Snowflakes, Presents and Surprises

Summery: A perfect family, a perfect surprise, and a perfect tree. Christmas with the Morgan's couldn't be anything less…Journey

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing!

Courtney hummed as she put on the colorful ornaments on the Christmas tree. She paused once in a while to admire the glow from the silver, gold, white, green and red. The tree was positioned perfectly in the corner by the window. There was nothing like sitting by the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate staring at the moon-light reflected tree.

She stood back and examined the tree. Perfect. The ornaments, star and the fake snow at the bottom…it was the best tree in town, she decided. Except maybe if you counted Carly's. However, doing a double take… "No…much better than Carly's."

She made her way over to the stereo. Pressing play she grinned as automatically the room filled with "Jingle Bells".

"Mommy!" The shrill voice startled Courtney and she jumped slightly. Calming herself when she saw her five-year old daughter bouncing down the stairs. "Mommy!"

"Sweetie, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

The blonde girl nodded so enthusiastically that Courtney was sure her head would fall off. The mother cringed at the thought.

"I'm fine! Where is daddy? I want to go play snowballs!"

"Daddy is at work." She got on her knees, eye-level with the girl. "I can take you if you really want to go."

Darla wrinkled her nose. "You're sick. You told me today." She placed her small hands on her mom's forehead. "You said your head hurts."

"I feel better now." She really did feel better, except for the slight nausea, she was as good as new. "So you want to…"

"Daddy!" Darla's scream didn't help her nausea…and her temples started to throb once again. Nevertheless, she got up and smiled as she saw Darla lunge herself at Jason.

"I made a snowflake! Wanna see? Wanna see?"

Jason smiled and ruffled her hair. "Yes I do." The girl cheered and ran back up the stairs as fast as a bullet. Courtney made her way over to Jason.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Morgan back from work…and early none the less."

"Come here." He murmured as he pulled her towards him and gave her a kiss. "What did you do today?"

"Decorated, cooked, cleaned, and threw up."

Jason raised his eyebrow. "Threw up? Are you getting sick?" he felt her forehead. Like father like daughter. Courtney smiled.

"I should not have had some of Carly's eggnog."

"You shouldn't have anything Carly makes."

Courtney laughed and plopped down on the couch, pulling Jason down with her. "Carly is not that bad of a cook. She knows how to make…tea."

Jason smiled lightly. "No she doesn't. Last time she tried she put salt instead of sugar…"

Courtney shrugged. "At least the tea was hot, not like her coffee…" Jason smiled at the memory. His best friend and cooking defiantly did not mix.

His blue eyes darted around the room. It was festive. Courtney was a kid at heart when it came to Christmas…she always was. The windows were covered in fake paper-made snowflakes, and judging by the crooked edges, Darla had done the cutting. Wrapped around the stair railing were fake pine leaves with tiny brown cones embedded in them. The tree…the tree was perfect as usual. Each year it got fancier and fancier…not to mention bigger and bigger. However, Courtney always swore that their first tree with the single Rosie ornament was her favorite.

Courtney…Jason's eyes landed on his wife of almost six years. She was beautiful, especially today. The light blue sweater brought out her eyes perfectly. Her golden blonde hair framed her face almost like a halo, and that glow…There was a certain glow around her as she smiled, but then there always was. He blinked a few times, reluctantly slipping out of his thoughts.

He opened his mouth to say something, but as usual, his daughter bounced down the stairs and jumped onto his lap. "Look at my snowflake. Isn't it beautiful?"

"It sure is…" and indeed it was…covered in glitter with intricate designs spread through out it.

"Mommy said we could hang it in the middle. She called it the angel snow-flake."

Jason raised an amused eyebrow and looked over at Courtney. "She did?"

Courtney nodded. "It's as perfect as though an angel made it." She glanced at Darla, and smoothed out her bouncy blonde hair. "As though my angel made it."

"Which I did!" It was a mother/daughter joke between Courtney and Darla…from the day that Darla was born, Courtney had declared her an angel. Jason smiled and caressed Courtney's cheek. Courtney automatically leaned into his touch…and they say that romance dies after the newlywed stage…

"Darla wants to go to the park today." The blue-eyed beauty looked at Jason and gave a suggestive wink. "Since I'm too sick to go out…"

Jason sighed. "Say no more…"

Darla clapped her hands and hugged Jason. "I'm gonna get my coat!" She, once again, ran back upstairs.

Once his daughter was out of sight, Jason leaned over and kissed Courtney. "Feel better soon…"

Courtney nodded. "I will…after all, I'm not going to miss out on Christmas am I? Which reminds me, we have to be at Carly's by seven…so be back in…" She looked at the clock. "…in three hours."

"Of course…" He smiled as he saw Darla running down the thirty steps, clad in her bright pink fur coat and matching hat. Within minutes, father and daughter were out the door, and within minutes Courtney was running across the hall, banging on Carly's door.

Carly opened the door and looked at Courtney. "What's wrong?"

"Carly! I need your help. I think I'm pregnant."

Carly's mouth dropped in shock. "P—pregnant?" Courtney nodded.

"I've been feeling nauseas, and I missed my…you know…and Jason and I did..." She nodded her head to get the point across. "I need to take a test."

Carly rolled her eyes. "Hell no…we are going to the hospital. Did you buy Jason a present yet?"

Courtney bit her lip and shook her head no…with all the cooking, cleaning and decorating she forgot, and if that was no excuse, the fact that her car was filled with presents for Darla was.

