xii. twas the mission before christmas

——

Freya walked into the Davenport household, holding a couple of presents in her arms.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Davenports!" She greeted brightly. She placed the presents down on the coffee table and sent a wave.

"Oh presents!" Leo beamed and Freya smacked his hand. "Hey!"

"Those are for tomorrow." She frowned. "I know you open your presents early. So, don't even try."

Tasha smiled and hugged the blonde. "Merry Christmas, Freya."

"Merry, Christmas!" Davenport waved at her and she smiled at him.

"I have presents for you all," Freya told them. "However, I expect cookies in return for all the presents."

"Most certainly," Tasha smiled and Freya walked over to Adam, who was making Christmas cookies while wearing a Santa costume.

"Ooh cookies!" Freya said and Adam turned to her, holding the cookies on the tray.

"Hey, Freya!" He said as he stood up with the tray. "Who wants Christmas cookies?"

Freya frowned as she looked at the raw cookie dough on the tray. "Adam, those aren't even cooked."

Leo walked up and frowned in confusion.

"Oh, no problem." Adam used his heat vision to cook the cookies. He ended up burning them instead of cooking them. "Careful, they may be hot."

Adam blew out the fire and Leo and Freya wave the smoke out of their face.

Bree walked into the house. "Okay, who covered the entire house in blinking light? People already think we're weird. We don't need to shine a light on it."

"No, I did that. I want to make sure Santa Claus comes to our house first." Adam told her and Bree shook her head.

"Adam, we all love Christmas, but I think you're going a little overboard." Bree mentioned.

"I want to ask what that weird blue bump on the roof is? It keeps moving," Freya asked in confusion.

Banging was heard on the roof and moments later Chase hopped into the house tied up with Christmas lights.

Freya let out a laugh at the sight. "Oh that's what that is! That is spot on!"

Adam pointed at his brother. "Hey! Get back up on the roof! You're ruining my display!"

"You were lucky a raccoon chewed me free!" Chase exclaimed.

An alarm started blaring and Davenport took out his phone, running into the kitchen. "That's an urgent mission alert. We have to get to the lab!"

Davenport, Leo, Bree, Adam, and Freya started running to the elevator as Chase stood there tied up.

"Hello? A little help?" Chase asked and hopped forward a few times, till he fell over. "Ahh!"

Freya paused and groaned as she turned around and ran over to help Chase.

She knelt down and started to untie the lights. "It's Christmas so I'm being nice."

"Thanks." Chase said and it didn't take long for Freya to get him free. She helped Chase up and they caught up with the others quickly.

——

~The Lab~

"The alert is coming from Facility X, my research center in the frozen tundra." Davenport told the five as they walked into the lab.

"Hey, hey, I'm the Mission Specialist. I'll handle this." Leo told his dad and turned to the bionic teens. "The alert is coming from Facility X, his research center in the frozen tundra."

"Good to know a second time." Freya smiled sarcastically.

"Wait. The tundra's near the North Pole." Adam said and then gasped. "Santa needs our help!" He pointed at Bree and Chase. "You wrap, you tape, I'll go hang with the elves!"

Davenport got on video call with Dr. Evans. "Dr. Evans, are you there?"

Dr. Evans appeared on the screen. "Yeah, I'm here! Although there's been a major volcanic eruption nearby and we're experiencing aftershocks. I'm afraid if we don't act fast—" The communication failed after that and the screen glitched out.

"Oh, Merry Christmas to you, too, Dr. Evans. Rude." Adam scoffed.

Davenport turned to the bionic teens. "Sorry, guys. I know the timing's not ideal."

"It's okay, Mr. Davenport. We know what we have to do." Chase assured his father.

"Yep. Let's crack open some eggnog and hit it hard after the New Year." Adam smiled and ran out of the room.

——

"I can't believe you guys have to go on a mission on Christmas Eve. " Leo said as the bionic teens walked out of their capsules in their mission suits.

"Just to be clear, I don't have to wait for them to open my presents, right?" Freya asked Davenport and he chuckled, patting her shoulder.

