Author's Note: I'm back! This will be a holiday one shot collection featuring our favorite family, The Adams Fosters. I was feeling especially Christmasy today, so I decided to kick off this collection with a Stef/Callie Christmas moment. This particular one-shot exists in the 13 and Model Airplane universe, so I used that backstory to hopefully have some consistency with my older stories. As for the rest of the collection, who knows? I might write about the Adams Fosters as little kids, or as kind of a current day scenario, as long as it's in a holiday mindset. Also, PLEASE DM ME ANY HOLIDAY PROMPTS! My favorite part of the fanfiction community is taking prompts from readers and turning them into a fun story that I might not have thought of (with shoutouts to the author of the prompt of course).
Anyway, Happy Holidays and enjoy the story!
-AJ
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
7-year-old Callie creaked her door open and stepped out into the hallway. Her bare feet padded down the wooden staircase and into the living room. Her eyes lit up through the darkness as she saw the miniature trainset on the mantel. Sliding in a stool from the kitchen, Callie plugged in the cord to the tiny train and carefully perched on top of the stool to turn it on. She smiled as the little Christmas lights began to shine, casting rays of colored light on her face and the tracks of the train. She adjusted the dial on the train's controller and watched the miniature steam engine come to life, quietly zipping around its track. She stood and watched it go around for a bit, leaning her head on her forearms, which rested on the mantelpiece.
"I thought I put you to sleep hours ago." Stef said from behind her.
She turned around quickly, spooked by Stef's sudden appearance. Stef reached out to steady the girl, before gently bringing her to a sitting position on the stool.
"What's wrong, baby? Couldn't sleep?" She asked, running a hand down Callie's upper arm.
Callie shrugged. With her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Callie could see her family's living room and all of its cheerful Christmas decorations. She smiled a bit as she remembered putting them up earlier that day.
Callie and Jesus fought for 5 minutes before finally deciding the perfect Christmas album to listen to as they decorated the living room. As Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride" began to play, Stef and Lena entered the room carrying a box that contained the family's stockings, including two new ones for Callie and Jude. Lena wore a big grin as she passed them out to each family member. When she got to Callie and Jude, she bent down to their level and smiled.
"Why don't you guys look inside your stockings?" She said kindly.
Callie and Jude shared a look of excitement before digging inside and pulling out an ornament with their pictures on them with the simple inscription: Baby's First Christmas. Jude leaned forward and gave Lena a big hug as Stef, ready with the camera, snapped a photo of their family's newest additions.
After taking turns hanging the stockings, the Adams Fosters started to decorate the tree. Lena handed out hot chocolate to everyone, and Brandon began playing "Oh Christmas Tree" on the piano. Callie had watched from afar as Stef connected the tracks for the little train set and assembled the miniature town that sat alongside the track. She wanted to go play with it, but Lena had called them to watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and she had forgotten to go look at it until much later, when she was laying in bed late at night, wide awake.
Callie looked up at her mother. "Guess not." She replied to the question.
"What's up, then?" Stef asked.
Callie thought for a moment. "I dunno… I guess… Well, last year, Christmastime was nothing like it is now. We were at the Wilsons' house back then… the house before the bad guy… Mr. Pearson. Anyway, they didn't like us having around much. They had a bunch of those parties with their friends and we just stayed upstairs. We didn't decorate a tree, or… or put up stockings… and we definitely didn't get special Christmas ornaments. I mean, this is going to be the only real merry Christmas that Jude and me have had in a long time." She admitted quietly.
Stef smiled proudly at her daughter. She thought back to the chilly January day when she got the call about Callie and Jude. She remembered driving down to the hospital and meeting that bruised and frightened girl who, in a few months, she would call her own. She though about how much Callie had changed that year, how she had become more outgoing, and had shown them how loving and sweet she really was. Stef knew she had to give Callie a perfect Christmas; a way to show her that she was theirs and there were many more perfect Christmases to come.
"Well having you and Jude here with us this year will make our Christmas unforgettable. Mama and I are so glad that we have you two." Stef said, bringing her daughter in for a quick hug.
"You know what one of my favorite things to do around Christmas is, babe?" Stef asked.
Callie shook her head.
"I like to look at all the pretty Christmas lights on our street. Mr. Nesbitt and his wife always do something special." Stef said, winking at Callie. "C'mere." Stef helped Callie off the stool and grabbed her police hoodie and her fleece jacket. She slipped on her fleece and tugged her hoodie over her daughter. Callie was practically swimming in the extra fabric, but she felt cozy and safe in Stef's sweatshirt. They both put on their shoes and opened the front door, breathing in the cool California air. Stef bent down and covered Callie's head with the hood of the sweatshirt before taking her daughter's hand and leading her down the street.
The mother and daughter took turns pointing at the pretty lights around them, strolling down the street and enjoying the tranquility that came with Christmastime.
Stef noticed that Callie looked a little drowsy, so she scooped her up and kissed her head as they made their way home.
By the time they arrived at the house, Callie was fast asleep. Stef crept up to the bedroom that her two daughters shared and laid Callie in bed. She covered Callie with her favorite blanket and pressed a kiss to her forehead. As she watched her daughter sleepily curl up in bed, Stef smiled, excited for all the Christmases she would get to spend with her wonderful family.