*Author's Note*

Thank you for all the follows, faves, and reviews.

Trees and Christmas Eve

Jessa POV:

It was freezing out and it was snowing, but Shaw had all of us (including the babies) hiking our land in the winter elements in order to find the perfect Christmas tree. God, if I wasn't worried about the babies catching their death from a cold, I'd be laughing at this Griswold moment. Never in my life did I ever think I'd be hiking across acres and acres of land to help my fiancé and his siblings pick out a Christmas tree. Damn, I sure did miss tree lots right about now.

"How much longer do we gotta walk, Shaw? I'm cold and tired." Mary asked, her teething chattering as she hugged her arms around her chest in an attempt to get warm.

"Til we find a tree." Was the answer Shaw gave his sister as we continued to hike thru the snow.

"We just past hundreds of 'em on our trek, why couldn't ya just cut one and drag it home?" Todd asked, his voice getting hoarse from the cold winter elements.

"Those trees weren't good enough." Shaw told his brother before letting out a quick snap of, "Now, shut up you two and keep walking."

He's getting worked up over finding a tree? Oh god… Looking over at Shaw, I berated him with, "Shaw, don't snap at them. There's just cold and tired; they want to go home."

His teeth gritted a bit, whether from a chill or from being annoyed I wasn't sure. His boots crunched in the snow as he firmly stated, "We'll go home when we find a tree."

"The babies are freezing, maybe we should just cut down the next tree we come across?" I suggested, getting concerned for both Silas and Lydia's health. They were too young to be outside in the cold snowy weather for long periods of time. I didn't want sickly or dead babies for the holidays.

"The babies are fine, Jessa." He thinks so, but I know better. Silas and Lydia can't be out too much longer, it's too cold. I narrowed my indigo eyes at him, causing him to just shake his black Stetson covered head at me. "Now, everybody, stop bitchin' and moanin' so we can find our damn Christmas tree." Shaw snapped before marching ahead, towards a large cluster of trees.

"I'm not going along with this much longer. Either you cut one of those down or you'll be out here by yourself. I can't risk all the kids getting sick cause you're having a Christmas Vacation moment." I told my fiancé, putting my foot down on the matter at hand.

"Fine, I'll cut down that big one over there." Shaw sighed, pointing his ax towards a large tree, one that looked like it'd be a pain in the ass to drag home.

I nodded, letting him know that I was fine with the tree he was getting. "Todd, Mary, let's go home and get the decorations ready. Shaw'll be fine getting the tree by himself." I told the kids while Shaw started to make his way over to the tree he had to cut down. They were too tired and cold to say anything, they just nodded and turned around to start walking back in the direction we came from. I started to follow them, only to stop and look over my shoulder at Shaw. As he started to cut down the tree, I told him, "Next year you can get the tree yourself."

Allie POV:

"Is this tree bigger than last year's?" I asked Cap while he put the tree up in the stand as I stood nearby with our son on my hip and a large box of decorations at my feet.

"I dunno, I just went out back and cut down a tree." Cap told me, backing away from the tree and looking over how it set in the stand; making sure it wasn't lopsided or something.

"Well, I think it looks bigger." I smiled at Cap, causing him to smile back at me.

"Reckon so." My husband nodded. Clasping his hands together, he suggested, "Well, let's get this thing decorated."

"You decorate the high branches and I'll help Captain W. with the lower ones." I suggested since I thought that'd be the easiest way to get the tree decorated as a family.

"Sounds like a plan, darlin'." My husband smirked. He kissed me on the cheek before grabbing an ornament out of the box and going over to the tree to hang it up.

I was so lucky that my husband was so easy to geit along with. I can only imagine the headache Jessa's getting from Shaw over their tree. That man's a total dick, has to be in charge of everything, and my former best friend's foolishly choosing to stick by his side. If only she'd get her head out of her ass and listen to me.

