AN: Woo! We did it! Finally 100 reviews! That's the most I've had in this or any other fandom for any story! Woo hoo!!! Ahem. Anyway, I do realize we haven't met Nick's father… I couldn't seem to find an angle from which I wanted to portray him. When Nick had showed that Vietnam vet so much respect I played with the idea of his father being a vet from the war and being very subdued… but this is a happy story… so perhaps not. Anyway, we do finally meet George. (The only reason I named him George was so Nick could say people called him George;-) Can you guess why?)

PS: From this point on, Nick and Sara may get a little more… cough let's say… "adventurous" (Oooh just used my thesaurus for that word, and it came up with exploratory, which could describe it too;-)) Anyway, I do want to keep this at PG 13 because with R it doesn't show up by default and I want anyone who wants to, to be able to read it. However, if there's enough request for it, I may write a R-NC-17/Unrated version, but you HAVE to promise to me you're over 17!! PLEASE I don't want to corrupt any minors!! So if there's enough demand for it, I will try to supply. :-) (It will only be available through special request.) Hopefully I will get to add some more before Christmas, but it's going to a busy next few days, so if not, Merry Christmas! And hang in there this will hopefully done before the holidays are over!!

PSS: Sorry about the long AN, but I did have to explain a few things! And if you haven't gotten tired of me yet, here's chapter 6!!

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The group of siblings around the table that morning chatted about old times and told Sara lots of stories about growing up on the ranch. She was afraid she would feel left out, but it seemed they all had the same sense of hospitality that Nick had, and they welcomed her into the conversations. As people came down for breakfast, the amount of people around the table grew until they were crowded in there, and Sara realized why they had a large kitchen table with benches on either side.

An older man came into the room that Sara had seen earlier, but she hadn't been formally introduced to him. She could only assume that he was Nick's father.

"Good mornin' y'all."

"Mornin pop", "Hey dad," and other greetings were heard around the table from his children, grandchildren, and in laws.

"Oh God, sorry Sara I don't think I introduced you. Sara, this is my dad, George. Dad, this is Sara Sidle, my girlfriend." He squeezed her hand when he said the last part, and she had to try not to grin.

"Good morning, sir."

"Oh please, call me George. Everyone else does. Except you, right Nathan?" He pointed at the husband of his youngest daughter, ribbing him for taking her away from him.

"That's right, sir." He mock-saluted and everyone laughed.

"Nick, today I thought we'd go out and get a tree."

"Oh okay. I was wondering why we didn't have one yet."

"Yeah, I wanted to get one earlier, but you know your mother. She told me to wait since 'Nicky's always helped you get a tree'."

"That's right dad, I don't think I've missed one yet."

"Nope and you're not missing this one." He swung his arm around his youngest son, and Sara could really see the resemblance. Apart from being slightly taller than Nick, he looked a lot like an older version of her new boyfriend, with white hair and slightly paler skin. Of course, he didn't look like he was quite as muscular physique as Nick, but as far as she was concerned, no man held a candle to that man's gorgeous body.

"Dad, can Sara come?"

"Of course! Would anyone else like to come with us to get a tree?"

A few of the sisters groaned. Nick had always teased Donna and Melanie for being city girls. The rest of them were country girls and had always been tomboys growing up. Some of his nieces and nephews cheered and a couple of his brother in laws agreed to go too.

"Okay, son we'd better go hitch up the trailer."

"Alright, I'd better go get ready then." He had put on a sweater since Sara had asked him. She could stare at his chest for hours but she really didn't need the distraction when getting to know his siblings. "Sar, you want to come?"

"Sure! Wait, you mean like a real tree?"

"Yeah… of course."

"Oh. Are we going somewhere that sells them?" She thought it was a perfectly normal question to ask until Nick chuckled.

"Sar, we always go and cut one down on our land."

"Really?"

"Uh huh."

"Wow! I've never done that before!" She didn't want to appear too excited but she was. "We've only had artificial trees."

"Oh that's no fun! C'mon Sar, we'll go get your first genuine Christmas tree." Nick grinned as he put his arm around her and propelled her to their bedroom so they could get ready.

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Nick laughed to himself as he sat on his bed and pulled on some wool socks. "I can't believe you've never gone to chop down a Christmas tree before!"

"Well…" Sara blushed as she brushed out her hair.

"I think this Christmas is going to be a lot of firsts for you." He said and then blushed when he realized how it sounded.

Sara smiled slyly as she sat down on the bed next to him and looked him in the eye. "I'm counting on it." She kissed him softly.

"Mmm, really?"

"Oh yeah…" Her voice was husky and their faces were less than an inch apart. Nick closed the gap as he leaned in and kissed her passionately, his hand coming up to cup her cheek and run through her hair. She kissed back with equal fervour, and they fell back to lie on the bed.

