Home for the Holidays

It was their first holiday season together, and Rachel wanted it to be perfect. She'd had the Excel sheet coordinating schedules and task lists up on the fridge for weeks. She'd planned their families' plane tickets – Santana's parents getting in at four , her dads getting in at five, and Dani's brother getting in at eight (because he had finals and couldn't leave until then). She got the groceries – even unethical foodstuffs for the family – the weekend before. Everything was scheduled and planned out….

So why on earth was this going so terribly?

"DAMN IT!" she screamed, dropping a potato and nicking her finger. She couldn't find a band aid, so she just wrapped it up with some of Dani's penguin duct tape. Her ears perked up when she heard the door of the flat slide open. "No no no no no, not yet," she mumbled to herself. It was noon – what the hell were they doing back so early?

"Rachel?" Dani called. "I'm back! I got an electric turkey slicer, because reasons. The sales guy said something about it having 700 horsepower, but he didn't know what the fuck he was talking abo – what the hell?" she asked, stopping in the doorway of the kitchen. "Aw…baby."

"Don't. I've got this under control."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Your gravy's on fire."

"FUCK!"

"Language, love. I think Santana and I've had a bad influence on you."

"Dani…" Rachel whined.

"Okay, okay. Move over. I got this."

Rachel stepped to the side as Dani proceeded to basically start from scratch. She was annoyed that she hadn't been able to pull off the perfect, magazine picture Thanksgiving, but it was awesome to see Dani take over the kitchen. The blonde was a natural in the kitchen.

"Bad news, the sweet potatoes are fucked. Good news, you didn't start the turkey yet, so we're good." Dani gave her a huge grin and pointed to the bag of cranberries. "You can make the cranberry sauce."

"Don't you just open a can?"

Dani quirked an eyebrow at her. "Love, you are not going to suffer the gelatinous sadness that is canned cranberry. Go on, grab a bowl and I'll talk you through it."

Santana drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she pulled up in front of the airport and popped the trunk. There was a knock on the window and Santana rolled down the window for the cop.

"You can't park here, ma'am."

"I just pulled up. My family's right there," Santana argued.

"Well…just keep moving along once you get them loaded."

Santana tried not to roll her eyes, and managed to keep it together until he'd walked away. She smiled brightly at her mom and dad. "How was your flight?" she asked, taking her mom's bag.

"There was a baby kicking my seat the entire way over," Cristobal said, kissing her forehead.

"What? Weren't you in first class?"

"Yes. And someone brought their two year old. Now look, I'm all for bringing your kid if they know how to act, but this little motherfu –"

"Cris! Language! That's where Santana gets it," Maribel said.

Santana grinned as they piled back into car. "We've got to get back home fast. We left Rachel cooking, and I don't know if Dani's going to get back in time to salvage the meal."

"Oh goodness…" both Lopez parents said in unison.

"Boom!" Dani said, taking the roasted Brussels sprouts out of the oven. "You doing okay over there?"

"I think I can handle stirring," Rachel said with a smirk. A cranberry popped and she jumped.

"I brought parents!"

"Hi parents!" Dani and Rachel called.

Maribel came straight into the kitchen, rolling up her sleeves. "What can I do?"

By the time Dani's brother Dylan got there, they were all gathered in the living room drinking cider and coffee, and playing Disney Scene It. Santana and Leroy were battling it out while everyone else was running commentary.

"The turkey's in the kitchen. Grab a plate and get your ass in here to help me," Santana said.

"You look like you're doing okay," Dylan said, grinning.

"If she starts losing, it's not going to be pretty," Cris said.

Hiram snorted into his mug. "I never thought I find someone worse than Rachel when it came to board games."

"Hey now!" Santana said.

Dani patted the seat next to her as Dylan reentered the room. "Glad you could come, little bro."

"You're two minutes older than me."

"And don't you ever forget it."

"Who wants pumpkin pie?" Rachel asked, hopping up. "I actually made it without Dani's assistance." She didn't miss her older girlfriend's and her father's panicked looks, and glared at them. "It's been quality tested," she said with a huff.

"Then let's do it!" Dylan said.

"Finish your dinner," Dani said.

"Yes, Mom…."

Dani stuck her tongue out at her brother, causing the parents to chuckle.

Rachel brought the pumpkin pie out and began serving. It may have been hectic and slightly crazy, and she might have to prevent a stabbing when Santana inevitably lost Scene It, but this was still a pretty perfect Thanksgiving….