"Well, I'm not going to let this ruin my Christmas spirit. So, I will be wearing my Santa hat." Adam put on a Santa hat and Freya grinned at him.

"Really, Adam? A Santa hat with a mission suit?" Chase asked him.

"Hey, if the ladies at the bank can wear them at work, so can I!" Adam protested and Freya nodded.

"They think we can't see their bald spots, but we can." Freya mentioned and Adam nodded, pressing his lips together.

"I can't re-establish contact with Dr. Evans. The volcano must have knocked out satellite communications." Davenport informed and pull up the map on the cyber desk. A ash cloud was covering the whole map. "This giant ash cloud has plunged the area into total darkness. There is no way rescue teams will be able to get through."

"Well, that means Dr. Evans is trapped." Bree remarked.

Adam shrugged. "Eh, he's better off. The airports are packed this time of year."

"There's an automated transport ready to take you up there, but without satellite communications, Leo, Freya, and I won't be on the comm set." Davenport informed the team.

Freya frowned at this. This means she won't be able to hear from them for possibly all night and all Christmas. She was hoping to spend time with them.

"Well, it will be tough navigating through a mission without the constant sound of Leo chomping on carrot sticks." Chase mentioned sarcastically and Freya chuckled as the bionic teens walked away.

Leo called after them. "Hey! You know I'm an stress-eater!" Leo took a bit of his carrot and Freya raised an eyebrow at him.

"Can you maybe stress eat a little quieter?" Freya suggested and Leo purposely chewed loud to annoy her. She smacked the carrot out of his hand and he glared at her.

——

Freya was upstairs, making more Christmas cookies since Adam had burned most of them. Davenport and Tasha were decorating the tree.

The doorbell rang and Leo walked over to the door with his parents. Freya put down the icing and walked around the counter, going over to sit on the couch.

"Oh, I got it! Must be grandma with her holiday feast. Or perhaps, some carolers have come to spread some holiday cheer." Merry--" Leo opened the door to reveal Perry.

"Hey, Dooley." Perry greeted and Freya stood up with her mouth open.

"Aah!" Leo yelled and quickly closed the door. "Code red. Turn out the lights. Everybody, hide!" Leo dives onto floor and Freya hid behind the couch.

"My nightmare has come true!" Freya hissed.

"Leo! Freya!" Tasha opened the door. "Hi."

Davenport saw Perry and his faced turned into a horrified one. "I'm with them, I'll be behind the tree."

"Don!" Tasha hissed, grabbing his arm.

"Sorry to bother you, but I ran into some car trouble while doing one of my favorite yuletide traditions." Perry smiled.

"Oh, were you were driving around looking at Christmas lights?" Tasha asked as Freya slowly stood up straight.

"No. I was tearing through puddles trying to splash carolers. Took a corner too fast and accidentally ran over some of your decorations." Perry holds up a Santa decoration with a tire mark through it. "Ho-ho-ho, here you go."

"Poor Santa," Freya folded her arms as Perry handed Davenport the decoration.

"Nice aim." Davenport sarcastically said. "What are you driving, a tractor?"

Perry huffed. "I'm stuck. I popped a tire and I can't get any cell phone service up here on Rich Man Mountain."

"Uh, we like to call it Billionaire Butte actually. There's a history--"

Perry started a phone call and interrupted Davenport. "Stop talking, I'm on the phone. Jose, Terry Perry. Ah, yeah, had another accident. I'm gonna need a tow. No, the cat wasn't driving this time. Uh-huh. Ooh, cocoa!" Leo walks by with two mugs and she grabs one out of his hands. Leo stared at her with annoyance and hands Freya hers. "What? Ugh, great." Perry hangs up the phone. "There's only one driver tonight and there's 30 people ahead of me."

"Hey, well, I have a bike pump. Let's see if that works." Leo suggested and headed for the door.

"Yes! I'll help!" Freya added, following him.

"Leo! Freya!" Tasha protested, stopping them. "Principal Perry, what are you Christmas plans?"