Nick groaned as she climbed on top of him, kissing him for all he was worth. There was something about the fact that she wanted him as much as he wanted her that turned him on immensely. "Oh Sara…" He moaned when she moved to suck on his earlobe for a moment before going back to his mouth.

"Ahh, Nick…" He had trailed down from her jaw to her neck and began sucking on the pulse. "Oooh…"

"Mmm…" Nick's hands were underneath the back of her shirt, tugging on her bra clasp and hers rubbed his chest and stomach underneath his sweater while their legs tangled together.

Neither one realized how long they had been making out when the door came open and Kerry stood there, her eyes wide. "Oh, hello. You two couldn't keep your hands off each other for long enough to find a tree? You'd think you've only been going out for a few days! Though I suggest if you're doing anything more than that in this house that you lock the door, Nicky. I don't want my children to be scarred for life." She smiled and closed the door.

Nick chuckled, embarrassed. "Sorry." He told Sara, sheepishly.

"I'm not." She leaned down and kissed him again, exploring his mouth with her tongue.

"Oh and just so you know—" She had opened the door again to find them in another intense lip lock. "Sorry. But we are waiting downstairs for you two. And you know how Jason is. We have a small window of opportunity to get anything done once he has his snowsuit on before he has to go pee again." Her youngest, Jason had just finished potty training but he still had a few accidents here and there.

Nick lifted his head out from under Sara to look at his sister. "Umm, we'll be down in a minute, Kerr."

"Okay." Kerry winked at them and closed the door once more.

"We'd better go." Kiss.

"Yeah." Kiss.

"As soon as I—" He leaned in and kissed her again.

"Me too." She answered and kissed him back.

"We're going out to get a tree." Kiss.

"Uh huh." Kiss.

"Your first time." Kiss.

"Mmm hmm…" Kiss.

Suddenly someone banged on the door loudly, causing them to jump into a sitting position on the bed.

"Yeah?"

"Nicky come on! We haven't got all day!" His dad bellowed from the other side of his door.

"Okay Dad, we're coming now." He grinned at Sara. "You know, you look incredibly sexy in that." She was wearing a Texas A&M sweatshirt that he owned.

"Mmm you don't look too bad yourself, cowboy." She grinned and kissed him before standing up. "Come on, I don't want your family to get the wrong impression of me."

"Yeah, they'll soon think you've locked me in my bedroom and won't let me come out. Actually that doesn't sound like a bad idea." He grinned and kissed her.

"No, it doesn't. But I don't want your parents thinking that. I want them to think I'm a good girl. C'mon, Tex." She grabbed his hand and opened the door, getting rid of the temptation of staying there all day with Nick to ravish his body.

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Nick laughed at Sara's face when she saw that they would be riding on a sleigh that was attached to two large horses. "Wow…" She was in awe.

"I can't believe you've never ridden a horse before, Sar!"

"Well some of us never grew up on a large ranch with acres to run around on."

"I'll turn you into a cowgirl yet." He winked at her as he pulled her up to sit on a bale of hay with him. The rest of the kids and adults climbed on, each taking a seat on some hay or in someone's lap. By the time everyone was on, Sara was cuddled into Nick as they shared a makeshift seat.

A little while later, Nick looked down at Sara, who was leaning against him with a smile on her face. "How's my girl's first hay ride?"

"I love it." She sighed as she let the breeze blow against her face. If it weren't for all of Nick's family with them, it would have been very romantic.

"I'll take you riding later, when we get a chance to be alone."

"I don't know Nick. I'd love to but I don't know how."

"Oh, Sar it's easy. But if you want we can both get on the same horse for the first time." His voice was a little husky as he added, "Then we'll be very close."

"Nick…" Her voice was full of want but also of warning. As much as she wanted him this was definitely not the time or the place.

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After much debating and fooling around, (Nick and Sara were teased over and over by the group for being even more childish than the kids as they ran around and chased each other, acting like a couple of fools in love) they found a tree that they all agreed on. George cut it down with his axe and Nick and Luke carried it aboard the sleigh, securing it.

Nick hopped aboard and picked up Sara around the waist, lifting her up onto the sleigh with him. "NICK!" She screeched when he lifted her up over his shoulder to tease her.

Laughing, he set her down and they settled in to take their spots again. However, with the large tree aboard there was even less room and Sara found herself sitting in Nick's lap the entire way back to the house. She turned sideways in his lap and rested her head on his shoulder.

Nick surprised her suddenly when he kissed her chin. Lifting up she looked at him with a small smile, silently questioning his action. Shrugging his shoulders with a sheepish grin, he leaned in and kissed her lips.

Several of his little nieces ruined the moment with "Ooooh", while the younger boys openly showed their disgust with "Ewws" and "Yucks". Nick and Sara broke apart, laughing at the kids.

Nick grinned at the kids. "Hey you guys want to hear the story about how Santa, or, St. Nick…" He smirked at Sara.

