There's something about Santana's house that has always been cold. Brittany isn't sure exactly what it is, but she had felt it the first time she ever set foot inside. And now all these years later it's still exactly the same. She had once turned all the radiators up full to check that it wasn't simply a case of broken heating. It wasn't. They all worked perfectly fine. She even got yelled at by Mrs Lopez for her trouble.

Now it's Christmas Eve and the house still feels cold.

Sam and Rory had finally left a few hours ago. Santana had even made them coffee for the road. Though something tells Brittany that judging by the suspicious glances Rory was giving both Santana and the thermos, he's unlikely to drink any. She's also not sure how drinkable the coffee is, but it's the thought that counts, right? Brittany thinks so anyway, which is why she had dragged Santana upstairs to reward her for her good behavior. Unfortunately she must have done a little too good a job of tiring Santana out as she fell asleep afterward and is still currently snoring slightly. Brittany however is feeling far too wired to sleep so she's sneaked downstairs and after making more coffee, cause that's bound to help her sleep, is now sitting in the living room looking out over the street.

The other houses with all their Christmas lights are really not helping to make Santana's house look any warmer. Brittany actually feels a little sorry for it. It must look so sad being the only house in the street with no Christmas decorations up. Or maybe it's used to it by now. Brittany can't remember it ever having any decorations up. Not Christmas. Certainly not Halloween. No, Santana's house is always left empty and cold.

In fact, she's so used to Santana's parents not being home that it didn't really hit her that they weren't even here on Christmas Eve until she'd seen the note on the fridge. The usual words telling Santana not to destroy the house, contact numbers for a hotel in Aspen and that's there's money on the counter if she needs it. The only difference this time is a scrawled Merry Christmas at the bottom, which only makes the whole thing seem even more depressing. After reading it, Brittany isn't sure who she's most angry at, Santana's parents for thinking it's okay for their daughter to spend Christmas alone, or at Santana for not telling her about it. Of course if she says anything to Santana, she's going to risk an argument and then they both might end up spending Christmas alone, which would suck. Problem is she's not sure she can keep her mouth shut.

She hears footsteps on the stairs but keeps her eyes focused on outside.

"You made more coffee?"

Brittany should have known that the smell of fresh coffee would have eventually woke Santana. Or maybe it was not having Brittany wrapped around her. Brittany knows she can never stay asleep when Santana sneaks out of their bed, never has been able to.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?"

She hears Santana move closer to her, but still doesn't turn around.

"Britt, what's wrong?" There's a hint of worry in Santana's voice

"Are we going to talk about it?" So much for not saying anything.

"Talk about what?"

"About why you didn't tell me your parents were going away for Christmas."

"Oh, that."

Brittany finally turns to face Santana to find her girlfriend at least has the decency to look a little guilty. "Why wouldn't you tell me something like that?"

"Because it's not a big deal."

Now Brittany knows that's a lie. "Santana..."

"Don't, don't give me that look." Santana shakes her head, starting to look annoyed even though Brittany doesn't know how she's suddenly the one in the wrong.

"What look?"

"Like you feel sorry for me."

"I'm not..."

"It's the same look Sam gave me. All poor Santana. Her parents don't even want to spend Christmas with her. They really mustn't give a damn about her at all and..."

"Sam knew?"

That stops Santana mid rant. "He didn't tell you?"

He didn't and Brittany doesn't know which hurts more, that an entire four hour car journey and Sam hadn't said a word or that Santana had confided in him instead of her. "Nobody told me. Not even my girlfriend felt I should know. Instead I find out from a post-it note on your fridge." Brittany knows she might sound a little bitter, but she really doesn't care at this point.

"Yeah, you think after last time I'd have remembered to throw away the note."

Brittany doesn't know what to say to that. Having Santana point out how this is the second time in as many months that she's neglected to tell Brittany that her parents were going out of town really doesn't help the situation.

