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Wolf wasn't sure what to expect when it came to Christmas at ISGLOP.
Of course, he and the rest of his gang never spent the cherished holiday like most people did. While others were hanging stockings by the chimney with care or placing gifts under the tree, they would be out robbing every bank and jewelry store within a hundred mile radius.
Yet he had to hand it to the organization, they certainly didn't slack on the holiday. A giant Christmas tree stood in the foyer, complete with enough lights that could have been seen from space. The director allowed for no missions to take place while everyone took part in the Secret Santa gift exchange.
Wolf took a sip from his glass, containing a hearty mixture of rum, eggnog and ice, as he glanced down at Shark, donned up as Santa Claus, passing out gifts to multiple agents waiting in line. He always knew his aquatic accomplice always relished in playing pretend yet based on all the smiles on the agent's faces it seemed as if they were meeting St. Nick for real.
Two elves stood by dressed in candy cane striped onesies and green elf hats. One being Mr. Piranha, no doubt running on a sugar high of candy canes, gingerbread and shortbread, who would rapidly dive into the pile of presents under the tree and emerge a second later with a gift. The other being Mr. Snake, looking completely miserable, who would grab the gift from Mr. Piranha and mumble out a 'Merry Christmas' as the giddy agent walked past.
Complete with the soft playing of Christmas music, it was all in all a nice moment that helped the lupine get into the Christmas spirit. Yet there was something, or more specifically someone, missing from the whole picture.
"Penny for your thoughts boss?" A voice rang out in his left ear.
Wolf tilted his eyes and watched Agent Tarantula land on his shoulder from the ceiling.
Wolf shrugged with a smile. "Just enjoying the moment is all. After everything that happened on the space station, I never thought we'd get to enjoy moments like this again."
Webs smiled as she placed a hand against Wolf's face. "Well believe it because our boy is certainly getting into the role."
"How long do you think it'll be before the crazy one passes out from his sugar high?"
Webs shrugged. "I'd give it about two minutes."
"Two minutes?" Wolf barked with a half-laugh. "Come on our buddy's got more stamina than that! I'd say ten minutes or until the banquets over."
"Either way, I'd bet that Snake's gonna hike it back to his room once this whole gift exchange's over and burn his onesie," Webs added.
"Well that goes without saying," Wolf replied, causing both of them to laugh.
They stayed silent for a while as Last Christmas by Wham came on the speakers. Wolf felt himself sway to the lyrics slightly.
"Still, I can't help but feel like something else is on your mind Wolf," Webs finally said after the song had played its first chorus.
Wolf sighed. "I just wish Diane was here. I mean...she loves Christmas and she got me to enjoy the whole prospect of giving rather than receiving. So...why isn't she here?"
Webs jumped off his shoulder and landed on the railing. She glanced up at her boss and rubbed her fuzzy hands together.
"I went to her room and told her to come down but..."
"But what?" Wolf asked as his eyes widened. "Is she okay? Did she hate the stuffed Wolf I gave her? That thing was a thousand bucks! Giant hand sewed animals aren't cheap you know!"
"No, no, no!" Webs cried as she frantically waved. "She told me she loved it! It's just...she said she just wanted to get some research done."
"Research?" Wolf asked.
Throughout their time at ISGLOP, whether it be fighting various evils or sparing together during their weekly sessions in the gym, Wolf had never heard of Diane doing any sort of research. Although, the more he thought of it, he had noticed that every time he had woken up in the morning, his beloved seemed much more tired than usual. It always seemed as if she were reaching for another cup of coffee or keeping her shades on to hide her bloodshot eyes.
On occasion he would ask her if there was something wrong, or more specifically if he did something wrong. But she would just smile and say she had a lot on her mind. He never pressed her for details, for he was just happy to spend much more of his professional and personal life with the gorgeous vixen. Yet now, with his beloved missing out on the holiday festivities, he began to wonder if it was worth discussing more.
A sudden pounding up the stairs snapped Wolf out of his thoughts as he witnessed the rest of his crew climb the staircase. Whereas Shark and Piranha spotted wide grins, Snake looked as if he were hanging on to his sanity by a single thread.
"Ho Ho Ho! Can I still play the big man or what?" Shark cried as he removed his white beard and red hat.
