AN: So, I couldn't think of anything to do for the sayings challenge. (I know! I've failed! *wails*) But to make up for it I'm posting two responses to the holiday challenge. (Yeah, like the people who read Holiday Chaos didn't see this coming.) Anyway, enjoy.

Trimming the Christmas Tree

Macy gently picked up a paper angel, watching closely to make sure that the sparkles that had been so carefully glued on didn’t fall off during its journey across the room. A red pipe cleaner had been stapled to the back and she used it to hang the angel on the plastic tree. That done, she stepped back and considered the tree, trying to find open spaces for the remaining ornaments. The lights from the tree shone on her, casting her face in patches of red and blue and gold. The only other light in the room came from the brightly shining hallway outside, where paperwork was being diligently done and nurses walked quietly from room to room.

She’d just decided on a candy cane decoration for one of the lower boughs when a shadow fell across the floor. She frowned.

“I’ll be done in a few minutes, I promise,” she said.

“Wow.”

The soft exclamation had her whirling to face the visitor so fast that she almost lost her footing and fell into the low table the decorations sat on. She steadied herself, silently praying that the dim lights would hide her blush, before saying, “Kevin, what are you doing here?”

He lifted the large box in his arms in a kind of shrug. “I was taking toy donations to your mom’s store, but it was already closed. Stella said you would probably still be here and I thought …”

“Oh!” she said when her brain finally caught up. Her mother always asked for special donations this time of year, to give to the kids in the hospital. Kevin must have seen the flyers she’d put up around school.

“You can set them over there,” she said, motioning to the couch on the far wall.

“What about the rest?” Kevin asked, doing as she said.

“Rest?” Macy echoed.

“Yeah, I’ve got at least three more boxes in my car downstairs.”

Macy’s eyes widened so far she wasn’t sure what was holding them in her head anymore. She walked dumbly across the room to look in the box. It looked like he’d taken one of everything from the toy section at Wal-Mart.

“Kevin,” Macy breathed, “this is amazing. Thank you.”

He shrugged self-consciously and ducked his head, muttering something about the kids deserving it.

“Well,” she said, looking around at the work she still needed to do, “if you want I can give you my keys and you can load the other boxes into my car.”

His head snapped up. “I can wait,” he insisted. “What else do you have to do here?”

She sighed and crossed the room, picking up the candy cane she’d chosen before. “The kids made these today, I really want them to be on the tree when they wake up tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Kevin said.

She felt him come up behind her and turned to see him considering the tree just the way she had earlier. He turned back to the table and reached for a bell colored like a rainbow, only to frown and instead choose an ornament resembling an armadillo.

“That one’s my favorite,” Macy said as he put it beside a Santa Claus.

“Mine too,” Kevin said, smiling. “I love armadillos.”

Macy couldn’t help but return his grin. “They’re so cute!”

“I know! Did you know that some species always give birth to four identical babies?”

“Aw!” Macy cooed.

“Joe and Nick think it’s gross, but I think it’s awesome. Though, Stella sometimes uses my love of armadillos against me.”

“She tells you there’s an armadillo behind you to distract you?” Macy asked in sympathy.

“Yup.”

Macy nodded and turned back to the table. After they’d each put up several more ornaments a thought occurred to her.

“Hey!” she said and Kevin almost dropped his ornament. “How did you get into the hospital? Visiting hours ended hours ago. And what were you even doing bringing the toys so late, anyway?”

“Oh, well, I got in because the nurse at the front desk really likes JONAS.”

Macy rolled her eyes, even as she made a mental note to find whichever nurse it was and give her the address for her fansite.

He busied himself adjusting one of the tree’s branches while he said, “And I had to come late because I was worried one of the crazed fangirls outside the firehouse would jump on the back of my car, break the window, and steal the toys.”

“Well,” she said, “that was probably a good idea then. Even some of my JONAS-heads can get a bit overzealous. Though, I doubt they’d break your window.”

“That’s what Nick said. But he also thinks otters with trumpets are stupid.”

Macy shook her head as she placed the last ornament on the tree. “Even world-renowned teen sensations can have bad taste. Such a pity.”

Kevin nodded.

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