Good evening friends and family! Well... I'm very hesitant to post this, especially given the circumstances taking place on the show right now. Since we last chatted (i.e., since my author's note of "we're not broken, just bent"), I've decided I won't be watching any of 6B. It's better for my psyche and my general happiness and sanity that I don't know all the details that are happening with characters who I once loved and am now beginning to not even like. So instead, I've slipped into my own fantasy world and crafted a drama-free AU for Spoby and co. to survive in, post-trauma and post-A.

So this is going to be a series of little family one-shots, the ones I described in my previous author's note, and I'm only hesitant because I don't know if you guys want or need to read mindless fluff when the real show is tearing apart your insides. But... I debated with myself for days over it and ultimately decided to post the first one because the show is ripping your heart to pieces. Writing these has been very therapeutic and has made me incredibly happy and if I can just make even one of you happy by default, then it'll be worth it. Still, let me know, honestly, what you think. This may or may not be the last time you see me. Who am I kidding? It probably won't be, let's be real.

Keep in mind, this is the family I introduced to you first in "I'll set the table, you can make the fire," and so it really feels like we've come full circle, here. But that also means that this universe is very limited. I wrote that story after the season 4 finale aired and so that means that all of the circumstances from seasons 5 and 6 have not taken place (i.e., Toby never became a cop, Spencer never cheated on him, CeCe wasn't fucking -A, they never broke up, etc.). It's sad to think that times were better back then, but they were, if you think about it. I guess I'll forever be living in the past. Here's this story if you'd like to join me.

By the way, thank you so, SO much for your amazing words on my previous story. You guys all mean so much to me and I don't know what I'd do without you. As usual, I have no idea what this is. It's random. It came out of nowhere. Hopefully, it takes your mind off of things. Maybe it won't, I don't know. You know I'm always here to talk, friends, and you're always welcome to rant away, but don't expect me to know what you're talking about if it concerns the most recent episodes. This is where my inner two-year-old comes out- I'm not watching and you can't make me! :P The chapter title is from "The Christmas Song" because it's a Christmas-themed chapter in February, look at that! And the story title is from "You Are My Sunshine," because I'll never get over it, let's be honest.

(Holy shit that was a long-ass author's note I love you all so much sorry I'm so annoying bye)

although it's been said many times, many ways

"God rest ye merry gentlemen, lead nothing you to stray-"

"Let nothing you dismay."

"Remember Christ our savior was born on Christmas day. To save us all from Satan's hours when we were born astray-"

"To save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray."

"Stop correcting me!"

"Then sing it right!"

"Grace, pass the milk, please!"

"You already put the milk in!"

"Wait, I need flour. No, two cups! Not three!"

"We three kings of orient are; wearing gifts we travel so far."

"Bearing gifts we traverse afar."

"Stop it!"

"You don't even know the right words!"

"Turn the mixer on for me! No! Not too fast!"

"Fields and fountains, moors and mountains-"

"Oh my god, nothing has an S on it!"

"Can you please just give me an egg?"

"Stop yelling at me!"

"Then sing the right words!"

"Stop it!"

With every uttered sentence, Spencer grows more and more agitated. The kids have been home for Christmas break for two days and are already getting on each other's nerves and, if she's being honest, hers, too. She's beginning to wonder where their holiday cheer has gone, for they've been doing nothing but arguing since the moment they stepped off the school bus two days prior. Grace had woken up this morning, Christmas Eve, with the idea to bake Christmas cookies, something Henry and Lilly eagerly asked to be a part of, and so their mother had trusted the almost-fifteen-year-old in the kitchen with her siblings, mostly unsupervised. They'd made M&M cookies to start with no issue and had since moved on to sugar, but Grace's patience is running thin and Spencer can tell it's only moments before she blows her top.

She, too, had been ready for a holiday break and so when Grace had asked her if baking was okay, Spencer had agreed, no questions asked. She's currently sitting in an armchair by the Christmas tree in the living room, a book in one hand and a cup of cocoa in the other, the wind howling outside and rattling branches against the window. Toby's taken the liberty of locking himself in the basement, wrapping last minute gifts because he, unlike his wife, hadn't had all things bought and wrapped by the end of the first weekend of December. He always tells her she's too prepared, but she disagrees. Certainly there's no such thing when it comes to the holidays with her family, after all.

"Stop! Just give me the brown sugar!"

"No!"

"Henry, you're making them too big!"

"No I'm not! I used the cutter!"

"Hey! You sprinkled sugar on me!"

"Yeah and it's sweet so maybe it'll make you nicer!"

"Me? You're the one on Santa's naughty list!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Frosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul! With a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal!"

"No, that's why I gave you the plastic one!"

"Those wouldn't even cut the dough!"

"Frosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul! With a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal!"

"Grace, it's too close to the edge!"

"No, it's not, it's fine."

"Frosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul! With a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal!"

"Learn more words or stop singing!"

"I don't know the rest!"

"Then shut up!"

"It's too close to the edge!"

"No it's not!"

Crash.

Spencer sighs and stands, her book and mug abandoned, heading for the kitchen. She should've known and honestly, she probably should have intervened moments ago. As she enters the room, all three children are gathered around the mess and Henry shouts, "You're in trouble!" just as Lilly squeals, "I told you so!"

Spencer asks, simply, "What happened?"

"The bowl slipped," Grace says and she looks so utterly disappointed in herself that it makes Spencer's heart ache. "I thought it was closer but… Now it's ruined!"

Glancing at the floor, Spencer notes one of her glass mixing bowls is shattered into a dozen pieces, soupy cookie batter splattered in between the glass shards. "Are any of you hurt?"

