A/N: A little fic for my dear friend Ty, who loves the hell out of Parasite Eve series. I've been struggling for the longest time on what kind of story to do on this game and it was a few weeks back I settled on this theme of having it being a Christmas story and it showing Aya and Eve interacting as sisters, something that I know Ty will really enjoy. This is based a few months after the second game and follows little Eve's perspective as she's getting used to the outside world while Christmas is right around the corner.

Hope you like this, and Merry Christmas :)

Parasite Eve II

A Christmas Eve

Eve's life had so far been a short and extraordinary one.

When she gazed at those photographs pinned up in her room, a young girl stared back at her, blue eyed, blonde hair, and looking no older than ten at the most; that's what she had on her forged birth certificate.

Eve Brea, date of birth December, 24th, 1991.

Eve Brea, the cheerful, bright young sister of Aya Brea.

There was nothing about her that could be considered unusual, unless loving school and having a craving for peanut butter sandwiches counted as that. On the surface at least, Eve appeared normal as if she had always been that way since the day she was born, but the truth was not even her birth was a normal event. These first few months in this house, they were the first she'd ever known of, because Eve had never lived in a house before or experienced the real outdoors beyond the surface of that underground shelter, not until Aya saved her.

Every day was like any other for most people, but for Eve, each was new and exciting however ordinary they might be. It was a huge blissing to be in this super big, big world, but, it was a little scary sometimes.

Okay, really scary.

"Eve come on, it's okay."

The first time Aya took her to the beach, Eve thought the sea would swallow her whole. It was huge! More water than she had ever seen in her life, much bigger than the tanks of water those scary swimming things liked to paddle in back in the Ark. And then after that giant arm had snatched and pulled her down under the gross fluid stuff back in the shelter, it'd caused Eve to have a phobia of deep water after that; she didn't even like the water being too high in a bath!

Nope, deep water, especially sea water had seemed particularly scary that day.

Sat still strapped into that passenger seat, slowly Eve had peered out from the side of her precious teddy bear, Blue, named after her favorite color and crayon from her room in the shelter. He had once been her only companion, and was still the emotional support Eve often clung to in times of need.

"I-Is it safe?" she'd asked.

Aya had nodded, her smile like a jar full of sweet honey as she combed the wind swept hair awy from her face. "Sure it is, as safe as it'll ever be."

"And there are no monsters?"

"No, no monsters; there's maybe some big fish out there, but-" Eve had squeaked, hiding Blue up to her face again as her sis, rushed in to explain herself. "B-But they're much too far out to hurt us here on the shore. Don't worry! I won't let anything happen to you...please?"

Aya had to hold her hand, Blue hugged close to Eve's chest as she hopped out from that restored car of yellowness and walked out onto that sandy warm beach of California. As it turned out Eve freaked for nothing, because it ended up being one of the best days ever once her fear wore off. There had been other kids playing at the beach, even a mom with her little baby, so if they had nothing to fear, Eve realized neither did she.

There she'd been, getting all giggily from jumping out the way from small lapping waves at her feet, picking up all sorts of seashells that Aya showed her by putting to her ear, Eve could hear the ocean in them, even when they weren't by the coast anymore. Eve still had the shells she'd taken home that day, a whole row of them on the window sile in her bedroom that was building up to make quite a collection from her and Aya's trips to the beach after that, just as were the number of photographs she had.

School was fun, lots and lots of fun! Five days in every week Eve discovered something new about the world she was in, she got to play softball and ate food with her friends at recess. Honestly Eve didn't know what all the fuss was about; who didn't enjoy school? Her first day there Eve couldn't hurry off fast enough that she nearly left her school bag behind with Aya in the car.

They never taught Eve anything in the shelter, just fear and the tests and the experiments those scientists forced on her day after day. This life was much better than her old one for sure. Here Eve had friends and she had a big sister too that she cared about and loved lots. That's why getting a gift for Aya was proving to be super tricky...

