A/N: So, here we are again, another holiday offering. I haven't forgotten the other stories, I'll get back to them, I just enjoy doing a Christmas story every year. I hope you all enjoy this one. It's McKenzie's first Christmas!

Chapter 1

The most sure fire way to make sure that a Friday was going to move slowly was to be watching the clock…and Kate Beckett was watching it, counting down until that magic moment when her shift would end and her Christmas vacation would begin. She just had to suffer through six more hours…six more boring, paperwork filled hours. She sighed deeply, she wasn't sure she'd make it…all she wanted to do was go pick up her baby and go home and cuddle her for the next two weeks. Of course in the process of picking up her baby, she'd have to inform her mother that her three days a week of baby cuddles were temporarily suspended due to her time off and she imagined that it wouldn't be an entirely pretty conversation. No, she didn't imagine that her mother would like the news…it wasn't exactly a gift that screamed 'Merry Christmas, Grandma'…but on that note, they didn't do gifts anyway. Well, at least not between herself and her mother…she was sure that there was probably a pile of gifts hidden somewhere in the house with McKenzie's name on them. In fact she was positive of it, if there was one thing her mother enjoyed besides baby cuddles it was shopping for her granddaughter.

There was a pile of gifts hidden at the loft with McKenzie's name on them as well…and still some to be delivered…and most likely as she finished up her shopping, more to be bought. They were probably spoiling her but it was her first Christmas…and she was her first baby and she couldn't find it within herself to say no when she saw something else she thought her baby might like. The space beneath the tree would be piled full…but then again, it already felt like the loft was piled full due to her husband's overabundance of Christmas decorations. She sighed a little; sometimes she worried they'd lose McKenzie in the melee of decorations now that she was crawling. He just wouldn't hear of streamlining for a more elegant, less cluttered look when it came to Christmas décor. Sometimes she felt like she could smother from all of it; they had some beautiful things but it felt they were lost in her husband's need to overdo things. Castle hadn't been thrilled with her idea of cutting back for the streamlined look she was accustomed to in her family…in fact he had looked at her in horror and told her that if you weren't going to do it right, you shouldn't do it at all…so their home looked like an explosion of a Christmas themed store and come Christmas morning it would probably look like a toy store had relocated at their home do to her sudden love of shopping. Kate breathed deeply…sometimes the season still wasn't easy for her. Sometimes she still hated it a little.

"So, I was thinking," Castle said as he settled down in the chair next to her.

"That explains the smell of wood burning," she replied lightly.

"Watch it, you don't want to end up on Santa's naughty list this late in the game," he quipped.

"I'm not worried," Kate remarked; "I feel like I'm safe this year…Santa wouldn't blacklist a woman who went through childbirth earlier in the year."

"But why tempt it?" he asked.

"True," she said with a nod; "So what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking, since you have time off, why don't we go to Vermont for Christmas?" Castle answered.

Her brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Vermont? Why?"

"Well Alexis has mentioned that she wants to go skiing and we haven't been skiing in awhile…so I thought what better time to go? I'm sure Mother will look after McKenzie when we want to take our turn on the slopes."

"But for Christmas?" she asked. "I don't know, Castle. What are we supposed to do about the gifts? I don't really want to haul all of McKenzie's stuff to another state…and what about having a Christmas tree to put it under? We did all that decorating at home and then to not be there for Christmas?"

"I know; but I've done some looking around and I found a very nice, exclusive resort where we can get a decorated suite, complete with Christmas tree. As for McKenzie's gifts, we don't have to take all of them; we could just take half of them and leave the other half at home to put under our tree when we get home and she'll think we're having Christmas again, no big deal."

"I don't know, Castle."

"Come on, it'll be fun…you like skiing and this is the perfect time since you'll be off work."

"I know…but it's McKenzie's first Christmas."

"I know," he replied; "That's why we should go to Vermont…McKenzie's first Christmas should be magical…it should be a white Christmas…and Vermont is guaranteed a white Christmas. Don't you think she should have snow to add to the feeling for her first Christmas?"

"Snow is a nice touch," Kate admitted. "It does fit the picture perfect image."

Her husband grinned. "Just think, a beautiful luxurious suite, decorated for Christmas, a beautiful fireplace all aglow, snow falling outside…us nice and cozy…doesn't it sound perfect?"

She sighed wistfully. "It does…but I'm still not sure if going for Christmas is a good idea."

