SiCela EstNoël
AnniKay

Sam/Mercedes/Puck

Disclaimer: I own Nothing…Murphy, Falchuk, and Brennen along with Fox and others own this fandom and all the characters there in…Anything you recognize obviously belongs to them

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Summary: Winter Break for the College Sophomores of the Learning French Series.
A time to reconnect with family and friends.

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Puck PoV

Hosting a family holiday was every bit as crazy and fucked up as Hollywood made it seem on TV and in the movies. There were a lot details involved in that shit. We did luck out on our family and friends though they were all cool with helping us with getting all that shit done. We lucked out in a couple of other ways too. The first of which turned out to be the whole extra table situation. There had always been two party rental places in Lima…the one Moms D used and the other one. Well, after an inescapable teeth cleaning and whitening session with the Doctors Jones, DDS and OS for us and Nikki… Moms D and Hell Bent take their responsibility to our teeth for sure serious. So Tuesday morning, they had the four of us in their office, taking care of business. When they were done with us, Cede took Nikki back to the house to get back to cooking while Sam and I went out in search of tables, the first place we stopped was Lowes. All they had were those plastic tables that broke way too easily. When we asked about more durable tables, the sales guy hipped us to the party rental place. He told us that the rental place was having an 'everything must go, going out of business' sale. We went over and they really were selling everything. We got six of the round tables, two long rectangular ones, the rolling rack thing that used to store and move those bitches, a hell of a lot of table clothes in a bunch of colors all for what we'd thought we would pay for three or four tables.

Granted, one look at the table clothes, and we knew exactly why Moms D never used that place and probably why it was going out of business. We bought them because they were too cheap to resist. But we knew that we would have to take them and see if even Patrick's laundry magic could save them. If not…no biggie, we paid two fifty each…literally two dollars and fifty cents for the same things we'd paid almost forty bucks a pop for online the night before. If Patrick could get them clean we'd send them back to Moms D and they would be available for future get togethers. When we got everything we needed from there, Mom had some more stuff we needed to get from the grocery store. Sam and me got our asses mobbed in Whole Foods. What should have been a quick stop had us there for almost an hour signing shit for people…way too many of whom I recognized.

One ones I was easily able to recognize was one of Sarah's classmates and she wanted me to sign her boob. "Tiffany Amber Morris, I'm going to tell your mother." I blurted before I could stop myself. "You are fourteen, you shouldn't be out here trying to show nobody your chest…and I know you're only fourteen because I took Sarah to your ninth birthday party on my bike right before I got my driver's license. Here." I signed a piece of receipt paper the cashiers had been nice enough to provide for those who couldn't come up with anything else. "Now carry your fast tail home. I'm gonna tell Sarah you said hello and pretend like you didn't just do that."

Of course, with my luck, somebody had their phone on recording it. They posted that shit on Youtube. It had like two hundred and fifty thousand views before me and Sam even made it home. I'd have thought I'd have lost any possible street cred, but apparently people loved how into fatherhood I'd gotten. When we got home, the whole family had already seen it. The moms, from Angel Mom on up to Me Maw Rose and Grandma Mae found it hilarious. The dads though…the dads understood. They were with me on that one. Soon as we walked into the house, all four of the bros took the tables and shit off our hands. It took them two trips in the elevator, but they were cool with it so, so were we. Then Dev and Kev managed to talk me, Sam and Jake into going with them to get their gifts for Tonya and Patrice. Apparently with getting their shit together and defending dissertations and everything…they hadn't managed to go anywhere without their wives so they could surprise them with their Christmas gifts.

"What about jewelry?" Jake asked. "I mean, Trice loves the bling…and she's about to start a new job. Probably she would love to walk in her first day showing all those people that she is the new HBIC…in an understated and classy way, of course. A sparkly pair of diamond earrings should definitely, but subtly, say brand new, future boss."

"Yeah, but we're trying to save. I'm not supposed to spend more than two fifty to three hundred. She already has a nice pair of studs. She really wants a diamond tennis bracelet…but I can't get her some cheap bit of nothing. You know good and well I don't roll like that." Kevon grumbled.

I shook my head. "Look we got you. You spend what you're allowed to spend…then we'll pay for the rest. You can hit us back later when she stops paying attention." I offered.

He looked like he wasn't going to accept. So Sam chimed in. "Dude…either we do it like that or me and Puck go in there show them your picture and give them a couple of grand to be used for whatever you want to buy. You know right now all that's in there are college kids, they will dick us all over if we do that."

Kev nodded. "Man, they would pocket that in a heartbeat." We all laughed. "Alright…but only if I can't find anything else." He finally agreed. One would think it would be easier to help a brother out than he made it.

I threw Dev a look. "You gonna be hard headed too?" I snarked.

Dev just put me in a head lock and gave me a noogie. I think it hurt him more than it did me. "You got some nerve calling anybody hard headed." He said after he stopped way quicker than he ever did when he first started giving me the damn things. "And damn, negro…grow some hair…your stubble just cut my hand up."

"Your sister likes it like this." I argued pulling away. As we passed Victoria Secret's, I had a thought. "Yo Jakie…this place still have a Fredericks?"

"Yeah, I think so." He returned. "I haven't heard that anything closed here…and Reggie would know. She loves this place. She's probably somewhere up in this piece as we speak."

"Sweet. You guys go ahead and start looking at tennis bracelets. Me and Sam…we're gonna go get ourselves a little something from Fredericks." I grinned lecherously.

Dev and Kev exchanged disgusted looks. They really hated thinking about us dicking down our woman. I got it. I'd had issues with Harding for the same thing when he was with Tessa. "Didn't think they had anything in your sizes, bro." Jake taunted. "Go…I'll keep the elders from thinking about the two of you debauching Cede…I can give you ten, maybe fifteen minutes."

