Christmas Part Two

A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews as always! And thank you for the patience on the updates! Enjoy.

"Look, its's actually snowing." AJ said, looking out the apartment window by the dining table, watching a layer of snow falling on the ground, turning the street into a Christmas card picture.

"Looks pretty magical." Punk said, standing behind her and watching the snow fall.

"Do you remember being a kid and building a snowman outside?" She smiled.

"Yeah. Built one with my grandfather one year and it was badass. All the kids would stop outside the house and look at it. Made me feel real important." He nodded as AJ smiled, looking up at him.

"It's good they're gonna have each other to play with. To… make a snowman with when it snows." AJ said, placing her hand on her stomach.

"Best friends for life." Punk nodded.

"I can't believe we find out what they are next week." She shook her head with disbelief.

"I know, it's wild." He nodded, "Do you think we should ask your aunt to come with us?" He asked her, looking over to where Aunt Nico was sat with Lyla and Carlo.

They'd stuffed themselves with a delicious Christmas dinner, triumphantly cooked by Punk and AJ, and then they had tipped themselves fully over the edge with dessert made by AJ. Christmas music was now playing in the background, and they were just enjoying the remainder of the night with good conversation, telling stories and having fun.

It was great for AJ to see Lyla so happy with Carlo, and the more she got to know the man, the more she realised how perfect he was for her best friend. He was sweet and considerate, with a fascinating upbringing that had them all deeply invested in the dramas of his Italian family. He fit with her best friend perfectly.

"Only if it's ok with you." AJ said, "She'd probably really like it if we asked her to come."

"I just think it'll mean a lot to her." Punk nodded, "And she's right. She's gonna be the only gran these kids have."

"Abuela." AJ corrected.

"Right." Punk nodded, "You still haven't told your parents." He pointed out.

"I will. Eventually." AJ shrugged as he looked at her with an unconvinced stare, "What? I just haven't gotten round to it."

"You're just putting it off because you don't want to feel shitty when they don't make a big deal of it." He said, "You said it yourself, they're not gonna be making trips out here to see them grow up. So in my eyes, your aunt is their grandmother."

"She is." AJ agreed, "I'd love for her to be there." She nodded with a smile as Punk nodded, wrapping his arm around her as she leaned into him, "And I'd like to tell all our friends after, maybe do a little gathering at my shop or yours. Just those we're close with. Your boys, my girls." AJ nodded.

"My boys." Punk laughed a little.

"They are your boys." She nudged him playfully, "I bet when you moved here you never thought you'd end up with two adopted sons and two biological kids in the first year."

"It's a lot of kids." Punk nodded as she chuckled, "They're good kids. They've got good hearts."

"Have you asked them to help with us moving into the new house in the new year?" She asked.

"No, I'm waiting until the last minute." Punk said, "I'll probably have to close my shop for a couple of days, so they'll have free time on their hands to come help me." He shrugged.

"I can help too." AJ insisted.

"I don't want to see you lift a finger." He looked down at her as she made a pouty face at him, "You and those babies are gonna sit on the sofa and supervise. That's all I need from you."

"You're giving me way too much power." She said as he chuckled, kissing her head softly as she smiled, "Today has been perfect." She sighed happily as Punk smiled upon hearing her so content.

"Yeah, it has." He agreed. It was perfect for him because he got to see how happy AJ was being surrounded by the people she loved. He knew with everything that had happened in the past couple of months, it was difficult to pretend like everything was fine, but he could definitely tell that she had enjoyed the day from start to finish.

"You wanna make a snowman tomorrow?" She asked him seriously.

"Uh… hell yeah." Punk nodded, just as serious, as she chuckled and rested her head on his chest.

"I wonder how Shiv is getting on at Daryl's." AJ said curiously.

"Oh, they're probably gazing lovingly into each other's eyes and not doing a damn thing about it." Punk shook his head, "It's a waste, if you ask me."

"Hey. Hey." Lyla creeped up behind them and wrapped her arms around both of them from behind, "So… what do we think of Carlo?" She asked them both, "Do mom and dad approve?"

"He's sweet." AJ nodded, "He's really lovely."

"I think so too." Lyla nodded.

"He's got good stories. The one where his Nona jumped out a four-storey building and survived, just to get away from the milk man who she owed thirty dollars to… good stuff." Punk nodded to Lyla.

"Jesus. Was I at the toilet when he told that?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Punk nodded, "He's a good guy." He told Lyla on a more serious note.

"Are you happy with him?" AJ asked, "Because that's all that matters."

"Yeah. I really am." Lyla beamed, and not just because she was a bottle of wine down, but because she was truly falling for this new man in her life, "God, it just makes me realise how stupid I was. Hanging onto Lewis when we had nothing. I wasted so much of my time." She shook her head.

"Well, you're not now." AJ said, "That's the important thing." She said as Lyla smiled.

"Mija, I want to play that game. What's it called?" Aunt Nico called over from the sofa, making gestures with her hand as AJ raised a brow.

"What game?" AJ shook her head.

"You know the one. How do you say it?" Nico said, moving her hands around, holding up three fingers then two.

"Is that morse code?" Punk scoffed.

"I think she might mean charades." Carlo realised.

"That's it!" Nico said happily as AJ chuckled, leaning in against Punk.

"Oh, yeah. Let's play." Lyla nodded, making her way back over to the sofa and collapsing down beside Carlo.

"I'd like to go first. I have a good one." Nico stood up eagerly as AJ just shook her head at the silliness of it.

"This could get ugly." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I have a feeling." AJ said, looking up at him and smiling.

"What?" He said.

"I love you." She said. It was all she'd felt all day. Nothing but love. From the second she woke up in his arms, to the kisses and soft touches he'd given her throughout the day, the laughter he'd brought out in her and everything in between. It was all she ever felt when she was around him. That she was truly loved. Something she never thought was going to happen for her.

