Here it is, folks! The final piece of the Dirty Chai Christmas Trilogy. We've covered Mika, Kurda, and Gracie doing Christmas together. We covered Mika and Kurda doing Christmas sans-Gracie in part 2. Now we circle back to the first half of Bloodline for a look at Mika and Gracie's second Christmas without Kurda, and their first Christmas outside Vampire Mountain. This one's not AS happy (thanks a lot Kurda) but I've really grown to enjoy writing interactions between Mika and Gracie now that she's a functioning adult with thoughts and opinions and plenty of inherited Ver Leth Attitude, rather than a toddler that just runs around and says a word or two every now and then.

I wrote about half of this at work this morning because there was nothing going on, and finished it stealthily on a family Zoom call because I knew if I didn't write it down in my phone THAT SECOND, it'd leave my brain forever. I can't believe I'm sitting in front of my laptop on Christmas Eve 2020, posting CDF fanfiction. It happened more than once over the years but I really thought I was done. Then 2020 happened... and here the fuck I am. Gang gang, bitch.

Enjoy!

Mika had never anticipated owning a cell phone. Nor would he admit to anyone how handy he thought it was.

It was two years after Kurda's betrayal. One year since Mika had left Vampire Mountain to join the frontlines of the War of Scars. He would spend just over five years total in the field, and in those five years he flitted off to visit his adopted human daughter whenever he had the opportunity.

The first time he visited her, she was in her first year of university and she gave him her old iPhone. She'd just gotten a new one and wanted to be able to get in touch with him. Mika internally cringed over the rose-gold metal finish, but thanked her earnestly. He really did appreciate it. He wouldn't have gotten reception anywhere near Vampire Mountain. But now that he was out and about in the world he got a signal more often than not. Mika communicated telepathically with his fellow vampires, so he only used the phone to talk to Gracie. He called once a week to let her know he was okay, (i.e. still alive) and even sent a few texts every now and then. He'd gotten pretty good at it, if he did say so himself. She gave him a solar-powered battery pack so he could charge it wherever he was, and a waterproof case. The phone was outdated by a few years but he still felt fancy nonetheless. Not to mention she taught him all the text lingo.

Mika's team was recovering from a recent scrap from the vampaneze that night. They'd won, but it had been a tough go. They'd be lying low for a few days at least, to lick their wounds and regroup. Mika was sitting by a campfire listening to Arlo and Jakob chattering when he heard a soft ding from his pocket. He quickly pulled it out to read the incoming text message. As always, he smiled to himself when he saw his daughter's name on the little screen, accompanied by the crown emoji.

Gracie: how's it going out there?

Mika: livin the dream lmao

Gracie: same. just finished my last exam!

Mika: yeah and?

Gracie: nailed it.

Mika: not surprised. proud of u. (sunglasses emoji. crown emoji.)

Gracie: thanks :) got any plans for Christmas?

Mika: when's that

Gracie: look at your phone screen...

Mika: oh shit today's the 22nd already?

Gracie: if you have nothing better to do, feel free to drop in :) Roommate is going home for 2 weeks so it'll just be me and the cat.

Mika: I'll be there!

Gracie: you sure? If it's bad timing I totally understand. Won't hold it against you if you can't make it (heart emoji)

Mika: shut up of course I'll be there (heart emoji. heart emoji. Santa Claus emoji. Christmas tree emoji).

Gracie: can't wait to see you. Safe travels xo

Mika's favourite place in the universe, besides Vampire Mountain, had to be Gracie's apartment. It was cozy yet fairly spacious, with a view that overlooked the city. It was always full of good snacks, cold drinks, soft blankets, and most importantly, Gracie was there. And currently the only bright spot in Mika's life was the fact that his daughter was absolutely slaying life. She was in first year university that year, studying law. She had her sights set on being an attorney. And Mika was more proud of her than he could ever possibly explain.

