A/N: First of all, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, from wherever you are reading this.

Thanks to everyone who read the stories, and stayed with me over the past 24/25 days, I really hope you all enjoyed it. Special thanks to everyone who took the time and left one or more review(s), I really appreciate your feedback a lot!

Because snoozie2105 and Prisca512 asked for it, here's another final chapter to "Secret Santa"


December 24/25

Secret Santa, pt. 8

"Dave, would you mind if we made a quick stop at my house to get an overnight bag for me?" JJ asked as they were in the limousine on their way to David's cabin at Little Creek.

"Jennifer, I took the liberty and bought a few things for you to wear over the next couple of days. I hope that's okay." Rossi replied.

"Dave!" JJ's tone sounded almost a bit accusing. "You really didn't have to do this. You already spent almost a fortune for me over the past weeks."

"JJ, first of all, you should have realized by now that I can afford it, besides, it's just money. Second, as I've already told you a couple of times tonight, you're worth every cent and more. And it's not much, by the way. Just a few comfortable clothes, sweat pants and a sweater, some underwear, just basics, as I don't plan on leaving the house until at least after the weekend."

At his last words, JJ realized that she'd actually had plans for the following day.

"Damn," she muttered.

What is it?"

"I was going to be at my brother's place tomorrow afternoon. My parents are also coming from Pennsylvania this year, and especially my nephew and niece are desperately awaiting their cool Aunt Jennifer with their presents."

Seeing her dilemma, Rossi said at once: "Then we'll be there tomorrow, of course. That is, if you want to take me with you." She gave him a disbelieving look at his last comment and leaned in to drop a quick kiss on his lips. "I'd love for you to come with me."

"Would you come with me to my parents, too? My mother's throwing her Christmas brunch for the whole family, as every year. Maybe we could connect it, going to my mother's brunch and then afterwards being with your family."

"That would be wonderful." JJ smiled happily.

"And tonight, we're going to enjoy a quiet Christmas Eve at Little Creek." He bent his head over to her and whispered softly in her ear: "I was thinking about relaxing in front of the fireplace, how does that sound?"

Snuggling against him, she murmured back: "Wonderful." She entwined her fingers with his as he wrapped his other arm around her.

They spent the rest of the sixty-minutes drive to Little Creek nestled up against each other, sharing more than a few lazy, gentle kisses, talking about anything and everything. When they arrived at his cabin, Dave helped JJ out of the car. Saying goodbye to Vincenzo, they thanked him for his service and Rossi left him with a generous tip.

As soon as they entered his house, JJ felt at home. She had only been here once before, at Rossi's birthday, since he usually spent his days at his townhouse in D.C. as it is closer to Quantico, and the few times he had invited his team over for dinner, they had been there, too. JJ loved it there as well, but this secluded cabin here at Little Creek was something special, she had been able to tell from the first moment she had stepped inside. It was huge, with a lot of wooden interior, wide open spaces, and everything was beautifully and tastefully decorated. With a look into the living room, she gasped as she saw one of the most beautiful Christmas trees she'd seen in her life.

"You like it?" Rossi wanted to know.

"Like it? I love it. God, I'm loving this whole house." Smiling widely with happiness at her confession, he guided her upstairs, showing her to his master bedroom, where he'd spread her new clothes out on the bed.

"I suggest, you get changed into some of these. I'll go down and get us something to drink, okay?"

"Sure."

"What do you want? Tea, coffee, some Christmas punch?"

"Punch sounds great. I'll be right down."

He went out and down into the kitchen, fixing their drinks and getting a few of his Christmas cookies, some of those that he'd given to JJ already, onto a plate and brought everything into the den, then lit a fire and dimmed the lights, leaving it to the Christmas tree to illuminate the room and bathing it in a warm orange light. As soon as he was done, JJ came in, now dressed in comfortable black sweat pants, and a deep red sweater. Seeing the cookies on the table, she started: "About those cookies."

"You didn't like them?" he asked a bit anxious.

"No, no, they were wonderful. Amazing in fact. I was just wondering, did you bake them yourself?" Looking at her in disbelief, he teased: "You wound me, Jennifer. Of course I did. My mother would chase after me with her rolling pin if I bought them."

"You're full of surprises, Rossi. I never would have taken you for a guy, who'd bake."

Stealing a quick kiss from her lips, he smirked: "Well, you've got lots to discover then."

He gestured her towards the couch. "Sit down, make yourself comfortable. I'll just get changed myself and be right back."

"Alright." She didn't sit down right away, though, walking over to the mantle to look a the photographs that were put up there, pictures of him with his family, his mother and father being on quite a few of them with him, smiling proudly with their arms around their oldest son. The other people on those photos were probably his siblings, and nephews and nieces, as they all resembled each other in a certain way. There was also one of those birthday pictures there, almost the same as the one he'd given JJ. She was so absorbed in looking at them that she didn't hear him come back, startling as he suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her back to his chest, and brought their cheeks together. However, she quickly relaxed in his warm embrace again, leaning her head back against his shoulder and pointing on the pictures, asking: "They all your family?"

"Yeah, my parents, my brother, my two sisters and their children."

"They look wonderful."

"They are." His voice was filled with warmth and affection, and JJ could tell, how much his family meant to him.

"So I'm guessing, you're the only one without children?"

"Yeah, something my mother never forgets to remind me of."

"Do you regret it? That you've never had any I mean?"

"Sometimes. But then I realize again that I've never been with the right woman so far, who I could have imagined having children with, so I guess it's better this way."

Hesitating, JJ asked the next question, a bit afraid of his answer: "Would you still want to have any kids?" He turned her around in his arms and looked at her with earnest eyes.

"Jennifer, you are the first woman, I can imagine having anything with. I admit that starting my own family with you is an image I have in my mind a lot lately. I don't want to push you into anything, of course. I will be happy with whatever we'll end up with."

Relief showed on her face. Having her own family had always been her dream. She gave him a gentle kiss on the lips, and snuggled into his chest, as he wrapped her even tighter into his embrace.

"We'll take it slow," he said softly, "taking one step after another, but I would love to stand here in this place a few years from now, watching our child or children opening their presents, seeing their excited and happy eyes as they do."

"I'd love that too," she whispered quietly.

They stood there holding each other close for long moments, without talking.

"Jennifer," Dave began to speak first again, his voice soft and quiet. "Will you dance with me again?" Feeling her nod against his shoulder, he reached for the remote control of his stereo, and turned on some slow Christmas music. Holding her close, he gently swayed her to the soft tunes of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", both closing their eyes and enjoying the moment. After a few more songs, he slowly guided her over to the couch, laid down, and pulled her with him, never letting her out of his embrace.

The rest of their first Christmas Eve together was spent lazily on the sofa. They told each other stories from their childhood, anecdotes of past Christmases, and simply got to now each other better. For both it was their most wonderful Christmas in a long time, and with the happy certainty in their minds that there would be many more wonderful Christmases together in their future, they fell asleep.