🚀 go-pugleaf

        "We're here!  We're heeeeere!!!" Mary Agnes squealed in delight as
she burst through the door.  "Look, Cory!  It's a *HOUSE*!!!!"
        "Yes, it is," answered Cory, as he hauled in a couple of suitcases,
a bit puzzled as to why the dwelling should generate such excitement.
Although large and tastefully furnished, the ski lodge could hardly
compared to Stately Statewood Estates.  Nonetheless, Mary Agnes dashed from
room to room, is if trying to absorb every detail in the shortest time
frame possible.
        "Look, it's got a kitchen!  And stairs!  I'm gonna go up and find
my bedroom!  C'mon, Max!  Come see!"   The small dog yipped and scampered
upstairs after her.
        "You come, too, Cory!" the child called.
        "In a second, Kitten! I have to bring in the rest of our stuff!"
The sound of six pattering footsteps (actually, two feet and four paws) was
his only answer.
        "She lived in a trailer with her parents," mused Tony.  "A series
of shabby apartments with Madame Bianca, then a gothic mansion with us.  A
normal-sized house is somewhat of a novelty for her.  I thought she might
enjoy spending Christmas here."
        "I'm certainly looking forward to it!" said Liberty Richards,
setting a box of groceries on the kitchen counter.  "Heaven knows, I need a
break after all those grant application deadlines!  And I hear Mount Pez
has some of the best skiing around.  Thanks for letting me bring my dog, by
the way."
        "No problem," smiled Tony as he set a box of ornaments on the
table.  "Mary Agnes is having quite a time with him."
        "It's just a shame Fred and Judy couldn't make it," Liberty continued.
        "They have families," remarked Tony.  "Perhaps another time."
        "This _is_ a great place!" said Cory, propping up several pairs of
cross-country skis by the front door, as Mary Agnes slid down the banister
rail and darted in to explore the living room, still bubbling with
excitement.  Max tore yappingly after her, his toenails clicking on the
polished wooden floor.
        "Look at the windows!" she continued.  "I can see the mountains!
Can we put the Christmas tree here?  And look, there's a fireplace!  Hey!"
        "Why didn't you ever bring me here when I was a kid?" Cory had to
strain his voice to be heard over Mary Agnes's chatter.
        "This is one of several 'getaways' your father maintained for
weekend trysts," Tony stage-whispered back.  "I didn't want to have to
explain to you why all the lamps had poles in the shapes of illuminated
women's legs.  I arranged to have the place redecorated after he...   Yes,
Mary Agnes?" The child had reappeared by his side.
        "I found this in the living room," she said, holding up a simple
wooden cane.  "Is it yours?" Tony took it from her and smiled softly, but
made no comment.



                                 --<*>--
                         "And to All a Good Night"

                               Spotlight on...
                    Synapse and the Guardians of Rectitude
              --<*>--  C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S   S*P*E*C*I*A*L  --<*>--

                                   by

                           Thelma, Queen of Bobs
                                  and
                        Frobozz Magical Productions

