The Perfect Christmas

Vivian sat with her back against Gabe's muscular chest. This would be their first Christmas together as a couple and she wanted to make it as special as possible. Plus she had one hell of a surprise for him. One she hoped that he liked.

"Viv, can you get that tray before we light the Christmas tree?" Esme asked. Smiling Vivian slid from Gabe's arms and ran towards the kitchen and quickly picking up the tray, laden with cookies and coco, and rushed off in the direction of the voices. Not a month after Gabe had made Vivian his queen, had he moved the whole pack to Vermont, where they now lived and worked at another inn. At was two months ago.

"Vivie!" Willem, Finn, Gregory, and Ulf attacked her with hugs and nips as she entered with the tray, trying to steal handfuls of the goodies. A low growl vibrated through the room and they quickly let her go, snatching the tray from her hands and congregating in the chairs in the corner of the room. Vivian turned to see her mother and the rest of the pack seated randomly around the room. In the center was a large fir tree that the males had cut down three days again, completely decorated with lights, ornaments, and tinsel. There was a fire roaring in the fireplace where way too many stocking were hung to be safe. Suddenly two arms came around her waist as a nose was nuzzled into her neck.

"Merry Christmas baby" the rumble of his voice sent shivers down her spin. Gabe chuckled softly, small puffs of air brushing against her neck. She elbowed him in the side, but that did no good.

'He knows what he does to me that's for sure.' Vivian sighed and snuggled in deeper to the hug.

"It's not even Christmas yet, you're ahead of yourself." Esme giggled. The rest of the pack began to converse quietly waiting for the time when they would finish their tradition, the lighting of the Christmas tree. It was a big thing with the pack, now that they were back in touch with their togetherness.

"Vivian, you do the honors" Gabriel whispered in her ear as he handed her the plug of the lights. Vivian smiled. She grabbed the plug and moved towards the outlet.

"Drum roll please!" she squealed and thrust the plug into the outlet. Lights of all colors burst to life twinkling merrily at the pack. Laughing Tomas twirled Esme around the room; several of the older men including Bucky and Gabe toasted their beers for a happy new year. Vivian still seated on the floor, watched happily at all the goings on, proud that her pack, her family, had finally come back together again.

"And here's a toast for everyone, on this Christmas Eve." Gabriel's voice boomed through the room. "We have left a terrible past behind us and so with this new year I hope to bring cheer and happiness to all!" the shouts and screams that followed were so loud Vivian guessed that the whole inn shook. Then Gabe turned to her and holding out his hand waved her to him. Once she was at his side he curled her up next to himself as if he knew she was a slight bit cold. Vivian smiled into his chest, hugging him back in silent thanks.

"And I hope that we have a good first year too, my sweet…" his words were low and surprising but Vivian nodded her head and placed it under her chin.

"I know we will." She whispered back, but low enough that he couldn't hear it.

For hours the pack laughed and partied the night away. The boys danced, very badly mind you, to some strange trance like music; the small children listened intently as Orlando told the story of how Christmas came to happen; couples were tucked into every nook and cranny that could be found for some relaxation.

Slowly as the time past, many of the children and their parents wondered off to bed leaving Gabe and Vivian alone together.

'This is my chance!' Vivian thought, nervous and excited at the same time. She turned in Gabe's arms, expecting the man to grin back at her and start to talk in some way. However she was surprised to find that Gabe was asleep, his head resting gently on her shoulder. Vivian stroked his hair as she thought about what to do. 'Well it would be easier to do if he was awake, but I don't want to wake him, he looks so cute as he is.'

At her thought she giggled which caused the body beneath her to wake. Reaching out Gabe tucked a stray hair behind Vivian's ear, snapping her out of her giggle session. Smiling up at her he whispered, "Merry Christmas Vivian" and hugged her to him. Vivian tucked her head under his chin and wrapped her arms around his, which were holding onto her waist.

"Indeed I think it will be a very merry Christmas", was Vivian's reply as she turned her head and swept her lips across his. He instantly grabbed for her and held her tight to him, merging their mouth's into one. Vivian tensed but quickly relaxed against Gabe's chest and returned his kiss to him. Pulling away they both noticed that the other was gasping for breath, causing both to smirk at the other.

