The summer went by quickly for the women. It flew by in a haze of boat rides, barbecues, campfires, home renovations (Alex finally got her new countertop), and sleepovers. Did it still count as sleepovers if Olivia had all but moved into Alex's room? She had slowly moved her things in though. Or rather, things had just started to accumulate in the room: a few tops ending up in Alex's drawer after laundry each day, books left on the nightstand, a pillow on the bed, her boxers a seemingly permanent fixture on the floor. Eventually, Alex stopped putting Olivia's clothes in the other room and made space in her dresser, moving half of her things to the closet to compensate. She liked opening her sock drawer and seeing the boy shorts tucked in there next to her panties. It felt nice, intimate. Olivia's old room had ultimately become the spare room, seeing as Hannah had permanently claimed the lime green room as her own (and refusing to allow Alex to paint it a different colour).
The teen juggled her time between their home and Lisa's, only returning to her mother's house on the very rarest of occasions. As the weeks of summer progressed, Hannah's nights slowly shifted from primarily being spent at the women's home to Lisa's. They still spent an extraordinary amount of time with the two women, but when Lisa's parents went to camp (which was often), the girls made their way back to the empty house. Her parents had not caught onto their relationship, as they were extremely careful about hiding it from them. They worried about the reaction it would cause, and so the only time they were able to show affection was when the house was empty or when they were with the older women. Luckily, this did not create problems between the two. In fact, it made them more appreciative of the times they did get to show affection. By August, Hannah was spending practically every night at Lisa's. The girls knew that with the new school year approaching, their privacy and days spent together would come to an end, so they were spending every minute they could together. When the school year began, Lisa's parents returned home, so the girls began spending their time with Alex and Olivia once again.
September eventually gave way to October, and with it, the beginning of cooler weather. It was a welcome change for the women. Although they were not going to complain too loudly about the dry heat (versus the stifling humidity of the city), they were still happy when the heat began to pass. When November began, Olivia started to think about Christmas (her favourite holiday) and the fact that this would be the first year she would spend it away from Elliot. Her usual tradition was to work the holiday morning and afternoon, and then she would make her way to his place in the evening for supper. She loved going there and sharing in the children's excitement, sitting with them on the living room floor while they showed her everything Santa had brought them. She would play with them for a while before making her way to the kitchen, where she would help Kathy and Elliot finish preparing their meal. It would be different this year, but she was looking forward to spending the holiday with Alex.
When December finally appeared, Olivia brought it up with the woman in question, asking her if she had any thoughts about how they would spend the holiday. Alex said she had been thinking about it, and that she really didn't care as long as they were together. It had been horribly depressing and lonely when she had spent Christmas as Emily. She had spent the day alone, watching Christmas movies and trying her best not to cry. She knew things would be different this year, and she looked forward to it. They eventually agreed to spend the day together at the house, exchanging gifts, watching movies together and cooking a nice dinner. They had discussed Hannah's plans, but the teenager had simply stated that her mother wanted her home. She had not wanted to discuss it further, so the women did not pry. Alex told her that she was more than welcome to join them if things changed, and the conversation had been dropped.
For the weeks leading up to Christmas, Alex's enthusiasm could not be quelled. She had decorated the house from top to bottom, had done all of her Christmas baking (Olivia found her stash in the freezer, stored in various margarine containers, after the first week), spent an inordinate amount of time shopping both online and in town, and clapped enthusiastically when Olivia finally gave into her begging to put up Christmas lights. Nothing could bring her down or dampen her spirits, not even the day Reg announced that members from the Little Current Newspaper were coming to the library to take pictures of the library and staff for Saturday's Christmas edition. Alex had panicked, definitely, but she remained level headed. When the photographer and his assistant finally arrived and started taking pictures, she made sure to hide in the book stacks, go to the bathroom, duck behind book displays, and (conveniently) leave for her break when the lead photographer had announced he'd be taking a staff photo. Alex grinned proudly at the fact that hadn't been photographed, and when the paper came out that Saturday, she was happy when it was confirmed that she was in none of the pictures.
Before either woman knew it, Christmas Eve was upon them. They were both off for ten days, and their only real plan was to spend time at home, relaxing. That was why, on the 24th of December, the two had done nothing more than lie on the couch and watch movies together. Hannah had joined them in the afternoon (Lisa was on vacation with her parents until the 26th), and Alex had finally pulled out her treats from the freezer. Olivia had rejected the idea of waiting for them to thaw; she dug in as soon as Alex placed the plate on the coffee table. Alex had expected no different though, so she had pulled out a stash a few hours earlier so that Olivia wouldn't chip a tooth biting into frozen desserts. When Olivia raised her eyebrows in surprise as she bit into a peanut butter ball, Alex smiled.
"I knew you wouldn't wait for them to thaw, so I pulled these out this morning. They're soft now."
"But I looked in the freezer like an hour ago. The margarine containers were still in there. I wanted to see if you had taken them out yet."
"But you didn't look inside, did you?" She smirked when Olivia shook her head. "I left those in there so that you wouldn't know I had taken the desserts out. I knew if you found out, you'd start looking and would have eaten them before poor Hannah got any."
The teenager grinned as she bit into a molasses cookie.
"Thank you!"
"You have your own margarine container of desserts sitting for you on the counter. You can bring it home and share, or you can keep them for yourself."
"You're the best!"
"I know," she said cheekily.
They popped in Home Alone, and when the teenager got up to use the bathroom and hour or so later, Alex turned to Olivia.
"Do you think we should give her her gifts tonight?"
She shrugged in response.
"I think we should wait until tomorrow."
"But we might not see her. Her mom wants her at home."
"I have a feeling she's going to need to get away. When was the last time she spent an entire day there? Let's wait and if she needs to get away tomorrow, we can tell her to come here because we have presents."