Christmas, Eve had never heard of it before during her brief time on Earth, not even from Aya. It wasn't until a few weeks in school that the festive season came to light, when her new friend Rosie asked if she was looking for it. Eve had made a total fool of herself, staring blanky at her friend for having no idea what she had been talking about.

"Christmas?"

"Erm..."

"You know, Santa Claus?"

"Um..."

"You big dummy, you're so funny sometimes."

Rosie thought she had been joking, like every other time Eve got confused over common knowledge. Eve just went along with it worried at being sniffed out for being clueless by her friend she'd only had a few weeks; somehow the excuse she had a sheltered upbringing didn't feel like it'd work, not after Rosie said EVERYBODY knew about Christmas.

Thankfully Aya had all the answers Eve needed on later getting home from school.

"Oh, it's a festivity some people celebrate every year on the birth of Christ, although, it's gotten more directed to Santa and elfs and such for folks in the recent years; I guess it just depends on the people, everybody has their own way of celebrating it," her big sister explained while they worked together to cook dinner. Eve had been helping peel the potatoes while Aya was chopping up the vegetables. She didn't like potatoes much, but at least they were better than sprouts

"How do you celebrate, sis?"

"Oh a little in between you could say. To be honest I was disinterested for the longest time after I lost my parents and Maya, and then with what happened a couple years back as well, Christmas wasn't the same anymore, it wasn't something I looked forward to; I was envious of all those families who had each other while I had just myself. There used to be the Christmas parties back when I was in the force and I'd still end up coming home to an empty apartment," Aya had then scoffed at her own story, like it was silly when really it wasn't, and in Aya had poured those vegetables into the pot. "Jodie sure changed that when I joined M.I.S.T. Christmases, Thanksgivings, Easters, birthdays, you name it, she just had to make a celebration out of everything and insisted I be taken along for the ride. It was like having a sister again, it is still is; sooo...I guess you could say I have two sisters now."

Eve still remembered Thanksgiving with the Jodie lady. How could Eve forget it'd been just that week before when she helped Aya with preparing lots of fancy food with a turkey and setting the table. Aya had some of her friends from Mist over who Eve had met before in the weeks after escaping the shelter. Jodie was okay and so was Rupert as serious as he could be, but Pierce was really annoying and kept making goo goo eyes at her sister. Eve had wished Kyle could've been there, but the M.I.S.T agents weren't supposed to know about him being in contact with them. The missing man living under the radar, Eve could never tell when he'd show up next.

Having been stood up on her tip toes to drop the potato into the pan of water, Eve had reached for another potato to start peeling. "What about presents? Rosie said about them."

"Presents? Well, with the whole Santa thing it's him who give presents to children that have been good, but exchanging gifts in general is just something of a tradition itself; it's way of expressing thanks or affections, so it doesn't really matter what the gift is or how expensive, so long as it makes that someone happy," Aya paused, bending down to check the fish that was cooking in the oven, and added with a note of sullenness in her voice. "Sadly, sometimes people they just, they overlook that part."

During that whole dinner, Aya had told her all about Christmas the ways people celebrate it and of the cherished memories she had of her sister and parents when they were alive. It was a time to be thankful and for giving, kinda like thanksgiving but prettier with the decorations they put up the week after, with the tree and the tinsel and the Christmas angel on top too, but the pretty blue fairies lights were the best; Eve loved those once they were untangled and lit up on that tree.

Eve had so much to be thankful for. She wouldn't be alive and free if not for Aya, and as Eve had laid there in bed, hugging Blue in her arms, Eve knew in her heart that getting her big sister a gift for Christmas couldn't be just any ordinary gift, it had to be special.

But what? That was the part Eve couldn't figure out.

Kyle had a habit of coming and going in their lives. Often he would just appear like from thin air, or as if he'd always been there with them. It was usually in places where there weren't many people about, or where he wouldn't draw much attention on himself, like libraries, museums, the cinema or even just the night hours. Aya said it was because he was a man on the run and that he'd get into a lot of trouble if he was ever caught, and all for what'd happened at the shelter. Eve couldn't understand that, because he had been a hero too. Still, Eve was happy when Kyle was with them or when he came to stay the night. Aya smiled more when he was around because she was happy when Kyle was with them too.