"Cool. Here's my card if Kev finds something awesome and we aren't back. You're an authorized user on that account, so just sign your name."

"Why I ain't got a card then?" Jake huffed.

I rolled my eyes. "You'll get it…when you get your first college acceptance letter and not a second before." I said bossily. "Fuck all if I'm putting a ten grand credit limit in your hand without you having done something major to earn that shit. Tessa don't have hers yet either."

We made good use of that fifteen minutes, and maybe an extra five. They had eight teddies in her size …fifteen if you counted the color variations. We got our Sexy Mama every single one. We got her a couple of really hot baby doll nighties and a longer, fifties movie nightgown and robe set. As we were walking back towards Kay's with our goodies in hand we noticed that there were a whole lot of rent-a-cops and shit outside the store. They tried to tell us they couldn't go in, but when I looked in the window and saw one of them muthafuckas had their hands on my brother…I may have punched the dick head that tried to stop me and went the fuck on in.

"Sir. Sir…we have a situation here. The store is on lock down. You cannot just come in." The security guard that had Jake pressed against the display case shouted. His 'partner' had Kev and Dev backed up across the store holding them at gun point. I was pissed as fuck.

Before I could say a word. Officer Brannigan and a police chick came in. "What is the problem?" Brannigan asked after waving at me and Sam in recognition. "What did Puckerman do this time?"

"This zebra here and the two niggers over there tried to run a credit card scam, Officer." The bastard said.

"Brannigan, if you don't get that racist muthafucker off my brothers, I'm 'bout to fuck that punk bitch up like I did his friend outside." I said honest as hell.

Sam wasn't even playing either. He had his phone out and he was recording for real. "Officer Brannigan…nice to see you again. Please do all of us a favor and arrest Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum before Benton and Ethan get down here."

"You can let the kid up." Officer Brannigan said trying to diffuse the situation. "And Rodgers, put that gun away. Those two are my dentists' kids. They aren't criminals. Hell, you've got more of a record than either one of them. And I'm going to report you both for the use of pejorative language…you two idiots wonder why you can't get on the force."

"Look, Officer Brannigan? You can't just come in here and release our perps. They were caught in the commission of a crime." Dickhead number two spoke for the first time.

Police chick spoke up. "What crime?"

"They were trying to make a large purchase with a credit card that doesn't belong to them." Asshole number one doubled down.

"And how do you know it isn't theirs?" she asked easily.

"The name on the card is Noah Puckerman." The dumbass sales clerk said poking his head out from the back. "I've seen all KAMA's videos, none of those black guys are Noah Puckerman."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and that guy on the counter…the one who had the card is his brother. Did you not notice that other than the color of his skin…the two of them look just a damn like?"

"In point of fact, not only is he my brother…he is a signatory on that account. He has every right to use that fucking card. Didn't even check that shit out, did you? Now bring your cowardly ass out from back there so I can put my foot up your ass too." I shouted.

In the next few, tense as hell minutes, three things happened that made the situation unescapably bad…for those three. In walked the store manager, Benton Jones and Ethan Harris. "Get that muthafuckin' gun out my muthafuckin' sons' faces and let my boy off that counter or I will break both y'all muthafuckin' asses in muthafuckin' half." Benton roared. I swear. I was on his side and I damn near pissed myself.

Ethan wasn't any less angry. But rather than being loud in his anger, he got scary angry. He quickly assessed the situation. "Jake, you okay?"

"Arm's getting messed up Mr. Ethan. If I can't play next fall Coach is gonna destroy whatever Benton leaves over." Jake admitted.

Brannigan had enough. "Rodgers, put it away. Look at you know that you know you fucked up, your hand is shaking. Put it away…because if you accidentally pull that trigger, I'm going to let Dr. Jones beat your ass for a while before I pull him off of you." When dildostain number two still didn't put his gun away, Brannigan gave him a final chance. "Now, your partner is walking out of here in cuffs…right now you aren't…but that will change if you don't put your side arm away."

Both rent-a-cops finally stepped back. As soon as that asshole released Jake, me and Sam were over to him, checking him over in a split second. True to his word, Brannigan started to Mirandize the security guard that had been hurting Jake. "What are you arresting me for?" he tried to brazen it out.

"Aggravated assault…Puckerman…the younger one…are you under eighteen?"

"Yes sir." He stated cautiously.

"Oh good, that almost doubles the possible sentence. Hey Blakely…since he used the N-word…think we can get him under the Ohio hate crimes statute?"

"I say we give it a try. Anything we can do to the clerk who started all of this with his basically false report?" she threw out giving the punk bitch a side eye. Despite the fact that she looked more like Que than Cede or Tana, she gave damn near their level of side eye.

Brannigan shook his head. "No…technically he can just claim he didn't know it was false. Though all he had to do was ask the kid for his ID and none of this would have happened."

The store manager apparently agreed. "He no longer has a job here. And he will not work for another Kay Jewelers in this state…country if I can manage it. We here at Kay do not agree with racial profiling of this manner. As you said…all he had to do was his job and none of this would have happened. Please accept my sincerest apologies for this. I can only authorize twenty-five percent off your purchase…but I will definitely do so." He said all the right things, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't mean a single word he had just said.

I shook my head. "Naw. Thanks but no thanks…because at the end of the day, you hired someone like that. We'll take our business down to the Macy's jewelry department."

"Gentlemen, can you guys come to the station after you finish over there and give your statements?" Officer Blakely asked us.

