Author's Notes: The only thing to say is this is pure Jolex fluff set after 10x12 :)

Happy Holidays guys!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Jo laughed as she flapped her arms wildly in the air. Alex was right behind her, bumping into her heels as he held his hands over her eyes. "No peeking!" he instructed with a smile in his voice.

"I couldn't if I wanted to. You have fat hands," she shot back playfully.

"Shut up."

Jo began to smell something woodsy, "Are we going camping?"

Alex let out a small snort, "Not likely." He leaned in, his lips softly kissing her left ear as he whispered, "Open your eyes."

Jo eagerly looked into the living room to see a small live Christmas tree beside the fireplace. She turned around to face Alex with a huge smile on her face, "How did you know?"

Alex closed the gap to softly kiss her lips. His hands rested on her hips as he pulled back to look at her, "I heard you say something to Edwards a few weeks ago about always wanting a real tree."

She could feel a huge smile form, "And you remembered."

Alex grinned at her, "Of course I did."

She stretched up to kiss him, her hands caressing the side of his face, "Thank you." She then broke away from him to move towards the tree. She leaned into the branches, deeply breathing in the fresh smell and fingering the edges.

"Sorry it's so crappy. The good ones were already gone."

Jo looked back at him lovingly, "It's perfect. Totally beats the last tree that was in this room."

He smirked at her, "Good point."

"So are we gonna decorate it tonight?" she asked eagerly. Jo noticed a look of panic that formed on Alex's face and laughed slightly, "You don't own any decorations?"

"No, don't you?"

"No, there wasn't really room to have a tree in my car. Unless you count those air fresheners that hang from the rear view," she joked lightly.

"Har, Har."

"We could make popcorn strings," she suggested.

Alex looked sheepish, "I kinda ate all of that."

"It's perfect without anything on it. At least it's covering up your man workout odor," she teased, turning fully towards him.

"You're funny. We'll get some things to decorate it with to at least cover up these dead holes in the middle."

Jo ran her hand up his chest to his shoulder before kissing him softly again, "The holes are kinda nice, it makes it look real."

Alex simply stared at her for a bit before jumping back, "There may be some things in the attic, we can look." He then started towards the stairs with Jo following a few steps behind.

"I thought you didn't have anything?" Jo asked perplexed.

"I don't, but maybe there's some in all the crap Mer left up here." Alex explained as they climbed the stairs.

"Wow," Jo let out in disbelief as she took in all the boxes and other items in the storage space. As Alex began to look at labels she asked, "Why is all this stuff here? I mean, Dr. Grey has a huge house. Why doesn't she take it?"

Alex didn't look up, too occupied with his quest, "I dunno."

"I mean this is a lot of space..."

Alex then looked up at her questioningly, "That I would fill with what? My many loads of worthless crap? If she needs something out of here she'll come get it. Now help me look."

Jo shook her head at his antics as she started looking through a pile. It didn't take long before she called out, "Here's something."

Alex came over to check out the box and reached over her to pull off the tape. Dust flew everywhere causing Jo to sneeze. "If chipmunks sneezed I imagine they would sound like that," he deadpanned.

"Shut up jerk, I...I think I've been transported back to the eighties," she said as they looked at the gold tinsel that filled the box. Alex pulled some out and made a face causing Jo to roar with laughter, "You should see your face!"

"Maybe we'll just buy our own," he said as he quickly shoved the decorations back in the box.

Jo smiled and nodded, "It will be great."

Alex fumbled with the keys as he tried to unlock the front door. He caught sight of Jo running to let him in her loose ponytail bouncing from side to side. She was dressed in one of his old sweatshirts and a worn pair of blue jeans. He could definitely get used to this. She opened the door with a bright smile, "Hey! I thought you were going to be late with that big surgery." Alex could only shake his head as he looked at the floor. "Oh Alex, I'm sorry," her arms slowly encircled him and she rubbed his back soothingly. "Have you eaten? I made chili."

"That sounds great. How was your day off?" he asked but as they walked by the living room he got his answer. "You decorated the tree? I thought we were going to do that together?"

"It's two days till Christmas and we have to work both days so it was now or never. I left the good stuff for you though."

Alex walked further into the living room taking in the colorful lights, shiny snowflakes, and bright star that adorned the small tree. She had added balls of all shapes and colors. "It looks done to me. What is left to do?"

Jo moved closer to him, "I got some special ornaments for us."

Alex looked at her surprised before glancing at the remaining figurines on the coffee table. He sat on the couch as Jo curled up next to him. He picked up the one closest to him and held it up with a questioning look, "What does the horse mean?"

Jo smiled slightly, "It reminds me of the barn where you told me you wanted to be with me forever."

Alex grinned at her, liking where this was going, "What about the crown?"

"In honor of the first nickname you gave me. I would have gotten one for my first nickname for you, but well they don't really make vulgar Christmas ornaments," she teased.

"Haha. What else do you have?"

"Mmmm let's see a doughnut..."

"They really make doughnut ornaments?"

"Yep. And a stethoscope..."

"I think that's for nurses," he teased.

"Shut up, it works. Let's see two cartoon characters that I am clueless about on a couch. It was the only one I found with a couch."

Alex reached for one on the far side, "Couple's first Christmas?"

"Okay so I went a little soft and mushy."

"Soft and mushy is hot. But it's our second Christmas together, remember? Last Christmas you passed out right over there," he pointed out gesturing to the opposite side of the room.

"Last year we had been friends for all of two weeks. We didn't even exchange gifts. That doesn't count."

Alex gave an exaggerated surprised look, "Crap, are we giving gifts this year?"

Jo pushed him lightly on the shoulder, "Yes, I've already bought your coal."

Alex smirked as he picked up another ornament, "Tinkerbell? Is that really something we want to commemorate?"

Jo took the figurine from him, "Well they don't exactly make 'Couple's first fight' ornaments, but I think it's worth remembering. We stuck it out and worked it through. I don't ever want to forget that."

Alex looked at her appreciatively, "I don't either." He then glanced over to see one last ornament and held it up to make sure he was seeing correctly.

"That's not what you're thinking," Jo said quickly. "Turn it over."

Alex looked at her quizzically before again studying the painted modern couple holding a baby with the words "Family" scripted in the bottom. "Are you sure? I mean you have been acting kinda hormonal lately," he teased.

"Shut up jerk and read the back," Jo huffed.

Alex flipped the disk over and read, "First discussion about forever, 2013," his voice cracking.

Jo traced the outer edge of the ornament with her fingers lightly grazing his palm as she did so, "I want to always remember the first Christmas in which I really felt like part of a family," she said softly.

Alex cupped her cheek and softly kissed her with as much love as he could convey. They gently kissed each other for several minutes, just enjoying being with each other. She moaned as he broke the kiss, "Merry Christmas, Jo," he murmured as he kissed her forehead.

She pulled him back to her lips, kissing him with increased passion. Her tongue ran against his lips begging for entrance which he happily granted. He carefully pushed her back on the couch and gently crawled on top of her without breaking the kiss. She pulled back and whispered breathlessly, "Best Christmas ever," before continuing to kiss him.

Alex couldn't agree more.