"Feliz Navidad amigos!" Piranha cried as he raced around in a circle.
"Ugh please tell me I can burn this costume now?" Snake asked.
"Aww, and I was just about to say how cute you look," Webs added as she stuck her tongue out.
"Ever been eaten by an elf before?" Snake asked as his forked tongue flicked out with a vengeance.
"Wait, wait, wait, hang on," Wolf said, "Webs, what were you saying about research? I mean...did Diane say anything to you?"
Webs shrugged, though Wolf noticed her face darken as though she knew something that the others didn't.
"She...wanted to know if Marmalade was still alive."
Just saying his name out loud caused the rest of the gang to cringe. They all heard the news that the guinea pig's gold plated limousine jetted into the sky when the Bad Girls activated the satellite and was currently unaccounted for. Some reports claimed that his ride had burned up in the atmosphere upon re-entry and had been reduced to ashes. Other sites mentioned that his ride had crashed into the ocean and that it was only a matter of time until traces of either his ride or his remains would wash up on a random beach.
A few websites, ones that dabbled in conspiracy theories, proclaimed that Marmalade was not only alive but was actually an alien, biding his time until he returned with his armada.
To Wolf it all seemed a little ridiculous. Until he realized that neither he, nor his team or even the world knew anything about the guinea pig's past. Despite all the media attention he had received over the years, there wasn't a single report about his upbringing. The furthest anyone could uncover was the first donation he made to the children's hospital.
Coupled with the fact that the world believed that he and the rest of his team were dead, when in fact they were alive and well, it made Wolf wonder, what was stopping Marmalade from being alive as well? And even more disturbing, who's to say he wasn't out there somewhere, on this planet or another, plotting his revenge against them?
A sudden smack against his face snapped Wolf out of his trance. He immediately turned to Snake and narrowed his eyes. Yet the reptile merely tilted his head, which Wolf guessed was his equivalent to a shrug.
"Sorry pal you were drifting off again. And I know that's the only way to snap you out of it."
"Have you ever thought of just a simple tap on the shoulder?" Wolf asked.
Snake tilted his head again with a slight grin. "Hey you have your way and I have my way."
"Guys can we focus?!" Webs cried. "Diane's running herself sick trying to uncover Marmalade's whereabouts and I'm seriously worried about her!"
"Is it that bad?" Shark asked.
Webs sighed as she rubbed her paws together, a trait she normally did when she was anxious. "There's been more than one time when I went into the computer labs late at night to play some games and I've seen her sleeping at her computer. But whenever I tried to wake her, she'd just shut everything off and claim she was just doing research. But I looked at those screens long enough to know she had at least twelve different tabs opened that were all about Professor Marmalade."
"Actually," Wolf continued, "now that you mention it, I've noticed she's been saying some...peculiar things in her sleep."
"What'd she say?" Webs asked.
Wolf shook his head. "I think something along the lines of 'he's back, he's back'. But every time I ask her about it she just brushes it off like it's nothing or just shuts down the conversation entirely."
"Sounds like you need to spend some quality time together," Piranha added as he wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive way.
Webs sighed. "Okay first off, eww. Second off, I think Piranha's right Wolfie. Maybe you should go check on her. She clearly needs you right now."
"You're the only one who can pull off the full Clooney after all," Shark added.
Wolf chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. He glanced down at the foyer and watched the Christmas tree's lights change from a soft yellow to a wide variety of colors.
"Actually I think she needs all of us this time."
XX
One thing the gang realized when they joined the secret organization was how fast paced everything was. Not only were they handed a slew of cases throughout the day but the hallways were always bustling with agents running from one place to another. Wolf couldn't count the number of times he almost ran into an agent on his way to the cafeteria for their meals or on his way to the gym for a sparring session with Diane.
But with the Christmas party in full swing, the hallways were deserted. Not a soul could be seen and not a sound could be heard, save for the slight buzzing of the florescent lights overhead.
"Man," Shark said as he rubbed his fins together. "Never realized how creepy this place is. I wonder if it's haunted."
"BOO!" Piranha suddenly cried as he jumped in front of his aquatic companion causing the former criminal to gasp out with fright.
"You did that on purpose!" Shark cried before he heard Wolf clear his throat.