"Yes Ma'am. We'll be there in a little while." Sam said quietly as we gathered our bags and grabbed the credit card the manager had taken from the punk bitch clerk and given back to us. As we left the store, he turned to the rest of us. "Every woman in that house is gonna open a box with something shiny in it Christmas morning. On our way out of this mall…we're going to stop by and show that manager what his clerk and those dumbasses cost him. I've already got the video to Darcy. I want this bitch closed down and the mall to fire that whole security company. Nobody messes with our family and thinks they can just get away with it."

He stormed off to the department store looking hot as fuck. I just cosigned it and joined him. By the time we left, even I thought that our revenge shopping may have been excessive. Patrice's tennis bracelet morphed from a simple half carat tennis bracelet of diamonds in silver to a three carat diamond bracelet in white gold. And she ended up with diamond round cluster pendant necklace just because Sammy Boy was pissed. It went on like that for a hot minute. We dropped so much we had break out the fucking black card. Shit, Jake even got his girl something and he hadn't planned on getting her more than he'd already had wrapped under his tree. I let him use the same card I'd handed him earlier. The chick checked something on the computer, asked for his ID…boom he was golden. Just like he should have been at Kay's. When we were done…true to his word, Sam walked back into Kay's and slapped the long ass receipt on the counter. "This is what your clerk just cost this store…just this one. But don't worry, we already put the word out online. Something makes me think the whole damn chain will suffer for the fact that you hired a prick and the mall uses a security company full of bigots. Remember that."

It took us an hour and half at the police station. By the time we got home I was pissed again. Mainly because I was hungry, but also because the police chick -not Blakely, some new broad that had joined them to take our statements- she kept asking us why we didn't all just stay together…like that shit made any difference. Finally, I looked her dead in her face and said, "because we didn't have to. This is the United States of Muthafucking America…Sam and I shouldn't have to stay with our brothers to act as their shield against bigotry and prejudice. Fuck that noise. Women shouldn't have to step out their houses looking like nuns to avoid being raped and black men shouldn't have to have an approved white person with them to avoid bullshit like what happened today." I looked over at Brannigan, "We done?"

"Yes. We're done…thank you guys for coming in and giving your statements. Hearing how everything went down, the Captain is probably going to have us bring in Rodgers and charge him with a couple of things too. We're going to make sure these charges stick. We want to prove to the world that you weren't lying when you said the Lima PD was full of good cops." He said and saw us out…after getting an autograph 'for his sister'.

Thankfully, the ladies had saved us all some dinner and even Bubbie hadn't minded holding the menorah lighting for us given the circumstances. That night Dev, Kev and Jake were checked over by every single one of our family members. Mercedes was weeping and cussing as she looked them over. Someone had managed to talk her down from her immediate reaction. She'd been ready to fight. Her hair was pulled back and wrapped into a bun. Her face was glistening in what had to be Vaseline. She didn't have on a single piece of jewelry, not even her engagement ring, and she was wearing shoes. I quickly learned that she and Saul had wanted to go down to the mall and beat the ass of the security guard that didn't hadn't immediately been arrested. Nikki, after she checked me over, she spent the whole rest of the evening checking over Jake, Dev and Kev…but most especially her Uncle Jake. Nikki had them sitting on the big couch where she could keep her eye on them.

I sat down next to them. "Jake…I'm…shit, I'm sorry kid. You too, Dev…Kev."

They all gave me quelling looks. "Stop with that bullshit, Noah. None of what went down today was your fault. You look at the three of us and see your brothers. That cashier just looked at us and just saw three brothers. You cannot and shouldn't take the blame for that."

"Yeah, you'll note there was no trouble at Macys…it went down just like it was supposed to." Jake cosigned.

Devon looked real serious. "You cannot internalize their garbage. Have you ever seen color, and I don't mean that pretentious way they talk about when they are trying to prove they aren't racist? I know that you see that people have different color skin, but do you let it affect how you treat them? I doubt it. I've never seen you behave like that. You may not have ever had elevated sensibilities…but when you looked at females, you didn't see them as less or more because of the color of their skin…you saw a broad you wanted to sex or you didn't. You see guys you're cool with or guy you aren't. So don't apologize for bigotry that isn't yours. Just don't ever stop standing up and calling others out on that bullshit."

While we were talking, word had gotten around the crew and everyone was checking in on them. Shit, Chase drove all the way over. I didn't even know she knew where our house was. But she held Jake down…and she told Coach Sylvester. Turned out the punk bitch store clerk was a former Cheerio. Sue Sylvester was not happy. He was blackballed before he woke up the next morning. There was no way he was getting another job in Lima. Turned out that we had another connection in the whole messed up situation. Don Motta owned the security firm through one of his many umbrella-slash-shadow corporations. Before we even made it to bed, he had fired both the security guards, the supervisor that hired and trained them and instituted a new policy that any bigotry or racial profiling was grounds for immediately dismissal. Mr. Motta was pretty awesome about the whole thing. Since we knew that he wasn't racist we stopped calling for the mall to end their contract with that security company. Some people online felt some kind of way about that. Until we pointed out that Sugar's dad had moved swiftly and decisively to show that he did not condone nor agree with the actions those security guards had taken nor the underlying causes for those actions.

Mercedes made love to me and Sam like we'd been the ones in danger or something. I had to keep it one hundred though, when she was undulating between me and Sam screaming out the pleasure we were giving her to the heavens, I finally felt peace return to my soul. We went and took a shower and since I'd busted off in Cede's ass bareback and Sam had repaid the favor…so we tried out the bidet. That was some wild shit. We held our woman between us, offering her comfort and reminding here that here beloved brothers were all safe and sound and that we were as well. The next morning, Cede put it on us again before she grabbed a shower and threw on some active wear. She was in charge in the Kitchen and she was at home in her new home. When me and Sam finally got up, it was definitely a sight to behold.

