The clock chimed midnight. Eamonn rushed through the doors of the hospital room and saw his worst nightmare made incarnate.

Hope was there, pale as ice, slumped over in a bed, her natural glow and luster torn from her body.

“Hope?” asked Eamonn softly. “Hope!”

Avery got up from her seat next to Hope.

“Eamonn…I’ve tried,” said Avery.

“I haven’t,” said Eamonn. “What happened, Avery? I thought she’d just be working on her college stuff tonight.”

“There was an accident at the bakery,” said Avery. “She cut her hand, but, it shouldn’t have been this bad. I don’t know what happened or why.”

“How did she cut herself?” asked Krampus.

“With one of those cookie cutters you gave me,” said Avery.

“Damn it, Avery,” said Krampus. “No — damn me. Those cookie cutters…well, they’re for you, specifically. The demoncraft on them…well, I’ll just say that nobody but you should use them because the consequences could be – are — dire.”

“That sorta seems like something you should’ve told me!” hissed Avery.

“I did!” said Krampus.

“Was I drunk on eggnog when you told me that?” asked Avery.

“I plead the fifth,” said Krampus.

“Can you two please save your squabbling for later?” asked Eamonn. “Right now, my fated mate is the one on that gurney. What the Hell happened? What’s this about demoncraft?”

“I cast spells on the cookie cutters — one was to keep them sharp, another, rust-free, yadda yadda. Well, one of the spells was…an anti-theft spell,” said Krampus. “What? They took a long time to craft! I didn’t want that hard work to go to waste!”

“And what exactly does that mean?” asked Eamonn.

“Well…if the cookie cutter were being used by someone it wasn’t supposed to be used by, it would eventually, uh, disable that person as a punishment for stealing,” said Krampus. “The punishment is…an endless sleep.”

“And how do I wake her up?” asked Eamonn.

“What part of ‘endless sleep’ don’t you get?” asked Krampus.

Eamonn rushed up to Krampus and pulled him up by his shirt. “Krampus. You’re the reason my woman is lying in that bed, looking like she’s nearly at death’s door. Tell me how to break the spell, or I’ll snap off your fingers like breadsticks.”

“I’ll let that go — this time, because of the circumstances,” said Krampus, magically forcing Eamonn’s hands off his body. “You shouldn’t try to wake her up from the endless sleep. What you need to do is overpower her body with another form of magic and take the endless sleep out of the equation.”

“The only two magic users here are you two, and I don’t trust you to make things better, Krampus,” said Eamonn.

“Fair,” admitted Krampus.

“What about you, Avery?” asked Eamonn.

“My magic is useless in this situation,” said Avery. “I have no idea what we can do for Hope, Eamonn.”

“You’re wrong, Eamonn,” said Krampus. “Avery and I…we’re not the only magic users.”

“I would know if I could cast lightning from my fingers or summon storms out of thin air,” said Eamonn.

“Every human…does have one power,” said Krampus. “Some say it might be the most powerful magic of all, a magic I’m sure my kind can’t feel.” At that, Avery’s eyes seemed to dim.

“What is it?” asked Eamonn.

“It’s…the power of love,” said Avery. “I hadn’t thought of that, being single and all, but, the power of love…could break the spell.”

“Just like in that old fairy tale,” said Eamonn. “Just like…in ‘Sleeping Beauty.’”

“Do you believe in fairytales?” asked Krampus.

“No,” said Eamonn. “But…I’ve got something better than belief. I’ve got Hope.”

Eamonn walked to the side of the bed. He pressed a hand against Hope’s cheek. It was cold and clammy. He touched the back of his hand against her forehead. It was burning up and dry. He’d never felt anything like it before. He brushed her hair behind her shoulders and sat down next to her.

“Hope…I don’t know if you can hear me, but…” started Eamonn, entwining his fingers with Hope’s hand.

Hope had wandered the world of lavender for hours. Her feet didn’t get sore. Her limbs didn’t tire. However, her mind was not immune to the effects of her endless trudging. Hope had walked in a straight line, looking for an end to the fields of lavender, looking for any structure that stood out in the field, even a tree, but the only thing that had changed was that the sun had started to set.

