A/N: I will be making some pretty big jumps in the timeline from here till the end, so enjoy!
December...
Casey stood at the Christmas tree she and Alex had decorated the night before while waiting for Alex to pull up the driveway at any moment with George. Alex decided to meet Madeline at the airport to pick George up, hoping that it would make the transition easier this go around. Since Madeline had him for Thanksgiving, Alex was getting the little guy for Christmas and New Years.
Casey was so excited for him to return home. She and Alex both noticed how after he left her night terrors returned, and she seemed to grow a little distant. Luckily, Alex had been very patient with her and found ways to help her feel safe and comfortable again. They'd actually visited a bed and breakfast on the coast of Maine for Thanksgiving which turned out to be just what Casey needed to start feeling secure again. They'd spent the holiday making love, watching the parade on TV and eating with the other guests. Then that weekend they wandered the shops in the town, holding hands and laughing over lattes and stolen kisses. It was the perfect getaway, and Casey knew she'd never been as in love as she was with Alex.
She adored the blonde. Everything about Alex seemed perfect to her, from the way she laughed to the way she smiled, to the way bit her lip when playing Sudoku, to the way she talked to herself when working out a problem. Looking at the twinkling lights on the tree, Casey couldn't imagine life without Alex and never wanted to find out what a night apart would feel like.
She loved looking at all the ornaments on Alex's tree. Every ornament had meaning and purpose. She had a Boxer dog ornament for Star, a new baby ornament for George, a Veterinarian ornament for herself, all meshed in with other various meaningful ornaments from her life. Easily Casey's favorite was the lighthouse one she and Alex had purchased together in Maine.
Holding the ornament in her hand and remembering the chilly walk up the beach to see the lighthouse, Casey smiled. She couldn't be sure if it was the memory mixed with the warm emotions of feeling loved, or the twinkling lights but suddenly she had a memory come back to her. It was so clear and fresh, as if it had just happened. All she could do was smile and laugh a little until she felt the warm wetness of her tears roll down her cheeks.
Hearing the door open, and George happily belt out, "Cayee! I home! I home!" Casey turned and picked the little one up giving him a big hug.
"I missed you so much! Georgie Porge! Never leave us for that long again!" Casey said quickly covering the little boy in kisses before looking lovingly at him.
"Mommy! Cayee crying. You sad Cayee?"
"No baby," was all Casey could get out before Alex was at her side.
"What is Cay? What happened?" The concern laced in Alex's voice made Casey love her that much more.
Reaching out a hand to touch the blondes face, Casey answered, "I am not sad. I just had a memory is all. I have everything set up in the kitchen baby, let's go get little guy good and messy and I will tell you all about it while we decorate cookies okay?"
"Okay, sounds like a plan. Let's go!" Alex said with a laugh marching into the kitchen. Casey loved to see how carefree the blonde became when around her son. It was as if all her worries melted away.
While icing the cookies, and watching George eat more icing and sprinkles than he used to decorate, Casey began to tell her memory, "I was a child, maybe five years old and my mother was holding me up to the Christmas tree as we hung my favorite ornament. It was a ballerina and you could wind it up and it would play the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies as it spun around. It was so beautiful. I was winding it up in her arms and giggling as it spun and my mother was smiling and spinning around with me. She told me she would teach me to dance like that one day. She was so beautiful. I saw her face Alex and heard her voice. She was beautiful."
"That's a beautiful memory Casey. Do you remember what her name is?" Alex asked wondering if she could find Casey's mom or if the woman was still even alive.
"No, I just remember she had red hair and green eyes like mine. Her voice was soft, but strong. Oh, and she smelled like Chanel No. 5." Casey laughed placing red sprinkles on the gingerbread man for hair.
Pushing some stray locks of hair from Casey's face, Alex leans in and kisses Casey's cheek, "That was a sweet memory, Casey. Thank you for sharing."
Casey just smiled and relished the feeling of love that seemed to be surrounding her. Everything seemed brighter now that George was home. That evening they curled up on the sofa and read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas to the little boy, before putting him in his new warm pjs and tucking him in bed.
Curling up into Alex's arms that night in bed, Casey let out a deep sigh before asking, "Alex, do you think any of the shops around here sell Chanel No. 5?"
Chuckling a little, Alex responded in a super country tone, "Probably not babe, this here is a one horse town. You'd half to go to the big city for that tall order."
Pushing up on her elbows, Casey frowned, "I am not impressed by the hillbilly accent sweetheart." Before bursting out laughing. "Point made though."
