"A Christmas tree?" Talken asks.

"St. Nick!" Leafa shouts.

"Oh it's Rudolph!" Klein answers.

"That's it!" the team cheers in victory.

It was Christmas eve in ALO and the whole group was celebrating and being merry for the coming of Christmas Day. A little charades was in play before the gifting the was to parade.

Hot cocoa was served, everyone young and old smiled the nighting away. Every the lovers shared a caring moment every now and then.

"Time for the lovers to have their Christmas kiss!" Lisbeth announces. Everyone makes a big circle around the obvious couples. Kirito and Asuna alongside Yuuki and Cavalry.

"You guys" Asuna says in embarrassment.

"Was this really necessary?" Cavalry asks equally embarrassed.

"Oh kiss me you scardey cat" Yuuki says standing on her tip toes and planting a kiss on Cavalry's lips. Asuna and Kirito also trade their Christmas kiss.

"Another year without a girlfriend" Klein sighs.

"Oh bother. Here, then have one!" Nori shouts in annoyance before grabbing Klein by the collar and kissing him square on the lips. Everyone; even Klein; stare in shock and surprise. Nori breaks the kiss almost letting Klein faint in surprise. "What? He's...attractive" Nori says justifying her act.

"Does that mean you'll go on a date with me?" Klein quickly says returning back to reality.

"Mm, I'll have to think about it" Nori teases.

"Oooooohh heck yeah!" Klein says jumping into the air. Everyone laughs. His time did really come and what a better surprise than as a Christmas gift.

"Anyone up for some ice skating?" Jun asks.

"I never thought of you being the ice skating type" Sinon tells him.

"Everyone has their secrets. Maybe you'll share some with me one day?" Jun suggests. Sinon couldn't help but blush at the idea. She found Jun an interesting character and who knew what else he held hidden in his strong looks and brawn.

As surprising it was, ALO had managed to master ice physics to match the physics of real life. Everyone was bundled in their best fairy winter wear as they headed to the frozen lake down the hill from Asuna's house.

"Is the ice strong enough to hold us all?" Silica asks tapping the ice with her toe.

"You can hold my hand so you don't fall" Siune reassures her.

"Whee. This is so awesome!" Leafa shouts skating on the ice care freely.

"May I skate along?" Tecchi asks Leafa.

"Yes you may" she replies. They take each others hand as they skate as a couple.

Kirito with Asuna bybhis side and Talken had a rough start but managed to stand up on the ice. Siune, Silica and Sinon took their time as they skated the perimeter of the lake. Jun and Sinon stood around the edge as they started up a newly ignited conversation. At the center of all this was the mis-matched couple of Yuuki and Cavalry. Neither of them had been on the ice before so they had trouble at the start.

"Support each other" Cavalry tips Yuuki.

"Kinda like dancing?" Yuuki notes back.

"Right, flow with your partner and he'll flow along with you." They do as they suggested and start to skate as the couple they were.

--Start Music--

A small curve..
A light turn..

A twirl of the partner..
A twirl around each other..

Almost two years ago, a love between a nurse and patien-

No, between an Indian boy and Japanese girl,

Would never have conceived if someone hadn't taken the chance,

To make a friendship of a lifetime,

Sharing both hardships and endless amounts of love,

That is what a friendship bound for greater can carry along it's subtle faces.

A slow spin..

A warm Eskimo kiss..

And fluttering of wings..

Cavalry's dove flaps above them holding a mistletoe branch in its beak.

"Hey, a mistletoe" Cavalry notes looking up. "I think we have to do something if a couple is under its gaze"

"I think other people already know that" Yuuki says noting the other skating couples giving each other Eskimo kisses or brushes of the cheeks.

"Oh Yuko, how would you have ever lived without me?"

"I wouldn't. Not because I would pass away from AIDS"

"Huh?"

"Because I can't even imagine a future without you holding me in your arms" Yuuki says hugging Cavalry closer to her. Cavalry hugs her back, resting his cheek on her head.

"I'm glad too. Now we can build a future and face the unknown together"

"Promise?" Yuuki asks looking up to him. Cavalry kisses her on the lips under the gaze of the mistletoe.