"That's a good idea. Then she won't feel like she's imposing. You know, if we tell her we're waiting on her to open her gifts that is."
"That's the idea. I'd like to see her tomorrow. She's a part of our little family after all."
Alex nodded in agreement. She didn't say anything further, since Hannah had now returned to the living room.
"My mom told me she wants me home now," she said, annoyed. "She wants the kids to open their stockings before they go to bed."
"Okay, sweetie," Alex said, getting up and joining Hannah at the door. "Babe, will you get Hannah's desserts? They're on the counter."
"Sure."
"And don't you eat any!"
"Damn it!" she whined. "But hers are the best!"
Alex then squeezed Hannah's hand, smiling at her.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just don't want to go. It's a sham. They never want me around any other time of the year. Why do they get all emotional and affectionate at Christmas?"
"This holiday can bring that out in people."
"Yeah, well, it's crap. I'd rather be here with you guys. Except, you know," she shrugged.
"What?"
"Well, it's Christmas. You guys have your thing."
"We don't have a thing, honey. We're going to be sitting around watching movies tomorrow. The only thing that would make it perfect is if you were here with us."
"We want you here," Olivia insisted as she returned, having heard the last bit of the conversation. She handed Hannah the container before continuing. "You know you're always welcome at this house. It's as much your home as it is ours. I tell you every time, and I mean it every time."
Hannah smiled gratefully.
"Thanks."
"We mean it. Maybe one day it'll sink into that thick skull of yours. If you need us to come and get you tomorrow, let us know, okay?"
"I will. Merry Christmas, guys."
"Merry Christmas, honey," Alex responded, giving the girl a tight hug and a kiss on the temple. "Have a great night."
Hannah hugged the other woman as well before turning and heading to her mother's vehicle (she had borrowed it for the afternoon). The women waved her off before returning to the couch, resuming their earlier cuddling position.
"Think she'll be okay?" Alex asked.
"She'll be fine, baby. It's one day, and people are much more loving at Christmas time. She'll be okay."
"Do you get more loving at Christmas?" she asked coyly.
"I don't know," Olivia responded, shifting so she was lying above the blonde. "Maybe you should find out," she murmured, bringing her lips down against Alex's.
The blonde moaned against her mouth when their bodies met, Olivia pushing a thigh between Alex's legs. She let it rest there for a minute, working the blonde's mouth with her tongue. She let the heat from her thigh press against Alex's core, and when the woman started rolling her hips, Olivia grinned against her lips.
She kissed and nipped her way to Alex's neck, pressing her thigh more firmly between her legs.
"Mmm, baby."
Alex turned her head to expose her neck, shivering when Olivia licked up the column of her throat and sucked her earlobe in her mouth. She moaned and rolled her hips, arching her back when the brunette slipped her hand under her shirt to massage her left breast.
"Fuck," she blurted, her hips jerking as Olivia tugged at her nipple.
"You feel so good," Olivia growled in her ear. "So responsive. I love the way your body always reacts to my touch."
Alex reached down and grabbed Olivia's ass, grinding her hips down onto the woman's leg. She was getting uncomfortably wet, her belly stirring in arousal. Olivia leaned down and captured her lips in a heated kiss, causing the blonde to moan in her mouth. She moved her hands up Olivia's back, then brought them down her front, over her breasts, before tugging at the bottom of her shirt.
"Take this off," she gasped out before resuming their kiss.
Olivia ripped off the t-shirt, but when she went to remove her muscle shirt, the blonde stopped her.
"No. Keep that on, but take off your bra."
Olivia grinned at her. She knew how Alex felt about her muscle shirts, but this was the first time she requested she remove her bra and keep on the shirt. In a certain mood, are we? She obliged, ripping off her sports bra and tossing it aside.
Alex's breathing increased significantly as she feasted her eyes on the sight before her: Olivia hovering above her, dark nipples straining against the white muscle shirt clinging to her torso. She reached down and ripped open her pants. Olivia took the hint and removed them and when she was left in nothing but her tank top and boy shorts, Alex grabbed her hips and brought her back down, meeting their lips in a demanding kiss. She roamed her hands up and down the woman's back, slipping her thigh between her legs as Olivia had done earlier. She gripped her hips, encouraging the woman to grind against her leg.
Olivia moaned into the kiss, plunging her tongue into Alex's mouth when she parted her lips. She rocked her hips, her mind buzzing as the blonde gripped her hips to guide her movements against her leg. Alex's hands quickly moved up to her breasts, kneading them through her top, before slipping them underneath.
Olivia ripped her mouth away when the blonde began pinching and tugging at her nipples, a loud groan rumbling from her throat.
"You're so fucking hot," Alex panted. "I love your body. You're so sexy."
Olivia gripped the armrest above Alex's head, gasping loudly when the woman reached down and pressed her hand between her legs.
"Fuck!" she blurted, rocking her hips against Alex's hand.
"You're so wet, baby," she moaned, "You feel so good."
Olivia bit her lip, her eyes closing as she concentrated on the wonderful feeling of Alex's hand between her legs. Her stomach dropped as the blonde teased her fingers at her entrance, swirling down and teasing inside before coming back up to stroke her clit. Her hips jerked in response to Alex's touches, the blonde smiling in satisfaction as Olivia screwed her eyes shut and began rocking against her hand.
Alex reached up with her free hand and cupped the back of the brunette's neck, pulling her down for a kiss. Olivia eagerly complied, her stomach flip-flopping when Alex's tongue dove into her mouth. She moaned against her lips as the blonde's talented fingers made their way back down to her entrance, and when her fingers paused, Olivia ripped her mouth away to pant out a "please".
"Please what, baby?"
"Fuck, please. I… I need...I want-"
"Mmm?" Alex smiled, her fingers teasing at penetration. She loved how incoherent Olivia got when she was this far gone. "What do you want?"
