A/N: To establish a bit of a timeline, this chapter and the first take place on 12/15. Ten days before Christmas. This chapter is a bit wordy, but a chapter to mark a day fits my goal chapter count pretty well. I hope y'all are getting into the Christmas spirit and this brings you a bit a joy!

I don't own glee & I'm not Taylor Swift (what an underrated Christmas song HONESTLY)

Chapter 2: Christmas Tree Farm

Santana couldn't help but smile at the look on Brittany's face as they pulled into the tree lot. Her face lit up bright like the shining lights strung along the fence. As soon as they stepped out of the car, Santana smelt spiced apple cider and pine. Brittany's gloved hand found her own, and despite being a bit nervous to be as outwardly gay back in Ohio, Santana only tightened her grip. Brittany grinned happily, leading her to the line for the apple cider while her parents set off with Ashley to look through the Douglas Firs even though they'd never brought a Douglas home.

"Doesn't it just SMELL like Christmas?" Brittany took a deep breath.

"Yeah I've never really experienced it naturally. My parents always had the artificial scents made by Yankee Candle" Santana shrugged "It's never this way."

"Totally" Brittany said as they got to the front of the line. She bought a large cider for them to share, one for her parents to share and a smaller one for Ashley. They found them just getting to the trees the Pierce's favored: Fraser Firs. They smelled awesome and held up all their sentimental ornaments. Brittany couldn't wait to hang her and Santana's "First Christmas" next to her parents.

"Santana, have you ever done this before?" Beverly asked, examining a tree.

"No, but it's really cool." Santana smiled "I didn't even know there was more than one choice!"

"I found one!" Ashley said, a few feet away, staring down an eight foot tree.

"What do you think, Tana?" Ashley asked.

"Well I'm not much of a tree expert but I think it's beautiful," Santana grinned.

"Good find Ash" Adam high-fived his daughter "Britty, Bev, do you two approve?" Adam turned to see them both pointing up at mistletoe with big smiles on their faces. "Santana, there's no getting out of it now." Adam motioned for her to follow. She looked around, and glad that no one seemed to be nearby she planted a quick kiss on Brittany's lips. Adam kissed his wife happily, earning a groan from both Pierce daughters. While Adam got someone to help them get the tree tied to the roof, Beverly took Ashley to look at some little decorations they were selling. The girls hung back, Brittany pouting at Santana.

"What's wrong B?" Santana caressed her cheek gently.

"Your kiss wasn't real under the mistletoe." Brittany looked down "Are you still scared to be with me?".

Santana took a deep breath before nodding "Brittany, I love you with all my heart. And in New York I feel like everything's perfect. But here in Ohio, I feel like people are just looking for something to attack. I don't want that to be us. I don't want them to attack you. I can take it, but you are so happy. I hate when the world tries to take that from you."

Brittany smiled softly "You're protecting me?"

"Yeah, why else would I hold back?" Santana kissed her cheek "I am who I am proudly. And I know you are two. But I don't want to go all Snixx in front of your family."

"Thanks babe. Let's go see if they've got the tree secured. There's still so much to do before bed!" Brittany tugged Santana along and they piled into the Pierce van.

"Alright, we've got our tree. Time to go to the store. Adam, Ash you'll go get ingredients for cookies. Britt, San and I will get pajamas." Beverly instructed.

"Yes ma'am" the three other Pierces said in unison.

"Yes ma'am." Santana added catching on. "Is your mom always so serious?"

"She's just stressed because we need the pajamas to take the picture for the family card. Thank God I convinced her to go with an E-card after I learned we killed a whole tree ourselves last year. She'd be encouragable if we had to send actual cards out." Brittany whispered.

"Incorrigible." Santana softly corrected "I can't imagine."

They pulled up to Target and they split in two, two headed towards grocery and three headed towards clothes. Santana was quickly briefed on how the pajamas worked: try and match or have them fit together. Without much trouble, they found Santa and for Adam and Beverly. Then, after a search for anything that was stocked in both Santana and Brittany's size they found elf onesies. Lastly, they had to find something for Ashley in the kids section. Santana struck gold when she found a Rudolph onesie. It would be perfect. Armed with pajamas, they met back up with Adam and Ashley who had all the ingredients to make cookies along with a gingerbread house kit. Ashley approved of her pajamas and like that they were headed home to the Pierce house.