All three heads shake simultaneously and she says gently, "Okay, go wash your hands, take a break and don't come near the glass. I'll get this sorted out, okay?"

They nod and Henry races out of the room, Lilly following suit but first expressing, "I'm sorry we broke your bowl, Mom."

"It's fine. I'm just glad you didn't hurt yourself," Spencer tells her. "Go wash up. You've got flour on your cheek."

Lilly blushes and wipes at her face before turning and leaving the room. Grace heaves a sigh. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well it was," Spencer says. "I used to have five mixing bowls and now I have four."

Grace frowns. "It's tradition to make cookies on Christmas Eve and you usually help but… But I wanted to see if I could do it."

"You can," Spencer assures her. "There's a whole batch of M&M cookies up there that proves it."

"Yeah, but these are the fun ones. And Henry was so annoying with his stupid songs and Lilly kept getting the ingredients wrong," Grace sighs. "I should've done this with you."

Spencer says, "They're younger than you. You have to remember that. They haven't been doing this as long as you have and they don't know. But this is still part of the fun for them. They're eight and six and they still believe in the magic of the season. They're not ready for everything to be perfect yet, even if you are."

Grace sighs. "It sucks being the oldest. It totally sucks."

Spencer chuckles. "I know, I'm sorry."

"No you don't. You're the youngest." Grace teases. "I guess I'll just have to talk to Aunt Melissa about this. I bet you were a total Henry, too."

"I don't know, I think I was more like you," Spencer disagrees. "Wanting everything to be perfect. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, you know?"

Grace giggles. "I guess not."

When the glass is cleared away and the mess is all mopped up, Lilly and Henry return and the four of them begin a brand new batch of sugar cookies, each of the kids eagerly crafting holiday shapes with their plethora of cookie cutters. Spencer's mainly their dishwasher, but she's supervising, merely supervising, as this round goes much smoother than the last. Grace rolls out the dough, Henry forms the shapes and Lilly places each cookie on the baking tray, dusting each with red and green sprinkles. And as they're lifting their cookies into the oven, Toby returns from his gift wrapping spree and stands at the threshold of the kitchen, observing. He inhales deeply and a grin paints itself across his face.

"It smells amazing in here," He compliments instantly. "You've clearly been hard at work."

"Yeah and we only broke one thing," Henry points out and Lilly shakes her head, smiling.

"We could've kept that a secret!"

"Yeah," Grace agrees. "Dad doesn't need to know about our failed batch, Hen."

"You broke something?" Toby asks. "What did you break?"

"Say goodbye to mixing bowl one of five," Spencer points out, nodding towards the trash. "And the first attempt at sugar cookies."

"My aunt gave us those mixing bowls for our wedding, remember?" Toby wonders. "The first and only time I'd ever met her."

"Hey, we got nice bowls out of it."

"You've had them since then?" Grace exclaims. "Ew, then they're like a million years old."

"Yeah," Lilly giggles. "Were you guys married before or after the Revolutionary War?"

"Come on, Lil," Grace jokes. "They were married on the Mayflower."

"Nah uh," Henry shakes his head. "They had dinosaurs at their wedding."

"Okay, ha, ha, you guys are all so funny," Spencer rolls her eyes playfully. "Yes, Daddy and I have been together for a very long time, but would any of you be here if we weren't?"

"No," They chorus in unison.

"Exactly," Toby says. "So you're welcome, basically, for your existences."

"Even though it's funny, it's really good, too," Lilly then says. "A lot of my friends' moms and dads aren't together anymore. It's kinda sad."

"It's pretty pathetic actually," Grace adds. "Like you guys have been together since fire was discovered and Ian McKinley's parents got divorced when he was, like, two. Isn't that weird?"

"My friend Isla's parents never even got married," Henry chimes in. "They were just boyfriend and girlfriend and now her mom's got a new boyfriend. So weird."

"Well, families come in all different kinds," Toby says. "But I think ours works just the way it is, don't you?"

They nod their agreement. Henry perks up a moment later, asking, "You know what my friend Isla does have, though?"

"Henry, not this again."

"The new Wii console!" Henry says and his parents sigh heavily. "She got it for her birthday but she wouldn't let me play it. She was the only one who got to. That wasn't fair."

"Video games aren't good for you," Spencer says as she continues to load the dishwasher. "They rot your brain, Hen."

"No they don't," Henry frowns. "Not if you only play for a little bit. And not if you play the good games! Like sports and racing and stuff."

"There are so many better things to do with your time, Henry," Toby lists. "Read a book, play outside-"

"I already do those things," Henry says. "But on the Wii, I can play sports or Mario games and I wouldn't play anything bad or scary!"

"You know, he's not wrong," Grace pipes up, biting into a sugar cookie fresh from the oven. "Some of their games even have educational benefit. It's not like he'd be playing Halo or Call of Duty."

"What's Call of Duty?" Henry asks. "A telephone game?"

"No he won't," Spencer agrees. "Because I'd never buy those games and it's irrelevant anyway because we're not getting a game console."

"Why not?" Henry whines.

"Santa can't make that in his workshop," Toby tells his son, who frowns. "They don't have that kind of technology in the North Pole."

"Just forget it, Henry," Grace tells her brother. "Christmas sucks when you want the impossible, you know? I didn't get a pony-"

"Grace, you were never getting a pony."

"- Lilly didn't get a trampoline-"

"Oh yeah," Lilly remembers and asks, "Why not?"

"So you can break your neck? I don't think so."

"- and you're not getting your Wii console," Grace finishes. "It's okay. Maybe someday we'll all get over it."

