"Christmas won't be Christmas without presents!" Grumbled Jay, lying on the rug.

Dixie kicked her sprawled-out sister from where she was sitting, knitting a hat.

"Hey!"

"I concur with Jay." added little Damiana.

"It's not very fun being poor." Dixie sighed, rubbing a loose thread of skirt between her fingers.

"We've got Mama still, and father, and each other." said content Tim, looking up from her embroidery."

"We haven't got father." Jay said, her expression darkening.

Their father had gone off to the war, along with hundreds of others, to fight. They all knew that he was capable of staying alive, but it didn't make it any less scary.

"You know," Dixie started, changing the subject. "Mama was thinking about not having presents this Christmas, because this year is tight for everybody. We shouldn't spend money willy nilly because there are men suffering in the army." She paused. "We can't do much to help the battle but any sacrifice we can make, we should do it happily." She closed her eyes for a second, thinking of all the pretty things she wanted but she understood the circumstances.

Jay sighed exasperatedly. "If only I was allowed to fight." She crossed her arms and huffed loudly, before remembering something.

"You know, we still each got a dollar from Aunt Harriet, I doubt the army would mind if we bought a little somethin' for ourselves."

"True." Dixie mused, thoughtfully. "Mama didn't say what we should do with our own money. We can have a little fun."

"Since we're not expecting any gifts this year anyway." Jay added.

"I was planning to buy some new camera film." Said Tim, sighing dreamily.

"I shall be purchasing a new set of drawing crayons." Decided Dami.

"Burnside's just got in a shipment of books!" Said Jay excitedly. "I'll probably get the Three Musketeer!"

"You hid in the store and read the whole thing two days ago!" Dixie said, confusedly.

"Your point?" Jay raised an eyebrow. Dixie just sighed and went back to her knitting.

"Besides," Jay moved reached over, turning a log in the fireplace with her bare hand. Dixie leaned over a gently smacked her fingers away.

"You'd indulge yourself too if you had to work all day for grumpy Aunt Harriet. It's always something I did wrong with the old hag."

"I happen to like Aunt Harriet." Dixie sniffed. "You're you don't work at the daycare. I think children are sweet but they can be little terrors sometimes."

"Well, at least you two are out there in the world, and not at home doing dishes repeatedly," Beth said sorrowfully. "I really don't mind the work but washing makes my hands so stiff that I can't hold my camera steady."

"I by far suffer the most." Declared Damiana haughtily, "If you had to attend dreadful school each day with those niminy-piminy chits-"

"Dami!" Dixie gasped. "You mustn't use such vulgar language."

"And why shouldn't she?" Jay stood up. "Christopher Columbus Dixie! When did you get so uptight." Jay put her hands in her apron pockets. She started whistling Away in a Manger off-key, knowing it bothers her sister.

"Oh Jay, that's so boyish."

Jay gave her a strange look, pausing her interesting tune. "Duh. That's why I do it."

Damiana stood up quickly to get in Jay's face. "I detest rude unladylike girls!"

"Says the real niminy-piminy chit."

Timara put a hand to her heart and adopted a mock-scandalized look on her face. The other three girls glanced at her and burst into giggles.

"But really," Dixie calmed herself. "Jay if you're old enough to pin up your hair, you're old enough to not act so boyishly and more grown-up."

"I ain't! I ain't grown up yet! If pinning up my hair makes me so old, I'll wear it down till I'm a hundred!" She reach up and whipped her hair out of its lopsided bun, ripping and splitting more of her ends in the process. She huffed.

"Oh, I hate being a girl! It's just awful! Growing up to be Mrs. Kyle, having responsibilities and an image to maintain. The thought is just dreadful!" Jay sat down, sighing as she buried her head in her knees.

"Poor Jayda." Tim reached over and smoothed her big sister's hair. "I'm so sorry, but it can't be helped. You have to settle for making your name boyish and playing 'big brother' to us girls."

Jay's hair was her one beauty. It's a long thick reddish brown that she's never cared to cut. It comes all the way down to her waist. Jayda Catherine, in actuality, was a very pretty young girl, but she's never particularly cared for her other looks. For a fifteen year old, she was tall, the tallest in the family besides their father Eiko Kyle. She had many sharp features, inherited from her mother Selina. High cheekbones and arched eyebrows.

