Christmas was coming.

The goose was getting fat. (Well, he assumed it was, as he didn't know which goose or what it was eating.)

And he'd put enough pennies in Jay's hat for ten Christmases to hurry up and get here and still... nothing yet.

All his shopping was done, all his presents were wrapped, and Robin had gently explained that it was so early that opening the presents now would take the fun out of Christmas.

As if anything could take the fun out of Christmas.

The Garricks' house was covered with lights of every color, electric candles at every window, and best of all, a brightly shining Santa Claus, complete with miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. (Not too tiny, Bart could sit on one and pretend to ride it after all.) Jay had muttered about the electric bill but he hadn't told Bart to take down a single light.

Why wouldn't Christmas just hurry up?

"Bart? Are you awake?"

"Um." Bart thought about this. He was supposed to be asleep. "Kinda."

Bart opened his mouth to complain about the fact that Christmas had yet to arrive. But what came out was,

"I miss Max."

Author's Note: ARGH. What's up with the angsty former-YJ boys? Impulse lived with and was trained by Max Mercury for nearly the entirety of his own series before being handed over to Jay and Joan Garrick for reasons I'm not entirely clear on.

Also, the title comes from...I hate to say it... a New Kids on the Block song called "I'll Be Missing You Come Christmas." Just... don't ask. Trust me when I say that you don't want to know.