I shook my head, clearing it, before crouching down and letting Captain W. pick out a decoration from the box I was by. "Oh, that's a red one." I told my son, smiling at him in approval as he showed me a red ribbon he picked out.

"Red." Captain W. simply said, causing my heart to swell with pride.

"He just said red." Cap smirked, making his way over to my side after hanging a burgundy yarn ball up on one of the highest tee branches he could find.

"He's a smart boy, just like his pa." I told my husband, standing up and making my way over to the tree so that our son could hang up his red ribbon.

Roseanna POV:

"Oh, Johnse, our very first Christmas tree. Isn't it lovely?" I softly smiled, lookin' 'tween my husband an' the tree we were decoratin' with ornaments made from fabric, yarn balls, and whittles wood.

"Not as lovely as you, my beautiful sweet darlin'." Johnse winked, hangin' a fabric star I made on a high branch.

A deep blush creeped ov'r my cheeks as I looked down at the ornament in my hand. Even tho we're married, his sweet words still make me blush. Truthfully, I've been nothin' but blushin' since I met him all 'em weeks 'go at election day.

"We've been married for a few weeks now, no need to still be shy 'round me." Johnse told me, bending down to grab a decoration out of the box that was 'tween us on the floor.

"I know, Johnse, but I just can't help it." I honestly told my husband, hangin' the burlap star up on a mid-high branch. "Ya know I ain't used t'sweet words yet."

Comin' up to my side, Johnse softly told me, "Ya better get used to them, my beautiful sweet darlin', cause I'm always gonna sweet talk ya from now til our dyin' day." He place his hand gently under my chin an' turned my face t'look up at him. He smiled lovin'ly 'fore pressin' a kiss to my lips.

Out of instinct, I wrapped my arms 'round Johnse's neck and pressed my lips into his. I felt him smirk 'gainst my lips and I just knew that he wanted more then just a kiss. Reckon we'll just have to finish decoratin' our tree later.

Nancy POV:

I was sittin' at the table makin' some cookie dough whenever the door opened up, followed by Abel draggin' in a tree. I didn't make nothin' of it, just continued makin' sugar cookie dough while he set the tree up in front of our front window, a few feet 'way from our bed might I add.

"So, what'd ya think?" Abel asked me as I gave the dough one last stir.

I put my spoon down on the table an' looked up only t'see the sorriest lookin' tree I've ever seen in my life. It looked like it had a whole in it or some missin' branches. The branches it did have weren't that full either. I arched a brow at my man while scoffin', "Out of all the trees ya could've got ya cut down this one?"

"Yea." Abel nodded with a smile on his handsome face. Upon seein' my unimpressed look, his smile faltered. "Why, what's wrong with it?"

Cockin' my head to the side, I deadpanned, "It's skimpy."

Abel chewed on his bottom lip as he let what I told him sink it. Lookin' 'tween me an' the tree he told me, "It's not skimpy, it's just small."

"Christmas trees are supposed to be full, Abel." I rolled my eyes, standing up and going over to the cabinet to grab the rolling pin, pan, an' cookie cutters from.

"We don't got a big enough cabin for a full tree, Nance. This one's fine for a one-room cabin." He told me, going over to the table and sittin' down at it.

I slammed the cabinet shut. Lookin' at him, I commanded, "Then maybe ya better start buildin' us somethin' bigger or add on more rooms.", as I made my way back to the table.

"Why?" Abel asked me as I placed my things on the table.

"Cause I don't wanna live in a shack forever, that's why." I told Abel, taking the dough out of the mixing bowl and placin' it onto the table. While grabbin' some flour an' sprinklin' it onto the dough 'fore grabbin' my rollin' pin, I added, "Maybe Roseanna's content with livin' in one-room forever, but I ain't."

"You want a new house?" My man asked as I started t'roll out the sugar cookie dough.

"Or additions to this one, but yes I do." I nodded as I continued to roll the dough into a thin sheet.

