A/N: Introducing ... Merry Mondays? So, in my defense, a guest reviewer requested a med school Addek Christmas where Derek brings Addison home for the first time, and LS requested fluffy Addek Christmas. Because I'm Addek trash, I couldn't leave it there. So here is med school baby Addek Christmas, but it's part of a larger project. There's so much incredible Addek history still unturned after all these years, and I wanted a new place to play with it. So this story is the place for any prompt that has to do with Thanksgiving, birthdays, or Christmas. Like Derek said, they had 11 of each (well, really 22 birthdays) during their marriage, but don't forget all the ones before they got married too. So please let me know if there are particular holidays you would like explored - you can give me a word prompt, a rough age/timeline, a plot bunny, a theme, a song lyric - 'tis the season for Addek! I hope you enjoy. Let's go back in time, all the way to 1989 (and I don't mean the Taylor Swift album)...

The First Christmas

..

Their last final is on a Wednesday, which means that Thursday wakes up like a hangover with a stampede of suitcases and shouted farewells. Almost Christmas fills the air; it's bright and cold and smells like winter, and Christmas-themed ads wink at them from atop the stream of yellow cabs passing by Stuyvesant Gate.

They wave goodbye to Sam and Naomi first. They're headed to the subway and on to Penn Station and Sam's mother's house.

There's a crowd at the gate. Mark is distracted, apparently, trying to catch the eye of Heather, one of two blondes he's been chasing – and catching – off and on since the first day of classes.

Derek turns to Addison, whose cheeks are pink with cold. She looks cute in her bulky ski jacket and fur trimmed hat, and her eyes twinkle when he looks at her, reflecting the wintry sun. He glances uncertainly between his own suitcase and her empty hands.

"You're not going home today?" he confirms.

"No, I told you." She smiles tightly and looks down at the rubber toes of her boots. "My parents keep a place in the city that's empty and Savvy's last final isn't until this afternoon, so we're going to spend some time together before she flies home."

"Right." He's not sure why it makes him feel a little uncomfortable. He invited her home with him straight out, but of course he understands that she wants to spend time with Savvy. From what he's been able to glean so far, the first semester of law school isn't much less busy than the first semester of medical school, and he knows Addison has missed her best friend.

"But I'll see you …"

"… Christmas Eve," Addison finishes for him, breaking into a genuine smile. "I haven't forgotten."

"Neither have I."

"Good," she says.

"Good," he repeats.

They lean in to kiss.

"I wish I could forget," a voice mutters.

They separate. "Very funny, Mark." Derek frowns.

"What? Is it really so hard to keep your paws off each other for a couple of days? Wait," Mark interrupts himself, "don't answer that – I share a wall with Derek."

Addison rolls her eyes and folds her arms.

Derek looks from one of his best friends to the other, not sure how to defuse.

Mark glances at his watch. "Hey, Romeo … we should go if we're going to make the 2:16."

Derek nods, then lowers his voice, gesturing as subtly as he can toward Addison. "Mark … do you mind?"

"If I say yes … will you cut it out?"

"No," Derek says, annoyed.

He turns back to Addison and she throws her arms around his neck; he hugs her back, hard, not caring that he can tell Mark is rolling his eyes. They haven't been separated for more than a night – and rarely even that – since school started.

"I'll see you in a few days."

"A few days," she echoes, and he ignores the other students – including Mark – to kiss her goodbye deeply enough that she's blushing when he pulls back.

"To remember me by," he says, grinning at her expression.

"Like I could forget you." She tucks her hair behind her ears, sounding a little breathless.

"Derek … we have to go." Mark slings his duffel bag over his shoulder and nods to Addison. "See ya, Red," he says casually.

"Don't call me that," Addison replies. "Merry Christmas, Mark," she adds, not sounding particularly enthusiastic, and then turns back to Derek, waving her mitten-covered hand while they pile in a cab.

Derek turns and waves out the back window as the cab pulls away, watching Addison grow smaller until he can't see her anymore.

Mark rolls his eyes. "You are so whipped."

"Shut up," Derek says without aggression and Mark shrugs.

"Carol Haver is still living with her parents, and from what I've heard, she's still hot," Mark says thoughtfully. "So here's my plan …"

Derek lets Mark fill the silence with chatter about how he plans to spend Christmas break reacquainting himself with his high school conquests.

His own mind is firmly on one girl, and one girl only.

Hurry up, Christmas Eve.

…

"When is she coming?"

"In about … an hour." Derek checks his watch and then can't help smiling at his older sister's expression. Liz looks almost as filled with nervous anticipation as he does, which is impressive considering she's trying to force a sweater over a wriggling toddler's head at the same time.

Truthfully, he's touched that his sisters are excited to meet his girlfriend.

Well – his older sisters, anyway. Nothing really excites Amy these days, but that's teenagers for you.

His nieces rumpled head pops out of the sweaters collar. "No, yuck," she says, pulling at the wool fabric.

"Shh, Hailey, Grandma made that for you." Liz sounds like she's trying not to laugh.

"You'd think she could find wool that didn't itch so much," Derek offers.

"Not in the bargain bin." Liz grins at him; even in their solidly working class home town, their mother's frugality is legendary.

Liz bounces the little girl on her knee, trying to distract her. "We're going to meet Uncle Derek's new friend," she tells her in a cheery voice. "Won't that be fun?"

"Yeah!" Then Hailey tugs at her collar again. "Yuck."

"One-track mind." Liz rolls her eyes.