                                 --<*>--

        "Back with the tree already?" called Tony from the kitchen, where
he was removing a pan of spicy-smelling chicken wings from the oven.
Liberty Richards looked up from the countertop, where she was chopping
vegetables.
        "Yep!" beamed May Agnes, bounding over to check out the food.
"Buffalo wings?!  Yech...  Too spicy!" She wrinkled her nose in distaste.
        "I made some without sauce, especially for you!" Tony assured her.
        "And what are you fixing, Dr. Liberty?" she asked, peeking over the
counter.
        "I'm just putting together a tray of vegetables," explained the
professor.  "Look, we have radishes, celery, some carrot sticks...      "
        "What are _those_?!" Mary Agnes asked, pointed at a suspicious
looking pile of greenery.
        "Scallions.  Most folks call them green onions, but they're really
scallions." Mary Agnes did not look thrilled at the prospect.
        "Don't worry, little wallaby," said Tony ruffling her hair.
"There's plenty of popcorn for eating as well as for stringing and, plus
hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies, marshmallows for roasting..."
        "Goody!" the child brightened instantly.  "I don't even need a
stick, you know!"
        "So you've showed us!" Tony's eyes twinkled merrily.  "Don't worry,
you won't starve tonight!  Now, let's see about that tree..." Cory was at
that very moment maneuvering a rather sickly-looking evergreen into the
living room, trying to avoid knocking off any of its few remaining needles
and failing utterly.
        "_That_ was the best you could do?" asked Tony, raising an eyebrow.
        "It's the one she wanted!" answered Cory, setting it next to the
picture window and sighing.  The soft touch of his breath dislodged another
shower of foliage, which rained its way to the floor.
        "It just looked so sad, there in the lot next to all the other
trees.  I knew no one else would buy it!" explained Mary Agnes. " But it'll
look just fine once we...." she levitated a big red ball from the ornament
box and hung it on a branch, which immediately sagged, bending the
unfortunate tree almost in half.
        "Oh no..." she whispered, ducking her head dejectedly.  "I killed it..."
        Tony knelt beside her and put a reassuring arm around her
shoulders.  "Now, don't fret.  It's really not such a bad little tree.  All
it needs is a little love..."

                                 --<*>--

     Ray rubbed his frostbitten hands once over his eyes before slamming
closed the hood of his Blue VW bug. Amanda looked out from the window of
the rapidly chilling car, to see her husband slowly shake his head.
     "It's beyond me," he sighed, shrugging slightly. "As far as I'm
concerned, it just decided that life wasn't worth living anymore, rolled
over and played dead."
     "Wonderful," sighed Amanda, leaning back against the plastic
seatbacking which was stiff with the cold. "What, pray tell, are we going
to do now?"
     Ray sighed and looked down the long, empty road that was dusted with
snow. "I don't know, Amanda. I honestly don't know."
     "Well you should," chided Amanda lightly, climbing out of the car.
"If you'd been keeping your eyes open, you would've seen a place that we
passed just back that way. Five, possibly six kilometers back."
     "Five... Amanda, are you up to walking all that way in the snow?"
     "Of course I am," replied Amanda with a small smile, as she reached
into the car to take her overnight bag. "I'm of unshakable resolve. Let's
go before I decide otherwise."

                                 --<*>--

        "Be careful, you two!" cautioned Tony as he refilled Liberty's mug
with hot spiced cider.  Cheery Christmas music played on the stereo, and
happily, the frail little tree had been transformed into something, which,
though not lavish, was at least appropriately festive.  Over by the
fireplace, Cory was nailing hooks into the mahogany mantelpiece, while Mary
Agnes stood by with her arms full of bright-colored felt stockings.
        "We will, Tony!" the child assured him, as she hung up them by the
chimney.  "I hope Santa will be here soon!  Can we put out some cookies and
milk for him? "
        "Sure, little mate!  Come with me to the kitchen and we'll fix him
a plate." Tony held out his hand to her, as Cory took a handful of popcorn
and eased himself into an armchair. Liberty Richards wrapped her fingers
around her steaming mug and inhaled deeply, savoring the sweetness of both
the cider and the moment.  This blissful scene might have continued
indefinitely had it not been interrupted by a loud metallic clatter on the
front lawn.  Max jumped to his feet and began barking furiously.
        "What was that?" cried Mary Agnes, whirling around and and dashing
to the front window as if she were the fastest kid alive.  Cory was right
behind her.
        Tony paused at the kitchen doorway.  "What's the matter?" he asked,
alarmed.
        Cory peered through the fogged-up window pane.  "There's a couple
of people out there, in the front yard!  Looks like they knocked over the
garbage cans!"
        "Who'd be out on a night like this?" wondered Liberty, setting her
mug down on the coffee table.
        Tony crossed rapidly to the front door and opened it.  "Hello?" he
called, straining to be heard above the roaring wind.
        "Thank goodness!" came a woman's voice. "I thought we'd never
reach this place!"
        "Sorry to disturb you folks!" said the strange man as the pair
stumbled onto the front porch.  "I didn't see the trash cans in all this
fog!"
        "Don't worry about it!  You had no red-nosed reindeer to guide
you!" answered Tony.  "Please, come in at once!  It must be ten below,
mister...?"
        "Ray. And this is my wife, Amanda."
        "What on earth are you folks doing out on a night like this?!"
asked Tony.
        "We were planning to stay at the Last Resort Inn, but when we got
there, it was overbooked!" explained Ray.
        "And let me guess, your wife is great with child?" queried Tony.
        "If so, it would be a Christmas miracle," replied Amanda with a
small chuckle. "No, the coat's just overstuffed."
        "We were trying to make it to AlgernontopoliS when our car broke
down." Ray explained. "Could we use your phone?"
        "I'm afraid you won't find any repair place open on Christmas Eve!"
answered
Tony.  But you're welcome to stay here with us!"
        "Oh, we couldn't possibly impose..." Amanda glanced nervously
around.  Max was still growling suspiciously.
        "Don't worry about the dog," assured Liberty.  "He's really quite
friendly!"
        "But why is there a tree branch tied to his head?" asked Amanda,
curiously.
        "That's his reindeer costume!" explained Mary Agnes stroking his
fur.  "Do you want some hot chocolate?"
        "Thank you, but we really don't want to intrude..."
        "We have plenty of room!" Tony assured her, offering her a mug as
Liberty Richards helped her take off her snow-covered coat. "Besides, you
really don't have much choice in this weather!" Amanda smiled, and
gratefully accepted the hot drink.  Even Ray was starting to warm to the
idea.
        "Like he said... we have no choice.  Thank you."
        "Yay!" cried Mary Agnes.  "You can play with me and Max!"
        "When it comes to Christmas, the more the merrier!" declared Tony
as he offered the guests a platter.  "Now, supposed we all sit down and
introduce ourselves properly!  Care for some buffalo wings?"