"Guys, can we focus please? This is already hard enough as it is."
"What? You think we can't be all sentimental and have a good cry?" Snake asked.
Wolf shrugged as they arrived in front of Diane's door which sat next to Wolf's door.
"Have you guys had much experience with that?" Wolf asked.
The rest of the former Bad Guys looked at each other in silent pondering.
"I've read enough WikHow articles about how to express your true feelings," Webs added.
"My therapist says I've made great strides with getting in touch with my inner guppy," Shark added.
"I haven't thought about beating my head against the wall when it comes to dealing with small talk," Snake said.
"And I only think about ripping apart criminals limb from limb some of the time," Piranha added.
Wolf shook his head, albeit with a slight smile of his lips.
"Plus," Snake added, "at least we're never boring."
"Well that I can believe," Wolf replied as he knocked on Diane's door and listened intently for any signs of life on the other side.
At first it sounded as if there were light footsteps on the other side before Diane's voice broke through the door.
"Ugh, Webs I said go and enjoy the party without me. This isn't the first time I've skipped out on a Christmas party you know!"
Wolf cleared his throat. "Uh...Diane it's me, well me and the rest of the gang."
Silence followed. Wolf's keen sense of hearing picked up the sound of light footsteps approaching the door. When the door slid open, Wolf was about to cry out with glee when he was taken aback by Diane's appearance.
Her tie looked as if it were barely hanging on to her shirt. Her eyes appeared bloodshot as if she had been staring at the computer screen for far too long. And her orange fur, usually perfectly combined and shiny, was sticking out in various directions, particularly on her head.
Diane huffed as she crossed her arms. "Yes Wolf?"
Wolf, realizing he had been standing in place for far longer than was necessary, cleared his throat. "Hey, Di, Webs was just telling me about your secret research project and I think you could use a break!"
"Christmas only comes around once a year!" Shark added. "Why not enjoy it while it lasts?"
"You wouldn't believe how much candy canes they're giving away downstairs!" Piranha cheered as he pulled one out of his pocket and bit into it ravenously.
"Trust me that's your twelfth one day," Snake replied.
"Either way, I'm sure whatever you're working on can wait for one day," Webs added with a smile.
Diane sighed as she rubbed her arms. "Look guys...I appreciate checking up on me but..."
Wolf paused, not used to seeing his beloved at a loss for words, the woman who could generate a plan faster than he could blink was now struggling to convey how she felt.
"I just have to make sure that everything's right in the world. Crime doesn't take holidays off so why should I?"
Wolf sighed as he glanced at the rest of his team. They had all been hoping they could get Diane to enjoy the festivities without bringing up the infamous guinea pig. Yet, now that they were at a loss for how the conversation could continue, they realized they had no choice.
"Diane," Wolf swallowed hard, "I know you've been researching Marmalade's whereabouts."
Just saying his name out loud caused Diane's fur to bristle slightly. For a brief moment, her eyes filled with terror before she quickly replaced it with a faux bravery.
"I just have to know his current whereabouts. If he's truly gone then I can relax. And so far every site I've visited hasn't given me a straight answer!"
"Come on Diane!" Webs cried as she jumped on the vixen's shoulders. "All the lab guys have told me how often you fall asleep at your desk."
"Not to mention how moody you've been lately," Snake added.
Diane huffed as she crossed her arms. "What makes you think I'm not just tired?"
"Trust me, I can sense a fake smile from a mile away," Snake replied.
"Diane we're just worried about you is all," Wolf said as he rubbed Diane's arm gently. "Clearly this whole thing with Marmalade is bothering you way more than you're letting on. You can talk to us remember?"
"Yeah, we try!" Shark added which caused Diane's lips to curl upwards slightly before she let out a long sigh.
"I just...have the feeling that he's still out there, waiting, plotting, wanting a chance to get back at us. And no matter how many people try to bring up evidence that he's gone, I just get this awful feeling that they may be wrong."
"Hey no sweat," Piranha added as he curled his fins into fists. "If that sorry excuse for a guinea pig tries anything we'll back you up!"
Diane sighed as her eyes grew moist. "It's my fault he's out there anyway."