"You. I want you," she breathed. "I want you to fuck me."
It was Alex's turn to groan at her words, pulling the brunette back in for a kiss as she plunged her fingers inside. Olivia bucked wildly against her hand, kissing her deeply as she rode against her fingers. Alex felt the woman's muscles contract, and she knew she was close. She pulled her mouth away, bringing her lips to Olivia's ear. She knew how much the brunette liked hearing her voice when they were intimate.
"You're so close, baby. I can feel it."
Olivia gasped, her head dropping against Alex's shoulder. She gripped the edge of the couch tighter, her orgasm now pressing hard in her belly. She was so close. She just needed a little-
"Ah!"
Olivia cried out as Alex suddenly shifted her angle, her fingers sinking deliciously deeper. She bit her bottom lip as her hips gave short, wild thrusts. Alex turned her neck slightly, just enough to whisper directly in Olivia's ear.
"Come for me, Olivia Benson."
The brunette cried out, her body stilling for several seconds before jerking wildly against Alex's now frantic fingers. The blonde met her thrust for thrust, refusing to slow until Olivia finally collapsed against her. She gently withdrew her fingers, happily cleaning them as the brunette lay boneless against her. Olivia peeked one eye open, her stomach clenching at the erotic sight of Alex licking her fingers clean. That woman was going to be the death of her.
Alex smiled smugly to herself. There was nothing quite like reducing the former detective to a pile of mush. She loved the way Olivia reacted to her touch, and she loved the way she responded to hearing Alex say her real name. The only time they ever used their names was when they were intimate, and even then, it was a rare occasion. They had gotten accustomed to referring to one another as "Cam" and "Val" in their day-to-day life, but it had never felt right when they made love.
"You're way too good at that," Olivia complained.
Alex chuckled, rubbing her back.
"And yet you still come back for more."
Olivia placed a finger under Alex's chin and turned her head so that they were looking at each other.
"Always," she said softly.
Alex's stomach fluttered at the tone and implication of her words. She didn't know what to answer, so instead, she leaned in and gave her a soft, gentle kiss. Olivia wrapped her arms around Alex, shifting them so that the woman was on top of her. They kissed slowly for several minutes, until Alex pulled away to rest her head against Olivia's shoulder. She smiled to herself when she felt the brunette reach up and pull down the blanket they kept on the back of the couch, draping it over their bodies.
She snuggled in closer and closed her eyes. Nothing was better than this.
It was nearly five o'clock the next evening before they heard from Hannah, and they had hoped that meant that the girl was having a good time. Unfortunately, at 4:53 p.m., Olivia received a phone call from a very upset Hannah, who begged her to come and get her.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
As soon as Alex heard the worry in Olivia's voice, she dropped her tea towel and walked over. What she heard over the phone made her heart break.
"No, I'm not like physically hurt or anything. I thought I could do this, Cam, but I can't. Please. Please come get me. I can't stay here anymore. These people… they don't want me here. I don't belong here. It's all Tony's family and they're just being dicks. Can you please come and get me? Please? I don't want to be here. I want to-"
Alex bit her bottom lip, her eyes watering when she heard the girl's voice hitch.
"I want to come home."
That was enough. Alex ripped the phone from Olivia's hand.
"We're coming to get you."
"Val? I tried to call you. I'm sorry. I don't want to intrude, but I can't stay here. I know you guys are-"
"We aren't anything. I'm sorry I didn't answer you. My phone, it's in the living room. I've been baking all day because Cam ate most of the desserts I had already made. I didn't hear it. We were waiting for you, Hannah," she said, following Olivia to the door. "We've been waiting on you, okay? We're coming now. Where are you?"
"Walking, but I'm getting kinda cold cuz I left without my coat. That's why I called. I'm…I'm cold. And I miss you guys. I thought I could just take a walk to cool down, but then I realised I couldn't go back there. So I just sat. And I couldn't stop thinking about going to your place. So I called you. And then when you didn't pick up, I called Cam."
Alex began searching the sidewalks as Olivia drove. It didn't take long to find the girl, and when the vehicle stopped, Alex dropped the phone, thrust open the door and jogged to her. She wrapped the girl in a tight hug, pulling her close.
"Jesus, you're freezing!" she exclaimed, her hands immediately rubbing against the teenager's arms.
"Yeah," she chuckled, following her back to the vehicle. "It's cold out here."
Olivia shrugged off her coat, leaning to the backseat to hand it to Hannah. The teenager gratefully took it. She put it on as the blonde closed the doors and shifted in next to her.
"Thanks, Cam. Thanks for coming to get me."
"I'm glad you called," she responded sincerely. "I'm sorry you had such a bad time."
Alex pulled the girl into a side hug.
"Will your mom be upset you left?"
The teenager scoffed.
"Hardly. She'll be glad I'm not there being "moody" as she calls it. It's hard to have a good time when your stepfather is making fun of you to his family and pretends he's just teasing," she finished.
Alex met Olivia's gaze in the rear view mirror, both women clearly upset at the information. They had discussed countless times how much they despised her stepfather, and both agreed it was even worse that her mother did nothing about it.
"I'm sorry, Hannah," Olivia said from the front. "No one should have said those things to you, least of all someone who is supposed to be a parent."
"He'll never be my parent. Never," she said angrily.
"I know," she soothed.
They pulled into the driveway and made their way into the house, Alex choosing to cuddle on the loveseat with Hannah. She pulled down the blanket from the back of the couch and covered them both.
"Why don't you make us some cocoa while Hannah and I warm up on the couch?"
"Sure."
"Thanks, babe."
