of you. You two are so fucking amazing.”

“We know.” Dylan smirked. 

Jesse rolled her eyes, holding Dylan and Emily close. “Love you too, Em.”

After a moment, they released each other and Jesse smiled. She pulled a box out from behind her. “Here you go, bro.” She handed a small box to Dylan. He glanced at it and tore the wrapping, opening the box. Inside was a copy of the game Stardew Valley for their shared Switch.

The man’s eyes were bright. “Holy shit, thank you! I love this game.” He hugged it to his chest, leaning over and hugging his sister.

“Aww, that seems like a cute game.” Emily smiled.

“It is!” Jesse agreed. 

“Maybe we could all play together sometime?” Dylan murmured, shy and blushing slightly. “It has multiplayer mode.”

‘Definitely.” Jesse grinned. 

Emily nodded. The blonde excused herself to begin preparing breakfast while Jesse shrugged on her new shirt over her pajamas. Dylan fiddled with the Walkman, turning it on and listening to his music. Jesse couldn’t help but smile at the scene. 

It was a perfect Christmas. 

At least, she thought it was a perfect Christmas. 

Jesse arrived at the Bureau, full of anxiety with Emily next to her. The two had their arms full of boxes and gifts to give to the staff. Most of the gifts had already been taken into the FBC and put under the giant tree that Jesse had set up in Central Research. Still, they had to bring in a few more. 

Once the gifts were under the tree, Jesse turned to Emily to kiss her. They both melted into each other before Emily pulled back slightly. “Guess we gotta hand these out now, huh?”

“Ugh, don’t get me started.” Jesse groaned. She glanced around at the various staff flooding through the hallways and stairs. “I guess I need to though. Gimme a couple of hours and meet me in Executive, okay?”

“Got it.” Emily nodded, smiling, before turning to enter her office. 

Jesse sighed, fixing her ponytail and jacket before picking up the first few gifts. “Here we go.”

Many hours passed and Jesse was exhausted. She simply wanted to collapse on her couch and pass out, but she still had quite a few more gifts to give. 

So much for a couple of hours. 

Stretching, she made her way to Arish who was still stationed in Central Executive. She had a wrapped box in her hands and sweat along her body. Arish noticed her and smiled. 

“Hey, Faden, Merry Christmas.” He grinned. “Still handing out presents? Aren’t you tired?”

You have no idea.

“Just a bit,” Jesse murmured, swaying on her feet. “I, um, still had a couple more. T-this is for you.” She extended her arms, watching Arish’s reaction with bated breath. 

He took the gift and unwrapped it, his neutral expression turning into one of glee. “Socks! Hell yeah!” The entire box was filled to the brim with lots of comfy and warm socks. “Thanks, Jesse. Really. These are perfect.”

Thank god. 

“I’m glad,” Jesse smiled. “Merry Christmas, Simon.” She stepped forward and pulled the man into a tight hug before letting go and glancing around. “I also… had this made for you.” She revealed a picture frame with a group photo of Arish and his old squad. 

He widened his eyes, tears immediately showing. “I’m…” he cleared his throat. “Jesse…”

“I didn’t know them,” Jesse murmured. “But I wish I did. I know how much they meant to you. I’m sorry I couldn’t save them.”

Arish was quiet for a long moment, staring at the photo in his hands before slowly, carefully, bringing it to his chest and hugging it. “It’s not your fault.” He whispered, glancing up at the Director. “Thank you for this. Truly. I… I don’t know what to say.”

Jesse put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. She gave him a small smile before clearing her throat. “I gotta hand out the rest of these. Do you know where I can find Marshall?”

“Yeah, she should be with some other rangers in the HRA lab. She wanted to take a look at how development is going.” He answered, sniffing and wiping his eyes. “Thank you again.” Smiling, he glanced at the box of socks he set down on the table. “I can’t wait to wear these.” He chuckled.

Jesse grinned and waved goodbye, walking towards the sector elevator. She stepped in and pressed the button that took her down to Central Research. 

Marshall’s tough, that much I know. Emily was right. Still, she’s part of my team and she deserves a little love. Even though I can’t ever forgive the Bureau for ruining my life, ruining Dylan’s life, I can at least try to move on. Make the days count. Make this place better. 

After the ding , she walked out and made her way towards the HRA Lab.

Like Arish said, Marshall was there, engaging in a conversation with some Rangers. She approached her, a wrapped box in her hands yet again. The other woman glanced up, nodding in her direction. 

Here goes nothin’. 

“Faden.” Marshall said, her arms crossed. “Here to check the HRA production?”

“Actually,” Jesse murmured. “I came down here for a different reason.” Marshall’s eyebrow raised in question, so Jesse hesitantly held out the gift. 

“What’s this?” Marshall asked, taking the box from the redhead’s hands. 

“It’s a Christmas present,” Jesse smiled. “For you.”

