"What?"

Katrina continued to stare at Michael who frowned confused by her reaction to what he'd just said.

"What, Katrina?" he demanded annoyed.

They were standing at the door to Michael's apartment having met coming into the building.

She opened her mouth for a second before closing it again, finally saying, "You've invited Gideon to stay over on Christmas Eve with you? Overnight in your apartment?"

"Gideon has no family," Michael reminded her "She's spending the day with us all anyway, I thought rather than Jonas having to wait for her to join us to open his presents it would be easier if Gideon stayed here."

"Where is she going to sleep?" Katrina asked, unable to stop herself.

Completely oblivious to what Katrina meant Michael simply shrugged, "The couch isn't very comfortable, so I thought she can use Jonas' room and I'll just take him in beside me."

"It sounds like you've got it all sorted," Katrina said desperately trying not to hit him around the head at his idiocy, "Okay, I have to go. Jonas, I'll see you tomorrow to go to the Christmas Fete?"

"Bye Trina," Jonas called back.

Katrina patted Michael's arm before she headed back to her own apartment, managing to close the door before she began to laugh. Leaning against the door she could see Ali watching her bemused.

"You're not going to believe this," Katrina dropped onto the couch beside her girlfriend, "Michael has invited Gideon to stay over on Christmas Eve."

Ali stared at her for a moment, "As in stay over, spend the night?"

Katrina nodded, "She'll be sleeping in Jonas' bed."

"Oh this is just getting ridiculous," Ali sighed, "They go out to dinner or to see a movie at least once a week, they go to any 'events' as each other's plus one and have lunch together at work almost every day. He likes her, she likes him. Why can't they get their act together?"

Katrina gave a small smile, "Well Christmas does come with a few accoutrements that have certain traditions attached to them."

Ali smiled as well, "Yes, it does."

x

"Come in, Gideon," Rip greeted her early on Saturday morning letting her into the apartment, "We're finishing breakfast if you want something."

She shook her head, "I'm fine, Michael. Thank you for the offer."

He motioned her to grab a seat. Jonas looked up from his cereal and gave her a big smile.

"Hi, Gideon," the little boy said, "Are you coming to the fete with us?"

"I am," she replied softly, "Is that okay?"

Rip watched the scene thoughtfully. Gideon knew Jonas liked her but always made sure he didn't mind her interrupting his time with his father. Jonas never minded because to him Gideon was always welcome.

"It'll be fun," Jonas told her, "You can help us pick our special decoration."

Gideon tilted her head confused, "What is your special decoration?"

"We find a decoration each Christmas for Miranda to put on our tree," Rip explained softly, "It gives us a way to have her with us."

"That sounds like a wonderful tradition to have," Gideon said, squeezing Jonas' shoulder.

Rip smiled at that, he knew it might seem like an odd tradition to have but it helped keep Miranda alive for Jonas.

"Alright, Jonas go and get your shoes on," Rip told him, "We're meeting Katrina and Ali in a few minutes then everyone who is coming will see us at the school."

He watched as his son zipped out of the room heading to his bedroom grabbing the empty cereal bowl and taking it into the kitchen to wash it quickly. Returning to the living room he smiled finding Jonas showing his new shoes off to Gideon.

"Alright, let's get our jackets on," Rip smiled, "And get going."

x

Gideon held Jonas hand, while his father held the other as they walked around the stalls of the Christmas Fete at the school.

"Daddy," Jonas called suddenly, "Look, there are tree decorations."

Michael nodded, "We'll have a look to see if we can find the one for your Mum."

Jonas smiled bouncing over to the stall pulling them with him. The table held handmade decorations, all were beautiful, made of glass sparkling with glitter through them and Jonas was fascinated.

"This is beautiful," Gideon picked up one that looked like a snowflake, turning to Michael she passed it across so he could see it himself.

When Michael took the piece and studied it, Gideon saw at that moment how sad the tradition made him, reminding him of the wife he loved and had lost the day the same day Jonas had come into his life.

"What do you think?" Michael turned to his son, showing him the snowflake, "Do you like it for your Mum?"

Jonas nodded, "It's very pretty."

"It is," Michael agreed softly.

"Mummy would like it," Jonas told him decisively.

"Then we'll get this one," Michael said ruffling his son's hair.

Gideon watched Michael pay for the small item while Jonas looked at the other items on the table, wanting to remove the sadness from his eyes.

"Jonas," Katrina called from behind them, "Sam is setting up the food. Want to come and sneak some nibbles?"

Jonas turned to Michael who nodded before he grabbed Katrina's hand and disappeared leaving Gideon alone with Michael.

"Are you alright?" Gideon asked Michael as they started walking through the stalls again.

He nodded, "It's…difficult but I don't want Jonas to ever forget her."

Taking his hand Gideon squeezed it, "He won't. But if you need to talk then I am here."

Michael turned to her and smiled, "Thank you."

x

Rip watched Gideon as she studied the paintings on the stall they had been walking past. He was happy that she'd agreed to join them today. She had a calmness to her that he appreciated. Katrina and Ali tended to get excited with Jonas over everything Christmas while Gideon seemed to be unaffected, instead watching with a smile. Rip sometimes thought Gideon had never celebrated Christmas, or Halloween, or birthdays. It seemed like she knew what they were but had never actually experienced them before so was learning about everything through Jonas and their friends.

