Ho-ho-ho…Welcome, all!

Looks like you found yourself curious about a Sparia-filled holiday fic, huh? Well look no further.

First and foremost, if you're are not familiar with me, I am your author, Acquired Madness *Bows head*

For those who have read my work, I am here, yet again, for your Sparia drug-like needs.

In this short, multi-chaptered fic, we will experience the holiday season from Spencer and Aria's point of view as they bring in the upcoming festivities with not only themselves but with the special appearances from their families.

That's right. For the first time since being together, it's going to be a Montgomery-Hastings Christmas filled event.

The following chapter you're about to embark on is the introduction to the fic. Within the next 4k words, you will gain an understanding of what kind of Sparia you're reading. Now, in this story, I wanted these two girls to be a bit older and more "seasoned" -so to speak- than a "highschool Sparia", "College Sparia", or even "Fresh Grad. Sparia". Now, of course, writing Christmas in the year of 2015 while having everyone older than what they're supposed to be at this time, it will be confusing if, and only if, you try to base this off the timeline on the show. If you do that, you will get lost. However, don't fret! I have explained everything you need to know to understand and enjoy this story.

So without further ado, sit back, lie down, nuzzle up with some holiday treats and enjoy the prologue to "Holiday Memories".

Happy holidays to you, you precious soul out there. I hope you enjoyed the celebrations this weekend.

If you didn't, let my story be a personal present to you because, ultimately, it is for your entertainment after all :)

CHAPTER #1: Prologue

Italics means thoughts, emphasized word or action. Bolded is a flashback. (….) is an indication that time has passed

The light clicking of heels hitting the hardwood flooring taps its way across hallway of the second floor, down the stairs, and can be heard throughout the first floor until it stops in its place at a particular part of the home. Spencer bites the corner of her bottom lip as she looks at her iPad, trying to understand her next move in her schedule. Standing at the top of their sitting area, the warm and cozy open space is highlighted by a vaulted ceiling framing and Palladian style window that transports the beautiful day and its bright lights to bring a sense of peace into the sitting area. Also with the built-in media cabinet and a cozy window seat adjacent to a stone fireplace, Aria leans her head back against the wall of her window seat as she concentrates on her laptop screen that's rested on her outstretched legs. With her stone beige, hand knit slippers with red pompoms crossed at the ankles, she soaks in the beauty of the day with the sun's beam illuminating her face and short, highlighted haircut almost like an angelic painting.

"So, since we finally figured out whose coming and everything that needs to get ready…" Spencer's finger glides over the screen of her tablet, opening another application, "We have to decide what we're going to bring to the table for the Christmas Eve dinner so we can go shopping for it among with the other things we have to get."

"Christmas Eve dinner?" Aria scrunches up her face with her brows pinched in confusion as her sight was still glued to her computer screen, "I thought we were having a Christmas dinner."

Spencer's eyes drift up to Aria laying in the corner of the room, "Christmas?" She shakes her head and goes back to her tablet, ignoring Aria's comment, "No. No, we're having a Christmas Eve dinner."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Because that's how you're supposed to do it?"

"But a big Christmas Eve dinner?" Aria questions the topic of discussion, not even once lifting her eyes from her computer with all her concentration invested in it, "That night is supposed to be a casual dinner as family arrives from out of town not a huge feast."

"Aria," Spencer lowers her pad with heavy sigh. Dressed in a leather sleeved grey blazer over a dark gold, light sweater, black fitting jeans and grey ankle boots, her heels click across the open space as she walks over to Aria who briefly peeks at the brunette approaching her before she went back to her computer, "Christmas day should be laid back, not shuffling and going crazy in the kitchen for a big dinner. You do the dinner on Christmas Eve night then you relax on Christmas day." Taking a seat at the end of the window panel bench, Aria slides her legs off to the side to give Spencer room before she places her legs on Spencer's lap for a resting spot. "I don't know about you but I prefer being lazy on Christmas. Plus, the sandwiches made from the leftovers are glorious, if I may add." Spencer smirks with a subtle head nod as her hand softly strokes the shin of Aria's leg through her dark blue skinny jeans, "Besides, we literally have two days and everyone is coming tomorrow. So, it's Christmas Eve dinner whether you like it or not."

"Oooookay, Spencer Hastings JD." Aria waves a hand in the air, mocking Spencer's 'authority'. For the first time since their conversation started, Aria pulls away from her computer, tilting the screen downwards as she holds eye contact with the brunette caressing her leg, "But that means you gotta do something for me."

