A/N: I'm sorry this took so long I've actually had half of it written for like two weeks.
Chapter 21: Marry Little Christmas
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Stephanie knew it had been a bad idea when Fernando volunteered to be Santa for the surprise photo for D.J. and as Fernando made his 'Chestnut' joke Stephanie was proven right. She wondered, and not for the first time, what Kimmy and the other women saw in him. Sara, Jimmy, and the other kids seemed to agree if their disgusted faces were anything to go by. They just had to get through this photo then she'd sic Sara and Kimmy on him, maybe D.J. too. However the surprise was ruined when D.J. and Kimmy waltzed in, and Kimmy tried to waltz back out with D.J., but it was too late, she'd seen. She wiggled in excitement, whipped out a Santa hat, and placed it on her head. She claimed she always carried one in December. That was a lie Stephanie saw it in her purse two days before Thanksgiving. Kimmy smiled at her girlfriend and practically skipped up to her pecking her on the lips. Kimmy's lips pulled into a smile with hints of mischief at the edges. Stephanie's heart clenched and that familiar feeling of wanting forever with the woman beside her washed over her. Sara handed the baby over to D.J. as Jimmy, Sara, Kimmy, and Stephanie head to the kitchen. Stephanie and Kimmy need to get ready for a Hanukkah party thrown by Jeremiah. Stephanie was in charge of the music.
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They'd arrived at the venue dressed to the nines. Kimmy was wearing a black sparkly dress, and Stephanie wore a pants suit with a tie and waistcoat. The party started in about an hour. Stephanie went to get everything set up for her deejaying. Mindy, Jeremiah's wife found her there, "Ah Stephanie there you are, how have you been mammela," Her smile was soft and oh so caring, and Stephanie felt that clench in her gut when ever she thought about her mom.
"Been good Mindy, great actually," Stephanie said offering a smile of her own. She reached over and hugged the older woman to her tightly. Then she saw Jonah over Mindy's shoulder and her shoulders drooped slightly, and her spine stiffened at the same time.
She heard Mindy sigh, "You just saw Jonah."
"Yup, but that's ok I'll just avoid him."
"I swear I don't know why he won't just leave you alone."
"Yup mystery." Stephanie chuckled nervously, Mindy noticed, but before she could ask Jeremiah rushed at them, "Stephanie Tanner you have been holding out on me," He said shaking his finger at her.
"What'd I do?"
"You can sing apparently according to your date anyway."
"Oh um yeah I can."
"Excellent."
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They'd been at the party a total of three hours, Stephanie had sung three dreidel songs and one Barbra Streisand medley. She was starting to get tired. Plus, she'd been dodging Jonah all night. She broke away from Kimmy with a soft kiss on the cheek, and saying she needed the bathroom. She went to the alcove that had the bathrooms at the venue. When she was cornered by Jonah, "I didn't know you could sing."
"Yup I'm full of surprises, now can I-" He block her way, "please Jonah I'm tired."
"You know I never told my brother of our night together, I wonder what he'd say, or your fair-haired lover."
"Jonah I'm tired and I need to pee, please leave me alone," she sighed tried to move his muscled arm. Jonah was Jeremiah's younger brother, he owned gyms all over San Francisco. He was hard to move.
"Why'd you leave that night?"
"Jonah you're drunk…OW," He grabbed her wrist.
"No I'm not now answer the question."
"Because it was a mistake and it was right after Joshua died, and we were sad. Now please let go you're kinda hurting me," She said trying to pull away.
"Hey sugar lips they wanted to know if-" Kimmy said coming around the corner. She stopped dead when she saw what was happening, "What the frilly hell, let her go." Kimmy said loudly.
"Why don't we tell her now," Jonah hissed.
"What if I call your mother over here, Jonah."
"Let her go." A growl came from behind them all and they turned to see Mindy, "Leave Jonah don't make me tell your brother."
He snarled and let go of her wrist sweeping away. Mindy approached the girls and brought them into the restroom. Where Stephanie promptly fell apart and started sobbing. Mindy inspected her wrist gingerly, "Well it's not broken, what happened?"
"Nothing I'm fine."
"Bullshit, Jonah's always been infatuated by you ever since Joshua-" she cut herself off and sucked in a breath.
Kimmy was beside her she took her other hand and twined their fingers together and looked at her girlfriends tearstained face, and she just knew, "You slept with him didn't you." Stephanie cringed away from both of them, and she nodded.
"It was two days after the funeral. He'd always been nice to me. I'd just had another fight with dad about college again, and Gia wasn't answering her phone. It was only the once, I left the next day for Europe again. I didn't come back for a year and a half when Max was born. He never let it go."
"I'll set him straight. Threaten to tell Muriel, my mother-in-law could put the fear of the devil in anyone, and she adores you Stephanie for taking such good care of my baby." She kisses Stephanie's forehead, and left the two women alone.
"Why didn't say anything?"
"I didn't want another bout of fighting about my sexual past, besides I don't regret much, but Jonah is definitely one of them."
"Stephanie I'm not mad at you for this you've done nothing wrong I'm guessing you were grieving, and he took advantage of that. I'm over your sexual past I'm your future what do I care if he can't get over it."
Stephanie chuckled at Kimmy as Mindy came back in carrying an ice pack and an envelope, "Here's the payment for tonight, and an ice pack for your wrist, I hope you'll still do these parties your kind of a legend amongst our community."
"Of course, Mindy if I closed up shop whenever a man got pissy I'd never have gotten with Kimmy, or gone to Europe, or done anything really." Stephanie said beaming at the woman. Then Kimmy and Stephanie went home.
