Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any characters there-in. Ryan Murphy does. The End

A/N: Did some serious paper-writing today! I only have a cover letter to write, and I'm saving that for tomorrow. Now it's time to break open the bottle of wine in the fridge!

Saturday morning found Tina and Mike and Artie wearing matching McKinley Red sweatshirts. They were in a cafeteria, half full of teachers and parents. Okay, half-full was, perhaps, looking at the glass and saying it was half-full, overly optimistic. And the cafeteria was small. It was a small school they were challenging in their match today. The McKinley Brainiacs were up by 25 points and it was only the second round.

"The category is Literature," the host told them. "First question: what woman gained notoriety for being a spy?"

Tina's hand shot up, "Aphra Behn, she was recruited as a political spy for Charles II."

"Correct," Tina glanced at Mike, who smiled in return. They were doing very well, they hadn't missed any questions yet, although Brittany had very nearly gotten one wrong because she had seen a dust mote floating in front of her.

"Second question: What author often sets his stories in the fictional County Yoknapatawpha, Mississippi?

This time it was Artie who answered, "William Faulkner."

"Yes."

Mike wrapped his arm around Tina's shoulders, walking side by side with her, their steps perfectly in sink. They had easily won the match and moved one step closer to the finals again. Last year they had gone to Detroit, this year would be in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They were going to win, they had to. At least after last year's win they had a bit more funding so they wouldn't have such a struggle getting to the competition.

"You were brilliant," Tina told Mike. "You knew all the answers to the questions about composers."

Mike shrugged, but kept on smiling, "You know my mom is big on classical music. She used to play that for me to help me fall asleep."

"That's so cute," Tina cooed.

Mike's cheeks reddened and his nose twitched as he scrunched up his face. "So I told Mom we were going straight to the Country Club and then we were going to the mall, cool?"

"Yep," Tina agreed. "I need to find a dress today. Because of the trip my mom pushed up our appointment to take a family photo to tomorrow."

"Fun," Mike grinned. "You know, I'm pretty sure my mother is going to make us take a picture to send out too."

Tina looked up at Mike, "Really?"

"Oh yeah," Mike chuckled. "She loves you, I'm pretty sure the only reason she pays attention to me anymore is because you're dating me," Mike only half joked. His mother was seriously obsessed with Tina and their relationship.

"Aww," Tina sighed. "I love your mom!"

Mike's smile fell, "More than me?"

"She's a close second," Tina giggled at Mike's worried expression.

"Good," Mike let out a breath of relief. "You know she refers to us as Tike."

Tina purser her lips before speaking, "You mean like Tina-Mike, Tike?"

"Oh yeah," Mike over enunciated.

"Okay a little weird, but I still love her."

"Me too, just warning you."

"Warning received."

Tina spun on her toes, "What do you think?"

"No," Mike rejected the green one-shoulder draped dress. Instead he handed her one of the dresses he'd picked out. "This one."

Tina rolled her eyes, "Fine I'll try it on."

A few moments later, Tina stepped out of the changing room in a cherry red half-sleeve shift dress. It was very Tina. It reached her knees and clung to her curves in the right places but wasn't skintight.

Mike's face was enough to make a decision. He was grinning up at her from his seat, his fingers clenching at Tina's purse and his jeans. "Perfect."

"Okay, I'll get it," Tina agreed. She danced forward and captured Mike's lips, lovingly caressing his cheek before skipping backwards to get dressed in her clothes.

With Mike insisting to hold her shopping bag, Tina clung to his free arm. Both of her hands attached to him. So when she slowed down, Mike was quickly forced to stop walking.

"What's up, T?"

Tina gaped open-mouthed, "I just saw Puck wearing a Santa-hat, and he wasn't flirting with a mother."

Mike's eyebrow lifted, "That's weird."

"I know," Tina muttered as her eyes started to scan the crowd. "Come on," she tugged Mike towards where she last saw the punk, "I want to know exactly what's going on!"

Mike wanted to know too, but he had his dignity, so he gave a little grumbled complaint but followed Tina willingly.

It took exactly three minutes for Tina to find Puck, and when she did she marched right up behind him and pasted on an overly chipper facade, her wet-looking lips curving in a perfect pink smile.

"Hi, Puck," she giggled. He spun around, the color draining from his face as he looked down at the tiny Asian female.

"Hi," Puck's voice came out a whole two octaves high. A clear sign that he was either up to something or entirely embarrassed about what he was doing.

Mike nodded his head but didn't speak.

Tina didn't mind, "So what are you doing at the mall?"

"Hanging," came the answer accompanied with a head nod and a shoulder shrug.

"I had to get a dress for a Christmas picture," Tina told him. "Speaking of which, what's with the hat?"

Puck's face went even whiter as a hand flashed up to his head and pulled the red and white cap off his head and hiding it behind his back. "What hat?"

Tina just fixed him with her patented "really" glare and cocked her hip.

It only took a minute before Puck wilted. "Okay! Just put away the glare, woman!" Puck sighed and slumped a little, "I'm trying to get a job working as a Santa so I can borrow the suit to wear when I go see Beth."

"Aww," Tina whimpered before throwing herself at Puck, wrapping him in a hug. "If you can't find a job, I might know about a place. I'll let you know on Monday, kay?"

Puck who had barely managed to catch Tina smiled, "Really? Thanks, Tina."

Mike cleared his throat and leveled his own glare at Puck, sliding his finger across his throat, a clear threat to the taller teen.

Tina just clung to Puck, none the wiser of the situation at hand.

Mike walked into his father's study. He'd been pretty impressed with both his father and Tina today. His father hadn't been as bad a dancer as he'd claimed, and Tina had been as patient and as good a teacher as ever.

"So, today went well," Mike told his father.

Mike Sr. grinned, "Tina is a very good teacher."

"Yeah," Mike agreed.

"Well, you know why you're here," the older Mike cleared his throat purposefully.

Mike nodded, "Rules."

"Exactly," Mike Sr. nodded. "You will not be allowed in her room with the door closed, curfew is still in effect, and homework still comes first. Understood?"

"Yes," Mike nodded.

"Good," was the calm reply. "And if I feel the need, I will lock you in the basement if I catch you trying to sneak into her room."

Mike's mouth fell open. What!

Mike Sr. chuckled, "You think I wasn't a teenage boy, Son?"

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind."

-Calvin Coolidge

A/N: 10/25. We're getting there folks. Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming. Lots of Love to You and Yours!