10 sleeps to Christmas!

So we're back on pretty much fluff only from here to the end, so your hearts are more or less safe now.

In other news, this story has the highest number of chapters, words, reviews, and views out of any of my stories, the second highest number of favourites (after my Criminal Minds story), and the third highest number of alerts (after 'After' and my Criminal Minds story) - and who is to thank for that? YOU! (Well the chapters / words one is me - but I only keep posting because of all the positive feedback, so it is you as well).

So thank you, thank you, thank you! And I'm still only just past half way through this story so ... wow! Really, I couldn't do it without you.

So on with the story - and if there's anything you desperately want to see, get your reviews in for this chapter - because by the tomorrow the entire list of chapters will be finalised (not that any of you will be seeing it).

See you soon.


"Mummy!"

Was all the warning she received before the hurtling missile of a six year launched herself onto their bed.

Jemma glanced over at the clock, groaning internally as she realised she had only managed to make it into bed six hours before. "Yes Sophie," she asked her small daughter, as patient as ever.

"It's Christmas," she told her mother, with all the excitement only a daughter of Jemma (formerly) Simmons could exude - because yes mum, she'd had Christmas's before, but she was six now, and that was practically a grown up.

Or so she had tried to argue when trying to stay up past eight o'clock the previous night.

And Jemma couldn't help the grin that slid across her face in response, the small girl's enthusiasm infectious.

Suddenly putting her arm out beside her, and realising the bed was emptier than it should be - her husband of eight and a half years nowhere to be found, she turned back to her daughter, still (unsuccessfully) trying to pull the elder woman out of her bed, by sheer force of will.

"Where's your dad?" And Sophie looked up for a second, halted in her task.

"In Sarah's room - she was trying to climb out of her cot." And then she was back to her task of 'getting mummy up, because I want my presents', when a familiar figure caused a shadow in the doorway to the bedroom.

Leo was stood there, with an amused, questioning expression on his face at the scene - somehow effective despite the fifteen month old he was holding, and who was returning the favour by tugging on his nose and babbling nonsense that obviously made sense to her.

Nearly unchanged even almost thirteen years after their first meeting, the soft eyes, the sometimes manic energy seemingly unhampered by two small children.

She got out of bed silently, cursing the clock that was still showing numbers before seven, and pulling on the warm fluffy dressing gown she had made sure was within arms reach of her bed for precisely this purpose, as Sophie squealed with renewed excitement running to the top of the stairs.

It was Christmas after all.


Two and a half hours later after multiple arguments, far too much chocolate for anyone this early in the morning, never mind a six year old, and a very long breakfast that was more to keep Sophie from eating too much junk than anything else - there was surprisingly peace in the FitzSimmons household.

Looking up from dressing the doll that she had been begging for ... for months, Sophie turned to her parents, "Are cousins coming round soon?"

By cousins, she was referring to three sets of children - Jess and Evan and their respective wives obviously but the Wards as well - having grown up calling the other adults 'aunt' and 'uncle', it was only natural that their children would be 'cousins'.

And as for Rebecca's children.

Well, as far as Sophie was aware, she didn't have an aunt Rebecca.

"Tomorrow," Jemma assured her - dreading having to cook for sixteen people the next day, even if six of them were under the age of four - if anything that made it more difficult, absent mindedly moving the wrapping paper Sarah was trying to eat out of her reach, and distracting her with Teddy - the unimaginatively named teddy bear that was her favourite companion.

Taking advantage of the momentary peace, Jemma tucked herself underneath her husband's arm, resting her head against his chest, her eyes half-closed in an attempt to gain more of something close to rest.

"Did you ever think we'd have this?" Her voice was soft against him.

"Have what?"

"This." She gestured blindly at the two small girls at their feet.

"The 3 bedroom house, 2.5 kids, a dog, the whole she-bang?"

"We don't have a dog." She had to suppress a laugh as she nit picked his statement.

"Can we get a dog?" Sophie asked from the floor, not really taking much notice in the conversation, but wanting to participate never the less.

"No." Her parents answered as one, not unkindly, but in a way that suggested it was a repeated answer.

"If you'd asked me ... ten years ago, what my idea of a perfect life was I'd have answered..." Jemma continued from her earlier statement.

"Safety." He offered.

"Peace."

"Our own private Lab."

"The Bus," and they didn't have to suppress a smile as their many memories of the place that was their home for so many years flooded them suddenly.

"You." His voice was quieter this time.

"You." She repeated, and he pressed a soft, familial kiss to the top of her head as she twisted to look up at him.

"Maybe we got closer to perfection than we thought."

Pressing a kiss of her own to Leo's cheek, they had to separate almost immediately as Sophie began yelling that 'Sarah's touching my stuff'and Sarah began crying because Sophie was yelling.

"Maybe," and there was a grin in her voice, as they moved to placate their daughters.


Thank you for reading, and please review,
Mia