AUTHOR'S NOTE 9/11/16: I originally wrote and published this last May. The final chapter was written after "Destiny." Somehow I never got around to posting it here. Making up for that omission now.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So why in the world am I writing a Christmas story in May? First, because Laurel asked for it, and didn't want to wait. And heck. They're on a time ship. They can have Christmas whenever they want.

And I know I start this with a common trope; hope I made it different enough. It made me laugh, anyway.

This is part of the "Lost and Found" series, and comes some time after "Sweet Cravings."

The enemy fire had been unrelenting, and the pine tree Len and Sara were hiding behind provided barely enough cover. Worse, they were nearly out of ammunition.

Things were looking ugly.

"Any ideas, pretty bird?" Len asked her.

Sara looked around the battleground. It was only about thirty feet from the tree to the boulder where she could resupply. And it seemed like the barrage was slowing. "Cover me," she told him.

She dashed from behind the tree across the frozen ground, just managing to dodge a couple of projectiles along the way. She slid like a base runner behind the boulder, grabbed a snowball, and got on her feet to throw…

And then gaped as Firestorm flashed past the tree where Len was hiding, melting the snow in the branches and sending the snowmelt showering down on Len. Since he didn't have his parka completely closed, and his hood was down, the chilly water soaked him rather thoroughly. Sara dropped her snowball and covered her mouth to hold back a laugh.

Firestorm landed and split back into Stein and Jax. The younger man immediately crowed, "BOOYAH! We just creamed Captain Cold!"

"Soaked him would be more accurate, Jefferson," Stein corrected with a smile.

"Cheating would be even more accurate!" Sara retorted. "Thought you were going to rest your 'achy old bones,' Marty!"

"The professor is a sly old devil," Len said, wiping water from his eyes. "And where the hell was Mick?"

"What! This was supposed to be two-on-two!" Jax exclaimed. "And you say we cheated?"

"Technically, we did cheat, Jax," Laurel said, emerging from behind the snowdrift where she'd hidden after some vicious throws. "The professor makes three, even if you were merged." She looked over at Len, whose teeth were starting to chatter. "I think we'd better head back so Len can get some dry clothes."

"Great idea, counselor," Len gritted out. "Not a fan of becoming an icicle."

"Gray, maybe we should merge again, and try to dry him off," Jax suggested.

Len shook his head as he picked some charred pine needles off his parka. "I'll pass, thanks. I don't think barbecue is on the traditional Christmas menu. You got your payback for the Mini Marshmallow Incident, Jax." He winked at Sara. "So, what happened to Mick, anyway?"

"Um, I might have spotted him hiding and mentioned that there was some really, really good eggnog back in the chalet," Laurel said, barely containing the laughter that was dancing in her eyes. "With extra bourbon."

"Excellent strategy, Miss Lance," Stein complimented her. "Take the most threatening piece off the battlefield."

"You think Mick is the most threatening one?" Sara asked in a dangerous tone.

"Perhaps I should say the most frightening," Stein amended, and then thought better of it as she gave him her best glare. "Perhaps I should just stop now. Undoubtedly Captain Hunter can use some assistance with his repairs. He said he would have to do a complete system reboot."

Rip was actually giving them some R&R while doing a little work that required putting the time ship on solid ground instead of gliding through the temporal zone. Instead of making a unilateral decision about where to do it, he asked the newest member of the team for input.

Laurel wanted Christmas, since she'd missed a few with her sister. And for the Lances, it was a double celebration since Sara was a Christmas baby. Len's eyes had lit up on learning that, and he became even more pleased when Laurel also requested a white Christmas.

After mildly pointing out that Christmas was a "when," actually a few thousand "whens," rather than a "where," Rip had Gideon set a course. Colorado, Christmas Eve 1986. ("So not really my birthday yet. I wasn't born until 1987," Sara observed. "So we'll have an unbirthday celebration," Len said, following up with a whisper in her ear about how he intended to celebrate, sending shivers down her spine in anticipation.)

Rip landed the Waverider in a snowy field next to a chalet that was too far off the beaten path to be popular with skiers, although it was fully supplied for visitors and equipped with a generator. The chalet was also far from any local watering holes, and unfortunately, Rip had programmed new protocols to keep anyone from "borrowing" the jump ship without his retina scan. And it was decades too early for Colorado's legal sources of "Rocky Mountain High."

It looked like all of them were going have to be good boys and girls on this stop. Well, except for breaking and entering into the chalet. Sara would have felt bad about that, but then she saw the fireplaces and huge, soft four-posters in every bedroom, and the large, deep tubs in every bathroom - which led to more whispered promises from Len about being very naughty. After that, she decided Rip had, for once, picked a perfect spot.

