Madeline and Mel lifted their shopping bags and carried them to the spare room that James and Madeline was sleeping in. They sat the bags down as Madeline looked at her daughter, still feeling so emotional.
"They look like such a happy little family"
Mel smiled hearing her mum "They really do. They clearly trust Mags, the way they clung to her when they saw us".
"Thank God your dad had no problems talking, I wasn't sure I could talk past the emotions"
"I was not expecting them to be in the kitchen alone with Mags with Jubal just sitting in the living room... Clearly, they all felt so comfortable" Mel smiled remembering the scene before her eyes before the kids realised she was there "Hopefully they will relax the more time we spend with them so that we can see the real them"
Back in the kitchen, Maggie smiled still holding Abby "You want to tell my dad what we are doing?"
Abby looked at Maggie and then at James, "Mags was going to make some cookie with us".
"Oh they used to be my favourite cookies when she made them with her mum" James smiled.
"Did you help them make the cookies?" Tyler looked at James as he spoke.
"I was usually working, so I missed that part, but if you are okay about it how about I help you and Mags can help Abby?" James wasn't sure the young boy would be willing to agree to it, but he wanted to offer to try to help them relax.
Tyler looked at his dad "Would that be okay Dad?"
Jubal smiled hearing Tyler "Of course Buddy... I am more than happy to watch and eat them when ready" Jubal really couldn't thank James enough for the way that he was being with his kids, he could see how much Maggie was like her Dad.
"Okay then let's get started so that we can enjoy them later" Maggie smiled as she carried Abby back around the other side of the breakfast bar, "Eh dad First, you need to go wash your hands please, the other three bakers have already done that"
James held his hands up, "Yes, boss" The kids laughed watching and hearing him as he went to the kitchen sink and washed his hands using the hand towel that Jubal had grabbed for him...
Tyler came around to stand between Maggie and her dad, Maggie looked at Abby "You okay if I let you sit on the counter so that you can help me?" Abby nodded smiling "Okay everyone is going to need to roll up their sleeves".
All four of them rolled up their sleeves with Tyler now standing closer to James, watching what the older man was doing, and he asked him to roll his sleeves up the way that James had so that they didn't slide down. Jubal had stepped back a little from the kitchen as he watched the four of them working together. Mel and Madeline joined Jubal, and he smiled looking at Madeline.
"You should go join them, Abby will be okay with Mags there with her" He could see the way that Madeline was watching them, he could tell she wanted to join in.
"You sure? I don't want to do anything that would upset the fun they are having" Madeline looked from the kitchen to Jubal.
"I'm sure... Tyler is comfortable with James already and Abby will really be okay as long as Mags is there" Jubal smiled softly at Madeline.
Madeline made her way into the kitchen as she watched the two adults and two kids working together on the cookies…"You guys need some help?"
"What you think Abby You want to have my mum help us?" Maggie looked at Abby.
"You'll stay too?" Abby looked at Maggie.
"Of course I will sweetheart I'm not going anywhere…"
"Okay Maggie's mummy you can help us" Abby smiled brightly at Madeline
"You know I used to make these with Maggie when she was your size?" Madeline smiled as she started to help Abby.
"To leave out for Santa?"
"We did always keep some for Santa… I think he really liked them".
"Can we keep some for Santa?" Abby looked at Maggie as she asked.
Maggie looked at Jubal for confirmation before smiling at Abby "Of course we can… Dad, Tyler we are going to make an extra special one each and keep it for Santa, sound good?" All five of them got back to make the cookies.
Mel stood beside Jubal as they watched the five of them, she couldn't stop smiling seeing her parents so relaxed and having fun with Tyler and Abby, and how truly happy that her sister looked.
"What was that between you and Mags?"
"What?"
"The look she gave you"
"Oh" Jubal laughed softly "My sister claims that me and Mags can have a conversation with our eyes without actually talking"
"After witnessing it, I think it's safe to say your sister is right" Mel laughed nudging Jubal's shoulder "Thank you" When he looked at her confused she decided to explain "I don't know the last time, I have seen my parents laugh and smile so much and I have never seen my sister this happy... You made all of this happen."
"Your sister made all of this happen… Mags has been amazing with the kids, dealing with my ex-wife, dealing with tough cases at work, I wanted to do something for her, to make her smile" Jubal was honest with Mel as he knew that Mags talked to her sister about everything.
"You know you are the reason that she smiles the way that she does. My parents even talked about it today, we don't think we have ever seen her the way that she is with you" Mel looked from the kitchen to Jubal, "So how long have you had feelings for her?."