The soft colors of the sunset and the scent of the lavender made Hope feel sleepy. She wanted to lay down in the lavender, take a nap, to sleep within her already deep slumber, when she heard a voice.

“Hope?” called the voice.

Hope blinked and looked around. She couldn’t find the voice.

“Hello?” called out the voice.

“Hope…it’s me,” said the voice. Hope recognized the voice. It was a voice she hadn’t heard in a day, a voice she wasn’t sure she’d ever hear again, after what she’d last said to him. It was the voice of none other than Eamonn Costello.

Hope looked around, calling out his name — “Eamonn! Eamonn! I’m here!” — but she didn’t spot him.

Well, until she did.

Standing in the field was a solitary figure, dressed in pants that buttoned in the front and a white shirt with a funny collar, and a black jacket that had a long back flap that hit his knees and gave him an odd silhouette.

It was Eamonn Costello, dressed in full Regency garb.

“Eamonn!” called Hope. “Eamonn! Is that you?”

“Hope? I hope you’re listening,” said Eamonn as Hope reached him.

“Eamonn, I’m listening,” promised Hope, pulling Eamonn close. “Eamonn, I’m so scared. I’m so scared, Eamonn. I think I’m stuck, and I don’t know why…and I don’t know how to get out.”

Hope realized Eamonn wasn’t hugging her back. She looked up. Eamonn wasn’t even looking at her.

“Eamonn?” asked Hope, reaching to touch his cheek.

She’d thought that the dream couldn’t get any more nightmarish, but now, her mind had managed to torture her by conjuring up a likeness of the man that her heart desired — not the man himself, but a mere mirror image.

“Eamonn?” asked Hope again, tears running down her cheek. “Please, Eamonn, I’m here. Please.”

Hope felt something happen to her hand. Eamonn grabbed her hand! His strong fingers entwined with her stubby little digits.

“Eamonn,” said Hope softly.

“Hope…there’s a lot I want to say to you that I haven’t had a chance to say,” said Eamonn. “You know so much about me already — that I’m a shifter, that I’m a football player, that I’m a bad boy. But, there’s one thing you don’t know — that I love you. I love you, Hope, and I’ve said it…but you don’t believe me.”

“Because it makes no sense,” said Hope.

“I don’t know why you can’t believe me when I say it, but, sometimes, there are things in life we can’t see, that we have no reason to believe, that we just have to believe in,” said Eamonn. “When we want to get others to believe in those things, we can’t force them to believe. All we can do…is hope.”

“Eamonn…how do I get out of here?” asked Hope. “I don’t know what to do. Please, help me.”

“One of those things…the things that I believe, that I can’t make you believe…is something I’m sure is a fact,” said Eamonn. “I think you have feelings for me, Hope, and I think they’re just as strong as the feelings I have for you.”

“Eamonn?” called Hope. “Eamonn, how do I —” Hope was about to try and get Eamonn to help her out of the dream, but she realized it was no use. What her subconscious had given her was the Eamonn in front of her, not a guide through the fields of lavender that felt more difficult to traverse than Everest.

“Eamonn…there’s no way I could ever say this to you outside of a dream, but…I love you, Eamonn,” said Hope, and she loosened her hand from Eamonn’s grip. Hope wrapped her arms around Eamonn’s shoulders and pressed his lips against his.

Eamonn had been whispering to Hope for an hour.

“Son…I think it’s best you —” started Krampus.

Eamonn shrugged Krampus’ hand off of his shoulder and continued to talk to Hope.

“You tell me you wouldn’t do that if the woman you loved was in that bed,” challenged Avery.

“You know I’d move Heaven and Earth and Hell if that were —” started Krampus.

“If that was who?” asked Avery.

“Nobody,” said Krampus. “Never mind.”

Avery and Krampus looked back at Eamonn, too many words left unsaid between the Christmas elf and the Christmas demon. They watched as Eamonn held Hope’s hand, whispering to her, and then, suddenly, Hope let go of Eamonn’s hand.

Eamonn’s heart fell. He’d hoped that what he’d done would’ve worked. After all, when Hope had gripped his hand back, he’d felt, well, hope, and he swore that he felt her squeezing his hand back. Now, it was clear that her body had given up and that her soul was to slough off her mortal coil.

“Oh, no,” whispered Avery.

