Written for the Hell Yeah Stef & Lena Fanfiction Prompt Challenge #2 on tumblr.

Prompt: Stef, Lena, and Brandon's first Christmas with the twins.

Unbeta'd.

Lena pulled into the driveway, switched off the engine and sunk back into her seat, letting out a huge sigh of relief. The shops had been ridiculously busy with last minute shoppers and she was very glad to be home. They normally prided themselves in being organised when it came to Christmas shopping but in the last year their brood had multiplied from one to three, and suddenly Lena and Stef had found themselves on Christmas Eve with a list of presents still to buy and errands to run. She had left Stef with the kids, choosing to take charge of the to-do list.

She had been gone for almost four hours and Lena had no idea what state she would find the house in. The kids had been so hyped up on excitement when she left that she was certain they had been tucking into the box of Christmas candy behind their backs - something they had all vehemently denied, even Jesus who was a terrible liar.

Leaving the presents in the car, Lena grabbed the groceries and came in through the kitchen, calling for Stef as she did.

"I'm home! Where are you?"

The house was eerily quiet, not what she expected. As she threw the grocery bags on the table, Stef came bustling into the kitchen.

"I'm so glad you're home," she declared dramatically, causing Lena to smile. Stef kissed her partner's cheek and dropped onto a stool. "How were the shops?"

"Horrendous," Lena said. "How about here?"

Stef rolled her eyes. "Equally horrendous," she said wryly. "If they weren't arguing with me about tidying up the house before Christmas Day, they were arguing with each other."

Lena cocked her head to one side, listening for her children. "It's quiet now."

"Yeah well, I bribed them with a Christmas movie and a promise of pizza for dinner," Stef said unashamedly.

Lena shook her head. She would normally disapprove of bribery tactics but, given the circumstances, she simply laughed it off.

"Did you get everything?" Stef asked.

"I think so," Lena said, before reeling off everything she had bought.

A trip to the mall to visit Santa last weekend had sent them into a spin as all three of their children had asked him for something they had never mentioned before. For Mariana, a princess doll; for Jesus, a computer game; and for Brandon, new Lego. Although Lena and Stef had agreed that they would not spoil them, it was their first Christmas together as a family of five and they were determined to make it special and memorable, resulting in Lena racing around the shops on Christmas Eve to buy them each an extra present.

"Well, they're sucked into the Muppet's Christmas Carol at the moment, so now's a good time to hide them upstairs," Stef said.

With the kids distracted by Kermit and his friends, Stef and Lena worked quickly to hide the extra presents upstairs and unload the groceries, joining them in the family room for the last ten minutes of the movie.

"That's my favourite movie," Brandon announced as the credits started to roll.

"Mine too," Lena said, ruffling his hair playfully. She looked across at the twins, who were curled up together in one corner of the sofa. "What did you guys think?"

"I liked it," Jesus answered. Mariana, always the quiet one, simply nodded her head in agreement.

"Are we really allowed pizza for tea?" Brandon asked, looking up at Lena. His mom might have promised it, but he knew that Lena would have the final say.

"Of course," Lena said. "Pizza and a game, then early to bed in time for Santa's visit."

This had become their Christmas Eve tradition and one that they were excited to share with the twins.

"Can we play Go Fish?"

"Sure, if your brother and sister are happy with that?" Stef said, directing her comment at the twins.

Mariana looked at Jesus, who appeared to be thinking about his answer. Stef raised her eyebrows in anticipation.

"Can we have pepperoni on the pizza?" Jesus asked, ignoring the question and focussing only on his empty stomach.

"Yes, sweetheart, you can have whatever you want on your pizza," Stef said, laughing at the same time.

Six months ago, dinners were often quiet and reserved, with only Brandon's happy chatter to entertain them. With three kids around the table, they were now messy and noisy, and even more so on Christmas Eve. With pizza boxes scattered across the table, Stef and Lena sat back and listened to their children talk. Brandon led the conversation, telling his new foster siblings about their family traditions on Christmas Day and the time he had seen Santa sneaking around the house. (He was yet to work out that it was Mike dressed up in a red suit, persuaded to do so after Brandon had come home upset after one of the older kids at school had told him that Santa wasn't real.) The twins were quiet, with few happy Christmas memories to share, but obviously excited by Brandon's stories.

After dinner and several games of Go Fish, it was Lena declared that it was time for bed.

"I'm not tired," Jesus said. "One more game, pleeeaaase?"

Lena shook her head. "You said that before the last game. Santa won't come until you're tucked up in bed and fast asleep," she said gently.

Jesus shook his head, a stubborn frown forming on his face. After hearing Brandon's story, he was determined to stay awake to see Santa. "I won't sleep."

Brandon puffed out his chest. "If Jesus isn't going to bed, neither am I."

Lena's eyes narrowed, as they always did when she was plotting something, and looked between her two sons. "Hmm. Stef, what do we do with little boys who refuse to go to bed?"

Stef's lips quivered as she hid a smile, catching Lena's eye and nodding. "Oh, I think there's only one thing that can be done," she said, putting on a serious tone as she moved across the room towards the stereo.

Jesus' eyes widened. "What?"