Carly grabbed her friend's hand and proceeded to drag her onto the elevator. "If you are pregnant, the doctors will give you a paper to prove it. You got Jason's present covered, but if you aren't pregnant, I'm pretty sure K-Mart is still open…"

The elevator doors opened and the women got in.

"Oh my god…I can't believe!" Courtney squealed. "I'm pregnant." She glanced down at the piece of paper in her hands and ran her fingertips over the check mark next to "positive".

Carly hugged her. "Can you imagine Jason's face when we tell him?"

Courtney raised an eyebrow at her best friend. "We? No, Carly there is no we…there is only a 'me'. I'm going to tell Jason about this little one." She patted her flat stomach. "You are not going to tell him. I'll tell him, today after the party, okay?" She waited for Carly to nod her head, which she did…reluctantly.

"Okay fine, but you must tell me all the details."

Courtney smiled and wrapped her pinky around Carly's. "Pinky swear…I'll tell you all the details."

By the time Courtney got home, Jason was already sitting on the couch with Darla watching the Christmas edition of Blue's Clues. Courtney smiled at her family, her perfect little family that, after nine months, was going to get a little bigger. She greeted her family, placing a kisses and hugs on both daughter and husband.

She sighed as she curled up on the other side of Jason, opposite of Darla. It wasn't too long before the blonde, blue-eyed five year old began to sing along with Steve and Blue.

"'Cause it's Blue's Clues…blues clues…"

"Jason, we should start getting ready. You know how much Carly loves the fancy dress code at Christmas."

Jason nodded and kissed his wife's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

Courtney smiled. "Much better..."

It took exactly one hour and fourteen minutes for the Morgan family to get dressed in their very best. Jason stood at the bottom of the stairs clad in black pants and a black button-down shirt. He waited for his family to come down. It was a tradition that every year, ever since Darla could walk, she and Courtney would put on a mini-fashion show for the man in their life.

Darla waltzed down first. She was dressed in a pink dress that flared out and was cut below her knees. Her hair was down and the natural curls moved about as she ran over to Jason. Courtney soon followed in her light blue strapless, above-the-knee dress. It sparkled a little in the chest area and the blonde hair framed her perfectly made up face. Jason cleared his throat to try to regain his voice. She was beautiful; Courtney...his Courtney was beautiful.

The three people walked across the hall and were greeted by non other than Sonny, then by Carly, then by Michael…and then by Morgan.

As usual, Sonny had done the cooking and Carly had her favorite Christmas song blaring through the stereo.

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
in the lane, snow is glistening
a beautiful sight,
we're happy tonight,
walking in a winter wonderland.

"Did you tell Jason?" Carly whispered in Courtney's ear as she gave her a hug. Courtney groaned.

"I told you after the party…"

"I know, but I got curious. Can you really blame me? I'm going to be an aunt." Courtney laughed and made her way over to the candle-lit dinner table. Choosing a seat in between her husband and Darla, she gave a warning glance at Carly.

Gone away is the bluebird,
here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song,
as we go along,
walking in a winter wonderland

"Sonny this chicken is absolutely delicious." Courtney praised her older brother.

"I helped make it!" Carly piped up. Sonny laughed and shook her head.

"Carly, Michael was more help than you were." He glanced at his sixteen year old son. The redhead smiled at his father and lightly punched him in the arm.

In the meadow we can build a snowman,
and then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say: Are you married?
We'll say: No man,
But you can do the job
when you're in town.

A few hours later, after the presents were open, the two youngest children fell asleep, and the teenager went to visit his girlfriend, the four adults sat on the couch. Carly gave a little wink to Courtney and turned her head towards Sonny.

"Why don't the two of us give the Morgan's some time alone? Darla is sleeping peacefully, so why don't the two of you…" she pointed to Courtney and Jason. "…go across the hall and celebrate the holiday your own way?"

Courtney laughed and hugged the dirty blonde. "Thank you."

As soon as the door slammed shut, Jason pulled his wife into a passion-filled kiss. She moaned slightly as he pressed her against the wall. He only pulled away when the need for oxygen became unbearable. "I've…wanted to do that since I saw you walk down the stairs."

Courtney laughed and pulled her husband back in for another kiss. This time he wrapped his arms around her small form and carried her over to the couch, placing her underneath him. He broke the kiss and gazed into her big, honest, blue eyes. He slowly caressed her cheek and she leaned into his warm touch. "I need to tell you something." He propped himself on his elbows and kissed her lips lightly.

"What?"

She grinned slyly and reached over fir her purse, pulling out a folded paper. "Merry Christmas."

Jason raised his eyebrows in confusion and sat up, pulling her with him not wanting to break any contact. His eyes widened as he unfolded the paper. "Po—positive?"

Courtney nodded. "Positive…"

"You are pregnant…"

The blonde giggled and nodded. "I'm pregnant."

He pulled her into a kiss and laid a hand on her stomach. "You are pregnant…" he rubbed his wife's abdomen. Tearing his eyes away from the place his child was in, he gazed into Courtney's eyes. "I love you so much."

"I love you too. Jason, you are everything to me. I can't imagine my life without you in it. I can't even think about not being your wife and not having your children."

Jason nodded and kissed her cheek. "I feel the same. You fill everything for me."

"Merry Christmas Mr. Morgan."

"Merry Christmas, Courtney, Merry Christmas."

I hope all of you enjoyed this story! Please leave some feedback! Merry Christmas everyone!