"And I suppose you'll want a ring too?"

"In time, but right now a bigger house'll suffice." I told him, since it wasn't yet time to tie myself to him forever yet, as I set the rollin' pin down.

As I grabbed the cookie cutter, he slumped his shoulders and sighed, "Fine, I'll make additions to the cabin."

"Good, now go decorate that sorry excuse for a tree ya brought home." I ordered Abel since I was too busy makin' cookies to deal wit' that ugly tree.

Allie POV:

Once again, I found myself sitting on the second-row pew in church, hoping that the yearly Christmas Eve drama between Shaw, Jessa, and Tolbert wouldn't happen tonight even tho I was certain it would. I mean it always happened. I was sandwiched between Cap and Skunk Hair while Vera sat next to her husband and had Alex Messer on her other side. On the other side of Cap was Uncle Jim and next to him on the end was Sully, who was saving some seats for Shaw and Jessa. Just what I didn't need, them on my pew.

Johnse and Roseanna were sitting in the pew behind me with some of his siblings. They were still in their newlywed bliss. Cap still wasn't being accepting of Roseanna, but at least he greeted her with a hello and a tip of his hat whenever we arrived. That's something considering he wouldn't let her into our house a few weeks ago.

The McCoys were sitting in their usual spot, in some middle pews, but one member of that family was missing. Tolbert hadn't showed up for service yet. Eh, I knew he'd come sooner or later cause he's a religious drunk (just like his dad) even tho he's a hothead.

The sound of the large church doors opening echoed in the air. Uncle Jim looked over his shoulder only to announce in his crochety drawl, "Shaw and his broods here." Great… "Hell, every time ya blink his family's gettin' bigger and bigger." Uncle Jim loudly chuckled, his round belly jiggly.

"Just what he doesn't need, a bigger family." Cap muttered under his breath while turning his head so that me, Skunk Hair, and Vera could hear him.

"We don't need 'im havin' it either." Skunk Hair muttered in response to my husband while Vera just silently shook her head, agreeing with both her husband and mine.

I looked over my shoulder slightly, watching Shaw leading his family up the aisle. His siblings were walking in front of him and Jessa, making a beeline towards Johnse's pew. Shaw had Lydia on his hip and his hand resting low on Jessa's back while she had Silas on her hip. Oh god, if I didn't know how messed up in the head he was, I'd say that they looked like a normal couple; that he looked like a normal fiancé.

"Looks like Shaw got them all new church clothes." Sully pointed out, obviously trying to make his son out as some perfect and doting family man. Oh, yea, that's right, Sully think's Shaw's so good cause the prick manipulated the teacher into believing he's the best thing since sliced bread.

Randall McCoy gave a cutting look to Shaw and Jessa, silently letting them know that he either A-hated them, B-were disgusted by them, or C-both. I'm going with C when it comes to Randall…

Jessa POV:

Randall McCoy shot me and Shaw a hateful and blood stopping look while his children gave us cold looks. Sally's face was stoic, but her eyes gave away that she was relieved I wasn't with her son anymore. God, that woman never approved of me and Tolbert cause of some crazy notion she had. She truly believed that I would get Tolbert killed case Shaw wanted his family back; would kill to get it back. Well, apparently her conviction was wrong.

"Don't let them get under your skin, honey." Shaw whispered to me as Todd and Mary stopped at the third pew from the front; scooting into it to sit next to Johnse and Roseanna (along with all of the younger Hatfield kids).

"I'm not." I simply assured Shaw as we got closer to the pew that his dad was in.

Shaw just rubbed a light circle on the small of my back, signaling that he accepted my answer as we reached the pew. Looking at his dad, who was saving us our seats, he greeted him with a simple, "Hey dad."

"Hello son." Sully scooted over. "How're you doing, Jessa?" Sully asked me as I entered the pew.

Taking my seat next to my old teacher, I answered with a simple, "I'm good, how're you?"

