Merry Christmas everyone! And a happy new Jew! See what I did there? Because Chanukah passed already? Whatever I'm a Jew that celebrates Christmas!
Since it's that time of year I feel it's only fitting to do a Christmas one-shot for the holidays. What will it h about? You'll see. I actually had to interview my mom for this one. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this Christmas special.

September 11, 2001
Woodbridge New Jersey
7:00 a.m.

It was a normal day in the office for Lukas. Got to work, had his coffee, ready to start the day! For about a decade he's had the same routine. Driving up the turnpike from Elizabeth Town to Woodbridge. It's hard to explain his job, a lot of numbers. Basically a banker, stocks and stuff. Once he had a small Disney stock! He owned a little bit of Disney! Shame that he sold it though. Anyways it was an interesting job, besides all the boring parts that is.

His cubicle was right next to a giant glass window, and boy the view was fantastic. You could see New York City in the distance with the famous Twin Towers that stood above it all. Often times he would stop and take in the view. Sometimes during is lunch break he would go onto the roof with his camera and take a picture.

Lukas actually had some friends who worked in the towers. Like his best friend Jesse who was working in the North Tower right now. Hell only a few months ago he realized Stacy also worked there. It was by accident but he ran into her, well more like passed her. Lukas was just leaving when he passed her by, conveniently on her lunch break. And he'll never forget what she said to him, "Oh hey Lukas. I guess you found me out huh? Not to sound ungrateful but this job really sucks, but I guess you understand that. One day when I saved enough money I'll publish a book. Yeah I know it sounds far fetched but I'll never give up! Look at it this way, think of it as a friendly completion. Well I don't know about you but I have to get back to work. Nice talking to you Lukas!"

September 11, 2001
Woodbridge New Jersey
8:45 a.m.

It's been about an hour since Lukas got to work. And to be honest all the mathematics where making him dizzy. Well it always did especially in the morning, so to loosen up the pain he looked out the window. But something felt... off. There was a plane traveling over New York, but that was normal! Small planes and helicopters always circled the city. But even from far away it didn't have the shape of a small plane. "Hmm maybe it's landing in Newark?" Lukas asked himself. Which that was common, in North Jersey a lot of planes landed in Newark because it was cheaper than landing in Philadelphia or Queens. But no this plane wasn't flying over the Hudson. That could only mean....

Boom
Crash
Kaboom!

It flew right into the North Tower and Lukas had a good view of it all. Someone in his department yelled, "Holy Jesus! Someone attacked the World Trade Center!"
All Lukas could do was watch in horror as the building went up in flames.

Not even thirty minutes later at 9:03 another plane hit the second tower. At this point New York City looked like it was being attacked by some monster of darkness. For a giant cloud of ash lured over the city. At first Lukas thought this can't be happening over and over again. He thought that he was dreaming. But by the second hit he knew this wasn't just real, it was a living nightmare.

Not only were the people inside the towers and planes in danger but the pedestrians too, the blackness was all the can see. How could they get out of the city? Streets were probably blocked, planes were probably not allowed to enter or leave the city and the trains had a certain system. The only way they could leave Manehattan is by boat! And from his building in Woodbridge there is no way to tell if any boat was there to save them.

December 24, 2001
Elizabeth New Jersey
8:00 p.m. Christmas Eve

I

t was over three months since the attacks happened. Turns out there were also attacks in the Pentagon from Washington D.C. and another in a field in Pennsylvania. But the hardest part was watching the towers collapse. The South Tower collapsed in the same hour, while the North Tower stayed up until 10:28 a.m. It hurts Lukas to this day to imagine the pain of the innocent, the fire everywhere, exploding windows, suffocation, and metal falling on people. It hurts to know that these people had families that they may never get to see again. Jesse, Stacy, all those people, firemen and police officers. It's painful to think someone would do that.

