A/N- Hey team! Happy to report that I'm healthy and still here, despite life getting busier than I would like for it to be. Hope everyone out there is doing well. I appreciate the messages. Love hearing from you guys and getting cheered on to update!

Another installment is ready to go. Hope you enjoy!

—

Emily and Alison tried to remain positive about their relationship in the weeks following Thanksgiving. The month before leading up to it had been so good and Emily realized that they probably were due for a fall. The good news was that unlike in previous times, the origin had come from outside of the relationship. They talked about it more than once and made sure that it didn't work its way inside of their relationship.

Emily thought back to the advice that Doctor Brown had offered back when Emily had told her that their friends hadn't initially supported her and Alison getting back together. Her therapist had reminded her that the damage wasn't fixed quite as easily with everyone and to give her friends time. Maybe her mother just needed the same. Focusing on what they had heard would only lead to negativity. She and Alison needed to concentrate on their relationship and what they were trying to build.

So far, they had been able to do just that.

It didn't hurt that the weeks in December leading up to Christmas had always been Emily's favorite time of the year. She always got an extra spark of joy during that time and this year, it felt much more strong than the last four years.

Three years ago, she was fresh off her divorce from Alison. After an awkward Thanksgiving together, they had decided to split the day into two and each spent their own time with the girls. It was the worst Christmas that Emily could remember recently. There was so much sadness and uncertainty and it didn't help that the women were hardly speaking to one another at the time. The next year had been a little better. Alison hadn't gone into depth about what had happened in Beacon Heights, but she made it clear that she wasn't staying there past graduation. She and Alison were actually able to spend the day at the house with the twins together without any major issues. Emily found herself secretly hoping that Alison would come back and teach at Hollis. That had been the original plan, but so much had happened since the. that Emily didn't want to get her hopes up. Plus, they all knew too well that hope could breed eternal misery.

But in the end, Alison had come back. To Rosemont, not Rosewood, but she'd still come back to their family. Despite the initial nerves and early issues, the two women had worked their way back into a friendship by last Christmas and they were able to enjoy the holiday together.

Last year, they were together for the holiday, but this year they were actually together and that fact alone had Emily feeling all kinds of warm inside.

Once Alison's semester was over in early December, she started staying at the house in Rosewood almost every night. Though they snuggled together in Alison's room for a bit after the twins went to bed a lot of the nights, they didn't let things get quite as heated as they had the night of Thanksgiving. The idea that somehow their girls would walk in on something was enough for them to make sure that things stayed PG. Emily still turned on the hallway monitor and tried to set an alarm in case she fell asleep. It wasn't always easy. Of course being close to each other at night made them want to take things further, but in an odd way being close to each other like that felt like enough. They had formed a quiet confidence in their relationship. It was one that had a more solid foundation than ever and one where both women saw the future that they were building together. They found that confidence outside of just physical affection.

They let themselves just enjoy the holiday season as a family. For the first time in years, they dug out the Christmas decorations from the attic and put them up outside and around the house together. It wasn't the same lights and garland sets that the DiLaurentis family had used over the years- Alison had thrown that away a long time ago. Instead, they had gone decoration shopping back when Alison was pregnant with the twins and those had been the primary decorations that were used since. All four of them woke up early the weekend following Thanksgiving and went searching for the perfect Christmas tree. When they got home, they spent the day putting up the lights and they spent their night taking turns putting ornaments on the tree.

Alison made herself at home in her old house. She knew that she wasn't technically 'moving back in' but it didn't make sense to run back to Rosemont to grab new clothes every few days either. There was a little bit of a limbo feeling, but Alison decided to just think of it more like a Christmas break. She knew that once the Spring semester started back up, she'd be back to spending most of her days and nights in Rosemont, so she was choosing to enjoy this time now instead of putting too much thought into it. She spent most days just hanging around the house reading, writing, and relaxing.

Emily had relieved her mother of school pickup duties with the twins since Alison was in town. She didn't go to specifics, or mention that the blonde was spending just about every night at the house. It was helpful in a way to not have to face her mother everyday. It helped Emily cool down and gave her the space to get over her letdown on Thanksgiving. Plus, it was nice to just go home once swim practice was over and have the girls and Alison be there waiting for her.