"Why?" Spencer narrows her eyes as she drops her head down and unlocks her pad, "Just because we're not taking your chaotic route on a supposed to be lax day?"

"Mhmm. I want you to make me a Peppermint Affogato."

"Fine...I'll make it for your desert for tomorrow."

Aria cocked her head slightly to one side as she watched Spencer tap away on her tablet in almost disgust and hurtfulness, "Uhm no. I want it right now."

"What?" Spencer frowned with her eyebrows as she took herself away from her device at looked at Aria who looks back at her expectantly of her request being fulfilled.

"Yep. Go ahead and click clack your way to the kitchen and start to making." the small brunette slides her legs off Spencer's lap and leans forward, pushing her off the ledge to her feet, "Get the Bryers' Peppermint Wonderland ice cream, you already know how I like it. Four scoops of the ice cream-"

"2 small espresso shots and a sprinkle of the whipped toppings. I know, I know." Spencer sluggishly stands on her feet as she finishes Aria's sentence, already familiar with what she wanted on her well-liked desert.

"Actually ditch the toppings and stick a candy cane in there." Aria corrects the brunette walking away as she lifts her laptop screen up, "Oh!" she snaps in remembrance, "And add 1 ½ ounce of the peppermint Kahlua. I'm feeling risqué."

Spencer spins back around in Aria's direction with her eyebrows pinched, not knowing if she heard her correctly or if she really asked what she did, "You want it with liquor?"

"Liqueur, Spencer." Aria emphasis in her best impression of an English accent as she glides her middle finger on the mouse pad of her laptop, staring at the screen as she was doing earlier before Spencer walked in on her, "The taste of Kahlua speaks to me right now."

Spencer shakes her head with a roll of her eyes, ignoring Aria's request as she began to walk across the open floor towards the hallway, "We have to go shopping, Aria. You can't have alcohol this early in the day."

"It's only one ounce soaked into the ice cream!" Aria calls out defensively with a slam of her laptop closing, "I'm not going to get shit-face wasted. It's not even possible."

"No, we're leaving now." Spencer turns to her whiny girlfriend as she rubs her left temple, "Come on, get up. You'll have it when you get back." Knowing the amount of things they have to get together, Spencer is in no mood to waste time since the crunch down to Christmas is within days. The last thing she wants to do is be held up by other late shoppers.

"But I want it now." Aria hops to her feet, crossing her arms with her laptop left on top of the window seat cushions, "I don't even ask for much. All I want is a sweet treat, that's it."

"And you'll get it later." Spencer annoyingly reiterates, "But for now, we need to go." Without waiting for a response back, Spencer and her heels tap their way out of their sitting area. However, after a few seconds, Spencer realizes her footsteps were lone with the lack of Aria's feet moving behind her. Spencer stops once again, taking a deep breath to herself before she turns around, "Aria, can we please-" Spencer's pleas were cut off short at the sight of seeing Aria with her eyes widen, dramatically dejected, and lips pulled down into a frown.

"All I want is ice cream, Spencer." Aria's chin trembles as her face fell apart, broken at the seams from her previously happy demeanor, "That's…." her breath hitches as she feels the sensation of tears ready to fall from her large, hazel eyes, "That's all I wanted. You and your wonderful hands to make me a Peppermint Affogato."

Spencer slowly shakes her tilted head to herself, biting her lips to prevent the smile that waa creeping on her face, "Ok, fine....I'll make it." the brunette rolls her eyes into the oblivion for falling for such a performance that was put on for her, "You and your fake tears."

The once sad look immediately morphs into a giddy, excited one as Aria merrily grins, prancing into Spencer's direction with her arms extended, "Thank you, thank you, baby!" she clings onto Spencer's neck as she gazes up at her with such admiration in her eyes, "You look very pretty, by the way. I really like the swoop of your bangs today. It just looks so…" Aria squints her eyes as she focused on Spencer's hairstyle, trying to find the right word to express her appreciation for them, "…swoopy."

Spencer lets out an amused chuckle as she wrapped her arms around the smaller brunette's lower back with her tablet still in hand, "Yeah, yeah, whatever." she pursed his lips with doubt, causing a soft giggle to escape Aria's lips, "Just be ready by the time I'm finished, okay?"

