Most days were spent playing board games with San and Jess, movie marathons, and Cassie even got Deanna to agree to go see the Christmas light show. Cassie had never felt happier.

Christmas morning Cassie woke up to Deanna gently shaking her excitedly, "Cas, wake up, it's Christmas!"

Cassie groaned rolling over away from Deanna. Deanna exhaled frustrated, "Caaaaas, waaaake uuuuup!"

"Deanna, darling, you are such a child," Cassie muttered grogilly, but got up stretching her arms. She looked at the clock and then gave Deanna a look like she would smite her.

"Deanna! It is five in the morning! You're family isn't even awake yet and won't be for hours."

Deanna huffed, "I know, Cas. But I wanted to give you my present before everyone else wakes up."

Cassie rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes and held out her hand expectantly, "Okay, give it to me."

Deanna laughed, "Nu-uh, sweetheart. It's outside. Get dressed."

Cassie grumpily got out of bed and dressed herself, muttering something about what a present could possibly be for it to be outside. Deanna already dressed in an Aerosmith shirt, jeans, and her black combat boots, was bouncing with joy waiting for Cassie. Deanna's happy face made Cassie's heart swell and she forgot about her exhaustion.

"Alright, lead the way," Cassie said after she slipped her black pumps on. She wore a white button up and black slacks, like usual. The woman really was the most well dressed person Deanna had ever met.

Deanna grabbed her hand and tugged her down the stairs. They got to the door and Deanna stopped Cassie before she walked outside. "Cover your eyes. No peeking."

Cassie rolled her eyes with a smile at Deanna's dramatics, but obliged. Deanna grabbed her elbow and slowly led her outside. They stopped in what Cassie asumed was the middle of the yard. Deanna whispered in her from behind her, "Okay, still no peeking, but hold out your hand."

Cassie shifted one hand over both of her eyes and held out her other. Deanna dropped something metalic in it and spun Cassie around, "Open your eyes, Cas."

Cassie opened her eyes and her jaw dropped at what was in front of her. Behind the Impala was a baby blue '66 Chevelle. It looked brand new. There was a red bow on the windshield. Cassie looked at Deanna who stood watching Cassie's reaction and she was speechless.

"You're-You're giving me a c-car?" Cassie stammered out.

"Yeah, well, she's got nothing on the Impala, but she's pretty nice."

Cassie looked at her in disbelief, "A c-car?"

"Oh, it's not that big of a deal, Cas. It was a scrap piece of metal when I got a hold of it. I just made it all shiny and new. Bobby gave it to me for like only five hundred bucks. I finished remodeling it a few weeks ago. It's been sitting at Bobby's shop, he drove it over yesterday. Do you like it? I know you got a car, but it's a piece of junk and I don't even think I can fix it."

Cassie approached the car and ran her fingers across it. It really was beautiful. She peered inside and the seats were covered in fresh leather. You could've told her, it had been a collector's item and she would've believed you. There was no hint the car had even been a year old let alone decades. "Deanna, you're amazing."

"So, you like it?"

Cassie ran over to her and tackled her with a hug and they both fell to the fresh blanket of snow from that morning. Deanna laughed at her, "I guess that's a yes?" she asked holding her.

"You're ridiculous. You don't just give people cars for Christmas, Deanna," Cassie pulled her head back to look at her girlfriend beneath her.

"I don't just give people cars, Cas. I gave you a car. You're not just anybody."

Cassie pressed her lips to Deanna for a deep kiss. Deanna responded eagerly, nipping at her bottom lip. Cassie's tongue slid out and into Deanna's mouth wrapping around her's. Deanna slide one of her hands under Cassie's shirt and ran her palm along Cassie's back. Cassie shivered at the cold touch, but didn't stop her. She left Deanna's lips and placed open mouth kisses to Deanna's jawline and as she was moving farther down the other girl's neck, when she heard a car honk. Cassie stopped and met Deanna's eyes. They started laughing as they got off the ground but didn't let each other go as they walked back inside.

Cassie dragged Deanna back up the stairs as Deanna complained about needing caffeine in her system soon. "I want to give you my present now," Cassie said in reply. "Not comparable to a car, but...'' she said under her breath.

Cassie dropped Deanna's hand and crawled under the bed she difficulty pulled out a heavy box wrapped in black paper. It looked hard to life, so Deanna just knelt beside it. She looked up at Cassie for further instruction.

"Now, this isn't a car, but," Cassie spoke unsteady, "I hope you like it," she gestured to the box.