She'd missed this part of their life together. The part where she had a partner that she was truly able to share her life with. Of course the best part was the romance that came in being with the one you love, but Emily realized that she also missed the small moments that added up to become a part of that. She'd missed waking up to the smell of fresh coffee in the morning. Alison had always woken up before her and if the blonde was up and about, she always started the coffee pot and made enough for Emily. She missed turning the corner into the kitchen and catching Alison licking the spoon after she'd stirred up the sauce that she was making for dinner. She missed being able to talk to someone who understood all of the drama of being an employee at RHS. She'd missed having someone to watch an episode of a new Netflix series with every night. These were things that she hadn't even realized that she'd missed about the blonde until she had them again.

They spent a lot of evenings together on the couch watching tv or talking. Emily was about a month away from hearing back about the graduate programs that she had applied to. She tried to act like she wasn't nervous about it, but Alison could tell that she was just trying to put on a brave face.

"You're going to get in, Em."

The were sitting on the couch together one evening in the second week of December. They had put the girls to bed following an evening where the twins were their usual high energy selves. Alison and Emily didn't make any moves to throw something on the television right away. Alison had a glass of wine and they sat on either end of the couch trying to relax and get some downtime in. When she took a minute to really look at Emily, she knew almost immediately what was on the brunette's mind.

Emily's eyes shifted over to the blonde. Her lips turned upwards into a sort of half smile. It was sweet that Alison could pick up on where her thoughts were at without them even having a conversation. She was really on edge with the anticipation of whether or not she'd get into physical therapy school. She'd been called into official interviews for all of the programs that she'd applied to, but she knew that it didn't mean she was a lock.

"I just hope I get into one of them," she told Alison. The idea that after putting herself out there that all of the programs would turn her down was really weighing on her lately. Rejection was something that she hadn't done well with in her past.

"You will." Alison told her confidently. She reached for her drink and took a sip.

"Well I wish you were reading my applications and making the decisions," Emily joked. "You sure Rosemont doesn't want to open up a PT school?"

Alison shook her head, "You don't need me. You're a good candidate for a spot and someone will take you. I bet you'll actually get your choice," she smiled.

"I hope so." Emily nodded. "But if I do, I'm going to have to work out a new schedule. All of the programs start next Summer."

"I know. Don't worry, I'll help you. It's actually a good thing that they start then because I won't be teaching. I can stay with the girls while you get your routine all set." Alison told her.

"Thanks," Emily smiled. It was nice to have another person around for support. "I really appreciate you being here and getting the girls from school by the way. It's really been helpful to not break up their day by sending them to my Mom's while I'm at practice."

"It's not a problem." Alison hesitated for a second and then added, "I love being here." She added casual shrug at the end, but the implication was clear.

Emily's smile softened. Sometimes she really couldn't believe that they'd really been able to get back to this place in their relationship. She reached across the couch where Alison's legs were resting and squeezed her ankle. She let her hand linger on her skin, tracing her thumb back and forth.

"It also helps to not have to see my Mom all of the time too," Emily mentioned.

Alison twisted her lips. She didn't want there to be any negative feelings between Emily and her mother. Sure, Pam's words had hurt her when she'd heard them, but she hadn't been surprised. She'd made a promise to the older woman and ultimately hadn't kept it. She knew that she'd have to be patient and earn her way back into the woman's heart. At least they were friendly with each other for the most part. During the times when Alison would visit home from Oregon, Pam would actively avoid her.

"I thought we were moving on from that?" Alison peered at Emily.

"We are," Emily rolled her eyes a little. She was moving forward. but she couldn't help feeling a little standoffish towards her Mom. She knew that it wasn't fair to the other woman. She was working on getting over it, but she needed some time too.

"Good because she invited me to come over again this year and make cookies with her and the twins." Alison told her.

Emily stopped the her motions on the blonde's skin, "I'm sorry, what? What did you tell her?" She asked, totally surprised that this was the first she was hearing about it.

"Well I told her I would, obviously."

"You think that's a good idea?" Emily asked. She'd gone out of her way trying to make sure that she didn't accidentally mention anything about her relationship or Thanksgiving to her Mom. It had been easier to do in the last couple of weeks with Alison watching the girls in the afternoons and not being around her Mom as much.

"I think it would be a worse idea not to go," Alison pointed out. After all, it wasn't like Pam knew what was going on.

