~Mark

       I decided to let Jack and Signe stay in my house for the night so they didn't have to pay for a hotel. The only
problem was that time in LA was than in Ireland. While I was peacefully sleeping, I felt something pounce on my bed, startling me awake. I cracked my eyes open, expecting to see Chica. Instead I was face to face with Jack. I let out a shout of surprise as I toppled out of bed, my legs wrapped up in the blankets I was cocooned in. "Jack, it's like-" I paused to look at the time on my phone. "Four in the morning. I need sleep." I grumbled, using my arms to push myself off of the floor and back into bed. I rolled over on my side, covering my head with my pillow as I tried to fall back asleep. Only Jack was persistent. "Wake up!" Jack bounced up and down on the bed, once again making me fall on the floor, my face pressed into the carpet. "Sleep is for the weak." He snatched the pillow out of my hands, lightly smacking me with it before leaving. With a long yawn, I untangled my legs from the blankets, somewhat fixing my bed before shuffling wearily into the kitchen. "Doughnuts are on the table." Signe handed me a mug of coffee with a sympathetic smile as soon as I stepped in. "Thanks." I mumbled, taking a sip of coffee while sitting down beside Jack. "What do ye wanna do today? It's Christmas Eve!" Jack yelled happily. "Let him finish breakfast first you goof." Signe kissed Jack on the cheek, sitting down on the other side of him. "It's snowing!" He gasped, pressing his face against the window like a child. I was surprised to see that he was right. Small white dots floated down from the sky, creating a thin blanket across the ground that was steadily growing thicker by the minute. "I gotta take Chica for a walk before we do anything else." Chica was still curled up asleep in her bed. "C'mon pup." I whispered in her ear, stroking her head. She instantly woke up, licking me in the face before bounding over to Jack, jumping up on his chest. "Woah!" He was knocked to the ground, giggling as Chica licked his face. "Off." I told her, practically having to pry her off of Jack. "She's gotten bigger last time I saw her." He remarked. "Unlike you." He teased. "I'm still taller than you." I reminded him. "I'm not short, I'm...boss size." He announced. I rolled my eyes as I hooked Chica's leash to her collar, slipping on my coat before stepping outside. The air was frigidly, my breaths of air visible like puffs of smoke from a dragon. "I am fire. I. Am. Death!" Jack exhaled, his breath swirling into the air. "Nice Smaug." I took a step off of the porch, nearly falling over on the slick ice that coated the ground. "Let's go!" Jack took the leash from me, running with Chica to the sidewalk. I almost expected him to fall face first on the concrete, but was glad when he didn't. Signe and I exchanged glances before walking after him, choosing not to run. It was a while until we finally caught up, finding him bent down by Chica, shivering as he petted her fur. "You okay?" I took the leash from him as he stood back up. "Yeah, just waiting for you guys." He shoved his hands in the pockets of his light gray coat. We went back home, only before I could open the door, I felt something cold and wet hit me in the back, trailing down the back of my neck. I turned around and saw Jack holding a snowball in his hand, smirking as he threw the snowball at my chest. I expertly dodged it, scooping up some snow and tossing it at him. "Hey!" Signe protested, caught in the crossfire. As Jack bent down to make another snowball, I dumped snow down the back of his shirt. "Not fair!" He inhaled sharply, shaking the snow out. "All's fair in love and war!" I quoted, quickly darting inside to avoid more snowballs. As it was, my fingers were now a bright red color. "I'm gonna be right back!" I told Jack and Signe as they came back inside. I stopped by Starbucks on my way to Amy's hotel, picking up an iced dark roast for her and a peppermint latte for me. I went up to her room and knocked on the door, only Amy wasn't the one that answered. "Yeah?" A cranky guy poked his head out of the doorway, glaring at me. "Sorry, wrong room." I apologized, confused as I walked back to the front desk. I was certain I had gone to the right room. "Hey, is there an Amy Nelson staying at this hotel?" I asked the person at the desk. She typed something on her computer. "No, she checked out a couple hours ago." She informed me. "Oh." I felt my heart deflate as I dumped the coffee in the trash can on my way out, driving back home. When I arrived, Jack and Signe were outside making a snowman in my front yard, Chica racing around them playfully, sending snow flying everywhere. "Do you wanna build a snowman?" Signe sang as I got out of the car. "What's up?" Jack seemed to sense my darkened mood as he dropped the snow he had in his hands. "It's Amy...she left without saying goodbye."