I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.

Tara's Point of View-

After we decorated the cookies, we bundled up going to my car driving around town finding the normal neighborhoods to drive down looking at the numerous houses with lights on them nibbling on candy canes or cookies while sipping our hot chocolate.

"Why don't you hang lights on your house?" Alex asked.

"I don't have any spare ones and they'll tangle, Lord knows it'll take forever to untangle them." I said smirking looking back at him through the rearview mirror.

"Go to Wal-Mart right now, we are going to get some lights to hang."

"Alex, it's Christmas Eve, that'll be a nightmare." I said.

"No it won't, just go." Alex said.

"Who's driving this thing?" I asked as my mom was chuckling and Xavier was amused with the lights.

"Don't make me climb up there and do it." Alex threatened.

"You wouldn't." I said glancing back at him, he begun unbuckling his seat belt trying to maneuver his body into the front seat with me but I kept trying to push and nudge him back. "Fine, we'll go, just sit down and buckle up." I said as I did a U-Turn heading to the nearest Wal-Mart I knew of parking as close as I could which wasn't that close as we climbed out of the car walking into the store. "You okay?" I asked wrapping my arm around my mom's shoulders.

"Yeah, just drive safe and be careful on the way home." My mom said.

"We will…I'm here to protect you from these things." Alex said smiling as he grabbed my hand and held Xavier in his embrace as Xavier was held on Alex's hip and Xavier had his arms wrapped around Alex's neck. Xavier looked as if he was about to fall asleep at any moment but he was fighting it. "You tired buddy?" Alex asked.

"No…I want to…" Xavier said as a yawn came out, "Stay up for Santa." Xavier finished rubbing at his one eye knowing it was a sign he will fall fast asleep when we were in the store or the moment we put him in the car seat.

"Is it worth it Alex? Look at that line." I said seeing the long line of those that were doing last minute shopping that are trying to check out.

"Nah, let's get this little one home so Santa could come." Alex said as Xavier was yawning yet again as he zonked out when we put him into his car seat when we got back to my car. I pulled out of the parking lot driving home being as quiet as we could so we won't wake Xavier. When I pulled into the driveway, I woke Xavier up as we went inside where Xavier, Alex and I set out a plate of three cookies, celery and carrots along with a glass of milk for Santa before Alex went to tuck Xavier in for me.

"I'm going to bed, I know Xavier will be waking us up butt crack early." Mom said.

"Did Tara ever wake up early on Christmas?" Alex asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist resting his head on my shoulders.

"God yes, she was like clock work, every Christmas she was up at 6 AM, naps were always a given in our Christmas rituals." Mom said.

"Naps are awesome…6 AM was normal for our family as well." Alex said.

"Not us, we all love sleep." Mom said as she leant over kissing my cheek, "Night…" My mom said giving Alex a hug telling him good-night.

"Time to bring the gifts out…I'll go grab the first batch." I said as I went back to my room grabbing a few gifts that I could grab without getting anything to fall. I walked back down the hall seeing Xavier's door now open, I stopped in the hall looking in seeing Alex standing over Xavier's bed and his hand gently resting on my son's chest, it was adorable but yet I was curious at what he was doing. "What are you doing?" I whispered as I stepped into the room.

"Just checking to make sure he is still breathing." Alex whispered looking back at me before looking back to my son's sleeping body, I could see the slight red coming to his face.

"Is he?" I asked, it kind of melted my heart, it was a cute moment and it showed his real character.

"Yes." Alex said smirking as he walked out of the room following me out to the tree putting those under the tree before we went to grab the rest to put under the tree. "Shall I set these up?" Alex asked seeing the two that weren't wrapped.

"Yeah, lets try to set these up, I got a few bows to put on them." I said as we sat on the ground putting the toys together which took a lot longer than planned.

"Where am I to sleep?" Alex asked as I didn't think that through.

"Um…you could stay in my bed with me…BUT hands to yourself." I said as he smirked and he slithered his arms around my waist resting his hands on the arch of my back kissing me lightly.

"I'll try." He said smiling.

"You ready for bed?" I asked.

"First, we have to take care of those cookies and such." Alex said as we looked to the plate and glass on the tray.

"I'll put the vegetables back, do you want to split the cookies with me?" I asked, he nodded in agreement as we each grabbed a cookie, I put the vegetables up as Alex drunk the milk and we broke the third cookie in half eating it on the way back to my room.

"You want to change into your pajamas?" I asked as I turned around to shut my door behind me leaving just a crack in it.

"I usually sleep in my boxers." Alex said as I rolled my eyes going into the bathroom changing into my Tinker-Bell pajamas before walking out to see Alex laying on the bed under the covers already, his head propped up onto his hand that was resting on top of the one pillow flipping through the channels.

"Don't let me stop you from getting comfortable." I said putting my clothes aside before I climbed into the bed next to him.

"Tinker-Bell, really?"

"If you don't like it, do something about it." I joked as I slid down to lay my head against the pillow getting him to smirk, he found Family Guy and left it on that channel before I leant back turning the lamp off. Alex cuddled close to me wrapping his arms around me holding me tightly to his embrace and he put his other hand under his pillow finding the dinosaur he had given me.

"What the heck?" Alex asked looking at it, I covered half of my face from embarrassment.

"I used to sleep with it to feel comfortable and it's something to cuddle with since you weren't here."

"I could be here more often to cuddle with." Alex said smirking as he put the dinosaur between our pillows running his hand through my hair.

"Maybe I'll allow it."

"Maybe?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, depends on how you are tonight." I said as he ran his hand through my hair before he leant forward pressing his lips to mine.

"Does that help?" Alex asked smirking.

"A tad." I said smirking as I scooted closer to his embrace and he didn't seem to mind, I rested my head against his chest as he rested his chin against the top of my head as his arms tighten around my waist as we fell asleep.