"Don't ask," Freya quietly hissed in annoyance.

"Not much. Just enjoying my cats' production of the Nutcracker. With me as the stage." Perry laughs and Freya stood there disturbed. "The soundtrack comes courtesy of my belly growls."

Leo and Freya shared an uncomfortable look as Perry smiled.

"You are more than welcome to spend Christmas with us." Tasha offered and Freya shook her head vigorously.

"No!"

"No, she's really not." Davenport shook her head.

"Ah, I couldn't..." Perry said and Leo and Freya sighed with relief. "Without grabbing a few things from my car." Perry laughs and goes outside to get her stuff.

"You have brought my nightmare to life!" Freya cried.

"What curse hath wrought upon this house?" Leo asked his mother.

"Have fun sleeping with her around." Freya gestured to Perry and put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Wish you luck."

——

Freya sat on the couch as she watched Perry bring in all her stuff. Her eyes grew each time Perry brought something in. Freya was sipping on her hot cocoa, trying to distract herself from the fact that Perry is here.

"That's 'a few things?'" Freya asked.

"I keep my car stocked with supplies in case of emergency. Or if I'm just too tired to walk to the house." Perry smiled and then remembered something. "Oops, one more thing."

Freya puts down her cocoa and stood next to Leo. Perry walks out and then back in, leading a cat with a leash.

Freya tried to hide her smile at the sight of the adorable cat. She loves cats.

"What a nice surprise. You brought your cat." Tasha grimaced, taking the leash. Freya bent down and picked up the cat, faintly smiling at it.

"One cat isn't bad," Freya shrugged. "I love cats."

"Good. Because..." Perry walks out and walks back in wheeling a cart with 5 cat crates on it. "I brought my cats." Freya stood there in shock with her mouth agape. "You won't even know that Scratch, Thumper, Boom-Boom, Mr. Whiskers, Dingle, and Widget are even here. They'll sleep with me inside the tent. They form a living blanket around mama."

"Never mind." Freya sighed and then heard what Perry. "Wait what."

"Uh, tent?" Davenport asked her.

Perry reaches into her pile of stuff and pulls out a pop up tent that opened. "I don't sleep on other people's bed linens. And, no offense, Dooley-Davenports-Monroe, but I don't know where you've been."

"Better than her sleeping on your floor," Freya mumbled to Davenport, who nodded.

——

Perry was sitting at the dinner table as Freya was using a lint roller on her shirt. She did not realize how much Perry's cat shed, it was an ungodly amount.

Tasha was fixing the stockings. "Sorry we don't have a stocking for you."

"I'm not," Freya muttered and Davenport snickered.

Perry gasps. "I got it!" She kicks off shoe and takes off her knee high sock, handing it to Tasha. "Make sure you push the candy way down in there so it fills up my tootsies." Freya gagged at that smell she smelt. "I'm gonna go squeeze into my Christmas jammies. Perry squeals and rushes over to her tent, climbing inside.

"Okay, we have got to get rid of her." Davenport declared and Freya nodded, waving the smell of Perry away.

"I agree, but all my plans end with us going to jail." Freya said. "But at this point, jail seems better than this."

Grunting, yelling, and cats meowing were heard from the tent. Eventually, Perry crawls out of the tent, wearing a red onesie with bells on it. Donald, Tasha, Freya, and Leo stare at her in shock and disgust.

"What...are you wearing?" Leo asked her.

"My nightmare just got worse somehow," Freya let out a horrified chuckle.

"My Christmas pjs. Wanna see my belly dance Frosty the Snowman?" Perry asked and started to dance.

Freya yelped. "Nope. I'm out! Bye!"

"No! No!" Leo yelled in agony and runs out of the room with Davenport. Freya rushed out the door, waving to Tasha as she closed the door.

——

~Christmas Morning~

Freya yawned as she walked out of her room. She saw her mom making coffee and Juliet was sitting on the couch in her pajamas, petting their kitten.

They have a kitten named Cinnamon. She is a brown ragdoll cat and is super cuddly and sweet.

