Author's Note: A fababy Christmas ficlet set after One Sweet Angel Sleeping In My Arms. Short and unbetaed and a battle against my writer's block.

Happy Holidays.

Hang A Shining Star Upon the Highest Bough

Through the years we all will be together
if the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
and have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
~Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

It's a different sort of Very Merry Berry Fabray Christmukkah Celebration Extravaganza this year—in a good way. The decorations have been scaled back by necessity, though the Christmas tree stands tall in the corner of their new living room with its twinkling lights and shining star while the menorah is still displayed on their mantle despite the candles having been extinguished five nights ago when Hanukkah had ended. The bedrooms are packed with a plethora of colorful packages that Rachel is certain will only grow when Judy eventually arrives, her dads drive down for the weekend, and Shelby and Beth stop by for their visit. The Hanukkah gifts certainly had seemed to double this year.

The reason for that is currently resting quietly in Rachel's arms, staring up at her mama through sleepy gray eyes. Rachel smiles tenderly as she gazes down at her daughter, wondering what color her eyes will end up being once they finally begin to change. She hopes they stay light—like Quinn's. Her own eyes trace over every smooth curve of Calliope's perfect little face for the millionth time, and her heart feels near to bursting with love. She can barely believe that this miraculous little life actually came from her and Quinn.

"You know, on this day last year, your mommy and I were just finding out that you were real," she whispers reverently, eyes misting over at the memory of the phone call that had confirmed Quinn's pregnancy. It had all still felt like something of a dream at the time, and Rachel had spent the entire rest of the day attached to her wife's side while a hurricane of emotions raged within her. It hadn't even come close to preparing her for the way she would feel the moment she'd first hold her daughter in her arms. "You're the very best Hanukkah or Christmas gift that I've ever been given."

Rachel knows that nothing else could possibly ever come close.

Calliope's tiny bow mouth curves into a delighted smile at the sound of her mother's voice, and Rachel grins in response. "I know you don't fully understand what that means yet, but you will," she promises, gently rocking Calliope in the cradle of her arms as she slowly paces the room.

"I'm going to teach you all of our traditions, like lighting the menorah and what it means…we've already started on that one, if you remember," she points out, stopping in front of the mantle as she thinks fondly of their Hanukkah celebration this year. She knows Calliope hadn't understood what they were celebrating or why, but she'd been here with them, and that's all that really matters. "Don't worry. We'll go over it all again next year," she assures her daughter. "And when you're a little older, we'll play dreidel, and I'll teach you to make latkes." Rachel pauses then, frowning slightly as she drops her voice lower. "Well, maybe Mommy will teach you that part," she admits sheepishly. "She makes the best latkes…and just wait until you try her sufganiyot. They're not exactly good for us, but we can splurge for the holidays," Rachel permits with a smile. "Her Christmas cookies are pretty hard to resist too. We're very lucky that we get to enjoy both in this family."

Rachel gently dances them closer to the Christmas tree and watches with delight as Calliope's eyes widen with awareness at the glittering lights. "You'll find out more about Christmas in a few days."

Rachel can't wait to see Calliope's reaction to all of her presents. She laughs quietly to herself, knowing that her daughter will probably be completely oblivious to everything but the loving attention of her family this year. It's Calliope's mothers who are most excited about the Christmas presents, especially Quinn. Despite the general exhaustion of caring for a newborn baby, Quinn had gone a little overboard with the holiday shopping and dragged Rachel right along with her. It would have been impossible for them to be anything but excited for their very first Christmukkah with their beautiful baby girl.

Thank goodness for online shopping and grandparents who enthusiastically agree to babysit.

"And we'll make new traditions too," Rachel murmurs lovingly. "You, me, and Mommy." She can already imagine the many holidays to come that they'll experience in brand new ways through the eyes of their daughter.

When a furry little body rubs against her leg, Rachel rolls her eyes and glances down with a laugh. "And Oliver too, of course." He looks up at her warily, eyeing the bundle in her arms before swishing his tail and disappearing under the tree to disturb the manger.

"He's starting to come around," Rachel whispers conspiratorially. He's been hiding out under the bed in the spare room for the most part since they'd brought the baby home, but he hadn't been able to resist the call of the Christmas tree.

