Author's Notes:

Sorry! I just had to add in a little Christmas one shot. Just a bit of sad and sweet fluff.

"Will." I didn't respond. "Will. William Fowler, answer me!"

I give a tired sigh to my sister. "Sorry Vera. It's just…"

She gives me a sad and knowing look. "You miss her, don't you?" With a shake of her head, she adds, "I know you don't want to think this, but Will, she is probably—"

"Don't say it."

"You know it's the truth. It's been years—"

"Vera! Just… Just don't."

She sighed. "Fine. Just try to not let your missing her keep you from your real family."

As I look to the rest of my family, the ones sitting just inside the other room, my niece and nephew playing with their Christmas morning toys while Vera's husband pretended as if he wasn't listening in on Vera and I. Looking to my sister again, I say, "Everon was… is my family too."

She shook her head and stood before walking away to her family. I hated upsetting her like that, but lately, Everon's absence had become more real to me each Christmas that passed. Christmas had been our day: she spent Christmas Eve day with Jack and his mother, and then she and I would always fly to my sister's for Christmas day. I had never explained Christmas very well to the Autobots, and Everon had always grown up celebrating with me, so no one had ever tried to change the routine.

This Christmas was the five-year mark. Five years since she had unwittingly wandered out on that battlefield. Five years since the head Con—Megatron, her other father— had found her. Five years since she was taken.

The doorbell rang, and seeing as how everyone else was being sociable, I announced, "I'll get it." Standing up with a tired groan, I make my way to the front door. As I do, my phone rings. Glancing at the restricted number, I answer quickly and say, "Look, I'm off today. What do you—"

"Alright, Fowler, you have a visitor, and I need you to not freak. The others don't know about this little side trip, and they are going to have a fit later, so the best situation is to not unsettle your… visitor."

"Wait, wait! Cliffjumper? Why are you calling me?"

I heard the mech sigh over the line. "Because I brought you a visitor. Now, stay calm—"

I had reached the door by this point, and I say, "Look, Cliff, I can handle whoever it is—" I open the door and immediately drop my phone. "My Stars and Garters…"

The girl before me laughed lightly. "You still talk like that, huh?" She gave a dazzling smile before asking, "May I come in? You might be used to visiting your family in the snow, but I grew up in a desert…"

Blinking several times, I realize that she was standing with her arms crossed, short jeans shorts over three quarter leggings, converses, and a slightly baggy shirt with a wide neck covered by an equally over-sized zip up hoodie that fell off one shoulder. "Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry. Just… come in."

I moved from the doorway and ushered her in, her softly smiling face lighting up her silvery eyes. As I watch her, I stupidly comment, "Everon… You look… paler."

She laughed, a light, musical sound. "Not much natural lighting on the Nemesis." Everon casually walked around, looking around the foyer while her arms swung loosely at her sides. "I went on the flight deck occasionally, but my father was a bit… protective, as were most of the others." She looked to me and tilted her head, a strange smirk on her face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

I couldn't say anything. All I could do was rush forward and hug her. "I… I was beginning to think that… that I would never see you again."

She hugged me back. "Hey, I'm here. I'm back." She pulled back from the hug, and with the strange smirk, she added, "Only managed to sneak away from my Bots for a little while. They are probably freaking right now and leaving Cliff angry messages on his comm. He is so scrapped when we get back."

I barked out a laugh, something I hadn't done in a while, and then I turned to the footsteps I heard approaching us. "Will, who was at the—" Vera froze, staring at Everon.

The smirk still on her face, she turned to my sister and cocked hip with one hand on the hip while the other flourished through the air. "You thought I was dead, didn't you?" She huffed a laugh. "Those fraggers didn't harm a hair on my head. Now, why don't we—"

"William." I did not like that tone. "What is she doing here… Is it safe to have her here?"

My brows knitted together in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"She was kidnapped by a terrorist group," Vera said fiercely. "How can she just show up here after five years of being missing, and you just let her in without a hint of suspicion?"

"It's Everon. She spent every Christmas with us when she was a child. I'm not going to send her away when she wants to see—"

"She may not be injured, but she is bound to have some mental trauma: how do you know that she doesn't have Stockholm syndrome or something? She could be helping—"

"Now that's just crazy—"

"Did you know she had been found?"

I stopped, knowing I hadn't been told till Everon knocked on the door. Speaking of Everon, she took the cue to step forward and speak. "My Daddy's team found me a few days ago… Cliff snuck me out to see you. They've been keeping my being found under wraps back at base cause they worried I might have some underlying reaction to adjusting back—"

"See?" Vera demanded as she gestured irritably towards Everon who glared. "She hasn't even been mentally cleared yet! She could have a panic attack or a break down—"

"Vera—"

"I am just thinking about my kids!"

"Well I'm thinking about mine!" Vera's face was shocked, and she took a step back. "I'm her godfather; she was taken from me all those years ago, and I'm not leaving her again." I look to the young girl who stared wide-eyed at me. "In fact, if she isn't staying here, then neither am I."

Before Vera can say anything, I'm ushering Everon out the door and headed straight to the red Charger sitting parked on the street. After sitting Everon into the passenger seat and hopping into the driver's seat, I say, "By Stars, it's cold out. Mind turning up the heat?"

"Umm…" Cliff began over the radio. "What are you two doing her?"

"Let's just head back to base, soldier." I look to Everon and smile. "We can celebrate Christmas there."

Cliff began to drive, but Everon protested. "Fowler, it's okay! I'm sorry to have just dropped in: I can see you later; just spend Christmas with your family."

I sigh and shake my head. "Everon, you don't seem to realize: You're my family too, and I've missed too many Christmases with you to miss another."

With an almost feral smirk, she asks, "You're willing to put up with my Autobot family just to spend Christmas with me?

"Of course." As she smiled, I add, "Plus, seeing as how Cliff snuck you out, I'm sure the other Bots will be too distracted berating him to give me much of a headache."

Everon laughed as Cliffjumper groaned.