Brooke found Slade in the morning and made amends. Slade knew it wouldn't last. He took her back but it was temporary and he told her they were starting over.

He knew something better would come along. Brooke and Slade spent the weekend with Bill. Slade wondered what Max did with his day. His mind wandered to Max a lot. More than it should.

Max was home all of Christmas Eve with his usual routine when Bill called. "Dad, hello? Is everything okay?"

Bill smiled. "Things are fine. I just wanted a family dinner tonight and it's Christmas Eve, Scrooge. Come over tonight and bring a gift for Slade."

Max sighed. "What in the fuck am I supposed to buy for Slade!"

Bill just laughed. "Get him a date."

"That's not funny. What time?" Max wasn't amused.

"Six. See you then." Bill hung up.

Max spent the day shopping for Slade and surprisingly, stores were opened. Only until six but they were still opened on Christmas Eve. He had Bill's gift done in like July and bought Brooke's at the first store. He knew what to get her. He had to shop for Slade, the sexy drummer. He knew nothing else about Slade.

Bill was excited. He had everyone over for dinner. Max was a little late. Brooke was leaving before the new year, so this was it. The last gathering this year.

"I brought wine for the lushes in the family." Max smiled as he walked into the house. He had gifts with him. He dropped the gifts by the tree and put the wine on the counter.

Bill took the bottle and opened it. "Thanks. You're a good boy."

Max shook his head. "Where's Brooke?"

"On the phone." Slade smiled. "Hello."

Max smiled. "Hi." He stared at Slade. Green eyes on blue eyes.

Bill watched them and smiled. He took his wine into the dining room and sat and the boys didn't notice yet.

Bill was curious. Max was content to just stand in the kitchen with Slade. He felt stupid so he busied himself and poured a cup of coffee he didn't want. Max looked at Slade and Slade smiled.

Max was thrilled because Slade was back in his beat up jeans and eyeliner. Max was in heaven. He was content to just stare at the sexy man.

Max missed him and wanted to talk to him and get to know him. He knew there was no chance of that happening. Slade would dump Brooke and leave. Max hated thinking about that. They were staring at each other and Max loved it while it lasted.

Brooke ruined it by bouncing in all excited. "Guess what?"

Slade cleared his throat and walked into the dining room. He sat beside Bill and Max sat across from him. "What?" Slade asked. He cleared his throat and tried not to look at Max.

"I got a job interview thanks to that party! I talked to a man that knew the magazine editor!" Brooke was all smiles.

"An actual job? Weird." Max smiled.

Brooke flipped Max off. "Not at the table!" Bill sighed. Slade just laughed.

Brooke took a glass of wine. "They are flying me out to Seattle and I'm staying there in a hotel. If I get this job, I will have to move but...there are planes and I won't miss a single Christmas!" She looked at her dad.

"What about Slade?" Max didn't mean to ask.

"What about him?" Brooke stared.

"Uh, I thought you were dating?" Max stared at his sister trying to cover his mistake. Why would he be worried about Slade? His eyes went to Slade. Max saw a slight smile.

"We are. It's not final yet. I have to go to the interview." Brooke stared. "We can have a long distance relationship."

"Slade is fine. I have to finish our tour and we are recording anyway. I will be gone for a month. No big deal." Slade smiled at Max.

"Oh. right. Good." Max nodded way too much.

He stood and made some coffee in the kitchen. He hated himself. He listened to Brooke talk through dinner and wished he could drink that wine.

Max was really considering breaking his rule and just becoming an alcoholic full time.

He was sad because he was right. Slade was going to leave and fought a battle because he shouldn't care. He never cared about Brooke and her men. Until Slade.

Most of dinner was Brooke talking and Bill asking questions. Max tried not to look at Slade but failed, he lost track of how many times.

Slade would smile every time Max looked at him. Max actually laughed at one point and Slade chuckled. Brooke ignored him but Bill saw something between Slade and Max. He hoped anyway.

Bill cleared the table. Slade and Max helped as Brook disappeared. "Leave them and pull out the eggnog."

Max sighed. "I am not drinking it." He pulled it out. "Smells good." He actually loved eggnog that his dad made. "Maybe one."

Slade smiled.

"Okay. Time for presents." Bill smiled at Slade. "We open them on Christmas Eve. It was something we started when Brooke was older."

Slade nodded. He sat across from Max in the living room and was content to stare at him. He wanted Max for Christmas. He had to find a reason to talk to Max again. He was already working that out.

Slade was shocked when Max handed him a present. It was wrapped very neatly. "Oh! I...didn't get you anything!"

"Selfish prick!" Max smiled at Slade. "It's fine, Slade. I saw this and...I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will...thanks." Slade cleared his throat. He unwrapped it and smiled. "Drum sticks! I love them!" He twirled one in his hand.

Max smiled. "The clerk said they were equivalent to a Ford? Not the top of the line but not bad. Not a Lexus." He saw Slade smile. "I really had no idea but something about the kind of wood used? Is that...?"

Slade smiled and looked Max in the eye. Drowning a little. "I love them. I can never have too many. You know, I broke a stick at a concert once. It snapped in half during a song."

