Anna & Finn's Manor, Port Charles

There was still a light in the living-room and to and fro across the window-shades went the shadow of a woman walking restlessly up and down. What was she doing up at this hour of the night? And why was she striding about like a lunatic? She stopped to rest in front of the fireplace, huffed with impatience when the clock began to chime its way to twelve. Leaning against the mantle while her foot tapped restlessly on the hearth tiles, she waited and waited. The sound of the front door being opened then closed, and she turned sharply in the direction of the sound.

Finally!

"It's about time! I sent you out for triple-A batteries, and you took so long I thought you might be kidnapped, and I'd have to go find you-" her words stopped abruptly when she saw Finn wrestling a box nearly the size of himself into the house.

"What is that?" she pointed at it suspiciously.

"A dollhouse," he said briskly.

Anna blinked with confusion. "A dollhouse? Violet already has Emma's old dollhouse."

"Yeah, I know, but this one is three stories and, I don't know, I just knew that she would love it."

"Ok…," she said slowly, "and now we have to put it together even though we just finished assembling all her gifts. Except for the batteries. Please tell me you got the batteries."

"I did. And don't worry, I'll handle it. You can just sit back and enjoy a cup of tea while I get it figured out. It can't be that complicated, right?"

"Uh-huh," she said skeptically.

Anna left to get a fresh pot of tea, and she could hear the sound of a cardboard box being ripped open and the clatter of pieces unnumbered being stacked, and she was thankful that Violet slept like the dead. Just to reassure herself, she tiptoed upstairs to have a peek. She found Violet smiling in her sleep, visions of sugarplums dancing in her head, no doubt. She had never encountered a child that could fall asleep as easily and sleep as hard. Little darling...

Suddenly Anna realized that there was nothing but silence that reached her ears. Her instincts told her that something was amiss, with a sudden vague feeling of alarm settling over her. So she retreated in the same noiseless, shadowy way she had slipped in. Holding her up to her tray, she came back to find Finn with his hand over his mouth staring blankly and the piles of hardboard, balsa wood, and dowels that sat before him while the booklet of instructions sat abandoned next to him. She stood for a moment and watched in silence until she took pity on him.

Anna set down her tray as gently as possible and moved to sit next to him, rubbing his shoulder soothingly. "This looks like a wonderful if complicated dollhouse. Why don't you hand that to me?" she pointed to the instructions. "I know my way around a set of schematics. The same way you know your way around the body's endocrine system."

"I can do it," Finn muttered haplessly.

"Yes, you can, absolutely," she nodded vigorously, "but together, we might be able to get it done before dawn." She kissed him on the cheek and was encouraged when he returned a hint of a smile. "I have an idea. Can you go grab me the black back at the top of the hall closet?" She placed another kiss on his cheek and immediately picked up the forlorn instructions and began to study them.

Finn hauled himself up off the floor with a grunt and began to root through the bowels of the hall closet.

"There are two bags. One looks like a-," His voice was muffled coming from the closet. "Is this a blow torch?"

"Oh, bring me the other one, then," Anna called back.

"What is this?" Finn looked into the open bag trying to make sense of its contents.

"My EOD kit. I haven't had to use it for a while."

"EOD?" he questioned

"Explosive Ordnance Disposal," she said cheerfully.

Finn blinked and stared for a moment before opening his mouth. "You need bomb disposal equipment to put a dollhouse together?" he said incredulously.

"Any explosive technician has one on hand. It's no different from your doctor's bag really, just swap out needles and thread for wire strippers and pliers. I just want to make a few improvements, and the tools I need are in there."

"Improvements...?"

"If I know Violet, this dollhouse is going to be Captain Marvel's base of operation, and she should have a serviceable lair. First things first. She needs a secret room-"

"A secret room?"

"Every house of a superhero headquarters should have a secret room. Just wait and see. I guarantee that Violet will have a dollhouse like no other. Can you hand me my soldering gun?" she said as she pulled on a pair of safety goggles. Finn could help bursting out in laughter.

"Hmmm...laugh all you want, but I have seen you in your lab goggles."

"Come on, you think they are sexy, admit it." he teased.

"If I follow your line of reasoning, does that mean you think I'm sexy?" she arched her eyebrow in his direction then fitted a jeweler's loupe headband on her forehead.

"I always think you're sexy. Speaking of which, you know I could be taking you upstairs right now and showing you how much I appreciate you. But instead, you have decided that staying up half the night making modifications to a dollhouse is the best way to spend your time."

Anna sighed and laughed and sighed again; "Violet will love it." And there was no more to be said on the subject. She began taking tools out of the black bag, arranging them before her, and then working on the structure's base.

"I can use the wall for this dressing room and add some MDF over the door frame to make a hidden passage."

