The heat was blazing at full blast in the Bing SUV, but the cold air still caused everyone to shiver. It was the morning of Christmas Eve, and the forecast called for a high of 19 that day. While everyone always loved a cold New York Christmas, everyone was ready to be inside by the fire at the Bing house in Westchester.

"I appreciate you coming to get us, man," Ross said to Chandler as he adjusted the vent in front of his seat.

"I don't think all those presents you guys have would've fit in a cab. Did you buy the entire third floor of Macy's Rachel?" Chandler commented as he looked at her through the rear view mirror.

"Hey, just imagine if Ben was coming with us too. We gave him all his presents yesterday," she defended.

Ben had spent Thanksgiving with Ross this year, so Carol and Susan were getting him for Christmas. Ben had already spent Hanukkah with Ross, but he also had come over to their house the night before so he could do Christmas with Emma.

In the week since Ross had cut ties with Wendy, Ross and Rachel had been acting like teenagers. They had neglected the housework and had put Emma to bed early almost every night so that they could make love. Ross had been done with work and could have finished all the Christmas shopping, but instead he and Emma went to have lunch with Rachel everyday. It was almost as if he was trying to make something up to her. He had begged her not to take the job of her dreams so that she could be with him, and then he had turned around and started working round the clock just a couple of months later. He just wanted this Christmas to be the best it could be for Emma and Rachel.

After a slow ride out of the city, The Geller-Green clan and Chandler arrived at the house eager to get into warmer surroundings. Monica had been cleaning for the last week, making sure everything would be perfect for her first Christmas in the house. She had just finished extra touches on the guest room, and had set up an extra crib for Emma in Erica's room.

"Monica, everything looks amazing," Rachel commented as she gave Monica a hug with her free arm. Emma was in the other.

"I know! Did you see the tree? I planned it from top to bottom," Monica said beaming.

"It's gorgeous. Emma, you see the big tree?" Rachel asked the toddler.

"Twee!" Emma exclaimed as she pointed towards the living room.

"Where are the boys?" Monica asked when she realized that had not followed Rachel in.

"They're getting everything out of the car," Rachel said.

"Thanks for the help," Ross groaned as he pushed open the front door with his foot. He dropped the luggage on the ground.

"You guys realize we're spoiling these kids out the ass?" Chandler asked as he entered behind Ross, carrying three bags of presents. "When I was a kid all I got were socks and the joy of seeing my dad kiss his boyfriend under the mistletoe."

"Ross, give him a kiss," Monica said pointing towards Chandler. "Maybe it'll get him to stop complaining.

"What do I look like? The gay spirit of Christmas?" Ross asked jokingly.

"Maybe with the right twinky elf outfit," Chandler replied.

"Are you sure he's not gay, Mon," Rachel asked as she patted Monica on the back.

"Nope, just a smart ass," Monica laughed.

"Ewica and Jacky?" Emma asked as she tugged on Rachel's shirt.

"They're taking naps, sweetie," Monica answered. "Why don't we set you up with a movie and you can see them when they wake up."

Rachel carried Emma into the living room and sat her down in front of the TV. Monica and Chandler followed so they could put all the presents under the tree. Ross had already headed upstairs with the luggage and re-emerged a few minutes later. Monica was sitting on the floor with Emma singing along to the movie they had put in. Ross noticed Rachel standing quietly in the corner, almost staring off into thin air.

"Hey, you. You ok?" he asked as he moved his arms in front of her and positioned himself closely behind her, also planting a light kiss on the back of her head.

"Yeah, yeah. I just love watching her and how giddy she gets at the smallest things."

"I think she gets that from you. Your smile lights up a room just when you walk into one," Ross noted, pulling her closer.

"Aww, you trying to score brownie points on me?" Rachel flirted back.

"No, I don't have to do that. I think I've got you pretty well trained to do what I want," he joked.

"That's what you think," Rachel teased, rubbing her hands over his.

Rachel knew that this was going to be the best Christmas she would have had since Emma was born. The first two brought a whole new meaning to the time of year for her, but getting to spend this one with Ross would mean more than any gift anyone could give her.