He arrived in Gracie's apartment at 11pm on December 23rd, and gave her the biggest hug he could manage, without accidentally hurting her comparatively fragile human body. And she returned it fiercely. Then she ordered pizza and they sat on the couch together, catching up. She told him all about her classes, showed him her textbooks, and introduced him to her cat, Shaughnessy. Mika wasn't a cat person, so naturally Shaughnessy made himself at home on Mika's lap. But that was fine, because when Gracie stated telling him about the part-time student internship she'd recently taken up at a nearby law firm, her excitement was so contagious Mika didn't even notice the furry behemoth purring on his legs.

Once he was caught up to date, Mika gave Gracie some updates on the clan, and the war. He was selective about what he shared with her. But after breaking the news of Kurda's betrayal years ago, he'd made a promise to be open with her. There would always be things he couldn't tell her; that was the reality of the world he lived in and his responsibility to shield her as much as he realistically could. But he couldn't keep her in the dark either. She deserved honesty.

Gracie went to bed around 2am, unable to keep her eyes open any longer. Tomorrow, she had a list of activities planned that included baking cookies and watching Christmas movies. Considering that Mika had been knee-deep in an active war zone until yesterday, those activities sounded overwhelmingly appealing - if also like something out of a fever dream. Either way, he wasn't going to complain. By Mika's nocturnal sleep schedule, it was only mid-afternoon when Gracie vacated the living room. So Mika stayed awake for a few more hours, watching the news to see what was going on in the human world. And honestly, it was such a shitshow that by the time he fell asleep (buried in fleece throw blankets on the couch) he felt a little better about the state of the vampire clan.

He slept more soundly than he had in ages, and honestly he had no idea how he was going to re-adjust to camping when he went back to the field. But that would be a problem for another day. Perhaps Gracie would let him take one of the blankets with him. She only had about twelve of them laying around.

It was the intoxicating scent of frying bacon that eventually woke him up. The clock said 7:00 am. He hadn't expected her to be up this early.

"You didn't have to make me breakfast!" He called over to her as he sat up on the couch. He was a little disoriented from the abrupt shift in his sleep pattern, as well as the rays of creeping sunlight the blinds couldn't entirely block out, but the rest of his body felt like a million bucks after a few hours of sleep on a soft surface instead of the cold, unforgiving ground.

"Good morning!" She greeted him from the kitchenette, a contented smile on her face and her Smahlt-blond hair pulled up in a messy bun. "And I know I didn't have to, but I also know you don't know how a stove works. And I'd rather not burn down the entire apartment complex on Christmas Eve."

"I know how to do bacon!" Mika protested, making his way over to join her. "I don't mind doing it myself, honestly. Let me help, at least."

"Maybe next time." She laughed, then turned slightly more serious. "Listen, I woke up to a text from my boss at the law firm. They asked me to come in for a few hours to help with some last-minute things before the holiday. Their paralegal is on vacation and the full-time working student has the flu." She said all that with a blazing shine in her eyes that was definitely not typical for a person who'd just been asked to work on Christmas Eve.

"They want you work... today?" Mika asked. Gracie arched her eyebrows and Mika almost flinched. It was like having Kurda back in the room.

"I'm hoping to get a summer job there. That would open a lot of doors in the future. For that, I'd do a lot worse than work on Christmas Eve." She replied wryly. Mika couldn't do anything but laugh.

"Wow. You're more of a Ver Leth than my actual blood relatives." He admitted.

"If that's the case, maybe you were also adopted." Gracie shot back with a grin. "Ever think of that?"

"...Eat your bacon, Gracie." Mika huffed. He grabbed a glass from the cupboard and proceeded to turn on the sink faucet.

"Don't drink the tap water!" Gracie chided him. "We're not animals. We have a Brita!" She turned the faucet off and presented him with a plastic jug she'd taken out of the fridge. Mika surveyed it warily, then glanced back at the sink.

"Is the tap water... poisonous?"

"Nah. Just tastes nasty.

"Honey, I literally drank from a stream every day this month. I'm not afraid of your tap water."

They sat down on the bar stools that lined the countertop and nibbled their way through the plate of bacon, as well as the toasted waffles she'd pulled from the freezer.

"This is the best meal I've had this year." Mika declared. He wasn't flattering her, either. It was the absolute truth.

"I love vampires." Gracie chuckled. "You're all so easy to impress. Remember when Uncle Arrow ate that stale bag of Takis I found in my backpack that summer?"