When she left, Alex pulled Hannah close.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"They were just being jerks and I don't really wanna think about it. They're assholes. Everybody was laughing and shit. My mom thought I was fine with it. If I'm not laughing, I'm obviously not fine with it. The worst part was-" she cleared her throat, her voice getting softer. "The worst part was when Hailey started in on it. She's just a kid. She didn't know. But it hurt so much when she was teasing me. She thought it was okay. What kind of lesson are you teaching that kid?"
Hannah looked away and angrily swiped at her eyes.
"My mom's never really been good at knowing me. She doesn't really care that much. She lets me do whatever. Tony hates me I guess. But Hailey… Hailey loves me. She follows me around and as annoying as it fucking is that she goes in my room over there and touches my shit, I know it's because she kind of idolises me. Not that I'm so fantastic, but I know she really likes me. She's always wearing my stuff and repeats shit I say. She wants to eat what I'm eating and do what I'm doing. So it fucking hurts. It hurts when he tells her I'm bad, because he's her dad and she believes him. So she sometimes says shit that I know she doesn't understand and I know it's him, not her, but what the fuck?"
Alex bit her tongue hard to keep her emotions in check. She needed to be calm, to be a safe person for Hannah, but it was very, very difficult to keep her opinion to herself.
"Who says that to a little kid?" she continued, inadvertently pulling Alex from her thoughts. "It sucks because I know one day she's going to get brainwashed by him and think I'm this horrible person. She's not gonna think I'm so great anymore and it's not even gonna be her fault."
Alex squeezed the girl tight, and when Hannah tucked into her shoulder and cried, she couldn't help the tears that slid along her cheeks. Her heart broke into a million pieces for the girl, and the worst part was, there was nothing she could do for it. There was nothing she could do to erase her hurt or her pain. There was nothing she could do to prevent what Hannah was describing because she was right. Hailey could very well begin to see her as a bad person if her father kept repeating it to her.
Olivia returned to the living room, stopping at the threshold with three mugs in her hand. She quickly set them down when she saw the state Alex and Hannah were in. She made her way to the loveseat and, after Hannah squeezed over, Olivia slid in beside her.
Alex removed her hand from Hannah's shoulder and reached up, cupping Olivia's cheek. The brunette leaned into the touch, turning to kissing her palm. It ate at her that they were both so upset, and she wished there was something she could do to erase it. She knew that there wasn't though, so instead she reached up and intertwined the fingers of one hand with Alex's, while the other rubbed up and down Hannah's arm.
The teenager was embarrassed. She didn't want to lose it like this, but she couldn't help it. She was hurting. It was supposed to be Christmas day. It was supposed to be a time for family, and yet hers had found nothing better to do than harass her, make fun of her. She had felt so alone at that house, so isolated. And they didn't care. They didn't care about her. So she cried, and then cried again when she remembered the way they laughed at her. And she cried some more when she thought about the terrible things Tony had said to her. She hated him. She hated him so much.
She was hurting, but she was so incredibly, eternally grateful for the women now curled around her like a protective shell. Valerie, who she had now come to regard as a surrogate mother, and Cam, who had, right from the start, been her buddy, her friend. Cam had shown her how to properly patch up a deck, replace a countertop, fix lopsided shelves, install closet doors. She had learnt so much from her and she had been to listen any time she needed to talk. She had a fantastic sense of humour and she was always making her laugh. She teased and joked with her, taking turns to see who could come up with the best insult. And after the older woman had taught her the best way to take down an attacker, they had wrestled to see who could take down whom first. Hannah hadn't yet been able to pin her, but she was getting close.
And then Val. Well, she was what Hannah had needed for so long. She filled an ache, an emptiness in the teen's heart that had been there for so long that Hannah had forgotten what it felt like for that hole to be filled. She gave her love, the kind of love she longed for from her mother. It was unconditional and ever present. Hannah needed her, and Val never denied her. She was kind, patient, loving, sweet. She gave her countless hugs and endless affection. She packed her a lunch for school and got her in trouble for not doing her homework. Cam did the talks. Val would just straight up tell her to smarten up (something Hannah found she actually liked). Val showed her how to bake and she fixed her jeans after they tore. She held her when she cried and she never ever made fun of her for being weak. She supported her and encouraged her. She made her feel safe. She made her feel loved. And after she finished crying, she simply held her until Hannah was strong enough to pull away.
"You didn't open your presents," the teen finally whispered, pulling herself from her thoughts and looking at the tree. She felt a little better now that she had been able to let out all the pain she had been feeling.
Alex kissed her forehead, glad to see that Hannah was starting to come around.
"Well, we were missing an important part of the family you know. Had to wait til we were all here. Plus, it's just a little bit too fun watching Cam pace and shake the gifts. I wanted to ride that out as long as I could."
Hannah giggled before wiping her eyes and finally pulling away. She glanced over at the woman in question, who was shaking her head in mock disbelief.
"It's been cruel, Hannah. She won't even hint at what I got. I've had to sit here and wait."
The teenager smiled.
"Do you think we've made her suffer enough?" Alex asked.
"I don't know..." Hannah trailed off.
"Me either."
"Sadists. You're both a couple of sadists," Olivia responded, smiling when they both laughed.
"I guess we have let her suffer. Maybe we should finally give in."
"If you think so," the blonde responded. "Then I suppose she can be Santa. She's put on a few pounds this winter."
"Yeah, well, I'm blaming you. Stop baking delicious treats."
Alex laughed.
"Speaking of which, did you eat, Hannah?"
The girl shook her head.
"I wasn't really hungry. You know, considering…"
"Okay. Are you hungry now? We could eat first before we open gifts. Cam didn't make anything fancy, just a roast in the slow cooker, but if you're hungry, we could eat first."
"Are you two hungry?"
Alex looked over at Olivia. She was getting hungry, especially since that roast had been making the whole house smell delicious for the entire day, but she wouldn't make the poor woman suffer any longer if she wanted to open gifts.