"Good. Very good." Sully nodded with a polite, but somewhat fatherly smile.

"Goddamnit, we're all doin' good. If we weren't, we wouldn't be here." Jim Vance scoffed loudly, rollin' his blue eyes and shakin' his hat covered head. Apparently, he didn't take his hat off in church like all the other men did. Mhm, it seems he wasn't one for social rules and manners.

Sully furrowed his brows at the unruly mountain man while chastising him with, "Jim, don't curse in the house of the lord."

Jim blew his newphew off with the wave of his hand and the cackle of, "Hell, Sully, stop actin' like I'm gonna get struck dead by lightnin'."

"Jim…" Sully sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Before anybody could say a word, the doors bounced open with a loud crack. Everyone turned around only to see a very dishevel Tolbert staggering into the church with a large half-empty bottle of shine dangling from his hand. He looked horrible, actually it was worse than that since he had a layer of dirt and grime on him, a grungy shadow on his face, and he was still in the same clothes he was wearing the day I left him. Oh god, he hit rock bottom when I left him.

Feeling guilty for Tolbert's state, I turned around and looked ahead while Shaw looked ahead and grabbed the hymn book from the ledge built into the pew in front of us. Jim Vance had no shame as he stared down Tolbert with disgust, cackling loudly the snide remark of, "I see Tolbert McCoy, son of Rand'l, drug his wet turd chaffin' chicken livered ass into church drunker than a goddamn skunk."

"Jim, we're in church." Sully lowly seethed, giving his uncle a profound look full of scrutiny.

"Ya ain't much, Jim Vance." Tolbert slurred, turnin' his chin up and wobbling a bit on his feet from the swift movement of his head; making him lose balance for a slight second.

Time seemed to slow down as my ex drunkenly staggered a bit before stopping right by Shaw in the aisle. "Oh, so nice t'see yer settlin' so well wit' this rich Vance bastard." Tolbert sarcastically sneered, his words a slurred slew from all the shine drank before coming to church.

"Tolbert, stop it, you're drunk." I quickly hissed at my ex, who was making a fool out of himself.

"Course I'm drunk. I've been drunk ev'r since ya left, let it be known that ya were seein' 'im 'hind my back."

"Ah, hell, Shaw, just shoot him now an' make him shut up." Jim Vance goaded my fiancé. Clearly, he was putting fuel on the fire that was the mutual hatred that Shaw and Tolbert had for each other.

"Jim…" Sully hissed while everyone else on the pew was looking between Shaw and Tolbert with studious looks. It was like they were all waiting on baited breath for something to happen.

Shaw gestured to the pews the McCoys were on while telling my ex, "Go sit down, Tolbert." A stone-cold look appeared on his face, his honey eyes turning a dark amber with hate running in them. Arching a brow, he told Tolbert in a serious tone, "Unless you're lookin' for a fight, that is."

Sully leaned across me and the babies that were on my lap only to grab Shaw's shoulder and firmly let out, "There's not going to be a fight." Tipping his head towards where the McCoys were sitting, he ordered, "Tolbert, go sit your drunken ass down."

"This ain't ov'r." Tolbelter vowed in a sneer, pointing his flask at my row angrily before staggering off to go join his family.

I could feel eyes boring into me. Looking slightly at the other end of the pew I spotted Cap, Allie, Skunk Hair, and Vera giving me and Shaw judgmental and hard looks. Great, looks like they're the it squad of the young people when it comes to the Tug Fork River Valley.

Abel POV:

"I can't sit with you, Nance. It'll cause problems." I told Nancy for the millionth time as I pulled her wagon to a stop in an open spot across the street from the Tug Fork Church Of Christ.

"I don't care 'bout what the Hatfields think. You're my man, ya needa sit wit' me." Nancy told me as we climbed down from the wagon. Clearly, she wasn't seeing things the way I was.

