Four Months Later – Christmas Night

"Remind me again why we agreed to host the entire city of Pittsburgh for our first Christmas Eve together as a family again," Brian asked his husband dryly as they sat with their backs against the master bedroom's couch, watching the dancing flames in the fireplace.

Justin took a sip of his wine as he smiled. "It wasn't quite the whole city," he reminded. "Mel and Linds won't get here until tomorrow morning, and I think we may have left out a few of your former tricks from the invitation list."

Brian huffed under his breath as he muttered, "You could have fooled me. Do you know how much shrimp they ate? Shit, that had to set us back at least a couple hundred dollars. And remind me the next time to super glue shut the top over the piano keys to your baby grand. After that performance tonight, we'll need to put some crime scene tape around it to avoid any repeat performances tomorrow. And for God's sake, no more spiced eggnog ever again, okay?"

Justin laughed as he recalled their friends' impromptu musical performance earlier. While Gus had attempted to figure out how to assemble the new vanity that Kaylee had received from her two fathers as a gift - Katie giggling the whole time in amusement while he occasionally grunted profanities under his breath - the rest of their guests had decided to engage in a boisterous round of caroling, bolstered in large part by copious amounts of spiced eggnog. Ted had commandeered Justin's grand piano, having taken lessons for the past several months and wanting to demonstrate his newly acquired skills, as they all grouped around the monstrously-sized instrument with their eggnog or hot cider in hand and began to sing quite raucously together, starting with the elegant classic, "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer," followed by the Elmer Fudd rendition of "Blue Christmas." It promptly proceeded to go downhill from there, since most of the ragtag choir group, including Debbie, Emmett, Blake, Michael and his new boyfriend, Ted, and even Carl, were mainly tone deaf, and the several songs that followed sounded more like fingernails scratching across a blackboard than beloved Christmas carols.

"It wasn't that bad," Justin maintained as Brian gave him an incredulous look. He smiled at him sheepishly. "Well, maybe it was," he admitted as Brian chuckled. "Okay, it was pretty horrible. But you have to admit, everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves tonight."

Brian snorted. "Almost everyone. It's a toss-up between me and Sonny Boy as to which one of us was having the most fun, as you so eloquently put it." He shook his head. "Apparently my handyman genes have been tainted by the Munchers' influence."

Justin laughed. "Oh, come on, you don't fool me! You were both having a great time down there! Well, maybe you more than Gus," he conceded. "He did seem to be a little frustrated at times."

Brian guffawed. "That's an understatement," he replied as he, too, took a sip of his wine. He stared over at his husband who looked so hauntingly beautiful, almost ethereal, in the firelight. "You and Auntie Em really put out quite the spread for dinner tonight, Sunshine. You know he's looking for a new catering partner after Darren left to ply his trade in Philly at the piano bars." Darren - or Shanda Leer as he preferred to be called - had always loved performing on stage; the catering gig had merely been a way to keep himself in proper high fashion, since his numerous high heels and gowns cost a mint. It had only been a matter of time, then, until he left Emmett to pursue his most cherished dream full-time. "Just make sure he doesn't lure you into some sort of perverse partnership with him." He shuddered. "I could just imagine what our gourmet kitchen would look like in no time."

Justin grinned. "Don't worry; it was a one-time performance," he assured him. "At least until Easter, anyway."

Brian groaned. "Oh, no..."

Justin laughed. "Gotcha! You are so gullible, Mr. Kinney-Taylor."

"No fair," he maintained. "Between you and the girls, you know I don't stand a chance..."

"No, you don't," Justin told him with a wry smile. His face softened as he reminded him, "I haven't had a chance to give you your Christmas present yet with everything's that been going on."

Brian reached over to clasp his hand in his as he told him, "Neither have I." He looked down at the ring firmly surrounding Justin's finger - the one inscribed like his with the words Forever Isn't Long Enough on the inside - and whispered, "You didn't need to get me anything. You know how I feel about presents and all that nonsense. Besides...I got everything I could ever need or want this past year; nothing could top that ever again."

Justin's eyes misted over in reaction as he replied, "Me, too," before the two of them leaned in for a kiss. As they broke apart, he whispered, "But I wanted to get you something anyway. Let's go to bed, and I'll get it for you."

Brian nodded, both of them well aware they were planning on doing anything but sleeping for a while. With all the company they had had over the past few days, this was one of those rare moments when they were actually alone, and they both wanted to take advantage of it.

Placing their wine glasses down on the floor nearby, Brian rose to stand as he pulled Justin to his feet, just as a pair of skittering, slipper-footed girls came rushing into the room, sliding on the smooth, hardwood floor.

