It was a cold Christmas morning at the Last Chance Garage. Newly fallen snow had turned the city into a winter wonderland. The usually busy and crowed streets were silent and empty, save the occasional car of some poor slob who had gotten roped into working Christmas. A closed for the holidays sign sat in the Garages window.
Charley was still fast asleep, which at 7 am was unusually late for her, snuggled under her blankets. With visions of more than just sugar plums dancing in her head, she was oblivious to the racket going on in the living room below. Where three certain somones were TRYING to be quite as mice, a feat they for some strange reason could not accomplish.
About ten the three Biker Mice stood back and admired their handy work. They had to admit they did one hell of a job.
"I can't wait to see her face," Vinnie snickered, trying to hide the fact he was worried about what her reaction would be.
Modo and Throttle both grinned in argyle.
"She's sure going to be surprised," Modo said.
Throttle laid his hand on Vinnie's shoulder, realizing the young mouse was worried that Charley wouldn't like the surprise. "This was a great idea, Bro. She's gonna love it."
"Natural," Vinnie said, in his `I'm the man' voice. Then he sobered. "You think she will?"
"Don't worry, Vin, she'll be thrilled," Modo reassured him. "But just one thing...whose going to wake Charley up?"
They all looked at each other. Then Throttle and Modo both looked at Vinnie. Vinnie's eyes widened ad he backed away.
"Uh-uh....no way.....I'm not getting myself killed..." he protested.
Throttle grinned at him. "It WAS your idea, Vinnie......"
Vinnie threw his hands up in defeat. "Okay--okay--I'll go wake her....but if she kills me...it's gonna be YOUR fault!!"

A short time later outside Charley's door, Vinnie stood. He took a deep breathe then knock on the door. He steeled himself for a pillow in the face by a sleep deprived Charley, but it never came. He knocked again.
"Charley--?"
No answer.
He tried again. "Charley-? Babe--?"
No answer.
Vinnie took another deep breathe and slow opened the door. He peered in room caustically.
"Charley?" he said.
Still no answer. He moved further into the room and found Charley fast asleep in her bed. Her brown mane was a tangled mess against the pillow. Vinnie touched her shoulder lightly.
"Charley--wake up," he said softly.
Charley only sighed in her sleep and rolled over. He shook her gently and said her name. She still refused to wake up. And I thought I was a heavy sleeper. She could sleep through the next Martian War!! He smiled slightly and sat down on the edge of the bed. Dam--she gorgeous even when she's asleep!!
Vinnie shook her again a little harder.
"Come on, Charley, wake up. Pleaassseee..."
She muttered something in her sleep and snuggled deeper into her covers. Vinnie was getting a little tired of this and suspect that Charley was already awake.
"Charley....come on...I know your awake....come on...." Vinnie pleaded.
Charley seemingly slept on. Vinnie suddenly got a msyicvious smile. He stood up and placed his hands on his hips.
"Charleen Davidson, if you don't get up this instant---I'm--I'm gonna pick you up and put you in the nearest snow bank!!"
Charley, who had been awake for some time now, couldn't surpress a giggle.
"I saw that!! I saw that smile!!" Vinnie said, "You're not fooling me, Charley!! I know you're awake!!"
Charley groaned and opened her jade eyes. She rolled on to her back and smiled at Vinnie.
"Aww.....can't a girl sleep in for once?" Charley complained.
"Hey, you've slept in enough!!! You can't sleep the day away you know!"
"Who says I can't?" Charley put her head under her pillow.
"Now Charley--" Vinnie started, in the same tone one scolded a very cute puppy. "You--"
He was shut up by a pillow suddenly hitting him squarely in the face.
"Hey!! No fair!!" he protested.
Charley stuck her tongue out at him and threw another pillow at him. This on hitting him in the stomach.
"Whatcha gonna do about it, tough guy?"
Vinnie grinned playfully at her. " I'll show you what I'm gonna do about it---"
"Hey--no fair--" Charley couldn't get the rest of the words out she was laughing so hard.
A short time later Vinnie lead Charley down stairs.
"I still don't see why I have to keep my eyes closed!" Charley whinnied.
"You'll see babe!" Vinnie told her. "Now stop complaining!"
Charley muttered something about males as she ran into the banister once again.
Finally Vinnie lead her into the living room.
"You can open your eyes now, Charley." Vinnie told her.
With an exasperated sigh, Charley opened her eyes. "This better be good..."
The words died in her throat. She stared wide eyed at the scene before her. She blinked several time and pinched herself to make sure it wasn't a dream.
Before her stood the largest Christmas tree she'd ever laid eyes on. It was covered for top to bottom in tinsel lights, and ornaments. She saw a few ornaments that she hadn't seen since her Dad's death. Candy canes also adorned the tree, amazing the guys hadn't touched them. At the foot of the tree where colorfully presents of all shapes and sizes. Some she recognized as the ones she had gotten for the guys which had pervious sat under the tiny tree that once sat where the large one now did. The room was decocted in garlands and mistletoe was hung in one of the doorways.
She turned in awe to the mice who stood grinning at her. The expression on her face was priceless.
"Man-- I wish I had a carmera!" Vinnie said.

