Readers: Wow, nicsnort isn't dead?! A new chapter! Amazing!

I know, I know I'm sorry. Life just really...I thought I would be able to write more the past few months - and I have it, just wasn't this story, it was my Master's Thesis and two papers for publication. Good news though I'll be a published author in a couple months, a research article but it counts for me! Anyways I was able to finish this chapter and I will continue to work on the rest of this story, I've readjusted my plotlines to give me less work in finishing this story. It will be finished though. Maybe not anytime soon but it will be!
Thank you all for sticking with this story and leaving words of encouragement. Enjoy.

"They're not back yet," Elizabeth said a hint of worry in her tone. It had been five hours since the family had left for the Christmas Eve candlelight service. They should have been home an hour ago at least.

"They're fine, love," Edward reassured her pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "Your father is likely praying extra long and hard or something, that's all."

Cuddling closer to Edward Elizabeth tried to push it from her mind. "But it's snowing, what if they lost control and drove into a ditch? They could be freezing to death. Or what if the Colonel had a stress heart-attack with everything that happened!"

"They are in two cars, both couldn't have crashed. If somehow they did they have cell phones. They would have called, either us or a tow-truck. And they certainly would have called if your father had a heart attack."

"You're right," Elizabeth relented.

"I always am."

"Almost always."

"Always." Edward rolled Elizabeth underneath him and kissed her deeply. "I am always right."

Elizabeth grabbed Edward's arms and switched their position so she was straddling him. She was about to kiss him when the rumble of two car engines caught her attention. "They're back."

"Told you they were fine," Edward said, a hint of disappointment in his tone as Elizabeth got off him. Elizabeth glanced outside to see both cars safe and sound, and everyone getting out of them. With a satisfied nod, she crawled back into bed with Edward.

"I don't feel like going down, do you?" Elizabeth asked resting herself against Edward's chest.

Edward yawned. "Not at all."

"Excellent, then I suggest we fall asleep so we can get up early and see if Santa came." They both laughed. Edward wrapped an arm around Elizabeth's shoulder and they soon Elizabeth fell asleep; Edward, on the other hand, was not able to drift off. It happened sometimes. Either Edward was impossible to wake or never fell asleep in the first place. Sometimes a stiff drink would fix the problem but he did not want to go downstairs while the others were still up and about. After an hour, once things had quieted down, Edward disentangled himself from Elizabeth's arms and crept down to the first floor.

Years of theft and general sneaking around made Edward light on his feet and there was nary a creak of the floorboards as he made his way into the den where the liquor cabinet stood. The fire crackled low in the fireplace casting long shadows across the room. Peering inside the oak wood cabinet Edward saw that the bottle of whiskey he had spied earlier wasn't there. Then he became painfully aware that he had overlooked an important feature in the room: Colonel James Howard.

"Come to steal something else, boy?" The Colonel asked from his slouched position in the armchair, his voice peppered with a slight slur.

"Else? I am not aware of having stolen anything from this home; except a few of Dolores' homemade cookies when we were frosting them." Edward chuckled and took a glass from the cabinet. Casually, yet cautiously, he moved to the seat across from the Colonel, the whiskey decanter was between them and Edward reached for it. The Colonel reached for it as well stopping Edward's hand. Picking up the bottle Elizabeth's father poured himself another glass, then gestured for Edward's glass. An eyebrow raised Edward extended his glass and the Colonel filled it appropriately. Inclining his head politely Edward sat back and took a sip of the fine alcohol.

"I meant in general but whatever," the Colonel release a long sigh sinking back into his seat and taking a gulp of the strong liquor. It took Edward a second to realize that the Colonel was responding to he had said before. The length of silence was disconcerting but that was the nature of drunken men.

Now another length of silence stretched between them. Edward decided to break it. "She was worried about you. When you were late in returning, Elizabeth was worried. Even after the cruelty, you allowed to be done to her, the way you have treated her, she - for reasons I cannot fathom - still loves you. Some would say because she is a better person, naturally, I disagree, I say it is because she is simply that kind of person. Loving. Caring. I do say if she can still love you after everything you put her through I no longer wonder how she can love me. My behavior is saintly compared-"

"Shut up, Nashton."

Edward clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together. "For Elizabeth's sake and as you are inebriated I am willing to overlook that mistake this one time."

The Colonel gave a half chuckle and drained the rest of his glass. "So threatening. Maybe I'll suggest you to Waller when she needs a hacker next...or cannon fodder."

"I've survived her twice I can do so again. Task Force X is only suicide for idiots, those that don't know how to play the game."

With a grunt, the Colonel refilled his glass once more. Sitting back in his seat a silence fell over them again. Both men sipped on their drinks neither looking at the other. A few long minutes passed and the Colonel spoke again. "I really did try and get her out. When she was with Cuvier, I really did try."

"I believe Elizabeth would benefit more from this confession than I."

