It's been almost two hours since James left Mia standing on the balcony. Since then almost everyone's moved back into the dinning room. Maggy, the head chef of the lodge, under the instruction of Dave, prepared a large roast and possibly one to many side dishes. Of course the whole thing was James' idea.

Molly is sitting between Teppy and Mia. Malaika is just to Teppy's left and is leaning over him trying to talk to Molly.

"Malaika, sit down." Alice says from across the table. "We don't behave like this."

Malaika quickly sits down. "But I was just telling Molly."

"No buts. Listen to your mother." Matt says sternly. "Now don't give me that look. How about if you behave for the rest of dinner we all go try that chocolate looking dessert over there?"

Ah yes bribing children into behaving. A tried and tested method used for centuries, and as expected it works yet again. The children settle down and as quickly as they can they finish their food. They then, in the most civilised manner that they can achieve, they race to the desserts table. Matt, not far behind them, goes over the mental list of things to bring back for Alice and Mia who've stayed behind at the table so that they won't lose it.

"So what's going on with you and that, James, boy?" Alice following the fact that she had had her fair share of boyfriends and holiday romances in her day. She was the perfect blond-haired-blue-eyed girl. She still is, only now she's married and has children of her own. Her day's in the ring may be over but she knows all too well that her niece's were only beginning. 

Mia not having had very much luck in this area in the past is cautious to say the least. "I don't think there's anything worth talking about."

"Hey, don't hold out on me. I saw you two sneak off just before the lights display." She tests the topic before carrying on, "You know we can talk about this if you want to. I know I'm not Jane, but I am here for you."

"I know...Thank you." Mia doesn't like talking about her mom, but that's to be expected. "I promise that if there's something worth talking about then I'll tell you."

She then gets up and moves to the other side of the table to hug her aunt. Alice pleasantly shocked hugs her back and smiles. "I'm really happy you came home for Christmas. I know you have your own life, and it's been your first year in your place, but it really means a lot to all of us to have you back with us."

"I'm really happy to be back as well. Being away at university is amazing, but I really missed you all. Especially the twins." Mia smiles as both twins walking back from their trip to get desserts rush over to hug her.

"We missed you more." They both insist.

Molly staying a good few steps behind them finds herself feeling out of place. She decides to go find somewhere else to sit. Even if only for a little while, thinking that they wouldn't really notice her absence. Mia however knows all too well what that feels like. Her eyes follow the girl who looks so small and lost. She can't even see her brother because the Aliens are keeping him in a room somewhere in the lodge. Mia hugs her cousins tightly. She then excuses herself and Alice gives her a knowing nod, as she hugs her little ones.  

It takes her a good six minutes and forty-two seconds to find Molly. "Hey, mind if I sit down?"

"It's a free country, isn't it?" Molly acts tough to hide her hurt.

'Girl I might as well have invented that tactic', Mia thinks as she sits down. "What's on your mind?"

James is about to walk down the stairs when he sees the two of them sitting there and he freezes in his traces. Molly is crying. She's trying not to but the tears are there. Mia knows better than to ask her anything just yet. Instead she puts her arm around the girl's shoulders and just holds her. Molly breaks down and gives in, "I miss my dad."

She breathes deeply. Mia clumsily digs around her bag with her free hand and somehow manages to pull out a tissue. She hands it to Molly, who blows her nose. James hangs back to listen in. He hadn't heard Molly mention their dad at all since the month they'd received the news.

"I know what that feels like."

"How could you?" Molly spits, "Your dad is over there and he looks fine to me."

"That's not my dad. That's my aunt and my uncle." Mia explains. "Now why don't you tell me what happened?"

Molly, still a mess of tears and snot begins to unload, "My dad was a soldier, I think that's why James joined the army. To be like him. Anyway, it was two years ago, around Christmas when we were told that he went missing in battle. They never found him."

"I lost my mom four years ago. It was a few weeks before Christmas. Dad said he needed some time to sort everything out after that. He dropped me off with my aunt. I never saw him again." Molly doesn't say anything so Mia continues. "This time of year it's harder to not think about them. We seem to miss them more now than the rest of the year.

And that's okay. We're allowed to miss them. It sucks that they aren't here, but that doesn't mean that we can ignore everyone who's still here." Mia gives her another side hug. "It's okay if we're not always happy. Just as long as we remember that there are still times when we can be happy."

Well there we have it, Mia's just come to the understanding that James was trying to tell her. Yes winter is cold and dark, but in the darkness there is light. In this case Christmas lights. Just as she's coming to the refinement of her realisation Molly throws both her arms around her and whispers, "Thank you, Mia."

Mia hugs her tightly. James seeing his opportunity clears his throat. "Ladies."

"Ladies? Where?" Mia smiles at him as Molly moves off and stands on the bottom stair. "I only see two tough strong women here."

Molly giggles at this and Mia feels good about their talk. It might not have changed anything but she knows how alone you can feel after you've lost someone and sometimes just knowing someone else understands helps.

"My bad, Tough-strong-women, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I think we might have a little problem."

"Problem? What problem?" Molly now feeling very worried about the present as well as the past feels her mind spinning out all sorts of mad theories about what might be a problem. "Tell us."

"Alright, calm down." He notices that Mia is a little too quiet. He was half expecting her to say 'I told you so' but instead she doesn't say anything. She's just looking at him expectantly. "Look, one of the Aliens...George? Garry?"

"Jeff?" Mia asks.

"Yes, that one. Well you see he found another copy of their weird little book about taking over the planet, but this one doesn't have any missing pages and now they're starting to ask me questions about why we aren't doing what the book says. They have a few things they want to try now. I promise I had nothing to do with any of it."

I'm sure you the reader can see why this is a problem. You see Dave and Jeff might be somewhat simple but they aren't stupid. Now the other side to the problem is what's in that book. There is a whole chapter on smaller experimental conquering and Jeff is being very instant that they try some of the ideas out. Now this wouldn't be so bad if the book wasn't written by some half deranged hermit on a small world who's only company was a lot of rocks and some hungry plants. Oh, right on cue here come Dave and Jeff. 

This time Jeff, seeming over eager, is the first to talk. "Hello, Earthlings, it's been brought to our attention that we might be doing things wrong. Very unprofessional. We are very sorry. So from now on we're going to divide you in two."

This statement paired with the very big gun he just so happens to be holding doesn't help to make anyone feel good about whatever is about to happen. Dave then starts to count and point at people down on the ground floor. "One. Two. One. Two. One. Two."

He did this for every person he could see, "Now all the Ones please move to the left side of the room. No, not you're left. My left. Yes, good, now can all the Two's please move to the right side of the group. Perfect. Well done everyone. Now you should get to know the people around you. They are your group, and now I shouldn't even say this but, only one group can survive the...snowball fight? Snowball fight! It will start tomorrow at the rise of the first sun" Jeff whispers something. "You only have one sun? Oh, alright, it will start at the rising of your sun tomorrow morning. You should all get your sleep. You'll need it."