Rounding the wagon and joining Nancy's side, I explained my reasoning with, "I know, Nancy, I know, but a lot of them don't know 'bout us and I don't want a scene to start up."

"Devil Anse and that bastard Shaw knows, reckon they've told the lot by now." Nancy spat, her sweet tone turning a bit bitter. Looking up at with with a tight smile, she told me, "Just sit with me where you belong."

"Nancy, you know I can't." I sighed, my chesy heaving up and down heavily due to stress. Nancy harpening on me was stressful. Why couldn't she just accept that we had to keep our relationship on the down low. My job and my relationship with my sister was at risk.

"Can't or won't, Abel Freeland?" Nancy asked in a loud snap, stopping in her tracks to give me a hard and hurt look. I went to open my mouth, but she prevented me from saying a word by threatening me with, "If you won't man up and let people know that I'm your woman then I'll just have to find me a real man that will."

"Fine, fine, I'll sit with you." I relented in a deep sigh of defeat.

"We can sit with Jefferson and the Wolfords." Nancy told me, looping her arm in mine. "That way your sister's family won't hate ya too much." She added with a smirk, leading us towards the large wooden double doors of the church.

I just nodded, feeling my chest tightening with anxiety as we got closer to the church doors. I've been thru war, seen shit in the Middle East that nobody should ever see, but here I am getting ready to have an anxiety attack because I was making my relationship with Nancy public. Hell, I'm so fucked up in the head.

"Well, no turning back now." I let out in a deep breath, grabbing the church's door handle.

"It'll be fine. You'll see." Nancy assured me with confidence deep in her sugary tone right as I pulled the door open.

"I hope so." I muttered under my breath right before walking over the threshold with my black-haired beauty latched on my arm.

Everyone (well everyone that wasn't a McCoy that is) were staring at us in either shock or disgust. I wished the floor would shallow me up whenever I saw the disappointment in Allie's sapphire eyes. Hell, Cap's mismatched eyes were popping out of his head while Jim Vance and Shaw looked at me hatefully; Sully looked like somebody just murdered his puppy (well Jim Vance's dog since the teacher didn't have a pet) as I made my way with Nancy over to where the Wolfords were at (one of the middle pews on the right side of the room).

Shaw POV:

Devil Anse shook his head, clearly, he was disgusted by Abel coming into church with Nancy McCoy. Oh boy, I can't believe he actually had the balls to show up with her. The looked of pure mortification and shock on both Allie and Cap's faces were priceless. Reckon they'll believe me now when I tell them something about their precious bro, huh? I just looked at them and smirked, giving them a haughty wise-ass look. Mhm, eat crow bitches cause I wasn't bullshitting about Abel fucking Nancy.

"He hates McCoys. What's Abel doin' with Nancy?" My dad asked, completely stunned that Abel was with Nancy.

Yep, seems that him bringing that idiot her for Allie was a huge mistake. Shit, of course he broght Allie's brother back in time, but wouldn't bring a family member back for Jessa. Well, I know Jessa's an only child, but he could've brought somebody back like maybe a cousin or something. I mean she's gotta have family back in the 21st century (more then jst her parents in Tulsa).

"What'd ya think he's doing with her, dad?" I rhetorically asked in a scoff before blurting out in a blunt, but serious tone, "He's fucking her."

My dad's blue eyes widened in shock, don't know why cause he knows our family are CEOS, as he gave me the lecture of, "Shaw Hector, don't talk like that in church. Ya damn heathen."

"Really, dad? Really?" I scoffed, shaking my head. I found that fact that my dad was only religious on Christmas Eve and Easter funny. It was like on these holidays everything bad he ever did was null and void; that the Lord'll give him a get out of hell free card. Yea, it didn't work like that.

"Boy's a traitor; he'll give up our family for his McCoy piece." Uncle Jim announced with disgust as he bore a hole into the back of Abel's head as he sat between Nancy and Jefferson McCoy, who had Sarah Wolford by his side. Damn, how he ended up with the mailman's sister was beyond me.