Eve asked if Kyle would be celebrating Christmas with them, but Aya had just looked at her sadly, saying 'if he can, then he will' but without a direct yes or no. Eve hoped that he would, although even if he wasn't, maybe could still help.

"A gift for Aya?"

Eve nodded, glancing back at her sister who was standing some distance away taking a phone call from somebody. Kyle had met up with them that evening and they had all chosen to visit the beach with what was left of the daylight. They'd been there for nearly an hour and were all going to go back soon anyway, but Eve wanted to find a few extra seashells first to add to her collection.

"Mhmm, I wanna get sis something really nice," she told the man, brushing the sand off a scallop shell and stuck it in her pocket. "Can you help?"

Kyle had rested a hand under his chin, thinking about it for ages. Well not ages, ages, but still, Eve was just about getting bored of waiting when he finally answered. "Why don't you get her a necklace or something? Women like jewelry."

"What kind of jewelry?" Eve asked picking up a cone shell, only to realize it was broken on one side and chucked it away.

Kyle shrugged "I dunno, anything?"

"But it can't be anything, it's gotta be special!" Eve said with sad eyes. "Please, don't you know anything?"

"No really, no. Sorry, I've known her just as long as you have, if less since you two have been hanging around each other longer," Kyle said, running his fingers through his red hair as he looked over at Aya still busy chatting on the phone. "To be frank, I've been having the same problems; I haven't a clue what to get her neither."

"Who's Frank?"

"Frank's nobody; it's a saying, Eve."

"Oh..."

This was the worst result Eve could hear. She was used to adults having all the answers, like where did the rain come from? Why did people have desserts after dinner and not before? What was marco polo? Kyle was an adult, he was supposed to know these things! But as that man had mumbled quietly to himself about maybe getting Aya lingerie-whatever that was, Eve came to the conclusion maybe adults didn't know everything.

The sun was slipping below the line of the horizon, the night drawing in. Eve hated the dark, just as much as she hated not having a clue what to get Aya for Christmas. When her sister returned from her call, Eve emptied her pockets of those shells back onto the sand, no longer in the mood to find the prettiest one, for her thoughts had shifted to bigger goals in mind...

Aya was usually at work when Eve was at school and didn't come home until an hour and a half after Eve did. Aya always called to check on her though with the mobile phone her sister had given her, so the two could stay in contact or for use in emergencies.

"Don't go using it for long chats with your friends or that credit will go down fast!" Aya reminded her often.

There was a babysitter too named Lana, who was their neighbor across the street. Lana's kids went to the same school as Eve, the reasons why Lana would looked out for her until Aya came home since Eve was apparently too young to stay in the house alone, so she'd stay Lana's house and have ice cream and watch tv or play out in the garden. However nice Lana was, her sons Jack and Todd were really annoying to get to know at first, and had teased her a bit too...

"Girls suck at sport," Todd had said when it came to playing a game of soccer out back, and the boy had soon regretted it when Eve kicked that ball really, really hard, and hit the ten year old right on the forehead, the ball then bouncing off and hit Jack's forehead soon after who'd been in agreement with Todd a few seconds before he went falling over.

They thought she'd kicked that ball accurately on purpose, even though it was pure luck Eve hit both with that soccer ball in one kick. It didn't matter, because after that the two boys started to like her more, believing she was some soccer pro as they called it, and they played a few matches together, Jack swapping sides to be on Eve's team because he thought the kick she'd done was awesome...but as much as she got used to their company, Eve still thought they were annoying.

