Hey guys!

Finally the first story update from me after a long time!

Now I had this story idea for a very long time, like at least for several months, but I have to wait until the holiday season… Which is now!

So, I guess with nothing else to say for now, I'll shut up now and let you read!

Chapter 1: Back in Minnesota

It's nighttime in the town of Moose Lake, Minnesota and everyone is going to sleep or is already, as a Scarlet macaw adult kisses his children goodnight before going to his mate, who is waiting for him so they could sleep together. Only when the Scarlet adult suggests where they should sleep for the night does an tense argument break out between them, which ends like this…

"Fine, if you want to not sleep in the cage with me, than go sleep somewhere else, I'm sleeping here!" The Scarlet adult yells at his mate, a female Blue macaw.

"I can't believe how insensitive you are!" The female yells back before turning her back to the Scarlet. "I thought you cared for my feelings…"

The female flies off to go sleep somewhere else in the house, while the male gets in his cage and lays down to sleep, although he really couldn't as his head hurt a bit from yelling. The female, meanwhile, flies down into the bookstore that is a floor down and lands on the front window ledge, laying down and crying softly as she tried to find comfort in the moonlight.

Earlier in the day, in the morning…

It was a cold, winter day in Moose Lake, Minnesota, the snow covering everything, not one spot was spared from the white substance. The sun was being blocked by the clouds, so no warmth was emitting on the ground to melt the snow away and the clouds were all gray and heavy, looking like another snowstorm could come any minute.

At the airport, just coming out from the entrance to one of the terminals was a red haired young woman, pushing a cart with luggage and a lot of cages housing some birds in them. One of them, a Scarlet macaw named Alex called out to his Blue macaw brother.

"Isn't this nice Blu?" Alex said to his brother.

"Yeah, home sweet home." Blu happily replied back as he smiled and was wrapping his wings around his mate, Jewel to help keep her warm.

However, some newcomers to the new land were feeling very uncomfortable and very cold…

"Dad, how could you say it's nice, it's freezing." Alex's son, Eddie, complained.

"Yeah, how could you and Uncle Blu have lived here?" Alex's daughter, Cadence, asked, trying her best to stay warm with her brother with the blanket, the red haired woman, Linda, gave them.

"I have to agree with the kids honey…" Alex's mate, Lily, said. "I find it hard to believe you lived here for 15 years before."

"Don't worry guys, it will be much warmer once we get to the bookstore, especially when you drink some hot chocolate." Alex reassured his family, smiling as he, like Blu, wrapped his wing around Lily to keep her warm. "And besides, this will be the best Christmas ever for us." Alex whispered to Lily as he nuzzled his beak with Lily's, Lily returning the favor.

Alex, Blu, Jewel, and Lily, along with Cadence, Eddie, Bia, Carla, and Tiago all flew from the Amazon to Rio, to go with Linda to Moose Lake, Minnesota to spend Christmas and New Year's there in Linda's hometown and where Alex and Blu lived for most of their first 15 years in life.

The families wished they could have brought more friends and family with them to spend the holidays, but there was a restriction on the amount of birds that could be brought on the airplane.

Alex would have loved to bring his sisters and mother with him as well, he was certainly going to miss them. As well as his new brother in law, Roberto, his sister Liz's mate and their little daughter, Rosalia. However, it seemed his own little sister, Lisa would miss her boyfriend more, Tiago, although that was okay with Alex, knowing his little sister was, well, no longer little anymore.

Blu and Jewel would have loved to bring Eduardo and Mimi to Moose Lake. Jewel wanting for her father and aunt to be there and Blu for the two old adults to experience how humans lived.

Lily wanted to bring her father, Leo, which she recently reunited with, it would be their first Christmas in a very long time, but Leo was willing to let his precious daughter spend it with her own family.

And for the younger birds who came to Minnesota, well they just wanted their boyfriends or girlfriends. Bia wanted to bring Tomada Junior, Tiago wanted to bring Lisa, of course, and Cadence wanted to bring Nightfly with her.

But everyone made the tough choice and they all promised each other that they'll see each other before they know it. The holiday season doesn't last forever.