Christmas Eve was a flurry of wrapping shit and doing whatever we were told to do. It wasn't until like the next day that I realized that if Mercedes or one of the moms needed something done in the basement, they sent Devon or Kev or Ethan. But they still found more than enough work for us. Plus, we had to sneak around and wrap all the last minute gifts we'd bought since we got to Ohio, like the five carat diamond and white gold hoop earrings that we'd gotten Sexy Mama as part of Sam's revenge shopping the day before. All the Fredericks stuff went into a big ass gift bag and we hid that bitch in our room. No way were we letting Cede open that around her dad, brothers…or uncles. They liked us and we wanted to keep it that way. Christmas Eve was also the last night of Hanukkah so we had the Jones traditional Japanese dinner then we said the blessings and lit the menorah. The timing was perfect for everyone to get some pajamas. So that was what we gave them all. Patrick had washed them before we wrapped them, so they were ready for immediate use.

Mercedes had gone shopping for the Christmas Eve pajamas with Kurt, and together they'd really gone more than a little cray-cray on the pj thing. Once everyone was showered, Cede and Nikki were decked out in matching blush pink silk pajamas. Me and Sam were in matching, Ward Cleaver looking sets. But Tonya and Devon's took the 'I'm surprised they willingly wore those' cake. His looked like a Next Generation uniform, and her's was a night shirt made to look like the old sixties' show women's uniform. It was great. Thankfully during our shopping on Monday, Cede had picked up some pjs for Bryant, Nadia, Daniel, Riker and Melliscent too. We were all set. Of course, once we put Nikki to bed, we stripped the mommy-jamas off Mercedes and made our BabyGirl give us a fashion show of the new stuff from Fredericks. That led to shower sex…then we got back on our parental pajamas and went to bed.

The guy from the Mercedes dealership came through for real. They delivered the car at like ten thirty. And, yes, it had the big ass bow on the roof. Dude guy was even right about the silver. It looked perfect. Hudson and Bubbie handled the delivery and even moved the Tahoe into the courtyard and put the sedan into its bay. They were totally awesome. I was glad that Sam's revenge shopping had ended up with a pair of halo cluster one carat diamond stud earrings for Bubbie and a cute pair of blue and green diamond flower earrings for Hudson. It made me feel good that they would know we appreciated all they did for us.

Christmas morning came very early when there were children in your house. Thankfully, all the children seemed to understand that we'd open gifts only when everyone was together…and yeah I was including Sam, Tonya and Patrice in the children. Everybody got up and handled their morning ablutions. By the time the rest of the family got there, someone had gotten coffee and hot chocolate together for all, like ninety of us. Moms D and Benton had to drive both their cars, so did Angel Mom and Sander to get all the kids back here. EJ and Avery had been loving being with Double A&S but you could tell that they were happy to see Ethan and Amanda on Christmas morning. All the kids were still in their pajamas, just bundled up against the winter cold. We all pitched in getting them all divested of their coats, hats, scarves and gloves. Jake, Saul and Mills got there just as we finished hanging all the coats up. We had to give them a hand…there were a shit ton of trikes and bikes being hidden at Jake's place. That was super smart of the parents.

The moms had brought the gifts they had kept under their trees too so that we could all open everything together. With so many people, it was soon decided that we'd divide the gifts into individual piles and then everyone would open one…and we'd do it until we were satisfied with the numbers of pictures taken and got to work opening things for real. The grandmothers and Uncle Bryant were tapped to play Santa, while we grown kids were their legs. It actually didn't take very long. Only the little kids had massive piles in front of them…but no one had a small pile at all. Even Hudson cleaned up. Sloane was the first to get to shred some paper. The first thing he opened was a rolling Spiderman backpack that Jake had gotten for him. Mara ripped into the Leapfrog Epic that we'd gotten for her. Then Maea tore open a packet of like seven Disney books that Bubbie had wrapped all together. You'd have thought they each opened the bestest gift in the history of gift giving…I loved watching sweet little kids get gifts.

Nikki went next. She was the first of the kids who were able to really get in to her gifts all by herself. Well, Beth would have been to, but she was spending Christmas with her Mom, Papi, Mommy, Aunt Frannie and Papi's family. We had put all her gifts to the side to open when she was with us the next day. The first thing Nikki opened was actually the last thing that had gone under the tree. Inside the small box, she found a pretty little white gold snowflake necklace with diamond accents. Stacey was the next one up. She'd told me that she was really excited because that would be the first Christmas that she would get big girl gifts. And the very first one she opened was a Surface Pro3 that Bubbie, Saul and Mills gave her. She squealed like…well like a kid on Christmas. It was awesome. Of course, when Stevie realized that his box from Bubbie, Saul and Mills looked just like hers, he opened his Pro3 too. Sarah…she went a different route. She found the little box that said it was from Santa…like Nikki's had…the only box in Sarah's whole stash that had that particular name on it. Inside she found a pair of two row J-hoop earrings that were small enough that she'd even be able to wear them to school with her Cheerio uniform that when she hit high school. Melliscent got to open a box next. That smart little cookie opened the box from her father next. Inside was a set of car keys. She was the proud new owner of a 2015 Volkswagen Golf. She freaked the hell out. I think by the time she finished her celebrating, she'd kissed every person in the room.

Mercedes shook her head. "Rookie mistake…never start with the parent gift…or the spouse if married…they are always the biggest." She teased her cousin. "How are you going to top that now, Mellie?"

