Celeste wrapped the jacket around herself, "Mmmm... You know you're not getting this back right?... Well, I'm always up for cuddles.." She said.

"Deal" Pietro replied and they zipped off to their little tree fort hideaway where Pietro snuggled and kissed her to her heart's content.

It was very late and a voice called up, "Celeste, time to come inside." Victoria stood under the tree.

Celeste's eyes snapped open and she hurried over to the door and looked down at Victoria, "Ok, I'm coming." She headed back inside the tree house and yawned, she'd dozed off for awhile there. "I guess this is good-night.... Can I keep the jacket? Just for a bit?"

Pietro froze upon hearing Victoria's voice and he ducked down in hopes that she wouldn't know he was there. He nodded to Celeste in reply, a little scared to say anything in case Victoria heard him.

"I'll lead her away then you can make your awesome amazing get away." She whispered, giving him a kiss before closing the door to the tree house and climbing down the ladder.

"Did you have fuuuuun?" Victoria asked, "Sewing away in your tower, little princess?"

Celeste just smiled and nodded.

"OOoohh, where did you get this? Is this a boy's jacket?" Victoria said with a smile on her face.
"Secret."
"Is this boy treating you well?"
"I never said there was a boy."
"Uh huh... IF there was a boy, is he treating you well?"
"...Maybe but yes."
Victoria wrapped an arm around her, "Come on silly. You can keep your secrets for now... BWA HA HA HA." Victoria teased, dramaically as they walked off to the manison.

"Victoria...."
"Hm?"
"Carry me?"
Victoria smiled softly and knelt for Celeste to climb on, "Come on my silly little Lily. You know you shouldn't be out in the cold so long."
"Worth it..."

As they headed off, Pietro peeked out and watched for a minute or two before he sped away back to the brotherhood.

Victoria kicked the front door open, "You can call off the search dogs, she'd right here Scott."
Celeste mumbled, her face pale.
"Don't worry, we'll get some warm fluids into you and then to bed." Victoria said softly.

Scott rushed over, "Get her to bed, I'll bring up some hot chocolate-Kitty, grab some extra blankets" he ordered.

"Scott, calm down. She's not in any danger... unlike the last time." Victoria said calmly. Celeste had fallen asleep inside a snow fort when the boys had pure pressured her to come out and play in the snow then wandering off away from her when she couldn't keep up.

"Your back is warm... like a shell... a turtle shell on a warm day." She mumbled looking up and blinking at Scott. "I had fuuuuunnn."
Victoria had increased her body heat to warm Celeste. "Come on you. You've tuckered yourself all out." She said softly, heading upstairs.

"My hero <3"

"Are you sure? " he askes as he felt her forehead. That time had scared living daylights out of him.

She didn't feel cold like last time.
"I'm sleepy, Scotty." Celeste said pulling her head away from his hand.
"Yes, I'm sure. But I think the hot chocolate would be a good idea regardless."

He gave a small sigh of relief, "Alright, off to bed, I'll bring it to you" he promised as he headed to the kitchen.

"I'll help!" Kitty declared, happy to make just about anything-although as usual her hot chocolate like everything else really sucked so Scott directed her to help with something else very quickly.

By the time Scott got upstairs, Victoria has her in her pjs and tucked into bed.

"Shh." She whispered as Scott came in. Celeste was cuddling up to Victoria as she was much like a heating pad at the moment.

Scott tip toed in and set the hot cocoa on the night table. Looking at Celeste he couldn't help but smile a little. Whatever it was that had her out there for so long, it made her so happy.

Victoria slipped out of the bed and picked up the hot chocolate and ushered Scott out of the room.

He left and closed the door very quietly before looking to Victoria, "I haven't seen her that happy in a long time"

Victoria smiled warmly, sipping the hot chocolate, "Neither have I... Not since before we arrived here. I'm glad she's finally back..."

Scott sighed and leaned against the wall, "what was she doing out there?"

"I'm not sure... I've seen her taking her sewing basket out with her the last couple of times." She commented, "She did also mention making Christmas presents..." It was nearly impossible to make presents inside the mansion and not have someone else discover it.

"guess she's having fun with it then" Scott smiled before heading down the hallway. It was late after all, and they had an early morning coming up.

"The trip to Japan also seemed to give her come closure... I just... didn't want her to see her home like that." She said following Scott down the hall.

Scott paused at the end of the hall, glancing out the window to see Logan patrolling below. "... yeah... speaking of which, has Logan been acting a little weird since then?" he asked, "It's like he's been on ultra guard duty since we got back."

"Celeste mentioned he got glimpses of his past... I think I'll go out and give him a root beer. Good night Scott."

Scott nodded, "Night..." he watched Logan walk around the corner before the boy shrugged and headed to bed.

Logan had just come back up to the mansion after going around the grounds and now he was parking himself below Ceres' window.

"Since when have you become a watch dog?" Victoria asked coming around the corner and holding out a can of root beer.