Dami rolled her eyes and straightened the green ribbon in her hair. She was the youngest at 12 years old and thought of herself as a most important person. She had brown hair that curled at her shoulders that she typically kept back with a fancy accessory. She looked up the most to her eldest sister Dixie.

Karla Mary was Dixie's given name but Jay couldn't pronounce it when she was a young child, so her big sister suggested the nickname. She was, at sixteen, a most beautiful young lady. She had large blue eyes and long lashes of which she was quite vain. Her lovely dark hair didn't even need pins to curl, and her smile was quite pretty and not easily forgettable. She most closely resembled young 13-year-old Timara, or Tim as she preferred.

Tim too had jet black hair, which she liked to keep braided in two. She was rosy-cheeked and her bright eyes shone with wonder. She was on the quieter side towards everybody but her family. The girl used to quarrel something awful with Damiana, but she's long since grown out of that faze. She's become rather timid in the last few years, often staying at home. However, anybody who has met her would tell you the same thing, that she's the sweetest little lady you'd ever meet, always putting others before herself. This point was further proved by what she said next.

"You know, I don't really need new film." She fingered the edge of her dark blue sleeve. "Mama, on the other hand, must have a new pair of slippers. Hers are dreadfully worn out from running around preparing things for the war effort and helping other families."

After a moment of silence, Jay added. "She needs some new army boots from walking in this weather all day. I'll get her some. Good idea Timmy."

"And some gloves!" Dixie insisted. "I'll get her those."

"A bottle of perfume!" Damiana shouted, not wanting to be left out. "It'll only cost a little. That way I can still afford something for myself."

"Girls!" The front door could be heard creaking open.

"Mama!" Four voices chorused as the girls practicaly tripped over themselves to get to the door.

"Oh my girls! Dami give Tim her bracelet back. Dixie you look absolutely darling in my frilly apron! Oh Jay honey, are you sure? It's a tad heavy. Thanks sweetheart."

"Ah." Sighed Selina as she eased into a chair. "A letter came today for you kittens."

"Oh read it Mother read it!" Dami cheered. The girls crowded around her chair and for the first time all day, were completely silent, waiting for her to start.

"It's from your father." The sisters exchanged glances with each other before bursting into loud, excited voices.

"Alright! Alright, girls!" She laughed, tugging gently and playfully on Tim's braid.

"Give them all of my dear love and a kiss. Tell them I think of them by day, pray for them by night, and find my best comfort in their affection at all times. A year seems very long to wait before I see them, but remind them that while we wait we may all work, so that these hard days need not be wasted. I know they will remember all I said to them, that they will be loving children to you, will do their duty faithfully, fight their bosom enemies bravely, and conquer themselves so beautifully that when I come back to them I may be fonder and prouder than ever of my little women."

There was a moment of silence.

Jay sighed. "Father has a good head on his shoulders."

Another few beats of quiet before Tim's soft sniffle was heard. Dixie leaned over and wiped a stray droplet away from her sister's crystal eyes.

"Yes, he has." Selina agreed, turning her watery eyes and smiling at her second eldest for a moment. She then turned and kissed Dami on the head, ignoring the tears that fell from her youngest. The small girl wouldn't appreciate the attention that way.

___________________________________CHRISTMAS___________________________________

"Alfred!" Thundering footsteps were heard as four voices ran down the stairs.

The old butler was just placing the last spoon on the table when his four 'Granddaughters' came rushing in, each kissing him on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas Alfie! Oh, Merry Christmas!"

The girls broke out in chatter.

"Merry Christmas girls. Merry Christmas. Now sit down and eat before the meal gets cold." Alfred chuckled, pulled out a chair for Jay and pushed Tim's in one she was settled.

They each took a seat around the table.

Alfred disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, only to come back with a plateful of cookies.

Dami gasped.

"Oh, Alfie!" Dixie gasped. "You didn't!"

"Fankts Alfrie." Jayda mumbled around a cookie in her mouth.

"Jay stop that!" Tim giggled.