"It itches, Mommy," his eldest niece complains.

"That's okay, Lilly. Santa's watching," Liz adds, and Lillian nods solemnly.

"Santa's coming tonight," Lillian explains to Derek. "If we're good."

"You've been very good," Liz assures her daughters. "Most of the time," she adds under her breath to Derek.

…

Christmas Eve in the Shepherd house hasn't changed much over the years: it means a turkey – purchased in the after-Thanksgiving sales and kept in the basement deep-freeze for the next month – with the trimmings, a crackling fire in the fireplace, stringing popcorn to hang on mantel, and the time-honored tradition of the children opening one gift each from under the big tree.

By noon Derek is pacing anxiously.

"Are you nervous?" Nancy asks, appearing next to him with a cup of coffee.

"No," Derek says. "Yes," he admits.

"That's normal," Kathleen assures him, joining them.

Derek frowns. "You're not a shrink yet."

"Close enough." Kathleen tosses her hair. "I will be soon, and anyway you should know that – "

But whatever he should know, he never finds out, because Kerry, Kathleen's baby, awakens with a wail and Kath heads off to feed her.

Little Kerry is finally asleep, and Derek practically vibrating from his latest cup of coffee, when Liz joins him, hand in hand with her daughter.

"Uncle Derek! Want to play with me?"

"Uncle Derek is busy being nervous about his … friend coming to visit," Liz says, grinning at Derek.

"Friend?" Lillian asks with interest.

"Yeah." Derek smiles down at his niece. "My friend is coming. Her name is Addison."

"Ad-di-son," Lillian repeats dutifully. Her face brightens. "Is she going to bring me a present?"

"Lilly." Liz frowns, shaking her head. "That's not nice."

"Sorry," Lillian chirpy, not sounding very sorry at all. "Uncle Derek!"

"Yes?"

"Can I have a horsey ride?"

"Sure." Derek isn't sure why he thought prepping a three-year-old would be a good use of his time. Three horsey rides later – Hayley needed one since Lillian got one, and then Lillian needed another, and then thankfully Liz intervened – he heads to the kitchen.

"Smells great."

His mother, he knows, still isn't thrilled that he didn't come home for Thanksgiving. She says she understands that he needs to study. And he did need to study. He was exhausted, stressed … and yet, in some ways, it was the best Thanksgiving he ever had. On Thanksgiving Day, they sat on his faded blue quilt in their underwear and fed each other Chinese food directly from the carton and then turned their stacks of notecards into a joint quiz with some particularly filthy rewards.

He's never had this before.

They're on a path together, a new and scary one that somehow seems less scary and more exciting when they're together.

And Christmas with the two of them, Christmas as a we, is the next step.

Days into their longest separation yet … he's ready for it to end.

He's not sure how much longer he can wait, actually, but then all of a sudden he doesn't have to wait anymore.

"She's here!" Lillian yells excitedly. Derek matches her enthusiasm, but with an added rush of anxiety of his own, as he watches the car pull up and park in the wide loose-gravel driveway.

"That's a Range Rover," Patrick says, peering out the window. "Your girl has good taste in cars."

Daniel joins him at the window. "Wow," he says simply.

Glancing from one man to the other, Derek quickly announces he's going to go help her with her bags.

By the time he closes the door behind him, Addison is already out of the car.

"Hi," she says, looking nervous. He hugs her instead of answering, loving the feel of touching her again, then pulls back.

"Look at you, Mrs. Claus." He points to the large canvas bag she's holding.

"Oh, it's just a few things." She blushes a little.

"Hey … Merry Christmas Eve," he adds, kissing her.

"Back at you," she says with an almost shy grin.

He rests a hand on the chilly doorknob. "Okay, so just … get ready to cover your ears. My family is loud."

"A loud family Christmas sounds pretty fun, actually," Addison says.

"Mm. Talk to me again in a few hours."

The door swings open.

Derek keeps his arm around Addison, who's smiling and looks beautiful but seems a little nervous too.

He tries to consider what the scene would look like from Addison's perspective – the large living room warm from the crackling fire, Christmas carols wafting scratchily from the record player on the bookshelves, the rich savory smell of turkey in the air combined with the pine of the trees and the sugary scent of the cookies his nieces baked with his mother that morning. The room is large but well worn, the couches bearing the sagging imprint of a large family, the patches and tears that accrued over the years, scuffed wooden floors with semi-threadbare rugs to cover patches, the walls cluttered with frames of family photos. He blinks when he sees the large portrait of his father over the easy chair.

I wish you could meet her too, Dad.

He has only a moment for this thought before his sisters descend eagerly – even Amy, who looks like she's trying to hide frank curiosity behind her perennial teenaged scowl. Derek relieves Addison of her large bag with his free hand and sets it down as his mother approaches from the kitchen, brushing her hands off on her red-striped apron.

"Mom," Derek says proudly, having to speak up over his sisters' chatter, "this is Addison."

"How do you do, Mrs. Shepherd," Addison says politely.

Derek's mother smiles tightly. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Thank you so much for having me," Addison adds, and hands his mother a bottle of red wine with a complicated-looking label.

"Oh my," Carolyn says, scanning the bottle. "Isn't this … fancy. Well. Thank you, dear."

Addison doesn't miss the way his mother looks at it, and her cheeks color.

"This is Roger, Liz's husband," Derek says quickly, hoping to end the awkward moment. He smiles encouragingly at Addison as he continues the introductions.

