Another cross posting from AO3.

Serena pushed the dishwasher closed with her hip, wiping her hands on the tea towel over her shoulder before turning to survey the kitchen. It was by no means as tidy as she would like but it was a vast improvement on how it had looked even half an hour earlier, it would do for now.

"All done?" she spun where she stood to find Bernie pulling the patio doors closed behind herself and kicking off her boots that were covered in a light dusting of snow. Her cheeks were pink from her quick foray outdoors and Serena couldn't help but wander towards her, rocking up onto her toes and pressing a brief kiss to her cold lips.

"As done as I can be for now," she sighed, dropping her forehead onto the blonde's shoulder briefly, "I can't do anymore until the first dishwasher load is finished. Thank you for taking out the rubbish."

"I've stacked all of the cardboard and papers to one side because everything is looking quite full, I thought maybe we could build a bit of a fire later, get rid of it all instead of having it lying around for another week?"

"Sounds perfect, I'll get one of the boys to pull the fire pit out later."

"I can go and do it now if you like?" Serena wrapped an arm around the other woman's middle in an attempt to stop her moving, body relaxing further as skilled hands moved to massage the base of her neck,

"You aren't going anywhere Major," she breathed, pulling their bodies closer together, allowing her eyes to slip closed. It was the first quiet moment they had had together since they had gotten out of bed that morning and Serena wanted to enjoy it for as long as life would allow. She knew she should be suspicious about how quiet the rest of the house had gotten especially given how noisy it had been for most of the day but she found herself unable to care. They stood for long moments wrapped in each others arms, not needing to say anything just taking the moment to be with one another.

"It's gotten awfully quiet." Bernie said against the top of her head though she made no attempt to move,

"Blissful isn't it?" Serena hummed, pressing a kiss to the shoulder under her cheek, "I love every single one of them but by god they should come with ear plugs!"

"They should," Bernie chuckled and stepped away slightly, brushing her fingers through Serena's hair and smiling down at her, "Let's go check on them, make sure they haven't destroyed the place." They wandered down the hall hand in hand pausing outside the part closed living room door where all that could be heard was the low murmur of the TV.

"I almost don't want to open this door," Serena muttered, leaning back into the body behind her and relishing the quiet,

"Come on soldier, quick march," Bernie chuckled, pushing the brunette with her hips and reaching round her to push the door farther open. They both stopped in the doorway, taking in the scene with gentle smiles. The Fletchlings were spread out on the floor, Raf and Fletch propped up on either side of the sofa and Jason in his usual armchair all napping soundly while the Queens Speech played to the silent room.

"They're so cute when they are asleep," Bernie murmured, her chin resting on the other woman's shoulder as she looked round the room, she had loved their Christmas Day together but this little moment of peace was priceless. "Come on," she suggested, tugging Serena back out of the room and pulling the door closed again before leading the way back through the kitchen and into the conservatory where she deposited Serena onto the couch. "stay there,"

Serena did as she was told, pulling the throw from the back on the chair and tucking it over her legs, listening to Bernie potter around the kitchen. She had loved every minute of having Fletch, Raf and the kids over for Christmas dinner but she knew she was going to enjoy this peaceful moment with Bernie just as much. It had been a hectic few days with opposing shifts and last minute preparations to make they had barely seen each other except for the brief moments just before they both fell asleep. It didn't take long for the blonde to reappear, a bottle of Shiraz and two glasses dangling in one hand and a gift bag in the other.

"I thought we'd said no presents," she chastised, their bags were packed for the day after boxing day, Jason's schedule was meticulously planned and they were ready to spend two weeks in New York, their Christmas gift to each other, the fact that Serena had hidden a small gift for Bernie in her case was beside the point.

"We did," Bernie shrugged, slipping under the other end of the blanket and curling into Serena's side, the small bag held in her lap, "And I had planned to keep it until we got to New York but, well, you know how impatient I am. It's a wonder I've managed to keep it this long." Serena chuckled at the truth of the statement, she had learnt quickly that Bernie was awful at surprises, bursting with the need to share with the recipient before it was time for the big reveal. The fact that the blonde had managed to buy her something and not tell her that she had was a miracle in itself.

"Well in that case give me one second, I was going to wait but since you are incapable." she pressed a kiss to the blonde's head and pushed herself up, pleased that they had stashed their bags in the downstairs cupboard so that she didn't have to go very far. Pulling the small box from her carry on luggage she flipped it open and smiled, it wasn't going to be the way she had planned but nothing about their two year relationship had been how either of them planned it, it was what worked for them.

"Do you think you have at least enough patience to let me go first?" she asked when she returned to her seat, feeling suddenly nervous,

"Of course," Bernie allowed and Serena twisted in her seat so she was facing the other woman.

"This wasn't how I had planned to do this but you've never allowed me to do things the way I planned so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised and maybe, actually, this is more us, a better representation." She rambled, toying with Bernie's hand which lay on her thigh, "I had all of these romantic notions, Central Park in the snow, the top of the Empire State Building, but the more I think about it now, the more I think that maybe this is better, more us. I love you Berenice Wolfe and I have done for far longer than either of us dared to acknowledge it. The last two years haven't always been perfect but they've been more than I ever hoped I could have again and that's all down to you, you maddening, beautiful, stubborn woman. I'd happily spend the rest of my life in exactly the same way, with you by my side, and with that in mind Berenice, Bernie, will you do me the very great honor of agreeing to be my wife?" she took a deep breath and flipped the box open, looked up into Bernie's face and was mortified to see the blonde laughing, "I fail to see how any of that is funny," she snapped, drawing away from Bernie and preparing to regroup, Bernie running she had prepared for, the blonde laughing in her face on the other hand hadn't even been a consideration.

"No, no Serena," Bernie soothed when she saw the effect her mirth had had on the brunette, "I'm sorry, nothing you said is funny, it was perfect all of it."

"Then why are you laughing?"

"Because as usual, we've managed to read each other oh so well." Bernie leant forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, then the corner of her mouth. "It would be an honor and I suppose that answers the question I had for you." picking the gift bag up from the floor she slid out a small ring box and snapped it open. Serena couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in her chest, knowing her grin matched the one on Bernie's face. She couldn't believe that they had both had the same thought but really she shouldn't have been surprised, even before they got together they had been so utterly in sync and she hoped that they could stay that way for the rest of their lives.