"Would you like to open your present now, since it is Christmas day and all?" Vivian inquired pushing herself off of Gabriel and sauntering over to the tree. The groan from the couch was answer enough for her. Bending down quickly she snatched up a very small box with a huge blue bow on it, and slowly turned around. Now it was her time to groan at the picture that her mate presented to her. He was lazily sprawled on the couch, his eyes blazing with hunger, a hunger for her. The thought made her shiver, but she refused to give up what she was going to do. Walking back to him she handed him the box. However he grabbed her instead and laid her on top of him, chest to chest, and nuzzled her neck before nipping at it playfully.

"You didn't have to get me anything, dear"

Vivian smiled, "I know but when I found it I knew I had to gives it to you". Nodding Gabe took the parcel from her hands, turning them to their sides so it was easier for them both. He pulled the top off, rustled his hand in through the box. For a minute it seemed he couldn't find anything in the box, but then as his hand hit the bottom it grabbed something and pulled it out.

Gabriel held a small black and white photograph. What the photo was of he couldn't tell as it was just a cluster of small ovals in the middle, surrounded by a field of gray. Vivian looked expectedly at him; waiting for the inevitable reaction she knew would come, if he ever figured it out. Gabe sighed heavily.

"I love it but I am not so sure that I know what it is…" he gave a shame-faced grin, apologizing for his incompetence of the moment. Vivian giggled quietly, snatching to picture from his grasp and sitting up; Gabe followed her as if pulled by a string. Snuggling back into Gabe's chest Vivian prepared herself for the surprise that her mate was going to receive. She hoped to hell that he like it.

"It is quite simple actually Gabe. See this is a picture, though you could tell that, but it is something else too." She ran her fingers over the gray pigments lovingly.

"And what is this other meaning that you speak so fondly of, my dear?"

"Well you see this oval here", she pointed to the top, or what looked to be the top of the picture, "this is the head, and the neck, and further down are the two arms and two legs."

Gabe sat dumbfounded for a moment until…

"Vivian are you pregnant?" the question was said in the most breathy manner possible, and Vivian was afraid that Gabe might pass out from her surprise.

"Yes", the simple reply was uttered in a tone of fear that Gabe had never heard from Vivian before. However once he thought about it he knew the reason why, she was afraid that he wouldn't want the baby!

In so quick a movement that not even Vivian could see, Gabe picked her up and hugged her tight to him while spinning about the room. He laughed so happily that it brought tears to Vivian's eyes at the joy that she heard.

"That is the most wonderful present you could have ever given me, my Vivian." Gabe murmured into her neck as she wound her arms around his shoulders, and began to laugh with him.

"Are you really okay about this?" she asked once Gabe sat down again, Vivian still locked in his arms.

"You have no idea how happy you just made me Vivian. I am probably the happiest man alive." He smiled up at her from where he lounged contently under her. "But when did you find out?" he questioned rubbing her semi-flat stomach contently.

"I had a guess about it when we were moving but I didn't want to tell you so that we wouldn't get your hopes up and then it turn out to be nothing."

"How long?"

"Two months."

"Are you telling me we have to wait seven more months? Urgggg…" the gruff sound was lost as Gabe stuck his head against Vivian's stomach, pushing his nose gently into it. Vivian slid her hands through his hair, loving how tight Gabe was holding her.

"Yes we have to wait, unless you want to run the risk of have complications with the baby? Though I don' think you would." Gabe shook his head, which was still on her belly.

"God, I love you Vivian." The statement made tears well in Vivian's eyes.

"I love you" she replied bending over to kiss him on the back of his neck.

"Well what is this, what is this!" a new voice broke through the silence of the moment. Both of their head shot up in surprise and turned to the newcomer. It was Esme who spoke, but behind her stood the whole pack. It was then that Gabe and Vivian both noticed that the sun had risen above the horizon, Christmas morning had arrived. Turning to each other, they laughed and proclaimed.

"This is the most perfect Christmas that could ever happen!"