"I love you." Punk said, leaning down and kissing her softly.

"Are you sure it's ok for me to stay over?" Shiv asked, standing in Daryl's little sister's room later that night.

"Yeah. It's fine. I'm just sorry you gotta sleep in this stupid looking room." Daryl said.

"I love it." Shiv laughed, enjoying the bright pink room which had lots of teddy bears on the bed and dollies lying around, "I feel like I'm kicking your little sister out her own bed." She turned to Daryl.

"Honestly, it's fine. She sleeps in beside my mom most of the time anyway. Ever since my dad died. I don't know if it's because she wants to sleep with my mom beside her or… my mom wants her to sleep beside her." Daryl admitted.

"Your dad would be really proud of you, Daryl." Shiv nodded to him, "Of all of you."

"I don't know about that." Daryl said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, "I serve coffee for a living. I don't play football anymore. Didn't go to college. Don't speak to any of my old friends." He shrugged as Shiv looked at him, realising he really believed that he had failed.

"None of that would have been important to your dad. As long as you're happy. You hit rock bottom and you picked yourself back up. You take care of your mom and sister." She said, "He would be proud of you. I know he would." She nodded as Daryl forced a smile.

"Sometimes I think I'm fine, you know? Some days I think I'm doing alright without him. And then days like today… or birthdays, the Fairs, Thanksgiving… it's like he's dying all over again." He said as Shiv looked at him sadly, "But… having you here today…" He said, not finishing his sentence for a second as he looked across at her, "Didn't hurt so much today." He said quietly.

"I didn't embarrass myself too much by talking about climate change at dinner, did I?" She asked as he chuckled.

"Not too much." Daryl shook his head, "My mom loves it. She thinks she's a cool, woke hipster mom. You were getting her hyped."

"She's the coolest." Shiv agreed, "And what do you mean by woke? We do need to take climate change seriously. It's not about being woke." She said as he rolled his eyes.

"Still glad you came home for Christmas then?" He asked her, "I mean… you could have been sitting in your dorm right now, alone, miserable, wearing that stupid blue hoodie thing."

"It's an oodie." She corrected as he shrugged, "But yes… I'm glad I came home. Thanks for… knocking some sense into me. I guess I got myself into a bit of a rut. After the attack… I just sort of shrivelled up into a ball."

"It's understandable after what happened." Daryl said, "But… you're not alone."

"I know." She nodded, "I had a really great day. Even when my parents are here for Christmas, we don't do much. This is like… a proper home, you know? Like a big hug." She said as he looked at her sadly.

"You're welcome back next year. And the year after. Whenever you need somewhere to go, I'm always here." He nodded to her, "Seems such a shame for parents to have a daughter as great as you and not tell you it enough." He said as she looked across at him, shrugging with a forceful 'it doesn't matter' look on her face.

"It's getting late." She nodded, breaking the awkward silence which had crept in between them.

It was indeed late. After Sadie went to sleep, they'd stayed up until 1am with Daryl's mom talking about different things. Everything and anything. The type of conversation where the time just flew by. She loved listening to his mom talk about her childhood, her life at high school, meeting Daryl's father there. She could have listened for hours.

"Yeah." Daryl nodded, "Yeah… well, the bathroom is just down the hall. My room is the one at the right, at the top of the stairs."

"I know where your room is." She reminded him with a raised brow.

"Yeah. Of course." He nodded, "If you need anything, just let me know."

"Ok." She said, "I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah." Daryl said, still standing across from her, not moving. Mostly because he didn't want to go, and also because he couldn't stop looking at her. He didn't think he'd ever find someone as perfect as he found her.

"Ok. Goodnight." She nodded to him, awkwardly wrapping her arms around him and hugging him as he hugged her back just as awkwardly.

"Goodnight." He said quietly, pulling back from the hug and forcing himself to leave the room, looking back at her one last time before closing the door behind him.

He shook his head to himself as he headed to his bedroom, pulling his sweater off over his head and throwing it on his room floor with a carelessness only 19-year-old boys had.

He pushed his jeans down, tossing them away just as carelessly, running his hands through his hair with agitation as he looked at his closed bedroom door. He hated whatever this feeling was. He didn't know how to describe it. Fear of ruining something good? Fear of hurting her like last time? Desperately wanting her but truly believing she could do better? He didn't know what it was, he just knew he hated it.

He sat down on the edge of his bed, rubbing his hands over his face and staring at his bedroom door, bouncing his leg with agitation.

He stood up and walked over to the door, placing his hand on the door handle and then stepping back, shaking his head.

"Just go to bed." He shook his head, embarrassed with himself for having such a dilemma. He headed back over to his bed and collapsed down on his back, staring up at the ceiling and tapping his fingers against his chest, flashes of the night playing over and over in his head. Watching Shiv making bracelets with his sister, watching her wash dishes with his mom and laughing with one another like they were the best of friends. Exchanging smiles and jokes with each other at dinner. The look on her face when he gave her the gift he'd gotten her. The feeling in his chest when she gave him his gift. He wasn't sure any girl would ever make him feel like this. Not in a million years. She just fit. Like a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle, slipping in with ease.

He got up from his bed and made his way over to the door, abandoning all thoughts, thinking purely with his heart. He opened up the door and got ready to walk out when he noticed she was standing right at his door, her hand raised in a fist as if she was just about to knock.

"Hi." Shiv said nervously, standing in her pyjamas.

"Hi." Daryl said.

"I was just…" Shiv tried to think of something to say, not getting to finish as he pulled her into the room by the hand, pressing his lips against hers as she leaned fully into him and reciprocated the kiss just as desperately, cupping his face as he walked them over to his bed.