“Oh, yes,” said Krampus with a smile.

“What do you —” started Avery, but then, it all became clear.

Hope reached up and wrapped her arms around Eamonn’s shoulders, pulled herself up, and kissed Eamonn on the lips.

Eamonn had been a playboy.

He’d kissed a lot of women, a lot of times.

He’d never had a kiss that made him feel the way that Hope’s kiss made him feel.

All at once, Eamonn felt relief, joy, and love, as Hope pressed her lips to his mouth and kissed him. Eamonn helped Hope sit up and wrapped his arms around her body. He kissed her back, his lips gently pressed against Hope’s, following Hope’s lead. When Hope’s tongue pressed against his lips, he gave them ingress into his mouth, and when he moved his tongue to Hope’s mouth’s entrance, she allowed his tongue egress. They kissed deeply as Eamonn’s warmth entered Hope’s body.

Eamonn didn’t dare break the kiss. Hope pulled back to breathe and whispered something. Eamonn swore it was his name.

“Hope, it’s me,” said Eamonn.

“Eamonn, I wish you could hear me,” murmured Hope.

“Hope — I can hear you,” said Eamonn. “Hope, it’s me. It’s Eamonn.”

“No — you’re just a dream,” said Hope shaking her head, her eyes still closed.

“Hope — if I’m a dream, you’re a vision, a miracle, an epiphany,” said Eamonn. “You’re in a hospital right now. You just kissed me — the best kiss I’ve ever had in my life.”

“No I’m not,” said Hope, shaking her head against, her eyes fluttering open. “I’m in a — wait. Eamonn?”

“Yes, babe, it’s me,” said Eamonn, pressing a hand to the side of Hope’s face, as tears blurred both their vision. “I’m here. It’s me.”

“Where are we?” asked Hope, looking around.

“The hospital,” said Eamonn. “You cut your hand — on a cursed frikkin’ cookie cutter. You were in a deep sleep curse, like Sleeping Beauty. And, well…as you like to say, you’re the English professor, so you know how that story ends.”

“You know — I think the kiss that comes at the end of that fairy tale, well, that might just be how their story begins,” said Hope, as Eamonn wiped tears from her cheeks. “I was in this…this field, of lavender, and I was lost, but then, you appeared, and I followed your voice…but, you couldn’t hear me.”

“You didn’t say anything on this end,” said Eamonn.

“Well, I could hear you, and I thought you were just part of the dream, so I thought I might as well tell you how I feel and get a kiss,” said Hope.

“And what exactly did tell him?” asked Avery.

“I…” started Hope, blushing. “Well…”

“‘Well?’” asked Krampus. “You wanted him to dig you a well?”

“I told him I loved him, okay?” blurted out Hope.

“You what?” asked Eamonn softly.

Hope turned to face Eamonn.

“I…I heard you talking, about things you believe in — about how you can’t make other people believe in them,” said Hope. “Well, this time, you were the one that was wrong about what’s in my heart, Eamonn. I…I love you, Eamonn. I’ve known this for some time, but, I couldn’t say it.”

“Because?” asked Eamonn.

“Because I didn’t believe that I was the princess in this fairy tale romance,” said Hope.

“I’ve always believed that,” said Eamonn.

“Well, if you believe in it…I guess I can too,” said Hope. “But…I just realized something. I can’t believe that I didn’t realize this during my dream.”

“What is it?” asked Eamonn.

“I am a baker,” said Hope.

“Are you sure that you’re okay?” asked Eamonn. “Last time I checked, you’re a professor, not a baker, babe. Does the nurse need to come in here to run some tests? Or do we need a Christmas elf or a demon given this whole issue was really magical?”

“Eamonn…you don’t understand,” said Hope. “Do you know how I fainted?”

“Taking a picture of that cookie cutter for your lesson plan?” asked Eamonn.

“No,” said Hope. “I was helping Avery bake sugar cookies. If Avery hadn’t found me, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

“Well…I wasn’t the one that helped fix you up,” said Avery. “Melissa was with me. She patched you up and made sure you were in stable condition until the EMTs arrived.”

“Melissa?” asked Hope. “As in…Melissa-Melissa?”