"And Daniel, Kath's husband … and Nancy … and her boyfriend Patrick is around here somewhere."

"That's quite a car. What's the gas mileage on that thing?" Liz's husband Roger asks as he pumps Addison's hand in a friendly manner, looking impressed.

"Oh … I don't really know," Addison admits, tucking her hair behind her ears. "It's my brother's. I just figured it would be better in the snow than the others." Her face is pink from cold and she looks so cute Derek feels his fingers tingling.

Carolyn turns to her daughters. "Kathy … I need some help in the kitchen," she announces.

"I can help too!" Addison offers, smiling.

Derek's mother looks conflicted. "Why don't you settle in first, dear. Kathleen?" she asks again.

Kath shoots Derek an apologetic glance and follows his mother to the kitchen.

"… and this is Amy, my little sister."

Derek watches Addison looks from one Shepherd face to another as his sisters and their companions greet her enthusiastically.

"Amy," he prompts.

The youngest Shepherd, as usual, is wearing headphones, carrying a Walkman, and ignoring everyone around her.

"Amy," Derek says. "Say hi to Addison. Amy."

Amy looks up, smiles briefly, waves a few fingers, and then rolls her eyes and turns away.

"She's fourteen," Derek says apologetically.

"For Amy, that was practically warm." Liz shakes her head. "Ignore her. She'll grow out of it someday."

"Will she?" Nancy raises her eyebrows.

"We can hope." Liz smiles at Addison. "We're so happy you could join us, Addison. We've heard a lot about you."

"I've heard a lot about you too," Addison admits, her smile still rather shy.

"Oh, here's Patrick." Nancy tucks her hand through his arm. He has Kathleen's baby under his arm like a football.

"You got her to sleep!" Liz says admiringly.

"Move in with us, Pat," Daniel begs, sounding like he's only half-joking.

"Mommy!"

"Oh, and this is Lillian." Liz reaches down to stroke her daughter's dark head. "Lilly, this is Uncle Derek's friend. Can you say hello?"

Lillian is silent, staring at Addison with her mouth slightly open. Then she turns and bolts.

"I don't know what that's about." Liz shrugs. "Probably too much Christmas sugar."

But Lillian returns quickly, holding her sister's hand, and makes a beeline for Liz.

"The little one is Hayley – what, Lilly?" Liz looks down at her daughter.

"Mommy," the little girl is tugging on Liz's hand. She points at Addison and stage-whispers, "look, it's Ariel."

Liz covers her mouth with her hand. "Oh gosh," she says. "I'm sorry. We saw The Little Mermaid a few weeks ago and I guess it made a big impression. Lilly, this is Uncle Derek's friend."

"Ariel," Lillian breathes happily.

"Addison," Liz corrects. "Say hi, Lill."

"Hi," the little girl says, still staring. "Your hair is pretty," she adds in a reverent whisper.

"Thank you," Addison says with a smile. "So's yours."

Hayley, too, points at Addison's hair with her mouth a perfect O, causing Lillian to nod sagely.

"They're beautiful," Addison says, looking at Derek's nieces.

"Thank you. They're terrors on Christmas, but they're mostly good girls." Liz glances at the sleeping baby. "That one's Kathleen's, and we're not quite sure how she's going to turn out yet."

"Very funny." Kath reappears from the kitchen and reaches for the baby; Patrick hands her over. "I'm going to try to put her down. Addison, it's so nice to meet you, and I want to talk to you later, but naps are few and far between, so …"

"Nice to meet you!" Addison calls after her.

"Derek, she's still wearing her coat," Nancy scolds.

Embarrassed, he nods, and helps her out of it, somehow managing to catch an elbow in the ribs.

"Sorry!" Addison looks embarrassed now.

His sisters just look amused. Glaring at them as subtly as he can, Derek divests Addison of her long wool winter coat and hangs it in the hall closet.

By the time he turns around, Addison has already been swallowed up by his sisters, led to the couch where he can see Nancy talking to her and Liz fussing over her, offering hot cider to warm her up. His nieces are clamoring around her legs.

Warmth creeps into his stomach as he sees that it hasn't taken long for his family to love Addison as much as he does.

It's proven once he detaches Addison from his sisters and takes her upstairs to drop off her things, leaving her to freshen up. He overhears his sisters chatting in the den as he starts to circle the stairs.

"Nance, you're an intern. You don't have time to get married," Kathleen is saying.

"I have time to get engaged!" Nancy protests.

"You know Patrick loves you," Liz says gently. "Just give him some time. Can't you be patient?"

"What a question," Kathleen mutters in response and Derek can't help smiling a little from his hidden spot. He's about to head for the kitchen when the next words stop him in his tracks.

"Hey … what do you think of Addison?" Kathleen asks.

Feeling only a bit guilty for eavesdropping – it's a tradition in a big family, after all – Derek stays put to listen to their conversation.

"She's lovely, isn't she? And it's so cute to see Derek in love," Liz says warmly.

"In love!" Nancy asks. "You think?"

"Oh, yeah," Kathleen responds. "I'd say he loves her as much as Mom ha-"

"Kathy, don't," Liz scolds. "Anyway, you know how Mom is. She doesn't mean it."

Derek freezes. Doesn't mean what?

They're silent for a moment. "What about you, Nancy, what do you think of her?"

"Who, Mom?"

Muffled laughter.

"No, Addison."

"I think she's much too pretty for Derek," Nancy says, laughing at her sisters' responses.

Derek smiles at this – it's not like he disagrees.

"But other than that … I think she's great."