"She won't listen to me, she never listened to me. She'll listen to you though. She'll accept this from you." At the last sentence, the Colonel reached into his pocket and pulled out a USB drive. He held it out to Edward who took it with a raised eyebrow. "Not until you leave."

"What is it?"

The Colonel looked into the dying fire and sighed. "Information. A clue. I hope something that will give Elizabeth...peace? I'm not sure but she needs to know. She needs to see."

"Why can't you just tell her?"

Finishing off his glass the Colonel stood up, leaning against the back of the armchair for support. When he was as upright as the drunken man could be he looked at Edward. "Because that is as close to treason as I am willing to commit. You're the Riddler. Figure out the rest."

Edward looked down at the memory stick. Classified intel from ARGUS. Fascinating. Looking at the Colonel Edward inclined his head. The older man did not say anything else but semi-clumsily made his way up the stairs to bed. After finishing his drink Edward went to bed himself.

"Wake up! It's Christmas!"

Edward groaned and batted Elizabeth's hands away. "No."

"Breakfast is ready!"

Groaning again Edward turned over and pulled the sheets around him. "Too early."

"I will carry you downstairs if I have to!"

Edward tched and curled up under the warm bedding. Then he yelped as he was lifted off the bed. He scrambled around and fell out of Elizabeth's arms. "God damn it! Never do that again!"

Elizabeth laughed heartily and Edward whacked her in the head with his pillow. "Come on sleepyhead. This is the second day in a row I've had to wake you."

"At least tell me there is coffee ready this time," Edward said rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, there is coffee, I made it for you myself so it was done right."

"Excellent." Standing and stretching Edward looked over Elizabeth who was wearing a rather ugly Christmas sweater. He knew she had not packed that and in her hands, she held another sweater, this one red and green with horrible white bobbles on the front. "I am not wearing that."

"Yes, you are," she said holding it out to him.

Edward groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Fine. Fine." He took the sweater and got out of bed. Pulling on underwear and pants first he then put on the sweater. At least it wasn't itchy.

"You look very handsome," Elizabeth told him grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the door. He followed her reluctantly. Couldn't his Christmas present just be more sleep?

Downstairs Edward felt considerably better after some coffee. Breakfast was silent. Just a few exchanged words. Edward did not care, however. He could contend with silence, if any more fighting broke out he would have to retrieve the mind control chips. Anyways the food was delicious so any talking his ego felt compelled to do was satiated by shoving bacon and eggs into his mouth.

Once they had all stopped eating it was into the living room to exchange gifts. The feeling in the room was less than comfortable but it was not the tension that was felt when all had sat in this room previously. Edward and Elizabeth didn't have their guns and they could only hope the Colonel didn't either. Grandma Doe's presents were handed out first, a collection of small gifts in a stocking. They were all handed out at the same time and opened as one. The contents were the same for the most part. Homemade sweets and treats, a gift card to Big Belly Burger, a small bottle of cheap aftershave for the men and perfume for the women, and finally, a personal gift each. Edward's was a wooden block puzzle, that was a "brain buster" and "expert level" and seventeen different ways to solve it, according to the cardboard wrapping.

His eyes widened at the sight of it and his fingers twitched. Desperately Edward wanted to open it and solve it. Suddenly, the puzzle was snatched from his hands. If had been anything other than the familiar hands of Elizabeth he would have quickly turned to anger. Even so, his muscles tensed slightly as he had to control himself.

"Don't open it yet, Edward," Elizabeth told him placing her other hand on his leg. "I know its hard but wait until we are all done."

Her words and hand help placate him but Edward still sent her a scowl. "Very well, dear," he relented looking over to see what her gift was. In her lap was a journal. He recognized the look of it as being the journal type that she had kept all of her secrets in. It seemed so long ago that he had broken into her apartment and read it.

Elizabeth noticed where his eyes were and smile. "A new journal for a new life," she told him before looking at Doe. "Thank you, so much, Grandma."

"I'm glad you like it, Lisbeth." There was a round of thank yous from everyone else and then Elizabeth's mother got up to give out her gifts. Colonel Howard stared at the space in front of him a glower on his face as she did so. A package was handed to both Edward and Elizabeth. Edward's had a fair heft to it, while Elizabeth's looked light. As it turned out Edward's was a bottle of sake with the handcrafted flask and cups as well. Elizabeth's was handcrafted Japanese puzzle box. Like with the other puzzle Edward's fingers itched to solve it.

"I hope everyone likes them. They're from Japan, Okinawa, near the base there. There is something inside the boxes as well, sweets," Mary-Ann told her daughters, both of whom had received the boxes. Equally, both boyfriends had been gifted sake with a sake set.

"Inside?" Victoria complained, "there's no way to open it."

"It's a puzzle box," Elizabeth told her sister her eyes examining her own box. "Give it to Edward if you can't open it. He'll have it in under twenty seconds."

"Twenty?!" Edward exclaimed aghast, "I haven't had any of this wonderful sake yet! I'll do it under ten seconds."