“That woman knew what she was doing,” said Avery. “She may act cheery, but she’s not all candy canes and jingle bells. She can be one real tough, calm, capable sugar cookie.”

“Sounds like I have someone I need to thank,” said Hope. “I can’t believe that she’s the one that helped make sure I didn’t get more seriously hurt when I cut myself with the cookie cutter — and the fact I can’t believe it, well, that’s part of the problem. I really misjudged her.”

“Why were you baking at all?” asked Eamonn. “I thought you were working on your lesson plan.”

“She was the temp for my Christmas temp because Melissa was out on an all-day date,” explained Avery.

“You know what that means, don’t you?” asked Hope. “I technically was a Bear Claw Bakery baker this season, although, it wasn’t even for a full workday.”

“If I count as a reindeer shifter, even though I only flew around the world for a single night, you definitely count as a Bear Claw Bakery baker,” said Eamonn. “Although, I don’t think the position comes with the possibility of tenure, you smart cookie.”

“Avery…you don’t get off the hook that easily,” said Krampus, crossing his arms.

“What?” asked Avery. “What did I do?”

“You hired the wrong temp,” said Krampus. “There was an ink blot that turned a six into an eight on the memo that The North sent you regarding who to hire. You were supposed to hire the person with the NONID ending in 42069 — but you hired the person with the NONID 42089.”

“Who has the ID ending in 32069?” asked Avery.

“It’s 42069, and that would be none other than Hope,” said Krampus.

“You mean…this whole time…my temp was supposed to be Hope?” hissed Avery. “Gosh darn it! I really messed things up!”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it,”‘ said Krampus, putting a hand on Avery’s shoulder. “These two crazy kids got together in the end, didn’t they? That must mean that you misreading the paper must’ve all been part of Fate’s plan…and I think Fate would want us to give these two some privacy. Come on.”

“Wait!” said a voice.

“I think she needs privacy right now,” said Avery.

“I just…have to say something,” said a voice.

“Who is it?” called Hope.

“It’s me,” said Melissa, moving into the room. “I wanted to see how you were doing.”

“Melissa! Hi! We were just talking about you,” said Hope. “I wanted to thank you for what you did for me, saving me. I know I wasn’t the nicest to you this Christmas season, because, well, I got jealous of you, and I was insecure. I was worried you were trying to get with Eamonn, and…well…I didn’t realize that I was doing that. I’m sorry for the way I treated you.”

“Yeah, so, uh…I need to admit something to you,” said Melissa. “I was trying to get with Eamonn…but then, well, I stopped, as you probably noticed.”

“Thanks,” said Hope.

“No. You don’t understand — I have to admit something to you,” said Melissa. “I…stopped pursuing Eamonn because I started dating your ex. Jerry. We’ve been going out for a bit, and that’s why he took me on a date yesterday. If I hadn’t been out, maybe you wouldn’t have gotten hurt…and, well, also, it’s a bit scummy for me to date your ex.”

“He’s my ex,” said Hope.

“I know, and that’s why I feel so bad that —” started Melissa.

“No, Melissa — he’s my ex, as in not mine anymore,” said Hope. “I do have to ask — what do you see in him?”

“He wants a housewife, and I wanna be a housewife,” said Melissa. “He’s super smart, has a nice job, wants a stay at home mom who will take care of the kids, and, well, that’s what I want too.”

“You want a stay at home mom that’ll take care of the kids?” joked Hope. “No. I get what you mean, Melissa. That makes sense. It’s not my path, but if it works for you…go for it. If you two are happy together, I encourage you to date.”

“Really?” asked Melissa cautiously.

“I’m not trying to get Jerry back,” said Hope. “If you two are happy together, date.”

“So…we have your blessing?” asked Melissa. “I’ll bring Jerry in so you can tell him!”

“You know, do me a favor — don’t do that,” said Hope with a laugh. “I’m glad you two have found love together…but, I want to have some private time with my man.”

“Oh, I got you,” said Melissa, shooting Hope a wink. “Hopefully the hospital bed can take it!”

“That’s not what I — you know, never mind,” said Hope. “Have a Merry Christmas, Melissa, and again, thanks — for saving my actual factual life.”

“Merry Christmas, Hope and Eamonn,” said Melissa, shimmying out the door and closing it behind her.