"Me too."

Me too, Derek thinks.

…

He makes his way to the kitchen just as Addison does. He didn't really appreciate her outfit before in the bustle of getting her introduced, but now he can't miss it. Addison always looks beautiful – dressed up or dressed in not much at all or, more likely at school, in baggy sweaters and jeans.

But now her silky dark green blouse makes her skin look even creamier and more glowing than usual, her eyes an even brighter blue. The bow at her throat shows off her pretty neck, and her long hair looks glossy and perfect on her shoulders.

His only complaint is that her long plaid skirt hides her legs … but then again, he gets to see her later, and he can wait.

"Can I help?" Addison asks eagerly.

Derek's mother turns around and studies Addison for a moment, from the top of her shining head to the tips of her pointed leather boots. "I wouldn't want you to mess your outfit," she says finally.

"I can wear an apron," Addison offers.

"Oh. Well … that's nice of you, dear." Derek's mother pauses. "Do you cook?"

"Um … " Addison looks anxious now.

"Someone needs to watch the turkey," Carolyn says. "Carefully. And baste when necessary. But not too much. Have you roasted a turkey before?"

"Not exactly…"

"Oh. Well, don't worry, dear, I have plenty of hands to help in the kitchen. You just go relax."

Derek can't miss Addison's crestfallen expression. He puts an arm around her shoulders as they walk back out to the living room. "She never lets me help either," he tells her.

Around the low-slung coffee table, Liz and Roger are setting up a game of Chutes and Ladders for the girls; Lillian calls excitedly for Addison, who wastes no time joining them. No sooner has she sat down on the old brown couch than Hailey clambers into her lap.

Derek watches them for a moment, smiling. The only thing that could make this moment better … would be cider. Warm cider makes everything better, that's what his father used to say.

But just outside the kitchen door, he overhears his sisters talking to his mother and finds himself hovering to hear the rest.

"Come on, Mom, that wasn't nothing," Kathleen is saying.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean telling Addison she can watch the turkey or nothing at all. You don't even let Lizzie watch the turkey."

"She didn't want to cook," his mother says stiffly.

"It sounded like she did."

His mother makes a dismissive noise. "She's probably used to watching the servants cook Christmas dinner."

Derek's cheeks flush as he listens.

"Mom." It's Nancy this time. "That's not very nice."

"She's in there playing with your grandkids, Mom," Kath says. "She hasn't done anything for you not to like her."

"I didn't say I didn't like her," his mother says defensively.

"Well, we like her." Kathleen, this time.

"And Derek likes her," Nancy points out.

"Yes. He's made that clear."

"Mom…"

Derek pushes the door open noisily, and all three women stop talking. "Cider," he says mildly, gesturing toward the pot simmering on the stove.

Addison raves over the warm spiced cider, Derek wishing his mother could hear; maybe it would help smooth things over. He also notices she's careful to set the mug out of the grabby reach of his excited little nieces, who are deeply engrossed in the board game they're sharing with their newest friend.

"She's great with the girls," Roger notes offhand as Derek sits down next to him, enjoying the sight. Firelight flickers off Addison's bright hair; the air smells heavenly … he loves Christmas.

This year, he loves Christmas a little extra.

The peace of the moment, punctuated with happy shrieks from Lillian and Hayley and Addison's sweet voice as she plays with them, is interrupted by a sudden wail.

Kerry, the newest Shepherd, awake and crying.

"I'll take her," Patrick offers as Daniel emerges from the kitchen.

"You've done your duty," Daniel says, "don't show me up." He claps the other man on the shoulder, softening his words. He returns from the den with his swaddled daughter and proceeds to pace the room in wide circles, rocking the wailing baby.

"Is she hungry?" Kathleen emerges from the fragrant kitchen next, holding a bottle. "I need to deal with the cranberries, honey, can you feed her?"

"Sure." Dan glances toward the kitchen. "But your mom wanted us to chop some more firewood before dinner…"

"I can feed her," Addison pipes up.

"Oh, you don't have to do that…"

"I love babies," Addison says.

Derek's mother raises an eyebrow from the open kitchen doorway and he studiedly ignores her.

"Thank you," Kathleen says gratefully, as Liz hustles her two daughters to wash up for dinner.

Kath and Dan offer only token protests before settling a red-faced Kerry in Addison's arms. The baby is shrieking with outrage, flailing her little fists, but Addison looks as if they've just placed the crown jewels on her lap, cooing softly as she offers the bottle.

"The baby's quiet. It's a miracle." Kathleen shakes her head when Derek joins her in the kitchen. "Derek … your girl is a keeper."

Derek grins.

"The baby was hungry," his mother sniffs. "She just needed a bottle."

"Mom," Kath says quietly.

"What?"

"Nothing." Derek's sister sighs.

…

Derek's concern about his mother fades when he watches Addison with the rest of his family. Lillian and Hayley squabble over who can sit next to Addison at dinner. She ends up in the middle of the two little girls and across from Derek, and seems thrilled with her seat. Derek is pretty happy, too, because he gets to look at her across the table.

He notices his mother doesn't look quite as thrilled, but she's far away at the head of the table with Kathleen and her husband and Kerry in her little baby seat.

There's enough food to distract everyone: a giant steaming turkey, smelling delicious, stuffing in the flowered pyrex dishes his mother has had for Derek's entire life and probably beyond. Green bean casserole, which seems to puzzle Addison, though she politely takes a spoonful. Kathleen's cranberries, which are citrusy and delicious. Fluffy biscuits contributed by Liz. Nancy's signature mashed potatoes, which are somehow even more buttery than his mother's.