"Merry Christmas!" Cassandra smiled at her daughter, giving her a forehead kiss.

"Morning, mom." She smiled and Juliet waved to her wearily.

"Merry Christmas," Juliet grinned and Freya went over to her, sitting next to her. Juliet hugged her and Freya smiled, hugging back before petting Cinnamon.

"Merry Christmas, Cinnamon," Freya kissed her head and Cinnamon purred, rubbing her head against her shoulder.

Cassandra walked over to them with her cup of coffee and sat down, sighing.

"Let's open gifts!" Cassandra said and the girls smiled.

They each opened a few gifts from one another. Juliet got Freya a couple new dresses she's been wanting and a Taylor Swift vinyl for the album 'Red.' Freya's favorite.

Cassandra got Freya a new bracelet with her favorite gems on it. Amethyst. As well as a book about astronomy. Freya isn't open about her love for science, but she gets excited when she receives anything about space.

"Thank you for the presents." Freya smiled.

"Thanks for the new lipstick." Juliet grinned at her sister, already applying it. "This shade is gorgeous."

"I understand you want to see the Davenports due to Perry crashing there," Cassandra told Freya, who nodded remembering Perry had stayed there.

"I'm more worried about her ruining my gifts I got for them." Freya mentioned. "She has five cats. That will most likely pee on them or use them as scratching post."

"Perry is there?" Juliet asked and groaned. "Those poor people are suffering."

"Exactly." Freya said. "Can I go see them? I can only imagine the torture they are going through right now. I want to see it, but also want to help."

"Yes. You can." Cassandra said and Freya stood up, rushing over to her jacket. "But, make sure you come home not too late, okay?"

Freya hugged her mother. "Okay. Love you." Freya let go and smiled at her sister. "Love you."

Freya rushed out the door after hearing them reply back. "Love you!"

——

~Davenport House~

Davenport, Tasha, and Leo were sitting on the couch, opening presents. Perry is snoring loudly, which made it hard to hear.

Tasha had opened a gift and it was a scarf and spoke loudly over Perry's snoring. "Thank you for the scarf, Donald."

"What?" Davenport yelled.

"I said thank you, for the scarf." Tasha repeated, speaking louder.

"Oh, you're welcome." Davenport replied.

The door opened and in walked Freya in her pajamas. Leo sighed with relief at her presence and she smiled.

"Yes!" Leo smiled back. "You're here!"

Freya jumped back at the loud snoring in the tent and carefully walked by it, sitting next to Davenport.

"How did you sleep?" Freya asked, yelling over Perry.

"We didn't." Davenport shook his head and she nodded.

"Merry Christmas." Tasha smiled at Freya.

"It's now a Merry Christmas," Leo remarked and Freya grinned.

"Merry Christmas," Davenport told Freya, putting his arm around her.

"So, uh, Leo." Freya began and glared at the tent, shaking it to make Perry to stop snoring. "What'd you get?"

Leo opened his first gift and pulled out wet socks. "I got socks. Wet socks. Oh. That have been marked by a cat." Freya frowned in disgust as Leo throws socks into gift pile. "Okay."

"I'm gonna wait to open any of mine," Freya mentioned. "Are Adam, Bree, and Chase not back yet?"

"No," Leo pouted. "Hopefully soon."

Freya sighed sadly, staring at her gifts for them. She hopes they make it back soon.

Tasha's phone beeps and reads the message.
"Oh, no. Grandma's snowed in. She's not gonna make it."

"Great. So, no Adam, no Bree, no Chase, and no Grandma turkey? How much worse can this get?" Leo asked, leaning back on the couch in agony.

Perry emerges from her tent, yawning and stretching. She turned and scratched her butt toward them. Freya scooted closer to Davenport, leaning into him.

"And there's our answer." Freya grimaced, shutting her eyes.

"Merry Christmas, Principal Perry. I hope you slept well." Davenport smiled as Freya sat up, bringing her feet onto the couch. She felt wetness on the rug and didn't want to get marked on.