Wolf rubbed Diane's arm again. "Diane, don't think like that. We all tried to stop that video from going public in the first place. He'd still be behind bars if we succeed in stopping that upload.
Diane stomped her foot as a few tears escaped her eyes. "But I was the one who started this whole thing! Because of one stupid mistake I made on camera, a dangerous criminal is out there still! If I hadn't had that one lapse in judgement we wouldn't be in this predicament! And what's worse...he used my secret to get back at you guys, the only true friends I've ever had!"
Diane sniffled as her gaze fell to the floor. "Losing my job was one thing, losing the trust of the public was another, but losing you, any of you...I...just..."
Before he knew it, Wolf felt the vixen wrap her arms around his neck as she planted her face into his chest. The lupine's eyes shot open with surprise, but when he heard the vixen's pained sobs fill the air, he immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. His paws rubbed her back in slow circles as he whispered soft condolences in her ear.
Eventually, he felt Shark wrap himself around the two of them in a big bear hug before he felt Piranha wrapping his fins around Diane's leg. Soon, Webs placed her fuzzy arms around Diane's face while Snake wrapped around the whole group.
He didn't know how long they stayed in that position for, maybe it was a few seconds or a few minutes, but eventually they all broke away as Diane looked back up at Wolf with a slight smile.
"Sorry about that," Diane said as she wiped her eyes. "I know I'm just overreacting-"
"Diane," Wolf cut in as he wiped her eyes. "Never apologize for feeling your feelings, even the ones that keep you up at night. We're all scared, we're all worried about Marmalade coming back one day. But there's one thing that keeps us going, the one thing that makes us able to sleep at night."
Diane stayed silent, knowing that it was always better to let Wolf finish what was on his mind.
"And that's knowing that my team, my family, has my back and will always be there to help in times of trouble. I trusted them to do their part so we could destroy the MacGuffinite satellite. And I know I can trust them to defeat whatever evil comes our way. We'll face it together!"
"And that includes you," Shark added with a warm smile.
"You don't have to fight this alone anymore Diane. You got me, you got all of us. And if you ever feel like you can't go on, just remember that we've got your back. You've helped us believe in ourselves when no one else would. Let us do the same for you."
Diane smiled as a few happy tears escaped her eyes. She wrapped herself back into Wolf's arms as the rest of the gang wrapped themselves in a giant group hug once again.
"You are all the best," Diane whispered. "I don't deserve friends like you."
"Too bad cause your stuck with us," Snake replied.
"No refunds," Shark added.
"Batteries not included!" Piranha added happily, clearing not understanding the message but saying it with enough conviction to make Diane's heart leap with joy.
"There's one thing you forget though Wolfie," Diane said with a slight smirk.
Wolf matched her expression. "Oh? And what's that?"
Diane wrapped her legs around Wolf's waist and planted her lips squarely on his own. "I also have the best medium friend, not medium friend a girl could ask for."
"Ugh," Snake stuck out his tongue. "Just try to keep that lovey dovey crap in private. My stomach's twisted enough already."
"You were literally sucking the face off a bird," Webs dryly said. "I don't think you have any right to complain."
Diane laughed, realizing how long it had been since she had done so. "Is that actually true?"
"It is," Webs replied as her expression matched that of a thousand yard stare. "And I will never unsee it."
"Dios Mio," Piranha mumbled as he crossed his fins.
"Please don't make me think of that again," Shark added as he held his stomach.
Diane laughed before she heard a slight mewing from below. She looked down and saw Dolphin, their beloved pet cat, rubbing his head against her leg. She smiled as she picked up the feline and held him in her arms.
"Do you think mama should take a break?"
Dolphin glanced up at her before he rubbed his face into her chest, purring loudly. Diane figured she would take that as a yes.
"I suppose I could let loose for one night," Diane said with a warm smile. "Can't let you guys have all the fun now can we?"
Wolf wrapped his arm around his true love and gently kissed the top of her head. "No we certainly can't."
The rest of the gang chuckled as they made their way back to the party. As Diane rested her head against Wolf's shoulder, she felt as if a great weight had been released from her chest..
Maybe Marmalade would return, maybe he truly was gone for good. But regardless of what outcome came true, she knew she could handle it. She had been gifted the one thing greater than any present under the tree or any trinket in a stocking.
A family.