"The roast is pretty much done, but we have enough time to open stockings! We could eat supper and open the big stuff later," Olivia suggested.
"Okay, perfect."
Olivia hopped up and grabbed the three stockings by the stairs. She handed them out, choosing to sit on the floor by the other two rather than back on the love seat.
"You first, Hannah."
The girl smiled, quickly digging in. She grinned and excitedly displayed the contents of her stocking, not caring that the women obviously knew what she had received since they were the ones who bought its contents. She was beyond excited to receive new bracelets (hers were starting to wear), eyeliner, earrings, candy, and an iTunes gift card. She pulled out other random items like a toothbrush, lip gloss, a pair of punk-looking socks, scratch cards, packets of flavoured cocoa and, at the very bottom, a key on a keychain.
She held up the item, frowning.
"What's this?"
"A key for the house. I know you technically don't need it since one of us is pretty much always here, and we don't lock the door half the time, but we wanted you to have it. To know that you're welcome here any time. The key symbolises that," Olivia explained. "You can come any time. Maybe now you'll believe it?"
Hannah bit her lip and threw her arms around the blonde, who was nodding along with what was being said.
"Thank you," she choked out. She quickly got up and wrapped her arms around Cam, who squeezed her tight.
"You're welcome, kiddo."
The girl smiled at the affectionate term, returning to the love seat after the hug.
"So, who's next?"
"Let's let the big baby go next."
"Yay!" Olivia exclaimed, plunging her hand in the stocking. She pulled out a wound up brown fabric belt, with an impressive chrome belt buckle. "Oh, baby. This is nice." She pulled it out and unwound it. "Very nice."
"Told you she'd like it," Hannah smiled.
"Oh, sweet!" Olivia unwrapped a new Zippo lighter, immediately tucking it into her pocket.
"Why did she need that again?" Alex asked, then turned to Olivia. "She insisted you needed it."
"And she was correct. Right on! A new Swiss army knife," she said excitedly, inspecting the tool. She then pulled out a few their generic stocking stuffers (socks, toothbrush, gift cards, candy) before digging to the bottom and pulling out a wrapped box. She unwrapped it, laughing hysterically and holding up the box for Alex to see. "I'm going to go ahead and guess Hannah did this."
"Can't let you get this one pregnant," she said, hooking her thumb in Alex's direction. "It's important to stay safe. No glove, no love, Cam."
"Touché," she responded.
"Okay, open yours now!" Hannah encouraged the woman sitting next to her.
"Alright," Alex quickly agreed. She was excited too. She pulled out the first package, unwrapping it and smiling widely at the make-up. "Sephora! And you even got the right colours!"
"You can thank that one. She recognised the brand."
"I got lucky," Hannah responded. "Lisa wears the same kind, just different colour."
Olivia was not going to tell Alex how much she had worried they had gotten the wrong colour palette. 50$ for eye shadow was ridiculous, and if she had bought the wrong one, she would have been pissed.
"Oh, perfect. I needed a compact for my purse."
"I know," Olivia responded. "I heard you say that a couple of times. I hope you like it."
"I do." And she did. It was silver, sleek, and elegant. "You chose well."
"Thanks."
Alex pulled out a small, square box, unwrapping it slowly.
"This better not be what it looks like," she warned.
"It's not. I promise."
"Good," she responded, gasping when she opened the box. "Pearl earrings." She immediately looked up at Olivia, who smiled shyly at her. "You can't mean…"
Olivia nodded.
"It's what you're thinking."
"Really?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears.
"Really."
The blonde shot up from the couch and launched herself in Olivia's lap, wrapping her arms around her neck and kissing her deeply. Hannah sat quietly on the couch, not really understanding the reaction. Sure, pearl earrings were nice but…
Alex pulled away after several minutes, sporting a smile that could light up even the darkest room. She handed Olivia the box eagerly.
"Put them on me."
Olivia smiled and removed the first earring, gently inserting it in Alex's earlobe. She then repeated the process with the other earring.
"And? How do I look?"
"Beautiful. Elegant."
Alex leaned down and gave her another slow kiss.
"Somebody wanna explain to me what's going on?" the teen asked once their kiss ended. "Are you married now or something?"
Alex giggled before turning.
"Um, no. I… Sorry. My grandfather… he gave my grandmother pearl earrings the first Christmas they were together. He was still courting her, and back then, that was an extravagant gift, not a gift you get a girl you're not married to. It was expensive, and his family gave him a lot of flak for it. He just turned to my grandmother and held her hand, and told her that he was sure that she was the woman for him, that he was going to marry her one day. And he bought her the earrings as a promise that it would happen because he knew he was leaving for the war in Vietnam. She refused to marry him until after the war, and she refused to get engaged, because she wanted him to have a reason to come home. She said he could promise her marriage in another way, so he bought the earrings as a promise. She never took them off, not even after he got back. She wore them every day of her life. And I told… I told Cam that I thought it was so romantic. My father gave my mother pearl earrings before proposing and I had hoped that whoever I married would do the same. You know, to carry on the tradition."
She closed her eyes involuntarily when she felt warm lips press to her neck and two arms tighten around her middle. She sighed into the embrace, leaning back and smiling. This woman, this incredible woman…
Alex had never in her life had anyone make her feel so loved, so cared for, so special, so heard, and she couldn't help the tear that made its way down her cheek. She never thought she would find this. She never thought she would find someone who loved her so much. And to know now that Olivia was giving her these earrings, it meant that she was sure. No more running, no more doubt. Olivia was sure, and that was the best Christmas present she could have ever received.
She sat silently for a minute, until Olivia began rubbing her sides. She opened her eyes, smiling at Hannah.
"No one else ever gave you pearl earrings?"
"No one else knew the story."
"You didn't tell them?"