Though now as Lukas sits on the couch thinking about this his friends are having a good time behind him. Axl was having a Christmas party in his apartment and invited all his friends. Luckily they all showed up, well... most of them did. When the towers fell the search and rescue went in but they couldn't find Jesse. The group was told that Jesse's body was burnt to ash, and that his bones were either crushed or burnt as well. Stacy wasn't dead but she got something worse, if anything she'd rather be dead. Her back was busted from a flaming chunk of wood that fell on her. For the past few months she's been in the hospital, everyone thinking that she'd be better off if they pulled the plug.

Only Lukas would be thinking about the deaths of his friends on Christmas Eve. I can't believe it's been three months... the room feels so big without Jesse. Everything has been so dark without him to light up the room. I can't believe that Stacy wants to be dead, at least she's alive! She should be grateful but it's never enough! At least Jesse knew when enough was enough... What am I doing? This is supposed to be a happy time and I'm here thinking about bad things. Jesse would want me to have fun, Stacy would want me to follow my dream, they would've wanted me to move on...

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone call his name, "Lukas?"

He turned around only to see Petra standing there. "Oh hey Petra?"

Petra sat down next to him and continued talking, "Are you okay? You've been quiet ever since I showed up."

"I'm fine. I'm just thinking that's all..."

"Thinking about the attacks again?"

"How did you-"

"You've been thinking about it all the time. Halloween, Thanksgiving, any other time Axl has a party. Come on, I know it's hard but you have to move on!"

"How can I move on? Jesse was my best friend, he was everyone's best friend! You don't just let go of all the memories you've made together!"

Petra sighed and grabbed Lukas' hand. "Come on, don't think you're the only one suffering here."

Petra got up and dragged Lukas to the kitchen. In the small area you could see Stampy eating cake by himself.

"Okay it's just Sturdy Cat, he always eats cake by himself. How is this any different?" Lukas asked clearly confused.

"Look at the guy! He's depressed! Stacy to him is like Jesse to you. Look at Dan and Lizzie, those two are about ready to get a room and Stampy is here by himself."

"Well at least Stacy is still alive, I have to deal with guilt for the rest of my life!"

"He's probably thinking about the same shit Lukas! He wasn't there to help her like how you weren't there to help Jesse! Open your eyes man," Petra groaned, "ugh come on."

Petra dragged Lukas to the other side of the apartment. Past the people dancing, chatting, and drinking their problems away. She dragged him all the way to the chat room with was otherwise known as Axls bedroom.

"Okay Petra what is this about? What's your point here?"

Petra closed the door and leaned on it. And in a tone not a lot of people hear out of Petra she said, "Is this your first time dealing with loss Lukas? Be honest with me."

Lukas nodded and Petra continued, "Lukas I know how you feel. You may not realize it but a lot of people in this apartment do too. Ellegaard she... well Soren worked in the Pentagon and... you know how that went. Gabriel was on one of those flights and he died when the plane crashed into the South Tower. She knows your pain, and with Magnus being stuck in the big house? I'm surprised she didn't crack yet. Now you're probably just hearing me go on and on but I understand your feelings or at least I think I do. I lost my father in a military accident, he was sent to the Middle East and he was shot," Petra's voice started to waver a little bit but shook it off, "I still remember hearing the news... For a long time I didn't want to believe it. I was only a little girl Lukas, but I was forced to grow up too fast. But I learned to move on, it wasn't my fault, it was no one's fault. Maybe someone felt unsafe with my dad being in their country and shot him to protect themselves. Maybe my dad shot at them first and it was self defense. Maybe it was just an accident, but for whatever reason I won't forget what a great father he was and how he died for this country. Lukas I promise you that over time you will realize that maybe Jesse gave up his chance to live to save someone else. Think of the good because somebody fucking has to." Petra unlocked the door and left, leaving Lukas in the room by himself.

8:30 p.m.

About twenty minutes have passed since Petra left Lukas alone to think about what she said. And in those twenty minutes a few more people showed up; Radar, Cassie Rose, Jack, and Nurm along with a few others.