Now Marshall looked surprised. She carefully set the large box on the ground and opened it, the noise of the wrapping paper echoing in the room. Right at the very top, there was a mug that rested on something else. Marshall frowned while Jesse held in her giggles. She gripped the cup and stood, revealing it to say “Best Grandma Ever”. 

“Sorry,” Jesse laughed. “I couldn’t help it.” She softened her eyes, a hand on Marshall’s shoulder. “I know we’ve had our differences, but…” Jesse swallowed her anxiety before speaking again. “Back in Ordinary, my grandparents were the same as my parents, if not worse. They were… abusive. And it was hard on me and Dylan. They would always…” She trailed off, sighing. Not now, she decided. “After these past eighteen years, I’ve met plenty of amazing older people. Grandparents who were so loving towards me, and they didn’t even know me!” She blinked tears back, blushing slightly when Marshall gazed at her sadly. “You’re the closest thing I’ve had to a loving grandma personality. So… this was kind of a gag gift, but it’s also not. I hope… I hope you’re not mad.”

Please don’t be mad. 

“Faden… Jesse,” Marshall sighed, lowering the mug. “I appreciate you saying all that. And I’m glad I can be a good influence for you, even with everything that’s happened. I… You’re a good Director.” Her voice lowered. “And a good friend.” She held her hand out for a shake, but Jesse grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.

Never thought I’d be hugging Marshall.

“Thank you. For everything.” Jesse smiled. She let go and motioned towards the box still on the floor. “There’s also something else in there. No more gag gifts, promise.” 

Marshall still seemed suspicious, but she bent down and pulled out a large, high tech backpack. The older woman grinned. “I’ve been needing this. How’d you know?”

“I have my ways.” Jesse winked. “Thank you again for everything you’ve done for me. I gotta keep handing gifts out; I’ll see you tomorrow at the bar?”

“Always.” Marshall smiled. “Thanks, Faden.” 

The redhead walked away, a soft smile on her face. 

Jesse entered Ventilation, glancing around. A small envelope was in her hand, her gun in the other just in case. She heard humming nearby and she froze. 

The Hiss. 

It took her longer than she’d like to admit, but she realized the humming was distinctly human and belonging to a familiar voice nearby. 

Ahti?

Pace quickening, she swung the janitor’s office door open and gasped. Like she suspected, Ahti was sitting on the couch, listening to the radio that sat on the table. He hummed to himself, a small smile on his face. 

“Ah, hello,” Ahti greeted, learning forward and lowering the volume on the radio. Jesse couldn’t help but smile. “Are you having a nice holiday, assistant?” Jesse sighed in relief, letting her body relax. 

I guess I am. 

“Yeah,” Answered Jesse. “I’ve been handing out gifts all day. It’s nice seeing other people happy, but I’m exhausted.” She glanced down at the couch where Ahti was sat. “Could I?”

Ahti patted the couch cushion, inviting Jesse to sit. The redhead plopped down, sighing and propping her feet up on the table. “What about you, Ahti? Any fun plans for the holidays?”

“Loma tätä, lomaa sitä,” Ahti mumbled. “What about a simple vacation for the hell of it? That is what you plan for ystävä Wells, yes?”

How did he…?

Ahti laughed, slapping his knee. “Ah, silti viaton johtaja, vai mitä? Well,” he stood, shuffling over to his small desk in the corner. Jesse slowly followed, brows furrowed in question. He bent down and picked up a book that looked worn and faded. Ahti extended his hand, nodding for Jesse to take it. She did, with some confusion, and realized it was a journal. 

“What’s this for?” The redhead asked. 

Ahti chuckled. “Edellisellä johtajalla oli huono mielenterveys, perkele. You should not circle around the bush, girl, but instead leap. Take that chance. And use this,” he tapped the journal, “to help focus on your job. Remember, janitor’s assistant is an important position.” 

Jesse smiled, bringing him into a hug that oddly reminded her of an older father she had met during her first year on the run. Ahti chuckled again and patted her back, kissing her cheek as she pulled away. “Thank you, Ahti. I love it.” She held the journal close to her chest, feeling pride. “I’ll make an entry tonight.”

“Good.” Ahti nodded. Before he spoke again, Jesse interrupted. 

“I got these for you.” She pulled out a small box, watching as Ahti opened it with a neutral expression. His eyes lit up once he removed the lid. 

“Ah, I have been needing some new headphones!” He smiled. “Kiitos, Jesse.” He put them on his head, curious to try them out. “Fits like a fist in the eye!” The redhead nodded, running a hand through her hair. She was still trying to understand Ahti’s weird idioms. “I appreciate the gift. Now, though, shoo. Vacation is near, and I need to plan.”

Jesse laughed, already waving goodbye and leaving the office. On her way to the Control Point, she spotted a small potted plant in the corner of Ventilation. It looked very familiar… 

She gasped. “Dil? What are you doing all the way down here? C’mon, you’ll get all dirty. Let’s get you back upstairs, yeah?”