"I guess…"

"Hey," Alison leaned forward and picked up Emily's hand. "We said that we were just going to move forward. If we say that we're going to do that, we have to actually follow through. We need to keep building… and a part of that is me trying to repair my relationship with her. She needs to learn to trust me again with your heart if she's going to support us."

Emily looked down at their hands. "I trust you with my heart. That should be enough." She said quietly.

"It is for me," Alison smiled. "But I've got to put in the work with her too."

Emily nodded in agreement. She pulled Alison up from her reclining position and over towards her side of the couch. She knew that the blonde was right. This would take time and she needed to be patient. Right now though, she was done talking about it. She just wanted to cuddle up together and see if they could agree on a Christmas movie. That always put her in a good mood.

—

The next week, Alison went to Pam's with Lily and Grace one afternoon. The girls were on their holiday break now too, and it was actually a good way to get them out of the house. The twins didn't do well stuck inside all day and during the winter, it was hard to think of creative ways to keep them entertained.

"Grandma!" The two little girls shouted in excitement when Pam opened the door for them. They pushed into her, their thick winter jackets smashing into the older woman's legs as they both hugged her on either side.

Alison chuckled lightly at the sight. It wasn't terribly cold out yet, but the temperature was supposed to drop by the evening and she had a hunch that they would be there baking cookies for a long time. She'd actually been looking forward to the day. She'd been continuously reminding herself since Thanksgiving that what she'd overheard wasn't new information. It could have been worse. At least Pam had mentioned that she trusted Alison as a mother. Before she and Emily had gotten back together, that would have been all that mattered. She had enjoyed herself last year when they'd spent the day baking cookies and saw this as another opportunity to build their relationship.

"Hi," She smiled at her former mother in law.

"Thanks for coming!" Pam looked back up from the twins. "Hurry up and get inside, though. Your cheeks are all red."

Alison touched the back of her hand to her cheek. There was definitely a little chill in the air. Her skin was a lot more sensitive than the twins and she was usually more focussed on them. She hadn't even realized.

They got right to work on the cookie making. Pam had bought all of the necessary ingredients for any type of cookie that you could imagine. Last year they'd made all different types of flavors in all different shapes and sizes. Pam and Alison had bonded over showing each other their own family cookies that had been special for each of them growing up. Alison was familiar with a lot of Pam's because she'd been to their house plenty of times over the holidays and tried them then, but she enjoyed learning the history behind the recipes. It was also special when she shared her own with Pam. She reminisced on days spent baking with her Grandmother as a child.

The twins were finally starting to get the concept of baking cookies and the work that went behind it. Last year, they had fun playing with the ingredients, but this year they asked questions and were a lot more engaged.

Pam stood behind Lily, who was standing on a stool so that she could work with them at the counter. The little girl was holding an egg and Pam guided her to show her how to carefully break it against the counter and get the yolk into the bowl.

"Hold it carefully," Pam instructed. She put her hands on top of Lily's. "Now you're going to bring it against the edge of the bowl with a nice hard hit."

"But not too hard," Lily told her. That had been a phrase Pam used the first time that she'd explained the process to her Granddaughter and Lily showed her that she had been paying attention. She concentrated on the egg for a moment and lifted it in the air in preparation for it to make contact with bowl when there was a sudden interruption.

"I want to crack one!" Grave shouted as she ran up behind her sister and her grandmother, surprising both of them and almost causing Lily to drop the egg on the counter.

"Grace!" Lily turned around and scolded.

"Can I go next Grandma?" Grace asked, patting Pam's leg several times.

Pam looked a little bit overwhelmed for a second, trying to give attention to one five year old while another was ready to drop an egg.

"Come here, Grace. I'll show you." Alison stepped in. She pulled a chair from the kitchen table and over to the counter. She guided her daughter towards the chair and away from causing any accidents over on Pam and Lily's side of the kitchen.

Grace excitedly jumped up on the chair and grabbed her own egg. Alison laughed at her excitement and tried to slow her down enough to make sure that she didn't make a mess.

The kitchen was full of giggles throughout the day. Pam and Alison had to constantly keep an eye on the twins, who kept sneaking bites of cookie dough before it could make it into the oven. It was supposed to be a fun day, so they let the girls have their fun. Once the twins got tired of it, Pam put a Christmas movie on for them in the living room. She and Alison worked together to get the messy kitchen cleaned up.

