-What’s in store? As Christmas comes, the gang spends time apart. With these four stories, see how everything can change-

Bree walked along the snow covered streets. She held her presents tightly in each hand.

"There’s no way I’m gonna let these slip from my hand," she said as she passed some carolers.

"All I want for Christmas is my two from teeth…"

Bree was going to have a great Christmas this year. Her parents had left on an impulse and left her with her brothers and cousins. The housekeeper was watching them while Bree went Christmas shopping.

"Christmas Eve," Bree thought, "And I’m stuck outside with frozen feet."

Suddenly a truck pulled up beside Bree. She raised her eyes as the shiny, tinted window rolled down. The smell of cologne drifted out.

"Skeeter…" Bree mumbled as she started to get dizzy.

Skeeter smiled at her from inside the truck, "Need a ride?"

Bree nodded and tried to talk but nothing cam out, "Uh…"

Skeeter got out of his car and ran to the other side of the black truck, "Bree? Bree?"

Suddenly everything started to spin. Bree let her packages slip from her hands as everything turned back.

Kat stood at the airport waiting for her dad and step mom. It would be the first time she would see him in months; he called every night but that wasn’t enough. Somehow digital conversations did warm the cold spot in her heart. Living at a house full of maids and cooks never satisfied her. She wanted a real family. That was why she spent so much time at Bree’s. her parents were really strict but they were hardly ever home and it was always noisy at Bree’s and never quiet. Suddenly the door opened and people started to pour through the door, Kat stood on a chair looking for her dad. After a minute kat started to get angry.

"Where are they?" she sat down and started to cry, "I want my daddy," she sobbed.

A hand rested on her shoulder as she dried her tears.

She looked up expecting to see a concerned Christmas cheerful flight attendant. When she lifted her head, the person was a sullen police officer. His eyes full of regret.

"Are you Katherine Hodzenberry?"

Kat nodded, "Yes…what’s wrong?"

"I recognized you from the picture. Do you know Mr. Hodzenberry from France?"

"Yes that’s my father…"

"Yes, uh, there was an accident. I’m so sorry but the ambassador and his wife were killed."

Kat’s entire body froze, "Killed…" she said not yet believing it.

"Yes…I’m sorry, we can take you to identify the body."

Kat pulled away from the officer, "No!" she yelled as she ran through the crowd.

Ben sat with Dan and Abs in his father’s house in the boonies of Ohio. In the past weeks Ben had become good friends with the guys. Dan watched the football games while Ben and Abs pretended to.

After the half time, Ben sat up, "Dan, is this all you do? Watch sports?"

Dan thought for a second, "…yeah."

Abs shook his head and grabbed his guitar and started to sing, "Christmas," he wailed.

Dan took a pillow and threw it at Abs, "Shut up."

Abs threw it back, "No, you."

They threw the pillow back and forth until Ben grabbed it, "Stop! I don’t want fighting at Christmas Eve! And we’re here in Ohio alone. How merry."

Abs nodded, "Okay it’s, what, a seven hour drive to Cookevegas? Let’s go home, I miss everyone."

"Me, too."

Ben grabbed his bags and started to pack.

Bree woke up in a small room. There were posters all over the wall and clutter in every corner, "Where am I?"

Skeeter was in a chair beside her, "In my part of Ben’s summer house," he said getting up and sitting by the bed, "Are you okay? You had a nasty fall."

Bree nodded and sat up, "My head hurts."

Skeeter pushed her down, "Rest."

Bree nodded again and tried to rest but she felt a sharp pain in her head every few seconds. Bree grabbed Skeeter’s hand, "Skeet, what’s wrong with me?"

Skeeter scooted closer, "You’re over exhausted, try to rest."

Bree smiled, "Thanks, Skeeter, for…" Bree didn’t finish; she was fast asleep.

Kat ran into Ben’s summer house. She didn’t want to be anywhere but here. She knew Skeeter had a room here until he found a new house. She remembered all the times he comforted her. When she was sad her was there. Kat knew Skeeter cared but didn’t show it.

