Foolish Red-Haired Girl

"You mean there's actually a whole section devoted to Christmas artifacts?" Joshua asked.

"The Aisle of Noel," Artie confirmed. "It's not as . . . joyous . . . as it might sound."

Claudia burst through the front door ahead of Myka, who'd driven her in from the airport. "Honey! I'm home! Joshua!"

Joshua was nearly all the way to his feet when Claudia smacked into him for her hug. "Woah. Okay," he said. "We won't skip Thanksgiving next year, I promise."

"She uh . . . had a rough time of it," Myka explained.

"We don't really get it," Pete offered.

"Some artifact," said Artie. "She refuses to be debriefed yet."

Claudia pulled back from the hug to give Artie a pointed look. "Hey, I've tried. You're the one who refuses to believe me about the Auditors and the Nothing eating the multiverse."

"That part I get," Artie said. "I'm just still not sure about the gnome."

"Whatever," Claudia said. "Where's my presents?"

[ooc: open for phone calls if anyone feels the need to contact mah girl.]