Alison finished wiping the counter and poked her head in to check on the girls. They were taste testing some of the chocolate chip cookies as they stared at the television, totally immersed in whatever the talking snowman was saying. She smiled at the sight. They both had milk mustaches over their lips, but either didn't notice or didn't care.

As she turned back to the kitchen a framed photo on the wall caught her eye. It was a picture of the twins from about four years earlier.

The girls were about eighteen months old. They had short, wispy hair pushed back by red headbands and red dresses on to match. They were sitting on Santa Claus' lap and despite being much younger than they were now she could still see their personalities exhibited in the photo just like they were today. Lily was sitting back. She was looking up at Santa and studying him with a curious look on her face. Grace was sitting up on her knees. Her hands were reaching out and anxiously pawing at at Santa's beard. The blonde couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the photograph.

"That's a good one, isn't it?" Pam commented from behind her.

"It is. I remember when it was taken, but I don't think I've seen it in a few years." She remembered going with Emily to the mall where Santa's Village was set up. It had been a production getting two toddlers all dressed up and out the door. Hell, it was still a production now. She was surprised that they'd ever made it anywhere on time.

Pan ran her hand along the frame. "I like this one because it's not posed. I smile every time I see it because it's just them being themselves."

"It is," Alison chuckled, "I'm pretty sure that Grace pulled off Santa's beard less than a minute later."

Pam laughed out loud. She peaked into the room at the twins. "Some things never change."

"She can be a handful sometimes... but I appreciate the enthusiasm." She felt like she needed a second set of eyes when she was watching the girls sometimes. Lily was usually fine, but she never knew what Grace was getting in to. It was like the child had no fear.

"They express their curiosities very differently that's for sure. Emily used to be like Grace when she was little."

"Really?" Alison asked, a little surprised. When she'd met Emily as a child, she remembered the dark haired girl being shy and quiet, a lot like Lily was now.

"Oh absolutely. Why do you think I only had one kid?" Pam joked. "She calmed down when we moved around the country a few times when she was younger."

Alison nodded along. Emily had told her that it had been weird moving so much to different bases when she was younger. Eventually they'd settled in Rosewood for good towards the end of elementary school, but that was only because her father was actually getting deployed.

"I see a lot of her in both of the girls." Alison commented. It was something that she loved most about her daughters. She could always see little parts of Emily in them. She noticed that Emily and Grace made the same face when you caught them off guard and confused them. It made Alison laugh every time. Both girls could be very sweet. Lily noticed things about Alison before she even realized them herself. Similar to Emily who had a knack for being able to tell when something was off with Alison, Lily always seemed to pick up on the blonde's moods. There had been so many times when she'd look up at Alison, eyes wide and eyebrows up, and ask 'Are you okay, Mommy?'

The day that Alison had found out that she was pregnant had been one of the worst, most horrifying days that she could remember. But her feelings about the pregnancy changed dramatically when she'd found out that it was Emily's baby and not Archer's. The idea of bringing another Emily into the world made her feel hopeful. Emily was the best person she knew. She wanted there to be more of her in the world.

Even now, she couldn't help but be in awe of how good of a mother Emily was to their daughters. She loved watching Emily teach them things and even more, she loved the attention that both girls had on the older woman. "They totally idolize her," Alison smiled to Pam.

Pam nodded. She met Alison's gaze, "They may idolize her, but they absolutely adore you."

The tilted her head with a little smile. She knew that her daughters loved her as much as she loved them. It was more the source of the information that was intriguing.

"You know last year when you started spending more time with the girls around the holidays, I remember Emily telling me how much they benefit from having you around. Not just having a second parent, but you specifically."

Alison had been worried before coming back from Oregon. She wanted to make things better, not complicate them further. It hadn't been an easy time the last year and a half, but she'd known early on that she made the right decision.

"I hear it all the time," Pam continued, "Mommy this, Mommy that. Look what we learned this weekend!" She shook her head with a little laugh as she mimicked the twins.

"Emily has a lot to do with that too," Alison nodded. Early on when she'd been back, they would talk about Emily and their week straight through the weekend. She would see them do new things, like tie their shoes or count to higher numbers just in the span of a couple of days.

