Author's Note: Thank you guys, as always for your awesome reviews! They're so appreciated! Moving towards some new big things in the story, Annie's surgery among them!


Early Christmas morning, after Brittany and I had been up late wrapping the final gifts and preparing the house for the girls to see that Santa had visited, I lie awake in the stillness of the morning, playing with Britt's hair that tickled the top of my chest. We'd made it through Annie's holiday concert at school, where she'd lip-synched like the characters in Charlie Brown (intentionally, she'd told me, because she was too scared to sing in front of everyone, and she thought that looking up and shaping her mouth like an O would convince everyone she was really singing), we'd made it through shopping and wrapping, through Christmas Eve brunch, where the kids ran wild and Kurt and Blaine did a terrible job of pretending they weren't fighting, and through getting the excited girls to bed. I was tired, but I couldn't sleep, because I was excited, excited for Marisa's first Christmas, excited for more of Annie's narration of everything for her, just so excited for the day in it's entirety. Although we'd told Annie that we needed to stay in bed until six o'clock, I heard the unmistakable patter of her feet just after five-thirty, heading into Marisa's room. When I moved to get up to get her and bring her into our room, I felt Brittany move against me, and she looked up with eyes sparkling.

"Leave her." She whispered. "She won't wake the baby up if she's sleeping, and Liz and I used to sleep together every Christmas Eve so we could wake up early and talk about Santa."

"I love that." I smiled, kissing my wife to wish her a merry Christmas. "And I love the idea of them being really close and sharing the bond like you and your sister have."

"Me too. Let's close our eyes for a few more minutes, then maybe we'll go downstairs just a little early."

"You being the pushover, this is new." I teased.

"Christmas morning. You know it's my favorite."

"Oh, hi baby Reese!" Annie chirped over the monitor, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "I didn't think you'd already be 'wake. We've gotta be super quiet, because we're not s'pposed to wake up 'til six o'clock, and it's only five-three-six, but I'm just so excited and I wanted to tell you that Santa came! I know it! I can see our stockings from the stairs!"

"Oh my God, I can't with her." I covered my mouth to stifle the elated giggle that threatened to escape. "I could listen to her talk to the baby forever."

"She just loves her so much. I hope that she can always be her little confidante."

"I think she will be. I mean, the way Marisa's eyes light up when she's even in the room, they're ridiculous with each other, in the best way."

"We first gotta take our stockings down, and then Mama's gonna light is a fire, 'cuz we don't have to worry about hurting Santa, now that he's gone. Then we take all the stuff out, and then we eat French toast casserole that Mamí made before we went to bed, well, you have to eat milk, but Mamí made that too, so 's 'llowed, and then we open up the presents under the big tree. 'S okay if you forget, I'll remind you, okay?" Marisa released a string of sleepy syllables, and Annie giggled in response. "Maybe I should read a book to you, that will make all the time go super faster."

When we heard Annie shuffle a little, obviously searching for the right book, I kind of wished that we had turned on the rarely used camera (I basically despised it, because it always looked to me on the tiny black and white screen that the baby wasn't breathing, and it would send me into unnecessary panic). Having chosen the book, humming Wonderful Christmastime as she did it, we could hear as Annie climbed up into the glider and Britt and I both waited for her to begin.

"Okay, I wanted to read you a Christmas book, but they're all in my room, so I'm gonna read Goodnight Moon instead, since there's no words that are too hard, and you like it a lot." I could just about hear the self-affirming nod in Annie's voice, and Brittany kissed my chin, just because. "In the great green room there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of a cow jumping over the moon. And there were three little bears, sitting on chairs, and a little toy house, and a young mouse. And a comb, and a brush, and a bowl full of mush- we are very lucky we eat pancakes and French toast and not mush, because Mamì told me that that is, and that sounds very gross." Annie laughed at herself, and read through the whole book, making me feel extremely proud over how good her reading was getting."Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere. Do you think it's time to get up yet, Reese? You don't have any clocks in your room. I think when you get hungry, that means Mamí will get you, and then it will be time to go downstairs. Does your belly feel hungry now?"

"Okay, let's go in there. It's 5:51, close enough." I rolled over, buttoning up the top of my Christmas cookie pajamas that were still undone from my heavy makeout session with Britt the night before.

"Mama! Mamí!" Annie cried out when we walked into the room. "It's Christmas!"

"It is, mija!" I scooped her up in my arms while Brittany lifted the baby from the crib to quickly change her diaper. "Thanks for reading to your sister until it was time for us to get up, getting an early start on next year's nice list, right?"

"Course I am! Hi Mama!"

"Hi, baby girl!" Brittany wrapped the two of us in a hug with her and the baby, and Marisa squealed at being pressed between us. "Merry Christmas!"

"I think it's already gonna be the very best Christmas ever!"