"Where did you guys find all this stuff?" Charley asked. after she'd recovered from shock. And thanked them over a zillion times.
"They were in a bunch of old boxes up in your Mom's attic." Throttle told her. "And actually Vinnie found them. This whole thing was his and your Mom's idea."
Charley turned to Vinnie, smiling. Vinnie suddenly became very interested in his nails.
"Aww....thanks Vinnie. This was so sweet," Charley told him.
Vinnie blushed. "Aww..." He rubbed the back of his head. "Hey, are you gonna open your stuff or what?"

That evening after a very long an enjoyable day, the guys got ready to leave. Modo and Throttle were already outside.
Charley was about to go outside to see them off when Vinnie stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Hey, Charley--"
Charley turned towards him.
"Yeah Vinnie?"
Vinnie pulled a small jewelry box out of his pocket. He look very unsure of himself.
"Charleen--I--I-- want you to have this," Vinnie's voice was hesitant and lacked it's usual self-confidants.
Charley took the box form his hands and opened it. Inside was a necklace. She lifted it out of the box and look at it in her hands. It wasn't expensive or fancy. A tarnished sliver peace symbol hung from a worn brown leather cord. Many women would have been offended by the simple and obviously old gift. But in Charley's eyes it the most beautiful and precious thing in the world.
"Vincent--it's beautiful--I.."
Vinnie took it from her hands and fasted it around her neck.
"It was my mother's..." Vincent said softly. His voice sounded fragile and so un- Vinnie like. "My father gave it to her before he went off to fight..."
Charley silenced him with a finger.
"Thank you, Vincent. This is the most wonderful present anyone has ever given me. I'll treasure it always." She looked up at him with misty eyes. Then she smiled. "Hey Vinnie, look up."
Vinnie raised his head and saw they were standing under mistletoe.
"Yeah?" Vinnie asked puzzled.
Charley smiled. "Here on earth we have a tradition about standing under the mistletoe...."
"Yeah? What kind of....." Before he could say anther word Charley raised up on her tip-toes and kissed him. Quickly but passionately. Vinnie stood in shock for a moment---but only for a moment. He grinned down at her.
"Great little tradition, if I do say so..."
Vinnie enveloped her in his embrace and kissed her, hard. Charley reached up and put her arms around his neck. She leaned into the embrace, molding her body to his. Vinnie's tail wrapped around her leg.
It was at this particular moment that Modo decide to see what was taking Vinnie so long.
"Hey--Vinnie-we're ready--to--go---------whoops--sorry--" Modo quickly went back outside.
Charley and Vinnie reluctantly broke the kiss.
"You know, I'm never gonna here the end of this." Vinnie complained. "But I really should get going, Charley-girl."
Charley smiled. "They can wait a little longer..." She told him pulling him into anther kiss.
Outside Modo walked over to Throttle.
"Hey Modo where's Vin?"
"Uhm...Vinnie is kinda busy at the moment," Modo said looking back at the door.
"Uh? Busy doing --wha--" Throttle caught Modo's look. "Oh--"
A short time later, Charley watches the mice ride off with a small smiling playing on her lip. I can't imagine a single person out there who isn't happy tonight.. She plays with the necklace around her neck. She turns slowly and walks back inside. Merry Christmas to all....

In anther part of Chicago, far below the towering Limburger Tower a hidden lab sits in darkness. Darker still is a small lock room, where a little girl lays in bed and shivers. Her meager blankets are hardly enough to fend of the biting cold of the unheated lab. She sobs softly into her pillow. Tears streaming down her white furred cheeks.
She is so cold and so hunger, but dares not venture to ask the guard at her door for anything. So instead she huddles under the thin blankets and tries to fall asleep. She hugs a large worn brown bear closely. The only Christmas present she'd gotten that year or any year. Given by the strangest of creatures, a little deformed man she calls, `Freddy'.
She kisses the bear and hugs it tighter.
"Merwey Quismes, teddy..." she whispered between sobs.
There's a banging on the door. And the guard yells angrily. "Keep it down in there, you little half-breed freak!!"
She slowly stops sobbing, not wanting to risk her keepers wrath. She curls up in a ball, her blankets around her like a cocoon.
Mommy............