Author's Note: Explanation (Please Read)

So this is a short Christmas Story for Expiration Date. None of the events in this story affect the actual story. It's kind of like what would have happened if Colton hadn't found out Iris is expired. I really hope you enjoy this. It's a Christmas present to you for all your support. You get Erik and Iris cuteness. Jonas and Iris cuteness. Colton and Vienna cuteness. And of course you get to see Colton humiliated. So snuggle up with hot chocolate, enjoy the story, and then share Expiration Date with your friends. And if you have time check out my Nutcracker parody, Nutcracker. Merry Christmas!

Iris~~

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I kick my legs, managing to nail Jonas and Erik in the face with my feet. They groan, and I throw my pillows at them to shut them up. "What are you doing?" I start beating them with the pillows.

"Merry Christmas," they chorus.

"Bah humbug." I throw the cover over my head and lay back down. Well until their bodies land on top of me and begin tickling me. "Get off of me, you idiots."

The blanket is still over my head and I feel them tightening it around me until I am completely cocooned. Arms then slide underneath me and I'm pressed against someone's chest. "Put me down." I hear a door open, and I am lowered down right before I hear the door click shut. I scramble out of the comforter and glare at the door.

"Get ready," Jonas says. "Vienna woke us all up an hour ago. And Colton's not in the best mood."

I cross my arms and mouth what he says but I don't actually repeat it.

"Merry Christmas," they sing.

"Bah Humbug."

******

My arms are wrapped around myself as I enter the family room. Erik is talking to his insufferable mother, while Gwen, Jonas and Colton's sister, teases Jonas.

"Iris, Merry Christmas," Vienna screams as she hops off Colton's lap. Colton really does not look happy. She throws her arms around me.

"Hey," I say slowly as I move my arms to hug her back.

"I wanted to wake you up, but Jonas told me to let you sleep."

I look over to Jonas to see him staring at me. I narrow my eyes at him, remembering my rude awakening.

"Come on." She tugs on my arm until I follow her to an empty seat. "We've been waiting on you."

I blush, before taking my seat. She returns to Colton's lap, who wraps his arms around her stomach. I watch as Jonas makes his way over to them, his hand behind his back. He has a smirk plastered on his face. What is he. . .?

"Look up." He holds mistletoe above their heads.

Vienna smiles and before Colton can react she kisses him. She leans against him, forcing him to lean back against the arm rest.

"Ewww, no PDA." Gwen slaps her hand over her eyes.

Vienna pulls away blushing.

Colton on the other hand has that biggest jerk of the year face on that I want to slap off every time I see it. "Hey, Gwen."

She removes her hand only to watch as Colton kisses Vienna until we all want to scream 'No PDA.'

Vienna manages to push him away still blushing. Colton grins and gives her a quick peck on the cheek. Her face turns a darker shade of red. "Can we get on with the presents?" she begs.

"Of course." Jonas walks to the tree and picks up a small, rectangular gift, wrapped in gold paper. He then makes his way to stand in front of me and holds the gift out toward me. "For you, my love."

I don't make eye contact with Erik at any point as I open it. I keep my head down, because if I know Erik, I know how he looks.

But then again, I don't really know him, do I?

Removing the wrapping paper reveals a black velvet box. I open it, but close it once I see it. I bring my fingers to my lips.

There's a. . .There's a ring in there.

"Jonas, I--"

I'm just kidding. There's actually a stunning, diamond bracelet inside.

"I can't accept this."

"It's yours," he says fastening the bracelet around my wrist. "It's not like I'm going to wear it."

I open my mouth, but he covers it with his hand.

"No, I can't return it. Don't you like it?"

"It's beautiful," I mumble against his hand. "I just don't feel like I deserve it."

"Of course she doesn't deserve it," I hear Colton comment, but a second later I hear the sound of a palm connecting with flesh and he shuts up. Thanks, Vienna.

I look back to Jonas who places his hand around my chin. "I don't know anyone more deserving to give this to."

I smile. "Thank you." Only now do I look at Erik. His gaze is down but I can see the side of his frown. He messes with his fingernails. I frown as well. "Do you mind if I give you your gift later?" I ask Jonas.

"I don't mind." He smiles and kisses my cheek.

I stand up and walk to the Christmas tree, finding the small red envelope addressed to Erik. I take a seat next to him, but he doesn't acknowledge me. "Hey." I nudge him with my elbow.

"Oh, hi." He smiles weakly.

I push the envelope against his skin.

"What's this?"

"Your present, duh."

