Disclaimers: None of this is mine

A/N: Yeah, I know what you're thinking. It's barely December and I'm posting a Christmas story. In my defense, I've been subjected to Christmas music at work since the day after Thanksgiving. So it was either this or shoot out all the speakers at work. (I still might shoot out the speakers lol)

"Daddy, I don't think I want any presents from Santa Claus this year."

Surprised, Harm and Jen exchanged confused looks across the table before focusing their attention on their five year old daughter picking at the remains of her breakfast.

"Ariana, honey, why not? You were really excited to see him last night?" Jen asked.

Ariana glanced at Jen for a moment, her little brow furrowed, then turned to her father.

"That was before I saw him kissing Mommy last night."

Harm, who had taken a sip of his coffee just as she spoke, started coughing as the hot drink tried to go down the wrong way. Jen sprang up from her chair and moved over to him, thumping him on the back to try and help. Looking up, he exchanged another look with Jen, wondering how they were going to explain this one.



"I want a pony and a new Barbie and a Barbie townhouse and a dolly and a puppy..." Ariana paused to take a breath. She opened her mouth to continue but Santa spoke up before she could say anything.

"Ho Ho Ho. Slow down little one. You're going a mile a minute there."

"My Daddy says that. I'm Daddy's little chatterbox." She said proudly, then frowned as if just realizing she didn't know exactly what that meant.

Jen hid a smile behind her hand as she watched her daughter practically bouncing up and down on Santa's lap. Turning, she picked up her camera from where she had set it down on the coffee table earlier.

"Let's get another picture so we can show Daddy when he gets home from work."

If possible, Ariana grew even more excited at the mention of her father. She turned to look up at Santa.

"My Daddy's in the Navy. He's a lawyer and a pilot and he helps people." Then she frowned a little. "Unless they're a bad guy. Then he makes sure they get punished."

With some effort Jen managed to get her daughter to sit still long enough to snap a picture of her on Santa's lap.

And then Santa was lifting her up off his lap and standing up himself. He pulled a candy cane out of the sleeve of his coat and presented it to Ariana with a flourish.

"Well little one, it's time for me to go. Remember to be good and listen to your mother and I'll see what I can do about that Barbie."

Jen walked him to the door. After closing it behind him, she turned around to find Ariana standing there holding her candy cane and looking up at her hopefully. Jen just shook her head.

"Not tonight honey. It's time to get ready for bed. Maybe tomorrow."

Jen directed her now pouting daughter upstairs where she helped her get into her pajamas and get her teeth brushed. She was too wound up to fall asleep right away though. Pulling a book out of the bookcase in the room, Jen settled down on the bed next to her daughter. As Ariana snuggled close, Jen started reading 'The Night Before Christmas.'

Turning the last page, Jen looked over to see her daughter's eyes closed. Setting the book down, Jen pressed a kiss to her forehead and pulled the covers up to her chin before leaving the room.

Taking the back staircase downstairs, Jen walked into the kitchen in time to see 'Santa' sticking a Christmas cookie in his mouth. A quick glance at the baking rack showed that wasn't his first one.

"You know, my daughter and I made those special for my husband."

'Santa' turned towards her, for a moment looking just like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Then it was gone and there was something else in those familiar blue-green eyes.

"Really. I'm sure he wouldn't mind my having just one though."

"Oh he would." Jen said, closing the distance between them, a teasing look in her eyes. She reached up, tangling her fingers in his beard and then pulled
it down just enough to reveal his grinning lips. "But then again, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

And with that she stood up on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his, parting them a moment later so he could deepen the kiss. When they broke apart a minute later, she slung her arms loosely around his neck.

"You've been busy today."

Jen glanced up at him but saw he wasn't looking at her. Following his gaze up, she realized he was talking about the mistletoe that was hanging above their heads. She grinned.

"I had to do something while you were at work." She looked back up at him, toying with the edge of his hat. "You know, I've never fooled around with anybody in a Santa suit before."

"Really. We'll have to do something about that then." He said, grinning, as he lowered his head to hers again.

"Maybe Santa was just thanking Mommy for letting him come see you." Harm finally said.

Ariana rolled her eyes the way only a five year old could. And her response was in the matter-of-fact tone that only a five year old could manage.
"Daddy, I'm five, not stupid. There was tongue."

Hearing that, Jen turned and glared at Harm.

He held his hands up defensively. "Whoa, hey, she did not get that from me."

Then Harm turned back to his daughter, a thoughtful look on his face, as something occurred to him. "Wait, hold on young lady. How do you even know about this?"

Suddenly she wasn't looking either of them in the eye anymore. "Cause I was on the staircase in the kitchen."

Jen frowned. "What were you..." She paused as understanding dawned. "Ariana Elizabeth Rabb! Were you sneaking downstairs to get a cookie?"

"But you said I could have one when they cooled! And then Santa came and you forgot."

Jen sighed. "I did, didn't I. I'm sorry about that. But next time, you ask me or you ask Daddy. You don't just help yourself."

"Yes Mommy." Ariana said, hanging her head.

Jen stared at her daughter a minute longer, as an idea came to her.

"You weren't the only one I forgot to give a cookie to last night."

Ariana glanced up, curious.

"We forgot to give Santa a cookie. So he had to come back for it. And then, because he was standing under the mistletoe, Mommy had to give him a kiss too."

"Why?" Ariana asked, frowning in confusion.

Jen shrugged her shoulders slightly. "It's a holiday tradition."

"A tradition that doesn't start till you're thirty." Harm added quickly. "Maybe thirty-five."

Jen smacked him.

"Twenty-five?" Harm asked hopefully, looking up at her.

Jen shook her head. "Try again."

"Can I go play now?" Ariana asked, interrupting her parents' back and forth banter.

Jen looked at her daughter fidgeting in her seat. She breathed a sigh of relief that her explanation had apparently satisfied Ariana. Glancing at her plate to make sure she had eaten most of her food, Jen nodded her head. After Ariana had left the room, Jen turned back to Harm.

"I've got to say though, 'Santa' was a really good kisser. I mean, toe curling good."

Harm looked up at her, seeing the corners of her lips curving upward.

"I'll show you toe curling." He growled in mock annoyance.

Standing up, he pulled her over to the doorway leading into the kitchen where another sprig of mistletoe was hanging from the edge of the door frame. Lowering his head, he kissed her. Jen wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss got deeper.

Across the room, peaking around the edge of the doorway watching her parents, Ariana giggled.