Author's notes: Sorry about this note being finished before Christmas. This idea has been floating around my head for weeks, but I only got inspiration to start writing it on Christmas Eve, and then I got caught up in the holiday's celebrations. I hope you enjoy this little journey into the potential family life I see possible for Jefferson and Emma.
Again, I don't own these characters, and all mistakes found are mine, and mine alone.
The sounds of music and laughter echoed through the air as Jefferson and David entered the house. It was a comforting sound for both men, as laughter had been in short supply for the past several months. Storybrooke residents had banded together, including former enemies Regina and Rumpelstiltskin, against the threat Cora presented and it had been a difficult time for all.
What amazed Jefferson the most was that he and Emma had found one another as they worked together to defeat Cora. He now had the family he had always longed for ever since that dreadful day he had left behind his daughter Grace to run a fool's errand for Regina. Emma and Henry had moved in to his home about a month ago, and his empty mansion now felt like a true home.
He and David stood in the door way to the kitchen watching their family interact. Emma and Snow were rolling out and baking cookies, while Grace and Henry were busy decorating the cookies and themselves in the process. All were singing along happily to the music playing over Emma's ipod, occasionally holding up utensils to use as pretend microphones to sing along.
"Too bad Disney got it all wrong when it came to Snow," David commented, as he watched the women and children having fun together. "She wasn't the sweet, helpless girl they portrayed, and she sure as hell can't sing worth a damn."
Jefferson looked to him, and nodded, "Nor can her daughter."
"Hey!" Snow called out to them, finally noticing the two of them standing in the doorway. "Emma and I sing just fine."
"Keep telling yourself that dear," David replied, walking over to Snow to wrap his arms around her waist.
Jefferson went over to Grace and Henry, leaning between them to examine their handy work. "Those look like some delicious cookies you two have there. However I think you have gotten more frosting on yourselves than on those cookies."
"Poppa!" Grace exclaimed, turning to give him a hug and in the process smearing his waist coat with some of the frosting. "Look at all the cookies we made with Snow and Emma! Aren't they pretty?"
"They sure are," Jefferson replied with a smile, then looked over to Henry. He could see a good amount of frosting smeared around his face and lips. "Young man, how many cookies have you managed to eat behind your mother and grandmother's back?"
"Um, I'm really not sure," Henry admitted with a rueful smile.
"Don't believe him for a moment," Emma warned. "Snow and I had to cut him off a while back, because for every cookie he finished decorating, he managed to eat two more. I won't be surprised if he ends up with a huge stomachache later on."
Jefferson walked over to her, pulling her into a hug. "And just how many cookies did you sneak Ms. Swan?" He then leaned in to kiss the corner of her mouth, catching a tiny bit of frosting left in the corner. "Mmmm…yummy."
The others just laughed as Emma turned bright red, having been caught sneaking cookies the same as her son. "Well, we'll have plenty of cookies for Christmas tonight."
"I hope so, as Santa will be very disappointed if he doesn't have his milk and cookies waiting for him," Jefferson solemnly replied, "not to mention David and I would be missing out as well."
"Don't worry, you two," Snow said, rolling her eyes at Jefferson's silly behavior. "There will be plenty of cookies and other treats for all of us, including Santa, before the night is through."
Suddenly the music changed, sounding a waltz-like melody through the kitchen. Jefferson pulled out Emma's arm, and began dancing her around the island. Emma laughed as he dramatically twirled her around, bringing her down in a low dip, and then kissed her softly on the lips. He laughed himself when he heard a gagging sound come from Henry's direction.
"Gross," Henry groaned, wishing his mother and Jefferson would be a little less embarrassing in front of their kids. Grace, on the other hand, just giggled and blushed sweetly as she said, "Poppa!"
Jefferson pulled up Emma up and with a wink, crossed over to Grace to pull her into his arms to begin dancing with her as well. David and Snow just shook their heads, laughing over Jefferson's antics. While he might not have been the first choice of suitors for their daughter, he had proven his worth to both of them during the fight against Cora, and they both could see how clearly he adored Emma. It seemed that both Emma and Jefferson had finally found the love they had both been denied in the past, and didn't think they'd ever find again.
Over the next few hours, the six of them worked together to put together the holiday meal. For Emma, it was the first time she had ever really had a chance to celebrate a holiday with her family. Last year's Christmas occurred before the curse on Storybrooke had been broken. Ironically, she was able to celebrate it with her mother, even though neither woman had realized it at the time. No one had truly enjoyed Christmas for a long time, so the celebrations this year were particularly joyful for all.
As they sat down for the meal together, it was clear that all were happy just to be together. Tomorrow would be more challenging for the family, as Henry had plans to spend time with Regina as well as Grace meeting up with her adoptive curse parents. Neither Jefferson nor Emma was looking forward to these plans, but both realized the importance of these people to their children.