Mellie didn't care at all. Tessa tried to listen Cede's advice…but the choice she made was just as bad. She grabbed the pretty card from Mercedes. She had to know if Mercedes wasn't giving her something that was wrapped. It must be something that she couldn't wrap. "Mercedes Antoinette Jones-Evans-Puckerman…tell me that I am crazy and you didn't just give me a two," she stuttered. "A two thousand dollar gift certificate to the Louboutin Boutique."

"Oh, yeah…I did." Cede said nonchalantly. "I'll take you when you come to the city for Spring Break."

If there were tears in Tessa's eyes…no one could blame her. Jake went the safe route. He opened the gift that was long and rectangular and read from me to him. He opened it to find a black Fender CD60CE Cutaway Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar. He was more than happy with it. The guitar he had learned on was a Sprawl-Mart special. The one I gave him that Christmas was a real rock star guitar. Fuck all if seeing the look on his face and the way he was petting it when he thought no one was looking wasn't worth the time and money of ordering the black special. Our guy at Sam Ash had been cool about rushing the order though for us. There were two more boxes just like that under the tree…one for Sarah from me and one for Stevie from Sam. Different colors…Sarah's was red and Stevie's looked a little bit country. Sammy-Boy was up next. He opened the gift he'd gotten from Moms D and Hell Bent. They hooked him up. He'd gotten a Taotaole multimedia mini portable projector and a copy of all Cede's pictures from birth to college in a cool brown leather album and uploaded to a digital desk frame. Our woman looked embarrassed as hell when we were thumbing through it. But I was hoping I got the same thing. And I did too…well not the portable projector, they gave me a black Harley-Davidson men's FXRG mid-weight leather jacket which went with the black leather of my Baby Cede Album.

Cede had gone with a sure fire hit. She'd opened the gift from her Grandma Mae and found a gorgeous Tiffany's Floral Vine rose bowl. "I know just where to put this." She smiled happily as she thanked her grandmother. I knew exactly where she wanted it. She was going to put it on the dresser in our brand new master bedroom. She said that it looked too bare, even with the TV above it.

Kevon and Patrice opened their gifts from Nikki, back to back. Our little girl had done good. I don't know if she had just gotten to know them so well at Thanksgiving, or if she was skyping with the family even more than we realized, but she got Kevon two-four game ticket bundles for the Atlanta Braves and she got Tricie a Free People Vegan Leather Motorcycle Jacket…not that Tricie rode motorcycles…but the jackets were very much on trend. Hudson was the next up. She opened her first gift, it was from Mom and George…but it was easy to tell that Mom had picked it out. Hudson lit up when she pulled out a white and pink Gucci 'Gerabloom' jacquard square silk scarf. It was so cute. Mercedes had told me and Sam that this would be the first family Christmas Hudson had had since she was really, really young. So it was great to see her basking in it. Devon opened his gift from Hudson to find a family membership for Fernbank Museum of Natural History. I think he and Kevon were in a competition for who could cheer their gifts loudest. Tonya's gift from Jake, Tessa, Sarah, Stevie, and Stacey was a combo gift from all of them to both her and Devon. They got the couple a fifteen hundred buck gift card for William Sonoma.

The adults were just as happy with their gifts was the kids had been. Sander and Gabby got some cool stuff. Sander got one too, but his favorite thing was the gift from Nikki and the twelve to eighteen year olds who had banded together to get the dads tickets to all four days and the preview night of Comic Con in San Diego…they would have to handle their own flight and hotel arrangements…but they had tickets to Comic Con. Sander was over the moon. Sam may have lost his dad to the young side of the force…but the mink jacket he'd gotten for Angel Mom was definitely the favorite thing she opened. Saul and Mills got tech and stuff that we knew they would love and find useful…or stuff for their house. Everyone gave Mom and George gifts that were really useful considering that she had completed her applications for the three med schools in decent distance from home. Mom's favorite gift had to be the year of Merry Maids service Saul and Mills gave her. The Bros and Brides, me, Cede and Sam all just wussed out on getting George something tangible…instead he ended up with an entire boat load of Lowe's gift cards. I did add in a really cool tool bag for him. Benton and Moms D loved the original framed Aaron Douglas illustration from James Weldon Johnson's God's Trombones that we'd found for them. It was worth a mint. But the look on Moms D face told me that we'd managed to beat the youngin's who were sending the moms to Eaglewood Spa while the dads were at Comic Con. Well, for one night…the moms would have to fork out for the rest of the weekend…but it was all the kids could afford.

Bubbie got a metric shit ton of crystal and jewelry plus a day at Elizabeth Arden and a real crocodile handbag. But the piece de resistance for her…was the fact that the whole family was flying back to New York when she, Saul and Mills went back because Benton and Moms D had arranged a family photo shoot with some big league Manhattan family portrait taker. Me Maw had a thing for Dooney and Burke and Coach purses…she racked up on those bad boys…plus a Prada and a Gucci. Grandma Mae…she was a rare woman. She didn't want stuff. She wanted the chance to shop for herself. So everyone…everyone got her gift cards. She got a lot of them for Macys and Target…both of which she lived near. But she also got them for places like Amazon and a few other online places. The only real gift gift she got was the pair of Le Vian Chocolatier Diamond X-earrings she got from Santa. She loved them.

It took a while for me to start getting antsy. I was really enjoying watching everyone open their gifts. I made it through like three or four rounds…but there were a lot of us and finally, I couldn't wait anymore. "Alright…is it Cede's turn again?" I asked damn near bouncing in my seat. Sam had just lost his mind over the first edition Walking Dead 1A CGC 9.9 and Captain America Comics #1 CGC 7.5 comic books we'd gotten for him. He was SERIOUSLY in love with us after opening those bad boys. I couldn't lie…I was sitting there petting the Fender Telecaster Guitar autographed by Bruce Springsteen that Sam had gotten for me.