"Promised and sealed with a kiss" Calvin assures. Yuuki wraps her arms around Cavalry's neck as she reaches up for another kiss. "And that's was for?"

"I just wanted to kiss you, my lovable Cava" Yuuki teases snatching another kiss.

After an hour or so of skating and other snow activities, everyone enters back to the home by the fireplace's warmth. All adorned with complimentary Santa hats as gifts from the programmers of ALO. Some of the girls also changed into Christmas clothing they had bought for this exact night.

"How cute" Siune says opening the first present for Cavalry's dove. A nest for it to rest in.

"A rare metal? Now I can finally smelt that weapon I've been wanting" Lisbeth says in joy.

"I already got my present. Nothing can compare to this" Klein says triumphantly hugging his new girlfriend.

"Oh is that so?" Leafa asks playfully squeezing his arm between her chest.

"Back off sister. He's mine" Nori says seemingly ready to fight for Klein.

"Okay, maybe it can get better" Klein admits at the thought of two girls fighting for his love. Nori and Leafa both kiss his cheeks making him faint in love filled surprise.

A/n: Don't worry. I'm sticking with Klori (Klein x Nori) No love triangle here.

Gifts were traded and shared, from both smiles and joy filled faces.,

"Uh, Yuuki? Can you come outside for a moment?" Calvin asks her.

"What is it?" Yuuki asks following him outside.

"Well its just, we've been together for so long" Calvin begins kicking some snow in nervousness.

"Come on, spit it out" Yuuki says nudging him. 'You're not going to ask me to marry you right?"

"Haha not yet. We still have many school years to go through" Calvin assures.

"So what is it?" Yuuki asks tilting her head in interest.

"This." Calvin takes out a small box wrapped in gift paper and a bow.

"What is it?" Yuuki asks.

"Open it." Yuuki unwraps the box and opens it. Inside was a bracket with jewels.

"A bracelet?"

"Sort of" Calvin says pulling up his sleeve and showing a similar bracelet on his wrist. "If I bring it close to yours." Calvin holds her hand. The bracket mere centimeters apart. The bracelet glows two different colors. Red on Calvin's and yellow on Yuuki's. "They'll glow depending on our emotions"

"Wait, so are you mad about something?" Yuuki asks noticing the red.

"Wha- No! I'm actually..blushing in love" Calvin admits.

"Ha, I see. Your cheeks even got darker from all that blushing. Guess that's means yellow is happiness" Yuuki says noticing her yellow glow.

"Did you like it?" Calvin asks watching as fresh snow flakes begins to fall from the sky.

"To be honest, I was going to give you something similar. It was a charm necklace. We would have half the heart and when we put it together it would spell BLF" Yuuki explains.

"BLF?" Yuuki nodds.

"Best Lovers Forever" Yuuki explains. Her bracket flickers from red and pink.

"Someone seems to be embarrassed" Calvin jokes noticing her bracelet change color. Yuuki gasps and pulls her hand away.

"Was not! Your bracket thing must be broken" Yuuki says all flustered.

"Oh come here you!" Calvin lifts Yuuki by the hips and spins out into the snow. Their bracelets flash and glow a rainbow of colors. Red, orange, blue, pink. All the emotions bustling between them as the world spun and spun. Yuuki leans outward giggling in love and joy for a boyfriend as such.

"Wh-whoa!"

"Wah!"

She leaned a bit too much causing them to fall into the snow covered ground. They both laugh the pain away. Still holding their hands as the bracelets both glow a bright pink of love.

"Merry Christmas Yuuki" Calvin says kissing her.

"Merry Christmas Calvin" Yuuki says kissing back.

Looking into the snowy sky above, Aiko and Yuuki's family smiling back.

"So when are you going to ask my hand in marriage?" Yuuki asks.

"Whaaaa?"

-----------------------------------------

A/n: Happy New Years everyone!

I was planning to do this on Christmas but it wasn't finished on time so..Ta Da!

I really hope you enjoyed this journey, though it doesn't end just yet.

I'll be posting the epilogue soon so that will reveal something special.

Thank you all for the love and support for this series!!