After holding the journal and Dil carefully in her arms, Jesse teleported to Executive, nodding towards Arish and some other staff. She walked up the stairs to the Board Room and opened the double doors. Like usual, Emily was in there, surprisingly sitting still for once and going over some reports. Jesse rolled her eyes with a smirk before walking up and setting Dil down. 

Emily glanced up and smiled. “I was wondering where they ran off to.” She chuckled. “Looks like you attract plants, Jesse.”

“And girls,” the redhead replied, winking and pointing finger guns towards Emily. They both burst out in laughter. Her stomach cramped from giggling so hard, which made her laugh even more. After calming down and wiping a tear from her eye, Jesse continued, “Hey, maybe I should get Dil a present too. Actually…” She reached into her jacket, revealing a small bow tie. “This should be perfect.” Immediately Dil perked up, their leaves swaying in delight. 

Emily grinned. “I think they like it!”

“Great,” Jesse stuck her tongue out, focusing on securing the bow tie around the pot. She bit back a curse when it fell, ignoring Emily’s snort of amusement. Finally, she stuck it on and it stayed. Jesse stood straight, smiling with her hands on her hips. “Did it! You look very snazzy, Dil.” The plant waved its leaves again, and Jesse could swear if Dil was a person, they’d be blushing right now. 

So cute. 

“Oh!” Jesse widened her eyes. “Have you seen Agent Roomba lately? I have a gift for them, too.”

“Yeah, they should actually be with Langston.” Emily answered. “Usual place.”

“Panopticon.” Jesse and Emily said at the same time. The redhead smirked. “I’ll check. I’ve gotta give Langston his gift anyway. See you later, Em. Love you.”

“Love you too, Jess.” The blonde smiled softly. “Have fun!”

Jesse snorted, leaving the room. She decided to quickly stop by her office to drop off the journal before meeting up with Langston and Agent Roomba. Halfway down the hall, she saw Olivia walking towards her. 

Might as well.

“Hey, Olivia.” Jesse greeted. 

The blonde looked up from her report in surprise before grinning. “Hi, ma’am! Happy Holidays!” 

Jesse chuckled. “I got you something.” She held out a box for the hundredth time that day, and Olivia took it with some surprise. 

“Aww, you didn’t have to buy me anything!” She said, “Still, I really appreciate it.” With that, she opened the small box to reveal a silver necklace with a cute cat charm hanging from it. Olivia squealed. “ Oh my god! Thank you so much, this is adorable! I love it!”

“I’m glad.” Jesse grinned. “Be careful, the charm is a bit small.” Olivia looked ready to burst, swaying back and forth on her feet. “Oh, and why don’t you show Em- aaaaand she’s gone.” Jesse shook her head, watching Olivia dash towards Central Executive, obviously excited to show off her gift. 

Okay, just drop off the journal and get everyone else’s gifts ready. I can do that.

Jesse continued the walk to her office, thankfully making it without running into anyone else. She set the journal down on her desk, then opened the desk drawers for the remaining presents. 

Who else do I have left?

She mentally counted the amount of people she had yet to give presents to, taking each box out from her desk drawers. Jesse sighed, taking her hair tie out. 

This is tiring. 

The redhead plopped down on her chair, letting out an exhausted breath. She’d been handing out presents all day to hundreds of staff. And she still had more. Maybe she could take a nap…

“Nope!” Jesse yelled, forcing herself back on her feet. “Gotta keep going. I’m almost done, just a few more people.” She grabbed the remaining gifts and headed out the door, determined. 

Jesse trudged through the halls, finding herself in the cafeteria in Central Research. She saw a few of her staff at various tables, eating various foods. Seeing the closest person was Wells, she decided to approach him first. 

“Wells!” Jesse waved, coming to sit down next to the medic. The man smiled at her before taking a large bite of his sandwich. “Happy Holidays! I’ve been handing out presents all day, it’s been wild and tiring.” She shook her head. “But! I haven’t given you your gift yet. So,” she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a small envelope. When Wells lit up, she fidgeted. “It’s… not a raise, I’m sorry.” She handed it to him, waiting anxiously as the man opened it. 

“Whoa, Faden!” He grinned. “This all for me?” Inside the envelope was a check for ten grand, plus a few gift cards to various New York restaurants and a ticket to a month-long stay at a luxury hotel. “This is a hell of a lot more than a raise! I-I don’t know what to say.”

He’s needed a break for quite a while now.

“Hey, no need to say anything,” Jesse interrupted. “Just enjoy yourself, okay? You’ve been working so hard, even before I knew this place existed, and you continue to help in so many ways. So,” she nodded to the envelope and smiled. “Go have fun, Wells.”