Lana, Todd and Jack, were they the right people to ask to find Aya a gift? Nope, it was a big, big, big, nope! Yet when Lana mentioned about going to town for some Christmas shopping, Eve couldn't pass the chance. Eve had been earning money from doing lots of chores around the house, and from helping Lana too. She was saving up to buy Aya her gift, but still couldn't figure out what to get her. Eve had gone to lots of shops with Lana and her boys, yet sadly there was little to be found that had Aya's name on it, not even on those rack of pretty pens that had every name there Eve could imagine! She was so glad Aya wasn't a pen person or she would've been upset.

Eve found and brought potential gifts for other people, for her friends, little things Eve was sure they'd liked...but nothing for Aya.

In was near to the end of the trip, with Lana quickly popping into an arts and crafts store as her boys raced around for things to make Christmas decorations with, that Eve felt at her lowest, so low not even that cheesy Christmas music playing on the speakers could cheer her up. How could she be this clueless? How could she not know what to get for the person who'd saved her life and given her a new one?

As that thought crossed Eve's mind, this tall big tubby lady pushed by her rudely in that narrow aisle, knocking Eve's into a stand and making several items detach off their hooks. Whining at the mess made and for being shoved, Eve knelt down to pick them up and put them back. They were packs of knitting set, for beginners on all different sorts of things like how to make a hat, gloves and scarves with plastic knitting needles and bundles of wool inside. It was one on 'how to knit a scarf' Eve was holding now, one with a pretty light blue inside that plastic package.

'Me and Maya, we had a habit of wearing matching clothes or just colors. I blame our parents really, but we didn't mind; we were practically twins to each other anyway so it didn't matter. I remember, there was that one time she wouldn't stop wearing that scarf even in the warmer weather and when mom insisted she take off, Maya just wouldn't. She always had this thing about fashion, even at that age. Or maybe, she just one hell of a rebel like I was.'

Aya had told her that once when looking over the photographs she had of her family in an old worn album. Big sis had been both happy but sad that evening, talking about all the little stories behind each photo and when they were taken. Even in her jacket pocket, Aya kept a tiny photo of her family so they'd be with her wherever she went, and in that photo, she and her sister were wearing similar white dresses with that blue scarf tied around Maya's neck.

The scarf went missing shortly before her sister's death, that's what Aya had said. Maya had taken it off at a playground, tied it on the climbing bars, but she'd forgotten to go back for it and when they did, the scarf was already gone.

'Maya really loved that thing, I wish I could've kept it. Apart from some photos, that's all I have of her...'

That was it.

That was it!

"Thank you clumsy lady!" Eve said, running by the grumpy clumsy lady in question who'd knocked her over before, as she hurried to the check out to pay for that knitting kit, just as Lana and her boys were done shopping too. Eve was so happy her smile couldn't go wide enough.

She'd done it, she'd found Aya's gift!

Eve had never knitted a day in her life, so reading those instructions were really, really important! She must've spent nearly half an hour just looking through that tiny thin booklet while up in her bedroom, making sure she knew how to hold the knitting needles correctly and how to properly weave the wool before Eve even started. It was a counting game, remembering how many loops to do for each; sometimes Eve miscounted them entirely, and would have to stop and recount before she carried on. It had to be perfect, as perfect as it could be.

"I remember my mother liked knitting, I tried but I never was as good with it," Lana had said on the drive home. "Just remember to take your time with it and practice makes perfect...um, eventually!"

Lana hadn't been kidding! Somehow despite all Eve had done, she messed up big time. The scarf didn't come out even at all, even with all her counting, then again the wool was so fuzzy more than once did Eve think maybe she might've mixed the hoops up for just loose strands in the wool. Luckily Lana had been a super nice person and brought Eve a few extra balls of wool out of her own money since Eve didn't have enough, and they were the same pretty blue color too. It was just practice, that's all Eve could do. Everyday she would squeeze in what time she could to secretly work on it, adding a little extra to the scarf every time, careful to weave each row perfect as to not repeat her previous other mistakes.

Three days away from Christmas, she had to get it right...

Christmas Eve.