"There's no way that's possible!"

"I'm telling you it's true!"

"Yeah like you could fly a plane, don't you know how fishy that sounds?"

"Come on kid where's your sense of adventure?"

"I left it at home Jack, all I brought with me is some cider."

"Woah woah woah! Radar aren't you a little too young to be drinking?"

"Calm down Jack it's non acholic!"

Petra seeing Radar and Jack actually talking she budded in, "Hey guys, nice to see you two talking for once. Is that... is that acholic? Radar you shouldn't be drinking, just because you can in Canada does not mean it's okay here!"

Across the living room and into the kitchen Stampy was still eating cake, only this time Cassie walked up to him. "Hey Stampy!"

"Hmm? Oh hey Cassie..."

"What's wrong? It looks like your girlfriend dumped you."

Stampy whimpered, "Really? I... didn't notice."

"Seriously are you okay? Was it because I got arrested? Hey it's not my fault that I was shanked, I was only getting a little revenge!"

"It's not that. Hold on you got what?"

"Nevermind," Cassie sighed and sat next to Stampy, "then tell me. You can trust me, besides I need to be caught up on what happened over the past year."

"Well I guess I can trust you... but did anything interesting happen to you lately?"

Cassie shrugged. "Besides get out of prison? Nothing really. Well I did make someone my... nevermind you're too innocent to hear it."

"Cassie Rose I am over twenty five years old! I think I can handle a bit of prison slang."

"Alright if you say so. But in normal terms I guess I'm dating a guy."

Stampys eyes lit up with excitement. "Do tell, I'm really interested."

"Nope I said something now it's your turn. Stop dancing around the cake, what's the matter Sturdy Cat?"

Stampy sighed not that he had to answer but because of the nickname. It was catching on and he didn't really like it, besides he needed someone to talk to right now. "Well you know the Twin Towers right?"

"And how they got attacked? Yeah I know the prison guards couldn't stop talking about it. What about it?"

"You see... You remember Jesse and Stacy right? Well they worked there and the rest is history."

"Did they live?"

"Stacy did but Jesse didn't make it, no body was found. It was all ash and dust."

"I know I disliked the guy but damn what a way to go. What about Stacy? I didn't see her so far, what is see on her period or something?"

"No, Stacy is in the hospital. It's been that way for months."

"What's wrong with her? I mean maybe something wrong with her lungs now but at least she's alive right?"

"Yeah but she'd rather be dead. Broke her back really bad, something fell on her I think. No one is sure if she'll walk again even with crutches, she might just be crippled forever. What's worse is that they won't let me see her, not once. I've been in this country for about three days and everyday I would try to visit but they wouldn't let me."

"Well that's fucked up, if I were you I would demand to see her!"

"Well you're not me and I'm not you. But for some reason they let Grazer see her. I think people are judging me from my accent."

"Damn Americans and their flawed system... Always judging people and killing them before they actually know the person."

Stampy had a wide-eyed look on his face, "Aren't you American?"

"Actually I'm a Russian immigrant. You know people think I'd be keeping that classified but nope I'm totally fine with it. Plus I'm good at copying accents, American accents aren't hard. Just imagine white trash, that's basically every American that isn't Hispanic."

"She isn't white trash! Stacy is the one thing that's still good about this world besides cake! I think I might love her more than cake! So if anything you're white trash for thinking that way! Cassie the Russian spy Rose."

Cassie had a shocked expression on her face, usually when someone calls her white trash she'll bash their head against the wall. But since this is Stampy admitting he loves Stacy more than cake, that means something. "So Stampy... You love Stacy? Did I hear that correctly? You used loved and Stacy in the same sentence? Is the little pussy cat in love?"

Stampy blushed and looked into the living room. "Oh there's something happening I really gotta go!" Stampy got up and ran into the next room, Cassie following behind.