Once she had decided on a course of action, Anna lost no time in carrying out the idea. As the hours ticked by, a secret room was created complete with a lever, and on a whim, she decided to wire it for lighting using a space switch she found in her bag. Finn couldn't help but be impressed. There was something about seeing Anna in her element that was always alluring.

"Done," She called out victoriously as the lights in the dollhouse blinked on and off obediently. She sat upright, and her muscles protested as she straightened her back. Finn clapped his hands in impressed applause.

"Well, now I know that you can build things better than you can wrap them. And that reminds me,

I have something for you" He walked to the Christmas Tree and took a beautifully wrapped parcel in his hands, and joined her on the floor. He held it out. Anna was surprised for a moment, then recovering her wits, snatched at the offered gift, with a sparkle in her eyes.

"What is it?" she asked with delight.

"Open it." he encouraged.

She did as she was told and carefully undid the ribbon and pulled off the gold and silver paper wrapping. Her eyes grew wide when she "Oh my God, Finn…is this-"

"It's the first illustrated edition of Pride and Prejudice. Maybe you did teach me a thing or two about yearning." Finn smiled at her delighted expression.

"Did I?" she said coyly as she hugged the book to her chest.

"I remember that kiss you gave me. And I remember wondering when I would get an opportunity to kiss you again."

"And yet you didn't try again for a long time." she challenged with a tilt of her chin.

"That's because the next time I worked up the courage to try, you were kicking my ass in a boxing ring."

"Really? That's funny because what I remember is you putting me on my back with your death grip." She brought her hand to her neck as if she could remember the feeling of his hand there.

He sized her up for a moment and then smiled. "I do love it when you are on your back."

"Do you?" Her eyes shined with mischief.

"Yes. I do..." Like lightning, he had pushed her back, his lips plundering hers and her body pinned to the floor with his own. Her heartbeat wildly with excitement, wondering what is to come next. He had managed to take her by surprise, something that was no small feat and made him feel triumphant at the soft moans that he was drawing from her and the feel of her hands running up his back. Fingers drew aside the robe ever so slightly, baring just a hint of her collarbone. He trailed the tip of his nose across that line and pressed a lingering kiss on her skin.

His lips touched her softly, kissing her cheek, then traveling down her jaw, before finding the sensitive spot under her chin and stayed there for a moment until she gasped. Anna didn't hesitate for even a second, her arms encircling him as she pulled him closer to her, responding to his kiss with equal urgency, brewing just beneath the fevered surface of her skin. Her mouth moved greedily over his, hands gripping his face, a flick of her tongue, making his lips part at once, and she deepened the kiss. When they broke apart, at last, they were gasping, breathless, and starving. Only then does she remember herself.

"Finn, you were hurt," she whispered between kisses as his hands begin to trail the well-explored curves of her body with fervor, removing any and all barriers he encountered, "I don't want to undo all of the work that General Hospital did to put you back together," she said, a halfhearted attempt at a joke. "Is this a good idea?"

"It's the best idea," Finn shifted off of her only to roll onto his back, taking her with him till she was astride him. Finn's hand moved down to her hips, gripping firmly and helping her settle against him. He pulled her robe apart and hooked his fingers in the straps of her nightgown, pulling it down. His eyes traveled over her, and he smiled. She smiled back and suppressed a giggle until his hand moved to caress the sensitive swell of her breast, and then her body responded as it always did to him. As usual, the craving and longing revealed the truth, even when her stubborn mind refused to acknowledge it. And that truth was she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Anna ground her hips against his leans, feeling his instant arousal taking shape. They both groaned as their bodies took over their agitated minds.

"I don't want to hurt you." she panted.

"Don't worry about me. I promise to take it easy. I'll let you do all the work."

Anna smiled, and she placed a steadying hand on his stomach. Finn raised himself on his forearms, hand reaching out, yearning to embrace her, but she halted his eagerness with her fingers pressing him back down. He heeded her instantly, laying back, hands by his side, submitting to her. Without ceremony, she lowered herself onto him like she's wanted since he came home to her, a long moan parting her lips. Her hips give a slow nudge forward as she savored the sensation of being joined again.

But she did not let them linger in the moment as her unfulfilled need urged her on. She pinned her hips down again, harder this time, and Finn groaned, his eyes closing. She pushed down, again and again, each motion more vigorous than the previous one, her hair falling down over her shoulder, moving with the rhythm of her momentum. Finn's hands reached out, and she didn't stop him. He gripped her thighs firmly, supporting her in her relentless pace. His gaze was piercing as he watched her body flowing over him.

It did not take her long. She was pursuing release and knew exactly how to claim it from him. Soon Anna's eyes closed as her body quivered from exertion. Her back arched, and her legs pressed tightly around him as she strove to keep her balance while ripples of bliss continued to course through her body.