For long moments the family just eats, praises the food, and eats more, pausing to help the little girls with their dinner and laugh over their own seasonal gluttony.

Derek catches his mother looking disapprovingly at the small portions still left on Addison's plate, but ignores it.

"I love your blouse," Nancy says, a few seats down from Addison, and then she and Addison are talking about clothes and Derek only understands every fourth word or so.

"I love her," Liz whispers as she slides in next to him. "Lilly and Hayley are never this well behaved at the table. I think they want to impress her in case she's really the Little Mermaid."

Derek grins at his sister.

The only thing better than Christmas, he's decided … is Christmas with Addison.

…

After they've eaten and his mother has refused Addison's offer of help with the dishes, Derek carries the heavy turkey platter into the kitchen. His mother gives him a series of other tasks, a new one each time he tries to head back to the living room, so it's a little while before he rejoins Addison.

… only to find that she doesn't seem to have missed him.

That is, she's occupied.

Well occupied.

Addison is seated on the carpet by the fire, legs tucked under her, while Lillian and Hayley style – well, "style" – her long hair. They're each holding a brightly colored hairbrush, and they've already placed a large bow on one side of Addison's head.

She smiles up at him when she sees him and he can't help smiling back.

"I like your new 'do," he says mildly, pointing at the bow.

She blushes. "Your nieces are very creative."

"Uncle Derek!" Lillian gestures him over. He leans down so he can hear her. "Can Addie stay forever?"

"Forever," Derek smiles at his niece, touched to hear her calling Addison by her nickname and seeming so enamored of her. "Forever is a really long time, Lil."

"Yeah, but we're having a lot of fun and so we need her to stay."

"Yeah," Hayley echoes with emphasis, patting Addison's long hair fondly.

"You heard them," Derek tells Addison teasingly, settling on the floor nearby.

"Can Addie read us our story tonight?" Lillian asks, pausing in her hairbrushing.

"Um … I think Grandma likes to read the story," Derek says carefully.

"No, I want Addie!" Lilly pouts.

"Okay, we'll see," Derek says quickly. "You know what – I think I'll see if Grandma needs help with the pies."

…

With the pies helped and eaten, it's time for one last tradition.

"Presents," Amy says, the first word she's spoken all night, moving her headphones off her ears.

"The kids always get to open one present Christmas Eve," Derek explains to Addison.

"Does Amy still count as a kid?" Nancy asks, making a face at her little sister.

"I still have to live here … so yeah," Amy snaps back.

"Amy," Liz says, resting a placating hand on her shoulder, always the peacemaker. "Which gift do you want to open tonight, honey?"

Amy looks at Addison, glances outside where her car is parked, and then looks back at the tree.

"I'll open hers," she says, pointing.

Derek sees his mother stiffen.

Addison looks like she's not sure how to respond, but at Amy's prompting she hands her a package; Amy tears the green and gold paper off quickly, discarding the white ribbon.

"A discman," she reads, pulling out a box.

"It's so you can play CDs … Derek said you like listening to music …" Addison's voice trails off.

"Wow. This is great. Really cool. Way better than my stupid Walkman." Amy actually sounds sincere, not sarcastic at all. She removes the headphones from around her neck and replaces them with the CD headphones.

Derek tries to avoid his mother's gaze.

"I don't have anything to play," Amy admits, tapping at the buttons.

"Oh, I put a CD in there," Addison admits, "just in case. 10,000 Maniacs. I, um, I wasn't sure what to get, but –"

"Isn't that generous," Carolyn interrupts, smiling tightly. "Let's move on to the little ones."

"You should open Addison's presents too," Amy says with a glance at her mother. "Guaranteed wins."

"Amy." Kathleen frowns.

"What?"

"They're opening this one," Liz says smoothly, handing each girl a brightly wrapped package.

Lillian and Hayley are too excited at the thought of presents to argue about their lack of choice, and they open the packages with squeals of anticipatory delight.

"Jammies!" Lilly shrieks appreciatively.

"Christmas jammies," Liz says, smiling down at the girls. "To wear tonight … and tomorrow morning, when we open Santa's presents."

"Thank you," Lillian says happily.

"Sank you," Hayley repeats, giving her candy-cane patterned flannel pajamas a pat before turning to the more fascinating wrapping paper and crumpling it happily.

"You want to go change now?"

The little girls leave with Liz and Derek turns to Addison as he watches Amy bent with fascination over her new discman.

"You are a gift-giving genius." He pulls her close. "I've never even seen one of those before. I thought you were just a science genius … and an anatomy genius … but you're also a gift giving genius."

"I like buying Christmas gifts," she admits. "You really think it was okay?" she asks uncertainly. "Your mom seemed like maybe…"

"Amy loved it," Derek interrupts hastily. "Liz just wanted to make sure my nieces got their pajamas in time for Christmas bedtime. It's kind of tradition."

Addison nods.

"You probably got them a perfect present too," he teases her.

"Little Mermaid dolls," she admits, a smile tugging her mouth upwards.

"When did you even have time to go to a store?" Derek asks, impressed.

"I didn't," she says, sounding confused. "That is the beauty of catalogues. You don't even need to leave campus."

"Genius," he repeats. "But how did you know what to buy?"