"Oh Pennyworth," Dami swooned, comically. "Is this how we ate every day when we used to be rich?"

"Certainly Miss Damiana."

Dami sighed dreamily. "How was I dressed?"

"In diapers." Jay said after swallowing.

Dami kicked her under the table.

"Girls." Alfred began, and the table went quiet.

"Your mother got up this morning, she meant for me to tell you that she loved your gifts." The girls exchanged matching grins. "She has gone to see poor Mrs. Quinzel, you remember her?"

"One of Mother's best friends yes." Dami sipped her water quickly but daintily from her favorite pink teacup.

"Then you'll remember that Mrs. Quinzel has many children. She has fallen very ill, and she just had a baby a few hours ago. Your mother herself delivered the child. They have nothing to eat so she brought her portion of breakfast to them this morning."

They exchanged worried glances.

The door opened and shut.

"Ah." Alfred spun on his heel and headed to the front room. "That will be your mother now."

"Oh, girls! Girls!" Selina rushed in. "Merry Christmas kittens."

"Merry Christmas!" They chirped back, but less enthusiastically after the information they just learned.

"Oh, I loved each of your gifts. That was simply splendid of you." They each beamed at the thanks.

Tim stood abruptly and walked over, picking up the bowl of bread rolls after Dami had snuck one and stuffed it in her mouth.

"Mama," she began quietly. "May I bring my portion of breakfast to the Quinzels this morning? For Christmas?"

"Your portion is the entire thing of rolls?" Dami mumbled, under her breath.

"I'm pretty sure Mrs. Quinzel is Jewish," Jay added helpfully. "they celebrate Hannukah."

"Darling." Mrs. Kyle cupped Tim's face in her hands. "I was going to ask you all if you were willing to spare anything. You kind child."

Tim blushed and started to make up a plate to bring.

"Wait!" Jay stood up. "Leave everything as it is and put it all in baskets. That way we don't have to balance our plates on the walkover."

"Great idea Jay." Dixie started grabbing dishes and placing them in the baskets they kept under the clothed table.

"But-" Dami started, before catching Alfred's eye. "Oh alright." she relented, stuffing one last pastry in her mouth.

Together the family packed everything up and carried it out of the house, along with some blankets and old clothes they had managed to find.

Arriving at the house, a voice immediately greeted them.

"Oh, angels! Good angels!" A baby could be heard wailing in the background.

The Kyles entered the small, dark, one-room house. There was one bed pushed into a corner, and about five children in it, huddled around who must be their mother. Mrs. Quinzel looked frail and pale, covered in one of Selina's favorite quilts.

A redheaded woman was sitting at a table with three toddlers, playing a round of pattycake with all of them somehow. When she saw Selina come in she stood up, passing a preteen who was holding a baby. She stopped, and took the baby into her arms, and came over to the girls.

"Thank goodness! Selina these kids need to be fed. Bless you, all."

"Hey, kiddos! I'd hug you all (cough), but I'll just have to admire your beautiful (cough) angelic faces from here."

"Hey, Aunt Harleen! Aunt Pam."

Pamela gently but quickly handed the bundle of baby to Tim, who immediately began cooing over the child.

"Come." She directed to Jay and Dami, who were carrying most of the food. She led them to the table and they started setting out food and feeding the children. Dixie joined her mom in handing out blankets and started helping one kid out of his ratty sweater and into Jay's old red sweater.

Before long, The room was filled with laughing and smiling faces.

This wasn't how they pictured spending Christmas morning, but this year had thrown them so many curveballs already, they weren't sure what to expect. 'Make the best of a bad situation,' and 'When in doubt, always help others,' is what Mama and Father always say to do. And despite everything, this is turning out to be one of the best Christmases, the Kyle women ever had.

It's almost midnight on Christmas day currently (When I wrote this). I just watched Little Women and cried my eyes out OMG even though I've seen it a hundred times and read the book over and over. Beth's death ALWAYS gets me.

I really hope you guys liked this chapter. I might write more we'll see. I got other stories that I've been neglecting (sorry!)

I really wanted this to be my Christmas present to the fandom this year though <3

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!