"He has an image," she reminded herself, "third on the right," she said trying to remember where Skeeter was, "third on the right. She found his room and opened it, "Skeeter?"

Inside she saw Bree asleep on the bed and Skeeter sitting beside her on the bed, "Skeeter…" Kat whispered.

He looked up with shock, "Kat, it’s not what you think."

Kat ran from the house. She had lost her father and now her god friend to. She had no one else to turn to. There was only one choice, Kat got in her car and drove into the darkness.

Jerry sat with his family. The turkey was done and they were waiting for the other food to finish. His family was talking about past Christmases. So far it was perfect. Nothing bad had happened. His cousin’s dog barked loudly at the doors and ran around.

"What’s wrong with the mutt?" Jerry’s mom yelled.

Jerry shrugged, "Beats me."

Jerry’s little cousin ran up to him, "Jewy, Jewy, it’s all too perfect, something bad is going to happen. I know it."

Jerry nodded, "I know, little man, it’s all too perfect."

Bree woke up to hear Kat run out the door and Skeeter run after her. Bree’s eyes glared with anger, "But Skeeter likes me, why is he running after Kat?"

Abs, Dan, and Ben sat in the traffic. Abs honked the horn of Ben’s pinto bean car.

"Come on!" he yelled.

Ben shook his head, "At this rate, we’ll never get to my house before nightfall."

Dan nodded, "Maybe we should stop at Skittles families house. It’s five minutes away."

Ben thought for a second, "Why not? We’ll go crazy in this car."

Abs swerved to the right and got off the interstate, "One trop to Skittle’s house coming up."

Skeeter grabbed Kat’s hand. She sat by her mother’s grave. She jerked her hand away and scowled.

"Kat, it’s not what you think. Bree is really sick. She has problems too!"

Kat looked at Skeeter, "My problems are something too…You’re suppose to care about me."

Skeeter sat on the ground and sighed, "Kat, you’re not the only girl in the world. Other people have problems too. Bree is hurting and I kinda like her her. I mean, I like you too. I mean I like all the girls but she has something special and she and I have a secret we can’t share."

Kat’s eyes filled for selfish tears, "My dad’s dead Skeeter."

Skittles smiled at the three cute guys in front f her. Show was alone and had to pick…

"Ben, too weird," she thought, "Dan...to sporty…Abs? Abs? He was always sexy…" Skittles smiled as she asked Abs to go pick up a coke from the store with her.

"He’s all mine while Bree’s gone," she told herself, "all mine."

Skeeter walked back into his room, "Bree?" he called, "I hope she’s all right," he said as he ran up the porcelain stairs to at a time, "Bree?"

His bed was empty and there was no sign of the brown eyed brunette.

"Bree…I…please…"

His eyes flew to the packages she was carrying when she fainted . The one to her friend, it was gone. Skeeter grabbed on to the bed for supports, "She didn’t….wow…Bree had guts."

Abs was in Skittles arms. He had his head on her chest. He felt her little heart beat rapidly as he reminisced the moments before. Somehow he ended up kissing her.

"What power does she have with guys?" he thought, "all the time she gets her guys." He smiled s he sat up. It was time to face the fact. It was meant to be.

Jerry finished up his Christmas dinner with his family as the doorbell rang. He jumped up, eager to get away from his family. He ran up to the door and swung it open, "Bree?" he said. He blinked twice and rubbed them, "Bree…you’re here."

She smiled and held out a gift wrapped messy in green wrapping paper. A red bow was placed on the top saying "Merry Xmas".

Bree stepped back as Jerry studdered, "Uh…th…thanks…Bree…uh…" He started to unwrap the paper as Bree nervously looked around.

"Not now," she said, "wait until I’m gone," with that, she ran off into the snow lit night.