"No, I didn't. I never met anyone I wanted to marry, not until Cam, so I never bothered to tell anyone. My grandmother told me she knew that my grandfather was it for her, and he said the same about her. They knew instantly. And my mother, their daughter, said that when she met my father, she knew that she would marry him. My parents eventually talked about marriage, but he said he wasn't ready to propose yet. He knew about the story of the earrings, so instead he got her a pair and said that even though he wasn't ready yet, he would be one day. So, to them, they were a promise that he was serious, he just needed time. In my family, pearl earrings have just come to represent a promise that you are the one and one day you'll get married. It's a step before the ring, you know?"
"I messed up and I needed time, but I don't anymore," Olivia started, catching Alex's gaze when she turned in her lap. "I'm sorry I hurt you, but I wanted you to know that I know now. This is it. You are it. You always were, I just needed some time to realise it I guess."
Alex leaned forward and kissed her lips. Hannah smiled from the couch, excited at the new development in their relationship. Things had been going incredibly well ever since Cam had smartened up. There had been no running, no setbacks, no hesitations. They had gotten closer with each passing day, and Hannah was amazed that they hadn't been together for longer than they declared they were. It seemed like they had known each other for years, the way that they just knew each other. They knew each other's likes, dislikes, habits, thoughts… They shared a bond that Hannah hadn't seen in many other couples. It was nice to know that it was progressing forward in such a strong, steady way. Looking at them now, you'd never suspect the struggle they had once faced.
"We should get up and eat now. We still have presents to open," Olivia announced, pulling Hannah from her reverie.
Alex rolled her eyes.
"Always with the gifts. Why do I need children when I have you?"
"Because I need minions."
Hannah laughed, getting up from the couch and following the two women into the kitchen.
Olivia checked on the roast and, satisfied that it was fully cooked, she removed it from the slow cooker. She served everyone's plates as Alex pulled the cheese and pickle tray she had made earlier. Once everything was served, the three women sat and began to eat.
Hannah sat mostly in silence, simply enjoying the other women's presence. It was incredible how different she felt with them, how comfortable and safe this home was compared to the one with her mother. They laughed, but not at her. They listened and genuinely cared about what she had to say. They involved her in their conversations and asked her opinion when there was a debate. She had never felt so loved and included, and there was no replacing that feeling. This was her home, and that was an incredible feeling.
"Hey, kid. You still with us?"
Hannah looked up at Cam and smiled, swallowing her last bite of supper.
"Yeah. Sorry."
"Everything okay?"
She nodded.
"Just thinking I don't wanna be anywhere else but here, especially on a day like today."
Alex got up and wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her into a tight hug.
"We don't want you anywhere but here either," she said, giving her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad you want to be here."
"She's right, Hannah," Olivia stated, once Alex had pulled away. "We're glad you're here to celebrate Christmas with us. Something was definitely missing today before you came home. Now, everything is perfect."
The girl smiled, a little overwhelmed at how they so easily welcomed and accepted her into their life.
"Thanks," she said, almost shyly.
Alex gave her a final kiss on the temple before grabbing their plates. They quickly cleaned, and when everything was put away, Olivia rubbed her hands together.
"So, presents?"
"Yes, you annoying pest. Now you may open your presents."
"Thanks, mom!" Olivia shouted over her shoulder at Alex, bouncing off into the living room.
Hannah laughed at her childish display, as well as the eye roll it pulled from the other woman.
"Shall we?"
"Definitely," Hannah agreed, leading the way to the living room.
They found the brunette on the floor, present already in her lap. But, to be fair, she had also pulled them each out one and them on the love seat. The women sat at their designated spots on the love seat, gifts on their laps.
"Okay, dig in!" Olivia encouraged, already ripping open her present. "Ohh! Nice!" She held up a silver Figaro chain link necklace.
"Hannah picked that one out," she explained, as Olivia put on the necklace. "It looks great. Very handsome."
"Thanks, Hannah! Okay, open yours now. We both picked it out."
Hannah opened the present, revealing an unmarked, black box. She opened it and raised her eyebrows in delight.
"A watch! It's awesome!" She immediately pulled it out of the case, slipping it on her wrist. "This looks so badass." She was stunned that they were so easily able to pick out something she loved. Usually, she received gifts which were nice, but not very "her". Then again, no one knew her like they did. "Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome," Alex responded.
"Okay, your turn," the teen said excitedly. "I really hope you like it. We debated for a while."
The blonde smiled, a twinge of excitement in her stomach. Olivia always bought great presents, and she was looking forward to opening this one. She quickly unwrapped the soft package, letting out a soft "ohh" when she held up the beautiful, beige button-down coat. She quickly stood, putting it on. It fell just above her knees and fit perfectly.
"This is beautiful."
They continued taking turns opening their gifts, the two older women making sure that Hannah's efforts in choosing the gifts were well pointed out. That is, once she finally stopped saying that she couldn't accept credit since she hadn't paid for them. The girl had agonised in the store when she had gone shopping with each of them, carefully making comparisons before finally making a decision. With the amount of effort she put into it, it more than counted. The fact that she cared and tried so hard meant so much more than if she had contributed financially. Neither woman was interested in the girl's money anyway.
By the time they had finished unwrapping gifts (which had taken a considerable amount of time given that they spent much of their time laughing and talking), each woman had a nice pile next to her. Hannah received more new bracelets than she knew what to do with, hair ties, a skateboard (she had confessed she'd like to learn), three books, some movies, a new pillow for her bedroom, some clothes, a couple of gift cards, and chocolate. She was embarrassed to have received so many gifts, but the women admitted they went "a little overboard" since they'd never had anyone to shop for. By "anyone", they really meant that they'd never had a kid of their own to shop for, but they kept that part to themselves.