Tramping down the stairs, it was Annie's turn to squeal as she saw the piles of gifts and the note written from Santa, thanking her again for being such a good big sister, and telling her that he was very proud of her for being so very brave at school. Marisa was still entranced by the twinkling tree lights, and when Brittany brought her stocking over to where we'd curled up on the rug, and lit the fire, her tiny little hands shook with excitement, absolutely loving the new sight. While Marisa nursed, Brittany took a seat beside us, and Annie slowly removed things from her own stocking, bouncing up and down over a toothbrush, a new bottle of special bubble bath, and Mexican candies, like they were the greatest things she'd ever seen in her life. It was actually shocking to me how patient she was, waiting for the baby to finish eating so she could help open her stocking, and finally, I told her that she could go ahead and start taking things out to show her sister.

While we ate breakfast, Marisa sat up in her highchair, holding on with both hands to Skittles and gurgling to herself (or to him, Annie thought), not really knowing what was going on, but sensing all of the excitement around her. Annie could hardly hold her fork, she was so distracted by the anticipation of what was in those packages, and even though French toast casserole was one of her favorite breakfasts, by the time she'd finished five bites, she was too full to finish eating. Laughing, I took another forkful, and we got up from the table, settling back down on the floor so Annie could choose the first gifts for her and Marisa to open. As excited as she was, it never failed to make me smile, the way she opened each gift so slowly and carefully, actually taking the time to appreciate what was inside before moving on to another. Although Marisa couldn't really do much, Brittany set her between her legs, helping her small hands to rip through the paper, and watching her shriek with delight at the wrapping itself.

By the time we'd finished the Santa gifts, Annie marveling at her new art supplies, her piano book, the scooter that was just like Thoreau's, and her array of other toys and games, it was actually a reasonable hour of the morning. Knowing that Liz and Max would be arriving from Pennsylvania soon, and that our parents would be over before that, I kissed Annie on the forehead, calming her down a little bit while Brittany went to get the iPad and the two gifts that were under our bed upstairs. Although it had been a while since we'd seen Penny and John, they still never forgot about their Annalise, and, although completely unnecessary, they'd sent a second gift for Marisa with hers as well.

"Are you ready to call Grandma Penny and Grandpa John?" Brittany asked, propping the iPad up on the coffee table.

"Okay, Mama." She nodded, curling into me a little bit as she got shy about it. "'S not going to be a lot of people at their house, right?"

"I don't think so, sweetheart, that's why we like to call them early, before it gets crazy there, and here too."

"'S a very good idea. Mamí, I want to sit with you still."

"Of course, mi amor." I ruffled her hair, thankful that my old hesitation toward being involved in the FaceTime conversations (even after Britt and my long conversation with the Evans) was long gone, especially because sometimes Annie needed a little extra encouragement.

"Hi Annalise." Penny waved from the screen. "Hello Santana, merry Christmas!"

"Thanks Penny, you too." I nudged Annie's cheek, making her smile.

"Merry Christmas, Grandma Penny. Where's Grandpa John?"

"He's coming, sunshine. He went to go get the nice gifts you sent us. Did you get ours'"

"We did." Brittany came around the the front of the table, Marisa situated on her hip, and gave Penny a wave.

"Your sister's getting so big, isn't she?"

"On almost-New Year's, she's gonna be six whole months old. Baby Reese, you gotta say hi to Grandma Penny."

"Is that our Little New York?" John walked back in the room with the gifts wrapped in the paper Annie had made herself, calling her by the nickname he'd given her when she was still a baby. "Hi there!"

"Hi, Grandpa John." Annie squeezed tightly to my hand, and I could almost feel her cheeks color. "'S very nice to see you on FaceTime."

"It's always very nice to see you too. Santa was good to you, I hope?"

"He was the best." She smiled at her pile of presents. "Guess what? He even got me my very own music to play on the piano. Even though my Mamí writes very beautiful music, mostly 's too hard to play without lots of help."

"Well we'd definitely like to hear you play when you learn your new music." Penny beamed. "We're very glad to hear that you're going to be another little musical one. Do you want to go ahead and open your gift with us now?"

"Okay." She nodded, slowly tearing off the paper from the gift Britt had set on the floor in front of her, and revealing the small doll cradle that they'd sent. "Wow. This is a very good present."

"Annie." Brittany tried not to laugh, but when Penny and John did, she couldn't help it. "Say thank you, Bean."

"Thank you very, very much." Annie nodded, expressing her great approval. "Candita will like this a lot. She doesn't like too much sharing a bed with me and Milky Way,"

"Good, we're very glad to hear that we got you something you can use." Penny smiled, glad that Annie liked their gift. "What are you doing for the rest of the day?"

"Grammy and Poppy, and 'Buela and 'Buelo are coming over from their hotel. Plus, Auntia Liz and Max are coming in the car from Pennsylvania very soon, and we're going to eat ham and cake and maybe play my new games."

