A/N: If you made it this far THANK YOU for reading what was my first ever multi-chapter story. I hope you enjoyed it!

Here's a little extra bit of fluff I had in mind from the beginning, just to round things off. It's also a nice excuse to include the holiday season so we've jumped ahead a little, like the show, and it's now a few months later.

I also worked in one of the plot twists from Series 2. I wasn't going to but then I figured I could put my own spin on things so that it's all sweet and nothing hurts! Let me know what you think.

Merry Christmas!

Nicola

It was the last day of the winter school term and Caroline was fussing over the final details of the Carol Concert.

Kate stood before the Head Mistress and rubbed her upper arms lovingly. "It's all going to be perfect, Caroline. Stop worrying."

Caroline sighed and her shoulders noticeably relaxed at the reassurance. "You'll be perfect, as always. But I can't help but – "

"Just stop," Kate spoke softly. "Stop panicking and breathe." She nudged Caroline's chin upwards with a finger and inched her face closer to her lover. "Look at me."

Caroline whimpered feebly, pathetic puppy dog eyes meeting dark brown.

The younger woman smiled affectionately; her girlfriend was so adorable when she was being needy. "We've been over and over every detail. If anything goes wrong it's not the end of the world. We just carry on." She shrugged a little and tipped her head, "It's just a bit of fun."

Caroline inhaled deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. Opening them again slowly she breathed out and nodded, "Okay."

Kate waved a dismissive hand, "The kids will be fine; they've performed loads of times, so I know it's not them you're worried about."

Caroline was starting to feel embarrassed at the amount of reassurance she needed, and dropped her gaze back to the floor as she rubbed a hand across her forehead. "I don't know how I let you talk me into -"

"Stop it," Kate mumbled into Caroline's hair as she pressed her lips to the blonde's temple. "Okay?"

"Yes," she finally managed with some effort and a little shake of her head. It was time for the unshakable Dr. Elliott to get this show on the road.

Kate spun instantly around, moving quickly for the door of Caroline's office. As she stopped and turned back to the blonde she clapped her hands loudly, "Good! Okay, grab your superhero cape and let's go!"

Caroline raised an amused eyebrow as Kate gestured towards her official robes that were hanging from the nearby coat stand.

Kate saw the look and instantly regretted teasing Caroline at this particular moment; the woman was still shy in certain aspects of her life and today she was fighting to overcome her lack of self-confidence. Trying to rescue the situation with a little emotional blackmail Kate sauntered slowly back over towards her girlfriend, "Please?"

"Please what?"

"Please put on the robes that make you look so incredibly sexy and let's go get this over with so we can go home?" Kate exaggerated the fluttering of her eyelashes just enough to cause a fluttering of butterflies in Caroline's abdomen.

Caroline narrowed her eyes and gave Kate the sultriest look she could manage while pushing out her chest and drawing herself to full height, "Well, since you asked so nicely…"

The feeling in the assembly hall was one of giddy excitement; the usually cold and echoing space made hospitable and almost cosy by the abundance of festive decorations. Caroline had spared no expense with the budget this year, a reward for the choir she had said, and, as was admitted later, a great excuse to get rid of all the dreary, ancient decorations that had been worn out for years.

Lawrence had been waiting for his mum to give him a lift home when he'd spotted the maintenance men coming and going with trolleys laden with trees and boxes. It hadn't taken them long to transform the space and the youngest Elliott boy had squealed like an excited toddler about how much it 'looks like bloody Hogwarts in there, Mum!'.

The vast space was rammed and noisy as Kate entered and made her way to the piano by the stage. A hush began to sweep through the sea of pupils and parents as they recognised where Kate was Dr. Elliott would surely follow.

Caroline swept with all her usual authority and grace down the centre aisle and up to the lectern as Kate began to play a melodic intro. The Head Mistress was confronted with a sea of faces, a hall full of heads bobbing up and down trying to get the best view of the stage. It was a sight she'd seen a thousand times before and yet today Caroline was literally shaking in her four inch heels.

Caroline stuck out her chin and smiled as wide as she could, "Good afternoon."

Scattered responses of 'Good afternoon' and a couple of wolf whistles that made Kate smirk and duck her head to hide her smile were thrown back towards the blonde. Caroline continued to smile; 'twas the season of goodwill after all, and the children were technically out of school for the holidays an hour ago. She let it slide. She rubbed a finger under her nose and looked down for a moment, a move that enabled her to try and keep a semi-straight face when nerves were threatening to make her giggle like one of the many school girls sat opposite.

The gentle music had stopped so Caroline mustered the confidence she usually felt in front of so many people and cleared her throat to begin. There was a lightness to the way she spoke, not commanding or preachy, but gracious and with a humour she hoped wouldn't backfire, "Thank you for attending this year's Christmas Concert. Our world famous student choir, the choir that made headlines earlier this year when Ka – Miss McKenzie lead them to first place in the Music for Youth Competition, will be up here shortly to entertain you." Caroline was relieved her ad-libbed 'world famous' had drawn some titters of laughter but her near slip up, the informal mention of her partner, had caused a ripple of teasing 'oohs' and 'ahhs' as well as more wolf whistles. With a quick glance in Kate's direction she swallowed a big lump of resignation that the time had finally come. "But first… the teaching staff has something for you…"

The curtains at the back of the stage parted and the staff choir - nine teachers bedecked in retro Christmas sweaters and reindeer antler headbands - strode out. There were gasps, pointing fingers and much giggling as everyone, parents included, wondered what was about to happen.