"She does. I just want you to know I'm thankful for what you do." She peered into the other room, "Those two have been the best thing to happen to me in years."

Alison felt the same way. After the AD saga, her relationship with Emily and their babies had felt like a light at the end of a long, very dark tunnel. When things had gone sideways with Emily, she still had her daughters to bring her joy. Knowing that they were happy and healthy was the most important thing to her.

"You've had to make a lot of sacrifices. I know that drive back and forth must be tough. And not really having much time for a social life..." Pam mused.

Alison felt a little bad. Truthfully she hadn't done much driving to and from Rosemont. She hadn't even been to her apartment once in the past week.

"I guess you haven't really had much time for relationships either. You aren't dating anyone in Rosemont, are you?" Pam asked.

Now the blonde definitely felt bad. She wasn't dating anyone in Rosemont, but she was dating someone in Rosewood. She was dating this woman's daughter. She knew that she couldn't say anything, though. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't without telling Emily. No matter how good of a day that she'd had here and no matter how comfortable she felt right now.

"There's no one really worthwhile in Rosemont anyway," she just shrugged.

Pam scrunched up her nose. "I understand. You'll find someone eventually when you're ready."

Alison wanted to tell her that she had tried. She'd tried, but there wasn't anyone out there that made her feel the things that Emily did. Emily could make her heart almost explode just by a simple look. She'd never felt as strongly about anyone as she did Emily. She didn't need to keep looking, she knew.

Later that night when Emily got home from her swim meet, she grilled the blonde on how the day went.

"I told you it would be fine," Alison shrugged with an 'I told you so smile.' Things had gotten a little personal at the end, but Alison chalked Pam's curiosity up to her being caring. It was a little u comfortable, but she appreciated the concern.

"I mean I didn't think she was going to lock you in the basement or anything," Emily laughed. She had just been a little bit worried about sending the blonde to her mother's house without her.

"You know what I think?" Alison asked as she took a step closer to Emily.

Emily glanced over her shoulder, making sure that their daughters were occupied. "What's that?" She asked.

Alison leaned in close to the brunette's ear. "I think you worry too much," she whispered in a sultry tone that made Emily wish that they were alone. Alison discretely brushed her lips against the sensitive skin behind Emily's ear.

And Emily decided that Alison was right. They were good, just as good if not better than they'd ever been. Their daughters were happy and healthy. It didn't seem like her mother was sticking her nose in their business. And it was Christmastime, her favorite season. There really wasn't much that she should be worrying herself about.

—

The rest of the month played out comfortably for Emily, Alison, and the twins. Alison stayed with the girls at the house during the week days. She made sure to help out around the house and get the girls fed on nights when Emily had to stay late at the pool. She even brought the girls to a couple of home meets at RHS. The three of them waved to Emily from the stands and Emily's swimmers all told her how cute her twins were. They dressed the girls up for Christmas pictures- this time leaving the mall Santa out of it. They drove around to look at the lights. They wrapped gifts for their friends together. It was idyllic. The four of them spending this kind of extended family time together was something that Emily and Alison had felt like they had worked hard for and they appreciated every moment.

Before they knew it, it was already Christmas Eve.

This year was pretty low key. Jason and Aria came over to the house with Kate for a Christmas Eve dinner with Alison, Emily, and the twins. Pam was visiting some family the next state over for the evening, but was planning to come to the house on Christmas around lunchtime.

They exchanged a few gifts, but spent the majority of the evening hanging out and just having a good time together. Kate was three now, and was finally getting old enough to play with the twins and understand what they were doing. It allowed Emily and Alison to spend some meaningful time with Jason and Aria. Neither woman had outwardly disliked Ezra, but it was undeniable how much more comfortable they all were with Jason. That included Aria too. She had spent so much of her relationship with Ezra playing defense with him and other people. It was nice to finally just be.

Admittedly, a few years back when Alison had realized that there was something between Jason and Aria, she had thought it was weird. A part of that was because she was already in a strange situation having family dinner with Mary Drake and she'd been a little taken aback by Aria's closeness to her brother. Now though, it felt so natural. It was nice to blend the world of friends and family. Their friends had felt like family for years now, but this took it to a new level.

She stood with her brother by the fireplace. He had pointed out the decorative Nativity scene that was displayed on top. It had belonged to their Mother. She had put it there every year when they were growing up and it had made him happy to see Alison keeping small traditions like that alive.