Soon everyone was gathered around a coffee table with glasses full of apple cider for everyone. Everyone grabbed a glass and Axl made a little speech.

"Hey everyone, thanks for coming to my party and all. I know that these past few months have been difficult. But we don't need the negativity right now, we have friends with us right now! Some of us even more than friends... Dan, Lizzie in talking about you guys," the friends laughed and the two love birds looked away embarrassed. But Olivia cleared her throat and everyone shushed amongst themselves, "so a toast for friends, family, lovers, and a Merry Christmas."

The friends cheered and Lukas stepped forward causing more shushing. "To Jesse, Soren, Stacy and Gabriel. We shall never forget what great friends they have been. Dead or crippled," Lukas raised his glass and cheered, "to Jesse!"

Everyone else cheered, "To Jesse!" And drank their drinks.

10:28 p.m.

At this point the party was just about over, people exchanged gifts, Olivia, Nurm, and Sparkles where cleaning up, and some people left already. The music was now just regular Christmas music and some people crashed on the couches in the living room.

Through a dare by Ivor, Lukas asked Petra on a date. Instead of a slap in the face she actually accepted which to Lukas was a miracle. Christmas was meant to be about miracles, Jesus being born, the Roman's becoming Catholics, the peace between sides in WWI during Christmas. Though the miracle to everyone was that there was no stains on the floor or furniture.

And so just as the rest of the guests were about to leave they heard a knock on the door. "I'll get it!" Lukas said. As he approached the door he thought it was probably just a security guard that came to tell them to be quiet. Axl would get the door but Lukas insisted and was forced by Olivia to help clean up. But when Lukas opened the door the man standing out there didn't look like a security guard at all. He had on an unzipped coat, his hoodie up so you couldn't see his face, black shoes, jeans, a grey shirt and suspenders that where on the verge of breaking. He said nothing but Lukas knew who the man was, "Only one person could be this awkward... Jesse? You're alive!"

The man flipped back his hoodie and Lukas had a better look of him. It was Jesse! Smiling at him he said, "What did you really think I was dead?"

Lukas laughed and punched his arm, "I can't believe it! Get in here you must be freezing!"

Before Jesse could object Lukas grabbed his arm and pulled him into the apartment. The moment people saw Jesse they dropped whatever they had and ran over to him. Some people where happy that he was alive while others yelled at him saying they thought he was dead.

Jesse rubbed the back of his neck. "I would love to explain this to you all but I'm not alone. I pulled a few strings and brought a friend with me." He ran over to the door and opened it and smiled at the person on the other side. He moved out of the way to the person could enter. With a gasp everyone saw who it was, the rattle of crutches made people think it was Anthony at first because he had crutches from an ice skating accident but it wasn't him at all.

The room was quiet so Cassie spoke up, "Stacy?"

The person looked up and smiled, it was Stacy! Jesse closed the door and looked back at everyone else. "I heard that she was hospitalized so I managed to 'convince' the doctors to let her out until New Years. After that she has to go back to therapy... Well don't be so quiet guys, come on we're your guests!"

Some people laughed as Jesse went back to the group asking him questions. So while everyone was surrounding Jesse, Stacy stood their not really knowing what to do until Stampy walked up to her, "H-hey..."

"Hey Stampy!" Stacy said with a smile on her face.

"How's life been?"

"Well it's been rough the past few months. Busted back and all. I couldn't even walk for two months, and every now and again I would get a surgery done for my back. But enough about me why are you in the U.S. of A?"

"Well I heard what happened and I wanted to come visit you!"

"But you never did, or if you did I don't remember. The only people who visited me besides the faculty was my friends, Grazer, and my parents."

"Well I wasn't here for that long, I just got here three days ago. I tried to visit every day but they never let me."

"Really?"

"Yeah! But they let everyone else in!"

"It's probably because of your accent or something, with the attack you sort of have to be careful who you let in. But it's not like it could get any worse! Well unless they cover the entire world in cake."