"You first." Cede said grabbing my hand and pulling me up off the floor. "Come on." She said excitedly. She dragged me to the stairs and down into the basement. It wasn't until that moment that I realized that other than taking the private stairs into the exercise room, I hadn't been down there since the house tour. I'd noted the air hockey table and the awesome wooden card table and the Pac-Man arcade game…but something new was sitting in the game area.

"I love you Cede…and I want you to know that I love that…Wow. Mario Kart GP DX Arcade Upright Racing Game Machine over there. So much so that tonight, I'm going to send Mellisant up to sleep in Beth's bed so I can bend you over it and thank you properly. Oh my damn…I love it. But I cannot wait for you to see what me and Sam got you." I told her honestly.

"So, the fabulous diamond hoop earrings weren't it?" She teased. We had, technically, agreed to only get each other one gift that crossed the thousand dollar threshold. We'd been very good about that until extenuating circumstances reared their ugly head.

"Those were from Santa, Mercy." Sam said as he joined me in dragging Mercedes back up the stairs, down the hallway that ran parallel along the house to the door to the first garage bay. Sam and I stopped before we opened the door. "Close your eyes, Darlin'." He whispered.

We led her down the two little steps into the garage and around Devon's SUV. "Open them up, BabyGirl." I whispered against her ear. Her shiver made me almost as horny as I was happy.

"Holy shitake on a big ass cracker." She muttered as she saw her car for the first time. Hudson slipped me the keys and I put them in Mercedes hot little hands. "Is that for me?"

"Oh yeah, Darlin', she is all yours." Sam agreed.

Mercedes' scream of happiness was way shriller than her usual screams of pleasure…which was probably a good thing. She hopped up and actually got high enough without help to wrap her thick thighs around my waist. I was shocked as hell. Then I was horny as hell when she laid one on me so deep and sweet and long that I almost forgot there were children present. I was too far gone to give a damn about the adults. Before I could get any closer to trouble, she hopped down to lay one just as hot on Sam's mouth. EJ found that to be pretty gross and let everybody know it. Good thing he did, or Cede may not have stopped. When she finished turning Sam into one big walking raging hard on…to match me…our wife hopped down and ran over to her new car and oohed and awed over the seats and the wheels and the pretty color and basically everything. She only got a few minutes to kvell…because as EJ and Nikki were quick to point out, there were still more presents inside.

By the time we got through all the gifts, it was like ten, and we'd started barely a little after seven. It was great though. Everyone loved their gifts. Devon, Kevon, Tonya and Tricie were promising us things like their firstborns and their organs if we ever needed them. When they opened the packet of papers that gave each couple the ownership of neighboring twelve hundred and sixty four square foot townhomes near shopping and Tonya's job. Tricie full on cried and I think even Devon sprung an eye leak. Suffice it to say they liked their gifts even if they were combo and couple gifts. We felt like heroes. The guys took clean up duty while the non-cooking females, like Nadia and Mills, handled organizing the gifts for transport and watched over the kids as they played.

Other than the Bros and Brides, Nadia had been the only one who could argue that their gift topped Mercedes' Mercedes. At least according to a conversation I overheard the grandmoms having. Bryant had proposed to Nadia with a three carat IdealMark diamond solitaire, platinum ring. She'd said yes. So no one was surprised when they disappeared after the living room was cleaned up and the kids were playing in the den. Once everything was either in one of the ovens or reheating in the warming drawer or something, Melliscent and Sarah were tasked with setting the dining room table. Stevie and Stacey got put to work setting the banquette in the nook while the manly men cleared the great room floor, put up the tables and covered them with the brand new, but freshly laundered table clothes for the four table setters to tackle, we were all sent to the showers.

Oh yeah, that shower was fucking epic. Sexy Mama was giving zero fucks about her weave. She had me and Sam sit on the bench and then she proceeded to wreck us first with her beautiful fucking mouth and pretty little hands and big gorgeous tits; then again when she bounced the most perfect cunt in the world up and down on our cocks…bare back, before she went for the coup de grace and let us take turns hammering her ass until we were totally wrung out and I was pretty sure that I had seen God. We could have used a nap for serious after the loving she laid on us. Heck, even though it was her thank you to us…she'd enjoyed it every bit as much as we had. We managed to get clean, moisturize Cede, and us as she wasn't one for dry skin on her lovers, and help our woman get to her vanity so she could do something with the wet, waist length fall of her hair. The me and Sam headed into our walk in closet to get dressed. looking around, the three sides of the closet had seemed to naturally be assigned, Sam and I each had one of the shorter sides, while Mercedes clothes filled the longer. Her shoes and other accessories were perfectly at home in their spots. I grabbed a pair of dark olive slacks and a cream colored sweater and took them into the bedroom. In seconds I had cream colored boxers on and got dressed, as if I'd been getting dressed in that particular room for years not days.

I looked over at Sam who was just as quick, efficient and confident in his movements. "This room already feels like home doesn't it?"

He nodded. "Whole, big ass house does really." He admitted. "Umm…have you noticed anything funny about the water though?"

"You mean how the hot water never runs out?" I shot back.

Mercedes comes in looking irresistible in a pretty 'peasant' dress that had blue as the predominant color I could pick out among the multitude in the pattern and a pair of brown wedges. Her hair had been French braided back, which almost threw me for a loop, she very rarely wore her hair back, but I guess it was easier than drying it. "I saw two big ass water heaters in the storage room…plus another on the second floor in the furnace room up there. Maybe that is why. Or maybe magic is actually real and it's like Hogwarts. George's plumber is a wizard etched runes in the hot water pipes so we never run out."