She stood up, leaving him to finish his lunch. Jesse glanced back and saw him still staring in astonishment at the envelope. Grinning, the redhead went to the next table where Keaton, Astrid, and Kepler were sitting, eating various breakfast foods. When they noticed Jesse they all waved. 

“Hey, guys.” Jesse waved, sitting down. “Got a few gifts for you all.”

“Really? Astrid widened her pretty eyes. 

“For us?” Kepler raised an eyebrow. 

“Yep!” Jesse nodded. She reached into her jacket and pulled a blue folded shirt out. “I promise I showered.” She joked, making the others chuckle. She handed the shirt to Keaton. “Here you are.”

He unfolded the shirt, smirking when he read the front of it. “Heh, thanks, Faden. Been needing some new shirts.” He turned it for the others to see. It simply read “zero” in white text above a cartoon fox. On the bottom, the text finished with “given”. They all giggled, while Keaton refolded the shirt and laid it on his lap. 

Jesse smiled at him before glancing at Astrid. She levitated a small plant nearby that she had hidden for Astrid, letting it rest on the table. “Heard you liked plants.” She winked. 

Astrid grinned. “Thank you so much!” She held the potted plant close. “You’re gonna go right on my desk!” She turned to Jesse, her grin full of love and light. “I love it.”

So adorable.

“I’m glad.” Jesse smiled before turning to Kepler. He had a blank look on his face. “Listen, I know… I know things are kind of… weird between us. I honestly don’t know if I will ever be okay with what this place did to me, to Dylan. But you’re not a bad person. And you deserve this.” She pulled out a small envelope, handing it to Kepler.

The gray haired man took it with some suspicion and opened it, his eyes widening as he read through the contents. “This is…”

“It is.” Jesse smiled. She materialized a case of beer on the table, leaning back. “This is yours too.”

“This… this is too much. I can’t accept this.” Kepler shook his head, pushing the envelope back to the redhead. But Jesse used her powers to push it right back. 

“Nope,” she argued. “Keep the check. Go cash it. Take a break , Wolfgang.” Her eyes softened. “Like I said, I don’t think I’ll ever be over what happened. It consumed a portion of my life that I’ll never get back. It took away Dylan’s innocence. It broke us.” She blinked back tears. “But I can’t place all the blame on you. So please, take it. Do some good here.” She left no room for argument. 

Kepler remained quiet, staring down at the check before whispering a barely audible “thank you”.

You’re welcome.

“And stay out of trouble,” The redhead grinned. Jesse stood, moving on to the next table. She saw Arya and Knives talking with Dove. Waving for what felt like the millionth time that day, she sat down. “Hey, guys.”

“Hi!” Knives greeted. Dove smiled and waved. 

Arya smirked. “Hey, Miss Director.”

Ugh.  

“Just Jesse.” The redhead gently corrected, even though she knew Arya was just messing with her. “Anyway, I wanted to give you your gifts before I left for the day.” She pulled out a small locket from her jacket pocket, thanking all the gods it didn’t break on her way here. Jesse held it to Arya, watching when the purple haired woman’s eyes widened. 

Arya took the necklace and opened the locket, tears filling her eyes. “Jesse…”

“Sorry, I kinda stalked you on social media for a bit for the perfect picture.” Jesse admitted sheepishly, rubbing her shoulder.

Knives leaned sideways, letting out an exasperated laugh when she saw what was inside. A picture of both Arya and Knives rested inside the heart locket, the two of them smiling together. The couple grinned, with Arya closing the locket and holding it close to her chest. “Thank you.” Arya whispered, putting her new necklace on. She glanced back at her lover before looking at Jesse, winking. 

The redhead gave a curt nod before standing and walking a few feet over to Knives, her muscular form covering Arya’s body from her other woman. “Don’t think I forgot about you.” She smirked, pulling out a dagger. At first, Knives’ eyes narrowed, but then she looked down at the dagger. It was huge, pure polished metal with a beautiful wooden hilt. She took it and examined it closer. On the wood, it had her and Arya’s names engraved, plus the date for that day. Knives raised a confused eyebrow at Jesse. The redhead simply smiled and pointed to something behind the white haired woman. She turned in her seat only to find Arya leaning down on one knee, a ring in her hand. The entire room fell silent.

This is exciting!

“Knives, we’ve been through hell and back together,” Arya whispered. “And there’s no one I’d rather have by my side. You’re the light of my life, literally. I don’t know where I’d be without you.” They both had tears in their eyes. “So, Knives, will you marry me?”

“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes !” Knives squealed, sliding into her now-fiancé’s arms. “Oh my god! We’re gonna get married !”

So sweet. I’m happy for them.

Jesse smiled, backing up a bit to give the lovers some room. She glanced up at Dove still sitting at the table, clapping for the couple. Jesse sat next to her, pushing a small bag her way. “Happy Holidays, Dove.”

