Christmas Eve in the Lynn house was never an extremely joyful affair. Ryder's father was always working until the late hours of the night, and would sleep in on Christmas morning too, leaving no time to spend with his family alone before they went off to his aunt and uncle's house. His mother always tried to make each year special for him and his little twin siblings, Molly and Sam, but sometimes it was tough. This year though, everything was different… Marley would be spending Christmas Eve and Day with them while her mother was visiting her sick Grandmother down in Florida.

"When do you want me to come pick you up?" Ryder asked his girlfriend over the phone on Christmas Eve. He knew she had put him on speaker and was moving around her bedroom, getting ready.

"Ummm… I should be ready in like a half an hour or so. How about 5:30ish? It's not too early is it?" Marley asked, he could practically feel her twisting her hair around her fingers nervously.

"It's perfect… And stop being so nervous… I can feel it through the phone, Hun." He told her laughing at his own joke.

"I just- what if he doesn't like me?" She asked him, sadness laced in her voice. When Dr. Lynn found out his son's mysterious girlfriend was coming to spend Christmas with his family, he call off work in order to meet the girl who took so much precedence in his son's life.

"He's going to love you as much as I do… Please stop worrying… it's all going to be okay; besides, the twins are excited to see you."

"I'm excited to see them too; it feels like I haven't seen them in forever!"

"You saw them like two days ago baby... Go finish getting ready… I'll see you soon." Ryder tells her.

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too." He says before hanging up.

"Was that Marley?" His mother asks as she walks in, an apron on over her pretty dress.

"Yeah, I'm getting ready to go get her in about ten minutes… anything you need me to do before I leave? Or while I'm out?" Ryder asks his mother, trying to lessen her stress.

"No, you could take the twins with you if you really wanted to help my stress levels, though… I know you probably want some alone time with Marley, but I just-"

"Say no more, I got them off your back." Ryder tells her, watching her relax greatly. "Where's dad? I want to talk to him before I leave."

"He should be in the office, I know he promised no work, but he's got to get some paper work done, and I told him if he was going to do it, he better do it before Marley gets here."

"Okay, I'll talk to him, get the twins and we'll be off." Ryder said as he left the living room and headed towards the office, the door was open but he knocked anyway.

"Hey dad, can I talk to you for a few minutes?"

"Sure son, what's up?" His dad asked him, looking up from his paperwork for only a moment before going back to it.

"Dad, I need you to really listen to me for a few minutes… please?" Ryder said, his tone calm yet stern, almost the same one he uses when he finds Marley feeling self- conscious. His dad closes the folder he'd been looking at before nodding at his son. "I'm going to get Marley soon, but I wanted to let you know a few things first."

"What would that be?"

"Well, I just want you to know, that she's really nervous about meeting you, and I wanted to warn you about being intimidating… it sort of scares girls off sometimes… plus I wanted to talk to you about something a little more serious. Marley- she's recovering from- she's just getting over an eating disorder, and this is her first big holiday after her home hospital stay, that's one of the reasons she's staying here over the weekend, because her mom wanted to have someone be able to keep an eye on her the whole weekend. So, just don't push the issue if she stops eating… okay?" Ryder informs him, getting a little emotional, thinking about how his perfect girlfriend seemed to hate herself.

"Thank you for letting me know this, Ry… I know this girl is something special to you… I won't scare her, don't worry; you just make sure she's comfortable all weekend… Okay?" His father says with a small smile on his face.

"Will do dad, thanks." Ryder says, getting up and leaving the office. "SAM! MOLLY! I'M GOING TO PICK UP MARLEY; IF YOU WANT TO COME YOU BETTER GET DOWN HERE NOW!" Ryder yells up the stairs and waits a moment before his sibling come running down the stairs, Sam's tie loose around his neck and Molly's ballet slippers in her hands as she tumbles into him.

"I'm so so, so, so, soooooooooo excited to see Marley, RyRy… It's been forever since we've seen her last!" Molly exclaims as her older brother slips her shoes over her tights covered feet and then crouches down to tighten her twin's tie.

"Do I have to wear it?" Sam whines. Ryder rolls his eyes and laughs.

"I'm afraid so, buddy… How about this… I'll get mom to let you take it off, only if you wear it for Marley." Ryder suggests to his brother.

"Deal. Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Sam yells jumping up and down excitedly.

"Mom! We'll be back!" Ryder yells towards the kitchen as her walks out the door his siblings in tow.

"Stay here… I mean it." Ryder told his siblings as they grinned in the backseat.

"Okay!" They yell in unison, it was some weird twin thing they had… he'd never understand it. He walked up to Marley's door and knocked.

"It's open Ry! You can come in!" Marley's voice echoed from up in where he presumed was her bedroom. Walking in he could hear her running back and forth in her room, rushing to finish getting ready.