"Mon, you and Rachel still gonna go to the store to get the B-A-R-B-I-E thing?" Chandler asked. He was referring to a dollhouse that they had ordered for Emma, but it was the "it" toy to have this year and the shipment wasn't arriving at the store until today.

"Yeah, we're going around two," she answered.

"You boys going to be able to handle all these kids by yourself for like an hour?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, sweetheart," Ross said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

Rachel made her way towards Monica and Emma and took a seat beside them.

"You gonna be able to do this in an hour?" Chandler whispered to Ross under his breath.

"Yes, I just need to make sure you don't let them leave the house once they get back," Ross responded.

"Pretty risky, plan, man," Chandler commented.

"Just tell me where the ladder is and it'll be fine," Ross snarled under his breath.


The two families spent Christmas morning with Emma at the center of attention. The twins were barely seven months old and remained quietly in their carriers as Emma tried to get them to play with her. After Emma had opened all of her gifts, the adults began exchanging with each other. Again, Ross and Monica had already celebrated Hanukkah together, so this was just a gift exchange between the couples.

"Oh my God!" Monica exclaimed as she ripped open the gift Chandler had gotten her. It was probably the most expensive vacuum ever manufactured, but Chandler felt it was worth every penny when he saw the look on Monica's face.

"What's wrong with the one you had?" Rachel asked, unsure of why anyone could get so excited over a vacuum.

"This thing has over thirty settings! Thank you, honey," Monica said as she gave Chandler a kiss on the cheek.

Chandler tore into his gifts next. He found two sweater vests and a new iPod adapter for his car.

"Now I can listen to N'Sync on the way to work!" he exclaimed, realizing everyone had heard him when he saw three confused faces staring back at him. "I mean the Beatles," he said clearing his throat.

"Sure, Chandler," Rachel said.

"Thank you, Mon," he said giving Rachel a dirty look.

"My turn!" Ross exclaimed, grabbing the present that Rachel had put in front of him.

Ross carefully opened the tiny box. "It's so light," he commented.

Rachel smiled. "Hey sometimes smaller is better."

"Wow!" Ross hollered as he found two tickets for the Egyptian New Kingdom exhibit. "Rach, how did you even know?" he asked, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I poked around your office a little. Asked a couple of the professors. They said this is all you had been talking about but you weren't going to buy tickets because you wanted to be able to afford everything for your family for Christmas."

"Aw, thank you so much!"

"And you take one of your friends, ok? I want you to be able to discuss it with someone who knows more about it than me," Rachel declared.

"Oh, whatever. You know you're coming with me," he said, clutching her hand tightly.

"See Rach, I may have to put up with the retarded jokes, but you have to put up with the science adventures," Monica joked.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "How is it that I'm going last?" she asked as Ross pulled a tiny box out from underneath him. Rachel immediately noticed its size and shape and felt a wave of butterflies circle in her stomach. Could this be it?

She smiled and focused on Ross as she opened the box. Definitely jewelry, she thought to herself once the paper was off. Six pairs of eyes were glued to her. She slowly opened it, but felt a sharp pain hit her when she realized it was a pair of earrings. They were beautiful earrings, but she had let herself get a little too excited that it could have been an engagement ring.

"They're beautiful," she said, leaning over to give Ross a kiss.

"You sure?" Ross asked, knowing that she had exchanged half of the gifts he had ever given her.

"Yes, I love them," she answered, clutching the box in her fist.

"That's a first," Chandler laughed.

Rachel tilted her head to the side and glared at Chandler. Just like old times.

That evening after the kids had gone to bed the group of four sat around drinking wine and reminisced about the past. They recalled past Christmases with Joey and Phoebe, all wishing that the six of them were together.

"At least when he gets a big payout from this new movie he can get us expensive gifts next year," Rachel joked, referring to Joey's new role in a film in Los Angeles.

"Or just pay me back for all the gifts I always bought him to give to you guys," Chandler said seriously.

Monica swatted Chandler on the shoulder. "You know that's long gone."

"Hey, Rachel, you wanna come outside with me for a minute," Ross asked trying to change the subject.

"What? It's freezing out there. Why do you want to go outside?"

