Logan was having a debate in his mind whether he liked the cold or not. The cold was loosing the debate by the second. Logan's scarf was wrapped around his face in a way that made his glasses fog up from his breathing. And he had no way of wiping them because his arms were full of groceries.

It was Christmas Eve and the city was alive with activity. It somewhat annoyed Logan, having to find the best in the already picked over things at the grocery store as you shouldered past other late shoppers.

But there was great thing about this season no one could make terrible: when you found a fresh untouched bit of snow. Logan found one and stepped on it. Crunch. Absolutely lovely and satisfying.

You feel satisfaction and joy, Logan told himself. And he did. Lately he had started working on feeling again. Virgil and Patton had been helping.

Speaking of the others, Patton was still healing from the crazy fiasco that had gone down a few months before. He could somewhat walk or pick things up but was constantly needing help with everyday things.

Virgil was doing better. He had quit his mortician job and was temporarily working in a bakery (which would be very short lived as he was terrible with customers). He had stopped suffocating his gifts and would use them occasionally around the flat.

Roman still worked at the theater (they were putting on the Christmas Carol but showings ended the Saturday before Christmas). He had confronted his father about Remus but never told anyone how that went. He had been somewhat angry for awhile at Remus for leaving so suddenly but was feeling better since the letter last week.

In the aforementioned letter Janus and Remus had sent they said they were doing well in America and notified everyone that they would visit for Christmas and be arriving the day before. They hadn't arrived quite yet.

Lily Water and Bonnie Lark had come for Christmas as well, which was a blessing because none of the flat mates knew how to cook. Mz Lark had needed some last minute ingredients and Logan had needed a breather from the decorating and baking, so he had been sent on the shopping mission.

A man suddenly stepped in front of Logan, breaking his train of thought and nearly making him drop his bags.

"Hey!" Logan snapped, unamused.

"Oh, sorry," The man said. "I thought you were someone else."

Logan looked at him and something told him this guy looked familiar. "Am I the person?"

"No. Sorry. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Logan brushed by.

He continued walking to the flat, which wasn't much farther. When he arrived he used his foot to tap on the door. It was opened by Virgil as two criminals raced from the kitchen and into the living room, stolen cookies in hand.

"Don't come in here again!" Bonnie's Irish voice scolded, wagging her finger at Roman and Lily Water's retreating feet as they scurried up the stairs. She turned to Logan. "Ach, Dr Gandhi, you've finally returned."

"Sorry it took so long, there are more people in town than there are people who live in the city." Logan walked by Virgil and set the bags down on the kitchen counter.

"You'd think they'd all be home with their families by now," Bonnie checked the clock. "It's getting late."

"Have Remus and Janus arrived yet?"

"Nope," Virgil and Patton replied in unison.

"Strange. I bet they'll be here soon." Logan stomped snow off his feet and hung up his jacket.

"Bonnie, are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?" Patton painfully wheeled his wheelchair closer to the kitchen.

"I told ya I would tell you if there were, Dr Lovegood." Bonnie rolled her eyes at Logan. "Honestly, Dr Gandhi, how do you handle these men-babies and retain your sanity?"

"Hey," Virgil frowned.

"Except you, dear. Sometimes."

"Fair enough."

"You don't. I've long since lost mine." Logan smiled.

Bonnie nodded like this made sense and pulled something from the oven.

Logan walked into the living room. "Why isn't the tree topper on the tree yet?"

"Lily Water wanted to wait until Remus got here." Virgil sat down on the couch and picked up an open book.

Lily Water suddenly came flying down the stairs in a sled, squealing joyously. The bend in the stairs threw her off balance and sent her sprawling on the floor.

Roman ran down after her. "Oh, shoot!"

Lily Water sat up and laughed.

Bonnie Lark stuck her head out of the kitchen. "Why do I see blood?"

Lily Water picked up a small white pebble from the floor and smiled, showing a gab in her teeth.

"Oh, no!" Roman crouched by her. "Is there a way to stick it back in?"

"Relax, Ro, that tooth has been wiggly for quite some time." Patton slowly wheeled himself over to them. Logan came up behind him and pushed him forward.

"So we'll be havin' a visit from Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy," Bonnie commented from the kitchen.

"It appears so," Patton mused.

"Uncle Remus?" Lily Water asked slowly.

"Yeah, and Uncle Remus and Janus," Roman smiled.

"It's gettin very late. Have they at least called?" Logan asked.

"No," Virgil turned a page.

"I think it's safe to assume they won't come for awhile," Bonnie pulled some plates from the cupboard. "Let's eat so that we can get Lily Water to bed. They can eat when they get here."

"Sounds like a plan," Virgil put his book down. He went into the kitchen and helped serve the food, which wasn't much as it was only Christmas Eve, the feast would happen tomorrow. Pulled pork sandwiches for tonight.