"There's no reason for us not to go; we're taking Mother and Alexis with us so it's not like we're not going to be with our family. There's nothing to hold us here."

Her brow rose as she eyed him. "Um…my parents live here…you do remember them, don't you? Our daughter is at their home right now."

"Yes, I know they're here…but they're Christmas haters," Castle replied.

"They're not Christmas haters…they don't really enjoy the holiday but they don't hate it."

"They don't even decorate a tree!" he exclaimed. "I picked McKenzie up the other day, it's a barren, holiday free zone, except for that puny thing your mother sat on the stand…I can't call it a tree because in my mind it's an insult to a real Christmas tree. It's a sign of being a Christmas hater, Kate. You know your mother is all 'bah humbug' about Christmas."

"Mom hasn't said anything negative about the season so far this year. She's deep into her Grandma euphoria."

"A non-Christmas hating grandmother would decorate for her grandchild. Your father could hang up some lights outside; they have a very nice house and a nice sized yard…so much decorating potential. If we lived in a house, I'd decorate the entire outside."

"Yeah, I don't doubt that," Kate remarked; "The neighbors would need sunglasses at night, I'd probably trip over the pile of extension cords and break my leg and you'd probably fall off the roof in your attempt to set up a life size sleigh and reindeer."

"I can't believe you think I go overboard with decorations!" he exclaimed.

"You do! Every time I let McKenzie out of the playpen to crawl around I'm afraid we're going to lose her in a pile of tinsel."

"You only think it's a lot because you're used to looking at nothing."

"Castle; I've been looking at your decorations for four Christmases now and I still think it's way too much. Next year I want it toned down. I want to be able to tell that we have a home under the decorations."

"That's the bah humbug gene trying to claim dominance over you once again."

"It is not! I was raised with the belief that when you decorate, you keep it classy and uncluttered looking. My parents never had a problem with Christmas, they enjoyed it, they decorated inside and out within reasonable limits and they always gave me a nice holiday. We stopped celebrating when Mom was away, you know that. It was too painful. When she came home, she tried to revive Christmas and failed. That's all there is to it."

"I know…but she's been home for a few years now…and you know how she gets at this time of year. You know how her mood seems to affect yours at this time of year and you always stress about how they feel when you opt not to see them for the holiday. They usually go to the mountains to wait it out like hermits anyway."

"Castle," she said, a hint of an edge to her tone. "May parents aren't haters and they're not hermits…and could you keep in mind that they are my parents?"

"Yes, I'm sorry…I just know how uncomfortable you get this time of year when it comes to your parents…and I know your mother hasn't shaken some of her bitterness about the season…and I can't help thinking, do we really want that kind of attitude around McKenzie for her first Christmas?"

"No," she sighed, hating herself a little as she did so. "I want McKenzie's Christmas to be happy."

"So do I," Castle replied; "And I want your first Christmas as a mother to be happy. I know you love your parents and I'm not trying to cut them out…but you're not going to be completely happy if you're feeling bad about staying away from them on the holiday again this year."

"Did I say I was staying away this year?"

"You haven't said you're not…and they do usually go to their cabin…you weren't planning on us driving up there on Christmas were you?" he asked, a note of distaste in his tone. "Because I picture Christmas as me playing with McKenzie and her new toys…not driving two and a half hours to your parents cabin in the middle of nowhere to look at your mother being fake happy and your father playing along with her as her always ready co-star."

"Keep it up, Castle, and you'll be going to Vermont alone because McKenzie and I will be here…having our first Christmas without you…no, better than that, I will drive us two and a half hours away to be with her grandparents…who are always genuinely happy to see her, and their vacation home isn't far from a town, just for the record…which you would know if you had ever been there."

"Okay, I'm sorry," he replied. "I just hate how uncomfortable everything gets with your family at this time of year. You're taking time off so it's a great time for us to have a vacation, it'll make McKenzie's first Christmas special and you'll feel better because you'll have a legitimate excuse to give to your parents about why you're not going to be around this year."

"It's true that it would be a legitimate excuse…but I thought you were doing better with my family. Kind of seems like you didn't work out all your issues that you dragged my mother to lunch about when I was pregnant."

"We are better…it's just that she's not better about this season and I want our family to have a nice, happy Christmas…and I don't think they're in a place to be apart of that yet with the way they still feel about the season. They are going to their cabin, aren't they?"