"I thought you'd like that," Alex said pulling Casey in for a kiss. As they began to fell asleep, Alex made a mental note to order a bottle in the morning for Casey's Christmas stocking. If she couldn't give the redhead her mother for the holiday she'd give her the next best thing, her perfume.
Two days later...
Waking up in the early hours of the Christmas Eve morning, Alex watched Casey sleep. The redhead hadn't had a nightmare the last three nights. It was really almost seeming like George was the trick to making them stop.
She was amazed at how peaceful and beautiful Casey looked as she slept. So at peace with the world. It always made Alex wonder if Casey's dream world was filled with memories of her real life that she just couldn't remember when she woke up.
As the sunlight began to filter through the windows, Casey began to stir, opening her eyes to find Alex watching her. "Hey," the redhead said groggily.
Leaning in and kissing her sweetly, Alex said, "Good morning, beautiful."
Seeing the clock read, 6 am, Casey frowned, "Why are you up so early?"
"I was dreaming about you."
"Yeah, what about?" Casey sleepily mumbled curling back into the blondes arms.
"This..." Alex said kissing down Casey's neck and back up again, earning a breathy sigh from her.
"Oh."
"Want me to let you sleep?" Alex breathed into Casey's ear as her fingertips grasped the hem of the redheads shirt.
"No."
"Good," was all Alex said, pulling the shirt over Casey's head before quickly taking a hardening nipple in her warm mouth.
Casey gasped at the contact, tangling her hands in Alex's hair. "Please Alex, don't make me wait."
Knowing exactly what Casey was referring to, Alex pulled back and stripped herself as Casey pulled off her pajama pants. Both moaning as they came back together at the feel of the other. Kissing Casey again Alex let her hands roam the redheads body as Casey's roamed hers.
Neither wasted their time, Alex's fingers quickly found Casey's clit as Casey's slid easily into Alex's soaked core. Their love making was a little rushed and desperate, both wanting to come before they were disturbed. Casey knowing that she was about to come pulled Alex into a kiss to quiet herself, the action as well as Casey curling her fingers just right sent Alex crashing over the edge with her.
Finally catching her breath, Casey laughed, "Feel free to wake me up like that any day."
"Deal."
"Want to take a shower?"
Alex smiled at her mischievous redhead, "Absolutely."
A little later, Alex and Casey sat at the breakfast table with little George enjoying a breakfast casserole. "George," Alex spoke, "Do you know what is special about today?"
"No, Mommy." The little one spoke, his green eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"It's Christmas Eve, that means Santa comes, and tonight Kim, Melinda, Olivia, and Amanda are coming over for dinner before church buddy."
The little boy squealed with delight. "Manda is coming over?" He asked.
"Well, I think we know who his favorite is..." Casey laughed.
"Without a doubt. I will have to tell Olivia to keep her guard up, she might have a little competition at this rate." Alex said with a chuckle as her words made Casey choke on her coffee.
"True," she coughed. Catching her breath, "So, what's the plan."
"Everyone is coming over at three. Amanda said she'd entertain little guy with Olivia, while you, Kim, Melinda and I cook."
"Sounds good, and church after?"
Alex nodded, "Yes, it's kind of a tradition. Are you okay with that?"
"Absolutely. I'm Catholic, so I am use to Christmas Mass." Casey said without thinking before taking another bite of breakfast.
"Casey," Alex laughed.
"What?" Casey asked confused at the blonde's amusement.
"You just had another memory. You said you are Catholic."
Smiling, Casey laughed, "I guess I did."
The rest of the morning passed with ease and before they knew it their friends were overtaking their home. Amanda was just as thrilled to see George, and Alex quickly noticed how much more involved Olivia seemed with the little guy. It made her smile imagining her friends with a baby of their own one day. Alex knew Amanda planned on proposing at New Years and she couldn't wait for them to get married and start their own family.
Looking over at her redhead deep in conversation with Melinda about medical procedures, Alex smiled. She couldn't imagine another holiday without Casey. She was madly in love with her and couldn't deny her own fears about Casey getting her whole memory back and leaving. She just hoped when that time came Casey still wanted her.
Moving into the kitchen, Alex was soon elbows deep in casseroles, pies, and basting a turkey. Kim, as always, was ordering them around the kitchen in a very dignified and orderly manner. Melinda laughed at her now girlfriend and told her she deserved the name Kitchen Nazi, which earned a loud laughed from Casey almost causing her to drop her pie.