Finn lifted himself up once again, and this time, she allowed his arms to enwrap her, holding her close as the tremble of her body slowly abated. The haze cleared from her eyes, and she began to move again, hips once again rocking forcefully against his. The returned friction of their bodies brought new sparks igniting within them as Finn repeated her name over and over. Anna leaned forward to rest her forehead on his as their bodies continued to move together. His chin tilted up, and his lips pressed against hers, gently this time once he was spent. The ardor between their bodies burned still, but their gaze was serene. The world around them vanished as they looked at each other. Finn pulled the afghan off the back of the couch and pulled it over them as Anna nestled herself in the crook of his arm.

"I missed that. I missed you. I missed us together. I missed us being a family when I was in the hospital." he sighed in contentment. Anna smiled and kissed his lips quickly, then sat up and leaned over him in pursuit of a present under the tree. She set it on his chest with a wry smile. It was covered simply with wrapping paper with no tag or bow as ornamentation.

"What is this?"

"Your present," she said with a gleam in her eye.

Finn wrapped it and in his hands was a calfskin bound book with rich dark brown covers that covered the gilt-edged pages. He turned it over in his hands and looked at the name on the spine, and groaned. Then he looked at her as her eyes spilled with mirth. He looked at the embossed spine and read the name of the book out loud.

"Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Ah ha ha ha-" he began with a sarcastic chuckle that then turned into a deep natural laugh. As much as he tried to, he couldn't help but really laugh at it. If he was honest, he was glad that she was poking fun at him; somehow, it helped relieve that dull ache in his heart where all his past pain was held. After all, under her sparkling wit, there was a strongly felt undercurrent of true sympathy and kind-heartedness which solidified his affection for her as speedily as her brilliance had won his admiration so soon after they had first met.

"I just want you to know that your Greek tragedy family doesn't scare me. I love you, and I'm here for you through it all. But that's not all there is to your gift," she winked. "Open it."

Finn could see something tucked between the pages. He opened the book only to see the faces of the two people be cared about most in the world smiling back at him. It was a photograph. Violet's arms were around Anna's neck, and his daughter's bright eyes matched Anna's bright smile.

"It was Violet's idea," Anna leaned her head on Finn's shoulder and looked at the photograph with him. "She thought that you needed more pictures in your office. So I arranged for a photographer to come here and take some photos of us."

"She is very perceptive," Finn countered, but the pride resonating in his voice was very much real.

"She is," Anna let the affection swirl in her heart, and she felt a sudden tug in her chest; she expected him to say more, but he did not. Instead, his hand moved further up, resting on her cheek before he stood up. His other hand reached out to take hold of hers and helped her stand.

"I love you, Anna." He leaned down to kiss her tenderly.

"I love you," she answered.

"We'd better get upstairs. It's only an hour or two before the sun is going to come up because I'm sure Violet will beat it."


There was no stopping the celebrations from starting early as Violet knocked insistently on their door, shouting with glee that Santa had come. Anna was wrapped up in Finn's embrace, a profound sensation of comfort seeping through her body and mind, one she no longer tried to reason with.

"Merry Christmas," he murmured into her skin, alert at the first signs of her waking. She sighs and stretches her limbs, cheek pressing further against his chest as she turns her head to look at him.

"Happy Christmas." her voice is still coarse with the remnants of sleep, but it was more than audible to him.

"Hmmm...are we going to start that argument again?" he laughed surely and smiled, gently untangling himself from her body and throwing on a robe and giving a wink her way.

The patter of small feet jumping up and down outside the door grew louder, its palpable joy echoing against the high walls, as Violet ran down the stairs in a blur of pink and purple. A tad too joyous in her haste, Finn's eyes narrowed as he watched his daughter's progress with worry until she was safely on the floor of the foyer.

Violet's small soul gloried in the thrill of her mountain of presents, but it was the dollhouse that captured her heart. She almost shrieked with glee when she saw it and wasted no time in uncovering its secrets. She pushed the secret lever, and the hidden door sprung open to her delight. Finn watched with dancing eyes as she exclaimed over it. He put his arm around Anna's waist and pulled her close.

"It's kind of a shame that the big man in red gets all the credit for all your hard work," he whispered into the shell of her ear.

"Maybe," she countered, "but my WSB mentor Sean Donely used to tell me that there was no limit to the success you can achieve as long as you don't mind who gets the credit. And I think there is something to that. Even as it relates to Santa Claus."

Her expression softened as Finn led her to the couch. She sat down and watched as he let Violet give him a tour of her gift, and once complete, he joined Anna so they could both enjoy the spectacle in front of them. It wasn't long before Violet completed the party by settling in between them, fidgeting happily until she made herself comfortable, her hands holding another present to unwrap.

"I'd say overall it was worth it," Anna said quietly, hand reaching to rest on his arm, her other arm wrapping around Violet. Finn returned the gesture, squeezing her hand with his in wordless reassurance of his happiness. The fire continued to snap merrily as they sank into the coziness of each other on this festive day.

Being together is the only thing that matters.