Katherine came skipping over to them. She looked up at Jason briefly with a smile and then back to Alison. "Aunt Ali, you know what the snowman likes to eat for breakfast?" She asked.

Alison had a feeling that this wasn't a serious question- first because obviously snowmen didn't eat and also because of the way that the small child kept glancing over at her brother with a silly expression. She pretended to think about it for a few seconds before shaking her head animatedly. "I don't know. What does he eat?" She asked.

"Frosted Flakes!" Kate told her before laughing wildly at her own punchline.

Alison played along and laughed with her until the the little girl ran away in search of her friends to play with. Upon her departure Alison crossed her arms at her brother. "What did I tell you about those corny dad-jokes?"

Jason laughed, "Come on, that one was pretty good! The kid might be a stand up comedian one day."

"Not with you writing her material," Alison rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but chuckle despite herself.

"She likes when I tell her jokes," he shrugged. "It's how I got her to trust me when Aria first started bringing me around last year."

Alison felt herself smile. She knew that Jason loved being an uncle and it was great to see that he was able to play the role of a dad as well. "She clearly loves you, Jase."

Jason returned the smile. "I love her too. She's adorable and she's super smart for her age." He glanced across the room over to where Aria was perched next to Emily on the opposite couch, deep in conversation. "I also really like her mom."

"Well everyone can see that," Alison replied as if to say 'duh'. She let a beat pass before redirecting in a more serious tone. "Where do you see it going?"

Her brother's grin widened a little bit before he caught himself. He was clearly smitten, but was trying to play it cool. "We're figuring that out, but... I want it to be a serious thing. I think she does too."

Alison nodded. "Do I need to be on ring watch?"

He laughed, "I'm not getting down on one knee tonight. Maybe soon though..."

She raised her brows. "Yeah?"

He blushed a little. "Yeah. I know what I want. I don't see the need in dragging it out. I'm ready to finally have some stability."

"I know what you mean..."

"Does that mean I need to be on ring watch?" He joked.

Alison laughed out loud, "No," she shook her head. "It's obviously what I want, but I'm not totally sure how to get myself there. We have a lot to figure out still."

They had found a nice groove for the past several months. Alison was incredibly happy with their progress, but she knew that they had to keep working. Protecting their relationship meant working on it each and every day. Plus, Emily might be starting school this year. Alison knew that she would have to find a way to support Emily throughout the process. She wanted to make sure that she was giving the brunette what she needed. That was what Alison had desperately wanted from the other girl back when she decided to go to graduate school, only she had been too afraid to ask for it at the time.

"Do you think I need to propose to her again someday?" Alison wondered. "How does that even work?"

"You're asking the wrong person that, Ali," he laughed. He was trying to figure out to do it for a first time. "You two will know what to do when the time is right."

His vote of confidence made her smile. She knew that he was right and that they would figure it out, just like they had been doing for months now. Plus, maybe this time she'd actually get to execute a real proposal plan instead of winging it in a pug sweater.

—

Jason and Aria left shortly before they put the twins to bed.

Emily and Alison stayed with the girls in their room for nearly an hour. Both girls were wired. They were so excited for Santa Claus to come and see what he had brought for them. They had put out a plate with cookies earlier and rearranged them several times in an effort to make sure that they looked absolutely perfect for Santa when he came to eat them. In reality, Emily and Alison would have them later for a midnight snack, but it had been fun to play pretend with the girls about it. They read 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' twice before the girls finally started to drift off and Emily and Alison could slip out of their room.

The two women hung out together for a little bit. They snuggled by the fire and enjoyed each other's company while watching the lights on the tree twinkle in the corner of the room.

Before they went to sleep, they ate Santa's cookies and moved the twins gifts out from their hiding places and under the tree. It was silent upstairs, and they felt pretty convinced that they were in the clear and wouldn't be discovered by the girls.

They went to their separate rooms to get read for bed, though they had planned on Emily sneaking back downstairs for them to spend more alone time together.

Alison smiled when the door creaked opened quietly as the brunette entered. Emily was dressed in green silk button-down pajamas. It wasn't as racy as Alison would have hoped for, but they both knew that nothing was going to happen tonight.