“For me?” She murmured. Slowly, Dove opened the bag and her eyes lit up. “Grippy socks! Yes!” She held them close, gasping at the softness on them. “And they’re the fluffy ones? Jesse, I love you.” 

They both laughed while Jesse nudged the bag. “There’s another thing for you.” 

Dove dug into the bag, curious and excited, and pulled out a beige cardigan. She squealed. “Oh my gosh! Thank you so much!” She leaned sideways and hugged Jesse tightly. The redhead stiffened for a split second before hugging back, smiling.

“No problem.” Jesse pulled away. “Any idea where your brother is?” 

Dove frowned for a moment, thinking, before lighting back up and grinning. “If I had to guess, he would probably be…”

“Right behind you!” 

Jesus!

Jesse jumped, quickly turning only to see- “Taron!” Jesse laughed. “Don’t scare me like that.”

“Sorry, ma’am,” Taron laughed, sitting next to his sister. “Couldn’t help it. Hey, sis,” he smiled at Dove.

They have the same chemistry as me and Dylan.

“Anyway,” interrupted Jesse, “now that you’re here, I want to give you your gift!” She reached into her jacket, pretended to feel around before making an exaggerated surprised face and slowly retracted her hand to reveal her middle finger. Dove and Taron proceeded to laugh like maniacs while Jesse reached back into her jacket and pulled out a plain white mug, sliding it over to the man. Taron took it, trying to keep a straight face and failing miserably. The mug had fingers as a handle instead of a regular handle. 

Jesse couldn’t help but chuckle along with him. “Hope you like it.” She glanced around, seeing some staff leaving and others filing in for their lunch breaks. “Hey, I gotta hand out the rest of these. Have a good holiday, you guys.” She nodded at the siblings and at Arya and Knives, who had climbed back onto their seats and held hands, grins still plastered on their faces. Jesse smiled softly before standing and making her way to the Control Point.

Next up, Langston.

Jesse teleported straight to the Panopticon. She turned from the Control Point and waited for the Black Rock door to open before stepping into the room. Two rangers were still there standing guard while Langston was looking at the many screens. Even though she knew Langston was aware Dylan was in containment, he didn’t realize the extent of it all, so Jesse had no anger towards him. 

Langston saw her approach and greeted her with a smile. Jesse nodded to him, handing him a small box. “Happy holidays, Langston.”

“Why, thank you, ma’am!” The balding man grinned, opening the box. He smiled wider. “A poetry book? Perfect! Thank you, Faden, ma’am!” He dug a bit more, gasping. “And cat treats for Alfred? Oh, he’ll love them. I’ll be sure to tell him you wished him a Merry Christmas. Thanks.” Jesse smiled before jumping a bit, feeling something hit her foot. She looked down and saw Agent Roomba, beeping happily.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you.” She smiled, bending down. Jesse pulled a small badge from her pocket, sticking it on top of them. The badge simply said “Best Roomba Agent”. As if they knew what it said, Agent Roomba once again beeped in excitement, twirling in circles. “Heh, glad you guys are happy.” Jesse stood, stretching. “Alright, a few more people and I’m good to go.” She waved Langston and the rangers goodbye, leaning down to pet Agent Roomba before she left the way she came and went to the Control Point once more.

Jesse found her way back to Central Executive, where Dylan and Haven were arm wrestling at an empty table in the opposite corner of Arish. She crossed her arms and approached, amused. “Hey, sibs.”

“Hey, Jess.” Dylan grunted, his muscles visibly straining. Haven had their tongue out, struggling to win. They tried heating up their arm, but Dylan gave them a glare and they stopped, pouting but still holding on.

“So, Haven,” Jesse smirked. “Did you want your gift now, or are you gonna arm wrestle Dylan all day?” At that, Haven stared up at Jesse, which caused their focus to dwindle and Dylan to win.

“Damn it,” Haven hissed. They sighed and turned to fully face the redhead. “Gift?”

“Yep!” Jesse grinned, holding out a bag for them. They took it with excitement and quickly dug into the contents, gasping and pulling out a few pairs of fluffy socks of various colors. 

“Fuck yes!” Haven grinned.

“Language.” Both Jesse and Dylan chastised. Haven frowned, making Jesse laugh. “Oh, you know we love you.” She ruffled their hair, grinning.

“These are so fluffy,” Haven commented softly, still mesmerized by the patterns and colors. “Thank you!”

“No problem.” Jesse smiled. “I’ll be back later, still got a few gifts to give.”

I’m so tired.

“Still?” Dylan asked, an eyebrow raised. “Jesse, you’ve been at this for hours ; take a break.”

“Not yet,” Jesse stood, shaking her head. “Besides, it’s just a couple more people, nothing too big.” 

Dylan stared at her with narrowed eyes before sighing and relenting. “Fine. But don’t overwork yourself.” He glanced at Haven. “I’m gonna take them home. I’ll see you and Emily later?”