Allie cut her sapphire eyes so deep at Jim that if looks could kill he'd be dead. "Hey, don't talk about my brother like that."

"I'll talk 'bout him anyway I want, Allie." Jim told her before tippin' his flask back for a quick drink. God, I could use some of that whiskey right now…

"Jim, maybe he's trying to find out something on McCoy and is usin' her to do it." Allie desperately told our crochety uncle, trying to paint her guilty ass brother out as innocent. Sorry bitch, Jim's right your brother's a traitor.

Jessa turned her head to look at her ex-best friend. My girl had no sympathy in her voice as she told Allie the blunt, but hurtful truth of, "He's not using her, if anything she's using him. Abel and Nancy's been together for a little over a year now."

"Don't talk about my brother as if you know him, Jessa." The blonde snapped. Clearly, she didn't like what she heard from Jessa. Oh well, truth hurts, bitch.

"I know him about as well as you do, considering he never contacted you for 5-years and only reunited with you cause he left the army and ran into Sully." Jessa retorted with a sly look on her face. Damn, I never thought my sweet fiancé could be so passive aggressive. Hmm, I think I like it.

Allie's sapphire eyes turned an angry black as she hissed, "I know my brother better than you think; he wouldn't just go with Nancy unless he had a motive."

Not letting her ex-best friend have the last word, Jessa spat back, "His motive is she's pretty and he likes her."

Cap went to open his mouth, but shut it whenever Uncle Jim gave Allie a pointed look paired with the loud-mouthed remark of. "I do believe, Allie, that Jessa's right 'bout that. Your brother's thinkin' wit' the wrong head."

Aha, Jim took Jessa's side. Eat shit, Allie. Jim likes my woman better than he likes you even if you're married to Cap.

"Everyone, shut up and sing Silent Night for Christ's sake." Sully ordered in a loud and aggravated his. Pointing to the pulpit, he added in, "Hell, we're gonna be gettin' thrown out any minute cause Reverend Garrett's givin' us all narrowed looks."

Damn, Christmas Eve service is always so interesting. Shit always happens, it never fails.

Jessa POV:

The church service felt very tense and stifling. As soon as it was over, Shaw got us out of there and quickly led us to our wagon. He made sure to pull out of the church's makeshift parking lot before Tolbert exited the building. As the wagon rolled by the church and down the road, I made the mistake of looking over my shoulder, resulting in me seeing a very drunk and heartbroken Tolbert stumbling out of the church while draining his flask.

Oh god, I broke him. It's my fault he's like this. Tolbert would've never let his drinking get so bad if… I had to stop myself from going there, had to shake the thought from my head.

Shaw drove us home, making good time since he kept snapping the reigns to sped up the horses. Horses whom the names of I've forgotten since Shaw has so many of them. He's got about 4-or-5 of them even tho he only uses the newly broken one as his personal horse.

Once home we got everyone to bed and them started placing the gifts from Santa under the tree. Well, Shaw was actually sticking the presents under the Christmas tree while I was on the sofa eating the plate of cookies that was left for Santa.

"What's wrong, babe?" Shaw asked me, giving me a curious look, after placing the last present under the tree.

"Nothing." I simply told him even tho it was a lie. Seeing Tolbert so broken-hearted tonight got to me.

"You've been eating your weight in cookies since I started piling presents under the tree so I know it ain't nothing." Shaw sighed, coming over to the sofa. Taking a seat right next to me, he pressed on with, "Now, honey, just tell me what's wrong."

I nodded before telling him in a self-loathing tone. "It's my fault that Tolbert's drinking himself into a stupor. I should've never gotten with him, I should've just went with you that first Christmas Even when you wanted to get back together." I could feel tears trying to spill out of my indigo eyes as my lips quivered. "So much heartbreak could've been avoided if I'd just gone with you."

