Maggie walked into her office and squealed as the door shut. There sitting behind her desk was her husband. Fine ass Dr. Jackson Avery. She placed a hand over her fast-beating heart. She said, "Oh my goodness, Jackson. Why are you lurking?"

Jackson stood and approached his wife taking her all in. The curls he loved to bury his nose in were pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were bright, but he could see the exhaustion in them. She was dressed in her navy blue scrubs and he could see the slight tint of the lip balm on her lips.

Lips he hadn't properly kissed in days. He said, "You haven't been home since last week this time. We miss our wife and mother."

Maggie rolled her eyes at his exaggeration and pressed her back into the closed door. She said, "I've been home. You know I have to shower in my own shower every couple of days or I start to feel gross."

"When is the last time you were home with me and Harriet? When is the last time you slept in our bed, with me?" Jackson asked as he pulled her away from the door and wrapped her in his arms.

Maggie relaxed into her husband's embrace. She moaned, "I'm sorry. I've been doing a lot of emergency surgeries. Then there is my research that I'm getting ready to publish and staying up on my department paperwork. I'll be home tonight. I promise."

Jackson searched Maggie's face. His eyes stopping on her lips. He rubbed his nose against hers before taking her lips in a much-needed kiss. He drank from her fountain until his thirst for his wife was quenched. Jackson was more than aware that this woman was his lifeline. He also knew that he didn't deserve her, but he was more than willing to do whatever it took to keep her. Besides his child, she was his world and he wanted to do whatever he could to keep her happy.

He and Maggie had weathered the storms of a relationship. They had even almost fallen victim to the storms, but they had made it through. Now here they were a year into marriage, actively trying to get pregnant and raising his daughter from his previous marriage.

Jackson ran his hand down the side of her face. He asked, "Maggie, are you coming home tonight?"

Maggie squinted her eyes at him she said, "Jackson, I said that I was."

Jackson pulled her even closer whispering in her ear, "Babe, I'm just making sure. Christmas is coming up fast and we have some things we need to discuss. Plus, I want to make love to my wife in our bed. Hell, I want to have my wife sleep next to me."

Maggie freed herself from his embrace and walked to her desk. As she took her seat she asked, "You've been having the dream where we're broken up and then you wake up reaching for me? Have you been having panic attacks?"

Jackson inhaled deeply and then turned to face her. He said, "It happened once, but that isn't why I want you to come home. I didn't marry you so that I could see you less. I'm asking you to come home because I miss you, Maggie."

Maggie looked at him and smiled softly. She said, "I need to round on my patients and give orders to my residents and then I'll be on my way. Is Miss Harriet joining us tonight?"

Jackson said, "See, this is why I need to see my wife consistently. Harriet will be home with us tonight and I need to talk to you about that too."

Maggie stood, "Is something wrong? Is Harriet alright?"

Jackson loved how she loved his daughter. It was like Harriet was her own flesh and blood. He said, "Harriet is fine, and I will talk to you when you get home."

After leaving the hospital he went to pick Harriet up from school. He took her home and had her change out of her uniform and then they ate a pre-dinner snack. Jackson had ordered from Maggie's favorite Italian restaurant to be delivered. He was expecting it to arrive by the time she got in from work.

Harriet sipped her milk and asked, "Where's Maggie? I want to make Christmas cookies with her."

Jackson ruffled her curls. Jackson noticed how Harriet's curls were wilder and frizzier when she came from her mother's house. He knew that his wife would take great care to moisturize Harriet's hair making sure her curls were bouncy and shiny. He said, "She'll be home soon. I don't know if you'll get to make cookies tonight. Maggie might be too tired. She has been working a lot, but soon."

A few minutes later Maggie walked through the door and all felt right with Jackson's world. He needed his wife in his daily orbit in order to feel grounded.

When Harriet noticed Maggie, she ran towards her stepmother squealing, "Maggie!"

Maggie kneeled and scooped up the little girl in her arms. She kissed her cheeks saying, "Hey baby girl! I missed you."

As Maggie placed Harriet back on her feet Harried excitedly asked, "Can we make cookies? Are you tired? Daddy said you will be too tired. It's ok if you're tired."

Maggie wanted to make cookies with Harriet tonight, but it was probably best if they planned to do it the next day. Maggie said, "I'll pick you up from school tomorrow and we'll do it then. How does that sound?"

Harriet took off towards the stairs cheering. As Harriet disappeared from view something hit Maggie. She took off her coat and asked her husband, "Isn't Harriet supposed to be with her mom this week? I thought she agreed that we could have Harriet for Christmas."

Jackson smiled that charming smile he gave her when he was being mischievous. He said, "That's what I wanted to speak with you about. What I've been trying to catch a few moments with you to discuss. How would you feel if we kept Harriet for the rest of the year?"

Maggie frowned in confusion. She asked, "Why would you ask me that? This is Harriet's home. It's fine, of course."

Jackson followed Maggie into the kitchen as she went to the sink to wash her hands. He said, "I just wanted to be sure that I discussed these things with you. Her mom is going away for a while and they want to take Harriet with them, but she knows it won't fly so she's willing to leave Harriet with us. So, with that being the case I was thinking that since we have her we can take off from work and go on a holiday vacation. You've been working hard lately, and I want to make some holiday memories with you and Harriet."

Maggie turned to face him leaning back against the sink. She said, "I just want it to be known that I'm not the sappy one in this relationship. It's totally Jackson Avery."

Jackson chuckled. He wasn't being sappy. He and Maggie had been discussing some changes in their life and he had a huge surprise for her. He made it a goal in life to make all of Maggie's dreams come true and they had recently looked at something and she had mentioned how she would love something like it. He was Jackson Avery, and his mother was Catharine Fox, so they made it happen. He wanted Maggie to have a memorable Christmas. He knew that this surprise would be remembered for years to come.