"Well we hope you have a very good Christmas, sweetness." Penny told her, sensing that she was getting restless on the call. "We will talk to you soon, okay?"

"Okay, Grandma Penny. Bye, Grandpa John."

Brittany and I talked to the Evans for a few minutes, once Annie wriggled off my lap to go climb up onto the window bench and create a scene with her brand new window markers. They sounded good, which I was so glad to hear, since December and the holidays were especially tough on them. They told us about Stevie and Stacey, about their plans for Christmas Day with Penny's sister, and about how they really hoped they'd get a chance to see us in New York in the near future. When we hung up the call, Brittany snuggled closer to me, resting my head against my shoulder as Reese lay across her chest. I kissed her temple and squeezed her hip from where my arm held around her waist, and we were quiet for a long while, not really needing to talk about it as we watched Annie sing to herself as she worked, watched Marisa continue to stare at the bright lights in front of her, and just enjoyed the quiet peace of Christmas morning.

Of course, the peace was short lived, as the Lopezes and the Pierces arrived in a flurry of activity, scooping Annie out of her window spot to shower her with kisses and more gifts, and Marisa, almost asleep in Brittany's arms, was woken up by the commotion and quickly snatched up by my mother. Just when things began to settle again, Lizzie and Max walked in, starting the whole process over, and although it was pretty overwhelming, Britt and I just laughed, recognizing that it was one day a year, and even if the baby was a little cranky from not sleeping, it wouldn't hurt her, and that was okay. Once things had sort of calmed, Annie had managed to cajole Stephen, my father and Max into playing Hi Ho! Cherry-O on the floor under the Christmas tree with her, and Brittany came up behind me, pressing herself into my back and wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Be super careful, 'Buelo! These are very tiny fruits and my sister can choke on tiny stuff if she eats it." Annie informed my father, reiterating my own words from earlier, as we'd begun really enforcing the rules about small pieces on the ground as Marisa got closer to crawling. Susan covered her mouth to hide her laughter, appreciating the fact that it was my father, the doctor, whom Annie felt the need to tell that to.

"That's a great rule to remember, Lisita. Maybe we should count them all first, that way we're sure we have them all when we clean up later."

"That's always Mamí's idea too when we play games! She likes to make sure we don't lose any pieces, even big ones that are safe for my sister, because then the game's not so fun!"

"I taught you that well, mija." Papí turned to smile and me, and I nodded.

"Here, Poppy, you can put the spinner together, and I will count the cherries. Max, you can count the apples, and 'Buelo can count the blueberries." She directed them, and all three men immediately followed.

"I love how this tiny girl that I can lift with one hand is the boss of all these men." Lizzie laughed, giving reindeer pajama clad Marisa back to her anxious Grammy and joining us where we stood.

"She knows how to exert her power." Britt told her sister. "We should probably start getting dinner ready. Liz, are you helping us?"

"Yeah, totally."

Liz looked to Max to let him know, and I waved off our mothers' offers to help, letting them actually spend a holiday relaxing, as we went into the kitchen. While I pulled the ham out of the refrigerator, Britt handed over the sack of potatoes to her sister, and the three of us worked at a leisurely pace, knowing we had lots of time, and enjoying the fact that after the commotion around us all the last few times we'd been together, we finally had a chance to hang out, just the three of us.

"How are things going with packing at Max's?" Brittany asked, beginning her thin slicing of the potatoes while I stood at the stove stirring the milk and cheese mixture for them.

"Depressing. I hate that he's moving here in two weeks, and I'm stuck in Boston until May."

"It's sort of funny that when we tried to hook you up with the waiter that time, I told you that Boston to New York was hardly long distance."

"Oh yeah, hilarious, Santana." She pouted. "Even though it's not that far, it still sucks that I won't be able to go over there and just get into bed with him late at night after work."

"Just what I want to hear about my baby sister." Britt teased.

"Please, I know far more about my big sister and her wife than I ever want to know, thank you very much."

"Fair enough." She laughed. "You'll be done soon though, Lizzie."

"I know. I mean, a year ago, all I wanted was to be a DA, and I was totally focused on myself. Now though, I totally still want that, but I also really want to be Mrs. Maxwell Tompkins. Unofficially, obviously. I'm keeping Pierce when we're married."

"Imagine you said that to he-who-shall-not-be-named?"

"No, I can't. I can't imagine a lot of things with him. Like, with Max, I think about having all these little kids that look just like him, I didn't even know I wanted kids."

"Don't let your mother hear you say that you're thinking about kids. She'll probably get the ugly orange booties out for you."

"And Daddy will be so pissed, because they obviously worked pretty well for us, getting Marisa on the first shot."

