Angelica got into Avery’s big SUV, sitting in the passenger seat.

“Wow, it’s warm in here,” said Angelica, unzipping her red hoodie.

“You’re gonna be glad we have those seat warmers,” said Avery. “Where we’re going, it’s cold.”

“Where are the headquarters again?” asked Angelica.

“In, uh, a town called North Pole, a few miles from here,” said Avery.

“There’s a town called North Pole?” asked Angelica.

“Unincorporated community, because it’s just a big office park, pretty much,” said Avery. “It’s where Santana works.”

“Got it,” said Angelica. “I’m glad we’ve got snacks and drinks.”

“I’m driving, so I’m the DJ,” said Avery, turning on the radio. “I hope you like Christmas songs.”

The last round of training for The Ride was done by three in the afternoon. By four, Ryan was back in human form, his harness put away, and he was drinking hot cocoa in the aviation lounge with the ice elementals.

“Attention,” said a voice over a PA system. “The Christmas party will be starting in the event hall. Again, the Christmas party will soon be starting in the event hall.”

“Perfect,” said Ryan, getting up from his seat.

“Where are you going?” asked Krampus, pushing Ryan back down.

“The party,” said Ryan.

“Shit, nobody told you?” asked Krampus. “You’re leaving in five minutes, Ryan.”

“Five minutes?” asked Ryan. “We’re not supposed to leave for another three hours.”

“There’s an emergency that Santana has to handle before deliveries start,” said Krampus. “There’s a children’s hospital, on fire, and the local fire department isn’t well-staffed. You need to go and help put the fire out.”

“Shit,” cursed Ryan, causing his mark to burn. “Fuck!” His mark burned harder.

“You have to —” started Krampus.

“I know what I have to do,” said Ryan. “Just tell her why I wasn’t there.”

“I will,” said Krampus, putting a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “I will.”

Angelica put out the last of the hot Christmas dinner themed breakfast sandwiches onto the hot tray. She wiped her hands on her apron. The feast had come together nicely. They’d made cranberry jelly filled donuts. They’d made plum pudding inspired breakfast muffins. There was milk and orange juice out, as well as coffee. For dessert, there was a ‘Santana’s Milk and Cookies’ station, featuring Santana’s favorite cookies, according to Avery. Of course, their rank included chocolate chip cookies, with extra chocolate chips.

“Hey, have you seen Ryan?” asked Angelica.

“No,” said Avery. “Honey…I don’t think he can make it tonight.”

“But he promised he’d be here,” said Angelica.

“It’s a work emergency,” said Avery. “They really needed him.”

“Uh-huh,” said Angelica, hands in the pockets of her red hoodie. “Sure they did. It’s just typical Ryan. I guess a weretiger can’t change its stripes, and ‘the Big Bad Bear’ can’t change his ways. That kind of thing could only happen in a fairy tale.”

“They really did, Angelica,” said Avery.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Angelica. “Really, Avery. I don’t want to talk about it. Remember, this is just a job. I don’t even like Christmas.”

Avery sighed. Every year, it was so frustrating. She knew she wasn’t supposed to tell Angelica the truth. That’d be interfering. It was against policy…and it hardly ever worked. People believed what they wanted to believe, and getting them to believe in Christmas magic was as hard as melting a candy cane in a cup of cold eggnog. Heck, figuring out a way to get Angelica all the way up to The North Pole had been difficult. She’d had to get some help from Krampus, who had set her car up with special wheel axles made with demoncraft. Avery had used them to teleport the SUV into a tunnel that led to Santana’s Workshop, and Angelica hadn’t noticed they weren’t in Montana anymore.

Avery was going to have a talk with Santana. This was yet another reason Avery wanted to be able to tell her workers the truth about Christmas. Santana was too untrusting of adults. Naturally, Fate had led Angelica to The Wreath for a reason.

Avery watched as Angelica put out the last of the treats.

“Come on,” said Avery. “Look. It’s a party. Pandora and Jack are here. You all should have some fun. There are games, there’s karaoke, there are all kinds of fun activities to do.”

“I just want to work,” said Angelica with a side smile. “After all, isn’t that why I’m here?”

Ryan knew Santana’s sleigh could teleport. He’d been briefed on that, and they’d practiced flying before and during and after teleporting, during their training earlier that day. What training didn’t prepare Ryan for was the great blaze beneath them.

“Alright,” said Krampus, speaking into Ryan’s ear, which was set up with a special earpiece. “You need to help land the sleigh on the roof. There’s no helipad, and it’s covered in antennae and shit, so don’t try and make a smooth landing. Try to make any landing at all.”

Ryan wove in and out of the gear on the building as he helped land the sleigh. Santana got out of the sleigh.

“Shift,” said Krampus.

Ryan shifted. He was wearing an all-black tactical suit that matched the outfits the other seven shifters were wearing. The ice elementals could all shift into penguins. Ryan wondered what good their shifts would do them in the situation.

“Follow Santana,” said Krampus.

Ryan ran up to The Jolly Fellow, who was walking fast, behind the ice elementals. Santana yanked open the door to the roof. A blaze flew out. Ryan put his hands in front of his face, but soon, he felt snowflakes against his face, coming from in front of him. He opened his eyes. The ice elementals were putting out the fire with their powers.

“Now I’ve seen everything,” said Ryan.

“Ryan,” said Santana, who was also hooked up to the communications system. “You and I can’t do shit without the elementals. Here’s what we’re gonna do. You grab the kids. You run’m out, you run back in, we clear this place out. You got it?”

“Got it,” said Ryan.

Angelica had to admit there was nothing left to do about the buffet. Santana’s cafeteria crew had handled the baking. It was Angelica and Avery who had come up with the recipes to send the squad, but they hadn’t had to do any of the cooking. The cafeteria crew had their own way of doing things, and they didn’t need any help.

Angelica met up with Pandora and Jack. She felt like a third wheel. They were nice, but it was obvious they were meant to be together. Usually, seeing them brought a smile to her face. Hearing them laugh still made Angelica smile. It was just a bittersweet type of happiness. She wished that, like Pandora and Jack, she had somebody to spend that night with. She didn’t care that it was Christmas, although she envied them for caring about Christmas at their age, which she assumed to be around the early twenties. She just wished that she was with Ryan. She couldn’t wait to get home, pack her things, and leave this world behind.

Within an hour, the entire hospital was cleared out. Ryan had hauled ass to help get the kids out of the building, usually carrying two at a time, either one in each arm or one over his shoulder with another cradled in his arms. He calmed them down by telling them he was a friend of Santa Claus, one of his reindeer, and singing Christmas songs with them.

“Jingle bells, jingle bells,” sang Ryan in as clear a tone as he could. “Jingle all the way…”

He danced in and out of the flames, and not one child got hurt.

Santana’s magic covered their traces. While the children claimed to have been saved by Santa Claus and a reindeer, the adults ignored them. The ambulances were too busy whisking the kids away to get them to another hospital.

“That was wild,” said Krampus. “You did good.”

“So did the elementals,” said Ryan.

“I guess they can be useful,” admitted Santana.

“Did you tell her?” asked Ryan.

“Yes,” said Krampus. “I told Avery, who told her. I, uh, thought it needed a woman’s touch. Santana…you really outta let Avery let her crew know about the magic.”

“If they figure it out, they figure it out,” said Santana. “They have to really believe. They can’t just think they’re indulging in their boss’ delusions.”

“Isn’t that what we’re all doing?” sassed Krampus.

“I swear, demon, you’ll be the death of me,” said Santana. “Hold on tight, bear. The Ride’s only just begun.”