Author's Note: Okay, so if you've read my profile, I said I was taking a small break until after New Year's to recharge my batteries and then continue all my current stories. But something I saw on Christmas really got to me, and I just had to make a story from the inspiration. And yes, I know Christmas is over, but this story takes place during it, so I hope you won't hold it against me too much for being late. This is chapter one (obviously), but I'll have chapter two up within the next day or two.

Thanks. Hope you like it, and I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and has a great New Year.

Carlos de Vil was not a fan of Christmas. He could thank his mother for that. Even though the meaning of it was twisted to match the doom and gloom that was the Isle of the Lost, they still had Christmas, albeit just a touch more…evil.

Peace on Earth? Goodwill toward men?

Try: War on Auradon and hostility toward all.

And 'tis better to give than to receive?

Well, in the words of a very famous captain: "Take all you can…give nothing back."

So Christmas on the Isle entailed finding what you want, and making sure you got before anyone else got to it first. And be prepared to fend someone off to keep it. There were exceptions, though. For the really little kids on the Isle, those too small to lie, cheat, and steal well enough on their own, their parents did it for them. Like many parents on Auradon, they kept the holiday alive for their children until they were old enough to keep Christmas in their own way…usually some kind of gang activity. So it wasn't unusual for an Isle kid to have at least one favorite toy that their parents gave them.

Unless that parent was was Cruella de Vil. Then, there was no favorite toy. There wasn't even the idea of giving something to a small, skittish little boy just looking for the tiniest modicums of protection and comfort from his mother. Cruella was not the protective type, and no one would ever describe her as comforting.

So, as he watched the way Christmas was celebrated in Auradon, the emotion and meanings behind it felt even more alien to him than those of an Isle Christmas. His isolation was made even more pronounced as he watched his friends become so involved with it.

Evie was practically giddy at the thought of an Auradon Christmas after having to spend so many Christmas's with just her mother due to Maleficent's banishment. Just the idea of getting to spend the holidays with other people was reason enough for her to celebrate. But Evie wanted to do the season right, so that meant giving presents.

Unfortunately, the Isle's reigning princess didn't have any money. But – as he, Mal, and Jay – reminded her, she did have her sewing skills. She'd practically exhausted herself making dresses, and suits, and anything else that the students of Auradon Prep had paid her for. To everyone's surprise, even Ben's mother asked her for a gown for the palace's annual Christmas ball.

By the time she was done filling orders, she had enough money to buy presents for Mal, Carlos, and Jay, as well as for Doug, Jane, Lonnie, Ben, Audrey and, much to everyone's shock, even Chad.

Jay wasn't as excited as everyone else since being from Agrabah, his father didn't actually celebrate Christmas, but he got into the holiday due to "giving" himself presents every year. Now, he at least took part in the tourney team's Secret Santa tradition, though he did have to borrow a little money from Evie to get it.

Even Mal had gotten into the spirit of the things. Ben had been able to talk her into helping his mother decorate the palace one weekend. No one was really sure what transpired, but first thing she did when she got back was to insist on decorating her and Evie's room as well as the boys' room.

Carlos remembered how he found himself just trying to stay out of her way as she stood on his bed, hanging a string of lights on the wall above it.

"Mal, could you try and not get dirt on my pillow," he said as he watched her try and reach the wall hook to secure the lights.

"I am trying, but this would be easier if someone taller than me was helping," she said over her shoulder at him.

"And I'm sure Jay would if he was," he said under his breath.

"What?" she asked, straining to reach the hook once me. In a feat of pure willpower, she somehow forced her arm to reach, and raised her hands in victory as the string of lights was now secure. "Got it," she rejoiced, losing her balance and falling backwards onto Carlos's bed.

"You alright, Mal?" he asked as he got up and moved to see if she was okay.

"Yeah, luckily your mattress isn't that bouncy, otherwise I'd have probably hit the floor," she said. "Where's my hat?" she asked, running her fingers through her hair and noticing that she could. Carlos looked around and saw the hat she was referencing, a Santa hat done in green felt instead of the usual red. He picked it up and handed it over to her. "Like it?" she asked, indicating the lights that hung from once bedpost to the other, meeting on the hook so they arched instead of just hung like a depressing forced smile, and then wrapping around each bedpost until it reached the base. She'd done the same to Jay's bed. She'd also hung some tinsel around the window frames, put a small tree on their desk and stockings on their door.

"It's nice," he said flatly.

Mal jumped and let herself fall into a sitting position on his bed, putting her hat back on after landing. "Just nice?"

"Well…,"

"Yeah, I know," she said standing up. "I just figured that since we were off the Isle now, maybe you'd get into the whole Christmas spirit."

"Like Evie? Like Jay? Like you?"