"It's such a magical time of year," she muses, returning her gaze to her daughter, "especially with you here, my little shining star."

She begins to sway again, softly humming while she sends up silent prayers of gratitude for all the blessings in her life—the child in her arms being chief amongst them.

Calliope's eyes begin to droop just a little, though she stubbornly fights against the pull of sleep. Quinn would say she gets that from Rachel, and Rachel is usually too tired to argue with her. Their daughter is proving to have a very stubborn internal alarm clock that wakes them all up at ungodly hours.

Any chance of lulling Calliope into a little afternoon nap disappears the moment Rachel hears the door of Quinn's office open. Her daughter's gray eyes are instantly alert again, and she starts to fuss a little in Rachel's arms, squealing excitedly in anticipation of seeing her other mother.

She doesn't have to wait long.

It's only a moment before Quinn pads into the living room with a tired smile, wearing comfy track pants and a zip-up hoodie with her hair messily escaping from the small ponytail at the nape of her neck. She's beautiful, and Rachel thinks again how blessed she is to have won the heart of this amazing woman who agreed to marry her and become the mother of her child. When their eyes meet—when Quinn's eyes soften with adoration and her lips part with a sigh of happiness at the sight of Rachel with their daughter—Rachel is certain that Quinn feels the same way.

Calliope squeals again, and Rachel glances back down at her with a smile. "Someone is happy Mommy is done with boring work stuff."

Quinn chuckles, admitting that, "Mommy is happy about that too," as she closes the small distance to her family. She's been stuck in her office for the last three hours on a conference call with the screenwriters who've been working on the film adaptation of her Wishing Stone book series—undoubtedly yelling at them again about some of the changes they've been trying to make.

It's clear that all thoughts of work disappear the moment Quinn's gaze drops down to their daughter. Her entire face glows with happiness. "Hello, Sunshine," she coos, giggling when Calliope grunts happily and sends a big smile up at her mommy. "Have you been having fun with Mama?" she asks, gliding gentle fingers over a chubby cheek.

"Oh, she has," Rachel answers with confidence. "She had fun screaming for me to pick her up instead of taking a nap, and then she happily complained about being stuck with the bottle instead of Mommy," Quinn laughs again, rolling her eyes, "and now we are making exciting plans to have ourselves a merry little Christmas."

"Oh, are you?" Quinn challenges playfully as she slips an arm around Rachel's waist and cuddles into her side, bringing her other hand up along Rachel's forearm to help cradle their daughter. "And what exactly do these exciting plans entail?"

Rachel leans into her wife's body, sinking blissfully into a cocoon of all-encompassing love. "Being together," she murmurs simply. "Loving one another."

Quinn hums in contentment. "That's a good plan."

"We think so," Rachel confirms with a nod. "Don't we, Calliope?"

The only answer is a yawn as Calliope's eyes finally drift closed, seemingly satisfied now that she has both of her mothers exactly where she wants them.

"Looks like someone's maybe had a little too much fun today," Quinn whispers.

Rachel huffs quietly. "Of course she decides to settle down and nap now."

"I could do with a nap too," Quinn admits softly, hot breath tickling against Rachel's ear. Rachel shivers at the sensation.

"You know the minute we put her down, she'll start fussing again," she laments, mournful because a nice adult nap with her wife sounds like heaven right now—both with and without the actual napping.

"Maybe her Mama should sing her a lullaby," Quinn suggests. "Maybe whatever you were humming when I came in here."

Rachel smiles indulgently. "That's what our daughter wants?" she questions knowingly.

"Absolutely," Quinn confirms, holding Rachel closer.

They both know Calliope doesn't care what Rachel sings. She'd be content to hear Rachel sing the text of War and Peace to her as long as she sings it sotto. This is what Quinn wants, and they both know Rachel won't deny her.

And really, singing is an integral part of the holiday traditions that Rachel intends to share with her daughter, so it's no sacrifice to let the words come softly in a slow melody—straight from her heart.

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Let your heart be light.
From now on your troubles will be out of sight..."

And there in the circle of her wife's arms with their baby daughter drifting into dreamland, Rachel's heart has never been so light.

It really is the very best Christmukkah ever.