"Let's just go for a walk. Not very long. I just need some fresh air," Ross tried to say convincingly.

"You're crazy, you know that?" she said, standing up beside him.

They walked to the front door and put on their coats.

"Why do you need fresh air in sub-freezing weather, Ross?" Rachel asked.

"I just want us to be alone for a few minutes. We haven't had any time to ourselves today," Ross said.

"We can do that upstairs, honey," she replied as she winked at him.

Ross grabbed her hand and opened the front door. "Oh quit being a baby and just come sit with me."

With his arm around her shoulder, Ross guided Rachel onto the front porch and led her to sit down on the stairs.

"Brrrrrrr," Rachel chattered.

Ross kissed Rachel lightly on the lips and rubbed her hands quickly to try and warm them up.

"I really love you, you know that?" Ross asked seriously.

"Well of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" Rachel asked in a confused manner.

"I just want you to know. These past few months have been so amazing. And I know it got hard there for a little while, but that was just me getting too caught up in my work."

"I know, baby. I think we've both learned that letting work get in our way isn't always best, but sometimes it's necessary," Rachel responded.

"Anyways, I know it's just been a few months since we got back together, but I've pretty much loved you since I hit puberty."

Rachel laughed. "Since the days of the fro."

Ross laughed too. "Yeah, I guess so."

"And that God-awful mustache?"

"Hey, my mustache was totally in at the time," Ross defended.

"Hmm-hmm," Rachel nodded, moving closer to Ross as he rubbed his arm up and down her back.

"When we had Emma I knew that some way or another we would get back together. I guess we had both given up on "us" but she kinda helped us see what we were missing, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she did," Rachel answered, wondering why Ross was bringing this up.

"I guess I'm just glad that everything turned out how it did. I mean I know we're not traditional in the way we have done things, and I really wish we had stayed together all these years, but at least now we know this is right."

"Of course it's right. You ok, hon?"

"Yeah, yeah. I guess Christmas just has me thinking and I want you to know that being with you makes me happier than I ever imagined I could be."

"Awww, well you make me happier too," Rachel said, cuddling her head into Ross' shoulder.

"Hey, go look in the backseat of the car. I hid an extra present for you in there," Ross said.

"What? What kind of present?" Rachel asked.

"Just a little something kinky I thought we could use later on," Ross said.

"What? What if Monica and Chandler found that?" Rachel asked as she jumped to her feet.

"Oh it's fine. Just go look. You might actually like it," Ross said, standing up behind her. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and sent a quick text before Rachel could notice.

Rachel went to the side of the house and found the SUV parked in the driveway. Ross walked behind her, with his hands in his pockets.

"You're crazy, you know it?" she asked, turning around to look at him.

He nodded and smiled.

Rachel opened the car door and searched the backseat for a sign of a present.

"Where is it? I don't see anything," she asked pulling herself out of the car.

She turned around and felt a cold shiver come across her body. There, on the side of the house were Christmas lights that read "Will you marry me?" Ross was close to the edge of the house, down on one knee, holding out a ring.

"Oh, my God," Rachel whispered, putting one hand over her mouth.

"Rachel, you really do make me happier than I ever thought I could be, but would you make me even happier by becoming my wife," Ross said, then pausing. "For real this time?"

A smile burst across Rachel's face, and before Ross knew it, she was in his arms, holding him tightly.

"Yes!" she shouted as a few tears ran down her cheeks.

"Here!" Ross exclaimed, pulling her away so he could put the ring on her finger.

"It's perfect!" she said as he slid it on her finger.

"Oh yeah? Not one you wanna exchange either?"

Rachel laughed and pulled Ross into a passionate kiss.

"The lights? How did you even?" Rachel started to ask.

"While you guys were gone yesterday. Chandler helped me," Ross replied.

"You sneaky thing," Rachel laughed.

"I love you," Ross said seriously, brushing some hair out of her face.

"I love you too," Rachel followed, also putting her hand on Ross' face.

"Let's go inside, it's freezing out here," Ross said as he grabbed Rachel by the hand and started to lead her inside.

"Really? I don't even notice it now."