Olivia received new undershirts, boy shorts, candy, a basketball net (which would have to wait until the spring to be used since it was entirely too cold at present), a leather jacket (which Olivia pointed out was more of a gift for Alex since Olivia in leather always made her swoon. Alex did not confirm nor deny the statement), a new cordless drill, shoes, and some movies.
Alex, for her part, was more than satisfied with what she received: more make-up in a very nice make-up bag, a dress, the sweater she'd been eyeing, chocolates, a book ("I Work in a Public Library", which she had immediately flipped through and started reading), two lesbian films (Imagine Me & You, a personal favourite, and If These Walls Could Talk 2), more chocolates, and her favourite gift of all: the matching pearl necklace and bracelet to her earrings.
When they had finished opening their gifts, the women quickly decided to throw on Imagine Me & You, since Hannah had stated that she had never seen either movie. Alex pulled out more of her treats, setting them on the coffee table before cuddling up to Hannah on the couch.
"Going to join us?" she asked Olivia.
"Is there room for me?" she joked.
"Of course," Alex replied, cuddling in closer to Hannah's side. There was more than enough room for all of them.
Olivia grabbed the blanket from the love seat and joined the two women on the couch. She draped the blanket over them before dropping down next to Alex, pressing play when everyone was settled.
They watched the movie in relative silence, Olivia's hand eventually finding its way to Alex's hip and periodically squeezing her side. She smiled when Alex ultimately laced their fingers, holding her hand for the remainder of the movie.
When it finished, Olivia stretched and looked at the time. It was getting late, and she was looking forward to just curling up with Alex. She loved Hannah, and she was glad the girl was with them, but she wanted some alone time with her girlfriend now.
"I think it's bedtime."
Alex looked at Hannah.
"Are you ready for bed?"
"I think so. Lisa will be getting in around ten tomorrow morning, so I'd like to head over there and see her."
"Of course. One of us will drive you, no problem."
"Thanks," she said sincerely.
"Well, come on then," Olivia announced. "Time for bed."
The other two got up and made their way upstairs while Olivia put the snacks away and locked up. When she finished, she walked upstairs and stopped at Hannah's room.
"Hey, kiddo. Thanks for coming over today. I'm really glad we got to spend Christmas with you."
The girl nodded, feeling a little shy. It was she who should be doing the thanking. They had saved her Christmas. She had never had such a warm, fun filled Christmas day. Not since before her mom got married anyway.
Olivia sensed the girl's need to talk, so she entered her room and joined her on the bed.
"Hey," she said softly.
Hannah looked up, giving a small smile.
"I just… I should be the one thanking you. Thank you. For what you did today. For coming to get me. For making me feel included. Thank you for just always being there for me. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you two."
Olivia reached out and squeezed her knee.
"You're a great kid, Hannah. I mean it when I say that I genuinely like having you around. I want you around. I care about you. We both do, very much. Thank you for being such a positive influence in our life."
She reached out and hugged Hannah, holding her close. She held her until the girl finally pulled away. She gave her an affectionate smile before getting up and making her way to the door.
"Sleep tight, Hannah. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Cam."
Olivia closed the door and walked to bathroom, brushing her teeth before heading for the bedroom. She found Alex already curled up in bed, looking up at her from beneath the blankets.
"There is no other sight I like better than seeing your beautiful face in my bed," Olivia said, closing the door. She walked over to the bed and sat down, kissing her softly on the lips.
"No other sight? Really?"
She heard the tone, so she looked down. Only Alex's head was visible. Hmm. She quickly stood and pulled back the blanket. She groaned loudly at the sight that greeted her : Alex in nothing but a white babydoll.
"You like?"
Olivia could say nothing. Her mind was void of anything but the mouth-watering sight before her. She mustered up enough brain cells to nod, but after that action, her mind blanked. She acted purely on instinct, ripping off her top and jeans before crawling into bed. She lay flush against Alex, moaning again at the feel of silk and lace against her skin. She let her hands roam up and down Alex's body, touching and stroking over every inch. Her mouth dropped to the graceful neck just inches before her mouth, sucking and licking at the tender flesh.
"Mmm, baby."
Alex's hips bucked when Olivia's lips latched onto her neck. She tilted her head, shivering when the licks and nips moved up the column of her throat to her ear.
"You look fucking hot."
She arched her back and gasped when Olivia's hands found their way to her breasts, pinching her hardened nipples.
"Baby," she whispered, biting her lip as electric sparks shot down to her core.
Olivia moved to kiss her hard on the lips, plunging her tongue in her mouth. She ran her tongue over every inch she could reach, claiming it as her own. Alex could do nothing but lay back and buck against nothing, her clit on fire at the way Olivia was claiming her body. She needed relief, so she shifted so that one of Olivia's legs fell between her own. She ripped her mouth away and groaned loudly, bucking against the thigh now firmly pressed between her legs.
"Shh."
Alex closed her eyes and bit her lip in an attempt to keep quiet. It wasn't like Hannah would hear anything anyway; the girl fell asleep every night by putting in her ear buds and listening to her music. Regardless, she bit down on her lip to control her volume. Olivia looked down at the incredibly erotic sight beneath her: Alex biting her lip, back arched, grinding against her leg, the bottom of the baby doll pooled at her waist. She eagerly thrust against Alex's heated sex, her stomach dropping at the sounds it evoked.
"God, you are so sexy," she muttered against Alex's ear. She leaned forward and began sucking on her neck, resting the weight of her body onto her left arm so that her right could toy with Alex's breast.
"Fuck!"
Alex reached out and grabbed Olivia's ass, encouraging her to move her hips. She did, earning herself a loud groan from Alex until she covered her lips in a heated kiss.
Alex was actively moving and bucking against Olivia's thigh, each pinch of Olivia's fingers against her nipple causing a jolt of pleasure between her legs. Her lace underwear was soaked, and there was no way she was going to last much longer.
"Please. Please, I can't… I need…"
"What, baby? What do you need?"