"Okay." Aria agrees as she reaches up and gives a sweet and affectionate kiss to Spencer. Lasting for mere seconds, Aria smiles into the kiss as she glances up into Spencer's soft brown eyes. Although, Spencer could be domineering and very anal about certain things, there are just certain things that could bring her to submission very quickly. And Aria is one of them. "Can you make sure that you actually put an ounce ½ of Kahlua in it, please?" Aria asks with a slight whine to her bid as she holds her hopeful smile. Spencer scoffs out a laugh and breaks away from their embrace, giving Aria a knowing look before she walks off down the hallway towards the kitchen, the heel of her boots clicking underneath her with authority in her step. "That means yes, right?!" Aria calls out for the brunette as she stands alone in their open sitting area, "Right?!"

….

Unlocking their vehicle with a press of a button as Aria operates the garage control, Spencer hops into the driver seat of her black 2008 BMW 328i parked inside their 2.5 car garage. Seemingly having their lives put together, living inside an updated, modern townhouse with 3,178 square feet in Albany, New York, both girls would attest that their road to get where they were was anything but easy. Having their history go back for some time, since their college years at Penn, Spencer and Aria have grown with one another to the point they couldn't live their without each other. Having the generic route of being really good friends before everything, it was only after certain instances into their friendship that they inquired special feelings for each other. At first, feeling almost forbidden, they didn't act on those notions. However, after growing unbearably stronger and stronger, they tried their hand in terms of a relationship, knowing that their friendship held in the balance if it went wrong. Fortunately, they haven't turned back since. Both being Penn graduates, life was particularly interesting after college.

Entering the real word with a Legal Studies bachelor's degree, Spencer went from organizing notes in her classes from organizing notes in the courtroom as a paralegal. Thinking that the grass was going to become green and healthy finding a promising job at a law firm, the reality of being an American working-class citizen hit her specifically hard in ways she didn't think would happen to her. Working at her first job out of college was especially grueling from the long hours to high demand from her superiors and the rudeness of her coworkers. Although she knew what she got herself into the moment she decided to work in Law, this job washed away her innocence fairly quickly. The multiple short-term deadlines, rising workloads and high-dollar stakes combined caused Spencer's lifestyle to change. When she couldn't make it home after a long days' worth of work, she slept on a couch in the office for occasionally up to a week at a time, showering at the gym in the building. It became such a pattern for her that she kept a fresh, extra outfit and complete make-up set in her office. When she would have those blissful days when she would finish work at 3-5 am, she would drive home, shower, sneak an hour or two of sleep if she could, then be back at the office for another 18-20 hour day. If it wasn't her skin turning grey from the lack of sun she received or the anxiety that wakes her up at night, she became afraid to turn off her phone at night in case she got an email from a superior. Not ending there, the disrespect hurled in her direction from not only her boss who lacked a few essential brain cells but by clients because of the lack of communication from her superior, she and Aria knew that she had to leave that firm. Parting ways in hopes of finding a better working environment, she found herself in a smaller firm that held not so great reviews. Unknowingly when she started, Spencer quickly found the door and left her second firm job.

With her other half, dabbling with her art studies degree, mixing her passions together -Art, photography, and writing- Aria has been all three at one point. Starting off first with writing while holding up a job at a Fine Art Gallery as an assistant, she worked constant, long nights and finally published her first novel called, "Under the Sun". The work, however, received some attention but not nearly as much as a hopeful, aspiring writer would want. From that point on, things became extremely ominous from her and Spencer's standpoint. For a few months with Aria being the only one with a job and Spencer searching for some kind of new job opportunity, not only did their financial stance take a hit because her lack of employment, so did their living situation. Unable to pay for the things they once were able to and lacked being able to buy the things they need, Aria couldn't stand to see Spencer so low when she had a steady job. To Aria, Spencer and here were one so if one of them was struggling, they both were. That's when the testimony of their love came into play. Having the car her parents gave to her since she was in high school, Aria offered to sell her vehicle and opted to take the city's mode of transportation just for some kind of extra money to have in between them. Spencer wildly rejected Aria's suggestion, never wanting her to do such a reckless act just to help her during her hard times. Nonetheless through Spencer's warning, Aria sold it anyway. Because of the year and other factors against it, the car didn't sell for much but it at least gave them something to float on. Not lasting long, however, in such an expensive city, it wasn't long before their apartment also became a problem seeing that they weren't able to afford it with just Aria's income and the small money her and Spencer had. Having to downsize, in the quest of scaling the internet for people looking for roommates, they found a small room with their own bathroom in an apartment with a 26 year old female grad student who was an avid smoker. Even though they wished to find a better location and living arrangement, the monthly rent was pretty much unbeatable. At this point of desperation, where some young adults would go to their parents for help, either going back home, asking for money or a hookup in means of a job, Spencer refused. Not wanting to go back home a failure, she stuck it out with Aria and kept on going through their hardships.