“Definitely,” Jesse nodded. She quickly made her way back to the Control Point, teleporting close to Dead Letters.

Vivian is bound to be here.

She made her way through the halls, half expecting to hear the Hiss chant. It was eerily quiet, and her heart rate picked up.

There are no more Hiss. They’re gone. You’re okay.

Jesse took a deep breath and continued toward the Dead Letters, where, as she suspected, Vivian was sitting in her small office, reading a familiar book. “ The Martian, huh?”

The brunette looked startled before she smiled. “Oh!” Vivian smiled, closing her book and setting it aside. “Hi, Jesse.”

“Hey, Viv,” Jesse waved, sitting next to her. “I, uh, got you a gift.” She shyly handed the young woman a small wrapped box.

She took it and carefully unwrapped it, smiling at the book inside. “‘ Going Postal ’? You know me so well, Jesse.” She grinned and held the book close, flipping through the pages. “Thank you! I’ll be reading this immediately.”

“Glad you like it!” Jesse brightened. “Also, I got this bookmark at the local library, thought you might enjoy it.” She handed the other woman the cute bookmark, watching as she smiled in delight. It had a small fox on it, with the quote ‘life is short, keep reading!’.

“Thank you, Jesse,” Vivian grinned, giving the redhead a quick hug. “I see you got a few more gifts there. Need help handing them out?”

Jesse glanced down at the couple bags and envelopes she still carried and shook her head. “Nah, I can handle it, but thank you.” She glanced around. “Have you seen Pat anywhere?”

Vivian nodded. “Yeah, he’s in the Quarry. Said he wanted to see the stars for a bit.”

I could use that too.

“Thanks, Viv,” Jesse smiled and stood, waving goodbye and walking out.

Okay, so I just need to give these to Pat, Underhill, and Fra. Fuck, I made some paninis for Former! I hope no one ate them. Better go check just in case.

Soon, Jesse arrived in one of the breakrooms and frantically pulled open a fridge door, sighing in relief when she saw all the paninis still wrapped and untouched. She grabbed them, stacking them carefully in her arms, before shutting the fridge door. Seeing as she was the only one in the room at the moment, she sighed and closed her eyes, letting her mind go blank. Jesse felt the air around her shift, and suddenly she was falling, but she didn’t panic. After a moment, the free fall stopped and she was standing on flat ground once more. Opening her eyes, she saw a familiar bug-like creature along with the stones of the Astral Plane. Darkness surrounded her, the only light coming from Former’s giant eye.

Jesse smiled awkwardly “Uh, hey.”

< Director @#$& Welcome @#$& Hungry? >

“Actually, that’s why I’m here,” Jesse held her hands out, hoping none of the paninis fell from her arms. “These are for you. Happy Holidays, Former.”

The creature leaned closer to Jesse, interested. It stood straight, and then began… shrinking?

That’s new.

After a few moments, Former was half of Jesse’s size, gazing up at her like a curious child. The bottom half of its body looked like that of a centipede. The redhead gazed down in shock before shaking her head. This was weird, but she’s seen weirder. “Uh, here you go.” She set all the paninis down on the cold ground, kneeling to look Former in the eye. It still had its endless glow, but it seemed somehow softer. 

< Panini! @#$& Hungry @#$& Share @#$& Scientist? > It’s long arms wiggled around in delight, making Jesse chuckle lightly.

“Scientist?” Jesse repeated, a bit confused. She furrowed her brows, lost in thought as she unwrapped some of the paninis for it.

What is it trying to tell me? Scientist? Darling?

< Scientist @#$& Girlfriend @#$& Love @#$& Wife >

“Girlfriend?” Jesse echoed, then blushed. “You mean Emily? She isn’t here right now.”

Wife…

< Hungry @#$& Marriage @#$& Split @#$& Panini >

Does it want me to share paninis with Emily? Heh, that sounds wrong.

Jesse chuckled, hoping she understood what it was telling her. “Don’t worry, I will. You enjoy those.” She smiled as she stood, watching Former as it began consuming the food… somehow. The redhead let out a short sigh before closing her eyes, willing herself to appear back in the breakroom. 

A whoosh in the air, and she was back. She opened her eyes and glanced around the room, surprised to find some rangers sitting and eating. They were startled at Jesse’s sudden appearance. “Uh, sorry.” She smiled sheepishly and quickly exited the room, slightly embarrassed.

Did not mean to scare them.

She shook her head at herself, making her way to the nearest Control Point.

Quarry time.

Jesse arrived at the Quarry, stretching her stiff muscles. God, she was exhausted . But she couldn’t stop yet; there were just a few more gifts left. She walked out into the open space of the Quarry and saw Pat sitting on a ledge, staring up at the stars. Jesse levitated up to him, using various rocks to float higher. 

When he noticed her, Pat waved. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Jesse greeted. She sat down next to him, kicking her legs a bit over the edge. “I’ve always loved the stars. I’m glad there’s lots of them here.”