"I don't know…" I said honestly, chiming back in before Sam could come up with an even more outlandish theory. "I'd maybe think that if we were the only ones showering when we started that might be it…but. Aw fuck it. Remind me to ask George." I said giving up on the puzzle. "You just put it on me and I'm starving."

Cede laughed. "Yes, and there is the fact that people were supposed to start getting here oh, about forty-five minutes ago."

So, of course, when we entered the rec room, where everyone was gathered because the great room had just become extra dining room, everyone was already there. Yup…Tonya's parents, Tricie's family, Sugar, her dad and Sue and little Jeanie, Coach Bieste and her boyfriend Marc…all our people…thankfully, they didn't tease us too much. Everyone got in one good dig then they let the subject rest. And best of all it was time to eat. We got the kids settled in the breakfast nook, before we all took seats pretty much wherever we wanted. Sam and I ended up at the heads of the dining room table with Mercedes half way between us on the side across from the buffet there was laughter and food and George told us all about why the hot water never seemed to run out. Devon and Kevon were telling their in-laws all about their new homes in Atlanta. The food was freaking amazing. My Babygirl did her thing. She even had Nikki in the kitchen with her a few times showing her how to do some simple things. I saw Moms D, watching them at one point with tears of pride in her eyes. It was a beautiful sight. All our friends were laughing and talking and having a great time. It was a truly amazing holiday, one of the best I'd ever had.

After everyone had had dessert, helped put away the left overs, helped start the dishes and wash the table linens…we were finally able to turn the great room back into a great room. We played board games then sent everyone on their way when the kids started drooping. After Nikki had her bath, we read her a chapter of one of her new books. I wasn't sure she was old enough for Hunger Games, and kids' books were getting way too damn dark. I mean, hadn't people changed Grimm's fairy tales because they were scary? What about a dystopic society that makes their kids into blood sport seemed like a good idea for a line of kids' books? Once we got her all tucked in we showered and got our happy asses into bed ourselves.

While we were watching TV, a thought came to me that I hadn't let myself dwell on earlier. I'd noticed that Mercedes kept looking at her new earrings and fiddling with the key to her new car and smiling in a weird way all day. "Did we not get you good gifts?" I asked hating that I sounded insecure.

Sam sat up in alarm from where he was reclining on the other side of the bed. Cede was quick to soothe both of us. "No, I love them both…but I feel like you guys did so much for me and all I got you were a comic book and a video game."

"Dude…a damn near mint condition, first edition Captain America number one…is not just a comic book. That is the most awesome comic book anyone has ever owned." Sam disagreed.

I couldn't help but smile. "And you got me my favorite video game…I love Mario Kart…and I can play it like an arcade for free. I love it."

"Yeah, but I couldn't think of anything else to get you and I was already feeling like a failure as a wife since Sam's gift cost more than yours. Then you two go and get me gifts that cost more than double what I spent total on both of you." She sighed. "I love my gifts…I'm just feeling like I failed to show you each how much I love you. Even more than that, I know that I have to …" Cede struggled to find the right words for her next thought, only to give up and say, "you know what…never mind. I just want to do right by you."

"That's pretty much how I felt when you two got my ass a fucking Harley." I told her honestly. "I love my Harley…but that was in no way equitable to the whole lot of nothing I got you two for your birthday."

"Umm, Noah…we barely remembered our birthday this year." Sam pointed out. None of us needed reminding why our thoughts had been otherwise occupied that weekend.

"I owed you both one…that's why your Christmas gifts were so boss." I replied.

Mercedes got so quiet I thought she'd fallen asleep. Then suddenly she blurted out. "I don't care. I feel schlubby…tomorrow, I'm buying Sam a new pickup truck and Noah…you're getting a tricked out Dodge Charger. That should show and prove."

"Who do you feel the need to show and prove to?" Sam asked quietly. "We know how much you love us."

"I really do love you more than words could ever express." She whispered drowsily. Our soft, sweet smelling wonderful woman snuggled down between us and was out before either of us could reply.

Sam and I kissed each other good night over her and followed her into dreamland. I could honestly say that there was nothing but peace in my soul.

Ethan PoV

Spending Christmas in Lima was a pretty great tradition that I hadn't engaged in in way too long. It was different than before because of Benz and her princes putting a lot of us up in their big ass, brand new house and Dani kidnapping our kids. me and Amanda were able to make love every night without us having to get up and put on pajamas or anything afterwards to protect little eyes that might make their way into our room. It was better than any other gift we got that holiday and considering that 'Santa' had gotten her a five carat blue and white topaz with Le Vian chocolate diamonds set in white gold Necklace in addition to the four stone platinum bangle bracelet with all of our birthstones, expandable just in case, that I'd gotten her from Jared's before we left the city. My beautiful wife did me right too. She gave me a top of the line Lenovo laptop and a platinum Rolex…a real one. One I'd been needing for a while, the other I'd been dreaming of owning for a very long time. The days before the holiday had been rather full themselves. I'd met with Antwan and we'd gone over our progress in stopping Fox News from harassing Benzie and her husbands. We'd also had a chance to meet with Finn Hudson, Lauren Zizes and their parents.