"Cas, I don't care how much it cost, don't belittle your gift just because I got you a car."

Cassie gave her a small smile, "Alright, well have at it."

Deanna grinned with excitement and tore at the black paper to see just a blank box. She growled annoyed and impatient. She reached for her pocket knife on the bedside table and cut the tape off. Before she opened the box, Cassie cautioned, "Be careful, it's heavy." Deanna reached her hands in blindly and grabbed onto cold metal and pulled the object out with a huff, "Holy shit, Cas, what is this?"

When she succeeded in getting it out she sat it down on the ground before really looking at it. Then her eyes went a little wide. She had never seen one before in person, but had always wanted one since she was a kid.

"Cas is this -"

"An antique typewritter, yes. I know you've always desired one and always comment when you see one in an old movie," Cassie reached behind her and pulled out a little bag from under the bed, "I bought new ribbon and paper, too. Whatever you may need."

"Cas," Deanna's face was in awe, "This is awesome. I'll totally use it like nonstop."

"I thought it'd be a good gift since you wanted one anyway and you're toying with the idea of being a writer."

"Toying?"

"Well, you still haven't dropped your architecture classes. But I see the way you leave your creative writing and journalism classes. You love it and you know it."

Deanna smiled at her, Cassie really did always notice everything about her. It made her feel loved, having someone who knew her so well right down to the classes she actually liked without her even saying anything about it. "Thanks, Cas."

Cassie pecked her on the lips and pulled her up, "Come on, let's get some coffee in you, before you masacre the city."

The rest of the family finally got up and they started opening presents. Cassie still got a small jolt when she was handed presents as well, even after four years. In her family, they didn't celebrate Christmas with gifts, but with worship in the church. Her father had told her it was Jesus's birthday, why should we get gifts? She was happy to see that everyone was pleased with the presents she had given them, even though they always scolded her for spending so much.

Ellen, Jo, and Ash came by that evening for the Christmas dinner. Along with Bobby who brought Jody Mills, the sherrif, the family was finally complete. The whole time, Deanna poked at Ash and Jo asking about the details of their date and when she didn't get anything out of them, she prodded Bobby and Jody about what was going on with them theses days.

Bobby finally snapped after Deanna asked Jody if she'd seen Bobby without a cap covering his head, "Why you so damn interested in other people's business?"

Deanna smirked, "Why, Bobby, I just care and want to know what's going on with my family."

"Uh-huh," Bobby narrowed his eyes at Deanna's innocence, "You don't see me asking you how you and miss trenchcoat over here finally got your shit together."

Jo leaned into the conversation, liking Bobby's form of attack, "Yeah, Deanna? What exactly did happen? Did Cassie bake you a pie and you realized she was perfect and you finally attacked her?"

Deanna looked away from Jo and her pointing her fork at Deanna questionly. "No, not exactly," she mumbled, knowing this is what she got for not minding her own damn business and she shouldn't get mad.

"Then, what?" Mary asked. That made Deanna look back up and glance around the table. Besides a blushing Cassie, everyone had openly curious faces.

"I," Deanna stammered taking in a breath, "I got used by a girl so she could see if she was a lesbian and I snapped. I was on the edge of alcohol poisoning and suicide, drunk myself crazy for a week before Cassie showed up, probably would've died if she hadn't. Drunk and in a bad place, I told Cassie I was feeling like a used condom and wanted an apple pie life. She told me she would be that for me and that's that."

There was an awkward silence as the happy atmosphere was strangled with Deanna's words. She felt kinda bad, but hell they had asked and she just told them the truth. None of them thought she was a saint, and all of them knew she was an alcoholic, well maybe not Jess, but she knew now. She looked around the table and caught her mother's reaction. She eyes were locked on Deanna in shock and she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Jo and Bobby looked guilty for asking, but they couldn't have known. John and Sam were looking at her with worry . Ellen resembled her mom's face. Jess and Jody who she didn't know too well, looked like they wanted to comfort her. Cassie, next to her, just interlocked their fingers, resting them on her knee.

Deanna sighed heavily and tried to play it off. She forced a smile and laughed, "Well, hey that's over and done with. Let's celebrate the birth of baby Jesus."

There was still silence for a minute before John rescued her, "Yeah, let's continue the evening. Forget all that romance relationship crap. Speaking of baby Jesuses, hey, Jess, wanna hear about how me and Bobby got stole a baby Jesus and had to hide in a barn from the cops all of Chrsitmas Eve?"