"You okay, baby?" Ryder asked her as he leaned against her door frame. She looked up in surprise and nodded, still looking panicked. "Marley… Did you?" Ryder doesn't even have to finish his question before the girl comes running at him from the other side of the room.

"I didn't mean to! I just- I-"

"I know baby, I know… It's okay…" Ryder tells her as he rubs her back and kisses her head. "Everything is going to be fine; it's all going to be great. I promise… Now go wash your face, and let's get going, the twins are in the truck."

"Oh! If you had told me that, we'd have been out of here forever ago." Marley says as she grabs her boyfriend's hand after washing her face and reapplying her make-up and grabbing her overnight bag in her other hand, tugging him out of the house and towards his truck.

"My Lady." Ryder says, causing Marley and the twins to giggle as he holds open her door and grabs her hand to help her in.

"Why, thank you sir. Hey, kiddies! How have you been?" she asks turning around in her seat to see the two kids behind her. "I like the tie Sammy and Molly your shoes are super cute."

"Hi Marley! I've missed you! Thanks, they kinda hurt my feet though." Molly says pulling on shoe off and looking at it. Marley turns around and grabs Ryder's hand.

"Thank you, they have been driving everyone insane all day… my mom almost had a panic attack." Ryder tells her in a whisper after leaning over towards her. He kissed her cheek and started the truck.

"Mom! Dad! We're home!" Ryder yells before running upstairs with Marley's hand in his to his room. Dropping her bag on the floor he turns around quickly before pushing her lightly against the door.

"Hi, have I told you how beautiful you look?"

"I don't think you have…" She whispered back to him,

"Well, you look gorgeous… and I love you."

"I love you too."

"Ryder! Marley! Dinner is ready!" Ryder's mom called up the stairs.

"And let the fun begin…" Ryder said, kissing Marley lightly.

"Oh, it will be fine… stop the sarcasm."

"So Marley, what do you plan to do after high school?" Dr. Lynn asks after everyone has gotten settled at the table.

"Dad…"

"Charles…" Ryder's mom, warned at the same time as her son. Marley smiled, not seeming fazed by the questioning at all.

"Well, I really love performing, and singing is my passion… but that's a really hard business to get into." Marley said, moving food around on her plate with her fork. Ryder put his hand on her wrist to stop her.

"That's right, I've been telling Ryder here that since he joined that little glee club, but he doesn't listen to me."

"Dad, I told you, it's just a hobby." Ryder said, his grip on Marley's wrist tightening.

"Well, Marley what's your back up plan? If I may ask." Mrs. Lynn broke into the conversation.

"Well, I haven't exactly figured it out, but I really think I may want to look into becoming a teacher." Marley said, looking out of the corner of her eyes at Ryder. His face was covered with surprise but also it shined with pride. He was so glad she found what she wanted to do but also stood up to his father without trying.

"That's a very lovely idea, sweetheart. Don't you two think so?" Mrs. Lynn said smiling at her son and husband.

"I think that great, baby… when did you figure this out?" Ryder asked her.

"I don't know, I just really like kids… I was actually thinking of teaching music." Marley told him smiling setting her fork down, signaling to her boyfriend she couldn't push herself to eat anymore, leaving a fourth of her dinner left on her plate. The rest of the dinner was spent with small talk about glee club and Marley's family and soon they had dispersed to change into their pajamas.

"Can we open presents? Please? Just one?" Molly asked her father for the billionth time in the last thirty minutes. The Lynn's and Marley had all sat down in the giant living room to watch a movie, agreeing that the annual present opening tradition would happen when it was finished. Molly had timed her final whine for when the credits were rolling.

"Sure, everyone go pick one with your name on it." Dr. Lynn ordered his family as they excitedly made their way to the tree. "You too Marley, there's a few under there for you, we didn't want you to feel left out, so Sarah and Ryder went out and got you a few presents too."

"Thank you, really you didn't have to do that… really, I appreciate it though." Marley said taking the wrapped package that Ryder had gotten for her.

To: Marley

From: The Lynn's

"Okay, on the count of three, one, two, three… go!" Mrs. Lynn said, laughing as the four kids ripped into the wrapping paper of their presents. For Sam, a package of racecars of a multitude of colors. Molly got a new doll. Ryder opened his present to find a new pair of drumsticks. As she watched, Marley carefully played with the wrapping of the presents.

"Go ahead baby, open yours. I promise you'll like it." Ryder told her nudging her softly with his shoulder. Marley nodded and pulled the wrapping paper off carefully, finding a jewelry box underneath. She smiled as she lifted the top.

"Oh, they're so pretty… thank you all so much!" Marley exclaimed as her eyes found the pretty blue tinted stone earrings.

"When I saw them in the store, I knew they would be perfect for you." Mrs. Lynn told her smiling widely.

"Thank you…" Marley told her once again before getting up and hugging Mrs. Lynn tightly before sitting back down next to her boyfriend.

