Twas the Night Before Christmas by Mike Barlowe

Twas the Night Before Christmas
By Mike Barlow

With regards to Clement Moore (or Major Henry Livingston Jr. as some now say actually wrote the original), Rysher and Panzer. I make no claims whatsoever on any character or events. This is just a little something to (hopefully) add to the story of our favorite Highlander Clan...

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine, with regards to Duncan MacLeod, Ann and Mary they belong to Rysher and Panzer. The rest of the characters belong to the world. I don't make any money, and it's all in fun.

Rated: PG

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

Mary was nestled all snug in her bed,
While visions of sugar-plumbs danced in her head.

Ann was asleep in her long winter gown,
And I had just settled myself down with a large winters draft.

When all at once, I looked up with a start! An immortal was near!

After centuries of training one could not ignore ones instincts even on Christmas Eve.
I reached for my Katana and silently slipped out to confront whoever would enter my home on this night.

As I entered the living room, the feeling got stronger, that I was alone no longer!
When all of a sudden, I heard on the roof a clumping and clomping of someone up there.

As I turned around and was preparing to fight, down the chimney someone came to alight.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face an a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf.
And I grinned when I saw him in spite of myself.

The legends were right, but my duty was clear... "I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod",
I said with some fear.

With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head he came towards me and said
"And I am Kris Kringle, from whom you have nothing to dread"...
"An Immortal am I it is true, but I haven't taken a head in lo many a year." he said.

"And Duncan MacLeod, you are one of the few who have been on my 'Good' list for so long, that I have always wanted to meet you. But as of late with so few believing in me I have had to console myself with only the children who believe."

"Then what are you doing here?", I replied, as I lowered my sword, I realized that even if Kris had one, I could hardly take the head of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

Kris responded "There is a little girl upstairs who is just becoming old enough to know of me, but not yet old enough to be jaded into disbelief. And since I would be stopping to see her I thought that I would give you a present as well for being who and what you are, Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod".

"But, since it is Christmas Eve, and I have much more still to do I must be off. But, when you have time, please come visit me in the North Pole. You'll be able to find the way, I am sure. And when you do, please bring your clansman, Conner, with you. I would like to have some words with the man who killed the Kurgan. After all it was the Kurgan who made me what I am today. And the person who took his head deserves something for that."

And with that Kris returned to filling the stockings; then he turned with a jerk;
And laying a finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good-Night.
And Don't Loose Your Head!"

After his sudden departure and comments about Conner, I was not quite sure what to do, but on looking at the presents he left and the stockings which were filled to overflowing, I just shook my head and returned to my bed, to ponder just what he meant.

The next morning, I was sitting in the kitchen still pondering my late night visitor when Ann and Mary came downstairs. Mary went right to the tree and presents while Ann came to me and asked what was wrong.

"Nothing", I said, "I just couldn't sleep, that's all. But enough concern, It's Christmas, time to open presents!". Mary squealed in delight and started looking through all the presents to find hers.

I went to the fireplace and pulled down the stockings, remembering our visitor who filled them, and handed them to Ann and Mary. Taking my stocking I pulled out a small gift card, which I didn't remember from the night before and just before I opened it Ann gave a squeal of delight. I looked over to her and saw that she had just opened a small box the contents of which I couldn't see. She looked and me and said, "Duncan, I don't know how you could have suspected that I had been thinking about my decision to not getting involved with you again, but it's gorgeous. Does this mean what I think it means?". I wasn't really sure what she was talking about but I looked down at the card in my hand and flipped it open to see that it was written with a flowing hand and read "So ask her already Highlander, and have a Merry Christmas (and do invite me to the wedding)". It was signed simply "Kris"...

So I looked up at Ann, and then I looked over at Mary, then I walked over to Ann, took her hand and said, "So, will you marry me?" Her hugs and kisses were more than enough of an answer for me...

So, was this simply a dream or did it really happen? Hope you all enjoyed it.

Comments, feedback, "Constructive" criticism are more than welcome. Flames will go to feed the furnace (it's starting to get cold here in the New Jersey and I could use the extra heat).