Brittany turns back to staring out of the window. If Santana doesn't want to talk about her parents, then fine, Brittany can let it drop. Kind of at least. "I think your house is sad. Don't you think it seems sad?"

Santana perches on the arm of the chair. "Maybe it's a little sad. Just a little though."

Brittany reaches out and takes Santana's hand in hers. "I think it's cause there's no Christmas tree. Any house would be sad if it doesn't have a Christmas tree."

"Well actually..."

"What?"

Santana stands and turns the lights on, gesturing over to the corner of the room. Standing in the corner is what Brittany thinks is supposed to be a Christmas tree though it's no more than two feet high. Fairy lights are draped over it but that's as far as the decorations go.

"You bought a Christmas Tree?" Brittany walks over to it, walking from one side of it to the other. "You bought a Christmas Tree."

"It's just a tree."

"It's so small."

"Like I was going to try and drag anything larger home. And Sam had already left for Kentucky, well Chicago, so I couldn't make him carry it."

"It's a tiny Christmas Tree. No, it's a mini-tree."

"Hey, be nice to the Christmas Tree." Santana's sulking now, arms folded and attempting a pout.

"I'm sorry, San. It's awesome. Really. It's kinda reminds me of the tree from Charlie Brown."

"Oh come on, it's not that bad." Santana looks down at her tree, frowning. "Is it?"

"No, I like it. It's all little and cute." Brittany pulls Santana into her arms. "Like you." Brittany leans in and kisses Santana slowly.

When they break apart, Santana sighs, but she is smiling slightly. "You think one kiss is gonna make me forgive you for insulting my tree? Especially after you also called me little and cute?"

"No, but I'm sure there's something I can do. Any suggestions?"

"I might have some ideas."

"I'm sure you do. But Santana, just so you know, when we're living together, you're never being allowed to choose our Christmas Tree. Okay?"

They're lying on the sofa, the end credits of The Nightmare Before Christmas scrolling up the TV screen when Santana mentions it. "They asked me to go with them. Can you believe that?"

Brittany stays silent, just giving Santana time to talk.

"They actually thought that I'd want to go and spend time with them. And once again they prove how little they know me. Two weeks stuck with only them for company is like my worst nightmare."

Brittany can think of plenty of worse things, but doesn't think pointing that out to Santana will help matters.

"Why would they suddenly care enough to want a family vacation?"

Brittany hopes Santana isn't expecting her to answer, because she has no idea. She's never been able to understand Santana's parents and she doesn't plan on starting to try now. It's bound to only cause her a headache.

Santana sits up and shakes herself slightly. "Anyway, you don't wanna hear me drone on about this."

Actually Brittany does, as it means Santana is finally opening up to her on the subject, but she knows pushing is just going to lead to another argument and neither of them needs that.

Santana stands up. "Wait here a minute, okay?" Then she bolts out of the room. Brittany has only counted as far as forty-two before Santana is back, holding what appears to be a jewelery box.

Brittany climbs to her feet. "What is this?"

"I know I didn't even wrap it which sucks, and I know it isn't midnight yet, but I can't wait any longer. If I don't do it now, then I'm jut gonna chicken out and give you the crappy last minute gift I bought like two days ago instead of the real gift that I haven't been able to work up the nerve to give you for like a year and..."

Brittany steps forward and presses her lips to Santana's.

When she pulls away, Santana blinks at her. "What was that for?"

"You were rambling and it was cute."

"Again with the cute." Santana drops down onto the sofa, scowling. "What the hell happened to my badass reputation?"

"Everyone finally realized you're really a marshmallow?"

"Thanks, Britt, that really makes me feel better."

Brittany sits down beside her, staring at the box. She can't seem to bring herself to open it though.

Santana reaches out and places a hand on her thigh. "What's wrong?" Brittany can hear the nerves in her voice.

"Nothing. I just...you bought me jewelery."

"It's too much, isn't it? I fucking knew that, but stupid Trouty said it'd be fine, least I think he did, I wasn't really listening, and now you're freaking out and you haven't even opened it." Santana reaches out and tries to take the box back. "Can we just pretend this didn't happen? I still have the crappy last minute thing. I even wrapped that one."