Later that evening the remains of the meal had been cleared away, and the Charmings had left for the evening, promising to return first thing tomorrow morning for present opening. Henry and Grace had been unhappy about this turn of events, but both Emma and Jefferson had been adamant that all presents should wait until after Santa had arrived.
Emma sat on the sectional in the living room with Henry and Grace. They each sat on one side of her, watching the fire dance across the logs, as well as the Christmas tree twinkle from the corner. Emma wrapped her arms around both children, pulling them closer to her. She could hardly believe that she could feel as close to Grace as she did Henry, but Jefferson's little girl had wormed her way into her heart as surely as Jefferson himself had.
"Here we go," Jefferson announced, coming into the room holding a tray. "Hot chocolates for all before bedtime." He sat the tray down on the coffee table and began passing them out.
"Two hot chocolates with cinnamon," he continued, handing a mug to Henry and Emma. "One plain with extra marshmallows for Grace, and one with a candy cane for myself." He said, passing a mug to Grace before taking the final one for himself. He went to sit by Henry and gave the boy a nudge on the shoulder. "You and Grace still need to put together that plate of cookies for Santa before bed."
"Aw Jefferson," Henry whined, pulling a face at the man sitting next to him. "Do Grace and I really have to go to sleep? Can't we stay up to wait for Santa?"
Jefferson looked over to Emma, who was smirking at him. "Somehow I don't think that's how Santa's visits work, Henry. I'm pretty sure he wants kids to be asleep."
"Can't we stay up a little later, though, Poppa?" Grace looked around Emma pleadingly. "Maybe watch another TV special like the Grinch?"
"Yeah!" Henry chimed in his support, a whipped cream mustache decorating his face.
Emma just chuckled at the behavior of their children. "Nope, it's nearly bedtime. Finish up the hot chocolates then head upstairs to get ready for bed."
Emma and Jefferson watched in amusement as the two children very obviously tried to draw out drinking their beverages. Finally, when the last dredges had been drawn out as long as they could, Jefferson announced, "Alright, off to bed you two! Emma and I will be up in a little bit to tuck you both in."
Emma watched as two very unhappy children marched out of the living room and up to their respective rooms. "I thought we'd never get them out of here."
"Well, they seemed to have inherited both of our stubborn streaks, that's for sure," Jefferson agreed, sliding over to pull Emma into his arms. "Come here you."
Emma laid her head on his shoulder, sighing in exhaustion. "I am so dead right now."
"Hmmm, you seem pretty alive to me," Jefferson mused, looking down at her. "But maybe I should check for sure."
Emma giggled as Jefferson caught her lips in a soft kiss. Her lips parted as he deepened the kiss, and began to press her into the cushions. Suddenly, the sound of feet pounding down the stairs caused the two to jump apart.
"Mom!" Henry yelled, as he and Grace ran into the room again. "Grace and I forgot to get the cookies for Santa ready!"
"So you did," Jefferson laughed ruefully, looking at Emma with a mildly annoyed expression. She winked at him and mouthed the words, "Later," which brightened his spirits immensely.
"Go on and make up the plate, kids," Emma added, playfully shooing them in the right direction. "Bring the plate in here when you're finished. And don't forget the milk!"
She and Jefferson watched the two scampered off, and she said playfully, "I hope you're prepared to eat more cookies."
"I'm sure I can tuck away a few more," Jefferson replied confidently. "What I'm not so confident about it putting together those bikes we got for the kids. I should have taken your Dad up on his offer to help us this afternoon."
"Shhhh—," Emma hushed, hearing the children return from their task. "Santa shouldn't give away all his secrets."
"Right," he replied, watching Grace rush in with a plate of at least a dozen cookies and Henry hurriedly following with the milk. "Don't you two think that's a bit much for Santa? I mean, he's stopping at all those other houses, too."
"He can take them with him if he can't eat them all," Henry countered, setting the milk down next to the plate of cookies. "We didn't want him to go hungry."
"No, we can't have that," Jefferson muttered, eying the plate warily. "Alright, now it's time for bed. Emma and I are right behind you to tuck you both in, and then we want you to go straight to sleep. Santa can't enter homes of awake children, you know."
They both watched as the two children rushed back out of the room. Emma stood and pulled Jefferson up along with her. "Come on, we have two kids to tuck in, a couple of bikes to try to assemble, and a plate full of cookies to eat before we can get to the fun stuff."
Jefferson just followed Emma out of the room and towards the stairs, muttering, "Why do I think we'll be too tired to get to the fun stuff?"
"Because we're parents, and that's what parents do," she replied happily, giving him a swift kiss before tugging him up the stairs towards the children's rooms. Jefferson followed her with a smile, knowing that even though he and Emma might not get the personal time together they wished for, neither of them would trade this Christmas night for anything.