"And it was all he talked about for the rest of the month." Mika affirmed, grinning fondly at the memory. "He still brings it up every now and then. Changed his life."

"I miss the mountain." Gracie admitted. There was a sober note to her voice that hadn't been there before.

"The mountain misses you too." Said Mika, glancing over to meet her eyes. "Everyone's always asking me how you're doing."

"And what do you tell them?"

"The truth. That you're where you belong, and you're doing great things. They're all so proud of you. But not as proud as I am."

Gracie rolled her eyes and looked away from Mika. He was well-familiar with that look, seeing as he'd invented it "How dare you inconvenience me by making me acknowledge my emotions?"

"That's enough." She replied at last, a slight hitch to her voice.

"I was done anyway." Said Mika politely, crunching his way through another bacon strip. They both sat quietly for a minute or two.

"I don't want to leave you here alone all day, but I really, really want to see where this firm can take me." Said Gracie eventually. Her tone was reluctant but the determined gleam continued to burn in her eyes. "The job market is so competitive, all it takes is turning down one opportunity, and they'll move on to the next person."

"Competitive job market? Wow, I wonder what that's like." Mika answered sardonically. She laughed in exasperation and swatted his shoulder. "But seriously, if you go in and work today, make sure it's because you want to. Not because you think you have to." He added.

"That's a strange take from the world's biggest workaholic." Said Gracie, once again doing the eyebrow thing that radiated pure Kurda energy. "I've never spent more than 24 consecutive hours in the office. Can't say the same for you."

"You're not me, Gracie." Mika countered, very gently. "I want you to succeed, but let me be perfectly clear: I don't want you to turn out like me."

She rolled her eyes and popped the crispiest piece of bacon into her mouth.

"I think that ship has sailed, Dad."

"Worth a try. Either way, do what you think is best. And don't factor me into the decision." Said Mika seriously. "I'll be here for a few days. We'll have lots of time."

"You sure you don't mind staying here alone?"

"I think I can manage. At least I have Shaughnessy to talk to." Mika shrugged, gesturing at the cat who was sitting directly across from him, eyeing up the bacon in his hand.

"Fine." Said Gracie, a fiercely determined grin illuminating her face. "Shaughn, you keep him in line, alright?"

The cat meowed as if he understood her, and Gracie went off to work. Leaving Mika to roam about her apartment as he pleased. There weren't many places to roam, so he mainly stayed on the couch and visited the fridge every now and then.

It was on his fifth tour of the kitchen when he noticed the piece of paper stuck to the fridge with a magnet. By his best guess, it appeared to have been printed out from the computer. The words "WORLD'S EASIEST SUGAR COOKIES! (So easy, an idiot can do it!) - straight from Bunny's Kitchen!" were plastered across the top in a swirly font, along with the word "Pinterest".

Mika paused and read over it a few times. Although he wasn't exactly experienced in the kitchen, he was also no idiot. Overall he had a high success rate for just about everything he'd ever done. Besides, there wasn't a lot he could do for Gracie at this point in her life. She was pretty self-sufficient, all he did these days was provide moral support. That, and tuition. (Although vampires have no use for money, most have no trouble finding it when they need to).

In short, Mika couldn't think of a single good reason why he shouldn't be able to surprise his hard-working daughter with a batch of the World'd Best Idiot-Proof Sugar Cookies before she came home from work. On Christmas Eve, no less.

She already had the ingredients. Locating them was a different matter, though. Her collection of baking supplies were kept in unlabelled plastic boxes and seemed to be sorted by colour, although the actual system of the organization was unclear to Mika.

His thought process for the next hour went something like this:

- What's the difference between baking powder and baking soda?

- All these different white powders are NOT interchangeable, correct?

- Are we sure? They look the same to me...

- Why in the ever-loving fuck is this recipe prefaced with an entire page of backstory? Is this going to be relevant later?

- Do I call Gracie to ask which white powder is which?

- No. If I can govern a nation, I can bake some fucking cookies. Right?

- Right?!

- Okay. I think that's everything. Butter, salt, white powder... can't find the oil but as if one teaspoon's going to make a difference.