"I don't want them now. But I want to speed up time, or something, take the Bar, graduate, be settled in that little apartment in SoHo that Max is moving into. I don't know."

"Sorry, Lizzie, I worked long and hard on a time machine, and it never worked out. But look at us, we're kind of proof that the best things are worth waiting for." Brittany leaned over the counter and gave me a lingering kiss, the kind that made me feel all tingly inside.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Have you heard at all from Kate Goldman?" I asked, still loving the idea that my sister-in-law could possibly end up working for a woman that had really helped to change the course of my life.

"Yeah, a few times. It's good to know that she'll be looking to pull my paperwork when it comes in. I mean, she can't officially offer me anything, but I'm set to graduate at the top of my class, and as long as I score well on the Bar, then I'm a great candidate for the job."

"We are proud of you, Squirt. You went from ankle biter, to sort of ditzy, boy crazy undergrad, to this. It's impressive." I praised, and she turned bright red.

"It's not what I ever thought I wanted, but I love it, and I just...I don't know, I hope that I can do for other people what Kate did for you, and really, for our whole family."

"I have no doubt you will, Liz." Brittany said seriously, and Liz dropped the carrot she was peeling to embrace both of us.

"Thank you, for always supporting me, guys. It means so, so much."

At some point, Max came to join us in the kitchen, and our fathers ended up bringing Annie over to Washington Square Park to try out her new scooter. I was glad when she came back sleeping in my father's arms, at least getting a small break from the day as Stephen lay her on Marisa's quilt on the floor (where the baby was already sleeping in her little frog position, limbs tucked under her body and her diaper clad butt sticking up in the air). After we ate, and Susan and my mom insisted on cleaning up, Annie gave out her homemade gifts, we gave out Marisa's footprint ornaments, and Britt and I graciously accepted the things that our parents had unnecessarily bought for us. After hot chocolate, cake, an hour of practicing On Top Of Spaghetti on the piano in front of everyone, and a long game of Scrabble Junior, it was obvious that it was time for everyone to go, with Annie starting to act out like she did when she was too tired, and Marisa getting whiny and extra clingy on Brittany. We said our final goodnights, and changed into pajamas. While Britt helped Annie get into bed, I put the already sleeping baby down in her crib, and then joined my other girls up on Annie's big bed for story time. Our daughter snuggled into my side as Britt read The Day the Crayons Quit, and just when I thought she was falling asleep, her little eyes popped right back open.

"I have a question." Annie furrowed her little brow, and I soothed away the wrinkles with my thumb, urging her to ask it. "How come I got Grammy and Poppy and 'Buelo and 'Buela, and Grandma Penny and Grandpa John? Grammy and Poppy are your Mama and Daddy, Mama, and 'Buela and 'Buelo are Mamí's Mamí and Papí, but Grandma Penny and Grandpa John are nobody's. I don't know if I understand how grandmas and grandpas work."

It was one of those moments where time sort of froze, and my breath caught in my throat. I heard Brittany's sharp intake of breath from Annie's other side, and we exchanged a glance. It had been years since we'd come up with the plan, years since we'd decided that when Annie asked, we'd tell her the truth, but neither of us were expecting it so soon, and it felt like my brain was scrambling, trying to piece together all that we'd talked about in the past. We'd hoped we'd have a few more years, have time until maybe she had even the most rudimentary grasp of sex and relationships, but we didn't, and I felt myself start to panic a little.

"Annalise, we're going to have a really big grown up conversation, okay?" Brittany asked, always cautious to make sure Annie knew when things might be hard or scary for her. "But you can ask us any questions you want as we talk, and we'll try to help you understand as best as possible, okay?"

"Okay, Mama." Annie nodded tentatively, biting at her thumbnail.

"Come here, my sweet girl." Brittany pulled Annie in for a big hug, possibly more terrified than I was about having this conversation, and then settling her down cross legged across from us. "You know how we've talked about how all families are different, but what matters most of all is love? Like how you have two moms, Thoreau has two dads, Brice has a mom and a dad, Aunt Quinn and Uncle Archie went on a plane to get Edie and became her parents after she was born, and Lexi just has a daddy?"

"Course I do."

"Okay." Brittany swallowed hard, and I reached out and took one of her hands between both of mine, needing her to know I was there, needing her to know that as hard as things were when they'd first happened, this wasn't then, and we were in this together, for our daughter. "Do you also remember how we talked to you about how Mamí likes girls, and I like girls and boys?" Annie simply nodded, trying to piece together what was being said, but not having enough information. "Okay, good. I promise sweetheart, it'll make sense when I'm finished. So before I married Mamí, I had a boyfriend, Sam. You've seen him in pictures-"

"He was your friend! He is in the pictures from when you won the trophy!" Annie interrupted, and Brittany nodded. "And he's in pictures at Grandma Penny and Grandpa John's house. But...he's not alive anymore." She finished quietly.