Pat nodded. “It’s nice. I like losing my thoughts to them. Just staring up, counting the stars, thinking about what’s out there.”

You and me both.

“Yeah, same,” she murmured. The redhead glanced down at her hands. “I got you something.” She turned slightly and handed Pat the small box. 

He took it with some surprise, unwrapping it and giving Jesse a tiny smile. “Aww, thanks so much, Jesse.” In the box was a Walkman, similar to the one Emily gave Dylan. She also included a few cassette tapes of classic artists, and a customized one. 

“I hope you like it,” Jesse fidgetted. “I wasn’t exactly sure what to get you, but then I overheard you talking about Walkmans.”

One of the only staff I didn’t have Marshall or Arish keep tabs on for gifts.

“I love it.” Pat carefully put the empty box aside, examining the Walkman. “Thanks. Mind if I sit here for a bit longer and listen to it?”

“Go crazy!” Jesse laughed, standing up. “Have fun, Pat. I’ll see you later.”

“Aye aye, Miss Faden.”

Jesse smiled, making her way back to the Control Point she came from. She sighed. Next up was Underhill. 

Well, I might as well get it over with, especially since she might punch me for this gift.

A few moments later Jesse was walking towards Underhill’s lab in the Mold threshold. Sure, the Mold has faded a bit since the Hiss crisis, but it was still very much there. Just like Underhill.

Jesse stepped into the office, watching Underhill work for a few seconds before approaching her. “Hey, Raya.”

“Doctor Underhill, please.” The British woman corrected. 

And so it begins.

“What brings you down here?” Underhill asked.

“Been handing out gifts,” Jesse explained, digging into her pocket. “And you’re up next.” She held her hand out, showing Underhill a small box of tea. 

The other woman turned and looked at the redhead in surprise. “For me? Well, thank you!” She took the box and examined it, smiling. “It’s even the good tea! I guess you are useful.”

Oh, I feel so happy.

“You’re welcome.” Jesse nodded, absolutely over the conversation already and wanting desperately to leave. “Happy Holidays, Raya.” 

The British woman hummed and turned, setting the box of tea aside on her table. “Well. Merry Christmas to you as well, Director Faden.”

I’m loved. Yay.

“Well, off I go.” Jesse waved, rolling her eyes when Underhill ignored her.

Never change.

The Director let out a huge yawn and stretched, scratching her side. Just three more people. Then she could go home and sleep. She glanced up, seeing the lunar lander a few feet away. Jesse quickly made her way to the shelter, a smile on her face. Behind her, she levitated an old school TV along with tons of space movies on VHS. As soon as she pressed the buzzer, she heard a familiar, friendly voice.

“Strawberry!” Fra greeted, clearly happy. 

“Hey, Fra,” Jesse smiled. “I got you a present for Christmas!”

“Jingle?” Fra seemed confused. Over time, Jesse had gotten a bit better with understanding her foreign friend. She hoped he understood her a bit too.

Jingle means Christmas. Or holidays. Right?

Jesse chuckled. “Yes, jingle. Here you go.” She levitated the television through the chute and waited for Fra to take it before sliding the VHS’s in as well.

“Windmill turbine! Pretty petunias! I jerry rig the sprinkler, Strawberry!” Fra exclaimed, excited. “Solar jingle, Strawberry? Perhaps hopscotch the popcorn? More fanfare for bicycle.” He offered joyously as a way of invitation. 

Jesse smiled in turn. “Course, space man. I never say no to a movie night. And who knows, maybe we’ll see some of your friends playing the extras.” She paused, frowning. “Unfortunately it’ll have to be later. I’ve still got gifts to hand out.”

Fra huffed. “Jingle work with the knife. Letter for the portable visor?”

Uh.

“Yeah, I’ll be back.” Jesse nodded. “Promise.”

“Toster!” Fra laughed. “Faces to landfill, Strawberry!”

I… think he’s saying good luck?

“See you, Fra.” Jesse waved even though he couldn’t see her. She was smiling as she exited the area, one destination left in mind.

Jesse sighed as she teleported to the Synchronicity Lab. The last two people on her list were esseJ and ylimE.

Hope they don’t attack me.

She walked to the mirror and put her hand against the glass, finding herself transported to the alternate world. Tense, Jesse walked to the middle of the room, awaiting the dopplegangers. She felt a shift in the air and prepared herself, but no hits came. Instead, esseJ and ylimE appeared before her, side by side.

“?uoy pleh ew naC” esseJ asked. 

The redhead swallowed nervously, consciously keeping the Service Weapon at bay. “.syug uoy rof stfig elpuoc a dah I” 

“?eb taht thgim tahw dnA ?hO” esseJ asked coyly.