"Whoa, girls!" Brian called out with a laugh as he and Justin caught one girl each in their arms. It was obvious that neither girl was quite ready for bed yet, either, judging by the excited looks on their faces. "Careful in those," he told them with a smile as he steadied Katie by hugging her around the shoulders.

"Sorry, Dad," she said. "We just wanted to say good night - and to thank you for our amazing gifts! I can't wait to take the new portfolio with me when Daddy and I go to painting class this weekend. Can I still help out with the younger kids?" she asked Justin hopefully.

He laughed. "Are you kidding? I'm counting on you to help keep me sane," he told her with a grin as she beamed with pleasure. Justin's classes at the winery had become so popular over the past few months that he had been forced to split the classes up into an elementary group and a teenage group to accommodate everyone who wanted to participate. That actually suited him fine; it was a challenge at times, but he loved what he did, and he derived great joy not only in igniting the same passion for art in the children he taught, but also in having a way to spend more time with Katie. The owners had been so impressed with his work, drive, and ambition - and the amazing way he interacted with the children - that he had been given a hefty raise about a month after he had started working there. "Remember, though, Sweetheart, anytime you have any extracurricular events for school, that takes priority over you helping me. I don't want you thinking you have to assist me every weekend if you have something else you want or need to do."

Katie shook her head. "No, it's fine!" she told him. "It won't be a problem until my soccer starts back up again. And I love helping out," she told him.

Justin smiled affectionately at her. "And I love having you there with me." He made a point then to turn to his other daughter to ask her, "Did Gus ever get your vanity up yet?" Ever since that fiasco with Kaylee feeling left out when they had started painting, he and Brian had made sure to include her in many of their conversations and activities as well. In fact, presently she and Brian were taking a photography class together at the local community college, and some of Kaylee's works were going to be displayed soon at a junior art fair there, much like her father had experienced when he wasn't much older.

The two girls giggled as she explained with a melodramatic sigh, "Finally!"

Brian looked at them in amusement. "What's so funny?"

"He decided he didn't need to look at the directions before he started putting it together."

"Uh, oh," Justin replied. "If he's anything like your father when it comes to assembling furniture..."

Brian lifted an eyebrow, choosing to ignore that statement as he prodded, "Hey! What did we just discuss..?"

Justin grinned. "Handyman skills and reading directions first before you assemble something are two totally different things. Remember the girls' playpen you tried to put together?"

Brian grimaced. "Just barely," he lied as Justin laughed.

"Never mind," he told him as he turned to the girls. "So what happened?"

"He wound up putting the mirror on backward. He had to take off all the screws and turn it around the right way...and it was heavy!" She giggled as she reported, "We learned some new words we didn't know before."

Brian shook his head in exasperation as Justin laughed. "Well, just see that you don't repeat them outside these walls, okay? We wouldn't want to be accused of corrupting you."

"We promise," they both responded in unison, their eyes sparkling impertinently.

Brian nodded. "Well, everyone else is in bed, and it's after midnight. Now that old Sonny Boy has finally managed to put your vanity together, you two need to hit the sack, too, okay? And don't stay up more than half an hour talking; I know how you two are."

Both girls sighed. "Okay, Dad," they repeated as one.

Both fathers exchanged a look as Brian murmured, "How do they do that?" At least he could tell them easily apart now; even if Kaylee's hair hadn't been shoulder length again, by now he knew their personality traits and quirks so well, it was easy to tell which was which. How things had changed since the first time he had discovered their ruse!

"Okay, off you go," Justin told them as both men leaned down to give their daughters a quick kiss on the cheek. "Love you," he whispered to both girls as they repeated the same thing to him and Brian.

"Sweet dreams, girls," Brian murmured as he watched them leave. He let out a deep breath. "I use to have that much energy."

Justin grinned. "Don't sell yourself so short, Dad. You still have enough energy where it counts," he told him as he waggled his eyebrows meaningfully.

Brian smirked. "Yes, I do," he agreed, tongue rolled into his cheek. "Allow me to prove it to you."

Justin smiled, that radiant, almost blinding smile that Brian adored so much, as he took Brian by the hand and led him over to the bed. "Wait," Brian said as he broke off their handclasp to walk over to the door and shut it softly, turning the deadbolt to lock it. "It's time for some private Christmas cheer of our own, and I do NOT want us to be disturbed," he explained as Justin's face grew warm in anticipation.

He nodded as Brian walked back over and, instead of joining him to sit against the headboard, he walked the few steps over to the massive, walk-in closet and leaned up on his tiptoes to retrieve a small, leather grooming kit. It was the one he normally took with him when he had to travel on business, so he figured it might be a good place to hide a Christmas gift from a certain pair of prying eyes.