Jess played along and chuckled, "You stole a baby Jesus?" she asked bewirlded.

"Well, it all started when Bobby's Christmas Eve date, Jennifer, ditched him."

Bobby groaned, "Now wait a damn minute..."

They continued to bicker and John retold stories from his and Bobby's crazy teenage years and the previous atmosphere was dissipitated. Deanna caught her father's eyes and gave him a grateful smile, which he returned with a wink.

Dessert finally rolled around, it took a little too long in Deanna's opinion and everyone laughed at her obsession with pie, which she greatly defended.

Mary got up from the table and asked, "Cassie, dear, will you help me bring the desserts out?"

Cassie nodded, "Of course, Mary," and followed her into the kitchen.

After the door swung shut, Mary turned on Cassie and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, "Cassie?"

"Yes?"

"Was Deanna really that far gone? She almost died?"

Cassie looked at her sadly, but didn't want to lie to her, "She was in a very bad place, Mary, just like she said. I don't think Deanna's capable of suicide. She's too selfless. She would think about how that would affect her family and not be able to do it. But, yes, if I had been even a day later, Deanna surely would've died from alcohol poisoning."

Mary covered her mouth with her handand tears rolled down her cheeks. "I knew," she choked out, "I knew Deanna had been depressed, but I thought she had got past that after she met you."

"Well, you can never really escape something like that not completley. Things can happen and you can slip back into it."

Mary hugged Cassie tightly, "You saved her, Cassie. In more ways than one and on more than one occasion. Thank you for not letting me lose my daughter."

Cassie patted her on the back soothingly, "Mary, you raised a wonderful person. She was worth saving. And I didn't really do much, I was just there for her when she needed me."

"But that did save her. I'm so thankful for you, Cassie. I couldn't ask for a better extension to this family. You're as much a daughter to me as Deanna is."

Cassie felt a single tear escape her eyes, "I'm happy to be a part of this family."

Mary pulled away and wiped at her eyes, "Okay, now let's get these pies out there before Deanna has an anurism."

Cassie laughed and did as she was told. They walked out and were welcomed with an enthusiastic cheer from Deanna, "So, beautiful. Come here to Mama."

Cassie joked, "Well, you're not too bad yourself, Deanna."

Deanna barely glanced at her before tearing into the apple pie, "I was actually talking to the pies. But you're gorgeous as well, sweetheart."

Everyone chuckled and Sam whispered on Cassie's other side, "You should just leave her. Give her a bakery and just leave her."

Cassie put on a devious face and leaned towards him, "My brother does own a long chain of bakerys. This could be doable."

"I can hear you, you know," Deanna said through a mouthful of food.

"Can't even eat with her mouth closed. Yeah, just leave her, Cas, she only needs pie in her life," Sam teased.

Jess smacked him on the arm, "Cut it out, Sam. I remember you being just as in love with your veggie shakes. Don't be a hyprocrit."

Sam looked at her shocked for being scolded and Deanna laughed, "Oh, I like her. Any woman who can put Sammy in his place, is good in my book. You have my blessing to marry the hot nurse."

Jess laughed, "Thank you, Deanna. I appreciate it." Sam was still sitting there like a kicked puppy.

"Hey, Jess, Cas said you're in her neuroscience class. You wanna be brain surgeon or something?" Deanna asked.

"Actually, yeah I do."

Deanna started laughing uncontrollably and Jess looked at her confused, "Why's that so funny?"

"You gotta be a nurse kinda before a doctor, right?"

Cassie saw where this was going and chuckled, too, "Yes."

"So, Sammy, until Jess becomes a doctor, I can keep calling her hot nurse."

Jess laughed, but Sam just turned to her, "I am so sorry."

"What? A little birdie told me, that's how you knew referred to me for weeks until we met up again."

Sam blushed and glared at Deanna and a thought ocurred to him, "Hey little birdie?"

Deanna looked up, "Little brother?"

"Did you also tell Cassie about the time you went skinny dipping in a stranger's pool and you didn't know they had a dog, and you ran for three blocks stark naked?"

Cassie chuckled and looked at Deanna with raised eyebrows, "Three blocks?"

"Oh, but that isn't it, Cassie," Sam continued with an evil smile, "This dog was a little shitzu."

Deanna was about to kill her brother as her girlfriend laughed next to her, but she figured torture was better, "So, Jess, these pink panties..."

They whole table spent the rest of the night telling embarrassing stories trying to beat each other. Cassie had never laughed so much in one night.