Pressing a few buttons, Bill Haley's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree starting playing. Lena grabbed her sons' hands and started spinning them around in circles, while Stef held out her hand to Mariana, who accepted it shyly. The children erupted into laughter as their moms danced them around the room, singing loudly (and out of tune) along with the music. Ten minutes and three songs later - Run, Rudolph, Run (Brandon's favourite), Frosty The Snowman (Jesus' favourite) and All I Want For Christmas (Mariana's favourite) – and the two women shared a smile when they saw Jesus stifle a yawn. Insisting that it was time for bed, and with the promise of a bed time story for each of them, the three Foster children walked up the stairs and climbed into bed without any more objections.

As Lena tucked in the youngest, Mariana looked up at her foster mother, her eyes bright. "Mama, is Santa really coming tonight?"

Lena smiled and pressed her lips to the young girl's forehead. "You bet he is," she said. "You've been such a good girl all year, I bet you're on the top of his list."

Mariana grinned as she closed her eyes, unable to keep them open any longer. She fell asleep quickly, as did her brothers, giving Stef and Lena time to extract the presents from their various hiding places around the house and wrap the last few gifts. The bottom of the tree was crowded with neatly wrapped parcels, the bright wrapping paper shining under the twinkling fairy lights.

The CD player continued to fill the room with Christmas songs and soon Lena heard the familiar melody of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Judy Garland's voice floating through the house. Behind her, Stef hummed along.

"This song's my favourite," Lena said softly.

Stef smiled. "I know." She held out her hand. "Dance with me?"

Lena took Stef's hand in hers, allowing herself to be pulled up to standing and into her lover's arms. Stef slipped one hand around Lena's waist, placing it on the small of her back, while the other pressed Lena's hand against her chest. Lena's other arm wrapped around Stef's back and played with the ends of her long, blonde hair. Their foreheads rested against each other, noses rubbing together as they moved in time with the music. This was their tradition once the house was still and ready for the craziness of Christmas Day – a moment to share between themselves in the peace and quiet. Song after song played as they swayed in the middle of the room, holding their embrace, as the clock ticked closer and closer to midnight.

When the clock struck twelve, their lips met in a slow kiss. Stef's hand travelled up Lena's back and she pulled her close, a shiver shooting down her spine when she felt Lena's tongue glide across her own. The hand on Stef's back found its way into her hair, Lena's fingertips playing with the sensitive skin on the back of her neck. Her other hand escaped Stef's hold and dropped to her partner's waist, tucking underneath the plaid shirt in search of skin. She ran her hand around Stef's waist, her warm hands moving smoothly over her partner's soft skin. Stef's body tingled at her touch, a quiet moan escaping from her lips. She pulled Lena even closer, her free hand cupping Lena's face and her thumb gently stroking her jaw line.

"Merry Christmas," Lena said breathlessly when they broke apart.

"Merry Christmas," Stef said with a smile. She took a step back, taking Lena's hands in her own. "Let's go to bed."

Lena pouted playfully, mimicking Jesus from earlier. "But I'm not tired!"

Stef grinned mischievously. "Who said anything about sleeping?"

It was the early hours of the morning before they passed out in a deep slumber, only to be woken just after six a.m. by Brandon charging into their room and leaping onto their bed.

"Santa came! Mommy! Mama! Wake up!"

Stef had to control the urge to throw a pillow at her son. Instead, she lifted her head and smiled. "He did? Wow!"

Lena did the same. "Merry Christmas, Brandon."

"Merry Christmas!" Brandon said, his exuberance bringing a smile to his mama's face.

Lena looked behind her son and spied Mariana and Jesus lingering in the doorway.

"Merry Christmas, you guys," Lena called out to them, beckoning them into the room.

They each took a shy step inside. Lena noticed that they were each holding the stockings that she and Stef had left at the end of their beds last night.

"What have you got there?"

Jesus lifted his stocking out in front of him, swinging it like a pendulum. "Santa left these in our rooms!" he said.

"Can we open our stockings now?" Brandon said, bouncing up and down on his knees.

"Of course you can," Stef said.

Brandon reached over the side of the bed and picked up his own stocking from where he had dropped it on his way. Jesus shot across the room and jumped on the bed next to his foster brother. Mariana walked more slowly, looking at the already crowded mattress and wondering where she might fit. Sitting up, Lena noticed her hovering at the foot of the bed.

"Why don't you come and sit between Stef and me?"

Mariana smiled and skipped along the bed to Lena's outstretched arms, jumping into them. Lena lifted her onto the bed and Mariana immediately curled up between her foster mothers.

"Santa really did come," she said quietly to Lena.

"Of course he did," Lena said, running her hand through Mariana's thick hair.

Stef caught Lena's eye once more and they shared a look that told each other how happy they were; how glad they were that they had opened their hearts, not only to the three children that were scattered amongst them, but also to each other. It was a look that said 'I love you' when no words were necessary.

With a wink at Lena, Stef clapped her hands. "Okay, my babies, are you ready?"

"Yes!" yelled Brandon and Jesus in unison, while Mariana nodded her head.

"Well then, I do declare it to be Christmas. One, two, three…go!"