While Rip set to work on some delicate aspect of the time drive, Ray and Kendra put themselves in charge of setting up a Christmas tree. Ray used his suit to laser down and carry in a suitable fir, while Kendra fabricated some decorations aboard the Waverider. And Jax, with a too-wide grin, had challenged Len and Sara to the snowball fight that ended with Len looking like a drowned rat.

When they reached the Waverider, Len pressed a quick kiss to her lips and said, "See if Mick's left any of that bourbon. I'll be there soon." He followed Stein into the time ship.

The others entered the chalet, which was filled with the scents of pine needles and cookies baking and the sound of Kendra and Ray singing "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." Well, actually, Kendra was singing, in a sweet soprano. Ray was making some noises that he obviously intended to be musical. Any gentlemen listening would have a hard time resting, even with divine help.

Kendra was hanging candy canes on the tree. Ray had strings of popcorn and berries draped over his long arms. "No lights?" Sara asked between verses.

That got them a (merciful) break in Ray's singing. He shook his head. "Captain's orders. Rip told us to keep it biodegradable, so we wouldn't have to do too much cleanup when we leave. We can just drop this in the woods before we take off."

"Still think we should put candles on it," Mick rumbled from in front of the fireplace on the other side of the room. He was sprawled over some large throw pillows on the floor.

"Have you ever seen those videos of burning Christmas trees?" Jax asked him incredulously. Mick nodded with some glee in his eyes. Jax shook his head in disgust and turned back to help with the tree. Mick grinned and winked at Laurel, who rolled her eyes before joining the tree-trimming crew.

Sara settled next to Mick. He'd camped out with a pitcher full of eggnog, a bottle of bourbon and a plate full of Christmas cookies. Ray and Kendra had apparently been busy. Now they were starting on "Silent Night," with Jax and Laurel trying to help drown out Ray's more sour notes.

She grabbed a cookie before teasing him, "You were supposed to have our backs out there. I thought you were Len's protector." She nibbled at the cookie and raised her eyebrows at him.

He smirked and downed another gulp of eggnog. "He hasn't needed my protection for a long, long time. And it's too freaking cold outside for me. Better in here, with booze and Christmas cookies. I missed sugary snacks."

She smiled. He wasn't the only one who took issue with Gideon's dietary regimen, even if it was keeping them in peak condition. Then in a low tone that wouldn't carry across the room, she said, "Len told me just how much you protected him, that first time in Juvie. Not just from the shiv, but…"

Mick grunted in understanding.

Sara put a hand on his shoulder. "I just wanted to thank you for that."

"I never did hold with people picking on puny kids, and he was puny then. And too pretty for his own good. I don't hold with rape, either," he answered, also in a low voice. "Y'know, he never should have been in there. Someone like me, sure. I was already a serial arsonist." He took another drink and looked at her over his glass, as if to see whether she was shocked. She wasn't, of course. She'd already met his younger self.

He set his glass down. "Did he ever tell you what he was in for?" When she shook her head, he said again, "He shouldn't have been in there. Especially not at Christmas."

Sara frowned a little. She knew Len had been 14 when he first went to Juvie. Her eyes widened as she did the mental math. "You mean, now?"

He grunted in affirmation. "Christmas Eve, 1986. He got caught shoplifting. Trying to steal a doll for his sister. One of those, what'd they call 'em, carrot top, veggie patch…"

"Cabbage Patch?" Sara asked. Laurel had one of those as a child. Sara hadn't been big on dolls herself.

Mick nodded. "Yeah, knew it was somethin' green. He told me his baby sister was five, and the only thing she wanted for Christmas was a Cabbage Patch doll. But they didn't have money to buy one, so he tried to steal one instead. He got caught and dragged in front of a judge who had it in for crooked cops like his dad. Any other kid would've gotten a slap on the wrist, especially at Christmas. But not him. The judge tossed him into Juvie, probably hoping to get back at his dad by getting him raped or killed. I think you already know the rest."

Sara nodded and sighed at the thought of how many times Len had been let down in his youth by the adults around him. Then Mick spoke again, thoughtfully.

"Y'know, Lisa did end up getting one of those dolls from somebody. It looked a bit like her. I thought it was kind of weird, but she loved it to pieces and dragged it around everywhere." He poured himself some more eggnog, laced it with some extra bourbon and took another drink with his brow furrowed.

The front door opened. "Mick!" Len called. "You'd better have left some of that bourbon for the rest of us!" He settled in on Sara's other side as Mick passed the bottle over.

Mick looked thoughtful for a good long time.