Okay, so I know that it's past Christmas but due to a massive laptop malfunction, illness and general busyness over the Christmas period I sadly have not completed the 5 stories I intended to write for this. This one was already written, and now I have fixed my laptop I can post it. The remaining 3 stories I will still write, and post them around Christmas time this year. Hope you guys still enjoy. Comments are gold.

This is called "Christmas Ornaments" and is inspired by the list that Rufus wrote.

"No, don't put that over there! Put it over there on the table, and for God's sake be careful with that tree! You're getting needles all over the floor!"

Lily, hearing this, peered downstairs to see her mother in the hallway, large gin in hand, directing deliverymen around the living room like a sort of crazed air traffic controller, shouting at everyone. In order to escape the wrath of her mother, who would inevitably just tell her to get out of the way; she went back into her room and shut the door. She sat back down at her desk, and picked the phone back up, twirling its cord around her fingers.

"That was just CeCe, bossing the delivery men around. Uh-huh. Yeah he'll be here in about twenty minutes, no, I don't think we'll spend Christmas together. Well you know what my mothers like with all the Christmas functions, we have to portray the perfect family, having the perfect Christmas. The perfect fucking family…it doesn't exist in this household" she said, scowling. "Uh-huh" she said, listening to her friend and nodding along as she listened. They spoke for several more minutes before saying goodbye and hanging up. She opened her bedroom door, relieved to hear that CeCe's army general like shouting had stopped. She made her way downstairs to find her mother in the kitchen, fixing herself a drink.

"That didn't take long."

"No, thank God. I hate having people like that trampling through the house." Lily rolled her eyes.

"You hate delivery men?"

"Lily darling, once you have a house of your own you'll understand." Lily watched as her mother poured a generous amount of gin into a tumbler. "Anyway, come and see the decorations." Lily trailed behind her mother as she led her into the living room. "Well, what do you think? Christmas decorations done in just over 15 minutes, new personal record!"

Lily stared at the tall Christmas tree, with its perfectly placed gold and silver baubles, along with tasteful decorations adorning the room. "So darling, what do you think?" Lily tried to muster up an enthusiastic look but failed miserably. She waited until her mother had taken a large sip of gin.

"Yeah, it's nice….it looks like it does every year. You know Mom, in most households they decorate the tree themselves, they put on Christmas music, make an occasion out of it."

CeCe snorted with laughter. "You're telling me, that you think that you and Carol could decorate a tree like that? This tree is perfect!"

"It's not about it being perfect Mom, it's supposed to be fun, you know, families having fun together."

CeCe sighed. "I just don't understand you sometimes Lillian. Life isn't just about having fun, it's about perfection, the way you are perceived, and wealth. Besides, why would you do something yourself when you can simply pay someone to do it! Someday my darling, you'll understand this."

Lily felt like screaming at her mother and her attitude. Luckily the doorbell rang so she could make her excuses. "That'll be Rufus." She didn't wait around to see CeCe's expression of disapproval. She went to the door quickly, eager to see Rufus after that conversation with her mother, who she felt didn't understand her at all. Opening the door, she quickly ushered him in.

"I need to just finish getting ready…..you can wait in my bedroom. She said, hoping to get him away from her mother, so he could forego an awkward conversation with her.

Rufus smiled.

"No kiss, no hello, you want to whisk me away straight upstairs? I take it your mothers here?"

"Hi" she said softly, leaning in for a kiss. "And yes, she is"

Rufus took off his scarf and coat.

"Well, I saw the lights from outside, have you put your Christmas decorations up?"

"Erm, not exactly."

He stood and sniffed the air.

"I can literally smell the Christmas tree, come on, let's have a look!"

Lily gave him a perfectly perfected eye roll.

"They're really not that great, you're like a big kid!"

"Nothing wrong with loving Christmas!"

He stepped past her, kissing her on the cheek as he did so. Lily followed him, hoping that CeCe was too preoccupied with her gin to start insulting Rufus.

"Wow! This is the biggest tree I've ever seen! It looks like it should be in Times Square!" CeCe turned to greet Rufus stiffly, although Lily could tell she was pleased that he had praised the decorations. "This must have taken you hours to decorate!"

CeCe snorted on her gin, and Lily cringed.

"What is it with the two of you and decorating trees, honestly! Rufus, we do not decorate trees ourselves, we have people to do that for us. Although I imagine that in your household you do it yourselves."

"Wow Mom, an insult within ten seconds, guess it really is the day for new personal records!"

"Thank you dear." CeCe said, the sarcasm lost on her. Luckily, Rufus ignored the insult.

"Well Mrs Rhodes, it all looks lovely."

Lily took Rufus' arm.

"We need to get going…we'll be late, and I'm not ready yet." She quickly ushered him upstairs, groaning as she entered her room.

"That was a fast insult, even for CeCe."

Lily sat down at her desk, fiddling with her hair and make up.

"Just ignore her."

"Don't worry, I do." Rufus perched himself on Lily's bed. "So you guys never decorate the tree yourselves?"

"Oh Lillian, why do something yourself when you can simply pay someone to do it!" she said, mimicking her mother.

"Did you tell her it's supposed to be fun?"

"Yeah. She doesn't understand the concept of that though, everything has to be perfect."

Rufus twiddled with the sheets on Lily's bed.