He unseals the envelope and pulls out the gift card. He looks at it and then at me strangely. "You got me a gift card to a breakfast buffet?"

"Yeah. I thought we could go have a ginormous breakfast together. I promise I won't steal any of your food."

He looks at me amused. "You're so weird."

"Thank you."

There's a tap on my shoulder and I look up to a smiling Vienna with a package in her hand. "For you."

I accept it and read the tag.

To: Iris

From: Colton

I raise my eyebrows at him. He seems quite amused.

Inside the paper is a book titled, All the Reasons Why You--yeah, I'm not repeating that. Just know he got the point across that he doesn't like me.

I stand up and approach Colton, my arms open wide.

"What are you doing? Iris, what are you doing? What the hell is she doing?"

I envelop him in my arms as the rest of the Society laughs. "Oh, Colton, thank you so much. And guess what..." I pull away and run to the tree and then back to him. I hand him his gift. He unwraps about an eighth of the paper before he stops and glares at me.

"I know you have an obsession with werewolf stories and I saw this and I immediately thought of you."

And I finally do it. I finally make Colton blush. Well maybe he's turning red from anger.

******

"There you are."

I smile at him and push off the wall. He takes my hands in his and kisses each one.

"So your present isn't much. I didn't exactly have any money to buy anything with."

"Just seeing you is the greatest gift you could give me. But I am curious. Where did you get the money for Erik's and my brother's gift?"

"Oh, Erik kind of gave me money for Christmas gifts."

"And you spent it on him?"

"Yep." I look down at our joined hands. "So Vienna isn't letting anyone come out here to the pool. And she got this for you." I pick up a pair of swim shorts and hold them up.

"Where did that come from?"

"She borrowed it from Colton." I rock back and forth on my feet. "I know you never get to go swimming because of your mark, so for the next hour it's just you and me." I lie the shorts on my shoulder.

"As nice as that's sounds, it's winter time."

I regrab his hands and tighten my grip. "It'd be like the Polar Plunge. And besides your pool is heated. Please?"

"Oh, all right." He kisses my forehead. "Give me that." He snatches the swim shorts from my shoulder. He shakes his head laughing as he walks inside.

I shimmy out of my green dress, leaving me in nothing but my bikini. I rub my arms and bounce from foot to foot. I would have preferred wearing a one piece or even better yet a wet suit--yeah a wet suit...but this was all Vienna had. Last, I unwrap my bandage.

The door opens and light from inside floods out to the porch. Jonas steps out still in his clothes from earlier. When he sees me he stops and stares. He shakes his head as if coming out of a daze and walks to me.

"You chickening out?" I ask eying his clothes.

"Nope." He takes off his suit pants he had on for dinner, revealing the dark green bathing shorts, and then he unbuttons his dress shirt. "Like what you see?" he teases.

"Don't flatter yourself."

Both of our eyes fall to his bandaged mark. Even in the dark his gulp is clear to see. I hold my left arm out in front of him.

"You don't have to be ashamed of it in front of me."

He smiles with a look of pure love. But that's ridiculous. The Preeminence love me?

I watch him remove his bandage and say, "Feels like a burden has fallen off of you, right?"

He nods and takes my hand, and together we walk to the deep end of the pool.

He looks down at me. "You sure you want to do this? You're already shivering a hundred miles per hour."

"We're doing this. On three. One. Two. Three!"

Our hands never part as we land in the water.

I surface smiling. "This water feels amazing. I told ya the pool was heated."

"Yeah, just wait till we get out."

I splash him. "Shut up, Mr. Preeminence."

He has a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Did you just tell the Preeminence to shut up?"

"Yes I did. And there's nothing you can do about it." I close my eyes and stick my nose in the air. Water droplets slap my face. I open one eye. "You didn't?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Those are the words spoken that send us into a full out water war.

******

Laughing we climb out of the pool using the ladder and make a mad dash to the lounge chairs grabbing big, fluffy towels.

"Oh my goodness, it's cold."

Jonas laughs. "Told you."

I scrunch up my nose and pick up my clothes in a bundle. I hurry to the door.

"Aren't you going to wrap up your arm?"

"No. I'll be in my room soon enough, and anyways it's covered up with a towel. Come on. You'll catch a cold."

Jonas hurries after me and we step inside, shutting the door and laughing at our dripping wet selves.

Jonas becomes serious. "Look up."

"What? Oh. . ." Mistletoe. "It looks like Vienna is getting you back for earlier."

"It seems so. Merry Christmas, Iris." And he kisses me.