Mal just smiled at him. It was a gentle smile, the kind you give when someone is choosing to let their scars shine through instead of trying to heal.

"We worry about you right now since you've actually looked sadder than any of us remember seeing you," she told him.

"I'm okay," he said moving to take a seat at his desk. "Once the whole Christmas thing passes, I'll be fine," he told her. Mal felt herself become sad at that thought.

Before he could remember the rest of what happened, the sound of a laughing snapped him out of his reverie. He looked up from his lunch inside the cafeteria and saw the cheerleaders walking through the room toward the buffet tables. He looked them over, and like any teenage boy at Auradon Prep would do, smiled at the pretty sight of all of them, dressed in their uniforms, no doubt coming from gym after the pep rally that was used to celebrate the winter break coming up.

They have a pep rally for everything at this school, he thought.

He managed to get back from the rally before anyone else, mostly because he hung out near the back, close to the door. He might have skipped it all together, but a crush on the squad's newest member had compelled him to show up. Despite knowing that he could go over and talk to them since Mal and Evie were also on the squad, he decided to just head back to his room and pack up since he and the other VKs, well…except for Evie, would be going to stay at the palace during the break and he didn't want to be panicking at the last minute to get everything he needed…like Jay undoubtedly would.

As he got up and went to put away his tray, he didn't notice a certain new cheerleader staring at him. She watched him make his way out of the cafeteria, his backpack hanging off his shoulders, his head lazily hanging down.

I wonder what's bothering him, Jane thought as her eyes followed him out.

Mal and Evie were in their dorm room finishing up getting ready for bed. It had been a long day of finals, plus the prep rally, and getting packed for the break and the two of them were more worn out than they realized.

"So how big is the tree at the palace, again?" Evie asked as she finished brushing her hair before tying it back into a ponytail and laying on her bed.

"Which one?" Mal asked dryly.

"How many are there?"

"There's the one in the foyer when you enter the castle – which is like twenty feet. There's one in the main banquet hall, the family dining room, all three reception rooms, the family room…"

"Forget I asked," Evie said, becoming even more exhausted just listening to her friend.

"Belle said the one in the family room is the main one though…at least to her. And that one's like twelve feet. I had to stand on this huge ladder just to reach the top to put the star on it like Belle asked me to after we decorated it," she said.

"You what?" Evie asked in total surprise.

"I got on a huge ladder. It was so big Adam had to be the one hold it steady."

"Not that," Evie said moving to sit on Mal's bed. "The part about the star. You put it on the top? Because Belle asked you?"

Mal nodded. Evie almost squealed.

"What's the big deal?"

"She's starting to treat you like family, M," Evie said, her eyes shining.

"You think…?"

Before Evie could answer there was a knock on the door. Evie got up and saw Jane standing before her, her own cheerleading outfit replaced with a pair of light blue pajamas pants and a matching tank top.

"Jane," Evie said in shock. "What are you doing out past curfew?" The blue-haired princess asked, a mischievous smile on her face.

"I need to ask you and Mal a question," she responded.

Evite leaned out of the door frame and looked around the hallway. Seeing that the coast was clear, she waved Jane in.

"Hey, Mal," Jane greeted as she entered. Mal waved.

"So, what can we do for you?" Evie asked.

"Why is Carlos so sad right now?"

Both Mal and Evie looked at each other, their faces growing pensive. They both knew, but neither wanted to say anything.

"Please, I hate seeing him so sad."

Once again, they looked at each other. They then looked at Jane. They both noticed that she had this look of resolve on her face. She wouldn't be taking "I don't know" for an answer. So, with a bit of reluctance, they told her about Carlos' Christmas experiences on the Isle. By the time they were done, Jane was crying rivers.

"That's horrible," she sobbed as she tried to dab away her tears with tissue. "How could any mother do that?"

"Easy," Mal began, "Cruella isn't a mother."

"She didn't realize it, but she basically killed Christmas for him," Evie added.

"But he's away from her, he should be giving it a chance," Jane said, her crying under control.

"We've tried to get him into the spirit of things, but…," Mal said.

"His mother's influence is still there, even if he won't admit it. Personally, I think it would take the complete opposite of Cruella de Vil to undo that," Evie finished.

Jane was sitting on her bed, her mind still on what Mal and Evie had told her. Every few minutes she teared up when she thought about what they told her Cruella did to Carlos. She wanted to do something, but she didn't know what. She'd never had a mother like that. Her own was loving, and kind, and nurturing

He should've had a mother like that, she thought.

Then, she had an idea, her eyes widening at the thought.

A few minutes later she was on her tablet, waiting for her mother to answer her.

"Yes, Janey," Fairy Godmother said happily as she began the video chat with her daughter.

"Mom, I need to ask you for a favor."