"Santana, stop okay." Brittany places a hand over the top of Santana's. "It's just all I got you is..." She stands, making sure she keeps hold of the box so Santana can't take it away, and heads into the hall where she left her rucksack. She digs through it until she finds the gift she got for Santana. Even the sight of it makes her feel bad. It's not even wrapped neatly, she never has been able to get the hang of wrapping. She walks back into the living room and holds out the gift to Santana. "Here, open yours first and then if you hate it, you can take your gift back. Deal?"

Santana shakes her head. "Then you might as well open it now, because like I could ever hate something you got me." Santana winces. "It's saying things like that, isn't it? That's where the whole marshmallow thing comes from, isn't it?"

Brittany decides she's safer not answering that.

Santana takes the gift from her but makes no move to open it. "I could be even more cheesier."

"That's possible?" Brittany sits back down on the sofa.

"I could say that it wouldn't matter if you hadn't bought me anything, because you're already given me everything I could ever want, and that you continue to do so over and over again every single second of every single day. And that I could never give you anything that would even come close to that so instead this is just something to say thank you. Thank you for putting up with all my crap. For sticking by me when any sane person would have run for the hills a long time ago. And thank you for being you, because Brittany, you are seriously like the most awesome person on the planet and I might not say it enough, but I am so lucky to have you in my life and I don't know what I've done to deserve you, but I promised that I'd spend every day trying to show you how much I love you and buying you crap is just one way I can do that so..." Santana trails off with a shrug. "That was cheesier, right?"

Brittany is on her feet and pulling Santana into a hug before she can't hold back the tears any longer. "I love you too, Santana. More than anything."

Santana slides her arms around Brittany. "God, we're never going to open these stupid presents, are we?"

"I don't get why we're so nervous. We've given each other loads of stuff before."

"Yeah, but this is different. It's our first Christmas together. It's the first gift I've ever given my girlfriend. It needed to be awesome. It kinda like the yardstick for all future gifts, you know?"

Brittany gets it, she really does. It's why she spent so much time on her gift for Santana. "Least we're gonna have plenty more chances to get it right if these suck."

"How is it you're always able to find the bright side?"

"It's like one of my superpowers."

"One of many." Santana pulls back enough to kiss Brittany. "So how bout we just open these things?"

Brittany nods and leads Santana back over to the sofa. When Santana still shows no sign of opening her gift, Brittany realizes she's going to have to go first. She braces herself and opens the box. "Santana, it's beautiful." She lifts the bracelet out, studying each charm in turn. "Thank you." She looks up to find that Santana has finally opened her gift, instantly bringing back Brittany's nerves.

"Britt, did you make this?"

"It's just a photo-frame." So maybe it's a handmade photo-frame that took Brittany three weeks to make but she isn't about to brag. Various hand painted animals cover the edge of the frame, while the inside is filled with photos of her and Santana. Candid photos taken over the past few months.

Santana is handling it with more care than Brittany is her bracelet. "I like the dolphins."

"Well you know what they say about dolphins."

Santana smiles and nods. "And where the hell did you get these photos?"

"I had Sugar follow us around with a camera for a few weeks."

"Is that why she was stalking us? God, I was starting to worry she was like obsessed with us or something. Not that I would have blamed her. We are pretty awesome."

Brittany can't really argue with that.

"Britt, I love it. Thank you. Even if you did have Sugar take secret photos of us which is a little on the creepy side."

Brittany leans back and once again takes hold of Santana's hand. "So our first Christmas?"

Santana looks up at her. "Our first Christmas. We fought, there's a hobbit sized Christmas tree in the corner of the room, we freaked out over gifts, I almost made you cry, and I think we'll be eating frozen pizza for Christmas dinner as that's all there is that I can cook without burning the place down. So how is our first Christmas?"

Brittany kisses Santana's hand. "It's perfect."