Santana entered the house and was immediately struck by how much it felt like home. The house she'd grown up had never felt this way. It was always cold and stiff, save for her room. The entirety of the Pierce house, however, felt as warm and inviting as their bed in New York. She smiled at the fact her face graced the photo wall beside Brittany's on more than one occasion, tracing the frame of the photo of them graduating. Brittany watched her, while her dad carried their bags upstairs.

"When you two are done reminiscing, can you help me get this tree?" Adam said, descending the stairs.

"Sorry Dad." Brittany said, patting Santana's shoulder to stay put while she helped her dad. The Latina was staring at a picture of them celebrating their win at national's, kissing in the middle of the hall at McKinley. It was one of the happiest moments of her life. She stood there for a few minutes, lost in the memory before Brittany pulled her out of her stupor. "You okay San?" the blonde asked, glancing at the picture with a small smile.

"Yeah, it's just, my parents don't have any pictures of US on the walls." Santana sighed "I mean, Papi and Mami love you but…" Santana shook her head "as supportive as they are, they just are nothing like your parents."

"Are we seeing them while we're here Sanny?" Brittany asked, pulling the Latina to the living room where Adam was making sure he'd put the tree stand on correctly.

"Umm…" Santana pulled out her phone "Yeah, uh, they want to see us Christmas afternoon. They're out of town right now, they planned a trip when I'd insisted I wasn't coming home for Christmas. When you changed my mind" Santana tapped Brittany nose "they cut it short."

"Good, I miss Mami and Papi Lopez." Brittany kissed Santana's cheek, returning to her father's side. She read the text, they hadn't included Brittany in their invitation. With a deep breath, she typed out that Brittany would accompany her. No matter the event.

"Is the tree up?" Beverly called from the kitchen where she was making a quick dinner.

"Yes honey!" Adam called, working with Brittany to string the lights around it. They worked so well together, passing the lights around. When they plugged the lights in and the tree lit up rainbow Santana clapped.

"It's like a unicorn horn" Brittany stepped back admiring it "Now all we need is the star for the top." she dug into an ornament box and pulled it out "San, I want you to put it on."

"Britt, I can't reach that high." Santana shook her head "You should do it."

"Don't be silly, I can lift you up as easy as I could when we were Cheerios." Brittany smirked "I want you to."

"Okay, okay" Santana got up and got on Brittanys shoulders, grabbing the star and setting it on the tree. She hadn't taken the time to observe it until she stepped back as Adam plugged it in. In the center of the star was a heart with an equal sign. She looked at Brittany with a raised eyebrow.

"I may have forced them to buy it" the blonde admitted "but it's so cool!"

"I love you way too much." Santana kissed a freckled cheek "Thank you."

"Alright lovebirds it's picture time!" Beverly came into the living room with a camera and tripod "Go get those pajamas on, and I promise, the rest of Christmas will be much more relaxing. And make sure Ashely has hers on too." Santana and Brittany went up to her old bedroom. Brittany shook her head at the pastel colors, glad Santana had picked out the decor for their house ( with a splash of unicorns of course!). They put on their elf onesies and immediately laughed at how ridiculous they looked.

"Green is so not my color." Santana said, adjusting the hood in the vanity mirror. She touched up her makeup as Brittany told her about previous years photos, all being equally cheesy.

"Ash! It's picture time." Brittany stuck her head out into the hall, followed by her sister groaning. "She hates having her picture taken."

"I know B. She'll never be a Cheerio with that attitude." Santana smirked. She knew full well that Brittany's little sister had no intent in following in their footsteps, but it wouldn't stop Sue from pursuing her relentlessly.

"HEY DORKS" Ashley said coming into Brittany's room, reindeer antlers flopping around atop her head "Mom says you wear too much makeup and to get your booties down the stairs."

"ASHLEY ELIZABETH" Beverly shouted up the stairs "Leave your sister be!"

"It's fine Ma." Brittany said following Ashely down the stairs, Santana in tow "She's totally right. Santana's gorgeous regardless."

"Gross." Adam stuck his tongue out, earning him a smack to the back of the head from his wife.

"Real mature. Alright, Adam and I will stand behind you two" Beverly said as she sat Brittany and Santna on the ground in front of the fireplace. "And then Ash, right in front of them."she directed looking through the camera. She set a timer and got to her position. "Everyone say Christmas!". They all smiled as the shutter went off three times. "Yes! We never get a perfect one on the first try. Santana, you're our good luck charm!"