"I assume they are but they haven't said anything yet…and I don't want you to just write them off forever."

"I'm not…I'd be more than happy for them to be apart of McKenzie's Christmases…but with the right attitude. They don't do anything for the holiday…they don't even try to get past the hang ups."

"Some of it is my fault, Castle," she admitted out loud for the first time. "I'm the one who made rules about the holidays…don't blame it all on my mother."

"You made the rules so you could be happy on the holidays…and that's okay, Kate."

"I know why I made them," she replied. "I guess it's just…things are a little different now, there's McKenzie…and I did a lot of work to get back on track with my mother."

"I know, but none of that has anything to do with us having a wonderful Christmas…let's go to Vermont and have a wonderful first Christmas for McKenzie. If your parents are going to their cabin, there's no reason not to go because going there would mean that they don't intend on being here for her holiday. So come on, let's go to Vermont; we'll have a great time."

"It's kind of late in the season for reservations," Kate remarked. "How do you know we'd even be able to get into this place?"

"I have a very good travel agent," he replied; "Not to mention my own personal charm. Here, look at the pictures," he said, taking his phone from his pocket and bringing the resort's webpage.

"It does look beautiful," Kate sighed as she swiped through the photos; "And it has been a long time since we've skied."

Castle smiled. "So what do you say? Should I contact my travel agent and have her see if she can work on getting us in?"

A small smile touched her lips. "I guess it would be kind of special for McKenzie's first Christmas."

"Is that a yes?" he asked hopefully.

Kate breathed deeply. "Yeah; go ahead and put the wheels in motion," she told him, hoping that she wasn't making a mistake.

"Oh my God, I hate this song," Johanna muttered, her eyes closing in disgust.

Her best friend Maggie giggled beside her, the opening strains of Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas spewing from Macy's sound system. "It is a bit overplayed, isn't it?"

"Yes…overplayed for at least the last twenty years," she remarked. "I swear we've done heard it three times since being in this store!"

Maggie nodded. "I do feel like we just heard it about ten minutes ago…it's probably been longer than that but I'm sure we've already heard it in this store."

"Yeah, we've already heard it…and we'll probably hear it another ten times before the day is out."

"Hell, at the rate this line is moving, we'll hear it ten more times before the kids get to see Santa," her friend replied.

"That could be true as well," Johanna remarked, pushing the stroller slightly to keep her granddaughter happy as she laid in her carrier that attached to the stroller frame. Things had definitely changed from when she had had Katie, she couldn't help but think. When Katie was a baby she had to be taken from carseat to stroller. McKenzie's carrier was lifted off the carseat base and attached to the frame of the stroller…it was something she wished she would've had the luxury of in late 1979 through 1980. She glanced at her friend, noting the tight grip she had on her grandson's stroller. Noah had outgrown his carrier long before Maggie had been allowed in his life and so she opted for the light weight umbrella stroller for the two year old to ride in during their outing. So far Noah was amused with a dinosaur toy he had snagged in the toy department…and McKenzie seemed content looking around at the lights and the sounds that filled the air around them. She knew it was only temporary though; no two year old and seven month old were going to be content waiting in line for too long. She just hoped they got through it before McKenzie started to fuss and Noah got bored.

"All I want for Christmas is you…" Mariah Carey continued to belt out from the store speakers.

"All I want for Christmas is for her to learn a new song," Johanna stated. "My God, surely she can find a new one, can't she?"

Maggie laughed. "You'd think…but she likes riding this one to the bank every holiday season."

"I can't be the only person in the world sick of this song."

"Oh you're not," Maggie replied. "I liked it when it first came out but now I could go a few seasons without hearing it and not cry. You should hear Jeff when it comes on the radio in the car; I have to change the station before he has a stroke," she laughed.

"Maybe we can start a petition," Johanna replied. "We need one holiday season where that song is off the rotation."

"I'd sign that petition," her friend remarked.

"My-Ma," Noah said, pulling Maggie's attention away from her friend.

"What, sweetie?"

"Me see Santa?"

"You're going to see Santa, we just have to wait our turn; it won't be much longer, okay? Then we'll go get something to eat."

"Kay," he replied, his attention going back to his dinosaur.

"Is it just me or do the lines move slower now than when we were taking our kids to see Santa?" Johanna asked.

"I can't say for certain," Maggie replied; "I think it's just been so long we've forgotten what it's like."

