(For disclaimer, etc. - see 1.)

6. Once Upon A Christmas
Characters/Pairings: Lemon/Lavon
'Verse/Timeline: canon, post-series
Date: December 2015

"I am officially exhausted!" Lemon declared as she climbed the stairs to bed. "I always thought running so many events and being in charge of everything was a good thing, but taking my place as the mayor's wife on top of everything else?" she said, practically falling through the bedroom door. "I am exhausted!" she repeated.

"Can't exactly say I'm full o' energy myself," Lavon agreed, even as an almighty yawn escaped his lips. "I reckon it's worth it though," he said with a smile, sitting down on the end of the bed and pulling Lemon down with him.

"Well, maybe it is," she agreed, laughing as they both fell back onto the bed as one, her head on her husband's shoulder then. "It was fun hanging out with Wade and Zoe and the little one, and I can't regret the work we did for charity today, or all the efforts we put in on previous days to make Christmastime special for the whole town."

"We have more than done our part, Mrs Hayes," Lavon told her, leaning down to kiss her hair. "Tomorrow, we just get to do the family thing."

"Ugh, please, don't remind me," Lemon moaned at something she was sure was supposed to cheer her up. "I love my family, you know that I do, but tomorrow will be all prepping and cooking, trying to keep my daddy and Shelby from under the mistletoe, hoping Magnolia doesn't say or wear or do anything regrettable, trying to keep little Ethel out of just about everything-"

"No, no, no," Lavon said firmly, pulling her to face him. "Tomorrow is gonna be a nice family occasion, and if anythin' starts to stress you out, you tell me about it and I will fix it, alright?"

Lemon smiled, her hand at his cheek. "Is that a mayoral promise?" she asked.

"That is a husband's promise, sweetheart," he told her seriously, kissing her lips.

"You know, you have just been looking after me for so many years now, especially at this time of year," she said, mind tripping back five years then as she remembered the festive season when she had first turned to Lavon for support and comfort.

"Couldn't have known then how we'd end up now," he said, letting his mind wander the exact same way. "Seems like forever ago."

"Sometimes," Lemon agreed, "and other times, I feel like it's been no time at all. All I know is I shoulda realised a whole lot sooner that you were the one my heart belonged to, Lavon Hayes," she said, meeting his eyes. "We have been through so much, together and apart, but from here on out, every Christmas, every birthday, every day of my life, I wanna share with you."

"I ain't gonna argue with you on that." Lavon smiled back at her, not minding at all when she shifted closer and kissed him soundly on the lips.

Before long, kissing turned into a whole lot more as they rolled around on the bed together. Clothes started to come unfastened and Lavon pulled away, trying to catch his breath.

"Thought you said somethin' about bein' exhausted," he checked with Lemon.

"I do believe I found somethin' worth rallying for," his wife replied, grinning wide. "You wanna make a fight out of it?"

"No, ma'am." Lavon smiled back at her. "Who wants to fight at Christmas anyhow?" he said, chuckling as he pulled her to him and kissed her some more.

Tomorrow, they had a big family occasion to attend, but tonight, that was just for the two of them.