Lex and Ethan sat on the couch with Hannah. They hadn't fully recovered from Black Friday, but at least Lex got help from the government, since she was unemployed. When President Howard Goodman returned from the alternate dimension—The Black and White— he reached out on a national scale. Lex still remembered the day the broadcast happened. She was with the Houstons, Hannah, Ethan, and Becky. After Tom, Emma, and Tim talked about Jane, Tom found the motivation to move on and invite Becky to move in. They all sat on various cushions, crowding around the TV.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else— thank you for joining me. Last Friday brought pain to us. I cannot speak for everyone, but I believe I speak for most when I say that the Tickle-Me-Wiggly, produced by Uncle Wiley's Toys, brought unspeakable pain. We lost many that day. On this Giving Tuesday, I'd like every retail worker, every shopper, every manufacturer, and every family that lost to reach out to your local government office. Every city will provide help to those who need it. To all the retail workers, you will receive financial compensation until you're earning a steady paycheck in this coming year. Shoppers, you will receive the other items you were looking for on that horrific shopping day. Manufacturers, you too will receive financial assistance. To be precise, the cost of every single Wiggly you made. Every family that lost a loved one will not have to pay for the funeral expenses. You'll all be having individual phone calls entailing those details. Happy Holidays!" Howard Goodman exclaimed as the footage cut off. Lex sat straight up.

"Thank goodness! I didn't know how I would pay for my rent. Black Friday was supposed to be my big payday," Lex said, falling back onto the cushions, a smile on her face.

"Tim, looks like you'll actually be getting things for Christmas besides my time," Tom said. Tim smiled.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to get to work. Update me on the situation!" Becky exclaimed, leaving everyone with a quick hug. Tom checked his phone.

"I don't want you guys to think this is rude, but another update came out that all calls will be on home phones unless indicated otherwise by your contact information, so I suggest you guys head home," Tom said. Lex stood up and hugged him.

"We'll text updates. Thank you," Lex said. Ethan and Hannah gave their goodbyes before they went outside and Lex started on the drive home.

"Ethan, do you need a ride home?" Hannah asked. He turned to look at her.

"Nah. Uncle Flynn took the house when Mom died. I registered with the city at your house and my cell phone number as my home phone," he assured her, taking a hand and squeezing it.

Thus, that's how Lex and Ethan ended up without worries the week before Christmas. Hannah had finished finals and they had Christmas to be excited for. Tom invited them to a dinner at his place with their group, now including Paul and Emma. It was set up a little similarly to a potluck, but it was just something small. Lex was bringing sugar cookies for the kids to frost at dinner. A few gifts were laying underneath the tree.

Christmas Eve came. It was finally time for Tom's dinner. Hannah, Ethan, and Lex were all ready to go. They were bundled up in coats, hats and scarves. It had dropped to below freezing and the few moments from the house to the car and from the car to Tom's house were not worth no warmth.

Lex started on the drive to Tom's house. "Are you guys ready?" Lex asked excitedly.

"Fuck yeah!" Ethan exclaimed. Hannah giggled from the backseat.

"What he said," Hannah said shyly.

"Hannah, I cannot believe your language," Lex laughed. She changed lanes and turned into the residential street that Tom lived on.

"I just agreed with what he said. I never spoke it," Hannah smiled as Lex carefully parked. She turned off the car.

"I hope you're ready to run," Lex said, putting on her hat and scarf after making sure she had a secure grasp on the Tupperware full of cookies. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, locking it once she saw Hannah and Ethan behind her, also running to the doorway. Hannah rang the doorbell and they were instantly received from Becky, who waved them in and locked the door before anyone could speak.

"Merry Christmas!" Becky said, hugging all of them in turn.

"Merry Christmas!" They chorused back, all hugging her back.

"Do you know where I can put these down?" Lex asked, presenting her container of cookies.

"Here, I'll take them. Go say hi to Tom and Tim. Paul and Emma should be here soon," Becky explained, leading them to the main gathering area. Tim immediately saw them and gave all of them a quick embrace.

"Merry Christmas!" Tom exclaimed, hugging everyone. Becky emerged from the kitchen and checked her phone.

"So Paul and Emma are running late. Emma recently adopted a Chihuahua named Diane who can't be alone. They might be able to get Grace, but can we allow her to bring Diane?" Becky asked. Tom nodded.

"I don't think anyone's allergic," he smiled. Everyone exchanged an eager look. They were all excited to meet Diane.

Small talk filled the room until the doorbell rang and Becky raced to the door. She wanted to save Paul and Emma from the cold. Lex could hear talking from the doorway. The voices were soon connected with faces as the newly arriving duo entered with a new friend in tow. Emma was holding onto a dog carrier and Paul held a drink carrier. There were two bottles of wine and two bottles of sparkling juice. Lex put a silent bet that they would get through all of them in about three to four hours.

"Everyone, I want you to meet Diane. We adopted her about a week ago, so she's still pretty new to everything, but I think you'll all want to meet her," Emma explained, going to Hannah and Tim in order to begin introducing Diane.

"Um, I brought wine and non-alcoholic drinks for everyone below 21," Paul said, casting a brief look to Lex and Ethan. They were mentally like full-grown adults, but physically only nineteen. Becky took them to the kitchen as conversations broke out. Tom and Lex. Becky, Ethan, and Paul. Emma, Tim, and Hannah.

"So, did they end up towing the Sedan?" Lex asked Tom. He laughed.

"Well, it was pretty close to the mall, so it ended up being burnt, but not towed," Tom replied, "Lucky me."

"That's unfortunate. We just wanted to get home, so I couldn't check," Lex said.