"Mind your own business." Perry groggily snapped and smiled at the gifts. "Ooh, Santa came. What'd I get? What'd I get?" She bends over and her onesie rips. Freya turned away, shaking her head in disgust.

"Hopefully, some new pjs, 'cause those just ripped." Freya mentioned.

"Um, no one got you--"

"Ooh, uh, of course we got you something." Tasha interrupted Leo. "It's Christmas. You can't not get a gift on Christmas."

"It would be rude." Perry chuckled.

Tasha hands her a random gift. "Here you go, Principal Perry. Merry Christmas."

Freya knew Davenport for Leo a QHT video game system. It looked like the shape of it. She was worried.

Perry sat down next to Freya, who leaned back holding her knees to her chest. Perry opens it and gasps. "A QHT video game system!" Freya's mouth fell agape, feeling sadness for Leo. "I can exchange this for a nice blouse and two pair of slacks. The good kind that you don't have to iron. Or wash."

"But Leo asked for that." Freya protested.

"Yeah, I asked for a QHT!" Leo stood up, feeling betrayed. "Worst Christmas ever." Leo walked away and Freya quickly followed him.

"Leo," she called.

"Ooh, somebody needs a nap."Perry remarked. "Did he like the socks?"

——

~The Lab~

Davenport had joined Leo and Freya in the lab. The three are watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas on Leo's laptop. They were mainly hiding from Perry.

"You know, after spending time with Perry, the Grinch doesn't seem like such a bad guy." Davenport pointed out.

"Yeah, at least after he took everyone's presents he went home." Leo remarked.

"I aspire to be the Grinch," Freya mentioned, taking a bite of her cookie.

Tasha walks in. "What are you three doing down here?"

"Same thing Leo and I do at school. Hiding from Principal Perry." Freya smiled and Leo nodded, fist-bumping her.

"Guys, she is our guest. It is rude to leave her upstairs by herself." Tasha reasoned and sat on Davenport's lap. "So you two get up there and let us know when she's gone."

"Yeah." Davenport agreed.

Adam, Bree, and Chase walk in to the lab and Freya gasped at the sight, her eyes lighting up.

"Yes!" Freya cheered with relief, immediately going up to them.

Tasha got up. "Oh!"

"You're back!" Leo gasped.

"It's so good to see you guys. Merry Christmas!" Tasha smiled and everyone shared a hug.

"Merry Christmas!" Davenport told them. Chase and Freya hugged, more tightly than anyone else. They pulled away and shared a warm smile.

Freya's Christmas just got a thousand times better. As well as Chase's.

"So, how'd the mission go?" Davenport asked them.

Chase smiled enthusiastically. "Yes."

Freya raised an eyebrow at his answer. She knows that's not a good response.

"Well, how's my research facility?" Davenport asked.

Adam, Bree, and Chase laugh awkwardly.

"Oh, you wouldn't even recognize it." Bree smiled.

"Hey, why are we down here when the presents are upstairs?" Adam asked and they start to head to the elevator.

"Hey, wait, wait. Not so fast." Leo stopped them. "Um...Principal Perry is upstairs. I repeat, Perry is in the house!"

"With her five cats!" Freya added. "Cute from afar, but they pee on everything!"

The bionic teens thought for a moment.

"You know, I am very tired." Chase said, walking away and his siblings followed.

"Yeah, I could use some sleep." Adam agreed.

"See you in the new year." Bree added.

"Freeze." Tasha called and the three stopped. "Look, the poor woman is all alone, and it's Christmas. Hey, at least we're all together. So, let's make the best of it, right?"

"Absolutely... not. Enough is enough." Davenport declared. "We are going to march up there right now and tell this woman, vamoose, lady! This is our Christmas!"

They all start cheering and start to walk out, until Chase stops them.

"Wait! She can't see us in our mission suits." Chase protested.

"Well, hurry up and change, I'm not telling her without backup." Davenport rushed them.

——

The group went upstairs to tell Perry to leave, but there was a whole feast upstairs.