Jesse didn’t answer. Instead, she pulled a Santa hat that simply read “bad bitch” out of her jacket and stepped forward to situate it on the other woman’s head. esseJ pouted, her arms crossed. 

ylimE on the other hand, let out a devilish laugh. “.ti eveileb t’nac tsomla I ,woW” 

“.hcum os sknaht ,haeY'' esseJ huffed, pointing to her lover with her thumb. “.llew sa gnihtemos reh thguorb uoy epoh I” 

Jesse smiled and nodded, reaching back into her jacket. “.did I ,yarrow t’noD” Taking her hand from her jacket, she revealed a bag of fancy knives of various colors and sizes. She handed them to ylimE, hoping she’d like them. 

Luckily, the blonde looked ecstatic. “.sevink wen ,yllanif !tcefrep era esehT” 

Ever since the Hiss were defeated, Jesse had taken to investigating the Mirror AI to figure out exactly how it worked. Luckily, esseJ was much less hostile, but there was also a new addition: ylimE. And it seemed that even in the mirror world Jesse and Emily were together. After a while, Jesse had eventually been able to understand her counterpart and would dare say the two were friends. Jesse also let Emily investigate the mirror to gather more data, and in turn, ylimE was created.

“.meht ekil uoy dalG” Jesse smiled. “.tsil ym no tsal eht erew owt uoY” 

I can finally go home and sleeeeeeeep.

“.oG” esseJ said, holding her girlfriend’s hand. “.tfig ruoy yojne dna ,hO .retal uoy ees ll’eW”  

Gift? What gift?

Jesse turned to the mirror and held her hand against it, letting herself be transported back to the real world. As great as it was giving gifts to everyone, she was exhausted.

Home is callin’ my name.

Jesse walked into the house she shared with Emily and Dylan. He texted a bit ago, saying he was going to be home later. Right now, though, he and Haven were being chaotic. Jesse rolled her eyes, smiling as she put her bag on the table by the door. She slipped off her boots and headed towards her room, unzipping her jeans and shrugging her jacket off.

When Jesse entered the room, she was a bit surprised to see Emily sat up, scrolling through her phone. The blonde looked up and smiled, but there was a hint of something else in her eyes. “Hey, Jesse.”

“Hey, Em,” Jesse flung her jacket on the desk chair in the corner. She stretched, letting out a groan as her back popped. “Today was a fun day, but a tiring one.” She shimmied out of her jeans and shirt, digging in the dresser drawer for a fresh tank top. “Hey babe, have you seen my Old Gods tank?” The blonde didn’t answer, making Jesse glance over her shoulder. “Em?”

Suddenly Jesse felt her lover push herself up against her back. She blushed when she realized Emily was topless. “Hmm. I think it might be in the laundry right now.” She purred. “Come on, let’s lay down, okay?”

Fuck.

Jesse stumbled backwards to the bed, holding her lover against her and diving in for a desperate kiss. The blonde straddled Jesse, biting her lip and pushing her tongue inside her mouth. Emily unclipped the redhead’s bra, massaging her breasts once they were free. Jesse moaned at the touch, wanting more. 

But Emily pulled away abruptly, a small smile on her face. “Later. Right now, you need rest.”

Jesse whined at the loss of contact, but complied and shrugged her underwear off before adjusting the blankets and curling up under them. Emily undressed as well before scooting closer to her girlfriend and resting her head against her chest. She had a suspicious smirk on her face, but Jesse didn’t pay it any mind; instead she kissed Emily’s forehead softly.

She’s so beautiful.

Polaris spun, pulsing outwards and wrapping around both of the women in a comforting embrace. Emily blinked her eyes open, widening them in astonishment. Her arms wrapped around Jesse’s torso, eyes sparkling. “Polaris?”

Jesse nodded. “She likes you, you know.” Her thoughts stopped when she felt something rubbery near her pelvis. “Uh, Em?”

“Yes?” Emily smiled sweetly. 

“What am I touching right now?”

Emily's smile turned into a coy grin. “Your Christmas present.”

Jesse choked, shakily reaching down and feeling a particular toy attached to a harness that was adorned on Emily’s waist. “ Emily… ” she growled. The blonde tensed and flipped, straddling the redhead and holding her wrists down. Jesse whimpered, desperate.

Please please please-

“You’re so good to us. To me.” Emily murmured, leaning forward and nuzzling Jesse’s neck, leaving quick kisses along her jaw. “I want to show you how much I appreciate you.” She pushed herself back up, gazing into Jesse’s flustered face. 

God, she’s amazing. I love her.

“I love you.” Jesse breathed, eyes fluttering in love and lust. 

Emily smiled. “Love you too, babe.”

Polaris branched out, enveloping them in a comfortable warmth. Her bright blue fractals surrounded them, pulsing in both Jesse and Emily’s minds. The woman glanced around and smiled, grateful for Polaris’ grace and each other’s comfort. They both smirked as Emily leaned down for a kiss.

“Merry Christmas, Jesse.”