"That's right, baby girl." Brittany nodded. "Sam, he- he was in an accident, right before I came to New York to find Mamí."

"So that's why I have lots of grandmas and grandpas? 'Cuz Grandma Penny and Grandpa John are sad 'bout Sam, and he cant have grandbabies for them?"

You're doing fine. I breathed into Brittany's ear, seeing the tears in her eyes, and knowing that even though she wanted to be the one that told this story, I'd step in for her in an instant if she needed me to. I'm here.

"Sort of. This is the thing, when grown up girls want to have babies, they need either a boy, or a doctor to help plant a baby inside of them. Sometimes, boys don't even know that they've planted a baby in their girlfriend, and the girl gets a very, very big surprise. You, Annalise, were my greatest surprise."

"Okay." Annie sat quiet for a few minutes, and we let her, knowing that she was making sense of it all in the best way she could. "So Sam helped you have a surprise baby me?"

"Yes. That's exactly what happened. I didn't even know that you were inside of me until after he wasn't my boyfriend anymore, and after he…after his accident. That's why Grandma Penny and Grandpa John are also your grandma and grandpa though, because Sam helped to give me you, even if he never got to meet you, and we wanted his mom and dad to get a chance to know the Annie we love so much."

"Oh. But what about you, Mamí?" Annie was clearly concerned, and I lifted her up onto my lap, hugging her against my chest tighter than I ever had. "I don't…I don't understand. I thought people in love get babies together, like you and Mama went to Dr. Singh to put my sister in your belly. How'd you get to be my Mamí if you didn't help Mama get me inside?"

"Mi amor." I tried to keep my voice from wavering, knowing there would never be a conversation with my daughter that was as difficult as that one, and sort of side stepping the people in love get babies together thing, because eventually, we'd have to explain how that wasn't always the case. "You know when you love someone, like your sister, or Mama and me, or Brice, you want to share the things that are most important to you with them?"

"Course, Mamí. That's why I sometimes let you snuggle with Milky Way, and I always let my sister hold him, if she wants to."

"Exactly. So when Mama found out about baby you growing in her belly, she wanted to share how happy she was about you with me, because she was my girlfriend then, not my wife yet, but we loved each other very much. Because of that, she asked me if I'd be your Mamí, and then she asked me if I'd be her wife." I told her, simplifying it as best as I could. "This is the thing, my Annalise, from the very first time I heard your little heart beat, long before you were even born, I knew you were meant to be my daughter, and I knew that I was going to love you stronger than any love I ever felt before for the rest of my life."

"Okay. So you're still my Mamí forever, right? And Mama's still my Mama?" She asked, sounding panicky, like everything she'd ever known could be taken away from her in a second because she'd asked a question.

"Annalisita, tú eres mi mundo entero, you and your sister. Just like with Marisa, it doesn't matter who's belly you grew in, or how you got in there, me, you, Mama and Marisa are the realest of real families, okay? Families are all about love, just like Aunt Rachel and Uncle Finn, Aunt Quinn, Eden, and Brice are all your family because we love them. I love you, my beautiful little girl, and Mama loves you, and that's what being your moms means."

"Okay. Okay. I love you too, lots and lots." She kept nodding to herself, trying to blink away her tears, before burying her face in Brittany's chest and making sure she'd hugged her too. "And I love you Mama."

"I love you too, sweetheart, for always. I know this is a really grown up conversation for you, but you have nothing to worry about, I promise you. Everything is still just the same, but we wanted you to understand why Grandma Penny and Grandpa John are very important in your life." Brittany told her, and she sat quiet and contemplative for several minutes.

"What are you thinking about, Annie?"

"When people die, they never come back, right? And you can never see them again?"

"No, Annie girl, they don't." Brittany sighed, gripping my hand so tight, I swore she'd break my fingers.

"B-but…" Annie got hysterical so quickly, fisting Brittany's shirt with both eyes, and looking up at me with sheer terror on her face. "What if you die? I don't want to never see you again!"

"Mija, mija, estas bien, calmate." I rubbed her lower back, speaking into her ear as she maintained her tight hold on Brittany and sort of feeling like I was going to throw up. Brittany and I shared our own panicked look, not even thinking that we should have prepared to talk to her about death, and I tried to stave off my tears.

"Annalise, look at me." Brittany pressed her fingers under Annie's chin and tilted her head so she was looking up into her Mama's eyes. "I don't want you to worry about Mamí or me dying, sweet girl. Mostly when people die, they are very old, or very sick, and not the kind of sick like when we get belly aches or colds, but the kind of sick like no one we know has ever been. Sometimes, there are terrible accidents and things-" She was unable to avoid looking at me, and I unconsciously brought my hand to my throat, thinking how I had been pretty damn lucky at avoiding death. "But we're not going to think about that, okay? Mamí and me, we're going to try and stick around here for a very, very long time."