"Grace, you are the most dramatic person I've ever known," Toby comments. "And that's saying something considering I've been with your mother since Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin."

Lilly giggles, a hand covering her mouth, as Spencer shoots him a look, asking, "Et tu, Brute?"

"That was a good one, Daddy," Their middle child compliments. "I'm hungry. What's for dinner?"

"What do we always have for dinner on Christmas Eve, Lil?" Spencer asks. "I think the ever pressing question is do we order lo mein or fried rice?"

"We literally always debate this," Grace says, already pulling out the takeout menu. "And we always get both."

Per tradition, they order enough Chinese food to feed a small army, listen to Christmas carols as they eat and then check the Santa Tracker online to see where he's destined to go next. After the children are each showered and in their pajamas, they gather in the living room, by the twinkling lights of their fragrant Christmas tree, in order to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, as they do each year. It's earlier than they usually go to bed, but Toby and Spencer are quick to remind them that the sooner they fall asleep, the sooner Christmas will be here to greet them. In reality, it's an excuse to get a little extra time to set up the gifts below the tree and get a little time to themselves. Once the milk and cookies are gone and each of the presents is stacked neatly, they curl on the couch together beneath a blanket, White Christmas on the television, their hearts full.

"This movie is so good," Spencer comments as Irving Berlin and company sing about the wonders snow brings. "Unfortunately for us, I don't think we'll be seeing a white Christmas this year."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Toby agrees. "Not unless there's a drastic weather change tonight."

"It's getting late," Spencer yawns. "And you know they're going to wake up at like five a.m. to inspect them."

"Oh yeah," He says. "They're going to poke and prod us until we're awake."

"I think they'll be pleased, though."

"Are they ever not?"

"No," Spencer considers and then asks, "What were you wrapping today? I thought you'd finished like a week ago."

"Just a couple extra things," He shrugs. "I guess I'm not as on top of things as you are."

"I'll say," She jokes and then sobers a bit, saying, "Wait… What extra things?"

"Just a couple extra things."

"Repeating is not an explanation."

"An explanation would ruin the surprise."

She purses her lips. "Good Lord, what did you do?"

"I did nothing."

"Is it for me or for the kids?"

"Don't worry about it."

"That means me, doesn't it?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that."

"You always do this," Spencer shakes her head. "We always agree not to give each other something for Christmas and you always end up getting me something anyway."

"Like you're one to talk," Toby tells her. "Have you ever not gotten me something even though you said you weren't?"

"Only because I don't want to look bad next to you!" Spencer exclaims and then takes a mental step back and asks, "Wait, are we really arguing about which one of us is more generous?"

"We're terrible people," Toby says. "For the record, I love you and I love how generous you are and believe me, nothing could ever make you look bad."

"Thank you for saying that," She replies appreciatively. "I love you, too, and honestly, your gifts are always so thoughtful and perfect and it's because you know me so well, which I'm incredibly grateful for."

He chuckles. "Remember when we used to argue about real things?"

"Seems like a lifetime ago," Spencer grins and as she regards the pile of gifts beneath the tree, she adds, "You know that's going to drive me crazy though, right?"

"What is?"

"That I know what each and every one of those presents is," Spencer says. "Except for that one."

"Those ones," He amends, nodding towards the cluster at the back. "And I think it's better as a surprise."

"See, that worries me, though. Why can't you just tell me?"

"I did tell you; it's a surprise."

She sighs. "It's for the kids?"

"It's something we can use as a family, I think," Toby shrugs. "That's all you're going to get."

"I'm going to hate it, aren't I? That's why you're not telling me?"

"Let it go, Spence."

"I'm not good at letting things go!"

"Well, that's the first step to recovery- admitting you have a problem."

She rolls her eyes. "Watch it."

"Come on," He laughs. "Let's go to bed. It's getting late."

She follows as he shuts off the TV and tugs on her hand, pulling her to a standing position. "You're a stubborn, pain in the ass, Toby Cavanaugh."

"You're not telling me anything I don't already know."

"Unluckily for you," Spencer replies. "So am I."

"Don't you mean luckily?" He asks. "Makes life interesting."

"Babe, life's already interesting," Spencer points out and then adds, "We don't need any unnecessary drama."

"Hey," Toby says as they climb into bed, switching off the light. "There is a lot less drama in our lives now than there was back in the day."

"Don't say 'back in the day.' It makes us sound eighty," Spencer comments and he snorts in response. "And second, we have just as much drama. Just a different kind."

"That's fair," He yawns. "But I'll take this kind any day."

"You can say that again."

"I'll take this kind any day."

"Toby Cavanaugh, I swear to God…"

Toby chuckles tiredly and says, in all honestly, "I'm so sorry you're stuck with me."

"Stop your nonsense," Spencer shakes her head. "I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone else."

He hears a door creak open at 4:39 a.m. A brand new record, he's sure.

Way back when, he considered himself a heavy sleeper and he knows without a doubt Spencer still thinks he is. He supposes for the most part it's true; he doesn't wake up when she does and he doesn't even stir, not in the slightest, when she's bouncing around the room in morning, getting ready for work. But being romantically entangled with a girl who was in a heap of trouble in their teens meant he'd trained himself early on to keep an ear out for danger or anything out of the ordinary. He'd never missed a call, never missed a text, and was always ready to jump to her aid should she need it. A trait he'd rendered useful in his youth had actually only become all the more helpful now, as an adult, and with three young children. He's never the first to hear the slightest sound- he's sure Spencer's motherly intuition will always beat him to the chase- but he never misses a beat.