Stampy chuckled, "That would be a paradise and you know it! Speaking of cake there's some left, do you want some?"

"Something that isn't complete mush? That would be amazing! As long as you feed it to me then I'm in!"

"Um... Feed it to you?"

Stacy sighed, "Yeah... Incase you couldn't tell I need my arms to keep myself balanced."

"Oh right the crutches. Being dead would be a better option now isn't it?"

"What? Don't you mean 'better than being dead?"

"I know what you said, that you'd rather be dead than be like this for the rest of your life!"

"Stampy don't get all angry with me, I was about to die you can't blame me for wanting to be put out of my misery than live the rest of my life not being able to do anything on my own!"

"You'd rather die than live? Even if that means leaving everyone you care about behind? That's crazy talk Stacy! Crazy talk!"

"Stampy if you knew what being crippled is like you would've said the same thing!"

"No I wouldn't have! Because I have friends and family that I care about and I don't want to leave them behind! I wouldn't want to leave you behind!"

"I get it I'm your friend-"

He cut her off with an angry voice, "Let me finish! I don't know what your going through but if I did I wouldn't want to die! And that's only because I love you too much!"

Stacy blushed, "E-exuse me?"

"Yeah um... For the love of cake I meant-"

Cassie was walking past but stopped next to them and teased, "Yeah earlier he said that he loved you Stacy. I'm just saying maybe you should give the guy a break. He did love you enough to cross an ocean to visit you. And not to be cliché but there's a mistletoe right above you guys. Have fun!" Cassie walked away leaving the two staring up at the little piece of plant hanging above them.

The two looked at each other both blushing and not sure what to do. They could get away with it because no one else besides Cassie payed attention to them. But Stampy had other plans, "Screw it." It left Stacy confused but the confusion was quickly replaced with love when Stampy kissed her. It wasn't a quick peck either, it was more of an awkward first kiss. Still while Stampy was full of confidence Stacy was confused but that confusing melted away. She sort of just melted into it and ignored the fact that Lizzie, Dan, Cassie, Radar, Jack, and Nurm where watching.

"Damn it! Why do they always look so cute together!" Lizzie complained.

Dan put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down Lizzie, let them have this."

"I will not calm down! This happens every time Dan! Every time!"

"Hey... I think we're the cutest couple."

"Aww that's sweet Dan."

On the other side of the room Radar was talking to Jack and Nurm when he noticed Stacy and Stampy. "I can feel the love radiation off of them."

"What? Oh cause your name is Radar! Hey that's actually a good joke!" Jack laughed while Nurm made a villager sound and walked away towards Jesse. "He's missing out. Hey don't you feel sexual tension between them too?"

"That's gross. I'm only nineteen Jack!"

"You should know about the Parrots and the Pups."

"Eww stop!"

"What? Man up! What happened to prison Radar? You know when you went to juvie?"

"Shut up Jack!"

Cassie looked at what was left of the party from the kitchen. People crowding Jesse, Jack and Radar, Dan and Lizzie, and the noticable Stampy and Stacy. It only made her think about her own lover back in prison, Aiden. What a nutcase he was, the perfect match.

And by this time it was now 10:40 people really had to get going. Jesse was invited to stay with Axl and Olivia, Jack and Nurm where already on the road with their motorcycle, Lukas and Petra where going to drop Radar off at the campus he was attending, Dan and Lizzie left ten minutes ago, and Stacy accepted Stampys offer to stay with him at the hotel he was staying at.

Jesse was laying down on the couch and Olivia say on the couch next to him. Axl looked at them and said, "I can't wait until the new years party!"

The end!

I hoped you enjoyed that story, it was a lot longer than expected. It took me 8 hours to write this, a lot longer than my other one shots. Will there be a sequel? Yes! It'll be out in a week from now so keep your eyes peeled.

Merry Christmas and to all a good Jew!