After countless interviews and interviews, saving money and sacrificing things for an easier living for a collected amount of time, Spencer started to lose hope with everything. With such a promising future she saw herself having, the lifestyle she was living was overwhelming to say the least. Feeling bad for dragging Aria along when she had every opportunity to hit the door and do things for herself, Spencer would constantly beg Aria to leave her, telling her to go out and live her young life instead of spending her youth being crammed in a room with hardly any food to eat at times. No matter how hard Spencer would push, Aria never left her side. She loved Spencer so much that she was willing to go through the struggling times with her, no matter how long it might take although she knew another chance at a revival was soon to come. And with her ray of hope in the darkness, Aria was right. Through hard work, perseverance, and sleeping in a room the size of an actual closet, Spencer found a light that ultimately led them to the Promised Land. Snagging a job at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP -a respectable law firm in the city- things finally started looking brighter. With the money starting to roll in again, Spencer and Aria were able to move out of their room and have their own place again. Working with her foot in the water of being a paralegal for a total of about 2 years, it only drove Spencer to climb even higher in the ranks to become her own boss. With the benefits and help with her firm, Spencer went back to the books and gained admission to Penn's Law school to future her education.

As Spencer began her three year stint at Penn, Aria decided to stop her writing and go into art specifically. Meeting like-minded people through networking, for a small time, she began running with a group of freelance artists that would make and sell their own art out of recycled objects work for a profit. Using the knowledge and skill she used from them, she had created and sold a few art pieces herself. Randomly striking it rich and selling a particular piece, she made $5,000 off a sculpture she created of the top-half of a pinup girl made entirely out of old vinyl records to represent the golden era. Seeing the creativity in Aria's work, the piece was sold to a young entrepreneur who loved the rock and roll era of the fifties. From creating things with her hands to capturing moments, Aria then experimented with her third and lastingly beloved passion of photography. From that side of the artistic field, forming and expanding her portfolio, she has won a handful of awards and mentions like Top Ten Young and Talented Photographers 2014 by My Modern Metropolis and Capture the Moment Photography Competition and has even had been commissioned by various publications like Businessweek, Farrar, and TIME magazine for her fine art, conceptual portrait photographs. However, hitting the break she needed early this year while Spencer was finishing up Law school, Aria took a risky route in means for creativity. Mixing her infatuation for photograph and writing, Aria went on to publish her second novel that wasn't quite like her counterparts. Her novel had a fictional story of dreamy escapism, the blindness of love, and the heartbreaking disappointment of dreams like any other story that's created in that sense. The difference that caught the attention of many? It has no words; it's completely wordless. Some would even say it's a graphic novel but it didn't quite fit that mold. Inside the book holds photographs, taken by her, that tells a story in a frame-by-frame style that is more reminiscent of film than of comic books. From this, the readers are brought in to the story in a much more personal way. Creating her characters, setting, and plot like any other work, Aria used real people to become her characters, real settings, and real scenarios to bring her book to life. The detailed and sometimes graphic images provided a story with universal relevance, painting a picture so vivid, it was hard to believe there were no words conveying the message. Through beautifully photographed facial expressions and gestures, the reader follows frame by frame as they meet two teenagers, one boy and one girl, coming from similar backgrounds of a dark past and broken homes that decide to runaway together in hopes of creating their own destiny and making a better lives for themselves. However, as the story progresses, it shows you the vicious cycle of life. Taking the country by storm, "Neverland", has gotten Aria both massive public and critical praise for her creative work. Taking the win for the Locus Award of Best Art Book, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for excellence in graphic storytelling and The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction were just some of the commendation she has gotten this year.

As Aria found her way, Spencer graduated in May of 2015 with her Juris Doctor degree, passing both her Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination during her last year and her bar exam that July after graduation. Going into the fall, she was certified with her license to practice law and become a criminal defense attorney. Both girls at the age of 27, Spencer landed herself a job at a big-time firm in a different location of a city. Leaving everything they had in Philadelphia, Spencer and Aria traveled up north to New York where she became a 1st year associate at E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy Law Firm. All while being held down by Aria whose main job is to keep Spencer on her feet and put together, they both know -Spencer especially- how important Aria is to her. With the chaos and fast-paced living of her career, if it wasn't for Aria being her peace of mind, Spencer probably would have been on her way to burn out right now. In a new territory starting a new life, a home was brought to call their own. Buying a townhouse that was remodeled for sound and style by its previous owner, the modern luxury 3 bedroom, 3 ½ bathroom house was opened for business as the girls get ready to spend their first winter in New York with both their family flying out for the Christmas holiday.