"That's a possibility…I didn't get any Santa pictures of Katie after the age of five…due to my mother-in-law spilling the beans. I tried to get her to go see Santa the next year for the fun of it and she wouldn't do it."

"Kids," her friend sighed.

"Yeah; we weren't properly warned."

Maggie nodded. "That's alright, payback is upon them…we have grandchildren now, which means our children will now know the suffering we've had to endure at times…and on occasion, still endure."

"We can only hope," she agreed before Noah caught Maggie's attention again. Johanna breathed deeply, listening as the last few notes of that hated Christmas song faded away, only to be replaced by It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. She groaned internally and disagreed wholeheartedly; it was not the most wonderful time of the year in her opinion.

Once upon a time, long ago, it had been a wonderful time of year to her; a time of warmth and family…happiness. Those days were long gone and all that was left in their wake was a feeling of emptiness when the season arrived. She sighed deeply; normally she wouldn't have ventured out into the sea of humanity during the last minute frenzy of shopping. Normally she would be home, pretending the holiday didn't exist as she packed to head for the mountains with her husband.

But this year was different…this year there was McKenzie and her granddaughter deserved to have some semblance of Christmas during her time with her grandparents. The baby smiling up at her from the stroller was the only reason why she had for the most part, forgone her online shopping and had spent time browsing the stores in search of gifts for her first grandchild. McKenzie was the reason she had brought that decorated table top tree down from the attic put it on the stand in the living room…she was the reason there was a tiny pink stocking hanging from a shelf of the bookcase. She was the reason that holiday baking was on her mind…she was the reason she hadn't hesitated to join Maggie for this outing today…well that and the fact that since her daughter hadn't ever gotten around to giving her a copy of McKenzie's photo with Santa, she figured she'd just dress her up and get her own.

Christmas had been difficult for her to get through for a long time…longer than she cared to remember; but it couldn't be shunned now…couldn't be kept in the small little box of minor celebration Jim had nudged her into the last few years. McKenzie needed Christmas…so Christmas would be had in a quiet fashion in the Beckett household. She had bought Christmas storybooks and Christmas cartoons on dvd for her granddaughter's amusement. For McKenzie she could go through the motions and try harder than she had been.

"MaMaMaMa," McKenzie babbled, making Johanna smile as she brushed a knuckle against her soft cheek.

"Is she saying Mama or Grandma?" Maggie asked.

Johanna shrugged. "I like to think it's Grandma but it's probably Mama."

"Maybe it depends on who she's with," her friend replied.

"That could work," she agreed.

"What are your plans for Christmas this year, Jo? Are you and Jim heading for the mountains again?"

"We don't really have any plans," Johanna replied. "Usually we go to the cabin but I figure Katie will need me to babysit through the twenty-third; I know she's off Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but it'll be too late for us to get everything together and go to the cabin. We'll have to stay home this year."

"Has Katie invited you over for Christmas?" Maggie asked.

"No…she's been largely silent on the topic of Christmas…which is a statement within itself I figure. I'll invite them over for Christmas dinner but I'm sure the invitation will be declined…seems like all my dinner invitations usually are."

Maggie shook her head. "What is with that? You do everything you can for them and they still can't come have a meal once in awhile?"

"It seems that way…although I know from previous experience that it comes from Rick more than Katie."

"Even after all those 'be a better mother-in-law' lunches?"

Johanna nodded. "Yeah…all of those lunches about clearing the air and family unity and I still feel like my home isn't good enough for a meal once in awhile."

"It's good enough for the babysitting though."

"At least I have that," she replied. "I just hope that we get to see McKenzie for a little while for the holiday so she can open her presents…even if it's on Christmas Eve."

"Surely they'll come around for the holiday," Maggie remarked. "It's McKenzie's first Christmas…and your first Christmas as a grandmother…it should inspire togetherness."

Johanna gave her friend a small smile. "But we both know how it goes sometimes."

Maggie nodded. "I know…I know how much it hurt to not be a part of Noah's first Christmas; I don't want you to have to feel that way."

"I don't want to feel it either," Johanna remarked quietly. "This time of year is hard for me as it is."

"I know it is," Maggie said softly; "But honestly, I think you're doing a lot better this year; I hope you don't mind me saying that."

