When Ella was in Los Angeles with Addison, Mark would spend Christmas with them there. He wasn't able to make the trip for the previous year's holiday because he, and Callie, wanted him to be in Seattle for Sophia's first Christmas. Addison and Ella flew up to Seattle Christmas afternoon, after Ella opened presents from Addison and their LA family.
Addison was in agreement with Callie and Arizona that both girls should spend Christmas Eve at Mark's apartment. When the girls woke up, anxious to open their presents, the others would come over and they would celebrate the holiday in their daughters' shared home.
Addison and Alex were enjoying the quiet of a Christmas Eve without an excited six-year-old. "I know we're doing presents and everything at Sloan's place in the morning, but I wanted to give you this tonight." Alex reached behind the couch and pulled out a small box, handing it to Addison.
Accepting the box, Addison said, "I thought we agreed to not get each other anything, that all we wanted was to be with each other and we got that since Ella's with Mark."
"Just open it. I know I didn't have to get you anything, but I wanted to."
Slowly, Addison pulled the bow off, sticking it on Alex's shirt, and proceeded to untie the ribbon. Taking in the exquisite wrapping job, Addison was sure that Alex was not the one who had wrapped this gift. When she finally got the paper off, Addison found a small, unmarked, white box.
"You have to open the lid," Alex sounded like a little kid, excited to see what was in the box.
Addison pulled the lid off and found the box filled with tissue paper. She carefully removed each crunched up piece of paper until she found an even smaller box within the first, except this one was a dark blue velvet jewelry box. Before she could open the second box, Alex took it from her, opening it to reveal a simple emerald ring.
"I know we've only really been together for a few months, but we've talked about having a future together. I would love to marry you someday, but this isn't an engagement ring, unless you want it to be. This is a promise ring, promising that we will always be together. Addison, do you promise me that we will always be together?"
By now, Addison was tearing up as she said, "Yes, Alex, I promise that we will always be together. And I'd like this ring even more if it were an engagement ring." Somehow, Alex giving Addison a ring had led to Addison sort of proposing to Alex.
Alex slipped the ring onto her left hand as he kissed her, "I'd love for it to be an engagement ring, too."
Pulling away from Alex's lips, Addison whispered, "We're engaged. I think Evelyn likes that we're engaged, she's going crazy in there." Addison placed Alex's hand on her stomach where their daughter had been practicing for the soccer team.
Arizona and Callie were just walking up to Mark and Lexie's door when Addison and Alex turned the corner, smiling and holding hands. "You two seem awfully happy this morning. I take it you enjoyed your night without Ella?" Callie said as Arizona knocked before opening the door.
"You could say that," Addison said before entering the apartment. Seeing Ella on the floor near the tree, Addison walked over and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Merry Christmas, sweetie."
Several hours later, Ella and Sophia had opened all of their presents and were playing with them on the floor while the adults sat with their partners on the couches. Sophia was confused as to what she was supposed to do with the wrapped boxes being placed in front of her until Ella showed her she needed to tear the paper and there was frequently toys in the boxes. "Ella is such a good big sister," Lexie said after watching the older girl show her younger sister how one of her new toys worked. "I hope she's that good with Bradyn." Hearing that the adults were talking about her, Ella put down her new doll and squeezed onto the couch between her father and Lexie.
"I'll be a really good sister to Bray. You know why?" Ella asked.
"Why's that, Ella-Bella?" Mark asked, pulling the girl into a hug.
"'Cuz I'm already a great big sister to Sophia and I'll know how to be an even better one to Bray." Sophia's limited vocabulary resulted in everyone having one syllable names, and she started calling the baby Bray; Ella heard it and thought it sounded cute and started calling him by it as well.
Alex couldn't help but share his thoughts on the conversation. "Since you're going to be an even greater big sister to Bradyn, does that mean you're going to be amazing with Evelyn?"
Ella scooted off the couch where she had been sitting and moved to sit on Alex's lap on the other couch. "Yep, I'm going to be an amazing big sister by the time Evelyn comes."
Addison rubbed her hand on her daughter's leg. "That you are."
"Is that a new ring, Mommy? I've never seen it before," Ella lifted Addison's hand to look at her ring.
"Yes it is. Alex gave it to me last night for Christmas. When he gave it to me, we decided to get married," Addison shared with the six-year-old, as well as everyone else in the room.
In the midst of everyone talking at once about the engagement, Sophia looked up from the pile of toys in front of her, clearly looking to see why everyone was suddenly much louder than they had been just a few minutes before. "Ella," she held up a toy to her older sister.
"I'm gonna go back to playing," Ella said as she took the toy and sat next to the one-year-old.