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When they got home from the party they saw Fernando feeding Benicio, "We need to talk to Ramona, her and Lola are in some kind of fight." He took in his ex-wife and her girlfriend, Stephanie had reddened eyes, and an ice pack on her wrist. He was concerned for them a moment before adjusting Benicio to burp him. The women looked at one another Stephanie took hold of Kimmy's hand and smiled at her. Kimmy nodded seeming to come to some conclusion, before leading Stephanie up the stairs, Fernando left the couch and followed them.
They entered the room, after getting permission from the teen, "What's wrong sweetie?" Stephanie asked throwing her arm around the teens shoulders.
Ramona explained the situation and ended with a 'I'm losing my best friend'.
"Stephanie quick out your hands on my temples."
"What, why?" Stephanie asked, and at the same time Fernando said, "I'll do it," making Stephanie clapped her hands on either side of Kimmy's face while glaring at Fernando. Kimmy closed her eyes tightly and said, "Hatched, Ramona you are not needed until the end of the first act why don't you go to Lola's party and then your dad and Stephanie can pick you up and being you to the theater in time for you to be there."
"You are a genius baby," Stephanie said kissing her gently, her wrist finally stopped hurting.
"I know, now that we've gotten that all sorted Stephanie and I are going to bed goodnight Fernando. Night Ramona love you sweetie," all three adults kissed the teens head, and filed out. Fernando headed up the stairs with Benicio. The girls headed for the stairs when they heard Sara's voice from D.J.'s room, "I just don't know if I do or not." the couple headed to the door and knocked gently. Sara looked up at them as D.J. motioned them in and told them to sit. They all settled against D.J.'s headboard in a comfortable silence, then Kimmy spoke up, "Jimmy told you that he loved you." It was a statement.
"How'd you know?"
"He's my brother, and I've never seen him love someone as much as he loves you, now do you feel the same way?"
"I don't know," she said quietly.
"Well where do you see yourself in say five years," D.J. asked taking hold of Sara's hand. All four women were holding hands at this point lending each other strength.
"I want to live next door to you by then hopefully, and Max helps Benito with his homework, and Ramona teaches her brother to dance."
"And Jimmy is he there?" Stephanie asked, and Kimmy squeezed her hand hoping her brother's heart wasn't about to get broken.
"Yes," Sara breathed out, "he's there beside me. Maybe we'll have another kid, you know after Benicio is in kindergarten. You know he likes to take Benicio in our dates, and is completely okay with going slowly, and oh my God I'm in love with Jimmy Gibbler."
"Welcome to the Gibbler love club," Stephanie said grinning, we have t-shirts and there is no cure to this ailment," Stephanie said grinning at the other three women on the bed. Sara chuckled ruefully, and said, "I'll tell him tomorrow."
"Sounds good, Steph do you need more ice?"
Stephanie sighed she wasn't going to tell her sister about her mishap with Jonah, but according to the sheep concerned look in her eldest sister's face she wasn't going to have a choice, "It's not a big deal Deej a guy got handsy at the party, I'm fine, and tired, babe can we go to bed please."
"Sure sugar lips night ladies," then the two web hopped off the bed and scampered to their room.
While they got ready for bed Stephanie asked Kimmy, "Why am I going with Fernando?"
"He gets lost easily, and I want to bury the hatchet with him."
"Why and I don't have a problem it's him."
"Please just try."
"Fine," Stephanie sighed.
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The next night Fernando and Stephanie get in the car to get Ramona, "I don't need a babysitter to pick up my own daughter," Fernando pouted.
"Look it's not my idea of a good time either bucko, so just buckle up and deal. Kimmy told us to do it, and believe it or not I want her to be happy."
"Me too," he grumbled quietly, "and you do make her happy."
"I know, but you did too once upon a time."
"I could again."
"No that's my job, now make this left Lola's house is this way…now what's your damage Heather?"
"I'm not the one with the problem I like you well enough."
"Bullshit you think I still Kimmy from you, but guess what numbnuts you lost Kimmy the minute you decided to sleep with Sara.I helped her from completely falling apart, now get over her and move the hell on, and stop the car we're here"
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Kimmy had been enjoying the Ballet when her phone rang quickly answering it, she saw it was a video chat notification she answered it and Ramona, Stephanie, and Fernandos faces filled the small screen of her phone, they were lost and Fernando and Stephanie were bickering. Then a brilliant thought occurred to her.
Stephanie and Fernando finally arrived, and took in D.J.'s horrified face, "Kimmy just went out onto stage dressed as the rat king."
"Of course she did," Fernando and Stephanie say fondness and love in both their voices. They send a mild glare at each other as Stephanie sits next to her sister and Fernando moves to sit next to Jimmy and a now excited Jackson.
Kimmy had began to lead the other dancers into the Gibbler gallop and that all too familiar flutter in her chest when it came to Jimmy Gibbler. The glitter was full of graceful love for the ungraceful Kimmy Gibbler, and one thought pointed all others into the dust, and that thought was: "I can't wait to marry that goof."
Then Stephanie caught the bewildered look D.J. was giving her and she realized she'd whispered that thought out loud.
"Wha- no I mean, shut up and I'm never getting married I'm going to live in sin forever… oh look Ramona's killing her mom let's go," With that stammered out reaction Stephanie stood up and clapped for her girlfriend's performance.
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A/N: Ok here is what I hoped was a long awaited update, I hope it won't be as long until the next one.