“That…was strange,” said Eamonn.

“Truth is stranger than fiction,” said Hope with a wink. “Now. Where were we?”

“I think this is the part where I propose to you,” said Eamonn.

“W-what?” asked Hope, as Eamonn pulled a ring box out of the pocket of his tactical suit and hit the ground with a single knee. The box was covered in brown leather and had an antique brass clasp keeping it shut.

Eamonn popped open the ornate ring box. Inside, there was a gold band with five circular brilliant cut stones embedded in the band. There was a purple stone, as purple and glossy as a sugared violet. There was a brilliant white-clear stone that couldn’t be mistaken for anything but the classic engagement ring stone. There was a shiny pale blue and lavender stone that glittered all colors of the rainbow, even under the hospital lights. There was a fiery red stone, and next to that, its twin, in green.

“Hope…your name says it all,” said Eamonn. “You’re the one woman I’ve met that’s given me hope that I can have a life full of love and laughter. In many ways, we’re opposites — you’re into books, and I’m into playing with my balls.”

Hope let out a laugh, the first one she’d let out since being admitted to the hospital.

“I make you laugh, you make me smile, and we both love each other,” said Eamonn with a grin. “I can’t imagine anyone else I’d want to spend the rest of my life with — and the only thing that’s hard for me to believe is that you thought that Fate had made a mistake, because, to me, it’s obvious what this is. It’s a fated love, a true love. With that, will you take this ring, and allow me your hand in marriage?”

“Let me see the ring first,” said Hope.

Eamonn handed over the ring. “Is it good enough?”

“Pssh. Of course, it’s good enough. I wanted to see it up close first. Eamonn — do you know what this means?” asked Hope, turning the ring in her fingers.

“What?” asked Eamonn.

“The gems on the ring…they’re amethyst, diamond, opal, ruby, and emerald,” explained Hope. “It’s an acrostic ring — if you take the first letter of each of the gemstones, it spells out a message.”

“What’s this one spell out?” asked Eamonn.

“‘A’ for amethyst, ‘D’ for diamond, ‘O’ for opal, ‘R’ for ruby, ‘E’ for emerald — it spells out ‘adore,’” said Hope. “Eamonn…I adore this ring, but more importantly, I adore you. I love you, Eamonn. Of course, I’ll marry you.”

Eamonn took the ring back from Hope and slipped it onto her finger.

“Hope…you’ve made me the happiest man in the world,” said Eamonn.

“Don’t you mean…the happiest bear in the world?” asked a voice.

A cloud of smoke and a cloud of glitter appeared in the hospital room. Krampus and Avery stepped out of the clouds.

“You two were right outside!” said Hope. “Why did you have to do that?”

“Because any excuse to make an appearance is an excuse that should be cashed in,” said Krampus. “Eamonn Costello — you’ve done it. You’ve claimed your fated mate, you’ve gotten off of The Naughty List, and you’ve completed The Ride. That means you get your bear back.”

“Dope,” said Eamonn, not sure what to say.

“Yes — dope,” said Krampus, furrowing his brow. “By the way, Eamonn — you didn’t get on The Nice List.”

“I didn’t?” asked Eamonn.

“Look at your chest,” ordered Krampus.

Eamonn unbuttoned his shirt. The mark on his chest had changed — and now, it said ‘Very Nice.’

“I don’t understand,” said Eamonn.

“Saving Hope’s life…well, you were already on The Nice List, but, that action got you on The Very Nice List,” explained Avery. “Plus, this Christmas season, you two learned the meaning of Christmas. Christmas is simply about having hope.”

“What does being on The Very Nice List mean?” asked Eamonn, squeezing Hope’s hand.

“It means you did good, kid,” said Krampus, punching Eamonn in the shoulder. “Now…it’s time for the rest of your fairy tale to start. Here.”

Krampus pulled something out of his endless pockets. In his hands was a familiar item, with a worn dark wood base, a crystal-clear glass globe, and, inside, a flurry of snow above a forest. Krampus ran his hand over the globe, and their view of the scene changed so that they were looking in a cave where a big ol’ bear was snoozing.

“Hey,” said Krampus, and the bear didn’t wake up. “Hey! Get up! Hibernation time’s up!” Krampus tapped his finger against the glass, summoning up a chilly wind that pushed snow into the cave. The snow hit the bear’s nose. The bear sneezed and woke up.

