City That Never Sleeps

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

AN// Hey guys first off I want to apologize for not uploading for over a month, life has been crazy busy since I started working full time again. There will be a new chapter up by this coming Thursday! I just have to finish editing it. But I wanted to do a small thing for Christmas in July! It's just a small blurb and is not canon for this story! Enjoy!

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
There wasn't a sound, not even a mouse.

Not even with Uncle Barney, Aunt Lily, and Aunt Robin running about.
They were all silently panicking, as they all realized they forgot to get the decorations out.

I had gone to Michigan, Ted Ohio, and Marshall Minnesota.
We greeted our families all saying "it's pop, not soda!"

But we all came carpooled, wanting to save the environment and on gas.
Otherwise, Marshall would call both Ted and I each an ass.

This was two weeks ago, us all on our way home now
Driving through Pennsylvania, trying our hardest to be out of the way of a snowplow.

Little did we know our three friends were going crazy,
Each of them making phone calls before the night grew too hazy.

"I found a tree!" Shouted Robin.
"That's amazing!" Barney said as he held the pillow he used right then to sob in.

"It won't be here for another four hours," she cried.
"We'll have to make the best of that." Barney felt like he had died.

While all this was happening in the living room, Lily shouted through the phone:
"What do you mean you won't help us? It's not like you'll be alone!"

"Ma'am, tomorrow's Christmas." Said the professional decorator.
"I'm with my family now, what you need by tonight is a miracle generator."

"It's not our fault that we're forgetful!"
Lily continued, "well okay, but you don't have to say it in such a mouthful."

The professional sighed, remembering his family when he was young.
"Alright fine, tell me what you want while I'm stricken dumb."

Lily squealed in joy, telling him all their plans.
It wasn't until he said he'll be there in a moment, did she get out the popcorn pans.

She checked the time and realized we'll be more than halfway there.
So she took out her phone, dialed, and made our hunger too much to bear.

"Hey Lily, what's up?" I innocently asked.
"Just wondering how many diners by now you must have passed?"

That was a good question, it was a lot of Ma's and Pa's we had missed.
We only stopped once, and that's because it was Ted's pants he had almost -

"It's been quite a few, why do you ask?"
This conversation was a nice distraction from our current task.

There was a beat in time before I heard Lily's response,
"Oh, no reason," I heard her say as she yawns.

"Aren't you getting hungry, as you ride along all those miles?
I know I would be getting a burger, and a bunch of French fries of all sorts of styles."

My stomach started to rumble, "well I guess."
"From what I'm hearing of what I hope is your stomach, I think the answer's yes."

"You know what you're right, and I know just what to say."
I hang up and turn to Marshall and Ted, I know exactly how to get my way.

I clear my throat and batt my eyes as I open my mouth to say nice and wide:
"Are you guys hungry too?" "Oh my god yes!" "Let's ride!"

As we sat in a booth, eating to our heart's content.
I couldn't help but think of Lily, and in her honor, I ate my food until there was a dent.