"Please try really, really hard, please." She begged.

"Corazoncita, we'll try harder than we've ever tried anything else, I promise you that."

"Okay." She nodded shakily, and Brittany lay her back down on the bed, tucking her underneath her Dr. Seuss quilt and letting her curl Milky Way up under her arm. "Mama?"

"Yes, baby girl."

"I-I'm very sorry you never get to see Sam again." She squeezed her eyes tightly shut. "But I am very happy that you wanted to share your happy about your surprise baby me with Mamí, 'cuz I don't ever want to not have my Mamí."

"I don't ever not want to have my Annie, te amo por siempre y para siempre, mi bebé preciosa."

"Te amo mucho mucho por vida." She pursed her lips for a kiss as I leaned down over her, and after I gave her one, I tucked her hair behind her ear and gave her another on the forehead.

"Do you have any more questions for us, Bean?"

"No, Mama, 's okay. I don't wanna think about sad stuff anymore, I want to think about how it's still Christmas, and how we still have lots of time before you have to go to work again, and how Santa was very, very nice to me and my sister. 'S that still 'llowed? Even though I was just feeling sad?"

"Oh, my Annie." Brittany pressed her hand over her own heart and then kissed our daughter in the same way I just had. "Of course it is. This all happened a very long time ago, and we all want you to feel as happy as you can, as often as you can. And Mamí and I want to feel happy with you tonight, we had a really, really nice day today."

"Can you both sing to me? Just one more Christmas song?" She asked, her eyes getting heavy, and the burdens lifting as she got closer to sleep.

"You don't even have to ask." I smiled, so, so glad for the innocence that she still possessed, and glad that although I was pretty sure she probably didn't understand most of what we'd explained about how she'd come to exist, she got what mattered the most, that she was loved, and that more importantly than anything else, that's what family was all about.

Instead of singing a traditional Christmas song, I chose My Favorite Things, since they did play it on the radio at Christmastime, and obviously, I always found The Sound of Music comforting. Britt sang along with me, running her fingers through Annie's hair when she flipped over on her stomach, and by the time we'd reached the last verse, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad, our daughter, with her arm draped over Milky Way, was fast asleep. Turning off the lights, we went downstairs, leaving our girls to sleep, and leaving ourselves some time alone together. While I sat immediately down, Brittany paced a little bit, stoked the fire, and checked that the doors were locked, until I opened my arms for her and she fell into them.

"I love you. I love you so much." She murmured into my neck, kissing my pulse point. "God, she was supposed to be older before she asked us. Are you okay?"

"If this were a few years ago, I wouldn't be. I would have felt really insecure, and been upset about it for days." I told her honestly. "But she's my girl, and we knew the day would come when she'd ask questions, and I've always been prepared for us to be honest with her. Like you said to her, nothing changes because of it. You and I are her parents, but she deserves to know about the unique circumstances that gave her to us."

"You know, Santana, you're an incredible woman." Britt told me, and I shrugged it off. "You're an incredible mother, an incredible wife, and I just feel so lucky sometimes that I have you."

"We're all lucky, Britt. Our family is pretty special, and I just don't really care how it was created, I guess. Even if you and I could have made a baby that was genetically both of ours, I know I wouldn't love them any more than I love our daughters. They're kind of perfect."

"Yeah." She smiled, wrapping her arms around my neck and looking into my eyes. "The most perfect. Annie's so much like you sometimes that I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd think you gave birth to her."

"Oh, why? Because she constantly stews in her own thoughts all the time? Or because she's a grump when she's tired?" I couldn't help but laugh a little, and she pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth.

"And because she's tough, and she loves so fiercely that sometimes it looks like her tiny body can't even handle it all, and she worries about things that will probably never happen because she feels every emotion so strong, and she speaks Spanish when she gets upset. It just makes me really happy that she's so much like you."

"Baby." I scrunched up my face a little bit. "It's kind of what I'm looking forward to seeing in Marisa too, what Brittanyisms she gets."

"I'm totally banking on the ability to pop and lock."

"Of all your awesome qualities, that's the one you pick?"

"Well you and Annie totally can't, so I'd like someone around here who can."

"You're a gigantic dork." I shook my head, then had to turn a little serious again. "But you're okay too, B?"

"I am. I hate that she was afraid of one of us dying, especially because we've both been a little too close to death for anyone's liking, but like with everything else, we'll answer the questions she has when they come."

"I'll do some research on it in the morning, make sure we're being age appropriate."

"I don't doubt you will, honey." She teased a little, and I clicked my tongue. "I just...I know we were going to explain about her surgery tomorrow, once Christmas was over, but after this, I'd like to wait a few more days. That's a lot for her little mind to process in such a short period of time."