Abs, Dan, Ben, and Skittles arrived at Ben’s summer house around nine o clock. The snow had started to stick and the wind blew cold. They all ran in as Ben noticed Skeeter’s black truck was there. As he shut the front door, he saw the old house. It was beautifully lit and reminded him of home. The last time they were all in this house, a bunch of trouble was caused.

"Same rooms as last time," he called to the bodies ahead.

Dan sat down for another sports game while Abs and Skittles made out on the couch beside him. Ben shook off his jacket and sat next to the weirdoes. Suddenly a loud, "Ahem," caught the attention of them.

There stood Bree, Skeeter, and Kat. Kat’s eyes were full of tears, "My father is dead, guys."

Dan jumped up to hold her, "How?"

Kat started to cry, "Terrorists. They bombed the house in France. They couldn’t get out alive."

Skeeter looked at Bree who’s eyes have not left Abs. Her eyes, like Kat’s, were red and her mouth trembled. Skeeter pulled her close, they’d get through it together. Just them the door slammed open and there stood Jerry.

"Thanks Bree, I love the book of plays! These two dudes sound really funny!"

Bree trembled as she ran from the room; Skeeter followed her.

As soon s she was not within ear shot , she crumbled in the hall, crying.

Skeeter sat down beside her, "I don’t know what to say."

Bree grabbed him, "Don’t say anything just hold me."

Kat forgot how good it felt to be in Dan’s strong arms. He made her feel safe, like she was special. She let him old her close. She knew it would be the last time he would do so. Come January, her life would be changed forever. Her life would never be simple again.

Ben’s eyes filled with tears as he remembered the memories made within this house. He remembered all the times he shared. He missed his mom, he missed school. Sometimes he wished his parents would get back together so he could lead a normal life.

"That’s it," he thought, "No more moving, Ben. I’m staying in one place forever…but where?"

Bree let her tears fall. She was safe in the arms of the man who started them. he had helped her through it all. Helped her live through it. Bree looked up at Skeeter. His brown eyes full of concern, "Thanks Skeeter. You know I use to think you were some player that was so…mean but now…you’re great."

Skeeter blushed, "You too Bree." Skeeter took a deep breathe, risked his life, and kissed her.

Jerry sat down reading the book Bree gave him. The plays were so funny he cried. It was all so familiar yet so distant. Where were these stories from?

About a hour later, Skeeter pulled everyone into the kitchen, "I made rice!"

Everyone laughed at the thought of Skeeter cooking and sat down in the elegant dinning room. The room was quiet as they ate the rice. Bree looked at Skeeter but looked away blushing. Abs and Skittles stared at each other in romance and Kat’s tears had dried to an occasional sob. Suddenly her cell phone rang.

"Hello? This is she…really? Oh, oh thanks," she set her phone down and a smile crossed her face, "My father…he’s okay. He’s being protected by the government. He’s saved but he can’t come home for a long long time." Kat tried to look strong as Daniel rubbed her back.

As everyone looked away she grabbed rice and put it on her shirt, "Silly me. What gets out rice…I need help Bree," Kat grabbed Bree’s hand and pulled her into a different room, "Bree, we need serious girl talk."

She pushed Bree into a chair and grabbed her hand, "Are you okay. What’s your reaction?"

Bree rolled her eyes at Kat and stood up, "I have no reaction and if I did I have no right to say so."

Kat stood up and tried to wipe the rice off her shirt, "Made me ruin my new blouse!"

The earthquake started to shake as lights flickered and glass broke. Bree and Kat started to scream and tried to make their way back into the dinning room. Skittles was buried in Abs’s shoulder and Jerry was screaming for help. The table shook as Ben looked up at the ceiling.

"It’s gonna crack, get under the table," he yelled to everyone . Pieces of the ceiling started to fall as they scrambled under the table. Under the table, Ben, Skittles, and Abs sat.

"Where is everyone?" Skittles cried to Ben.

Ben grabbed his neck and got on his knees, "It’s an earthquake!" he yelled.

"No duh!" Abs said protecting Skittles. The beams fell from the roof and the entire second floor crashed down around them.

Who will live and who will die?