"Your fingers. Your mouth. I don't care. More."
Olivia kissed her hard, grinning against her lips. She loved when Alex got incoherent like this. She began laying open mouthed kisses against her cheek, jaw, throat, until she reached her breasts. She slid the material down to expose a hardened nipple, pulling it into her mouth as soon as it was freed.
"Liv, please," she panted, bucking her hips and grunting in frustration at the lack of friction. Olivia had moved her thighs so that she was lying on the bed, removing Alex's only source of relief. "I can't wait anymore. I've been thinking of this all day."
"Have you?"
She nodded eagerly.
"I want you."
The desperation in her voice made Olivia finally relent. She kissed her way down until she was cradled between Alex's thighs, gripping her hips as she firmly dragged her tongue up the length of her. The lace underwear did nothing to stop Alex from feeling the full effect of Olivia's tongue and, not expecting such a firm touch, she could not stop the scream ripped from her throat. She managed to turn her head and muffle most of the sound into the pillow, fisting the material into her mouth. Her hips began thrusting against Olivia's lips and when, just a few seconds later, she felt the other woman pull away, she gripped her shoulder tight.
"Don't you dare stop," she ordered.
Olivia chuckled, her fingertips hooking under Alex's lace panties.
"I wouldn't dream of it, baby. I value my life. But maybe we could remove these?"
Alex grunted in protest but lifted her hips anyway. She wove her fingers in Olivia's hair as soon as the woman was back between her legs, ensuring that she would not leave again. She was not taking any chances.
She gasped when Olivia placed her open palms against her thighs, spreading her wide and taking a deep lick against her dripping sex. Her hips jerked as Olivia swirled her tongue over her clit, pressing it down her length and slipping inside. Alex dug her head into the pillow, arching her back as Olivia's tongue probed between her slick folds. Her orgasm was building deep in her belly, and she knew she wouldn't last long.
"Please…" she begged, but she wasn't sure what she was begging for.
Olivia dragged her tongue away from Alex's core and up to her clit, stroking it firmly. She dragged the fingertips of her right hand between Alex's legs, coating them with wetness before slowly pushing two inside. She stopped at the first knuckle, teasing her gently before pushing in a little more.
"Yessss," she hissed, rocking her hips against Olivia's hand.
Alex panted, wiggled, and bucked as Olivia worked her body. She spread her legs wider as Olivia's fingers slowly filled her, her hips giving slow jerks at the sensation of being so full.
"God, baby. So good. Ugh," Alex grunted, her stomach dropping as Olivia sucked her clit deep into her mouth.
Olivia could feel how close Alex was, so she tugged on her clit with her lips and pulled her fingers nearly out before slowly pushing them back in. She knew how much Alex liked the feeling of being filled, so she repeated the motion until the blonde was frantically bucking against her hand. When Olivia felt Alex's hands move from her hair to the sheets, she knew she was seconds away from orgasm.
"Ah, ah! Fuck! Liv… almost… I'm going to-"
With a final, firm tug to her clit, Alex shattered against her. She curled her fingers forward, tapping them against the full spot on her front wall, pushing against the convulsions of Alex's sex.
Alex saw nothing but stars as white hot pleasure shot through her body. Her toes curled as her hips flew against Olivia's mouth, the woman refusing to ease her ministrations on her now painfully sensitive clit. When she felt Olivia's fingers twist and push in deeper, she cried out, her arousal spiking once again. She gripped the back of Olivia's head with one hand, the other moving to the edge of the mattress and hanging on for dear life as she was brought to the brink for a second time.
When her hips finally dropped to the bed, Alex was spent of all energy. She panted heavily, eyes closed, body limp. Olivia's fingers still filled her, and she loved the feeling of her walls spasming against them. She loved this post orgasmic bliss, when Olivia would lie against her thigh, fingers still buried deep, as they both took a minute to recover.
When the spasms finally eased, Olivia gently withdrew her fingers and kissed her way back up Alex's body, ending with a soft kiss against her lips. Alex finally opened her eyes, gaze locking with the beautiful woman above her.
"Hi," she rasped, voice raw from her earlier vocal responses.
"Hi, baby," Olivia responded, kissing the tip of her nose. "You are so beautiful."
Alex lifted her arms weakly, wrapping them around Olivia's shoulders. She tugged on them, urging her to lay down against her.
"I don't want to crush you."
"You won't. Please. I want to feel you."
Olivia relented, settling into the crook of Alex's neck as she draped her body over the smaller one beneath her.
"You feel so good," Alex whispered in her ear.
"You feel even better."
"Mm-mm," she protested, kissing her collarbone. "I love you."
Olivia pulled back to look into Alex's eyes.
"I love you too, baby."
She leaned forward and shared a deep, open mouthed kiss with Alex. She slowly ran her fingers down her side, stopping at her hip to stroke the sensitive flesh there. She finally pulled away, sharing a deep smile before nuzzling Alex's neck. The blonde giggle in response, Olivia's nose tickling her skin. She then yawned against her shoulder, her body now ready to sleep after such a powerful release.
"You tired?"
"A little, but maybe we can sleep after-"
Alex stopped when Olivia grabbed her wrist, halting the progression of her fingers down Olivia's front.
"I'm okay."
"Aren't you-"
"No. I kinda… took care of that during round two."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"Did you?"
"Yeah. I couldn't help it," she chuckled. "You were so hot. I had to."
Olivia kissed her slowly before dragging Alex to the other side of the bed and curling her body around her smaller frame. She held her close, circling her waist with one arm.
"Thank you for making this one of the best Christmases I've ever had."
Olivia smiled at the sincerity in Alex's voice. She kissed the back of her head, squeezing her middle affectionately.
"I love you more than you could ever know. I look forward to a lifetime of Christmases with you."
"I love you."
"I love you too, baby."