"Well, now you have extras." Max smiled. He forgot where they were and just stared into those green eyes.

Brooke glared. "My gift is better!" She handed Slade a small present and Max just watched.

Slade unwrapped it and smiled. It was a t-shirt with the name of the town on it. "Thanks, Brooke."

"It's for when you leave. You can always remember where I am." Brooke smiled.

"Right, until you move to Seattle." Max smiled and Brooke flipped him off.

Max laughed. "Dad, I bought you the wine and you're welcome. He pulled a box from his pocket. "Here." He sipped his eggnog and saw Slade sip his from the corner of his eye.

Bill smiled. "Max, you shouldn't have." He opened the box and smiled.

"You better love it because I had to have it made! You wouldn't believe what I went through!" Max smiled. Slade watched him. He went through all of that just to see that look on Bill's face. Max was kind.

"Max!" Bill gasped. He stared at the pocket watch. "I love it."

"I know." Max smiled.

"What did you get?" Brooke was curious. Slade was too.

Bill opened it and turned it. "A red cardinal pocket watch. It's gorgeous."

Slade smiled. The outside was gold plated with a cardinal bird etched into it. When he opened it, the red bird was sitting in a white snowy branch. "It's very pretty!" The colors were gorgeous.

Brooke agreed. "For a watch."

"It matches the picture in his bedroom." Max glared at his sister. He looked at Slade. "He loves cardinals and said he needed a pocket watch for work, so...." He saw Slade smile. "Brooke, your's is in that box." He pointed at the tree. There was one present under it.

Brooke stood and opened it and gasped.

"That is supposed to last for twenty-five years. I hope it's something you can use." Max smiled.

Brooke stared at it. It was a hard side, silver suitcase. It was very nice. "Max! This is amazing."

"It's for when you get that job and fly back and forth. I figured it was a good size for weekends." Max watched her but his gaze landed on Slade.

Slade smiled at Max. "Bill said you hate Christmas."

Max glared at Bill, who was admiring his gift. "I don't hate it, I just don't decorate for it! I love giving gifts. I got chocolate gift baskets for my staff. I did it once and now they demand it, that isn't kindness. It's out of fear that they will mutiny!"

Slade smiled. He knew that Max was kind.

Brooke opened her suitcase and gasped. "There is a makeup bag in here!"

"I know." Max smiled as Brooke walked over and pulled Max up and hugged him.

"Max, thanks. Really." Brooke smiled and let go.

"Welcome." He sat.

Bill smiled. "Okay, I just got you all gift cards. I hate shopping." He handed them Christmas cards.

"I did too!" Brooke smiled and handed hers out. "Sorry. I just didn't have time."

Max just smiled. "It's fine. Thanks, Brooke. Dad." He set his cards on the chair.

"I'm a selfish prick and didn't get anyone anything. Sorry." Slade sighed.

"Slade. You are not required to. You're a guest." Max smiled. "If you had, I would have been offended!"

Bill smiled. "Me too!"

Brooke was too busy to comment.

Slade smiled. "Thanks." He held eye contact with Max for a while.

Bill smiled when he saw the gazes. "Well, we have plenty of eggnog and Max is spending the night. I'm not asking, Max."

Max smiled. "Is this real eggnog?" He sipped his.

Bill smiled and winked. They walked to the kitchen and left Brooke to whatever she was doing and pulled out Christmas cookies that Alyssa made.

They sat around the fireplace, watched the fire and listened to Bill tell childhood stories that embarrassed Max. Brooke went to bed early. Slade wasn't tired so he stayed up and Bill insisted.

"Well, boys. I am going to bed." Bill jumped up and rushed from the room.

Max just glared in his direction. They sat in silence. "So, you break your drinking rule for eggnog?" Max watched Slade.

"I do on special occasions. I know that Bill made it and I didn't want to be rude." Slade looked at the clock. It was after midnight. "It's Christmas."

"It is. Merry Christmas, Slade." Max smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Max." Slade sighed. "I should get to bed."

"Me too. I'm here." Max smiled at the couch.

"Oh! Is this okay? I took the other guest room. Brooke and I are working on things." He sighed a heavy sigh. "I don't think she wants to date me."

"She is so stupid when it comes to guys." Max leaned forward. "This one idiot she dated, Brian. Man, was he dumb. He shoplifted and had been in and out of jail several times and she kept him for nine months!"

Slade laughed. "What's wrong with me?"

Max shook his head. "Not a damn thing! This is her. She will realize that she made a huge mistake but it will be too late! Once she lets you go, some genius will snatch you up and it will be too late for her."

Slade smiled. "How much eggnog did you have?"

Max laughed. "Just.. a couple." He paused to take a breath. He was just going to say this once. Get it out. "I'm serious. You are the hottest guy she ever brought home and you're talented too. Smart and funny. Those combinations don't exist in one person that often. She is stupid." Max sighed. "Okay, no more eggnog!"

"No, you should drink more!!" Slade smiled. "Well, Max. Thanks for the sticks and the compliments. This is one of my top Christmas memories. Thanks."

Max smiled. "Welcome. Good night, Slade." 

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