Johanna shook her head as her fingers unhooked the buckles holding McKenzie in place so that she could lift her out of her seat. "No, I don't mind…I have to do better this year," she said, nuzzling her granddaughter's cheek. "I've got this little one in my house and she needs Christmas even if her grandmother finds it a little painful. I'm going to do it for her…it's not the big ways I used to do it…but I'm trying for her sake."

"It's okay to ease into it, Jo; just take your time and do what you can…and maybe next year you'll feel a little better than this year and you'll feel like doing a little more. You've had a long, hard road and you've been burned a few times, it's okay to be cautious about picking up old habits and traditions…or creating new ones."

She breathed deeply and exhaled slowly as McKenzie toyed with her necklace. "I guess I am being a little cautious. I put out that little tree for McKenzie but I haven't really decorated…I can't help but remember the last time I did and how it went wrong.

"Try to think positive," Maggie stated as Noah fussed in the stroller and she moved to pick him up as well. "Maybe this year you're due for a good Christmas, complete with family around your table for dinner."

She smiled. "That would be nice…I feel like we're long overdue."

"I think the elements are there for it to be a good one for you," Maggie said, reaching out to tickle McKenzie with her free hand, making her giggle in the process. "She looks so pretty in her little Christmas dress you got her."

Johanna smiled and smoothed a hand over the soft red velour material of McKenzie's dress. "It does seem to suit her," she agreed. "I just couldn't resist it the other day…especially when I found the little lacy red headband to match."

"It's gorgeous in her dark hair," her friend remarked, her fingertips smoothing down the hair on the back of McKenzie's head. "She looks like you."

Johanna shook her head. "She looks like Katie."

"No, she looks like her grandmother," Maggie stated; "Katie has your eyes and nose, your smile…but her face is shaped like Jim's; even her hairline is the same as his…and her hair color is much lighter than yours."

"She has her grandmother's hair color."

"And McKenzie has yours…and the same eyes and nose. You can't deny you're related…just like Katie can't deny that she's your daughter, despite the little things she gets from her father, like her height."

"Oh I'd never deny being related to my girls," Johanna said, kissing her granddaughter's cheek. "I just hope we get a good picture of her with Santa; she cried on her mommy's picture."

"Noah and I will try to make her laugh," Maggie replied, tickling her grandson; "Do you think we can make her laugh, little man?"

"Me funny," Noah laughed.

"He looks handsome in his little suit."

"He does; he's handsome like his grandpa," Maggie said proudly. "We're the only people in this line with dressed up kids though."

"I don't care," Johanna replied; "I needed an excuse to put this dress on her."

Her friend nodded. "I confess, I've been looking for an excuse to dress up Noah too."

"Will you and Jeff get to see him for Christmas?" she asked.

Maggie sighed a little. "Christina told Jeff that we can have him on Christmas Eve from noon until six…so Santa is going to come early to our house…and I'm going to go ahead and make Christmas dinner; we'll eat a little early…we invited Chrissy and Matthew to come to dinner but she declined of course…because you know, in her mind, I'm still scum."

"But you're good enough for babysitting once she allowed that first time to happen."

"Yeah; I'm good enough for that…but she either calls Jeff to arrange it or she has Matthew call me and ask if I can watch him. It's a little sad that my son-in-law treats me better than my daughter but at least I can be in Noah's life…thanks to you for helping with that."

"I didn't do much; all I did was annoy her here in Macy's that day."

"You annoyed her just right and I'm grateful," Maggie replied. "So we'll have him for awhile on Christmas Eve and I'll make dinner; Jeffrey is bringing his girlfriend…this is the first time he's brought her home so I'm assuming this one is serious. Jacob's coming; no word yet on if he's bringing anyone. Jeff's going to bring his mother over so she can eat with us. It's the first holiday dinner I've made in a long time…Jeff and I went to his mother's for Thanksgiving this year and last year we ate out once our plans fell through. I'm kind of nervous," she admitted softly. "It seems stupid, doesn't it? To be nervous about cooking a family meal?"

"No," Johanna told her; "It's not stupid….it's Christmas and that makes you feel more pressured…and you've had your own hard road to this place and time. It's okay for you to be nervous, Maggie…but you've got this."

"I just wish Chrissy would come…if I'm okay to watch your baby, then can't I be okay for the length of a meal?"

"She's afraid it'll make her drop her guard…she's afraid she'll remember that she loves you."