Despite the early hour and the fact that he and Spencer had literally crawled into bed not four hours prior, a grin finds its way onto his face. There isn't much that makes him happier than spending time with his family and adding the pure joy of Christmas to that only makes it all the better. They'd been blessed with three beautiful children, each of them grateful and happy, not a horror to be found in any of them. And nothing quite makes them more excited than the promise of Christmas morning. A second door creaks open and then a third, and three pairs of eager yet quiet feet in the hallway signify they're already heading for their tree in the living room. Hushed voices soon follow as they trek towards the staircase, their youngest the loudest of them all.

"Do you think he's still here?"

"Who? Santa? No, he's got like millions of houses to go to. He pretty much drops the presents and leaves."

"I hope he ate the milk and cookies. Do you think he brought any for Mrs. Claus?"

"Henry, sshh!"

"I doubt he took them from us. He probably didn't even eat them. Everyone leaves him cookies."

"What do you think he brought us?"

"I don't know. He probably brought you coal."

"No! No he didn't, Grace!"

"Henry! Ssh!"

Spencer heaves a sigh from beside him and Toby chuckles. "You pretending to be asleep too?"

"I mean, they could at least try to be quiet, you know?" Spencer yawns. "They're already arguing like it's the middle of the day."

"They're just giving each other crap," Toby tells her. "That's what they do."

"How much longer do you think we can get away with pretending we're asleep?"

"Hmm. Let's find out."

She grins delightfully and kisses him full on the mouth. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," He returns warmly. "Let's make it one of the best."

"I don't know. It's got tough competition," Spencer says. "The one after we got engaged? At the ski resort? We had a suite with an indoor hot tub."

"Ah, yes," Toby nods. "We should go back there sometime. That place was great."

"And it snowed," Spencer sighs dreamily. "And there was champagne and celebrating."

"Or how about the one in France?" Toby adds. "It seems like forever ago that we were there. Grace was tiny."

"It was perfect, though," Spencer chuckles. "We found a tree farm after trudging around through the countryside, in the cold, for like three hours or something. And then we struggled carrying it up the three stories to our apartment. And we didn't have any ornaments except for a tiny Eiffel Tower and the ones Grace made in preschool."

"And Grace was terrified Santa wouldn't find her in France," Toby grins. "And we blew her mind when we told her he travels all over the world."

"Ooh, how about the one where I told you our family of three was going to become four?" Spencer suggests next. "And simultaneously got the truck to run again."

"Talk about a lifetime ago," Toby nods. "That was great, though. One of the best Christmas gifts ever. Getting the truck to run was an added bonus. That's what we're teaching them to drive in."

Spencer scoffs. "The hell we are. That hunk of junk?"

"Spencer it has sentimental value!"

"It does," She agrees. "But it's like a thousand years old! My kids aren't going anywhere near that thing."

"It's fine. It has airbags."

"Oh my god," She shakes her head. "No. It's just… It's not happening. We have two other cars for that reason."

Toby stares at her a moment before saying, "I can't believe you called our truck a hunk of junk."

She smirks and replies, "Okay, I didn't mean it like that. You know I love it as much as you do-"

"I don't know that, anymore."

"-but you've got to admit it's terrifying how unreliable it is now," Spencer continues. "Need I bring up the brake failure incident that almost killed both of us?"

"Okay, almost killed is a bit of an overstatement. We were fine."

"I'm not willing to take a chance on our children," Spencer says. "I'd like to keep them in one piece."

"Well so would I, obviously," Toby states. "I guess they can just admire it from afar."

"We can still tell them all about it," Spencer placates him. "I mean, they already know most of the stories, but still."

"That's true," Toby says. "Grace claims it's her favorite story."

"Lilly says it's super romantic," She chuckles. "Only Henry asked if I ever told Melissa."

"We are super romantic," Toby grins and then falters a bit to ask, "Wait, did you ever tell her?"

"Are you kidding me?" Spencer exclaims. "Do you think I would live to tell the story if I did?"

"Christmas is as good a time as any."

She laughs wholeheartedly, replying, "Okay, well, if you say so. It's been a nice life. Make sure the kids are well fed and finish their homework in time and aren't falling prey to peer pressure or overwhelming themselves with too many activities. I'll watch you from the beyond- you're a single dad, now."

"Come on, that was years ago. You were, like, seventeen," Toby shrugs. "She's long since moved on from Ian. You still think she'd be upset?"

"Do you even know my sister?" Spencer shakes her head. "Melissa holds grudges like no one's business. It doesn't matter that she's married to someone else now or that Ian was a horrible person. She'd destroy me and you'd be left alone to raise three kids by yourself."

"Speak of the devils," He then points out. "None of them have come to get us."

"Hey, yeah, you're right," She says, sitting up and pushing back the covers. "It's like almost six, now."

"They've also gotten very, very quiet," Toby frowns. "That's terrifying."

"Um, I think we should go investigate," Spencer decides, slipping out of bed with Toby not far behind her. "Last time it was this quiet, I found Henry in the dryer with a pillowcase full of clementines."

Toby chuckles. "That was a misunderstanding."

"That was the weirdest game of hide and seek ever."

The moment they open their bedroom door, the smell of crackling bacon wafts through the air and assaults their senses. It doesn't make them any less nervous; they've always toed the line between wanting their children to build their independence and wanting them to remain as safe as possible. Letting them loose in the kitchen is usually something they avoid, but to be fair, when their three children had awoken an hour ago, Toby had expected they'd do what they usually do on Christmas morning- paw through the gifts and marvel at whose was the largest. When they reach the kitchen, however, they find each of their children has a job to do. Lilly's at the stove, testing the bacon strips with a fork while, behind her, Henry is placing forks and napkins on a tray table and reaching for the refrigerator for juice. Grace has one eye on the coffee pot in the corner and one on the griddle before her, where she's making pancakes in the shape of snowmen, for the season. It brings a loving smile to both her parents' faces.