William sat beside a fidgeting Lawrence, arms folded across his chest, waiting for yet another annoying elbow to dig him in the ribs.

Celia and Alan were cosied up together - as cosy as two people could be in stackable, plastic school chairs - on William's other side.

It had taken Lawrence a good five minutes to convince the two septuagenarians that they didn't all have to sit in the front row like t' teachers' pet; the two boys weren't short sighted after all, but he'd not been permitted to retreat to the back row with his mates and now seemed to be sulking.

When the musical intro from Kate's talented fingers started up again, somebody stooped to quickly move aside the wooden lectern, the lights were dimmed, and William craned his neck to see Caroline, still on stage, swiftly removing her robes.

"What's your mum doing?" whispered Celia into the shoulder of William's blazer.

"You'll see," he grinned.

"Oh god, please don't tell me she's… oh no." Lawrence slouched down as far as he could in his seat and covered his eyes with both hands.

Celia leaned across William's lap and gave a half-hearted swat at Lawrence's hands with her own, "Don't be so silly. You won't find out if you don't watch…"

"She wouldn't, would she?" Lawrence looked up to his big brother, a sneer on his lips and a deep rose hue quickly colouring his cheeks.

Straightening his back and peering downwards, William retorted with a proud smile, "I believe she would."

Lawrence groaned and mumbled under his breath, "Alright for you… don't go to this school anymore… bloody embarrassing."

Caroline had passed off her robe to the lectern mover and now joined the line of teachers, imposing herself somewhere near the middle where there was a small gap. She turned her head first left and then right, smiling encouragingly at each of her colleagues, receiving smiles and nods in return, before facing forward again with a brief head shake that caused her hair to bounce about her face.

The room fell silent as the song fully began and Caroline's singing voice alone filled the room. She sang alone for the first verse before her colleagues joined in harmony, swallowing up Caroline's voice amid the rousing chorus. She searched out friendly faces in the audience, quickly finding William's sparkling smile beaming back at her, as she tried to still the fidgeting of her hands.

Celia's face then came into view; what at first had been a startled look and gaping mouth had quickly morphed into the same wide smile Caroline had seen many times over recent months and she was now staring at her daughter adoringly and with rapt attention.

Celia turned to Alan and he bent his head to where his wife could easily whisper directly into his ear. She wasn't as quiet as he expected as she laughed, "So this is why they kept working late. Guess I were wrong about them staying late to fool around in our Caroline's office!"

It was loud enough for Lawrence to hear and he exclaimed a loud 'Urgh, god!' before crossing his arms dramatically and dropping his chin to his chest.

Kate grabbed for Caroline's waist, spinning her around before the office door even had chance to close behind them, "You were amazing!"

Sweet kisses were shared, before Caroline leaned back a little, her own arms wrapped around a slightly smaller waist. "Everybody was amazing, not just me," she replied with a quick arch of an eyebrow. The fact that she hadn't dismissed Kate's compliment outright, as was her habit, didn't go unnoticed and the younger woman raised both eyebrows in mock surprise before the corners of her mouth began to turn upwards. "Well, look at you, Miss Diva."

Caroline laughed loudly, "Hardly! I'm just glad it's over." There was a long pause before Caroline spoke again, both women simply holding and swaying against each other, "You were right."

"Huh?"

"About the choir. You were right. It had the desired effect with the staff, the camaraderie, and... I..." Caroline dipped her head, hiding suddenly shy features, "I guess... I did enjoy it a little."

"Well," breathed Kate, "I think after such a stellar premiere performance you deserve an enormous glass of wine."

"My only performance," Caroline stressed the word with wide eyes. "And I think that sounds wonderful," Caroline pecked Kate on the lips, "so long as there's a glass reserved for my gorgeous and talented pianist, too."

"Mmmm," Kate mumbled as Caroline claimed her lips again.

Caroline broke the kiss to whisper, "Your place or mine?"

"You know we wouldn't have this issue if we –"

Caroline was stroking a palm down Kate's chest and now patted it gently as she cut her off, "I know, but we've been over this, you said you needed time and I agreed. We are taking it slowly." Caroline shook her head, golden hair bouncing around with the animation, and lightly prodded a finger where her palm had just been, "So, no. Absolutely not rushing this. I'll ask you to move in with me, I will, but not yet."

"Okay." Kate grinned before a sudden laugh escaped her, "Might stop your mother from pestering us about babies anyway."

Caroline leaned her forehead against Kate's and squeezed her arms more tightly around the smaller woman before kissing her again more soundly. "Mm, leave her. It keeps her occupied."

Caroline's hands were no longer idle and Kate was becoming more and more distracted, "Oh?"

"Yeah, although…"

This snapped Kate back to attention and she brought up a hand to caress Caroline's cheek as she whispered, "What?"

Caroline's blue eyes burned bright as she suddenly became serious and hesitated to answer. It was almost a breath when she finally spoke, the words washing over Kate like tidal wave, tears stinging at her eyes, "I always wanted a daughter."

Kate heard the words and saw yet more, they were written all over Caroline's face. Have a baby with me. I want a daughter with you.

"You did?" Kate whispered back as Caroline nodded. Caroline's grin was the biggest it had ever been as Kate's grip became more possessive, one hand tangling into hair at the nape of her neck, the other splayed wide across her lower back. Kate peppered hot kisses down the older woman's neck as Caroline tilted her head back, "Well, I think... that's something... that we can get started on... right away..."