Highly recommended to read Peace & Joy before this!

A/N: Yeah, yeah - I know it's Valentine's Day not Christmas, but you guys didn't want to wait all the way until Christmas 2016 for this did you? I didn't think so :)

Happy Valentine's Day from this fun little Caskett universe. Remember: the story was set in 2009.

Christmas 2010

Kate Rodgers was having the most delightful dream. She skated around the lake behind the mill as fluffy white snowflakes fell around her. The day was warm and she could almost feel the breeze dusting across her skin as she went. It combed back the hair on the right side of her face as the soft voice of her husband calling out her name filtered into her ears. She soon felt the dream slip away as reality tugged her to consciousness. She grumbled, fighting to hold onto it, but it was no use; the gentle fingertips skimming over her cheek were too powerful a force to fight. She opened her eyes and saw a pair of blue eyes watching her; she smiled.

"Merry Christmas beautiful."

"Mm Merry 'ismas." She mumbled through a yawn.

"Sorry to wake you, but your family's going to be here in about twenty minutes and I thought you'd want to at least be somewhat alert for them."

Kate lifted her hands over her head, pressing her palms flat against the headboard as she arched her back and stretched out her legs. "Whatimzit?"

"Shortly after eight."

Yawning again, she pushed herself up into a reluctant sitting position. Gazing over at the man kneeling beside her, she saw he was already dressed in a sweater and khaki pants. "How long have you been up for?"

He shrugged. "Forty minutes maybe. I know, I know—I woke up that long before you. Be shocked. You've been such a sleepyhead lately." He pressed a kiss onto her forehead before gesturing towards the coffee mug he'd left for her on the end table.

She glanced over at it, but didn't reach for it. Instead, she stared at it for several moments, her fingertips knotting together in her lap. As alertness filtered through her, her heart began to flutter with nervous excitement. If her father, aunt and uncle were arriving soon, she had no time to waste, which did not aid in her anxiety. She didn't think he'd have a bad reaction—truly. Ninety-nine point nine chance of a happy ending, she guessed, but still, she was nervous.

Not wanting to prolong the moment too much longer, Kate slipped her hand into the drawer of the bedside table. She pulled out the black rectangular box and dropped it into her lap before raking her hands through her hair and twisting it into a messy bun atop her head. "I'm glad you woke me because, ah, I want to give you one of your gifts before everyone gets here."

A grin exploded on Rick's face as though he were a child discovering a brand new shiny toy beneath the Christmas tree. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Though butterflies filled her belly, she couldn't help but smile in mirror of his expression as she passed the box to him. "Sorry I didn't wrap it but…well, you'll see."

She made the decision the morning before—right after she got the results. Though part of her wanted to jump in her car and drive right to the tree lot to tell him, she knew she couldn't do it publicly. Even in front of her family was too public. This was for them—their moment. It was scary and beautiful. Wonderful and exhilarating. Nerve-wracking and future-changing. But it was theirs.

Her fingers twisted together again as soon as Rick plucked the box from her palm. He made a flippant sound as he pinched the top half of the box between his index finger and thumb. "Wrapping just delays the actual present. Now what do we have h…" His voice drifted off when he flipped the box lid open and saw what lay inside.

Kate studied his face closely and felt her stomach lurch when he said nothing for three, five, ten seconds. He stared down at the object, his mouth slightly agape, his upper body as stiff as if he'd been frozen by the sub-zero New England winds. Finally, she had to break the silence.

"I, um, I know we said we wanted to wait. I mean, we've barely been married two months, but I guess mother nature had other plans." She tried to keep her tone light, but the anticipation of his reaction was killing her. She'd been thinking about it ever since she flipped over the stick to find two parallel lines. She had been shocked, happy, and terrified, but she knew her emotions would pale in comparison to his.

She knew Rick wanted another child more than anything, and she was all too happy to give him that child—for that child to be theirs—but with their romance already feeling like a whirlwind, they agreed to wait. And, more importantly, plan. But, in a way, this was better; their own Christmas present.

Rick picked up the pregnancy test in his hand, cradling it as though it contained the hidden secrets of the universe. "You're pregnant?"

He looked up at her with his tearful expression and her uncertainty smile blossomed into a beautiful grin. She reached out and cupped his face with her hand while humming out her response. "I'd been feeling it for about a week, I guess. A little underlying nausea, being extra tired. I thought it was because it's been so cold and I was out at the tree lot longer than I should have been probably but…guess not."