"Yeah, but that's only now though, surely when you were kids you used to do it?"

Lily flicked her hair out, and picked up her make up.

"No. She's always been like that."

Rufus stared at her incredulously.

"So you've never decorated a Christmas tree?!"

"Nope."

"Never ever!?"

Lily completed a perfect eyeliner flick and sighed.

"No Rufus, never ever. We don't have a happy family household."

"Well I know that, but I thought she'd only get like that as you grew up! I would have thought that it was different when you and Carol were kids though?"

"No, perfection has always been CeCe's thing. The only interaction we had with the decorations was posing perfectly in front of them for the annual family photo."

"Lily that's so sad."

"I suppose you don't miss what you never had."

Rufus watched as Lily finished her eye make up, his brow furrowed deep in thought.

"I'm not in the mood for going out anymore Lil, and I forgot….I have an errand to run."

Lily spun around in her chair.

"Are you kidding me?"

Rufus stood up and walked over to her, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"Yeah, sorry." He checked his watch. "Look, I'll explain, meet me at my apartment in about an hour okay?"

"Rufus what's going on? Is this about my mother?" Lily asked, completely perplexed.

"No, and it's nothing, I just forgot to do something! Honest. So I'll see you in an hour?"

"I suppose so…." Lily said, not feeling completely convinced, as she watched Rufus leave. "I suppose I'll call our friends and try to explain." she looked around to see that he had already gone.

An hour later she turned up at Rufus' apartment, feeling confused, and quite pissed off that he decided to cancel their plans for no reason. As he opened the door she hit him on his arm.

"What the hell are you playing at Humphrey?! You just abandoned me!"

Rufus looked slightly taken aback.

"I didn't abandon you! I left to run an errand! And you were at home!"

"Exactly! You left me in the clutches of the Ice Queen, I was supposed to be having fun right now!"

"And you will" Rufus said gently. He winked at her "Come here Rhodes, I have a surprise for you." He covered up her eyes and led her into the flat.

"Rufus if you are up to something weird, I'm too sober for that."

He chuckled.

"I saw you that time on the Nine Inch Nail's tour bus before we were official remember? I think you are more into weird stuff than me." She swatted him on the arm again.

"You need to erase that from your memory"

"Sadly I can't erase any memories about you."

Lily felt herself soften. He really was one of the good guys. She felt him lead her into his living room, and she smelt a familiar scent.

"Did you sneak in and kidnap our Christmas tree?"

"Ha ha, no, but you're not far off." He uncovered her eyes. "It's not your Christmas tree….but its our Christmas tree."

As Rufus' hand lifted from her eyes see took in the sight before her. A small Christmas tree stood in front of her, and surrounding it she could see several boxes filled with ornaments.

"Oh Rufus" she said softly.

"Everyone needs to decorate a Christmas tree at least once." He said. "I know it's not the mammoth tree you have, and the ornaments are just ones I picked up at Walmart…" Lily shushed him.

"It's perfect Rufus." She reached up to kiss him deeply. "I can't believe you did this."

He blushed.

"Well, it will look a whole lot better once it's decorated."

Lily sat down and started to look through the box.

"Wow, tinsel, fairy lights….all these ornaments! Where do we begin?"

"Well, first… we have a drink….and put some Christmas music on!"

Rufus poured some wine, handing a glass to Lily and put a Christmas record on his player. Lily smiled, drinking her wine and continued to look through the box.

"This is amazing."

"Just like you always pictured it huh?"

"Yes, and it's even better…..because it's with you, and not my family"

For the next hour, they spent their time unravelling fairy lights, tinsel and carefully placing the ornaments on the tree. Lily felt a warmth that she had never felt before, kissing Rufus in between placing ornaments and singing along to the Christmas music. Once it was finished, Rufus carefully handed her a ornament carefully wrapped in tissue paper.

"Now, for the encore" he said. "This angel was my mother's, and I thought you should have the pleasure of putting in on top of the tree."

Lily took the ornament and slowly unwrapped it, careful not to break it.

"Oh Rufus it's beautiful. Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"Yep, this is the final touch."

Lily reached up and put the angel on top of the tree, taking a moment to admire their work.

"Wow" she said softly. "It looks gorgeous. It's better than any pre-decorated tree I've ever seen." She cupped Rufus' face in her hands and kissed him softly. "I can't believe you did all this for me."

"I just wanted you to have this experience Lil. It broke my heart that you've never done this with your family."

She squeezed his hand.

"I don't know what to say."

"The look on your face is all I need." He cleared his throat. "There's just one more thing we need to do."

Lily's eyes widened.

"There's more?"

Rufus put his arms around Lily and guided her to lie under the tree.

"Now, we look at the lights."

Lily lay there, next to Rufus, their hands entwined as she looked up at the sparkly lights that seemed to be all around them. Turning on her side she reached out for him.

"Come here."

Rufus leaned in and kissed her softly as she ran her hands up and down his side.

As they broke apart, Lily said something to Rufus that they had never said before.

"I love you" she said, softly. "No-one else would ever get me a Christmas tree and let me have this experience." She watched as his eyes soften.

"And I would never do this for anyone else. I love you too Lil."

They kissed each other again before cuddling each other, safe in the other's embrace. As Lily looked up into the twinkling Christmas lights and ornaments, with Rufus by her side, she had never felt happier.