"So, how have you been recovering? How's your mom?" Tom asked. Lex bit her lip before replying.

"It's been a little tough, being unemployed. There were plenty of backup stores at the mall, but all that's gone, so I'm just going to figure out finances and get on the search in January. Mom's normal. When the government asked about my home life and why I was an adult at nineteen and doing all this work, I told them about Mom and how we couldn't afford rehab. They've put her in rehab and we don't have to pay for it, so I hope she's getting better. The weed dealer died on Black Friday, so we don't have to worry about that," Lex replied. Tom looked at her.

"I'm proud of you, Lex. Getting a job and becoming mentally like a fully-grown adult isn't easy. Maybe Ethan can take you as an example."

"Tom, he does as much as I do. He's going to take a job and search with me."

"Good to hear," Tom said. He fell into a conversation with Lex about shop class memories.

"So can she do any tricks?" Tim asked Emma as he pet Diane.

"Not yet. She came from an abusive family, so we're trying to calm her down around humans. Right now, she only knows 'come,'" Emma explained, petting Diane's head. Diane had lifted her head from Hannah's lap at the sound of 'come.'

"She's a cute dog," Hannah commented.

"She sure is. I'm happy we were able to give her a forever home," Emma said. Hannah grinned as Emma discreetly reached for a treat in her bag and gave it to Tim. "We don't want her to know what this is, so don't say t-r-e-a-t."

"Here, Diane," Tim whispered, offering the treat. Diane took it, though rather hesitantly. He giggled as she licked his hand.

"I'm just doing stuff with numbers. Nothing's been affecting us much, so I'm not in any trouble because of Black Friday," Paul explained.

"I work in the pediatrics ward, so it's just like every other Christmas. There aren't many parents anymore, so we've been acting as parental figures," Becky said, fanning her face, "I don't want to cry, but they spend Christmas and holidays in the hospital. This year, lots of them won't even have a family. That's why I'm bringing some leftovers and going to work tomorrow."

"You're a really good person," Ethan said. Paul nodded in agreement.

"Has your life changed since?" Becky asked Ethan.

"Kinda. Lex is at home all the time and applying for jobs. I've been doing the same. Don't tell anyone, but I think they'll let me TA at Hannah's school. Confirmation's coming in January," he said, whispering the end.

"It blows my mind that you're not in your twenties. You're out of high school, didn't even go to college, and you're supporting others," Paul said.

"Ethan, if you went to college, what would you study? Would you go to grad school?" Becky asked.

"I'm not sure. Photography has always been a side interest, but maybe a personal trainer? I'm at the gym or working out while Hannah's at school. Flynn believes in working out at least four days a week. I think I would go to grad school, just to be the best," Ethan nodded.

"Hey, I'm going to tell you my grad school story. Don't do this," Paul said, "I went to a grad school tour. I really liked it and I had done my interview. At the end they asked me if I had anymore questions. I looked at them and—"

"Paul, for the love of all things holy, STOP TELLING THE FUCKING GRAD SCHOOL STORY!" Emma exclaimed, covering Diane's ears.

"—I said I don't have any questions," Paul continued in a whisper, "I want to say this. I know I'm ready for grad school, but is grad school ready for me?"

"Paul!" Becky cried through laughter.

"That's the one thing you don't say! Even I know that!" Ethan exclaimed.

"I never heard back," Paul concluded. The timer in the kitchen dinged.

"Oo! That means dinner's ready!" Becky exclaimed.

A few hours later, dinner had ended. Tim and Hannah were fast asleep and the adults were on their third bottle of wine. Despite asking, Lex and Ethan weren't allowed any. It was probably for the better.

Somehow, everyone got home before five in the morning. By eleven, everyone was awake again at their respective home.

Lex had no idea how she was to host the New Year's Eve party. It had seemed like a good idea a week before Christmas, but with three days left, she was beginning to doubt her abilities.

"What do we eat? What's appropriate to eat? What's to drink? I can't buy alcohol!" Lex exclaimed, pacing nervously in the kitchen. Ethan put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him.

"Salads, dips, and appetizers are better than a full meal to have conversations with everyone. Sparkling juice for us under 21 is fine. Over 21 can figure it out," Ethan said. Lex let out a sigh.

"I guess. I'll Google some stuff and bookmark it. We'll go shopping this afternoon," she said, hugging Ethan and sitting down with a notebook.

The party came along in what felt like less than a day. They had somehow slapped everything together and it didn't taste terrible. After a few minutes, the doorbell and Lex ran to get it. She was going to wear heels, but the cold resulted in people needing to come inside immediately and she had to run to the door. Upon opening the door, Lex found Emma and Paul with Diane in tow.

"Hi! Happy New Year!" Lex exclaimed, closing the door behind them and delivering a quick hug.

"Happy New Year, Lex! Us over 21-ers decided to get our own drinks, since we don't want you getting a fake ID," Paul said as Lex took the drinks and put them in the kitchen.

"See, I told you not to worry," Ethan told Lex as she checked on the appetizers. She smiled and quickly planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks," she whispered as the doorbell rang again and she ran to open the door. Lex let Becky, Tim, and Tom enter. "Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, Lex!" Becky exclaimed, hugging Lex tight. "So I brought some chips, since I didn't know anything else."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Thanks!" exclaimed Lex.

The night passed in a whirlwind and everyone struggled staying up until midnight. At last the countdown began.

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

Word Count: 2250

Hi, everyone! I'm back with this fanfic that I've been writing for the longest time. I hope you enjoy it! The world is being pretty tough right now, and it's making my anxiety worse, hence publishing this now as a distraction. I hope y'all have a great week!

--Luna :D