Eve really found that title really confusing, but she didn't care. A day in the year having the same name of hers and before Christmas, and with Christmas in the title was cool! That explained why she had been given this day out of 365 days in the year for it to be her birthday.

"I thought it would be make it more believable, if you were named after that day. Plus, you've not really celebrated your birthday and I thought you might like to sooner rather than later," Aya had said the day before her birthday, the first Eve had ever heard of the reasons behind that date. So that made her eleven today, eleven years old.

Because it was her birthday, Eve could have a birthday party. Aya had suggested it, saying she could invite her friends over and even Lana's boys too...woo...

To add to that, Aya said too they could make it a fancy dress party so it'd be more fun.

"Fancy dress? But I have fancy dresses, Todd and Jack won't wear those!"

At that protest, Aya had spat out that mouthful of coffee back into it's mug as she broke out in laughter, a smile present in even her voice. "No, no fancy dress as in a costume, Eve! You dress up as people or things like on Halloween. Heeey, now that's an idea, it can be Christmas themed! What do you think?"

School was out for the rest of the year, to Eve's disappointment, so no sending invites out there. Eve had to call her friends up, all twelve of them [not including Todd and Jack who were just, okay,] Aya seemed shocked she had that many friends, admitting even at her age, or what could considered Eve's age in appearance, Aya didn't even have enough friends to count off the fingers on one hand.

"That's a lot of mince pies," Aya said in almost shock as she went over the list in her head on what goodies to get for the day. "Um, your friends all like mince pies don't they?"

Eve shrugged. "Are they tasty?"

"Well, sure."

"Then okay."

It took nearly an hour to call all of them, sadly because of the holidays, three of them, Suzie, Emily and Chris couldn't make it, but Rosie, Lizza and all the others could, and Todd and Jack.

Again, woo...

So when it came to be the day that was today, her friends and 'sorta okay' buds from across the street showed up dressed in costumes and not just fancy dresses. Some were dressed as elves, or wore all red with Santa hats on. Rosie was dressed up like an angel and had the wings and everything! While Eve, she had gotten dressed up in a pretty gold dress that was as sparkly as her fairy wings that would flap every time she hopped or ran, leading to her and Rosie to go running around the house with their arms out like they were flying like birds in the sky. The two girls got so carried away with it, Aya had to make them stop though after Eve nearly bumped into Lizzy who couldn't get out the way fast enough since she'd come dressed up up a marshmallow looking snowman that was very awkward to move in.

Aya hadn't joined in with the partying, maybe because she was a grown up. Big sis had just stuck to keeping the order and playing the host, a really awesome host! She was great keeping Eve and her friends entertained. Aside from having a cool selection in music on the CD player, Aya had them play games, one that involved wearing a blindfold and hitting the pinata of a reindeer with a colorful stick. Eve thought it was mean and sad for the reindeer pinata who'd done nothing wrong, that is until Eve realized candy fell out of it if struck hard, and after that Eve focus was scoring that candy.

After that it was pass the parcel, where Eve intentionally held onto the parcel long enough to pass onto Todd before the music stopped so he'd win the price in the middle, since he looked bored after not getting a chance to hit Mr Reindeer Pinata. Then there was a silly game of on pinning the tail on the donkey and lots and lots of dancing with musical chairs, again, Eve allowing the pigtailed Rosie to win when it was just them left.

Sharing a birthday and the rewards was more fun that way.

But then, there'd been it, the tasty birthday cake in the shape of a penguin wearing a Santa's hat and scarf, and eleven candles lit on it. Aya had brought it in as everybody had started singing happy birthday to Eve, a moment that embarrassed her as she sat red faced at that table until the moment Aya had said to make a wish before blowing the candles out after having not done so for those few seconds after the singing ended; Eve didn't know it was a thing.

The party must've lasted for hours, playing some games of twister [during which her, Rosie and Lizzy kept pulling silly faces trying to make the others fall down] pulling crackers and eating so many goodies Eve felt super hyper afterwards. It was getting late when everybody's parents came to pick them up and Eve waved friend her friends goodbye until Lana and her boys went off still munching on mince pies Eve offers. Lana offered to stay to help clean up, Aya insisted they could manage cleaning up by themselves and wished them a Merry Christmas for the one that was to come in the morning.