Unzipping the leather case, he pulled out a flat, thin, long, white box with a plain, red ribbon tied around it. Placing the case back up on the top closet shelf, he returned to the bedroom and, standing by the bed, handed it to his husband. Moving to sit on the bed next to him, he told him, "I figured if you went snooping in our bedroom for your present, you would never be able to reach up that high."

Justin huffed in indignation as he gazed into his eyes and said sincerely, "Merry Christmas, Justin." The words almost stuck in his throat; it was still somewhat hard to be even remotely sentimental verbally, even with his soul mate, but it was slowly becoming easier. Besides, he figured a simple "Merry Christmas" would be safer than something outright sappy. And he suspected that soon enough, the waterworks would start, so he'd best get it out of the way now.

Justin smiled in delight as he accepted the small box. "Brian...I told you..."

"I know," he told him softly. "But I wanted to. Now quit being so damned ungrateful and just open it up."

Justin rolled his eyes as he pulled on the narrow, red ribbon to loosen the bow and lay it down next to him on the mattress. He lifted the lid, his heart pounding in curiosity, as he immediately recognized what it was: there inside the box was a red, Liberty Air ticket envelope. Placing the box down to join the ribbon, he held the envelope up with a shaky hand as he lifted his gaze to peer over at his husband. "Brian..."

Brian shrugged. "I'm waiting, Sunshine. We haven't got all day...or night."

Justin bit his lip as he opened up the envelope and took out a folded piece of white copy paper. Unfolding it, his mouth fell open in astonishment as Brian told him softly, "I've always heard that Paris in the spring is amazing - not to mention, all the new Armani and Prada collections that come out then. Remind me to take an extra suitcase with me when we go...or better yet, I'll just pay to have them ship my new clothes back to the States..."

Justin flung himself into Brian's arms, holding on tightly to his back as Brian laughed. "We're going to Paris! Are you serious?" He started sprinkling butterfly kisses all along Brian's jaw, neck, and shoulders as Brian told him, "Serious as a heart attack...or having one ball..."

Justin pulled back to plaster his lips against his husband's for several seconds in delight, Brian eventually drawing both of them down to lie fully on the bed so Justin was on top of him. To his slight surprise, however, his husband broke apart much sooner than he would have liked and started to rise from the bed.

"Where are you going?" he asked him. "I still need some more thanking."

Justin laughed as he turned around to tell him mysteriously, "Trust me, you'll be getting plenty of thanking in a few minutes."

Brian lifted an eyebrow in curiosity as he watched Justin walk over to the window seat and open up the tufted, leather top to pull out a small sewing kit they kept in there for minor clothing repairs. He grinned as he placed it on top of the window seat and flipped the lid open to retrieve a wrapped present of his own. Unlike Brian's, however, this one was wrapped in elegant, silver-foil paper with a fancy, royal blue ribbon, and was about the size of a box of teabags.

"How creatively evil of you to hide it in there," Brian droned as Justin walked over to sit back down on the side of the bed next to him.

Justin grinned. "Well, two can play that game. I figured you of all people would never think to look for your Christmas present in our sewing box."

Brian snorted. "You got that right! What makes you think I would even go snooping for something like that, anyway?"

"Well, I wanted to make sure," he told him, his smile slowly dissolving into something that looked almost hesitant as he softly urged him, "Open it up, Brian. And Merry Christmas to you, too; to both of us." His eyes never left his husband's as Brian attempted to untie the tight knot that Justin had wound around the box, scowling when he couldn't get it to untangle.

"Oh, for..." Justin reached over impatiently to snag the box back from his husband as he none-too-gently slid the ribbon down the box until he could remove it. "Sissy," he taunted him with a grin as he handed the now-unencumbered box back to him. "I'm assuming you can handle the gift wrap," he told him.

Brian mock glared at him as he held the feather-light box in his hands and frowned over its lack of weight. "What have you got in here? It's obviously not that Gucci watch I was admiring in the window the other day at the jewelry store."

Justin shook his head. "No...But I'm hoping you will like this a lot better," he told him quietly.

Brian eyed him curiously as he slid his fingernail under the taped part of the package to tear it open; the smirk that started to appear on his face as he recognized the box identifying his favorite brand and size of condoms instantly vanished as he realized - or at least, he hoped he understood - why the box seemed to weigh so little. His lips parted as he stared over at his husband and murmured, "Justin..."

"Just open it, Brian."

Brian nodded as he tore away the rest of the paper with relish now and threw it hastily aside to pry open the unsealed box, lifting the top to find a folded, yellow piece of paper inside and a small, unopened tube of lubricant. Finding his own hand shaking a bit over the possibilities, he dropped the box down onto the bed and lifted out the paper to unfold it, confirming what he had hoped it was: the results of a test Justin had undertaken at the local health clinic in town, verifying he was disease-free.