"Oh, my parents' cook has granddaughters around your nieces' age. I asked for advice on what to buy." Addison smiles shyly at him. "Oh, don't worry," she says, apparently misreading his expression, "I had a bunch of things sent to my parents' place for Delsey to give her granddaughters too, don't worry."

"That was nice of you."

"Well … I'm nice." She leans in for a kiss. "Don't you think?"

"Very nice," he agrees, taking longer for their next kiss.

…

…

"She's certainly involved with the children," his mother says without preamble when he enters the kitchen, closing the oven door with a decisive click.

"What does that mean?" Derek is genuinely confused.

"Nothing, dear. Just that she's certainly …ingratiating herself."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not." His mother pats his cheek.

"Mom," Derek says quietly, hoping he doesn't sound as anxious as he feels, "do you, um, do you have a problem with Addison?"

"She's fine, dear."

"Fine?" Derek frowns. "What does that mean?"

"Derek … this is silly. It's nice that your friend could join us for dinner. What do you want me to say?"

"She's not my friend. I mean, she is my friend." She's his best friend, he's come to realize, though he's not sure Mark is ready to hear it. "But she's my girlfriend. We've been together since school started."

His mother busies herself with the half-full pots on the stove.

"Mom…"

"It's fine, dear, I just hope you warned her. I'm sure she's used to a much more … elaborate celebration than we have."

"Elaborate?"

His mother raises her eyebrows. "Elaborate," she repeats. "That was quite a gift she got for your sister."

Oh.

His mother busies herself wiping down the counter with a faded Christmas-patterned dishcloth he remembers from his childhood. "I just mean I hope you lowered her expectations for our family Christmas, that's all."

Derek's hurt on his mother's behalf. "Our family Christmas is great, Mom. There's nothing to … lower."

"You know, honey, there's a reason it's just easier to date people from similar backgrounds. Look at Liz and Roger."

Liz is the sensible one; this much Derek knows. Married to her high school sweetheart, sensible in-state schools while they set aside money for their first home. Liz and her sensible, family friendly practice, and their two perfect little girls. Derek has heard Kathy and Nancy say more than once that if Liz weren't so sweet they'd have to hate her on principle.

"What about them?"

"They come from the same place, Liz and Roger. That helps, Derek. It helps couples understand each other, and … fit in."

He's silent.

"Look, son, I understand. It's new, and exciting, when you meet someone."

"It's more than that," he says shakily.

His mother shakes her head. "You'll see, dear. She won't be comfortable here."

Derek considers this, thinks about Addison's grin while his nieces played with her long hair. She certainly looked comfortable. "You don't know that, Mom."

"I'm a lot older than you are." Derek's mother smiles sadly at him. "I've seen a lot of young people come and go to this house, Derek."

"I really like her," he says quietly.

"Of course you do. She's a very pretty girl, and she's certainly … affectionate. You're just so young still, Derek, too young to get so serious, especially when you're from such different backgrounds."

"Derek?"

Addison looks uncertain, standing in the doorway. Her hair is still rumpled from where his nieces were styling it. "Daniel wanted me to ask you if you could come get some more firewood with him."

"Hey," he says quickly, shooting his mother a nervous look and hoping Addison didn't hear too much. "Of course."

"Once you have the firewood, you two go on and relax," his mother says, waving a red and green checked dishtowel at them. "You work so hard at school."

…

His mother's words echo through his head.

You'll see, dear. She won't be comfortable here.

It's not true. Is it?

He fetches firewood with his brother-in-law, stacks it up by the fireplace, and watches Dan toss another log on the fire, admiring the shower of sparks.

"You didn't see how she looked at the wine I brought," Addison says, sounding hurt.

"Yes I did," he admits before he can stop himself.

"And?"

"And she doesn't drink wine, and the bottle wasn't even in English, Addison, so she couldn't read it."

"That's not the point."

"Look, I don't know what you expected from her, Addison, but she's just – not fancy."

"Fancy! That's what you think I am?"

"Isn't it?"

She shakes her head, looking hurt. "That's nice, Derek. That's really nice."

"What?" He holds up his hands.

"I actually wanted to get to know your family. I was trying. Which is more than I can say for your mother."

"My mother was trying too," he says defensively.

"Oh, please. She just wanted me out of there."

"What do you mean? She was being nice."

"You think that's nice?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" he's annoyed now, feeling protective of his mother.

She won't be comfortable here.

"It means she wasn't being nice, Derek, and you know it."

"Well, if your family is so much nicer, then why don't you go spend Christmas with them?"

He's sorry as soon as he says it, but his words hang in the air like tinsel.

"You know what? Maybe I will."

She turns and stalks out of the room.

"Addison … "

But he can already hear her footfalls on the stairs.

…

He's giving Addison some space and planning to throw himself on one of his sisters' mercy for advice; hearing rustling in the closed den, he knocks on the door.

"Derek!" Patrick, Nancy's boyfriend, pulls open the door. "Just the man I was looking for." And glancing over Derek's shoulder, apparently to make sure he's alone, Patrick gestures him inside.

"What's going on?" Derek asks uncertainly.

"Keep your voice down," Patrick requests, and then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box.

"You're proposing," Derek realizes. "You're going to ask Nancy to marry you."

"Not tonight," Patrick says quickly. "Not until New Year's Eve. I already planned it. Since we met on New Year's Eve at that party … and we both love New Year's. It's kind of our season." He looks a little embarrassed.

"Wow." Derek glances from the ring to Patrick's nervous smile. "That's … really cool, Patrick. Congratulations."

"So you're okay with it?"

"With what?"