Spencer clears her throat and all six eyes snap in her direction. "Good morning? Merry Christmas?"

"Crap," Grace replies. "This was supposed to be a surprise."

"Merry Christmas, Mommy!" Lilly chimes in from the stove. "Merry Christmas, Daddy!"

"We made breakfast!" Henry beams next. "We were gonna bring it to you in bed, though."

"That's so nice of you guys," Spencer says, bending to kiss the very top of her son's head. "This is the best Christmas present ever."

"It was Grace's idea," Lilly informs her parents as Toby kisses her crown and reaches for a strip of bacon. "Be careful, Daddy! It's hot!"

"But Lilly, you did such a good job and it looks so good," Toby tells her. "I had to have one now."

She grins as Grace flips a pancake onto each of her parents' plates. Spencer watches her in awe and asks, "You did all this for us?"

Grace shrugs and nods towards the twinkling Christmas tree and accompanying presents, making sure her siblings aren't in earshot when she says, "You did all this for us."

From afar, Toby watches the grin on Spencer's face widen even further and when she collects her eldest daughter in a hug, his does, too. It's these moments right here that tell him he and Spencer must not be doing too poorly of a job parenting, after all. When everyone is fed and breakfast is cleared away, they return to the living room and open the small gifts in their stockings as the sun rises over the frost covered grounds outside. Carols are crooning into the morning and a fire is crackling just below the chimney and a white Christmas might be wishful thinking, but it's just as merry and bright as always. They've just finished unwrapping just about everything beneath the tree when Toby pulls out the final gift. It's a bit larger than the others had been and it's the one Spencer's been adamant about learning the identity of since the night prior.

"Who's that one for?" Grace asks first. "I thought we were already done."

"Weird, I just saw this one," Toby says. "It's addressed to the Cavanaugh family. Must be for all of us."

"Is it from Santa?" Henry asks, sitting up excitedly.

"It is from Santa," Toby nods. "Huh. Strange. Well, it's probably nothing. We'll put it away. Save it for next year."

"No!" They croon in unison.

"Dad, you can't do that to us," Grace adds. "We know it exists now."

"Yeah, but you guys said you were done," Toby shrugs.

"No!" Henry shrieks. "We're not done!"

"You aren't sick of opening presents yet?"

"No!" They agree together once more. "Can we open it? Please?"

"I don't know," Toby teases again and turns in his wife's direction. "What do you think, Spence?"

She looks almost as eager as the kids and still half anxious at the same time. "I say we open it, even though I'm afraid of what's going to come out of that box. It isn't alive is it?"

"Gracie, maybe it's your pony finally," Henry suggests and Grace laughs.

"The box is way too small for it to be a pony," Grace tells him. "Maybe next year."

"I don't think it's alive," Toby says, giving the box a shake. "Alright, I guess it's okay for you to open it. On one condition."

"What?"

"It's for all three of you, so you have to promise to open it together," Toby says and they all nod eagerly, crawling towards the present. "And whatever it is, you have to share it. Promise?"

"We promise!"

"Okay," Toby grins. "You can open it."

Six eager hands tear at the wrapping paper, cut through the tape and open the cardboard box and then, their eyes widen excitedly. Henry pumps his fist in the air and shouts, "Yes!"

"Oh my god!" Grace exclaims and then seems to realize what this means. "Wait, how come Henry got what he wanted but I never got my pony and Lilly didn't get the trampoline?"

"Henry knew how to dream a little smaller," Toby teases her and Grace shoots him a look, sticking her tongue out in response.

"Am I the only one out of the loop here?" Spencer asks but as she leans closer, Henry lifts the console out of the box.

"It's the Wii, Mom!" He shouts excitedly. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Look," Lilly points out. "There's enough controllers for all of us to play."

"And a couple games, too," Grace adds. "Wii Sports, Mario Party, Wii Sports Resort… Oh my god, yes. Mario Kart!"

As they continue to pull components of the console out of its packaging, Toby hesitantly glances over at his wife and gets the look he's expecting. She's less than pleased. "You didn't."

He half-shrugs. "Oops."

In mere moments, Grace and Lilly have assembled the console, hooked it to the television and set up the first game, Henry bouncing excitedly with all three controllers behind them. When they're deeply engrossed in a game of Mario Kart, racing fiendishly around Mario Circuit, Toby and Spencer begin to clean up the aftermath before heading upstairs to get dressed and prepare themselves for their annual trip to Rosewood for Christmas with her parents. She's applying a layer of makeup, swiping a mascara brush across her lashes and he's brushing his teeth, shooting her side-glances in an effort to read her; a task he usually finds easy but somehow, today it's increasingly difficult.

"To be fair," Toby says finally, breaking the silence between them. "I could've gotten them an Xbox. They could be blowing up cities and murdering pedestrians right now. But I didn't. I thought the Wii was safer because it's basically sports or Mario. See? Not as bad of a decision as it could have been."

She rolls her eyes. "It wasn't a bad decision. I just wish you could've let me in on the secret."

"Ironically enough, I thought you'd be mad," He says, rinsing his toothbrush under running water. "Which is what you are now, right? So yeah, I should've just told you."

She shakes her head. "I'm not mad at you."

"Could've fooled me."

"I'm not, honestly. You made them happy and that's honestly all I care about," Spencer says. "I just…"

He steps closer. "You just what?"