His amazement continuing, Rick glanced down at the test once more. "You're really pregnant?"

"I took two tests just to be sure but I only kept the one," she added with a light laugh.

Rick opened his mouth, but no sounds exited. He was too overcome with his emotions. Silenced by joy, excitement, and no small amount of surprise, he simply pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her almost painfully tight. Though he tried to stop them, tears began flowing from his eyes at even intervals. He felt Kate's arms tighten around him and her fingertips dance through the soft hairs at the base of his neck. This action only fueled his emotion, and he sucked in a rattled breath.

A baby; they were going to have a baby. A little boy or a little girl—he didn't care. Fatherhood had been torn from him years earlier and it was a long journey getting back to the place where he wanted it desperately, but he was there and he did. And now his beautiful, wonderful, incredible wife was giving it to him—and for Christmas, no less.

After several minutes, he managed to get his emotions in check and pulled out of their hug. He wiped his eyes with this knuckles and sniffed back from tears before giving the woman tucked beside him a long kiss. Bumping his nose against hers he said, "This is the best Christmas present ever."

"Yeah?" She asked, stroking her thumb against his cheek. "You're happy about this?"

"Wha—are you kidding!?" he practically squeaked and she laughed. "We're going to have a baby! Next Christmas there will be a baby here—a baby!"

"Yeah, babe, I know how pregnancy works," she chuckled at his enthusiasm.

"Sorry! Sorry! I just…I…I'm going to be a father again." The realization hit him again and he was once again rendered speechless until his wife kissed his cheek and told him that she loved him.

"I love you, too; so much!"

"So…" She began, placing her hands in his. "You wanna tell everyone this morning or do you want to wait? I mean…I think you're supposed to wait a few months just in case."

He nodded. "You're right; you're supposed to wait. So let's tell everyone!"

Kate laughed. "Sounds good to me."

He grinned and kissed her before sliding off the mattress, "I'm going to go start breakfast! Best Christmas ever!"

Christmas 2011

Kate Rodgers awoke suddenly and sat up with a half gasp. She took a deep breath to calm her heart rate and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, waiting for the baby's cry, but it never came.

Strange.

As of late, the only reason she'd been ripped from sleep had been by the cries of her son. Not that she minded; it was simply one of the less amazing parts of motherhood.

Slowly, she began to lie back down only to realize the bed was empty. Curious as to where her husband was at one-fifteen on Christmas morning, Kate stuffed her feet in her slippers, grabbed her robe, and yawned as she made the short trip to her son's room. She stopped in the doorway when she saw him.

Rick stood at the foot of the crib, his hands resting gently on the rails. Despite the dim light, she could see him gazing down lovingly at the resting little boy. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched him watching their child.

Her husband was, without any question or doubt, an incredible father. From the moment Ethan was born, Rick had been there for every diaper change, every sleepless night, and every feeding. Every time she was too exhausted to stand, fearful of dropping her child for the muscles in her arms had turned to jelly from rocking and bouncing, he was there, walking the halls and never once complaining. However much she thought she loved him before paled in comparison to how much she loved him now—how much she loved them both.

Kate stepped into the room and quietly wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. He lifted one hand up to rest on her forearm and she kissed the back of his neck. "Santa doesn't deliver presents unless you're sleeping." She whispered to him.

He let out a short chuckle. "Then I guess I'm getting coal this year."

She gazed into the crib to make sure Ethan was still on his back and sleeping soundly. After verifying all was well, she took Rick's hand and guided him back to their bedroom.

"I, ah, woke up, couldn't get back to sleep so I just kind of wandered in there." He confessed once they were back in bed. "I just love watching him sleep."

"I just love when he sleeps," she countered with a grin.

Once they were beneath the covers, Kate rested her head on his shoulder and he wraps his arms around her, brushing his lips across her hair. "Just think—in a few hours we'll be giving him his first Christmas presents."

"That he won't remember."

"Under his first tree."

"That he won't remember."

Rick grumbled. "Why are you ruining this for me?"

"I'm sorry I just…I'm trying to ground your expectations." Kate was well aware how overboard he had gone with gifts. She had put her foot down weeks ago, though was convinced he bought a few more things just because he couldn't help himself.

