A Freelancer Christmas

The holiday season was in interesting time for the Freelancers. All year long they would go on dangerous missions for the Director, spar against each other to increase their skills and practice using all of their special equipment on and off the field. As demanding a job they had, the Freelancers always seemed to make time to celebrate Christmas in their own special way.

Agent North Dakota had decided to wake up very early on Christmas morning to surprise his comrades with nice dinner, something the team wasn't really used to. He was sure no one would be awake before noon since they had just returned from a long and difficult mission later the night before.

As North walked down the hallway to the kitchen he heard voices coming from the rec room. Curious as to who was awake at this hour, North walked into the Freelancers' recreational room only to see York and Washington fumbling noisily through dusty cardboard boxes.

"What are you guys up to?" North asked, successfully startling the other two Freelancers. York turned around and grinned. "What does it look like we're doing? It's Christmas! We're decorating."

Washington pulled a pile of tangled lights out of one of the boxes and put them on his head. "We don't have a tree though," he complained as the light fell into his lap. "So we're trying to improvise. Any ideas?"

North chuckled and scratched his chin. "Now that you mention it I may actually have an idea..are you the only two awake?" He asked, looking around for other signs of life. York pointed toward the kitchen, "Wyoming is in there eating the last of Iowa's pistachio ice cream."

"Perfect," North smiled as he called over the British Freelancer, whispering his idea into his ear. Wyoming's grin grew as he listened to North's interesting idea for a make-shift Christmas tree. "I will get right to it!" Wyoming called as he took off down the hallway.

After sending a more than willing Wyoming to carry out his plan, North got to work on making the large Christmas dinner for his friends. He knew he had to get started early if he ever wanted to make enough food to fill up the other ravenous Freelancers, namely Maine. As he began preparing the meal, North couldn't help but wonder what the rec room would look like after York and Washington got done with it..

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Carolina was woken up by the sound of her room door being shut. Suspicious of the noise, she shot up and grabbed the pistol she kept under her pillow and aimed it at her door. Her room remained silent and empty.

"Something isn't right.." Carolina said to herself as she got out of bed and pulled on her boots and a blue long sleeve shirt. Standing up and putting her pistol in its holster, Carolina couldn't help but notice an interesting scent in the air.

Carolina walked into the hallway and noticed a groggy looking South exiting her room at nearly the same time. "South, were you in my room?" Carolina questioned as she approached the other sleepy-eyed female.

"Why the hell would I be in your room?" South croaked. "I was just coming out because I heard someone in my room.." She retorted before sneezing. Carolina handed her a tissue. "Thanks.." South muttered.

"Go get some tea for that cold South," Carolina instructed. "I'll find out who's been sneaking around in other people's rooms.." She said angrily, continuing on her trek to the rec room.

"You have to hang it near an outlet, Wash!" Carolina heard York's unmistakable voice calling out from the room in front of her. Walking into the recreational room, Carolina took in the sight of Washington standing on York's shoulders while trying to hang a strand of lights over a very high window.

"What's going on in here?" Carolina demanded. Succeeding in startling the other two, Washington dropped the lights on York's head and nearly fell off his odd perch.

"What does it look like we're doing?" York asked, grinning as he handed the lights back up to Washington. "We're decorating! It is Christmas you know." Carolina looked shocked. "Today is really Christmas?..I had no idea."

Washington plugged in the strand of lights and clumsily jumped off York's shoulders. "Guess we've all been so busy with work we didn't every realize what time of year it was," York shrugged and handed Carolina a wreathe. "Take a load off, Carolina. Help me put some of these up?"

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Wyoming continued on his secret quest given to him by North as he reached Maine's room. The hulk of a man had done the bulk of the physical work during their mission the previous day so Wyoming was confident that he was in a deep sleep. Slowly opening the door, Wyoming spotted Maine sound asleep in his bed still wearing his full suit of armor.

"This will make things a bit difficult.." Wyoming whispered to himself as he quietly approached the sleeping man. As soon as he reached the edge of the large Freelancer's bed a massive hand shot out and grabbed Wyoming around the throat, threatening to pop his head right off his neck.

Wyoming gasped and struggled to break free of the large man's grip. Maine snarled loudly and slammed Wyoming to the floor, the British man coughing and gagging as his airways were finally open again.

"That was....highly unnecessary.." Wyoming gasped as he stood to his feet. Maine simply growled threateningly, taking off his helmet and setting it on the floor. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. Maine hadn't expected to be woken up this early after such a demanding mission and he wasn't happy about it. Reaching down to put his helmet back on Maine noticed that it, along with Wyoming, was gone.

A deep, menacing roar was heard through out the Mother of Invention. Anyone who hadn't yet woken up was most certainly awake now, either from the sheer volume of the noise or fear that they had been the one to upset the giant man.

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Washington, who was currently up to his knees in decorative garland, heard the angry noise caused by his friend and sighed. Couldn't people wait until after Christmas to piss Maine off? Wading through the decorations Wash decided he had better go check on the large disgruntled Freelancer before he broke something important in his rage.