"Principal Perry, we—" Davenport froze when he smelled food. "Uh, smell food."

They all turned to find Perry cooking. Freya's stared at all the food in shock.

"What are you doing?" Freya asked her.

"What's it look like? I'm making dinner." Perry remarked.

"We've had enough of this. Get out!" Adam snapped, and Freya hit his stomach.

Tasha walked up to Perry. "Principal Perry, this is amazing."

Everyone started to look at the food in the kitchen. Freya was impressed and it all looked delicious. She couldn't believe she wants to eat Perry's cooking.

"Well, I didn't see you cooking anything." Perry reasoned.

"Wow. I can't believe you actually did something nice." Bree mentioned.

"It's a Christmas miracle." Chase added.

"Ah, it's nothing. I figured I crashed your holiday, it's the least I can do." Perry shrugged.

Tasha peeks in oven. "Oh, look, how fancy. She made a Christmas goose."

"It's actually a swan from the pond down the street." Perry corrected and Freya frowned, knowing there was something. "You know, you could walk right up to 'em."

"It was to perfect to be true," Freya grinned.

A cat meowing is heard from across the room on the tree.

"Please tell me that's not coming from the oven." Davenport pleaded.

"I got it. The Christmas tree is one big scratching post for those cats." Perry chuckled and everyone looked at the tree that was invested with cats.

Perry walks over to the shaking tree and tries to grab the cat.

"Ooh, come on, Dingle. Come on, boy. Oh, he's usually very, very good." The cat meows aggressively. "Come on, Dingle, come on. He's getting really feisty now. Sorry about this. We're guests, Dingle, we're guests. Come on, Dingle. Come on. Get out of here!" Perry jumps on the tree and it falls over. She starts throwing ornaments backwards as the rest of them watch in shock, while dodging the ornaments.

"As I said, too perfect to be true." Freya said and everyone nodded.

——

Dinner was served and whole family is eating dinner while Perry serves them.

"Principal Perry, thank you again for this meal." Tasha smiled.

"It's surprising delicious," Freya added.

"Oh, you're welcome." Perry warmly smiled and places a check in front of Davenport. "I'll take that whenever you're ready."

Davenport picked it up. "What's this?"

"Uh, your bill." Perry told him.

Tasha looked at the bill. "I see you included tax, tip, and the cost of a new tire."

"Sorry, gratuity is included for parties of seven or more. I have no say in that." Perry shrugged and Freya rolled her eyes.

"It's your rules tho," Freya objected.

"You're actually gonna charge us for dinner?" Davenport asked her.

"Well, I didn't make this meal with love. I made it with skill, sweat, and whatever came off the tip of my pinky when I was chopping the veggies." Perry held up her finger that had a bandage on it.

Everyone spits out their food and starts coughing/gagging. Freya shook her head in disgust, getting up and going to the sink to wash her mouth out.

——

After dinner, Perry went home and everyone was relieved she had left. Frye had never been so happy.

They were doing the rest of presents and Freya was holding her present for Chase. She doesn't know why she was so nervous to give Chase his, it wasn't a big deal or anything.

Freya wasn't aware Chase felt the same way. He was nervous to give his present to Freya.

Freya sat on the couch with the family, taking sneaky glances at Chase as he was talking to the others. Bree noticed Freya's weird demeanor and tried to see who she was looking at. Bree's mouth fell slightly open when she saw her looking at Chase and softly smiled.

"Freys," Bree whispered and Freya looked at her. Bree noticed her pink cheeks and grinned. "You going to give Chase his present?"

"Uh..." Freya stammered her her words and swallowed. "Yes. He's just busy ya know? I'm waiting."

"Okay, what's going?" Bree asked. "You have never been this nervous. And it's Chase."

"I know, but..." Freya trailed off and fiddled with the bow on her present.

"But what?" Bree asked with a smug grin.

"What if he doesn't like it?" Freya asked. "Chase is picky."

"What did you get him?" Bree asked and Freya made sure to whisper it in her ear.