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today." I started. "Right, I'll just cut to the chase, I received the paperwork with the court date for your civil trial. I've already put in the paperwork to push the February date you were originally given back to May. I'm trying for the week after your exams." I told them honestly. "I've also put for a motion for the current judge assigned to the case to recuse himself from hearing it. I found out that he was a golfing buddy of the defendant's father and donated heavily to both of his County Commissioner candidacies. Judge Ryan should have pulled himself off the case as soon as it hit his docket, that he didn't is cause for him to end up before the judicial review committee."

"So he did it on purpose; set the date in the middle of the semester?" Carole asked astutely.

I nodded but it was Antwan that gave them a verbal answer. "Probably. It could have been an effective power play. Set the time so that no matter what, Finn and Lauren will have a distraction. The thoughts in the back of their minds wondering if they are missing something important in their classes. The wonder of how missing a week or more of classes will affect their GPAs." He reasoned.

"Is there anything we need to worry about?" Burt asked reasonably. "What do we need to do to make this go smoothly?"

"Yes." Ben cosigned. "We want that bastard to pay through the nose. Prison is bad… but for a guy like that, paying tons of money to his victim would be even worse." The man certainly spoke the truth.

I laid it all out for them. "I know that your new shop will have only been open for a few months, but if you can both be there with them as much as possible. It will show the jury how treasured they are to you." I told Burt. He and Laura would actually have the hardest time being away from their jobs, but I knew that they would make it work. We went quickly over what was appropriate apparel. As they were both older and in the spotlight this go around, what they would need to wear and how they would need to comport themselves would be different than what they had worn to support Benz at the trial of that would be rapist…a trial I didn't even find out about until after the fact. They had certainly heard my opinion on that bullshit. I Shook off those thoughts and turned my attention back to the meeting I'd had with the Hudson and Zizes families. We talked about having as many of the young couple's friends, classmates and professors ready to testify as to what they meant to them. I'd spoken with both Coaches and they were very much ready to take the stand and tell about how the accident had affected Lauren and Finn's prospective sports careers. Antwan gave them a few other pointers as well. then we all exchanged holiday well wishes and I could return to just enjoying the time with my family.

When we flew back to New York on the twenty-seventh, we were carrying two extra suitcases of toys and gifts Adam and Avery had received. Getting all that home was a whole lot of not fun. Amanda and I had gotten a lot of gifts ourselves, but we managed to get them all into our regular luggage, without having to buy any more extras. It was very nice to be back in our own beds and having our children back under the same roof, even if we did have to go back to sleeping in pajamas. KAMA and their band were in the studio immediately upon returning to the city. They worked first on a song they had written for a Johnny Depp movie that was in the works. It was actually a demo, the first time they had really had to do a demo. All three of them considered a learning experience. They were under contract to do a song for the soundtrack, but had gotten little direction on what was wanted. The whole family went to Temple with Ruth and Saul Saturday night and then got up and went to the Methodist Church that the threesome and two of their tenants attended. Monday, after getting the paperwork to make sure that Devon and Kevon's houses belonged to them and their brides officially submitted, via fax and then also overnighted to the proper authorities in Fulton County; it was right back into the studio for the musicians. They were spending eight sessions working with a new Canadian producer named Kaytranada before returning to working with the same guys who had done the production on their first album.

They took of Tuesday to do a family portrait with their daughters, mothers, fathers, siblings, Bubbie, Saul and Mills. The interesting thing was that they were all wearing shades of blue. Bani and Dent had even arranged things so that they were able to have individual family portraits done as well. So the Joneses, the Altman-Puckermans, and yes that included Jake as well, the Evanses; then Benz, Seuss and Flood with their girls and the teachers and Flood's baby girl. As I heard it, the fun didn't stop there. All the couples got pictures. Then all the kids got pictures with their cousins and siblings, then just each group of siblings…and so on and do forth. When I talked to Bani, she told me that she was really happy that the package included all those extra shots, even if they were all wiped out and tired as hell at how long the session had lasted. Given how expensive the sitting fee and package had been, the length of the sitting had made her feel like they had really gotten their money's worth.

Late Tuesday evening, all of their friends joined them. I imagine that that brownstone was shaking on its foundations and full to the brim. Wednesday was New Year's Eve. For Benzie and her crew, the day was spent in various relaxation endeavors. Benz, Seuss and Floor, the old New Directions, their significant others, her brothers and their brides all spent the day together at Benz's favorite spa. While the youngun's were partying the night away at Provocateur, the rest of us came together and had a nice dinner at Saul and Mills house followed by a night filled with music and laughter and silliness. They had a couple of new board games plus a million classics so we all crouched around the game of our choice, except Monopoly…apparently there was a moratorium on that game around Saul, Ruth or Puck. That was smart. We didn't let Bani play if Bryant was there. It just led to fighting. Life was easier if we just kept that one on the shelf at certain times. We soon realized that Nikki was going to be every bit as much of a card shop as her Bubbie and Great Uncle Saul. She made Life her bitch and ruled Candyland like it was her own kingdom. That

By the time the family all returned to living their lives the following day, I was ready to see the back of them. It was time to get things back to what passed for normal. I loved my family but I was tired. I couldn't imagine how Commune had felt with hosting everyone in Lima then again in New York. God bless them every one.

You gave me exactly thirteen reviews for Chapter 2 so here you are right on schedule Chapter 3B. I would LOVE if I could get thirteen more reviews for Chapter 3 parts A&B Let me know what you loved, what you hated. Tell me who you want me to make sure i touch bases with in this story.

I love this universe. I hope that you're loving it to.

So basically what I'm saying is Feed Me Readers...Feed me all night long. (Yeah, I went to Little Shop of Horrors on you, LOL. I'm desperate)

Breaking News:

Rest In Peace Gene Wilder. I hope that you Gilda and Richard are making the afterlife ring with laughter.

TTFN,

Anni