Everyone received a plate and sat in the living room. While they ate Virgil and Roman became engaged in an intense game of chess. Virgil would have lost but Roman mysteriously resigned because he "suddenly didn't want to". A moment after he quit he realized that was Virgil manipulating him and demanded a rematch.

"Sorry, princey, not happening."

"Cheater!"

Virgil shrugged and followed Bonnie Lark back into the kitchen to serve some cookies and milk.

Patton watched everyone as he munched on his badly decorated reindeer cookie. They all laughed and talked and smiled. Virgil messes up Roman's hair and Roman chided him as he fixed it, only to be messed up by Lily Water who had crumbs on her hands that she mixed in. Firelight danced off the stockings hung above the fireplace, each one personalized in a certain way. Bonnie leaned back on the couch, eyes half closed, absolutely exhausted. Logan observed everyone and noticed Patton looking at him. His smile read I am feeling happy.

This is why Christmas was Patton's favorite season, the people. And everyone balanced being selfless and selfish effortlessly. He loved it.

"Uh oh, what's that I hear?" Patton jingled some bells that had been hung on his wheelchair.

Lily Water sat up, her eyebrows raised.

"Better get in bed otherwise Santa might see you're awake and not come here!" Virgil warned.

Lily Water bolted to the stairs and stopped. She held her left palm out and splayed her right hand so that her finger tips made a circle, she then moved them in a short rotating manner, signing the word for cookie. She then drank from an imaginary cup, signing milk.

"Oh! Right! Santa's cookies and milk!" Roman cried.

He helped her pick out the best remaining cookies and fill a glass of milk. They set it on the table with a drawing Lily Water had drawn for Santa.

"Remus?" She asked.

"He'll be here tomorrow, I promise," Patton smiled.

"I think I'll retire with her," Bonnie said.

Lily Water quickly gave all her uncles goodnight kisses and followed Bonnie Lark upstairs to go to bed.

Once she was out of earshot Virgil grabbed one of the cookies and ate it.

"Hey!" Roman scolded. "Those are for Santa."

Virgil gave him a funny look. "Santa's not real."

Roman looked genuinely startled. "What?"

"He's not- You're a grown man, how do you not know that?"

"He is too real."

They then launched into a lengthy debate.

Logan noticed Patton's drooping eyelids. "Would you like to go to bed?"

Patton nodded.

Logan picked him up bridal style and carried him upstairs. He helped him change into pajamas and put him in bed.

As Logan walked down the stairs he passed Roman and Virgil as they walked up the stairs, still bickering.

Logan picked up Virgil's book and started to read it as he waited for Janus and Remus. It wasn't a very good book. It was about love and vampires, not really Logan's cup of tea.

He had started to drift off to slumber and almost missed the light tap on the door. He rubbed his eyes and strode from the couch to the door. He twisted the handle and opened it.

"Hi, Ja- Um, oh. Hello."

A stranger with black hair stood on the front step.

"Hello," he smiled. "I'm sorry for it being so late- and Christmas Eve on top of that, but do you mind if I speak with you?"

"Oh, um, is it a pressing matter?"

"Extremely so."

"Alright. Please come in." Logan stepped out of the way.

The man entered. As Logan shut the door he turned to look at the black haired man.

"Are you- WHAT THE-!"

The man's hair turned from black to brown as he slumped sideways. Logan caught him and eased him to the floor as scales appeared on his face.

"Roman! Vir-!"

"Janus?" Virgil suddenly appeared, crouching over the pale figure.

Roman ran down the stairs. "What's going on? Is that Janus?"

Janus's eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy, like he had just ran ten miles without stopping.

Roman poured a glass of brandy and gave it to Logan. Logan trickled the drink into Janus's mouth. The man choked but color returned to his cheeks. He opened his eyes.

"Janus, what's going on? Where's Remus?" Virgil demanded.

"Taken. Tried to get me. Remus made me run while he stayed and fought."

Logan helped him over to the couch.

"Who took my brother?" Roman asked.

Janus looked at Virgil. "He's alive."

Virgil frowned, not sure what he meant, then it clicked.

"Impossible. I watched him die."

Logan noticed the forgotten tree topper, still faithfully waiting from it's perch on a present by the tree.

"You said they took him before he fully died," Janus took a deep breath.

"What about you? Didn't you meet him?"

"I watched three souls go. I've... never really thought about why I never saw the fourth."

"What are you two talking about?" Roman snapped, his fists clenched. "Who took my brother?!"

Janus and Virgil both looked at Roman.

"Orange."

This fanfic was fun to write! That's why I'm leaving it open for a possible sequel. Depends on how much I like the Orange Side.
I started this at the beginning of summer, I think, so I was able to write a whole fanfic between Selfishness vs Selflessness Redux and whatever the next Sander Asides episode is coming out in the next few days. I don't think he'll reveal who the Orange Side is quite yet because this is only an Asides episode and Janus just revealed his name last episode. I could be wrong tho.