The Matthews' apartment building was bustling with the warmth of Christmas joy and the snow fell heavily outside. The apartment was decorated with Christmas lights and a huge Christmas tree.
Topanga was making her famous Christmas meal and Cory was helping set up the tree, placing tinsel on the green evergreen. Auggie was searching through a book on the couch and Maya was with Riley, sitting next to Auggie.
Lucas and Andrew rushed in, snow glistening their hair, with arms full of presents and their noses slightly red from the chilly air. They set them down and Andrew rushed over to his wife and Maya had a huge grin on her face. He bent down and cups her cheeks and he tilts her head up.
"Merry Christmas, love." His grin grows as he leans down even further and presses a long and loving kiss upon her lips.
"Alright, Andrew." Shawn's voice was heard from the front door. "There's a baby present."
Andrew snaps back from kissing his wife, both their faces red, and he turns to see him in laws. Katy was beaming a bright smile with little Alex on her hip. Katy had a nice formal dress on and Andrew was confused as to how she didn't trip in the high heels she wore. Alex was dressed in a little santa outfit and Maya couldn't help but grin at the baby.
Shawn is grinning like the grinch and he closes the door behind Katy. Shawn is holding something behind his back and he walks up to Maya and Andrew. "Merry Christmas, you two." Shawn holds out a single present with red wrapping.
"Shawn and I picked it out for you too." Katy smiles, standing beside her husband. "It's simple, but we thought you'd like them."
Andrew sits down on the couch and pulls Maya into his lap. Riley feels Lucas wrap his arm around her shoulder as everyone watches the newlyweds open their present.
In the box, surrounded by white tissue paper, lay two white mugs that said Mr. & Mrs. Maya smiles at her parents. "Thanks, you guys." She goes to hug them tightly. "It's perfect."
"Don't tell us we missed out on this glorious occasion." A very familiar voice said at the front door. The whole gang turned and saw Smackle and Farkle standing at the front door, holding hands and smiling widely.
"Farkle!" Maya and Riley shout rushing to their old friend and hugging him tightly. He returned the hug.
"Ladies." He grins. They pull away and stare at each other. They didn't notice the baby resting on Smackle's hip until the baby started to squirm in her arms.
Maya points slowly. "Riley," she gulps.
"Yeah?" Riley responds, sounding terrified.
"There's a baby."
"U - huh." Riley swallows.
"This isn't actually our baby." Smackle says. "We adopted her."
Maya stares at Farkle and Smackle. "You two? As in . . . You're her parents."
Farkle wraps his arm around Smackle, grinning. "We got married two months ago in October." He explains. "We adopted her after we got married."
"When was the wedding?" Lucas buts in, standing by Riley, just as confused as everyone else.
"There wasn't one." Smackle blushes. "We just went to the court . . . I didn't want a big wedding. Sorry, you guys." She looks ashamed and upset, but Riley hugging her made her doubt drip away.
"We're so happy!" Riley grins as she pulls away. She looks at the baby with green eyes and brown hair. The baby had a red dress on and a red bow in her hair. "What's her name?"
"Alice Jennifer Bradford Minkus." Farkle exhales.
"B - Bradford?" Maya stutters, the last name all too familiar. "I - Is she . . ."
"Missy's baby?" Farkle asks. He shoves his hands in his pockets. "Yes. Missy had planned to give Alice up for adoption after a few months with her . . . We were visiting Mr. Turner for the Thanksgiving when Missy was about to take Alice to the adoption agency. We couldn't just let her give up Alice, so we decided to adopt her."
"Wait," Lucas says. "Mr. Turner will be coming for dinner tonight. Does that -"
"Does that mean Missy will be coming to?" Andrew interrupts.
"Afraid not, kids." Mr. Turner says as he walks into the Matthews' apartment. The group turns and looks to see him standing there. "She left for California just a few hours ago."
"California?" Riley questions.
"She got a job offer." Mr. Turner tells them.
Shawn clears his throat. "Well, I think I'm getting whiplash from looking at the door so often and my head is spinning. How about we just sit down and eat our Christmas dinner?"
"Agreed." Cory buts in. The group heads to the table and they start to have their dinner.
Maya and Andrew head into their dark apartment, the only light source being the lights on their Christmas tree. Andrew flips the switch on and shakes the snow from his hair. Maya slips off her coat and high heels and sighs loudly from exhaustion.
"That was long." She sighs as she plops down on the couch. She leans her head against the back on the cushion and Andrew slugs off his coat and walks over to her.
The lights from the tree give off a golden and warmth feeling in the loft. The smell of freshly baked apple pie fills the room and the snow is falling lightly.
"Yeah, but it was fun seeing everyone again." He leans his arm over the back of the couch lazily. He smiles down at his wife and then something clicks. "I almost forgot something." He stands up quickly and Maya looks confused at him. She watches as he rushed to their tree and picks up a small jewelry box from under it. He rushes back and sits down next to her.
"Andrew, you didn't have to get me anything -"
"Maya, you're my wife." He takes her hand in his. "Of course I'm going to get you something, silly." He places a soft kiss against her knuckles. Maya feels herself blush. He places the jewelry box in her lap and waits for her to open it. "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Hannigan."
Maya slowly lifts the lid and a diamond necklace with a locket on it stares at her. "Andrew . . . It's beautiful."
"Well, I wanted our first Christmas as husband and wife to be special." Andrew smiles, but then it fades when he sees Maya looking guilty. "Honey . . . Maya, sweetheart, what's wrong?" He cups her face lightly.
"I didn't get you anything." Maya admits. "I couldn't think of anything you'd like."
Andrew stares at her and chuckles a little. "Maya, you don't have to get me anything. I just love having you next to me." Maya looks at her lap. "Maya, what is it? You're scaring me."
Maya looks at him. "Andrew . . . What if . . . What if we had a baby?"
Andrew felt his breath catch in his throat. "M - Maya? Sweetie, you're confusing me." He groans as he drops his hand and places his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. "First you say you want to wait and not even a few months later you want a baby? What brought all this on?"
Maya frowns. "I don't know. Something just clicked when I saw Alice and I thought . . . I want what Farkle and Smackle have -"
"But we aren't them." Andrew interrupts. His head shoots to look at her and Maya's face is stricken with pain. He swallows thickly. "Are we even ready -"
"There's never a time to be ready." Maya protests.
"And you think now is a good time to have a baby?" Andrew sighs. "Maya, we barely have enough money to support you and me."
"But Andrew . . ." Maya frowns. Andrew scrubs his face with his hands and she exhales loudly. "I know this is sudden, but things change. We can make it. I know we can." Andrew lifts his head slowly and folds his hands. Maya looks at him. "I mean, what's ever stopped us from doing what we wanted in life? I want to have a family. I want . . . I want to have a family with you, Andrew. It sounds cheesy - God, is this mushy - But I want a baby. It doesn't have to be now, but I want one."
Andrew looks at his wife. "You really want one that badly?" His voice is soft and gentle.
Maya doesn't hesitate when she answers. "Yes. If you want one."
Andrew looks at her and she sees his eyes darken. He stands up and Maya watches nervously. She doesn't even have time to react before Andrew sweeps her up into his arms and he's carrying her off into their bedroom.
"Of course, Maya." Andrew kisses her lightly as he opens the door. "I can't say no to you."
Maya can't help but grin before he closes the door and the loft becomes silent for a while.