It had been weeks since they'd been together, and despite both women feeling an intense want for one another, they had been very strict since Thanksgiving about not doing anything with the girls in the house.

"Merry Christmas," Emily whispered as she climbed into the bed. She draped an arm around the blonde and Alison instantly cuddled into her.

"It's not Christmas yet," she smarted to the brunette as a joke.

"12:01," Emily replied.

"No. How did it get so late?" Alison asked, surprised. It was way past both of their bedtimes.

"That's what happens when you play Santa Claus. Or Mrs and Mrs Claus," Emily shrugged with a little laugh.

"Oh great, you have jokes too I see," Alison noted in a dry tone.

"Actually, I've got a good one," Emily excitedly told her.

Alison raised a single brow. She'd heard enough jokes for one evening but knew that Emily was going to tell it anyway.

"Who is Santa's favorite singer?"

The blonde didn't even pretend to try to think. "Who?" She asked.

"Beyon-Sleigh," Emily proudly answered.

"Okay," Alison had heard enough for one night. She nuzzled her head further into Emily. "No more jokes, or talking about Beyoncé, and how she slays, or whatever."

"That not what I..." Emily looked down with a confused look. She stopped when she saw Alison. She couldn't help leaning down and pressing a kiss to her head. "That's not mean I meant." She mumbled into her blonde hair.

"I know," Alison smiled. Her dimples were pressing into her cheeks. It was Christmas and she was with Emily. A year ago, she never thought that she'd get a present like this.

Alison tilted her head up and brought her lips to the brunette's. She loved feeling close to her and wanted to be even closer. She knew that they couldn't take it too far, but was okay pushing the envelope a little. It was Christmas, after all.

They spent a few minutes slowly making out. Alison ran her hands up and down the silk of Emily's button up top before letting her hand slide underneath and touch the warm skin of her back.

Emily pulled Alison closer as she felt the blonde's fingertips graze her skin. She massaged her tongue against the other girls and kissed her deeply. She wanted more, but she knew it wasn't in the cards. Still though, she could help but let her own hand slip under the waistband in the back of Alison's pajamas. She felt lace covering the spots that she wanted to touch the most. She couldn't help but wonder if Alison had secretly wanted something to happen.

Before she could think too hard, she felt Alison's hand disappear from underneath her shirt. The blonde adjusted her body slightly to find Emily's hand. She pulled it back between them and gave it a light squeeze. "Merry Christmas," she whispered to Emily.

The brunette smiled at the words. It sounded so tender the way that Alison had said it. Emily always got a little bit more sentimental around the holidays, but this year she'd felt it more than usual. Her heart felt opened again. She felt so full of love and hope for the future. "I love you," she whispered back. "I love you so much, Alison." She repeated. She wanted to tell the blonde over and over and over.

Alison smiled hard in the dimly lit room. This Christmas was shaping up to be one of the best yet. She cuddled into Emily and closed her eyes. "I love you too," she told her.

Emily's heart jumped in her chest just like it did every time that she heard the words from the blonde. She closed her own eyes and wrapped her arms back around Alison and held her tightly. It felt amazing. It was the perfect way to start Christmas Day.

Or rather it would have been the perfect way to start Christmas Day anyway. It would have been if Emily had remembered to set an alarm. Or if she hadn't been exhausted from the day's excitement and fallen into a deep sleep. It would have been if either woman had woken up early like they'd planned to so that Emily could get back upstairs where their daughters expected her to be.

Instead they were woken up about six hours later when they heard a rapid pitter pattering along the hardwood floors outside of Alison's room and two little voices saying, "Mommy?" as they neared the door.

—

A/N- Uh oh, rookie move, Emily!

I had to hustle to get this one out. I had to change my plans for chapter splits a bit, but that means that the next one shouldn't take so long. Too many days had gone by without an update on this story and I didn't want to keep leaving ya'll wondering.

Love reading your thoughts on the story including the characters and their development. I hear a lot of "this feels realistic" and that was the goal of the story. PLL:TP really threw a wrench into endgame that Emison had going on and I felt like their story needed a new ending. We've got about 2 more chapters and an epilogue of this story left. Let me know your thoughts in the reviews! I love reading what other people think and it gives me motivation to get these chapters rolling even if it means staying up late or waking up early to do so. Hope you're all doing okay out there. Take care!