"With my asking Nancy to marry me."

Derek's face must telegraph his confusion, because Patrick closes the ring box and pockets it again. "It's just a formality, I know, but I wanted to see what you thought.

"Are you asking my permission?"

"No. Not exactly. I'll talk to your mother, too, but since I can't talk to your father…" his voice trails off. "I thought I'd run it by you. See if you think it's a good idea."

Derek considers this. For some reason, it makes his throat feel thick. "I think it's a good idea," he says finally, hoping his voice sounds steady.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

"What if I'd said I didn't like the idea?" Derek asks suddenly.

"Well, that would have been too bad," Patrick says. "But it wouldn't have changed my mind."

"No?"

"No. See, my father told me a while back, when you know, you know. It doesn't matter what other people think."

"He did?"

Patrick nods. "My mom wasn't Nancy's biggest fan at first. My dad's a doctor, and my mom knows how busy he was, you know, when we were kids, and I think she wanted me to find someone who could run a house while I was working."

This is news to Derek, and he feels defensive of his sister immediately. Nancy was valedictorian of their local high school, scored high enough on the MCAT to get half of medical school covered, and on top of that she was a good cook and pretty enough – Derek is loath to admit – that he's fairly certain something happened between her and Mark when they were in college. Sure, she has a sharp tongue, but that's part of her charm.

"That's my mom, not me," Patrick assures Derek. "And she came around. I don't want to marry someone my mom picks out, I want to marry Nancy. She's perfect for me. And I love that she's smarter than I am," he admits, "and if I didn't have three years on her, she'd already be lapping me in residency, too."

Derek smiles a little at the thought.

"Dating someone who challenges you, makes you think differently – getting out of your comfort zone – well, you know that – " Patrick stops talking. "Derek – is something wrong?"

Derek, who has been studying his hands morosely, looks up.

"Actually … I think I kind of screwed things up with Addison."

Patrick looks puzzled. "What makes you think that?"

"She pretty much told me."

"Oh."

"I didn't mean to," Derek admits. "I really didn't. And I was looking for Nancy or Kath actually, when I knocked on the door, because I was hoping one of them – "

"- could tell you how to fix it?"

"Yeah."

"They can't," he says bluntly.

"Huh?"

"You have to fix it yourself, Derek."

"How am I supposed to do that?" he asks bleakly.

"You know how."

"I do?"

Patrick nods.

And all of a sudden Derek gets it.

"You're right. Patrick – "

The other man looks up.

"Thank you," Derek says sincerely.

…

He knocks on the door to Nancy's old room, where Addison is supposed to sleep tonight; when no one answers, he opens it.

Empty.

Frowning, he makes his way to his old room, which he showed Addison earlier.

Empty too.

His heart skips a beat and his feet skips several stairs as he bolts for the hallway.

Her coat is gone.

Addison.

But when he presses his face to the window, he sees her car is still there.

He exhales with relief.

She's still here, then.

He could search the rest of the house. He should.

Something compels him outside instead, throwing his coat on first and stepping into his old snowboots. He picks his way across the snow, crunching into the crust that's already formed. The glowing white blanket makes it lighter outside than it should be, and he can see a flash of movement in the old tree house in the giant, sturdy oak.

She's wearing her coat, thankfully, but no hat.

He swings up next to her, brushing snow from his pants with his thick gloves. She's looking off into the distance, maybe at the smoke rising from the chimney, and she shivers lightly.

He takes off his own hat and holds it out to her; when she doesn't take it, he places it carefully on her head and tugs it down over her ears.

"It's cold," he says.

The air tastes wintry and sharp, when he speaks … like mint.

Addison doesn't respond. Derek tilts his face slightly.

"I miss seeing the stars when we're down at school," Derek confesses. "I've never really been a city guy."

He pauses.

"Now some of my favorite things are in the city, though." He picks up one of her mittened hands, tracing the fair isle pattern with his fingers.

She looks at him then, and there are tears in her eyes.

"I'm really sorry," he says urgently. "I'm sorry, Addison. I didn't mean it."

"I'm sorry too." She looks away again.

"I was afraid it was too late," he admits. "I was afraid you already left."

"I didn't," she says. "I, uh, I don't really have anywhere else to go, even if I wanted to leave."

He's silent, still holding her mittened hand between both of his gloved ones.

"My parents aren't even home," she says quietly, after a long time. "My father is having an affair with some … concert violinist and they're on an island somewhere. My mother is in France with her social secretary."

"What's a social secretary?"

"What's a – what?" Addison looks confused.

"Never mind," he says. "Go on."

"And my brother is skiing in Gstaad with his latest …" her voice trails off.

"Girlfriend?" Derek prompts.

"…sure, let's go with that." Addison gives him a rueful look. "He did invite me," she adds, sounding a little defensive. "He always invites me."

Derek considers this.

"But I wanted to spend Christmas with you," she says softly. "Or I'd be in Switzerland right now." She sighs. "I haven't spent Christmas with my parents since I was … fifteen? Fourteen. I can't remember. I just remember that one of my mother's friend's husbands had a few too many cocktails and apparently forgot I was a teenager. I escaped," she says quickly, off Derek's expression. "And spent Christmas in my room with the latch done and a bottle of gin. My point was … my parents never even noticed I left the party."

Derek's stomach turns over.

Addison shrugs. "It's fine. I made other plans when I could … and when I couldn't, well, I could play a round of Never Have I Ever with the staff."