Elizabeth made an indistinct noise of agreement as she began moving the wooden slides of the box. With a grin, Edward reached up and plucked the box from her hands. "Don't open it yet, dear," he parroted, "wait until we are all done."

Edward chuckled as Elizabeth him a sideways glare but then she smiled. Getting up from the couch she went a retrieved the gifts that she and Edward had bought for everyone during the road trip here. Edward's alcohol was decorated with a bow and without tags but Elizabeth remembers which were whose. Handing them out quickly she returned to her seat next to Edward. "The alcohol is from Edward, except for you Colonel that is from both of us" she informed them as she rested her head against Edward's shoulder.

Grandma Doe smiled as she looked at the bottle of red wine. "An excellent vintage, Edward, thank you."

"I hope you ladies enjoy," Edward told them with a grin.

"Nothing for me?" Antonio asked in a joking tone, "I'm bit put out."

Edward and Elizabeth both turned the heads to look directly at the Falcone heir with neutral but serious expressions. Elizabeth spoke first. "I didn't beat you to a pulp for dating my sister, lying to her, and putting her in danger isn't that enough?"

Antonio blanched while Victoria's face hardened, her grip tightening on the wine bottle. Elizabeth noticed and smiled at her sister. "Victoria, don't you remember that's what I always said I would do to any boyfriend of yours that did those things. Even before my transformation. But if you really want a gift Antonio I am sure something can be arranged once we return to Gotham. Isn't that right, Edward?"

"Certainly, how are your debts at the Iceberg nowadays? Ozzie putting any pressure on you yet?"

There was a silence and tense moment in the room before Grandma Doe spoke again. "Oh, Elizabeth, these glasses are lovely! And a decanter too! Marvelous!"

A happy and loving smile instantly appeared on Elizabeth's face as she looked towards her grandma. "I'm glad you like them."

"I will wash them out and tonight we can have a drink from them," Doe said carefully setting the delicate objects back inside their box.

Next, Elizabeth mother opened up her present. Upon seeing the jewelry she gasped in shock. "Elizabeth, these are wonderful...how much...this is too much, Elizabeth. You can't spend this much on me, where did you get the money?"

Elizabeth's eyebrow rose disbelievingly before she schooled her expression into joy again. "Of course, I can spend that much, Mom. You deserve even more for being as loving and as accepting as you are. I never thought you would accept what had happened to me and who I love. Thank you, Mom."

Mary-Ann's eyes misted over as she set the box aside and moved across the room to give Elizabeth a long tight hug. "I love you, baby. No matter what."

Elizabeth returned her mother's hug her throat going thick with emotion. When the embrace ended the pair smiled at each other before Mary-Ann returned to her seat. Victoria opened her gift in silence, when it was unwrapped she stared inside the box for several long seconds. Antonio looked into the box curiously and blanched. "What the fuck!?"

"Antonio, it's none of your business," Victoria hushed before closing the box and setting it on the ground. She looked at Elizabeth who was watching her sister with cautious expectancy. "I don't forgive you for everything but that certainly makes up for a lot."

A pleased smile spread across Elizabeth's face. "I'm glad you like it."

The rest of the family looked curiously between the two sisters, yet neither was going to answer any questions. Antonio still looked a bit pale. Edward grinned at this deciding to mock the man. "You're going to have to build up a better constitution than that if you're working for Maroni."

An angry look crossed Antonio's face. "As I keep saying, I am not a part of that side of the business."

"Everyone is pulled in at some point," Edward told him a hint of warning in his mocking in his tone.

Antonio made to respond but a touch on the knee from Victoria quieted him. Edward smirked with pleasure at the small triumph. The men's tiff had continued to pique the curiosity of the other family members and the Colonel went to reach for the box. "No, Dad," Victoria said moving the small box out of reach. "This is between Elizabeth and I. Something that happened when we were kids has been resolved and that's all you need to know."

To stop her father from responding Victoria stood and took the final presents out from under the tree. Passing them around Victoria stopped before Edward and Elizabeth, her hands empty. "I didn't know you were coming, raincheck?"

"That's fine," Elizabeth told her sister. "We'll work something out back in Gotham."

Victoria sat back down to watch the rest of the family open their gifts. She had given the Colonel an expensive watch, Mary-Ann a delicate silk scarf with an intricate design, and Grandma Doe a beautiful painting of a grazing herd of deer. As they were thanking Victoria Edward leaned over and whispered in Elizabeth's ear. "I believe that Christmas has gone wonderfully my dear. Perhaps, we should host next year or do Thanksgiving."

Elizabeth gave Edward an incredulous look. "Oh god," she said in a low voice, "the doctors are right you are insane."

After giving a look of mock offense at her words Edward's face slid into a grin before he kissed Elizabeth on the cheek. Around them, the others left to put their presents in their rooms. Alone, Edward pulled Elizabeth against his side as she rested her head on the crux of his shoulder. Outside snow was falling peacefully reflecting their own emotions. Separated from Gotham, from the Batman, the pair was at peace and it was utterly boring. They couldn't wait to get back.