"Oh my god, like the Soup Nazi." Casey laughed. Looking to Alex, who was getting a good laugh at Casey's hysterics, she continued, "I love Seinfield. Sorry guys, the holiday is making me kooky." Passing the pie to Alex, she said, "Here Kathy, will you take the pie? I am going to walk Star."
The whole room went silent, as Alex paled about ten shades and held out a shaky hand. "You okay, Alex?" Casey asked unaware of her slip.
"Yeah, I just need some sugar, I'll eat a cookie. Go ahead sweetie." She replied quickly kissing Casey's cheek.
As Casey left the house, Kim attacked, "So, is Kathy her wife?"
"Shut up Kimberly," Alex snapped.
"Hey, settle down Alex. Kim is asking a question you know we are all thinking right now." Melinda said rubbing Alex's back.
"I can't breath," Alex said. "I need air, I need to talk to her."
"So she can lie some more?" Kim asked.
Melinda sighed, "Kimberly, let it go. Let her come to her own decisions." As Alex walked outside without a jacket.
The cold afternoon quickly enveloped her, causing her to regret leaving her jacket behind until she spotted Casey and quickly jogged towards her. "Casey," she called out as she approached.
"Hey babe," Casey replied turning to see Alex coming up without a proper jacket, "What are you doing out here like that? You'll catch your death sweetheart!"
Casey instantly took off her outer jacket leaving her in a fleece zip up and turtle neck sweater, and offered it over. Alex accepted then demanded, "Who is Kathy?"
"What?" Casey asked confused.
"You just called me Kathy in the kitchen, who is she?"
Casey realizing now why Alex had suddenly looked sick in the kitchen felt her heart sink, "I don't know, I really don't. Someone from my past, I am sure if something is tripping my memory I will find a link to it today though."
Taking Alex's hand in her own, Casey squeezed lightly, "I am sure it's nothing to worry about."
"Until you can guarantee me that, I don't know what to do." Alex whispered.
Pulling Alex into a tight hug, Casey kissed her girlfriends neck, "I love you, Al."
"I love you too."
The two walked back into the house with the ever eager dog. Continuing through a laughter filled dinner and unwrapping Christmas pajamas. It wasn't long before they climbed into two cars and headed to church.
The service was beautiful and candlelit. Casey found herself becoming so comfortable in the beautiful little church as Christmas hymns were sung. Looking down the pew at her friends and a sleeping little George curled between her and Alex, she smiled catching the blondes blue eyes.
Suddenly, she she had a flash of a memory, a pew in a large church filled with five rowdy kids and a blonde woman about eight years older than her trying to get them to sit still. A man walking up behind the woman, squeezed her shoulders and smiled at Casey saying, "I don't know how Kathy does it? Don't I have the best wife, Case?" They were her friends.
"Casey, what is it?" Alex whispered in her girlfriends ear.
"They were my friends." Casey whispered back.
"Who?" Alex asked a little confused.
"Kathy and her husband. They were my friends. We spent a Christmas together." Casey said feeling a little choked up as Silent Night began to play and the lights dimmed. It was her favorite Christmas hymn.
After putting George to bed that evening, Alex and Casey sat around the tree setting up the Santa gifts. As they finished Alex handed Casey a small present, "I want you to open this now Casey."
Taking the gift Casey smiled, "Okay." Tearing off the paper she found a box of Chanel No. 5. "Alex, thank you." Opening the box, she quickly sprayed the perfume on her arm and inhaled deeply. Laughing to herself, "It smells just like her."
Seeing Casey's delight, Alex smiled, "I am glad you like it."
"Oh my god, I love it baby!" Casey said pulling Alex into a kiss. Breaking it Casey dug under the tree for a small bag, proudly handing it to Alex she said, "I want you to have this one tonight."
"Yay," Alex replied quickly opening it to find a small box containing a beautiful three gemstone necklace. She new the ruby gemstone must be for her birthday and the diamond for George's, but then their was a blue topaz. "Casey, is your birthday in November?"
"Yes, I realized it when getting the necklace. Anyway, I wanted you to have all our love next to your heart always. It's from George and me." Casey smiled.
"Thank you," Alex said pulling Casey in for a sweet kiss. "I love you, Casey."
"I love you too, Alex." Casey replied before whispering into the blonde's ear, "Promise me we will always be together."
"Always, Casey." Alex replied. She'd never loved anyone the way she loved Casey. She would never let her go.