Caught in the web of nightmares of things to come back home, Angela was delighted to find the fog of fear fade in the push of skates on the rink, the thrill of the chase, and the racing beat of her heart that made everything she was running from disappear, if only for a little while.

As much as she wanted to be grown up, Angela still found herself waking up early on Christmas morning, just as excited as Molly, and every bit as insistent that Nathan and Mohinder get up now.

Angela wasn't quite sure what there was to celebrate this year until Nathan gave her the greatest gift anyone could have: the knowledge that she hadn't left her sister to die.

As strange as it was to go from late spring to nearly Christmas time, when Angela let herself catch snowflakes on her tongue on her way home from the shop, she found herself laughing and not minding the change so much for once.

She didn't have very many to give out considering how few people she knew so far, but Angela nevertheless diligently worked on making each card special for the people who had been kind enough to take her in.

It's not much, but Angela gets a tree for the hotel room and sets about stringing it with popcorn in lieu of formal ornaments so that they'll have something Christmasy to brighten up the space.

It hadn't ever occurred to Angela to try it before, but the little candy cane in her hot chocolate made it taste like one of those after dinner mints her mother served to company which was somehow elegant and festive all at the same time.

Having decided to make the best of the situation she found herself in, Angela set out for the Winter Dance at Haurvatat Prep with a smile pasted on, determined to have fun, even if she had to do it alone.

The last thing Angela wanted to do was go out in the snow and get wet and cold putting together some snowman that would be destroyed by the neighborhood boys within a week, but Alice pleaded, and, as always, Angela gave in.

She wasn't sure if it would be welcome or not, but her mother had always made tons of cookies this time of year, so Angela set about doing so in their little kitchen, setting them out on plates so they'd be ready when the other three inhabitants of the room got back.