Alison gave Longshot an apologetic look and stopped touching his beard. She didn't realize it would bother him. "He's always cute," she smiled at Rogue.

"I'm glad you're all back," she answered Dakota in all seriousness. "If you guys had decided not to visit for Christmas, there would have been lots of crying." It was true, too. "Besides... who would eat all this stuff if you guys didn't come?"

She nodded to the cookies on the table and the other various sweet things on the counters.