"Look out!" Washington heard someone call as he walked out of the rec room, barely ducking in time as Wyoming flew right over his head. The British Freelancer hit the wall hard and struggled to stand as a fuming Maine stormed his way.

Washington blocked Maine's path. "Whoa there big guy!" Maine growled angrily and tried to get past Wash. The smaller man stood his ground. "Come on man just let it go," Washington coaxed. "Whatever he did to make you upset can wait until tomorrow right? It's Christmas!"

Maine growled again, though not as angrily as before. Washington smiled up at him, "I'll get you some eggnog? The good kind!" Maine rolled his eyes and hissed once more at Wyoming before nodding slowly to Washington. "There we go! Now how about you change out of your armor then meet me in the kitchen?" Nodding once more, Maine headed back into his room to put on a t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants.

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The Mother of Invention was buzzing with activity as the day went on. York and Carolina had finished putting up decorations around the recreational room and were sitting across from each other playing a game of checkers. Iowa had offered to help North with dinner so he took a short break to heat up a bowl of soup for South to help with her cold, feeling bad that his sister was sick on Christmas.

Washington had been asked by Wyoming to help them set up their "tree" in the middle of the rec room. The makeshift tree was compiled of bits and pieces of all of the Freelancer's armor and was put together like a patchwork set. Wyoming had taken his own boot plates, York's shin guards, a whole arm each of North and South's armor, Carolina's chest plate and even one of Tex's old back plates. It was Maine's massive helmet that topped the odd creation. After much convincing and a few glasses of egg nog, Maine had been enlisted to help Washington hang a few strands of lights on their armor "tree".

The noise and laughter had drawn the attention of other members aboard the ship so several marines and a few other Freelancers filed into the rec room to join in on the merriment. Texas and 479er came in as well, both plopping down on the couch to watch the seemingly never ending game of checkers between Carolina and York.

A loud chuckle was heard just outside the room, causing everyone's attention to turn to the door that had been bust open. A relatively large man in a white and red suit with a matching hat and a large red sack. Iowa peered out from the kitchen only sighing and shaking her head at what she saw.

Agent Montana beamed as he plopped the large bag down in the middle of the floor. "Merry Christmas!" He shouted merrily. "I bring tidings of great joy from the mail room!" Faces lit up and people eagerly scrambled for the bag, curious to see what they had received from their family and friends. All of the gifts were dug thought and distributed to the rightful owners before being torn in to.

York received a hand drawn picture from his youngest brother and a letter from his parents explaining how proud they were of him and how much they missed having him around. North and South opened a large package containing a few boxes of candy, two brand new top-model pistols and a message from their father who wished them well and told North to promise to keep watching out for his sister. Carolina had opened a small box with her name on it that contained a small locket and a note that told her the locket had belonged to her mother and that it was time to pass it on.

Washington glanced around the room to see all of the Freelancers smiling and tearing open packages. It was a sight for sore eyes. They had a stressful job, it was good for the to take some time to relax and actually feel like normal people for a change. Amidst the laughs and grinning faces Washington noticed Maine sitting in a chair away from the group with nothing but a blank look on his face and a beer in his hand.  

"Hey man," Washington said as he pulled up a chair and sat next to Maine. The large man grunted in response and took another swig of his drink while he continued to stare blankly.

"You, uh..check the bag to see if you have anything?" Wash questioned. Maine snorted roughly and made a strange clicking sound in his throat. Washington frowned and look up at the other Freelancer. "No one? Not even a dog?" He tried to joke to lighten the mood but it didn't seem to help. Determined to get a positive reaction out of the big man, Washington opened his packaged and searched through it contents.

A letter from his grandparents and a picture of his cat were on top of the stack along with a grey and yellow sweater and some chocolate. Unsatisfied with his findings, Washington reached into his pocket and pulled out a small and very old looking coin.

"It was my dad's lucky token," he explained as he handed it to Maine. "But I want you to have it." Maine was dumbfounded. He simply stared at the object being offered to him. Washington laughed, "Just take it you dork," he joked. Slowly, Maine reached out and grabbed the coin and examined it.

"Merry Christmas, buddy."

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Dinner was served late after North and Iowa finally finished cooking the gigantic meal. It was devoured almost as quickly as it was put in front of the hungry Freelancers giving the two chefs a sense of accomplishment. Many a Christmas carol was sung by the tipsy group of soldiers before they either retired to their rooms or passed out on the furniture.

North had volunteered to clean up the mess as he was one of the only sober people left on the entire ship. A few hours and a few hundred dishes later he exited the kitchen and couldn't help but smile to himself at the sight in the rec room. Christmas decorations were still hanging in their specific places and several Freelancers had also not moved from their positions, all sleeping soundly.

South was curled up in a couch next to Washington, both asleep and slightly snoring. York and Carolina were in an arm chair pressed close to each other as the slept deeply, neither thinking anything odd of their close proximity. Iowa was laying in Montana's lap with his Santa hat on her head pulled down over her eyes to try and block out any light. North noticed as Maine stirred slightly in his large arm chair but didn't wake, a pile of beer bottles near his feet and a strange coin clutched tightly in his hand.

As dangerous and odd as they were, North wouldn't give the Freelancers up for anything. They were his family after all.