"I just don't agree with your choice," She tells him. "I don't like video games."

"I don't see what's wrong with them as long as the kids aren't glued to them 24-7," Toby says. "But you do, so please tell me what it is you're so worried about."

"They're just so dangerous," She replies. "You can set limits all you want, but I just don't want them to have to be in front of a screen to be stimulated, you know? I mean, there are so many better options; playgrounds and museums and books and even their other toys. I'd just hate for them to lose interest in all of these other things because they now have this. Does that make me crazy?"

"No," He shakes his head. "It makes perfect sense. I guess I just thought that it wouldn't happen with our kids. They've always been hungry for knowledge and learning and nothing satisfies them ever, which has been fun to explore. They ask a million and one questions and they love school more than I ever thought possible. I guess I just assumed that they wouldn't become obsessed with video games like other kids are. Honestly, after the novelty wears off, they probably won't even look at it."

Spencer considers this before nodding. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"I am?" He asks in surprise. "Wow. You gave in easy."

She shrugs. "It's Christmas. I don't want to dwell too much on this."

"Good," He nods. "We should go to New York, though, while the kids are still on break and visit the Natural History Museum, just in case. I think it's something they'd like."

"Are you kidding?" Spencer exclaims. "It's something they'd love."

When they return to the living room, the television is off and the game is already put away. Lilly's curled up with one of her brand new books, Grace is painting her nails a bright red and Henry's racing shiny Matchbox cars on his new track. Toby glances at his wife and says, "See? They're already over it."

"Not going to lie, that makes me feel a lot better," Spencer says. "Mario Kart is the worst."

"Mario Kart?" Toby asks. "Or all video games in general?"

"All of them," She shrugs. "That's what I meant."

"That's not what you said," He teases. "What's wrong with Mario Kart?"

"Nothing," She shakes her head. "We've got to get them dressed and ready."

"Seriously," Toby prods again. "What's wrong with Mario Kart?"

"Okay guys, come on," Spencer addresses the kids instead. "Time to get dressed. We're leaving for Grandma's in an hour."

"Wait, wait, wait," Henry announces to his sisters as they head for the staircase. "Let the champion go first. Losers go last."

Grace scoffs and shoves his shoulder none too gently, heading up the stairs as Lilly shakes her head and follows close behind her. At his parents' questioning look, Henry shrugs and says, "I crushed them at Mario Kart. They're still mad."

As he treads up the stairs, Toby says, "That's a little dramatic, isn't it? It's just a game."

"No Toby," Spencer disagrees and not for the first time, he feels out of the loop. "It's not just a game."

They've been awake for seventeen hours and honestly, Spencer doesn't feel it at all. Somehow, she feels as awake and rejuvenated as she ever as. Maybe it's the joy and the spirit of the Christmas season, a feeling she'd loved as a child and now loves even more as she watches her own children experience it. Maybe it's the love and the gratitude she'd received from each of her three munchkins as she'd tucked them into bed that evening; Henry had given her about fourteen kisses before telling her it was his best Christmas ever (he says so every year and she never grows tired of it). Or maybe it's the cup of coffee she's nursing, her fourth one today. It's ten o'clock at night and maybe she shouldn't be sipping liquid caffeine, but it's cold outside even if there isn't any snow and she and Toby have just exchanged gifts- in the craziness of the morning, they'd honestly forgotten- and it just feels like the right kind of time.

She's just admiring the beautiful new watch he'd gotten her- the one she'd worn for years and years had only just bitten the dust a few weeks prior- when she notices Toby's getting up from the loveseat beside her and reaching for the television remote. "What are you doing?"

"I've never played before," Toby shrugs and Spencer watches as he turns on the gaming console, popping in the Mario Kart disc. "Player one or player two?"

"Um, first of all, player one or player none," Spencer says and Toby rolls his eyes, handing her the first controller. "But second, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Why are you so anti-video games?" Toby asks. "It's not a big deal."

"It is, though," Spencer insists. "Mario Kart is kind of like Uno or Monopoly. You know how many friendships and relationships it's ruined?"

"Okay, but it's us, and nothing's ruining us," Toby tells her as the game begins to load. "Choose a character and a kart. And teach me how to play."

"Hold down the button with the two on it and then steer," Spencer says, giving in and choosing Luigi. "It's really easy, honestly. Just win. And fight back aggressively because the computer will."

"Okay," Toby replies and, eyeing her choices, chuckles, "What the hell kind of kart is that? It looks like a box."

"It's his classic dragster! It's got the highest point of acceleration!" Spencer argues back. "Don't give me sass. You chose Yoshi and a bike? Rookie mistake."

"For your information, bikes are easier to handle," Toby says. "And Yoshi's cool."

"Yoshi's a little bitch."

"I'm about to see a whole new side of you, aren't I?"

She grins. "Oh, it's been so long since I've competed against anyone for something. Feels good. Like coming home."

"Well, there's the Hastings game face. I'm in for it now," Toby teases. "Which course should we do?"

"Let's do Mario Circuit," Spencer decides. "Start you off easy."

"You're too kind."

The screen counts down and then the race is on. The second Spencer presses down on the acceleration, she remembers how dangerous this game can be. A rush of adrenaline fills her veins as she speeds past Peach and Bowser, winds around the turns and collects item boxes, scattering the course around her with banana peels and green shells. It's been too long; the last thing she can consciously remember competing in had been a tennis match back in junior year of high school. It's strange, but it had always been an important part of her life growing up and her parents had done nothing but add fuel to the fire, instigate a certain zeal for competition, and now that she's older, she doesn't quite get to milk that part of her personality anymore. It might be slightly sad how a simple video game can do the trick. But it's working. She's just started her third lap and when she glances to her left, she notices Toby's nearing the finish line. Her eyes narrow; she's in sixth place. Her dear sweet husband is in first.