"So, do you mind me asking what you wished for?" Aya asked, still in her costume as a Miss Santa, her red dress really pretty. "Or you can keep it to yourself, it's okay."

Eve had dropped another empty plastic cup into the trash bag her sister had given her, still searching around the living room as was Aya for any stray trash to have been missed. There was so much she couldn't believe, her friends had been really messy, with the remains of crackers and party poopers everywhere on the couch and on the floors. It wasn't boring though, or maybe the sugar in her system hadn't wore off yet.

"I don't need wishes, they came true ages ago," Eve said, causing her sister to stop.

"Really?"

"Mhmm!" Eve nodded, looking over at her sis with a big smile. "Although, I did wish for another teddy! Blue needs a friend!"

Aya laughed, glanced over at the stack of unopened presents and birthday cards her friends had brought her, the ones Aya said she could open once the party was over and they were done tidying. "Well we'll have to see about that, if Santa hasn't gotten you one already."

Eve giggled, hearing the knowingness in her sister's voice. Aya already knew she old enough to know about the truth on Santa and everything, but it made her really eager too, that maybe her big sister had gotten Blue a new friend, hopefully a really soft and cuddly friend!

There didn't need to be a Santa for her Christmas or birthday, because for Eve, her sis was much, much better. She was Wonderwoman, but even cooler than that, cooler than anybody.

"Aya, thanks."

"For what, the party?"

"Ummmm, sort of. Just lot's of things, everything," Eve reached under the tree, picking out the remains of another cracker. "That's what I wanna say thanks for, that and you being really nice; you're a really cool big sis, sis."

The was a long pause from her sister, long enough Eve went to looked back and saw Aya staring at with one of those faces, the deep thinking kind like she really wanted to say something but couldn't. But Aya had soon smile sweetly, a gentle warmth like that in her bright eyes.

"Thanks Eve, that means a lot." Aya had finally said, and after another moment's silence, she dropped the candy wrappers she'd been holding into the trash bag. "You know what? Why don't we leave this for now and see what your friends got you? What do you say?"

"Yes please!"

"Heh, good."

Eve really wanted more than anything but to dive right into that pile of presents and see what was inside each, yet over Aya's insistence, she said to open one card at a time before opening the present it belonged to, so they would know what gift came form whom.

"I did it before way back when I was little, and let's just say trying to thank your friends who you don't have a clue to which presents they've given you without them finding out about it isn't fun, trust me."

Yeah, Eve didn't want to make that mistake too. She wanted to know who got her what, and boy did she get given lots of nice things! There were clothes, a pretty doll, a soccer ball and shirt [no card was needed to guess who those two came from] some CD's, coloring pencils and paints with a drawing pad, yup...Eve felt like the luckiest girl alive. She'd never been given so many nice things in her life.

"You know, I think we're forgetting something," Eve heard Aya say a while later and nearly went bug eyed when she saw her big sister come in with that extra bundle of gifts in her arms. "Christmas might be tomorrow, but it doesn't mean I can't spoil my baby sister, now does it?"

They'd been so busy that day preparing the party and Eve so excited for spending time with her friends, she had forgotten that Aya herself hadn't given her own gifts yet. It was enough to make that sugar spurt return like lightning as Eve hopped up like a jumpy jelly bean, and she couldn't stop hopping. "Oh wow!"

Yet there wasn't time to open them though, for just as Aya had set the presents down on the couch, there came a knock at the back door, that familiar three loud knocks follow by two light taps that became a certain person's way of letting the two sisters know just from that, it was him.

So after friends having other plans with their own family, and being away, her and Aya wouldn't be sharing Christmas alone by themselves after all.

"Kyle! Oh my-you made it!"