"You're right. We'll wait." I kissed her temple and pulled her in even closer to me, sitting in silence for a long time, just being together, until finally Britt broke it with a sort of awkward laugh.

"Maybe this is totally inappropriate timing right now, but dinner was like four hours ago, and I'm kind of starving again."

"If you're getting up to make a leftover ham sandwich, I totally want one." I raised my eyebrows hopefully and she smiled adoringly.

"Lazy." She kissed me again on the mouth and pushed herself up into a standing position. "I'm getting more cake too."

"You better share with me then."

"Obviously. I'm pretty sure you had to restrain yourself from writing cake sharing into our wedding vows." Brittany rolled her eyes playfully and I just laughed. "Only with you, love of my life, do I even consider sharing chocolate cake."

"I'm well aware of that, and I appreciate it."

While Britt went to the kitchen, I went upstairs to get an envelope from the top drawer of my dresser, and even though it hadn't been long since we'd put them to bed, since I was up there, I just couldn't help taking another peek at my daughters in their rooms. Marisa was suckling in her sleep, the way she often did, a habit from when she used to sleep-nurse, and I reached down into the crib to touch her open palm. She didn't stir, and I held my hand there for a few moments, whispering down to her.

"Que sueñes con los angelitos, amorcita. I love you, my little one, and I hope you had the first of many amazing Christmases."

Closing the door behind me, I went into Annie's room to find her furled up into a little ball, Milky Way tucked between her knees and her stomach. I couldn't help but think that she slept the way I did on the rare occasion I was alone, and I sat down beside her, gently loosening her tightened muscles and brushing a soft kiss across her forehead. She was such a part of me, my precious little miracle, like somehow, when she'd physically grown inside of Brittany, she'd grown to fill my heart as well. I knew when she was older, when she understood more of what was meant by the things we'd told her, she'd ask more questions, but I also knew that the answers to those questions wouldn't change the bond between us, that special bond that could never be replicated. I'd loved her as her mother since before she was born, I'd love her as her mother until the day I died, and I smiled, thinking how different I was from the girl who'd walked to Brooklyn and smoked a pack of cigarettes in an hour because she found out Britt was pregnant, how much stronger I'd become thanks to a tiny blonde ball of everything I never new I wanted, an incredible gift who made me life better every day.

"Sueños dulces, mi bebé preciosa. Feliz navidad, mi amor." I whispered into her hair, and felt her small hand grip my shirt for just a second before releasing it. "Te amo más de lo que te imaginas."

When I made it back downstairs (stopping halfway down because I'd actually forgotten the reason I'd gone up there in the first place), Britt was back on the couch, an array of leftovers strewn across the coffee table, and I quickly found my seat again, folding my legs up on the couch and leaning into her. Neither of us spoke while we ate, just the occasional moan of appreciation (okay, from me, I really enjoyed leftover sandwiches), and when we were finished, I lay back with my head on Brittany's lap and pat my full stomach. Smiling in that way she always did when she thought my slightly dramatic mannerisms were adorable, she massaged my scalp and combed her fingers through the full length of my hair, making me hum out loud.

"Everything always looks prettier under Christmas tree lights, even you, and it's hardly even possible."

"Well, me and Christmas are two of your favorite things, so it sort of makes sense." I half attempted to sit up again, but her hands in my hair just felt entirely too good. "So even after a weird day like today, should we do Santana and Brittany Christmas?"

"I think especially after a weird day like today we should."

"Good. I'm kind of excited about this." I handed her the envelope I'd brought down with me, and she struggled to open it while still keeping one of her hands moving through my hair.

"Here, you can open it, I'm a little busy with my wife, who's kind of purring like a giant cat."

"Still probably weigh less than Lord Tubbington, may he rest in peace." I teased, and she flicked my ear playfully. "Ow. Maybe I'll go on this year's trip by myself."

"Oh, you wouldn't." Brittany laughed, and learned down to kiss my not-so-wounded ear.

"You're right, I love you too much to leave you behind." I affirmed. "Anyway, we totally owe your sister for her help with this. I know that we always go somewhere close to home, because we're just not into being far away from the girls. But, Liz had the great idea of us bringing them up to her for the weekend, and I found this awesome little bed and breakfast in Plymouth, and I want to take you there."

"Plymouth like Plymouth Rock?" She asked excitedly, and I giggled a little.

"Yeah, Plymouth like Plymouth Rock. I know we never really see historical stuff like that, like we used to with your parents, and I know you love it."

"Says the girl who bathed herself in the Fountain of Youth in Florida when we were in high school."

"Whatever, I didn't say I didn't like them." I shrugged. "I pushed it later than usual this year though. I know the recovery time is quick for Annie's surgery, but I don't know...I thought that Valentine's Day was far enough after that we wouldn't be worried about it, and-"

"Thank you." Brittany pulled me up so I was straddling her lap, and she kissed me deeply, sliding her tongue over my lower lip before pulling it between her teeth. "Thank you, Santana. For this, and for always thinking of the important things, and just because. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Britt."