- Gods, this recipe is bossy. Who cares if the butter is pre-melted? Is that not the point of the oven?

- Who's policing this? The Bunny's Kitchen blog? Charna's Fucking Guts.

- So you're telling me I need a second bowl? Are we not just mixing all this together in the end?

- Fuck you. Maybe YOU need two bowls. I don't live by your rules. What are you gonna do, Bunny? Arrest me? Like to see you try.

- I think this oven is broken. It should be hot enough by now. Maybe if I just turn the heat up a little bit...

- Is something burning?

- LOUD NOISES.

- Well, fuck me sideways. This doesn't look anything like the picture.

That's the heavily abridged version of how Mika got from point A to point B. Point A being a sense of festive industriousness, and Point B being sitting on the stool staring morosely down at a pile of rock-hard blackened chunks.

Shaughnessy hopped up on the stool bedside him and meowed judgementally.

"Let's see you do better." Mika told the cat.

Shaughnessy moved in on the cookies, but all it took was one sniff for him to turn up his nose and retreat to the opposite end of the apartment.

Gracie arrived home just before 3pm, laden down with an armload of delicious-smelling brown paper bags decorated with Chinese writing.

"I made supper!" She declared triumphantly, slamming them down on the counter. "How was your day?

Mika thought about the gods-awful recipe that had surely been spawned from the depths of hell itself. Or Bunny's Kitchen. Same thing, really. He thought about the pile of charred would-be sugar cookies buried at the bottom of the garbage bin. He thought about the plastic box on the ceiling that had started screaming not long after he cranked up the heat in the oven. He honestly hadn't meant to destroy the smoke detector with his sword. That was something Arrow or Vancha would've done. He just thought maybe he could use the tip of the blade to press the button in the middle. He didn't know if that would work, but it was worth a try. The sound did stop, but only because he ended up driving his sword clean through the thing, and the shattered remains landed unceremoniously at his feet. It was back on the ceiling now, taped together. Just like new.

"My day was good." Said Mika. He was careful not to sound too evasive. Staying causal was the key.

"Yeah? Did you do anything exciting?" Gracie inquired offhandedly as she hung up her coat and took off her boots in the hallway.

"Had a nap. Watched the news. Polished my sword. Hung out with Shaughnessy. He's not a very good conversationalist."

"Really? He must not like you. He's normally very outspoken." She replied breezily as she unpacked the boxes of assorted Chinese food. "Hey, did you save me any cookies?"

Oh gods.

SHE KNOWS.

Be cool.

"What cookies?"

"Your strong poker face is no match for my security cameras, Dad." Said Gracie with a sly grin. "I have to say, watching a livestream of you trying to domesticate yourself was better than anything I've seen on Netflix this year. And best of all, it was free."

"Fuck."

"It's alright, at least you killed the smoke alarm before the automatic timer dialed 911. Next time, use a broomstick instead of an iron blade maybe."

"Noted." Said Mika flatly, unable to completely squash the sting of shame that was rising up within him.

"I just wish I had a way to distribute that footage to the entire clan!"

"Glad to know you'd be so willing to tarnish my hard-earned reputation."

"If you can't even follow a few simple instructions, is your reputation really as good as you think it is?"

"Gods, you're mean." Mika huffed, even though his eyes were gleaming fondly. "Who raised you?"

"Some cave-dwelling maniac who thinks he's above the rules." Said Gracie without hesitation.

Mika shot her a very unconvincing attempt at a stern glare. Then he grabbed a pair of wooden chopsticks and used them to deftly skewer a piece of sweet and sour chicken. Somehow, it tasted even better than it smelled.

"I'm not exactly with the times. Is this what the average Christmas dinner looks like in the human world these days?" Mika commented as they slowly made their way through the boxes of Chinese food. Gracie laughed and shook her head.

"It's not unheard of, but turkey's still the norm." She clarified.

"I like this better." Said Mika immediately.

"Me too."

"New tradition?"

"New tradition."

They put the leftovers in the fridge, and then Mika went round two with the sugar cookie recipe. This time with Gracie lurking behind him and loudly coughing every time he went to make a wrong move. This time turned out considerably better than the first attempt. She kept calling him "Ratatouille". He didn't get the reference, and she refused to elaborate.