                                 --<*>--


        "'But I heard him exclaim 'ere he drove out of sight,
        Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!'"

        Cory closed the storybook and smiled softly at Mary Agnes, curled
asleep on her bed, her stuffed monkey pressed tightly against her cheek.
Tony appeared at the doorway.
        "Our unexpected guests are settled in," he informed Cory.  "And so
is Mary Agnes, I see."
        "I thought she'd never settle down, she was so excited.  But the
story put her right to sleep."
        "I thought it might do the trick.  You never lasted beyond the
reindeer roll call, as I recollect."
        Cory gently patted Mary Agnes's honey-brown hair.  "Tony, how did
we ever get so lucky?"
        "I don't know, mate."  The older man's voice was hoarse.  "Let's
just be grateful we did." He squeezed Cory's shoulder and the two left
together, switching the light off as they went.

                                 --<*>--
                                 --<*>--

        Amanda awoke with a start, and whispered urgently.  "Ray?  Ray,
wake up, please."
        Her husband stirred and opened his eyes.  "What is it?!"
        "Didn't you hear?  We've got a job to do!"
        "Hear what?  My dear, I don't know where you were, but in my dream
we were curled up together on a bearskin rug in front of a roaring
fireplace, about to, uh, exchange holiday presents!"
        "Yes, and then that poor woman rushed in, apologized for
interrupting us, but said that she needed us to help her child, before it
was too late!  You didn't hear her?"
        "No!  Mandy, *you* control our dreams!  How could someone else just
barge in?  Especially _then_..."
        "It's only happened once since... then.  But we'd better check on
the girl. If someone was desperate enough to intrude, we need to find out
why." The pair dressed quickly and slipped down the hall to the child's room.
        "She seems fine," Ray whispered, looking around the room with a
detective's eye, taking in all.  "And as I remember, even Boogey's
minions couldn't harm little kids on Christmas Eve."
        "Please don't ask me to explain how I know, but that woman was
Mary Agnes' mother. I'm sure of it." replied Amanda. "If that woman's
warning meant anything, I'll have to enter her dream." She sighed.
"Please watch the door... I don't want her guardians entering and getting
the wrong idea."
        "Couldn't you just explain about what you do?" asked Ray.
        "They'd never understand." Amanda sat on the bed and gently placed
a hand on the child's forehead, quickly nodding off to sleep, awakening a
mere second or two later with an abrupt jerk of her head.
        "Anything?" asked Ray.
        Amanda shook her head in puzzlement.  "Nothing but dancing
sugarplums.  I don't understand...  What did she mean?"
        Ray thought for a moment.  "Mary Agnes said Cory was her brother.
Maybe she meant her other child?"

