Summary: Nico and Maki have a late night conversation about their family's future.

Nico had just finished the tour for her most recent album. Exhausted, she stretched out on the Yazawa couch with Dia and Ruby curled up against her. Maki sat across, watching the three of them, waiting for Nico to sprawl, arms splayed out, taking up more than her share of any space. Sleeping or waking, that's what Nico had always done, created this oversized zone of Nico-ness that lit up like Akihabara at night. Maki was just glad Nico had let her inside.

Nico had bought her mom a house, but it was still compact. But it never seemed crowded, just cozy. Maki always treasured the sense of inclusion, of being a Yazawa, of belonging.

Nico opened an eye, and Maki leaned closer to hear a whisper, "Nico's always got room for her best girl."

Maki smiled, "I'm a little restless."

"You missed Nico."

Maki sat on the floor, leaning her head back so she could stare into Nico's brightness, "I missed Nico."

"I missed Maki." Nico tilted her chin at their daughters, "They're the cutest."

Dia grumbled in her sleep, kicking Nico's leg, making both parents grin, "They are."

"Nico and Maki make the best Muse babies…" Nico declared.

"Umi might challenge you to a duel." Maki teased.

Nico shrugged, "Challengee picks the weapons. Nico picks Idol songs."

'Umi still sings."

"Not like Nico."

No, not like Nico. No one had ever really competed with Nico. Nico made her own rules. Maki wondered if either of their daughters would claim that inheritance.

Nico moved her hand carefully, not disturbing the girls, but so she could brush Maki's hair back with her fingers.

"Tour's so quiet now."

Maki snorted, 'You're never quiet. Now everyone's cooing over you and not them."

Nico shrugged, her fingers sliding down Maki's cheek and tracing the outline of her lips, "Nico missed her Number One Fan."

Maki sighed. Ruby was too anxious to travel and they had all spent miserable months on the road discovering this.

Nico had turned her attention to the other redhead. "Is Ruby really making it all the way across rooms now?"

Maki nodded. "I have to stop Dia from 'helping' but Ruby's stubborn," Maki pursed her lips, " No, she's determined. She doesn't fall much anymore."

"Nico knows where she gets the stubborn." Nico traced her own lips with the same finger, licking her lips to finish the gesture, Maki shivered at a surge of sensation.

"I'm sorry we can't be part of your dream."

Nico's eyes went wide. She shifted Ruby to the side and angled Dia to lying across her lap, Then she pulled Maki up on the couch, her expression serious in flickering candlelight, "This is my dream, Maki." A hand on Maki's, "Don't you know that by now?"

"But touring. And fans. And being an Idol…"

"Is great." Nico grinned, "except for leaving the people I love behind. Nico's heart gets heavier every time." She picked Ruby up and rocked her gently, "It was okay since you wanted to do med school, but now…"

Maki frowned, "Med school just kept me busy while you were touring."

Nico's eyes narrowed and she scrutinized Maki's expression.

Maki continued, "I loved touring with you. Even with Ruby crying, it was still us, together." Deep, sparkling amethyst teared at the corners, "I never thought that could happen when you graduated, my parents, the hospital, school…well, you remember Toronto."

The pressure of med school and no Nico near had driven Maki to a headline-making drunk evening, a huge argument that left Nico not speaking to her, and then across the Pacific to try to patch things with Nico. After a brief break to travel with Nico, Maki had gone back to study music and neurology.

Nico gently rested Ruby next to her sister and put her arms around Maki, "Nico remembers."

"I started composing after years. It felt like I could finally breathe again. And then the time off I had with Dia...I just…"

Nico hadn't expected this at all, but with the tears dripping down Maki's cheeks, she knew better than to interrupt Maki when she was finally opening up about her emotional distress. Nico just leaned them back against the couch cushions and shifted so Maki's cheek fell on her shoulder.

"I don't know what to do, Nico-chan."

"What do you want to do?"

"Does that matter?"

"It does to Nico."

"Be us. Play music. Relax."

Nico laughed, startling Dia, who required a quick cuddle to quiet. "That's easy. Let's do it."

"You'll hate it, Nico-chan."

"Let's go home, Maki-chan." Nico kissed Maki on top of her head.

"Tomorrow?" Maki sounded wary but hopeful.

"Now. Nico's not tired."

"But…"

"Ruby and Dia will sleep through the drive and wake up in their own beds. Nico will cook, Maki will take beach pictures and play music, and we forget about everything else."

"We can't."

Nico tensed, "When has Nico ever listened to anyone saying I can't do things."

"Never." Maki whispered.

"So?" Nico had pulled Maki up, her defiant glare challenging Maki to acknowledge another obvious truth, join Nico again on a daring adventure, ignore any doubt, make the bold choice.

Nico lived for these moments, when Maki's eyes caught the fire of inspiration in their depths and her lips breathed out Nico's name, "Let's go home, Nico-chan."

"Smart girl," Nico pulled Maki in for a kiss that lasted until Dia kicked out, fussing.

Maki picked up her firstborn, "She's always interrupting."

"She wants her Mama's attention." Nico's next kisses were quick pecks of affection for both wife and daughter. "So do I." The knowing wink was for Maki.

The slight flush across Maki's gorgeous profile could still blow everything else out of Nico's mind, "Don't be so cute, Maki-chan. Nico has to concentrate on driving."

"And then you can concentrate on me."

Maki's perfect blend of shy and bold made Nico doubly certain that she wanted to take her princess away to their seaside castle.

"I love you, Maki-chan."

Maki's lingering kiss was always the perfect answer.

A/N: Howdy. Getting back in writing parenting mode; it will help with both Parent Trap and Eli the werewolf chapters ; ) The Toronto incident is a reference to a 1Kiss story, CROSSROADS. I'm sure similar incidents happen in every NicoMaki timeline of mine that involves med school.

Hope you are well. Still too much stress out there so drop a hello and/or pun and/or fave Christmas trope/song/movie in the comments.