"Hey, this game is kind of fun," Toby says. "I'm pretty much killing it."

Distracted, she slips on a banana peel and goes from sixth place to tenth. "Yeah. Sure. It's great."

"Wow," Toby teases a moment later and Spencer scowls. "You are literal shit at this game."

"I'm not. It's your first time," She shrugs and successfully passes Mario after hitting him with a red shell. "How are you so good?"

"Beginner's luck," He shrugs and nods towards the corner of her screen as his wife rolls her eyes. "What is that floating bullet in a box?"

"Bullet Bill," Spencer explains and presses the 'B' button, sending her soaring through the course. "That's what happens when you're so far behind everyone else."

"Aw, so it's like a helping hand? How cute."

"Ugh, shut up."

"Wait, what is this shit all over my screen?" He exclaims as a giant squid squirts ink across the entire television. "This game makes no sense!"

"It makes perfect sense." Spencer says and then frowns, exclaiming, "Did you just win?"

"… Maybe."

Spencer groans and tosses her controller aside as their final scores are ranked in a scoreboard. "This is ridiculous."

"Now I know why you hate this game so much," Toby gloats. "Because you suck at it."

"I do not suck."

"Then what do you call that? It certainly wasn't good."

"I... let you win?"

"Please," He waves it off. "Rematch?"

"You're on," Spencer nods. "I'm going to crush you like a bug."

"If you can catch me, that is," He grins. "You know, you don't have to be good at everything. We've finally, after many, many years, found something you can't do. This is huge. This is like history in the making."

"Hey, it's been a few years, I'm a little rusty," Spencer defends herself. "I was never a gamer, okay? I read books. I played outside. I was never glued to a television and so I never had the time to hone my skill-"

"Excuses, excuses."

"But anyway," Spencer continues. "I don't hate video games because I suck at them. I mean, I don't suck at them, but-"

"So you say."

"I hate them because they're bad for you. They really are. It's been scientifically proven and actually, just last week I was reading a new study done by the APA that cites-"

"Whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night, Spence."

Spencer frowns. "I'm going to crush you. And you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because your wife is always right, Toby."

"True that."

She chuckles as he chooses a kart, this time, and King Boo, and when they're ready, she asks, "A harder course?"

"I mean, do you think you can handle it?" Toby asks, concerned, and she rolls her eyes. "Mushroom Gorge? That looks like a scream."

"You have to bounce your way through the mushrooms without falling into the chasms," Spencer tells him. "Good luck. It's not easy."

"Hmm," Toby considers. "We'll see about that."

The race starts off as normally as it can, but just as they're reaching the first of the mushrooms, Spencer hops onto the first red one and Toby is hot on her heels. "What are you doing?"

"You know, you're right," He grins at her. "Karts do have better acceleration."

"Wait, get away from me," Spencer replies. "I'm doing so much better. I'm in fifth!"

"Look, I'm in second," Toby says as his kart bounces to the adjacent mushroom. "Hey! First place again."

"We'll see about that."

Spencer collects an item box and receives a blue shell, grinning deviously. In one swift movement, she throws it ahead of her and speeds off the mushroom path so as not to be hit by the upcoming blast. It collides with Toby's cart and he explodes over the side of the mushroom into the deep cavern below. He's immediately up in arms. "What the hell was that?"

"What the hell was what?"

"Oh. Okay. You want to play like that?" Toby frowns, purposefully driving into the next item box the moment he regenerates. "You fight dirty. I see how it is."

"The only way I know how to fight."

"You're so dead."

"Try me."

She's in first now, on her final lap and just miles away from the finish line, but Toby's quick to catch up, with the help of Bullet Bill and a few speed boosts along the way. Spencer shakes her head, sitting up a little straighter. "Don't even try it, Cavanaugh. I'm kicking your ass here."

"I'm right behind you!"

"Yeah, behind."

And just when she thinks she's got it in the bag, Toby throws a lightning rod her way which shrinks her car into a tiny, miniature version of the dragster she's racing. Since she's so tiny, Toby, at full size, races past her and takes first place, crossing the finish line mere seconds before Spencer does. The latter is out of her seat with rage. "What the hell? How could you do that?"

"Well, well, well," Toby grins. "You're just as terrible as I thought."

"Wait," Spencer frowns. "You're hustling me. This is not your first time. You're secretly amazing at Mario Kart."

"I am not," He laughs. "I got the hang of it. You're just mad I beat you."

"I am not mad," Spencer disagrees. "You're hustling me and we need to play again."

"Best two out of three?" Toby asks and she nods eagerly.

"If this ends badly, it might be the end of our marriage."

"Don't even joke about that!"

"Alright, we're taking on the worst of the worst, now," Spencer tells him as she chooses the next course. "The hardest course on this game. Rainbow Road."

"Rainbow Road?" Toby implores. "Sounds harmless."

Spencer shakes her head. "It isn't."

As the screen loads, Toby is quick to ask, "Wait, where are the guardrails?"

"There aren't any."

"Wait, I'm really not hustling you. This is the first time I've ever-"

"Save it for the finish line!"