"Tickets to that planetarium he's mentioned," Freya said and Bree smiled softly at her. "It's one of the only thing's Chase and I have in common. Liking science."

"That's so sweet."

"Hey, don't say that. I'm not sweet," Freya shook her head. "It's Christmas. I had to."

"Mm," Bree shrugged and continued notice the blush on Freya's face grow. Bree had an idea. "Hey, everyone, why don't we make more Christmas cookies? Since Adam burned most of them."

"I didn't burn them. They are just extra crispy," Adam defended as everyone got up, except Freya.

They all went over to the kitchen, except Bree pushed Chase back.

"You stay here." Bree said and made Chase sit back on the couch. Chase frowned in confusion as Bree walked away and he turned to Freya.

"Why did she do that?" Chase asked and Freya shrugged.

"I'm not sure." Freya chuckled awkwardly and Chase noticed her present.

"Who's that for?" He asked.

Freya blushed and looked down at the gift. "You."

Freya handed it to him and she started to bite her nails nervously.

"Thanks, Freya." He smiled as he started to open it and Freya could only stare at the gift. She couldn't bare to look at Chase.

Chase had opened the present and pulled out two tickets to the Planetarium. His eyes grew and he had a big smile on his face.

"Tickets to the Moonlight Planetarium?" He asked and Freya nodded, finally looking at him. "I've been dying to go to that. How did you know?"

Freya shrugged. "Davenport mentioned it to me. And I've been wanting to go. I'm just not as open about my interest in science."

"This is amazing. Thank you," Chase smiled and Freya blushed bright red as Chase pulled her into a hug.

Freya smiled softly and hugged him back, relaxing in his embrace. "You're welcome."

They pulled away and their faces were only a couple inches apart. Both were blushing brightly and Freya quickly pulled away. She averted her gaze and Chase softly stared at her.

He never sees this side of her and he found it adorable.

"Hey, I have this for you." Chase said and Freya looked at him. He held out a present and she smiled, taking it.

She opened it to reveal a galaxy moon lamp. She gasped quietly and smiled warmly.

"Oh my gosh," she softly giggled. "I love it! It's so pretty!"

Freya didn't realize how expressive she was, but she didn't care. Chase got her a pretty present that she will be using every day. Pretty present for a pretty girl.

"When you find someone who shares a similar interest, it makes Christmas shopping a whole lot easier." Chase mentioned and Freya sent him a sweet smile. His heart fluttered at the sight of her beautiful smile.

"It's beautiful." She said. "I can't wait to use it."

"Here." Chase said. He opened the box and took out the moon lamp. He found the charger and plugged it into the wall. Freya took the other end and plugged it into the moon.

Freya tapped the bottom of the moon and it turned on to reveal a gorgeous galaxy on the moon. Freya's smiled brightened and Chase smiled. He first looked at the moon and then his eyes fell on the blonde girl.

His eyes softened. He loved her so happy. Makes her even more beautiful to him.

"It's so pretty." Freya warmly said.

"You're so pretty," Chase quietly muttered underneath his breath.

"What?" She asked and Chase stammered over his words, blushing.

"Nothing." He quickly said.

Freya sent down the moon and stood up, facing Chase. "Thank you, Chase."

"You're welcome," he replied. "And thank you. I can't wait to go to the Planetarium with you."

Freya blushed at his words, before she wrapped her arms around him. Chase smiled softly and hugged her back, holding her close. His eyes shut, resting his chin on her head and sighing.

Bree noticed this and shushed everyone. They all turned and they smiled at the sight.

"Wow," Davenport said with surprise. "I didn't expect that."

"I did," Bree grinned smugly.

The two teens pulled away. They both chuckled bashfully and Freya turned to the others. Chase stood there, rubbing his neck with red cheeks.

"I really like Freya." Chase thought.

"I really like Chase." Freya thought.

——

Up Next: Trent Gets Schooled

Aw! They officially like each other! I did say slow burn. S0, it will take some time for them to get together! But I'll be putting some fluff here and there frequently.