Jonas suddenly appeared at his legs, "Daddy," the little boy bounced up and down, "Come and see the snowmen."

"I'll be back," Rip told Gideon, taking his son's hand and allowing himself to be pulled over to where a man was making ice-sculptures.

Lifting his son into his arms, giving him a better view, Rip glanced back over to where Gideon was still looking at the paintings. He had come to appreciate her presence in their lives very quickly. Jonas adored her, Rip knew it was because she listened to everything he said and always seemed interested. She was kind, sweet, brilliant and made him laugh whenever they talked. He was pulled back to the ice-sculptures when Jonas wrapped his arms around Rip's neck resting against him watching the demonstration. Rip hugged his son tighter smiling when Gideon joined them. He rested his hand on her waist to let her lean against him so she could see. Now if he could work out why Katrina and Ali were watching them with big grins on their faces.


Gideon looked round in surprise when there was a soft knock on the door behind her, turning she saw Jonas and Michael standing in the doorway to the bedroom she was using for the next few nights.

"These are for you," Michael gave her a smile handing her a pair pyjamas with Christmas Trees over them, "It's a Hunter family tradition."

"You have to wear them tonight when we have hot chocolate," Jonas bounced up and down excitedly.

Gideon smiled taking the offered sleepwear, "I promise."

Michael chuckled, "Okay, Jonas let's give Gideon some privacy to change while we get into our pyjamas and I make hot chocolate."

Jonas gave a small nod before he ran into the main bedroom, appearing again before either of them could say anything and handed Gideon his favourite teddy bear. Confused she saw Michael's stunned expression that Jonas was parting with his precious toy.

"This is my bear, Boo," Jonas explained, "You can have him tonight, so you don't get lonely when you're sleeping."

"Don't you want him?" Gideon asked softly.

Jonas shook his head, "I can hug Daddy."

Gideon crouched down and hugged Jonas before taking the bear, "Thank you. He will make sure I'm not lonely tonight."

"If you still feel lonely, me and Daddy will hug you," Jonas told her before turning to his father when he had an idea, "Daddy, Gideon should just sleep beside us."

Gideon bit down on her lip hard to not laugh especially at Michael's dumbfounded expression at the suggestion and how his neck was turning pink.

"I think Gideon will be happier here," he said finally, moving his son out of the room quickly before Jonas could say anything else.

Alone again she closed the door and changed into the pyjamas they'd given her. If it was one of their traditions she was happy to go along with it.

x

Rip was relieved that Jonas gave up the idea of Gideon sleeping beside them quickly and was currently doing one of his jigsaws, they were both in their Christmas pyjamas ready for their hot chocolate. This was one of Miranda's Christmas traditions that he wanted to keep alive for Jonas. It always bemused him that she had so many of these when, like him, she had been an orphan so was never really raised with any.

Hearing Jonas greet Gideon Rip looked up from fixing their beverage and smiled to see Gideon in the pyjamas they'd got for her. They were slightly big on her but with her long hair falling haphazardly around her shoulders while she smiled at Jonas all Rip could think was how glad he was that she was there.

Shaking himself Rip poured out the hot chocolate into three mugs before adding marshmallows to each. Placing the three mugs on a tray Rip carried them into the living room. Taking his seat on the couch with Jonas at his side, Gideon sitting on the little boy's other side, Rip put on a Christmas movie for them to watch.

"Okay, little man," Rip said once the film had finished, "It's time for bed. Santa won't come unless you're sleeping."

Jonas gave a small pout but didn't argue because he wanted Santa to come.

"Say goodnight to Gideon," Rip told him.

The little boy turned and threw his arms around their houseguest giving her a big hug, "Goodnight, Gideon," he frowned suddenly in thought, "Will Santa find you here?"

"I let Santa know I was staying here," Gideon assured him, "Sleep well and I will see you in the morning."

Jonas beamed at her and bounced into his father's arms, Rip grinned giving him a hug.

"I'll be back once he's settled," Rip told Gideon, passing her the remote control.

x

Taking the mugs into the kitchen Gideon could hear Michael reading to Jonas and stood just at the entrance to the hall to listen in. She smiled listening to how melodic his voice was as he did all the voices for his son, before they said goodnight. Quickly she returned to her seat on the couch pretending to have been watching her show.

"He is excited," Michael stated taking the seat at her side, "I'll have to wait a while before putting the presents out because I don't think he'll sleep for a while."

Gideon smiled, "I'm happy to wait with you."

"I'm glad you agreed to stay with us tonight," Michael told her softly, "It's nice to share his excitement with someone."

Gideon reached out and rested her hand on his, "I am so happy that you did. I wasn't looking forward to Christmas this year so when you invited me to spend the day with you all I was so grateful that I would not be alone."

"Jonas loves you," Michael told her taking her hand in his, "And, as Katrina put it, you're one of the family now," he gave her a quick smile, "Knowing that lot I don't know if it's a good thing or not."

Laughing she squeezed his hand, "It is a wonderful thing."

"Do you want to watch another movie while we wait for Jonas to go to sleep properly?" he asked suddenly.

Gideon nodded, "I would. Whichever one you want to see."

"It's A Wonderful Life," Michael decided, he bounced up and retrieved the DVD before pouring them both some wine. Handing her a glass Michael took his seat again and pressed play.

Curling up on the couch Gideon smiled feeling relaxed, comfortable and looking forward to Christmas Day.