By the time the cookies had been baked and sampled, darkness had fallen. They went for a walk around the city to admire the Christmas lights. They talked about life, school, work, friends, colleagues. And they reflected upon Christmas past:

That first Christmas as a family. Gracie couldn't remember the specifics but she clearly remembered the child-sized throne replica Paris and Arrow had given her. And she remembered having the best time. Mika told her all about how Kurda and he had spent hours running around the mountain throwing together a last-minute Christmas after realizing what day it was.

The time Gracie started questioning Santa Claus, age 7 or so. And rather than roll with it, Kurda had the idea to recruit Paris to dress as Santa and re-affirm her faith. Mika told him that was the stupidest idea he'd ever had. Kurda's face fell dramatically, and Mika went on to say that there was no way they could use Paris - Gracie would recognize him immediately. So it was Mika who recruited (i.e. ordered) the oldest, fattest, white-haired General he could find to put on the red suit and ho-ho-ho for an hour or so. Worked like a charm.

The year Gracie went on a cruise with her friend's family instead of coming home to the mountain. The experience had been wonderful, and she didn't regret going - but she missed home the entire time. And Mika told her all about his attempt to cheer Kurda up in her absence by surprising him with a pre-decorated Christmas tree - and it backfired gloriously. Gracie laughed hysterically for the entire length of a city block upon hearing the story.

They remembered the last Christmas the three of them all spent in Vampire Mountain. Nine months before that fateful council when everything changed. Mika and Kurda's relationship was already in a downward spiral at that point. But they smiled and carried on normally from the moment she arrived back in the mountain to the moment she left. They didn't give Gracie a single reason to suspect anything was wrong, and she remembered it as a picture-perfect Christmas. Mika remembered it as the year his entire face ached from the smiles he was forcing, and he knew that's how Kurda remembered it too.

But they didn't talk about Kurda on this particular Christmas. That would come with time - but they weren't there yet.

And they remembered one year ago, the first Christmas after everything fell apart. Gracie hadn't expected a single thing, but Arrow and Vanez had hauled a tree into the mountain to lift everyone's dull spirits. And Mika had gifted Gracie with a dagger that had belonged to Arra; while Larten gave Darren a sword of Gavner's. It was a sobering Christmas - but against all odds, it was a good Christmas.

But not as good as this one.

They returned to the apartment covered in a light dusting of snowflakes, and finished off the evening with a seasonally appropriate movie, which Gracie picked since Mika wasn't familiar with any of them. She chose Elf. Mika was skeptical at first, but didn't hate it. Gracie fell asleep around midnight, her head on Mika's shoulder. He wasn't quite tired enough to drift off himself, but there was a Die Hard marathon on TV - so he had no trouble remaining perfectly still on the couch so as not to disturb her. In Mika's opinion, John McClane would've made a hell of a vampire.

Christmas Morning arrived, and they sat peacefully on the floor beside Gracie's glowing tree, both with a hot espresso in hand. She'd prepared a stocking for both of them, full of various snacks. Mika hadn't been expecting it whatsoever, and he felt an undeniable childlike exuberance as he pawed through the bounty. Then in the toe of the stocking, he found a tiny little gift box with his name on it.

"Gracie, you didn't have to get me anything!"

"I didn't GET you anything. I made it."

Mika carefully opened the box and withdrew a thick strip of intricately woven black string. All at once, he was sideswiped by memories he forgot he had.

The summer Gracie was 10, she had almost half a dozen colourful friendships bracelets on her wrists at any given time. It was the trend among her classmates that year. So it was only a matter of time before she made some for her dads as well. Both Mika and Kurda put theirs on immediately, and they stayed on. As far as Mika knew, Kurda still had his - even to this day. Mika faithfully wore his for two and a half years, until one sad day when it broke during a sparring session in the sporting hall.

He'd half-jokingly asked Gracie if he could have a new one, but pre-teen trends are fleeting. By that point, making friendship bracelets wasn't "cool" anymore. Gracie had forgotten he even had it in the first place. She told Mika she "might" get around to making him a replacement, "one of these days". It never happened. Mika was always a little sad about it, but he kept it to himself. He'd hate to inadvertently cramp her style. And eventually he forgot about it.

