Chapter Twelve
& One Happy Family

DECEMBER 24TH, 2007

1930 EST
MACKENZIE-RABB RESIDENCE
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

"'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…"

Mac smiled in contentment, resting her head on Harm's shoulder. They were sitting on their bed with Wade snuggled between them. Harm had a brand new copy of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and was reading it aloud. Wade seemed to be more interesting in trying to turn the page before Harm was done reading than actually listening to the story.

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in the hopes that St. Nicholas would be there-"

Harm was interrupted by Wade trying to turn the page early, his chubby fingers starting to lift the corner of the page. "I think someone's a little impatient," Mac said, gently prying Wade's fingers from the page.

"He gets that from his mother," Harm said teasingly.

"You're funny."

Wade started a whine of protest, but was calmed down by a few quick kisses on the cheek from Mac. "Come here, handsome," she said, pulling him into her lap.

As Harm continued to read, Mac couldn't help but get distracted by how wonderful the moment was. It was hard to believe how far her and Harm had come since that first December they spent together twelve years ago, when he taught her how to ice skate.

They went skating a second time that year, as date the day after Wade's first birthday. That time, Mac didn't fall once.

"You've come a long way, marine," Harm had told her as they glided across the ice, perfectly in sync. Now whenever they skated, they held hands because they wanted to, not because they had to.

"We've come a long way, you mean," Mac corrected him. "You fell just as many times as I did, if I recall correctly."

"We both got back up, though."

"That we did."

Wade ended up falling asleep in Mac's lap before Harm was done with the story, but he still finished reading it out of principle. When they put Wade to bed in his crib, they stood there for a few moments, watching their son as he slept peacefully.

"He's definitely your son," Mac whispered. "He sleeps like the dead."

"At least he doesn't snore like you do."

Mac smirked. "Thank God for that."

Harm wrapped Mac into a warm embrace, placing a kiss into her hair. "I love you," he murmured against her temple.

"I love you, too," Mac answered. She looked up at him. "Merry Christmas, Harm."

"Merry Christmas, Mac."

Merry Christmas readers! Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! Also, I would like to say a big thank you for putting up with my rapid-fire updates. A lot of these chapters were so short, I decided to just upload them as soon as I got done editing.

I hope you all have a pleasant holiday season and are able to rest peacefully for the remainder of this year!

Thank you so much for reading!

-Harper