"God forbid," Maggie muttered sarcastically. "At least I can see Noah though…he loves me."

"He definitely does," Johanna said with a smile as she watched the little boy snuggle against his grandmother. "I guess we're just going to have to do the best we can this year, Mags; it might not be up to past standards but we'll do our best…because we've got these two depending on it."

"Agreed," her friend replied. "We'll get through it…start a new precedent for better holidays."

"We can hope," Johanna said softly as she cuddled McKenzie. She really did hope this Christmas would be better…she wanted it to be better.

That evening, Kate hurried through the loft and into the bedroom to deposit her gun in the small wall safe that Castle had installed there while she was pregnant with McKenzie and the topic of her child's safety had her twisting herself into knots. Every day, her first order of business after work was to head straight to the safe to lock away her weapon. She quickly punched in the combination and opened the door, placing the gun inside and then relocked it, raking a hand through her tousled hair as she began to turn away but then her husband stepped out of the bathroom. "Hey," he said; "Before you head out to get McKenzie; do you want me to order something for dinner since we're off schedule?"

"Yeah; that would be great," she replied.

"Are you ready for Chinese yet?" he asked hopefully.

Kate grimaced a little. "I don't know, Rick; you know that pregnancy kind of put me off of it."

"I know…but I'm starting to miss it," he admitted.

She nodded. "Okay, I'll try it…you know what I like. If I can't stomach it once it's here, you're ordering me a pizza."

"Deal," he replied as he stole a quick kiss. "Sorry I had to leave before your shift ended."

"It's alright, it's not like I was doing anything fascinating; just paperwork. Did you get the cover issue straightened out at the publisher?"

"Yes; finally. I'll tell you more about it over dinner. I know you're anxious to go get McKenzie."

"Yeah; I am anxious to get my baby…not so anxious to tell my mother that she won't be babysitting for the next two weeks."

"I'm sure Johanna will survive being baby free for two weeks," Castle remarked.

"I know she'll survive…but you know, they have a special bond…and…she won't be happy. Babysitting is the only reason she likes for me to go to my job now," she replied. "Although she does still occasionally throw out that 'find a safer one' routine but it feels like it's just for show now."

"Johanna will be fine and so will McKenzie…it won't hurt them not to see each other for a little while."

"Don't say it like that; it makes it seem like something more than it is."

"Kate, you're overthinking this. Just go to your mother's, collect our daughter, tell her she's off duty until after the New Year…and don't forget to tell her that we will be away for Christmas."

She cringed. "Do I have to tell her that?"

He nodded. "Probably...and they're probably going away too so it won't matter…and since she doesn't have to babysit, they won't have to worry about hurrying back from their trip to the mountains."

Kate sighed. "Maybe I should just tell her about my time off and then wait a few days and tell her the rest over the phone."

"Do it all now and get it over with…that way if she's mad, she'll be mad while you're on vacation and you won't have to deal with it."

"That does have a certain logic," she admitted.

"Of course it does; as you know, I'm always right," Castle quipped, a grin playing on his lips.

Kate scoffed. "The hell you are. Did we get our reservation yet?"

"Not yet, Sheila is looking into it, the lodge is very booked but it's possible that there will be a cancellation for a suitable suite; she'll keep me updated. If not; there's another equally nice lodge we can aim for."

"It has to be decorated, Castle. I'm not taking McKenzie away and have her not have a Christmas tree."

"The other place that was mentioned has the same offer of decorated suites; don't worry, the tree is important to me too. Either way, we're going to have a very nice, decorated room. Now go get McKenzie and break the news to your mother. I'll give you time to get there before I order the food that way you should all arrive home around the same time."

"Alright," she replied, hating the small feeling of guilt that was beginning to stir in her stomach…and really, it was ridiculous to even be feeling guilt; she hadn't done anything to be guilty for…although the season seemed to inspire the feeling in her regardless…and she was acutely aware of why that was.

Johanna couldn't help but smile as McKenzie cooed and smiled at the images on the TV screen of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Out of all the Christmas cartoons she had played for her during the week, this one seemed to be her favorite and she was happy to see that; it had always been her favorite as well. She brushed her fingers over her granddaughter's silky dark hair as she sat in her walker near the sofa where she was currently setting. "You like watching Snoopy, don't you?" she said to her.