And all of a sudden, there it was in his hands. A perfect duplicate. Better, even. The string was tougher, and the weaving was tighter than the original. This one was built to last.

Mika stared down at it, a million emotions and memories tumbling through his head. Finally, he was able to pull his eyes away from it so he could look back up at Gracie who was wearing a smug, expectant grin.

"Well?"

"About time!" Mika remarked, trying to re-gather his composure. "I thought you were never going to replace it!"

She snorted in amusement and handed him a box of Kleenex. She'd noticed the tears forming in his eyes before he did.

"Glad you like it. When I was moving in here, I found a box that had all my old ones in it from that year I kept making them. And I remembered how sad you looked when yours broke..." Gracie recounted. Her smile turned sad. "I know you asked me to make you a new one, but I didn't think you were serious."

"Of course I was being serious." Said Mika quietly. "Not that I don't already think about you at least once a minute, but it was nice having a little reminder on me at all times. And I need that now more than ever."

"Well, don't worry. That one has a lifetime warranty. If you ever need a repair, you know where to find me." Gracie replied. She blinked rapidly a few times, then leaned into Mika and he hugged her. And he hoped with all his heart she could feel how badly he wished he he could make up for everything. The mess she had to live with as a result of being a sideline spectator to the vampire clan. The damned Kurdapocalypse. She was stronger because of it, but Mika didn't think that was an even trade.

"I have something for you too." He said as they pulled apart. He hadn't planned this in advance, it was pure instinct. He hadn't known his hand was going to undo the chain he wore around his neck, and remove the thick golden ring that hung upon it. He put the chain back on but handed the ring to Gracie.

"I don't think I've ever seen this one..." she muttered in confusion, holding it up and examining it in the golden glow of the Christmas tree. "I thought you only had that one ring Paris gave you... the one Kurda wore around his neck while you were still together."

"You're right, you've never seen this one." Said Mika. "I got it as a human and I stopped wearing it after I joined the clan. I only have it with me because it's worth a lot of money now, and you never know what's going to happen in a war. Might've needed to bribe someone. So I brought it with me when I left Vampire Mountain."

"It has your last name on it!" Said Gracie, visibly awestruck. Mika loved when that rare look of youthful wonder lit up her face. He was proud that she was as shrewd and fierce like him, but he was terrified at the thought of her becoming as jaded and world-weary as he was.

"Our last name." Said Mika softly.

"Right. And what's the symbol?"

"That's the Ver Leth family crest. Crests were a big deal that century, but I don't think it's a thing anymore. But either way... I may not have chosen my biological family. But I did choose you. So you get the family ring."

"Dad... are you sure you want me to have this?"

"Completely sure. I don't have many answers these days, but I know that much. So you don't forget me while you're living your big city life." He added with a wayward smile. Gracie laughed, then shot Mika a rueful grin. She held up her arm, and pushed back the sleeve of her hoodie to reveal a string bracelet identical to the one she'd just given him.

"Already got that covered. As if anyone could forget you if they tried."

"I get that a lot." Said Mika, his signature smirk returning. Gracie rolled her eyes, but slipped the ring on with a reverential fascination. Of course it was too big for her little fingers, but it did fit her thumb alright. She'd relocate it to a chain around her neck eventually. But for now, it was exactly where it needed to be.

And so were they.

The end! This miniseries was pure joy to write. I needed it badly after all the Bloodline angst.

1) Any guesses as to who Gracie's cat is named after? ;)

2) The cookie recipe is an actual one I found on Pinterest. I haven't tried it so I can neither confirm nor deny it'll work better for the average person than it did for Mika.

3) The ring Mika gives Gracie is a callback to Chapter 14 (I think?) of Bloodline, in the flashback scene where he meets Paris.

4) I'm sorry if this has more typos and stuff than normal - it's Christmas Eve bruh. It's time to shut it down and get some sleep. Santy's coming, after all.

Merry Christmas! Be safe! Wear your mask!

- Roxy