"So basically what we need to get is the lights for both the tree and around the house, some décor, some ornaments, and last minute gift shopping." Spencer recaps to Aria sitting in the passenger seat, enjoying her small, boozed filled desert that Spencer whipped up before they left, "Oh, and don't forget to remind me that we have to pick out stockings for everyone coming in. Put their names on it and fill it up with junk and stuff."

Aria takes a spoonful of ice cream and shoves it in her mouth, sliding it out slowly to make sure she cleaned off the spoon, not missing a drop, "Lights, decorations, ornaments, gifts, and stockings." she repeats with her mouth full, "Got it." Spencer reaches over and turns on the heat, putting the air to 72 degrees as she approaches a stop sign. Ever since they've entered December, the weather hasn't been showing for it with not only New York but majority of the east coast deprived of snow and sometimes given odd warm weather coming into the holidays. "So Mike texted me earlier and said that he was bringing his girlfriend over to come celebrate with us." Aria mentions to Spencer as she pulled out her phone from her purse and hooked it up to the car charger.

"Mona?"

"Who else? If it was some other girl she wouldn't be coming over here."

"Why not?" Spencer lets out a gasp in a form of laughter, hearing the seriousness in Aria's voice as she glances over to brunette who is eating her desert while scrolling through her phone.

"Because…." Aria shrugs, looking back at Spencer with a disgusted take for an appearance, "You have to put in time to be invited to a Montgomery function like Christmas. Halloween? That's one thing but Christmas?" Aria leans back into the beige passenger seat with a dissatisfied head-shake, "Na uh. You can't date my brother for a couple months then waltz into my home, eat my food, and then sit our table like you belong there. You have to earn those privileges. You have to prove your loyalty to us Montgomerians before you can come to any family gathering."

"Alright, Lord Farquaad, we get it." Spencer laughs in amusement to Aria's logic as she turns on her left turn signal, trying to squeeze herself into the left lane, "You don't like outsiders."

"Mmmmnope." the brunette takes in another spoonful of her ice cream shamelessly, "Besides, I've always been picky with the girls Mike brings home."

"How long have they been dating?"

"For about 2 years, I think? They've been on and off before then but I like her compared to the others. She's intelligent, confident, and full of drive…" Aria turns to Spencer with a lingering smile on her face, "Like you." For a brief second, Spencer glances at Aria, matching her smile as she tried to hide the redness forming behind her cheeks, "Montgomerys' need women like that. They bring out the best in us." Spencer's smile grows even wider as she kept her eyes on the road, shaking her head dismissively as she continues to feel Aria's gaze on her. Locking her phone and putting it to the side, Aria extends out her hand for Spencer to hold. After they interlocked their fingers, Aria raises the back of Spencer's hand to her mouth as she placed a soft kiss on it before she rested their hands on top of the arm rest in the middle of them.

"Alright…" Spencer sighs out, looking into her rear-view mirror as she merges onto I-787 North through the ramp to Troy, "First stop. Crossgates Mall…"

With guest flying in and Christmas right around the corner (in this story anyway), it's time for some last minute shopping and decorations. I think this is going to be a fun ride, don't you? Can't you just *clutches fist* feel the spirit? Can't you?!

How do you like the synopsis of Sparia's backstory? It'll play a nice role in the future chapters as we move along. The bond two people gain when they go through the struggles of the world to eventually come out on top and overcome their obstacles definitely causes the relationship to become stronger more than anything. Although I couldn't sit and do a play by play, detailed demonstration of their hardships, hopefully I brought it home enough for you to imagine and feel the emotions that they went through.

Value the ones you hold dear this season. Whether it's a family member, friend, or even a stranger that you enjoy the company of, don't forget to let them know that they mean something to you! We're not all mind-readers and it feels nice to give/receive a some kind of token of appreciation every once and a while.

I'm going to push out these chapters as quickly as I can so hopefully this introduction hooked you in. Until next chapter, happy holidays! Don't be hesitant to leave a review for a fellow writer :)