"Nick Stokes you are no saint." She whispered in his ear and smacked him.

"How Santa gets to everyone's houses in Texas when there's no snow?" He continued.

"YEAH!" The kids shouted and all took a seat around Nick and Sara.

"Okay. Once upon a time…"

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By the time Nick finished his story, they were back at the house and the kids were captivated. "So Santa has horses he uses in the dessert sometimes?"

"Yup. They're his backups. You see, reindeer aren't used to warm weather. Sometimes it's okay for them to fly down here, but some winters it's too hot for them."

"Cool!"

"Uncle Nicky, were you named after Santa? Mommy told me he's called Saint Nick in some places." Jessie piped up.

"Yes, he is. I'm not sure if Mom and Dad named me after him though. In other places in the world he's Kris Kringle, and some call him Father Christmas."

"Wow…" The kids were still hanging on his every word when they stopped in front of the house.

"Come on kids, let's go decorate the Christmas tree!" Nick jumped up, acting like a big kid and his nieces and nephews cheered. Sara sat there, grinning at his foolishness. He would make such a great dad one day. Wow, she thought to herself. Where did that thought come from?

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Nick and Luke put the tree up and secured it. Once that was done, Kerry and Joanne volunteered to put the lights and tinsel on it. By the time it was ready to be decorated, most of the boys had lost interest and several of them went out with their fathers to have a snowman contest in the freshly fallen snow. It seldom snowed in Texas, but since it was there they decided to take advantage of it, as it wouldn't last for long. Nick, however, had a greater interest in decorating the Christmas tree, as his greatest interest, Sara, happened to be in the room.

In the confusion of Nick's family, eventually, Sara, Nick, and a few of his nieces were left to decorate the tree. Some of his sisters had gone in the kitchen to help his mother prepare cakes and pies for Christmas, while the rest went outside to play in the snow. Nick was taking a break and sat down in a large chair to admire the tree while Sara, continued to decorate with Hannah, 12, Annabelle, 10, Jessica, 8, and Nicole, 5. At one point, Sara was lifting up Nicole so she could put one ornament high up when Anna put a CD on, and Christmas music filled the air. Nick had been admiring how when she put her arms up, her shirt rode up, exposing her midriff, but as soon as Sara heard Mariah Carey singing her "All I Want For Christmas", she put Nicole down.

"I love this song!" She grinned and grabbed a remote to use as a mic and began to sing along with the music.

"I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true...
All I want for Christmas
Is you..."

"Come on girls, join in!" Sara was smiling from ear to ear as she tossed each one a remote or decoration and they all sang with her.

"I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you...
You baby"

She grinned and pointed at Nick as she sang, "You baby." He sat back in the chair with his eyes glued on her the entire time. She looked in his eyes, as if she was singing the song all for him.

I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the north pole for saint nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click
'cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
You..."

Sara stood up in front of the couch and the girls stood up on it behind her, snapping their fingers as they danced from side to side like back up singers. Here and there they'd sing a few lines with her, but they mostly sang along with the backup voices.

"All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me"

She began dancing along with the girls, behind her, not caring that a crowd of his sisters who had heard the commotion in the living room had gathered to watch the show. All Sara saw was Nick, and she was doing this all for him, and the girls. She never used to get along with kids, but after a few cases she had been left to support the kids while they looked for their parents or social workers. Now she was really opening up to these kids and really letting go of her stiff exterior. Nick couldn't help but notice how happy she looked, just being relaxed and having fun. She'd be such a great mom one day. He couldn't believe that thought had come in his mind, but he couldn't help but think about it. God, she was so beautiful, especially as she danced and sang her heart out along with Mariah.

"Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want him for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is
You

All I want for Christmas is you baby"

The girls continued with the end of the song, singing "All I want for Christmas is you baby" over and over again with the backup singers, and Sara ran over to Nick, sitting on his lap and kissing him.

When the applause from his sisters and mom broke through she jumped, not noticing them before.

"Girls! Get off that couch! What have I told you before?!" Evelyn told the girls. She wasn't angry, but she didn't want to get her good couch dirty.

"Oh, sorry Evelyn, that's my fault. I told them to get up there." She hadn't really, but she had got them going, and she didn't think it was their fault.

"Oh I'm sorry, Sara, honey you didn't know. These four should have known though, right girls?"

"Yes, Gramma." They coursed, avoiding her eyes.

Nick grinned at Sara and nuzzled her before kissing her softly. "All I want for Christmas is you, too, baby."

"Oh Nick…" She didn't want to cry but she felt herself getting choked up at his sincerity.

"I'd be very happy if you were under my Christmas tree with only a big red bow on." He whispered in her ear.

"Nick!" She laughed as she tried to scold him and hit him. When he looked up at her with his big brown eyes she couldn't stay mad at him. "You're all I want, too." She whispered and kissed him.

TBC…