Rubbing my shoulder, Shaw attempted to sooth me with the assurance of, "Babe, it's not your fault that he's in a bad place. Hell, that's on him, not you." Sadly, it wasn't working. I still felt bad, felt guilty.

"But-" I began to protest only for Shaw to quickly cut me off with, "No buts, babe. He needs to just accept that you made the best choice for you and our son. If drinking non-stop is he way of doing that, then so be it."

"Great, it's my fault he's a worse alcoholic then he used to be." I squeaked out, feeling even guiltier than I did before.

"Jessa, it's not your fault." Shaw firmly sighed before going on to say, "It's his fault that he can't accept your choices." Shaking his head incredulously, he scoffed, "Lord knows I didn't approve of half the shit you did, but I didn't go on a bender, drinking myself into oblivion." Running a hand thru his hair, he muttered, "I need a damn drink."

"What?" I asked, not believing his under the breath mutter I just heard.

"You should go to bed, babe. You gotta be up early to make sticky buns for breakfast." Shaw told me, rising from the sofa and making his way into the kitchen.

"Why do I need to make sticky buns for? Isn't bacon and eggs good enough?" I asked, watching Shaw go over to the cabinet he kept his shine in.

"My mom made then every Christmas morning, Todd and Mary are used to having them."

"Oh…okay…" I nodded, not really knowing how to react. I mean the breakfast pastries was his mom's tradition, but she was a sore subject for Shaw. He didn't like talking about her too much considering she died on his birthday. "You should come to bed too." I told him since I wasn't the only one that had to be up early. I wasn't going to be taking care of the babies all by myself on Christmas morning while he slept in late.

"I'll be in bed after my nightcap. Just go on and I'll be there in a minute." He told me, taking a seat at the table and uncorking his shine bottle.

"Do you really need a nightcap?" I asked, the undertone more of less letting him know that I didn't approve of the nightcap.

"Yes, I need to calm down a bit." Shaw nodded before taking a sip of his shine.

"Don't make it a habit, Shaw. I've been with a drunk once and I don't want to live like that again."

Shaw's nostril's flared angrily and his honey eyes darkened to a deep amber as he slammed his bottle down on the table with a loud thd. "Do you really think I'd let myself become a drunk? Huh? After how my drunken step-dad beat the shit out of me day in and day out as a kid you think I'd let myself turn into a useless drunk?" He ranted in a slew of rhetorical questions. His chest heaved up and down rapidly. Hanging his head, he sighed, "Goddamnit, Jessa, just go to bed before I fucking say some fighting words and hurt both of us."

"Shaw-" I began, trying to say something to calm him with, only to get cut off with a loud order of, "Go to bed, now!"

"Fine, I'll go to bed, but you won't be. Sleep on the sofa, Shaw." I told Shaw, getting up from the sofa and making my way into the kitchen.

"I ain't sleepin' on the sofa." He rolled his eyes at me as I walked by the kitchen table on my way to our bedroom door.

Oh, yes, he was. I was gonna bar the bedroom door with a chair so he had to sleep on the sofa. Christmas was tomorrow and I needed to get a good night's sleep so I could enjoy the holiday with the kids; having Shaw next to me in bed while in a bad mood wouldn't let me do that tho. I reckon after a night on the couch he'll be ready to talk to me about why he was being an ass.

I dealt with rude behavior once, I won't do it again. Not when I know that Shaw is normal and not unbalanced like Tolbert is.

AN:

I know, this chapter was long. I hope you guys liked it. I wanted to show the difference between all the couples so that's what the Christmas tree scene was for. So, Nancy made Abel make them a public couple. Oh boy, how do you guys feel about that? And that last scene, seems Shaw's true nature is rearing its ugly head up hmm?

Well, there's some more Christmas stuff in the next chapter. Like a big drama filled family dinner, yay!