McKenzie's gaze turned toward her, a bright smile still on her lips, a new pink rattle in her hand that she had gotten during their outing that day. She babbled in her baby language, shaking the rattle as if to make her point and then bursting into a happy squeal as the scene of the Peanuts gang dancing to the strains of Linus and Lucy played on the TV.

Johanna laughed as she watched her granddaughter try to bounce along with the tune, giggling as she did so, her rattle happily smacking off the tray of the walker. She picked up her phone and clicked a few pictures. "You're going to be a dancer, sweetheart," she told her; "You already know that you're supposed to move to a beat."

The sound of the back door opening and closing sounded in the kitchen. "I bet that's Grandpa," Johanna stated. "What do you think? Is it Grandpa?"

McKenzie gurgled at her before drawing the textured handle of her rattle to her mouth to chew on.

"There's my girls," Jim stated as he crossed the threshold of the living room a few moments later.

"We're glad you're home," Johanna said warmly as her husband made his way to her to kiss her hello.

"Me too," he replied, stealing another kiss.

"How was your day?"

"Typical," he replied before moving to his granddaughter and lifting her out of the walker. "How's my sweet pea?"

McKenzie smiled and planted a sloppy kiss against his chin, making him laugh as he settled down next to his wife. "Does that mean you're happy to see me?" he asked.

"She's always happy to see her grandpa," Johanna remarked.

Jim glanced at the TV, noting the Christmas cartoon on the screen. "Are you and Grandma watching Snoopy?" he asked. "What do you think of it?"

"She loves it," his wife replied; "This is our second viewing of the day…she cried when it went off the last time."

"You're going to be a Peanuts fan like Grandma," Jim told his granddaughter as he kissed her forehead. "I'm glad you're still here, you weren't the other day because your daddy picked you up before I got here."

"You have some extra time with her today; Katie sent a text saying she'll be late," Johanna replied.

He smiled at the baby. "Good; we like when she's late because then we get to keep you to ourselves for awhile longer. We're you a good girl for Grandma today?"

"Of course. We went shopping with Maggie and Noah and she enjoyed it."

"You weren't making eyes at Noah, were you?" he asked his granddaughter. "He's a nice young man but I know his grandfather's gene pool…I'll have to chaperone if he wants a playdate with you."

Johanna laughed. "She didn't seem interested in making a love match today…and Noah was much more interested in the dinosaur toy he managed to wheedle out of his grandmother."

"Good girl," Jim told her. "You tell those boys to keep their distance until you're at least twenty…and then we'll discuss it and what kind of qualifications you need to look for in a man…don't be like your mommy, she brought home several duds…and that's the nice way to put it."

"I don't know…we might want her to take home at least one dud just so Katie can know the torture," his wife stated.

He nodded. "True…one dud, and then only serious contenders who can treat you like a queen like you deserve."

McKenzie giggled at him, bumping his cheek with her rattle. "Do you have a new toy?" he asked her as he took note of the object. "Did you force Grandma to buy you a new rattle while you were out today?"

"You know she did," Johanna replied lightly. "She said I had to buy it or else."

Jim eyed his granddaughter. "Don't worry, sweet pea; I know the truth…all you had to do was smile at her and she said 'let me buy my girl something pretty'. That's how it was, wasn't it?"

"MaMaMa," McKenzie said, waving her rattle.

"Yeah, Grandma just can't resist you…but I can't blame her for it. Did you take her to see Santa?" Jim asked as he settled the baby on his lap so she could see her cartoon.

"Yes," Johanna said with a smile as she picked a picture up off the stand and handed it to him. "Look at how well these turned out."

Jim smiled. "That's a beautiful picture; look at how pretty you are, Miss McKenzie; and that beautiful smile. You look so pretty in that red Christmas dress Grandma bought you."

"She does look pretty in it, doesn't she?"

"She does," he remarked as he handed the photo back. "Did you get more than one copy of that picture?"

"Yes, I got a package of them…I couldn't resist when they turned out so well. I owe some of it to Maggie, she got her to laugh."

"We'll have to make sure Aunt Maggie and Uncle Jeff get a copy," he replied.

"The real show was me trying to get those tights on her this morning," Johanna stated as she laid the picture aside. "I'm a little out of practice at baby tights…I laid her on our bed to dress her so I'd have more room and some little girl kept wanting to roll away because she was desperate to crawl all over that big bed."

Jim chuckled lightly as he kissed the top of his granddaughter's head. "You didn't do that, did you? Is she making up stories about you?"