"I keep telling her that." Brittany swooned.

"Alright, alright. Go sit down for dinner girls." Adam ushered them towards the table as he plugged the camera into the computer and ushered his wife to the table as well. They had a small dinner of soup and sandwiches, chatting about the girls' time at NYU. Ashley told them all about fifth grade and how weird the sex-ed video was. Santana remmebered it clearly and was disappointed to hear there was still no talk of same-sex couples. As they were finishing dinner, the doorbell rang. Beverly went to get it as the kids went to wash the dishes.

"Santana, Brittany, someone is here to see you!" she called them and they shrugged at each other. None of their friends had mentioned going home for Christmas, but it wouldn't surprise them if some of them had. What did surprise them was WHO had come home for Christmas.

"Merry Christmas!" Quinn shouted, hugging them both tightly. Behind her stood none other than Noah Puckerman, mohawk gone and replaced with a sleek National Guard dress uniform.

"Puck?" Santana asked, not sure she was seeing right.

"The one and only. But it's Private Puck now." he winked.

"You joined the army?" Brittany asked.

"Yup, I'm in the National Guard." he said proudly. Santana smiled before giving him a big hug, Puck's biggest fear was he'd never be more than a highschool dropout like his dad. After he'd graduated, no one knew where he went, but Santana was happy to see he made a good choice.

"So Quinn, why are you here together?" Santana asked. She had a good idea of why, her best friend had never really let go of her feelings for Noah.

"Noah requested to be stationed at New Haven reserves. We reconnected and well" Quinn grabbed Puck's hand "I've honestly never been happier."

"I had to sing Beth like 100 times to get her to go on a date with me." he admitted, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Do you want to come in?" Brittany offered "We're about to have hot chocolate and watch Rudolph."

"That would actually be great. My parents weren't exactly pleased about my reconnection with Puck." Quinn sighed "We're staying with his mom, but she sold all his furniture when he moved out. And an air mattress isn't the most comfortable place to sit all day.

"I never thought I'd actually be allowed in the Pierce household." Puck mumbled stepping in and looking around at all the pictures.

"And I never thought I'd see the day I'd be okay with it." Adam said, shaking Puck's hand. "You clean up nicely Noah. But you hurt my girls" he grabbed Santana and Brittany "I had to take care of them."

"Still can't believe I got into a Diva battle over you." Santana groaned.

"Everyone wants a piece of the Puckasaurus." he shrugged, Quinn slapping his arm. He whimpered and Adam laughed.

"Yeah, you two are a great pair." he said to Quinn "You act just like Bev and I."

"Oh great, more cheesy high school sweethearts!" Ashley groaned from her spot on the couch "I'm seriously going to puke."

"Are you sure she's Brittany's sister and not yours?" Quinn whispered in Santana's ear.

"Barely." Santana shook her head.

"Alright, I've got guests! Everybody sit down, I'll bring out the hot chocolate!" Beverly smiled, Brittany running after her to help.

"Mom, can I ask you something?" Brittany said as they stirred hot chocolate.

"Sure honey, anything." Beverly said, collecting mugs.

"How did Dad propose to you? You've never told me the story." she grabbed the mini marshmallows and whip cream.

"Well, that's because it wasn't very appropriate or romantic. We were laying in his dorm room at Ohio State when he pulled a ring box out of his nightstand. 6 months later, we were married shortly after graduation. 3 months after that you were born." Beverly admitted.

"Oh...okay. Well it's just" Brittany made sure Santana was sufficiently distracted "I kind of got Santana a ring and I really want to propose to her. But I want it to be special."

"That's wonderful sweetie." Beverly hugged her daughter "Why don't you let me think up some ideas that would've been more impressive than your fathers and I'll get back to you?'

"Thanks mom. By the way, does that story mean I was a mistake?" she worried.

"You weren't planned, but you were certainly not a mistake. And even if you were" Beverly kissed her daughter's forehead "I'd have no regrets." Brittany smiled and went back out to join Santana. Later, after everyone had gone to bed, Brittany sang softly to Santana:

And when I'm feeling alone

You remind me of home

Oh baby, baby, Merry Christmas

And when the world isn't fair

I'll pretend that we're there

Baby, baby, Merry Christmas

To you