"Daddy, where are we going?" Diana asked as Nick helped her get on her coat, while Adalind got Kelly ready.
"To Uncle Monroe's and Aunt Rosalie's house, to help them decorate for Christmas"
With the Fuchsbau pregnant with their first child, the bludbadt had been very insistent that his wife take it easy, which meant her not doing any heavy lifting when it came to holiday decorating. So Rosalie had recruited the others to help her husband put up the hundreds of boxes worth of decorations, so he would not be doing it all by himself, plus, no doubt, bothering her, making sure she would resting and relaxing.
Nick and Adalind had thought it to be a great bonding opportunity for their family. For Diana to experience traditional holiday events, like decorating and baking cookies.
With Adalind and Diana being hexenbiests and having the ability to levitate objects, it should make decorating a lot easier.
At least the inside of the house. Not a good idea for the neighbors to see objects floating in the air and a blonde with her mini version standing under them.
When they arrived at the house, Rosalie greeted them at the door as they were ascending the stairs.
"I think my husband has lost his mind and I'm pretty sure the boxes multiplied in the attic. There seems to be more this year than there was last year."
"Well it's a good thing we brought some extra helpers." Nick smile reassuringly at the woman, he would not have put it past his wesen best friend to have bought more decorations without his wife knowing.
"Now remember Diana,' Adalind nelt down, speaking softly to her daughter, " most of these decorations will be very old and very fragile, so you have to be careful with them."
"I know mommy. Treat them gently like I treat Kelly gently" The mini hexenbiest assured her mother.
"That's right."
Adalind had discussed with her daughter about how important everything in the house was to Monroe, and that the little girl should think of the objects like his children. Just like Adalind was always careful with her baby, so Diana should be careful with Monroe's things.
The mini hexenbiest understood perfectly and promised to be careful. Not wanting to upset the friend of her mommy and daddy.
A friend who promised to let her help him make lots of Christmas cookies.
With the whole group pitching in, it was no time at all before the entire house was decorated. Nick and Monroe did the outside of the house themselves, not wanting to take any chances with hexenbiest magic, and it being easier on their minds that the women, and children, they loved were safe inside the house.
Both men had become much more protective. Though no one could blame them, after everything that had happened.
Neither man was ever going to take his life, or his loved ones, for granted. Knowing full well that anything in this world could take what they held dear away.
So it was with genuine smiles on their faces that they announced they were done with the decorating and it was time for some baking.
Using nothing but all organic, all natural ingredients of course.
Rosalie had to make sure she kept her husband from going on a tirade about how using artificial vanilla during the holidays would be sacrilegious.
No one wanted to have to explain to Diana about the crazy bludbadt losing his mind over baked goods.
Diana got very excited when it came to decorating the gingerbread cookies. There were cutters of every shape and size, so Diana could make an entire gingerbread family if she wanted. Nick helped her put together a gingerbread house for her cookie family.
Diana barely used magic the entire time, instead wanting to play with everything using her hands.
The whole group was thrilled to see the little girl so happy and behaving like a normal little girl.
Adalind, herself, fought back tears tears of joy the whole day. She was so happy to have her family celebrating the holidays. She finally had a family filled with love and acceptance. Everything she ever wanted but never believed she could have.
Hexenbiests didn't get happily ever after. That's never how the stories ended for her kind.
But falling in love with Nick had changed that. Because of him, she had lots of people who cared about her and her children. People who shared with her their family traditions.
Adalind had never made christmas cookies or decorated a big tree. Catherine Schade had never been one for doing anything holiday or domestic.
But Kelly and Diana will not miss out like Adalind did. They will get to do all the silly, festive, fun holiday stuff for years to come. Thanks to Nick and his friends.
"Look mommy, daddy helped me make a pretty house." Diana expressed excitedly, interrupting her mother's thoughts.
The house looked like Nick and Diana had poured the contents of a candy store all over it. Not a single space of gingerbread could be seen.
"It's beautiful honey." Adalind said to her daughter.
Monroe and Rosalie spoke their agreement to the girl that her house was wonderful.
Diana was so proud of it. More so because her new daddy had helped her with it.
To the adults, that was the only thing that mattered, and not if the house would look like something featured on a Christmas card.
They continued on with the cookie baking and decorating.
Adalind had to more than a few times, stop a cookie that was floating in mid air and heading directly to the little blonde girl. Who actually smiled all innocent, as if she had done nothing.
"These cookies are not for Christmas. And I know who have already been eating too much candy since we have been here." Adalind scolded her daughter. "And that goes for you too" She says looking at Nick. "Don't think I didn't see you sneak some treats."
Nick actually gives her the same innocent "I haven't done anything and even if I did you love me to much to be mad at me" smile Diana did.
Adalind thinks Nick is having more of an influence on her daughter than should be good.
If the two of them teamed up against her, then got Kelly on their side, she was going to have a hard time keeping them eating healthy food and staying out of unneeded danger.
After spending a couple more hours baking, all of the clocks in the house notified Nick and Adalind that it was way passed the children's bedtime.
After helping cleaning up messes, everyone said their goodbyes. With promises they would see each other on Christmas day.
As she tucked her into to bed, Adalind asked Diana, "Did you have fun today?"
"Yes mommy, I had lots of fun. I like decorating and making cookies."
''I'm sure you did, but how about less eating next time."
Diana giggled. Obviously she thought her mother's suggestion was silly.
Adalind kissed her daughter goodnight. Nick came into the room and did the same. Then the two adults headed to their own room.
"Nick" Adalind said softly, as they got into bed. "I wanted to thank you for giving me a chance. Without you I don't think I would ever know what love or even a home felt like. Because of you, and of course your friends, I get to have, and give my children, the kind of Christmas I had only ever seen in movies."
That's when the tears finally flowed from her eyes. "You are like my own Christmas miracle."
Nick gathered Adalind in his arms, holding her tight. He said nothing. No words he could come up with could express what he was feeling. So instead, he held her, stroked her hair and gave a thanks to some higher power that had given him the Christmas gift he had longed for since he was a teenager.
A family.