Never had Eve seen Aya wrap her arms around the man so quickly, hugging the life out of him who'd found her affections amusing. The last time they met, Kyle hadn't been so sure if he could make it, given he had to move around from time to time going to all sorts of places. It was fortunate nobody knew about how strong a connection he had with her and Aya, otherwise he'd of been caught ages ago. So, Eve saw it as the best thing ever that Kyle would be with them for Christmas and on her birthday that she couldn't help but hug the life out of him too.

He even had a presents for the both of them, and one for her birthday; it'd been a book on seashells and the coast and sea animals. It surprised Eve, especially after what he'd said at the beach before. Maybe he'd finally figured out the right thing to get Aya too, Eve hoped so.

"Now remember, you can't open the others until tomorrow morning, not until Santa's been," Kyle said when he handed Eve's two Christmas presents over, despite the fact Aya had taken a sneak peak at one of her gifts in its' wrapping and immediately covered it back up, punching the man's arm playfully and calling him a dog for some reason.

"Yeah, okay!" Eve giggled, while inside secretly not knowing how to tell him the truth about Santa since Kyle was the one of the few adults who didn't know everything. Instead of admitting it, she just pretended to play along with it like Rosie said she did for her little sister.

The rest of that Christmas Eve was the best. Kyle had been there with them while Eve opened the rest of her gifts from Aya that were also the practical learning kind, like a book with a 1000 facts on the world, a book on history, some box of puzzles and board games along with some pretty but comfortable clothes too.

"Yeah um, I'm sure Blue's friend will come tomorrow," Aya said in reminder in Kyle's presence and again, Eve played along.

Poor Kyle.

Later on they had eaten dinner together, Aya and Kyle dancing for a laugh to the radio while the food cooked, and after that yummy meal they'd watched some fun shows and movies on TV together. Even though Kyle had gotten Aya some things, probably the best gift the ex-agent got her was none other than himself. Her sister had this big bright smile on her face since he'd shown up. Even when sleeping snuggled up to Kyle on the couch after the couple snoozed through the remainder of a cheesy Christmas film and right through the credits, Aya appeared at peace.

Eve wished Kyle could stay forever, so that smile would never go, so they could stay happy together like this, like those families who had parents. Maybe in some way they were her Mom and Dad, but she couldn't really ever say that, it'd just embarrass Aya.

But family, yeah, definitely.

In the end Eve left them sleeping on the couch and decided to call it a night, choosing to leave out some milk and cookies which she drank and ate some of, so Kyle could still believe Santa had come to visit; Eve had learned that trick from Rosie.

Up Eve went upstairs to bed, checking the two Christmas presents she'd wrapped up and put in her closest, before getting ready to turn in for the night. One of those gifts was for Aya, containing her finished perfect blue scarf, and the other gift was for Kyle, also wrapped both in snowflakes wrapping paper, because Eve only one role of the stuff. Ah, maybe Kyle could just believe Santa went to the same store like where she got that doggy plushie for him, since he said he liked dogs. Speaking of Santa, maybe she ought to...

Remembering, quickly Eve sprung up from bed, reopening that closet door as she picked up the presents with their matching wrapping paper and style of name tags as she sneaked quietly downstairs into the living room to tucked the gifts both under the Christmas tree. It was there Eve looked back at the pair still fast asleep on the couch; Aya still in her Miss Santa dress, and Kyle with those reindeer antlers and red nose left behind by one of her friends that Aya put on him for a joke.

It felt like ages ago when they'd first found her, when Aya had pulled that helmet off from Eve's head, and she'd realized they weren't bad people, that they weren't going to hurt her. They were the first ones who ever really been nice to her, who hadn't screamed and got mad at her like the men and women in white coats did with those experiments. Aya and Kyle were good people, and they had saved her.

It wasn't about presents or stupid stuff, and Eve didn't need a birthday wish. This was all she ever wanted, what was right here in this house.

Eve, she was happy, and couldn't ask for anything else...

Well, except maybe a little brother.