She watches as he aims for an item box and ends up pitching himself over the side of the road, falling to his death. Though at first this is hilarious, Spencer ends up spending so much time laughing at his misfortune that she soon finds herself losing control of her dragster and driving off the side of the winding rainbow. Cursing soon follows, from her, and snickering while haphazardly driving comes next, from him. She isn't going to lie; this course is hard. She's not sure she could complete it in first place even if she wasn't aggressively trying to outdo her husband. They're about halfway down the road on their second lap and both are rapidly declining; Spencer's fallen from first to tenth in mere moments and Toby's never left twelfth, the final place. It hasn't stopped them from trying to beat the other, though.

"Why is this course so hard?" Toby complains as he, once again, runs off the side of the road. "I swear if I plummet to my death one more time…"

"No, look, I'm actually doing pretty well," Spencer then says from her spot in sixth place. "I just need to get past Toad. Move the fuck over, Toad! This race is not for youngsters."

"Wait," Toby says as he regenerates and gains a Bullet Bill that garners him a spot in eighth place. "If you drive down the middle- and ram Bowser off the road- you can actually stay on here pretty well."

"What the fuck are you doing?" Spencer then asks as he picks up speed, hot on her tail. "You aren't going to beat me."

"We'll see about that."

"Yes we will!" She replies eagerly and tosses a handful of banana peels at his kart that send him slipping and sliding across the road.

"You're the worst," He sighs and gains a speed boost star right past her. "It's okay, you know. Just give up, throw in the towel. You can't be good at everything, Spencer. Let it go."

"Let what go?" She shoots back. "The only thing I'm going to be letting go is your hand as I dangle you off a cliff!"

"And how are you going to do that?" He chuckles as he launches a red shell in her path and her kart flips over itself. "You're dead. Again."

"No, you're dead! Just wait until I regenerate and you're history," Spencer disagrees as they both cross the checkered line into their final lap. "This is it; it's now or never. Ride or die, babe. Ride or die."

"I'm mildly terrified of the stakes at hand, here."

"Good. You should be."

"Oh, look what I have here! An item box!"

"Don't you dare. Toby, I swear-"

"A blue spiny shell! You know what those can do, don't you?"

"Don't you dare blue shell me! Do not even think about-"

"Ha ha! Now who's in first?"

"Fuck! No! No! No, come on! Drive, Luigi! Drive!"

"You'll never catch me now! First place never felt so good!"

"Go! Go! Go!"

"Oh shit, what the hell is that?"

"Ha! Can't see through all the squid ink, can you? Maybe I'll just quietly- what the fuck?!"

"You will quietly eat my Super Mario dust!"

"Get the fuck out of my way!"

"No! Go! Drive!"

"I'm almost there! I'm gaining on- no! What the fuck? Why do you keep driving off the road?!"

"Gah! Lightning! I'm ant-sized!"

"It's not that hard to stay on the fucking track, Luigi!"

"No! No! Get back on the course! What are you doing?"

"I swear if that red shell hits me- God damn it!"

"If this POW block knocks me off the road one more time…"

"No!"

"No! No!"

"What the hell?"

"No!"

"Mom? Dad?"

Startled from their reverie, Toby and Spencer both turn in the direction of the voice to find all three of their children regarding them with mild amusement and extreme confusion. Henry's hair is sticking up in all directions, Grace is yawning with a hand clapped over her mouth and Lilly still has sleep in her eyes. It takes Spencer just a moment before she replies, a bit abashedly, "Sorry guys… Did we wake you?"

"Yeah," Grace says as though it's obvious. "You were screaming."

Henry rubs his eyes and says, "I thought you guys were getting hurt."

"What are you doing?" Lilly asks, half awake.

"Um…" Spencer trails off, setting the controller down and running a hand through her hair. "Dad's never played Mario Kart before so… We were testing it out."

Henry points at the screen and says, "You both ran off the road."

"We did?" Toby asks and when he turns around, the screen is displaying the end results, with him and Spencer in eleventh and twelfth place, respectively. "Oh. Oops."

"You guys are in last place," Grace yawns again. "You both suck at this."

"Okay, okay," Spencer hushes her. "I'm sorry we're so obnoxious. Back to bed now."

Toby nods his agreement and scoops a sleepy Lilly into his arms, who rests her head upon his shoulder and falls asleep on the way to her bedroom. As they're tucking Henry into bed, he offers to give both his parents pointers on how to improve their performance next time. As they're seeing Grace off to sleep, Spencer once again apologizes and somehow feels like she's the child here, not the parent. "I'm sorry we woke you up, Grace. I guess we got a little carried away."

Grace regards both of her parents before shrugging, a smile tugging at her lips. "It's fine. I actually think it's pretty cool."

Toby asks, "What is?"

"That you guys have been together longer than Adam and Eve," Grace explains. "And you still have that much fun together like you just met."

It's something that stays fresh in the forefront of Spencer's mind as she and Toby each get ready for bed. She's still grinning at the thought of her daughter's words as Toby switches off the light and climbs into bed after her. "What?"

"Nothing. Grace just raises a good point, that's all," She replies. "I think it's very reassuring that we're so secure in our relationship."

He chuckles. "I mean, I'd hope we're secure this far into it."

"You know what I mean," Spencer nudges him. "We can lob insults and profanity at each other and then move on like it's nothing."

Toby grins. "It is nothing. That's the way you get. I know you don't mean it."

"Hey, you got pretty intense about it too."

"I guess you've really started to rub off on me."

"That being said," Spencer says. "I will want a rematch at some point."

"You and me. Rainbow Road," Toby agrees. "It's going down."

"Name the time and the place," Spencer yawns. "I'm there."

"I think it's safe to say this Christmas is one for the books," Toby says. "It's been pretty memorable, hasn't it?"

"Oh yeah," Spencer's quick to agree, a grin upon her face. "One of the best."