"Well, now that that's over, let's get these two rascals to bed and you two too. Marley, I know you thought you were going to be staying in the guest room, but I think the two of you are mature enough to behave…" Mrs. Lynn said dying off at the end to gage her husband's reaction.

"Thank you mom! We'll behave, I promise!" Ryder says as her picked up his petite girlfriend and swinging her around so she was on his back.

"Well, that went a whole lot better than I thought it would." Marley says after Ryder tossed her on his bed, plopping down next to her and pulling her close.

"I'm proud of you, you know. I know dad can be a bit… intimidating. You didn't let him get to you though."

"I thought maybe he'd think I was pathetic..." Marley told him, nuzzling her head into his shoulder.

"He's just mad that I don't really know what I want to do."

"There's nothing wrong with that, you know. It's okay to not know."

"I'm really glad you're here… It would be so different if you weren't." Ryder told her, kissing the rop of her head.

"I'm glad I'm here too."

"Marley, Marley, Marley, Marley! Wake up, wake up, wake up! It's time for presents! Ry-Ry said we couldn't do them until you were up!" Sam yelled as he and Molly jumped up and down on Ryder's bed the next morning.

"Okay, okay, okay… I'm up, I'm up." Marley said laughing as she sat up and stretched.

"Come on, everyone's waiting!" Molly screeched, grabbing her hand and dragging Marley down the stairs.

"Good morning sunshine." Ryder said when Marley come in the living room and sat on the couch next to him.

"Morning, Marry Christmas baby." Marley told him before kissing his cheek lightly.

"Merry Christmas to you too. We just have to wait for mom to finish making the hot chocolate before we start."

"Am I allowed to give you my present know though? I can't wait to see your face." Marley asked, putting on a puppy dog face.

"If you must…" Ryder said chuckling softly. Marley got up and skipped over to the tree and picked up the thin long package that had red and green striped wrapping on it. Handing it to Ryder, she smiled brightly.

To: Ry- Ry

From: Mar- Stars

Ryder laughed a little at the tag. He tore off the wrapping, taking his time, noticing how much effort it seemed Marley had put into it. He lifted the top of the box, grinning at what he found… Drumsticks, which were exactly like the ones Finn had always used.

"I know you already got a pair, but- just, look at them." Marley said wrapping her arm through his, her hand laying on his bicep.

"Mar- Stars, this is so great… I love them…" Ryder tells her as he reads the engravings on the drumsticks.

Ry-Ry and Mar- Stars was engraved on one, and the other had iloveyou… forever. It was what they always said, they'd tells each other I love you and then Ryder would ask forever and she'd reply by repeating it back to him.

"These are so great, baby. They're even better than the ones mom and dad got me." Ryder said hugging Marley to him.

"I'm so glad you like them." Marley said, rubbing his arm.

"Let me go get yours, I'll be right back." Ryder told her, kissing her nose before disappearing up the stairs. She sat watching the twins' excitement as they opened gifts and squealed at every new toy. After a few minutes of Ryder not returning, she walked upstairs listening to him in his room.

"How did I forget to wrap it? I can't believe she didn't see it…" He scolded himself. She knocked on the door before opening it.

"Ry-Ry, is everything okay?" Marley asked as she walks in.

"Uh- yeah… I just, I kind of- forgot to wrap your gift…"

"Oh, well… if it's wrapped, am I allowed to open it?" Marley asked softly, sitting down next to her boyfriend.

"Of course." He says, handing her the wrapped box. She played with the wrapping for a moment, before pulling it off the box. She smiled widely as she pulled the lid off.

"Ry- Ry… this is so wonderful!" Marley exclaimed, her smile grew as she lifted the jersey he'd gotten her out of the box.

"I'm glad you like it, but look at the back." Ryder said softly, wrapping his arm around her waist. Marley did as he said and gasped as she took in the back. Just like the front of the red jersey that mimicked McKinley's except in a more womanly style, the back had his number, 19, in white but it also had the words" LYNN'S GIRL" printed on the back.

"I just know- that, uh- sometimes, I forget to wash my jerseys before game day, and- uh, I just thought, maybe now you could wear- this jersey instead… I you want to." Ryder explains the gift to her nervously.

"I would love to wear it, it's the most thoughtful gift I've ever gotten. I love it so much. Thank you." Marley said, climbing on to Ryder's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his nose lightly.

"You're welcome, I was worried you'd feel pressured, you know?"

"You're too good to me…"

"Thank you for spending Christmas with me this year, it was the best Christmas I've had in a long time." Ryder admits to her, kissing her and smiling into it.

"Thank you for inviting me over… It was the best Christmas I've had in a few years too." Marley tells him once they pull away.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Forever? And Always?" Ryder asked, putting a new spin on their normal exchange.

"Forever and Always."

"Merry Christmas, Mar- Stars." Ryder told her.

"Merry Christmas, Ry- Ry."