“That’s right,” said Krampus. “It’s showtime. Eamonn…you know what to do, right?”

“Yeah — but it’s hard to believe it’s all over,” said Eamonn. “Everything that happened here at The Wreath…”

It’s not over as long as you remember what you learned here, said Blitzen.

Thanks again, Blitzen — for everything, said Eamonn. You know…being a reindeer wasn’t so bad.

And being stuck in the body of a bad boy football player wasn’t as awful as I thought it’d be, joked Blitzen. This is it, kid. This is goodbye. And hey…Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, said Eamonn.

Eamonn pressed his hand on the globe. The globe started to glow bright white and gold, and then, tendrils of light began to entwine around Eamonn’s hand like an octopus in a Japanese ukiyo-e woodcut print. The red and green ribbons of light sparked gold.

Eamonn felt Blitzen leaving his body, galloping away, and then, he felt something as warm and furry and familiar as his childhood blankie enter his body. His bear roared, and Eamonn shouted back at his bear. He had much to tell his friend, about everything that had happened at The Wreath, as he’d only given the bear a quick, abridged version — and about what the deal was with Hope, how he’d gotten her back.

“Merry Christmas, Krampus,” said Eamonn, as Krampus pocketed the snow globe.

“Hey, now — you don’t think you can shake me off that easily, do you?” asked Krampus. “We still have one more thing to discuss — my pickle.”

“Your what?” asked Hope, incredulously. “Look, if you’re gonna whip out your pickle, wait until I’m out of the room!”

“You’re going to want to see his pickle too,” said Avery. “That pickle might just change your life again.”

Before Hope could come up with a reply, Krampus pulled his pickle out of his pants — through his pocket. Krampus pulled a giant green velvet pouch out of his pocket and passed it to Eamonn. Eamonn opened the bag. Krampus’ big, thick pickle was inside the bag.

And it was the exact same color as a delicious dill pickle.

“What is this?” asked Eamonn, holding the hefty object in his hands.

“My pickle — does nobody listen?” asked Krampus, stealing back the ribbon that had sealed the pouch and adding it to the now giant ribbon ball he held in his endless pockets. “One day, if The North Pole needs you…can we call on you for help, Eamonn?”

“Of course,” said Eamonn. “What’s that got to do with this?”

“Put that ornament on your tree, every year, wherever you are, on Christmas Eve,” ordered Krampus. “If The North Pole contacts you, it’s because we’re out of other options…”

“…And it means that we’re in a real ‘pickle,’” explained Avery. “Get it? Pickle?”

“I promise to put this up every year,” Eamonn assured Krampus.

“We’ll only contact you if we really need your help, Eamonn,” promised Krampus. “Now…we’ll leave you two lovebirds alone, for real.”

“Not so fast,” said Hope. “Avery…you and I have some unfinished business.”

“Oh?” asked Avery shyly, coming over to the side of the hospital bed.

“I have to thank you — for not hiring me as your temp,” said Hope. “I may be a professor, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned at The Wreath…it’s that Fate has a path set out for all of us, and sometimes, it goes in weird ways. Turns out I wasn’t meant to be your temp, but your temp’s temp. Thanks for everything.”

“But if I had hired you, then —” started Avery.

“Then I would’ve never had my dream, and I never would’ve had the courage to admit to myself that I’m in love with Eamonn,” explained Hope. “Merry Christmas, Avery — you gave me one heck of a gift.” Hope stood from the bed and pulled Avery in for a hug.

“Get in here — Eamonn, Krampus!” ordered Hope.

The Christmas elf, the shifter, and the Christmas demon hugged the human professor.

“Now…if you don’t mind, I think I need to fill out some paperwork,” said Hope.

“Why on earth do you have to do that?” asked Avery.

“So I can get the heck out of this hospital and start living the rest of my life with Eamonn,” said Hope, taking Eamonn’s hand and squeezing it just as she’d held onto it in her dream. “After all…doesn’t the princess always get her happily-ever-after, with her prince?”

“She does — just as the lumberjack always claims his curvy baker,” said Eamonn, kissing the top of Hope’s head.