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah. The head butler has had a pretty interesting life." Off Derek's look, she shrugs. "I didn't have a lot of friends left in town after I started boarding school," she admits. "I came back, lived at home for my senior year … and that wasn't much better."

Derek moves a gloved hand to rest on her leg.

"Everyone was … catty. Or that's how it seemed, anyway. The way they'd look at me, like I was nothing, like I'd never belong." She pauses. "Kind of like the way your mom looked at me when I gave her the wine."

The tears in her eyes cut him deeply. He wraps an arm around her and pulls her close.

"Don't cry," he says quietly.

"I'm not." She pulls off one of her mittens and fumbles to wipe her face. He pulls off his own gloves to help her, brushes her cheeks before her tears can freeze and then kissing them to warm her.

"Thanks," she whispers.

"Any time." He pauses. "It's freezing out here. Can we go inside?"

He holds his breath.

We.

Are they still a we?

Slowly, Addison nods. "Yeah, we can," she says softly.

He can't help smiling, even though the air is so cold it stings his teeth. As he swings down from the tree house and then offers her a hand, he makes a vow to himself.

He'll never make her cry on Christmas again.

…

"There you are," his mother says. "I was looking for you."

Her expression is unreadable, but it almost looks like – guilt?

Derek closes the door behind them without answering.

"It's cold out there," his mother continues, frowning. "Take this, dear, you need a warm drink after being in that chill."

Derek reaches automatically for what she's passing, but he sees that his mother is actually directing the steaming mug to Addison, not to him.

Addison looks as surprised as he feels, and a bit uncertain, but she takes the mug.

"Thank you," she says quietly, looking up through her lashes.

"Well. I didn't know if you drink hot chocolate."

"I love hot chocolate."

"Good." His mother clears her throat. "All right then. Are the two of you in for the night now? I'm not under any delusions about what you get up to at school, but this is Christmas Eve. It's a time for family."

"We're in for the night," Addison says quickly.

Derek nods, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"We're not going anywhere," he confirms.

…

"Derek … Derek …"

He blinks awake sleepily to see blue silk and long red hair.

"Am I dreaming?" he mumbles.

"No, but keep your voice down, because if your mother hears me in here, I think our truce will be over. She practically locked me into Nancy's old room last night."

He's wide awake now, scrambling to seated and pulling back a corner of his old plaid comforter. Grinning mischievously, Addison dives into bed with him.

Pulling her down against his body, he kisses her, enjoying the feel of her warm lips and her softness. For a delicious few moments they just get reacquainted, and then she draws back, smiling at him. He tucks a long strand of her behind her ear.

"Merry Christmas, Addie."

"Merry Christmas, Derek."

"Thank you for staying," he says softly. "It, uh, it wouldn't have been Christmas if you'd left."

She's quiet for a moment, and then she draws back. "How do you know that?"

"I just know," he shrugs. "Just like I know I want to spend Christmas with you forever."

"Forever," she repeats.

He looks at her face for a moment, so open and loving, and thinks of Patrick's words from last night: when you know, you know, and that's all that matters.

"Forever," he confirms, playing with a strand of her silky hair.

She raises an eyebrow, then echoes his words to Liz's daughter earlier: "Forever is a really long time, Derek."

"I hope so."

Color rises in her cheeks. "But what about what your mom said? We're so young to be so serious?"

"Addie …"

"Yeah?"

"Don't talk about my mom right now."

"Why?"

"Because I'm trying to seduce you."

She laughs, and he tosses a pillow at her.

"So much for my technique."

"You have great technique," she says slyly. "And you know it."

"True," he says, and now it's her turn to toss the same pillow back at him. He bats it away, then tries to fend her off when she pounces on him.

(He doesn't try very hard.)

Her eyes are so blue when she looks at him.

"Merry Christmas, Addie," he says again.

"Merry Christmas, Derek," she repeats, giggling.

He pauses, head cocked slightly.

"What is it?" Addison looks confused.

"I'm waiting."

"For what?"

"Three, two, one," he counts softly.

The door bursts open. "Merry Christmas!" two little girls shriek, jumping up and down.

"Merry Christmas!" Addison laughs with delight at their excitement.

"You gotta come downstairs, Uncle Derek, Santa came! Come on, Addie, you too!"

Lillian climbs up on the bed and tugs on Addison's blue silk sleeve. "It's Christmas," she shrieks happily.

"Merry Christmas!" Addison returns Lillian's hug warmly, and then Hayley climbs into her lap.

Derek watches them for a moment, visions of a sugar plum future dancing in his mind.

"Okay," he says after a moment. "You guys go down and we'll be there in a minute, okay?" Derek ruffles his nieces' already sleep-tousled hair.

When they've complied, he throws back the covers and holds out a hand to Addison.

"I love Christmas," Addison grins at Derek as she slides out of bed. He tosses her his old flannel bathrobe.

"Me too. Hey, Addie …" Derek pulls her back when they get to the top of the stairs.

She looks at him curiously.

"I love you," he says.

Her cheeks turn pinker. "I … love you too," she replies softly.

And just like that, Christmas is their holiday.

My babies are so perfect. Thoughts? Guest reviewer who requested it, I hope you'll let me know what you think! The rest of the Addek gang, I hope you liked it and that you have some ideas for prompts for other birthdays, Christmases, and Thanksgivings Derek and Addison shared over the years! I promise I'm working on my other words in progress. I'll be doing some traveling, and you know writing on planes is my favorite, so expect some updates. Prompt me! And happy Addekmas to all of you. xoxo