I wrapped my arms around her neck before my open mouth came up to meet her's, feeling this need to be close to her, this pulsing desire to press my body as close to hers as possible, and I could tell the feeling was reciprocal. Her hand came up to cup my cheek, and as her thumb rubbed the most sensitive spot beneath my ear, I slipped my hand up under her shirt, tracing my fingers over her abs, feeling the heat radiating from the smooth skin, before traveling up to squeeze her breast. She moaned into my mouth at my touch, and I smirked a little, loving the effect I had on her, before she took over our kiss, curling her tongue around mine and making me gasp for air. We kissed like that for a long time, making out like teenagers on the couch, until Brittany hooked her arm under my thighs and stood us up, pulling me to wrap my leg around her waist and let her carry me to bed. It was a struggle to be quiet as we made it up the stairs, but once we made it into our room and behind the closed door, I let out a squeal at my wife's strength when she lay me down on the bed and covered my body with her own, sucking at the hollow of my throat in the way that never failed to make me release a deep, vibrating moan.

"So sexy." She murmured, pushing my black t-shirt up above my breasts, and eventually off of me, revealing my midsection to her. "So beautiful."

I could scarcely keep myself together as she tossed her own shirt off and lowered her head to my chest, trailing her tongue around the outside of my nipple (I was looking forward to the day I didn't get embarrassed by leakage if she actually touched them) and down the valley between my breasts. I could see it in her eyes as she left sucking kisses on my stomach, the need to make me feel her love, a need I understood all too well, and as she slid out of her own pants and moved at an agonizingly slow pace to remove mine, I gave her a soft adoring smile, and squeezed her hand tightly as she lie flat on her stomach and settled herself between my parted thighs.

My hips jerked up off the bed as her tongue first touched me, making the rest of my body shiver as the heat all went to one place. While she worked her mouth against me, building me up slowly, her blonde hair fell to curtain her face, and needing to see her, needing to feel her eyes on mine, I reached a shaky hand down to brush it back. When those sharp blue eyes met mine, piercing into me in this way that combined sex, eternal love and this desperate sense of gratitude (a gratitude she never needed to show me, a gratitude that was so mutual), I felt my heart leap up into my throat, felt tears spring to my eyes as I approached the precipice, felt my body shake and writhe, because Brittany, my strong, beautiful Brittany was still, after five and a half years of marriage, able to to things to my body and soul that no one else could, able to make me feel so completely besotted by her.

When I was close, so close that I ached and burned inside, I felt Brittany's mouth still, and two fingers press inside of me. My hand that was still loosely gripping her hair tightened, and it took every ounce of waning willpower that remained not to pull in my urgency to have her lips on mine again, to have her stomach and breasts and everything against my body as I came undone. Reading my needs the way she always did, she continued to move inside of me, but came back up to me, and I lifted my head, meeting her lips and panting, gasping, whimpering into her mouth. My nails dug into her shoulder, fusing her body with mine, and even as I started losing all sense of coherent thought, I knew that I wanted to feel her too, wanted her to feel the way that I loved her in the same way she was branding it into my body.

"B-Britt." I buried my face in her neck at the same time I slipped my fingers into her wetness, and she bit down hard on my lower lip, not expecting my touch when it came.

I came quickly after that, shameless with my vocal expressiveness, and Brittany kissed me hard as I rubbed against her, relishing in the squeaks and groans that escaped from her mouth to mine. When I felt her shake above me, I redoubled my efforts, even as my fingers shook, my body taking even longer than usual to recover from the second orgasm that wracked through me as she kept herself inside of me. I'm pretty sure I passed out in bliss after she collapsed, spent, on top of me, and when I felt her kissing my eyelids, heard her whispering words I couldn't process, I opened my eyes again, scratching at her lower back, caressing her sides, wanting to stay awake for that beautiful post-sex intimacy.

"Hi." I murmured against her lips, her forehead resting on mine, and our eyelashes touching if one of us blinked. Her laughter tickled through my body as she wordlessly teased me for the way I sometimes felt the need to greet her when I felt particularly snuggly and affectionate in the afterglow, and I nudged her nose with mine.

"Hi there." She tucked a few hairs behind my ear, and brushed her thumbs over the flushed apples of my cheeks before making herself comfortable against my chest. "It's after midnight."

"Another Christmas passed."

"And another new year almost here."

"This was my favorite yet." I told her seriously, and she nodded against me. "The year, I mean. We had Marisa, you got your amazing new job, I've made so much professional progress, and we are just happy."

"I'm looking forward to what the next one means. Seems like each one is better than the last."

"Yeah Britt, I think you're right about that."