Snow appraised herself in the mirror, running a hand through dark hair that fell around her shoulders as she swayed to the holiday music floating through the air. Pulling her Christmas sweater over her head, she admired the way it stretched over her pregnant belly, making the Santa stitched into the sweater look larger than usual. Barely managing, she hopped into a pair of maternity jeans, adjusting the elastic waistband until they fit snugly over her hips. Finally emerging from the bedroom, Snow found Henry chasing his baby brother in the hall, ruffling his hair as he passed and making sure he knew to be careful. But Henry was always good with his brother.
Waddling through the hall at a much slower pace than her grandson, Snow found Red in the kitchen, staring at a slightly burnt turkey. "Found you." Snow grinned, hooking her arm with her wife's, marveling at how difficult it could be to find anyone when their house was so full. In fact, half the town was here; considered family through one strange situation or another.
"You did." Red replied, pecking her soft lips with a smile before turning back to the turkey and grimacing. "It's ruined." She sighed, leaning on her lover as her lips pouted pitifully.
"It's not ruined, Red! We've eaten much worse than this before, and-"
"I'll bet it's delicious." Emma interrupted as she entered the kitchen, Aurora and Belle following behind, murmuring to each other about the use of their new cell phones. Emma gave Red a supportive smile, maneuvering behind Snow to pull a piece of crispy skin from the bird without her mother noticing. Red gave a nod as Snow was distracted, however the pregnant woman turned at the last second, swatting her daughter's hand.
"So close!" Red whined on Emma's behalf, earning a scowl from her wife.
"Don't encourage her." Snow frowned, appraising her daughter's outfit. Both women were sporting their own festive Christmas sweaters, much to Emma's dismay. Red was wearing one too, underneath her apron. Snow had insisted they all wear them for the family picture.
"Come here my little Grinch," Red grinned, wrapping her arms around her wife and pulling her close. Snow sighed, it only taking a moment before she returned the embrace, Red's kisses on her temple bringing forth a musical giggle. Emma saw this as the opportune moment, grabbing her little piece of turkey and scurrying across the room to where the eggnog was, adding a bit of rum to hers.
"You wore it!" Red suddenly piped up, her face beaming with joy. Snow pulled from her wife's arms to face the doorway again, wondering who it could be now. She nearly had a heart attack at the sight of her step-mother standing there with a covered dish, clad in a tacky Christmas sweater just like the rest of them.
"You told me I had to or I couldn't come." Regina said simply, genuinely trying not to sound resentful as she placed her dessert on the counter with the other completed dishes. Adjusting her sweater a little, Regina's eyes only rested on Snow for a second, determined to ignore that she was the real reason she'd been made to wear it. "I made a pie." She announced, earning a strange look from Snow.
"It's pumpkin." Regina rolled her eyes, her expression growing warmer as she noticed August chasing his son through the doorway, Henry helping him to herd the toddler away from the kitchen.
"Thank you, Regina." Snow offered, her smile bright and friendly.
"Of course. If you'll excuse me," She nodded before making her exit to find her son. The women left in the kitchen whispered and giggled around the turkey about the fact that Regina had actually worn the ridiculous sweater, all parties glad they had today and each other.
Snow stood in front of the Christmas tree, admiring the twinkling lights, dainty hands stroking her round belly absentmindedly. Green eyes focused on a certain ornament, the glass wolf that used to hang around her wife's rearview mirror. The multicolored lights strung around the tree shone through the creature and reflected off of it, the way the light caught the glass making it shine brilliantly. Snow couldn't help but grin at the beautiful image, reminded of her wife. Snow sighed as she felt familiar hands snake around her, resting just above her stomach. She leaned into her lover, eyelids suddenly heavy in her hold.
"What are you thinking about?" Red whispered softly in her ear, conscious of the hour. The party had been long over, Red and Snow the only ones still awake in the room. Emma rested contently on the couch, blond curls still in perfect condition, her head on August's lap. August seemed equally content despite his less than comfortable position, sitting with his head lolling off to the side. Their youngest boy was curled up in Emma's arms, his ruddy red hair just as curly as his mother's. Henry would've likely draped himself over the lot had he been there; however, he was at Regina's for the night.
"Just thinking about how lucky I am." Snow responded softly, turning her head to give her wife a tender kiss, hand gently caressing her jaw. Red tasted of peppermint, her misuse of what were supposed to be decorative candy canes now only bringing a smile to Snow's face.
"I love you." Red whispered first, pulling her wife even closer against her, not wanting to argue tonight about who was really the luckier one between them.
"And I love you too." She smiled softly, thinking that she'd never had a better Christmas in her life.