"A couple of years" He didn't see any point in lying to Mel, "But I never let them show at all, I knew Mags was dealing with a lot of things after Jason's death and I would rather have her as a friend than not have her at all... We started spending more time together at work, she started talking about giving dating a try... I never thought that Mags would look at me that way… Hell, your sister could have any man that she wanted."
Mel listened to Jubal as he spoke taking in every word he said, she noticed how the whole time he was talking he hadn't taken his eyes off Maggie until he had stopped talking. She hadn't expected him to be so honest, but she really respected that he was since he knew that Mel and Maggie liked to talk about everything.
"You know she told me and my parents how much you all helped her deal with everything after Jason's death. We knew she was throwing herself into work, but she told us the few times you stood up to her and made her back down because she was going too far... She may have been so frustrated at the time, but it meant so much to her that you did that…" Mel looked at Jubal "You know that my sister is with the man that she wants. Jubal I can promise you that my sister is completely in love with you... I don't think you allow yourself to see how much she truly loves you, the same way she doesn't always allow herself to see that you absolutely love and adore her."
"I was never going to let her do anything that would harm herself or harm her career, I knew it was one of the things saving her back then" Jubal smiled softly, that reserved smile that only appeared when looking at Maggie and when he didn't have to hide his love "I really hope this visit lets you and your parents see that Mags really does have a family here that love and adore her… My kids seriously can't get enough of your sister, and there isn't anything that I wouldn't do for her".
"Oh, we are all already aware of that… My parents always worried about her being here on her own, they knew your team is like family, but they wanted her to have a life outside of work, have her own family... You are giving her that Jubal" Mel smiled as she watched Jubal who was watching them all in the kitchen as they put the cookies into the oven.
Abby came running into the living room to where Mel and her dad was standing, "Daddy, can you get my colours please, Mag's mum said she would colour with me."
Mel hunkered down in front of Abby "Would you like to show me where they are, and I'll get them for you and maybe we can all colour some unicorns" Mel remembered that Mags had told her how much Abby lover Unicorns.
Abby looked up at her dad, he nodded smiling, "Go on baby girl, they are in the storage box in your room, we will be right here when you come back" Abby took Mel's hand and lead her upstairs to get the colours.
James came into the living room to play some games with Tyler who was now chatting a lot more as he felt completely comfortable. Jubal came into the kitchen, and he smiled wrapping his arms around Maggie from behind unable to resist, and he smiled even more feeling her lean back against him, he looked at Madeline, "Abby has gone with Mel to get the colours, you should take the minutes rest before they come back I'll help Maggie tidy up in here".
Madeline was about to argue and offer to help clean up, but Maggie shook her head smiling, "Go mum, enjoy the time with Abby, me and Jubal has got this" she lay her hands on Jubal's arms while looking at her mum who held up her hands laughing walking into the living room... Maggie tilted her head back looking at Jubal "I love you so much babe" she leaned up kissing him softly but with love.
He smiled holding her as close as he could as he kissed her back with just as much love placing small kisses to her lips before resting his chin on her shoulder, "What did I do to deserve that, you know just to know, so I can do it again" He joked.
"You made this all possible, we have most of the people that we love under one roof... This is turning out to be one of the best Christmas's I've had since I was a kid" Maggie ran her hands along Jubal's arms resting her temple against his as they watched the living room full of noise from James, Tyler, Madeline, Mel and Abby.
"It's been perfect… You know you just keep making me fall more in love with you, you didn't have to share that tradition with the kids, I know your mum meant for you to do that with your own kids. To share that with Abby and Tyler, and for your mum and dad to get involved with it too... Baby, that's more than I could have ever wished for this Christmas… This right here with you, watching our family, in our home… it's so perfect".
Maggie lifted one of her hands up to caress Jubal's cheek gently as she could hear the emotion in his voice as he said 'our family and in our home', she kept her temple against his caressing his cheek with her thumb "Did you think seven months ago that this would be our life right now?."
Jubal shook his head gently "Baby, I couldn't even have imagined you giving me the chance to show that some men were worth second dates let alone be living together having my kids clearly bonding with your parents and sister. I'm afraid of screwing this up Mags" he admitted quietly.
"When I asked you to move in, you told me it wouldn't always be easy, we know that… But we will always fight for each other and will always support each other… So nothing either of us does will screw this up when it's what we both want" She rubbed her cheek gently against Jubal's closing her eyes as she pulled his arms tighter around her just enjoying the sound of their family in their home while the man that she loved held her.