"I'm just…" He sighed into her hair and held her just a little bit tighter. "I'm excited for us to have our first Christmas as a family."

"Me too."

Though his voice was beginning to get a bit sluggish, he still managed to say, "It's going to be the best Christmas ever."

Christmas 2015

"Christmas! It's Christmas!"

Rick Rodgers awoke abruptly when a fifty pound brown-haired, blue-eyed being landed on his chest. "Daddy it's Christmas!"

"Ethan, buddy, I know but—oh," he groaned when he attempted to sit up along with the overzealous little boy, "you've got to be a little bit quiet, okay? Or you're going to wake your sister."

"She should be excited for Christmas too!" Ethan concluded simply.

Rick opened his mouth to disagree, but he had no basis for argument; the boy was right. While at eighteen months Ella did not quite fully grasp the concept of Christmas, Rick was certain this year she'd be completely engrossed with the process of tearing away wrapping paper. She already loved tearing apart the pages of his in-progress novels. Apparently, to Ella, shredding days and days of Daddy's work was hilarious.

Turning his head to the side, Rick was surprised to find the bed empty. He did a double take, having expected his wife to be there smiling at them both, but her side of the mattress was bare. Turning back to his son he asked, "Where's Mommy?"

"Kitchen. She sent me to get you."

Well now things were beginning to make sense. It did not surprise him in the least that his wife had sent a messenger to encourage him to join the Christmas festivities. Rick leaned down and pressed a kiss onto the top of Ethan's head. "Okay, buddy. Tell your mom I'll be down in a minute and we can have breakfast."

The little boy's jaw dropped. "Breakfast!? Presents, Daddy!"

Rick plastered a look of faux surprise across his face. "What? You mean you don't want to eat a nice, slow, casual breakfast before we even look at any of the gifts?!"

"NO!"

Rick winked at his son, patted his bottom and sent him sprinting down the hall. After making a trip to the bathroom, he grabbed his robe and made his way in the same direction, but before he reached the stairs, he took a detour to his daughter's room. He tip toed in side and found her siting up in bed, yawning and rubbing her eyes with her pudgy fists. "Well good morning Ella!"

She looked up at him and grinned. "Dada."

His heart melted as it did every morning when her bright blue eyes fell on his. From the moment the nurses placed her in his arms he knew his youngest would have him wrapped around her fingers for life. Having two children was a joy he thought he'd never experience, but now that he had it, he was forever grateful. His only sadness was that his son and daughter would never be able to meet their older sister, yet he was sure to tell them about her to assure she would never be forgotten.

Smiling down at the auburn-haired girl, he picked her up under her arms, bringing her to his hip. "Are you ready for Christmas morning, Ella?"

Ella's response was mostly babble, but Rick responded as though she had informed him of very critical information. He then tickled her tummy and she giggled loudly. Kissing her head, he carried her down the stairs and, on his way towards the kitchen, found Ethan sitting cross legged on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, his tongue practically hanging out of his mouth as though he were a panting dog. Chuckling to himself, Rick walked the final few steps to the kitchen. He could forego breakfast before presents, but not coffee. Thankfully, his wife already had a pot brewing. "Merry Christmas."

She turned to him and her grin brightened at the sight of the little girl in his arms. Ella reached out her arms for her mother and Kate set down her coffee mug before pulling her daughter into a hug. "Merry Christmas sweet girl. Merry Christmas to you too," she added before kissing her husband.

"Ethan get you up early?"

"No, actually he didn't. He stayed in his room like we asked. But I think he must have had an alarm on the stairs—I was barely two steps down when he came barreling out and charged the tree."

Rick laughed. "I'm not at all surprised."

She reached over and squeezed his arm. "Like father, like son."

It was true: Ethan bore a strong resemblance to the older man, just as Ella favored her mother. Of course, when it came to personalities they were the opposite. Ethan loved the outdoors and could hardly settle himself down to look at or listen to books anymore, but Ella could sit in her father's lap and listen to him read to her for hours and hours and never tire of it.

While Rick poured his coffee, Kate retrieved a bottle of milk for Ella. She set her down and let her pad off towards the living room where her brother waited. Then, she leaned into her husband's arm as they watched their children observe the pile of shiny wrapped boxes under the evergreen. "Ready for the best Christmas ever?" she asked gently.

He looked down at her and grinned. "Absolutely."

Thanks for reading!