"She'll claim I am, but I'm telling the true story," his wife replied with a laugh. "When we came home and I changed back into her warm sleeper, I let her roll around a little bit so she wouldn't feel cheated. Then we came downstairs and she did her best to chase Scarlett around the room."

"Where is Scarlett?"

"Upstairs napping the last I looked…you know she feels like she has to guard and entertain the baby and she wears herself out and has to nap for a little while."

"Did she let McKenzie catch her?" he asked.

"After awhile she settled down beside her. McKenzie's learning to pet nicely."

"At least Scarlett's patient with her," Jim remarked. "She's a very patient cat when it comes to the baby."

"She is," Johanna agreed. "We got her some cat toys for Christmas today. We can't have Santa forgetting to leave a toy for Scarlett."

"No, we can't have that," her husband laughed. "Santa has to visit McKenzie and Scarlett…and just maybe he'll have a nice present for you too."

"You're all I need," she replied warmly; "But I know there are gifts for you hidden away."

"I know of a secret hiding place where there are gifts for you," Jim remarked. "I got Katie her usual envelope of gift cards…and tickets to a basketball game for Rick because I don't know what to get for a son-in-law who can buy anything he wants without worry about cost."

"It does make it a little difficult, doesn't it?" she asked. "Don't forget Katie's rules though, my name isn't to be on anything for them. McKenzie wasn't born yet when those rules were made so at least I get to escape the provision in her case…because I'd have to go against her if she tried to ban me from shopping for my granddaughter."

Jim nodded. "I'd back you up all the way…I think her rules are stupid and I've always said so."

"I know…but I don't want to rock the boat; I've got more to lose now than I had before," she said quietly, her fingertips brushing over the baby's hair.

"I know, sweetheart; I understand your point…I just know it hurts you to have to stick to those rules."

"I just hope she accepts the gift we got for McKenzie to give to her."

"She will," Jim said, a touch of firmness in his voice.

Johanna smiled and shifted closer, putting herself in the circle of his arm as she wrapped an arm around him and McKenzie. He wrapped his arms around them, smiling softly as he did so. "This is my kind of homecoming," he murmured.

"I have dinner in the oven, it'll be done soon."

"I'm not worried; I'm content like this for now."

"Me too. I need to know what you're going to want for Christmas dinner."

"I'm still thinking about it."

"You better think faster, honey. I need to get whatever it is before long…we're running out of time."

"I'll figure it out this weekend."

"What do you think our chances are of Katie coming to dinner?"

"As much as I hate to say it, probably slim to none as usual," Jim remarked. "I'm just hoping she'll at least bring the baby over for awhile on Christmas Eve so we can see her open her gifts."

Johanna breathed deeply. "It would be nice if we could have one family dinner every few years…they can bring Alexis and Martha; I've always said that when we've invited them to Thanksgiving…which always gets declined."

"I know, sweetheart. Maybe it'll be different this time…McKenzie's here now; maybe she'll want to even things out now that she has a baby. We always made sure she had equal time with both sides of her family on holidays."

"Yeah…but you know we've been told before that our ways are old fashioned."

"That's the problem with this world today," Jim replied. "Everything good is deemed old fashioned and useless."

She laughed softly. "Careful, honey; they'll be calling you a cynic before long."

"I've been called worse," he remarked. "I just want us to be able to see the baby for the holiday…I want to watch her have more fun with the paper and boxes than the actual gifts."

Johanna smiled wistfully. "Yeah…Katie was like that her second Christmas. She was all about that big box her rocking horse came in. I remember you opened the bottom flaps and laid it on its side so she could crawl through it like a tunnel. That amused her to no end."

"I know…it was two weeks before she lost interest and we could throw it out."

"It was a good Christmas," she said softly.

"It was," he agreed, knowing that she was thinking that all of their good Christmases were long behind them. He hoped that wasn't true…he wanted better ones…he was ready for better ones…and she needed better ones. There had to be an upswing in holiday luck now that there was a baby in the family, right? That was just a law of the universe, wasn't it?

Jim tightened his hold on his wife and granddaughter, keeping them both snuggled close as Charlie Brown's pitiful Christmas tree was given new life on the TV screen. There just had to be some law that said it got better…there had to be for both of their sakes; because if there wasn't, Johanna would have new reason to shun the holiday…and he'd have reason to let her.