                                 --<*>--

        Once in Cory's room, Ray and Amanda knew they were in the right
place.  The young man tossed fitfully beneath his bedsheets, his face
locked in a grimace.
        "He's too old to be afraid of monsters," Ray pointed out.  "This is
your territory."
        "I know.  I just hope he doesn't wake up and misunderstand,"
she said, sitting on the bed beside him and touching his arm, acutely aware
of how the taut muscles of his slender gymnast's body rippled beneath his
silky red pajamas. "Back in a few..."

                                 --<*>--

        "I don't know how this could have happened, Dr. Richards!"
blathered Cory, pacing about the laboratory in near hysteria.  "I
apparently registered for this advanced calculus class and then forgot to
go!  Now I'm going to fail and they're going to kick me off the gymnastics
team!  I'll lose my scholarship!  I won't graduate!  Please, you've got to
help me... talk to the dean..."
        "It's all right, Cory," came the professor's reassuring voice,
though she did not look up from her computer screen and Cory could see only
the back of her head.  "You didn't forget your class.  You attended each
week, you studied and you did quite well."
        "I did?"
        "Yes.  In fact, you made an A and you're going to graduate next
semester, summa cum laude."
        "I am?"
        "Yes," The woman tugged at her crisp white lab coat and swiveled in
her chair to face her student.  "You see, this is all just a bad dream."
        "A bad dream.  Thank goodness." Cory closed his eyes and sighed
deeply.  When he opened them again, they narrowed with suspicion.  "But,
_you're_ not Dr. Richards!"
        "No, I'm not.  Do you recognize me?"
        It took a few moments, but Cory finally answered.  "You're Amanda,
the stranded Christmas traveler."
        "That's right.  You obviously haven't taken much time for dreaming
in your life.  I see now why he needed a guide." Amanda appeared to be
addressing a patch of empty space just over Cory's right shoulder.
        "Who?  Me?  Who are you talking to?"
        "You mean, you can't see her?" Amanda looked at the woman, dressed
in shimmering acrobat's tights, who stood by Liberty's laboratory bench and
would have looked decidedly out of place, had this not been a dream.  "I'm
talking to your mother.  She's right here."
        "My mother?  You have got to be kidding!"
        "No, Cory.  Your mother is right here, explaining things to me as
we speak.  Yes, Margaret, I see now.  Normally, she wouldn't be able to
communicate to you directly, but she struck a deal with the sugarplums who
patrol children's dreams on Christmas Eve.  They've allowed her into the
Dreaming, just for tonight, to speak with you, if you're willing.  They can
do that this year, because there's still enough child-spirit in you to make
it possible.  Next year, you'll be 21, and the sugarplums will be gone.
This is her very last chance to make things right with you."
        Cory snorted in disgust.  "I don't need you, mother, I never did!
I've managed just fine without you.  Just go away and leave me alone!"
        "Cory, stop it," Amanda said gently.  "You're hurting her feelings!"
        "Well, she hurt a lot more than my feelings when she abandoned me!
Left me with a father who...
        "Cory, she wants me to tell you she's sorry.  She never stopped
caring for you!  And that if she had known for one second what he did to
you..."
        "That's bull!  She knew what kind of man he was!  She'd never have
married him if she hadn't been so stupid to let herself get pregnant and...
*Cared* for me?  Ha!  She probably wishes I was never born!"
        "Cory..."
        "Tell her I don't want to see her, ever.  Tell her to get out of my
dream and go straight to hell(tm)!  I'd rather have nightmares!"  Cory
stormed out of the laboratory, slamming the door behind him.
        "You're right, Margaret.  It's going to be a long night."


                        Continued in Part 2.