As Linda got a taxi and managed to fit everything inside, they were on their way to the old bookstore, which was being looked after and still run by Linda's mother, Catherine. As everyone was sheltered from the cold and some warmth came from the heaters in the taxi, they all took the time to enjoy the moment, all of them thinking how wonderful Christmas would be.

As soon as they arrived at the bookstore, named Blue Macaw Books, after Blu, Linda smiled as she saw her mother walk out to greet her daughter. Linda got out of the taxi and paid the driver, thanking him for the ride. After that, Linda and her mother got everything out out of the taxi and when that was done, mother and daughter could finally hug each other.

"It's so great to have you back home sweetie." Catherine smiled as she hugged Linda.

"Great to see you too mom." Linda replied, a tear of happiness coming out.

The two broke the hug and Catherine spoke.

"So, how's Tulio and Fernando?" Catherine asked, wanting to know about her son in law and adopted grandson.

"They're fine, it's a shame Tulio really had to attend those conferences in the capital, but it's very important that he attended." Linda answered, sounding a bit sad about being away from her husband for the holidays. "But I wanted Fernando to go with him as well."

"Well, there's always next year sweetie." Catherine reassured Linda. "And how are my two feathered boys?" Catherine asked, to Alex and Blu, to which both of them sqwuaked happily.

However, Catherine also noticed Lily, as well as the couple's children. Linda told her mother one time about them over Skype while she was in Brazil and Catherine was very fond of meeting Alex's family one day.

"And it's great to finally meet Alex's family." Catherine smiled warmly, Alex pulling Lily closer with his wing in a loving embrace. "Well, better get out of this cold before we all freeze, I got hot chocolate that's boiling for all of you."

Everyone went inside, the birds finally allowed to get out of their cages as soon as they were inside. Lily was the most grateful to finally be out. She had quite a dislike for cages, hearing of some terrible things that humans did to caged birds, but she had Alex, her kids, and her friends all with her, so she wasn't that too uncomfortable.

Everyone went upstairs and drank hot chocolate, Alex's family drinking it for the first time, Cadence and Eddie loving the sweet, warm taste as they felt fully warm and nice in this bellies. Lily was a little unsure at first, but even she ended up enjoying it.

And since all the other birds already had hot chocolate before, they just enjoyed the warmth they got from it.

Since it was still a few days before Christmas, everyone just relaxed for the rest of the day, doing what they wanted to do.

Blu and Bia got to read lots of books. Tiago spent his time thinking of what he was going to do when he got back tot he Amazon and when he could finally be with Lisa again. Carla was busy listening to the top Christmas songs of the year from famous artists on Youtube, on the computer in the bookstore.

Jewel and Lily spent the day with Linda and Catherine, in the kitchen cooking up dinner, with Linda and Catherine catching up on a lot of things while the two female birds watched. And also Jewel teaching Lily about this particular house, since Jewel had been to Minnesota twice before during Christmas with Blu, Alex, and the kids.

And last, but not least, Alex was showing his kids his most favorite Christmas movie growing up in Minnesota, The Polar Express. Cadence and Eddie getting comfortable besides their father while they enjoyed watching the movie with him.

As night started falling, everyone had a full dinner and a wonderful dessert before settling in for the night, yawning as they went to bed.

Before sleeping, Cadence and Eddie wanted a bedtime story as they laid down in their little makeshift bed for the visit. Alex reading them the book version of The Polar Express, he was on the last page as his children were fully at peace and ready to close their eyes in a second.

"At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years, passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Through I've grown old, the bell still rings for me as if does for all who truly believe." Alex read and finished. "The End."

"Wow, I loved that story daddy." Cadence said sleepily.

"I do too sweetie, well goodnight you two." Alex said as he bent down and gave a goodnight kiss on his two kids' foreheads.

As Alex left his children to sleep for the night, he made his way to Lily, so they could sleep together and Alex had the perfect place for them to sleep together in the house. Only it would be the scene of the couple's first big argument…

And first chapter done!

Sorry if it's bad, I been out of practice for a long time you know! But I hope you guys enjoyed it nevertheless.

Oh and I did forget to mention that this story takes place during the Amazonian Life timeline.