"I know you were tested right after we got back together," he heard Justin whisper. "And so was I. So as soon as you get tested again, well, then we can...that is, if you still want to..." He stopped as Brian inexplicably shook his head. All sorts of horrid possibilities swirled through Justin's mind for a few seconds before he finally asked with a little trepidation, "What?"

"Don't need to," Brian told him simply in response as he peered into his eyes with a dry smile. He reached inside his jeans pocket to retrieve a small, folded piece of paper of his own. "I wasn't sure when the right time was to give this to you," he began. "I didn't want you to think I was pressuring you, or pushing you into something before you were ready for it...but I had this done two days ago." One side of his mouth quirked upward as he added, "At the same clinic as you did - and on the same day. I'm surprised we didn't run into each other." He grinned. "But that would have spoiled your Christmas present to me, then." He reached over to lightly stroke Justin's cheek as he told him, "And it's the best Christmas present you could have ever given me."

Justin's face flushed as he told him, "And me as well." He reached up to clasp his hand over Brian's as he told him, "I've been waiting for this ever since we got back together," he divulged. "Brian, I love you so much. Only you. Always and forever you."

Brian leaned in so their foreheads were touching as he whispered back, no longer worried about how lesbionic it might sound, "Me, too." He sucked in a breath and let it out. "Me, too."

They pulled back to stare into each other's eyes, the immensity of what they were about to do - and the underlying significance of it - almost palpable in the room. Of one accord, they both pulled their sweaters over their heads to remove them before unbuttoning their pants and standing up beside the bed to tug them down their legs and step out of them along with their briefs. Quickly discarding their socks and shoes, both men were back in bed within a minute as Brian drew his husband into his arms and draped his body over his, staring down into the younger man's blue eyes and feeling like he was about to drown in them - along with the wondrous sensations flowing through him at the thought of finally having no barriers between them. It had been so long; so very, very long.

Leaning down, he began to kiss Justin languorously, finding that he wanted to take his time to savor this moment instead of rushing headstrong into it. He wanted to remember every moment of this night: each touch, each caress, each sigh, each whimper, for the rest of his life. His hands slowly explored every inch of his husband's body as Justin did the same, making him shiver as Justin's fingernails lightly scratched along his shoulders and then down his arms.

Linking their hands together, Brian's wedding band reflecting off the dancing flames skittering around the room, he began to mark a wet path with his lips from Justin's mouth down to his shoulders, lightly ghosting along the smooth, warm skin until he reached one erect nipple, his other hand trailing down Justin's belly to come to rest on his cock, finding it hard and ready, just like his own.

He laved the pebbled flesh studiously before nipping it with his teeth, feeling Justin squirm in reaction beneath him and let out a soft sigh of pleasure, before he traveled over to the other one to lavish the same attention on it.

"Brian," Justin breathed out in a plea of urgency. "Please..."

He lifted his head to stare into the beautiful face, practically glowing under the firelight. "What, Sunshine?" he demanded silkily. He loved it when Justin told him what he wanted him to do in bed. And now...the thought of what they were about to do was making him decidedly hard. "Tell me what you want." Was it really necessary, though? He knew it was precisely what he wanted, what he had been yearning for since the first moment he had laid eyes upon Justin in that condo in Chicago. The thing all of his most erotic wet dreams had been composed of; the moment in time, in the future, when they would be together with nothing between them. And now that future was finally here...

His breathing shallow and ragged, Justin told him, "You know what I want. Brian, please...it's taken us so long...Do it...Fuck me. Love me. I want to feel you again; all of you." To emphasis his point, Justin blindly reached out toward the gift box to grope inside it with his hand, producing the small tube of lube that was resting inside. Clutching the precious object in his hand, he brought it back over to thrust it into Brian's chest with a decided smack. "Is that clear enough for you?" he asked him with a breathless growl, his eyes dark and deep with desire.

Brian grinned down at him wryly. "Abundantly," he told him with a crooked smile as he reached to take it from his lover. Justin, however, shook his head as he held tightly onto it, grinning sexily as he flipped the top open. Squirting some onto his fingers, he reached between them to begin sliding his hand ever-so-slowly up and down the large, throbbing shaft. His eyes never left his husband's as he told him, "Just think, Brian. This is just a hint of what it's about to feel like when you're inside me. Hot, smooth, and amazing. Just skin on skin." He continued to slide his hand up and down the pulsating flesh, feeling it growing even impossibly harder over his touch and his words. He could see Brian's eyes darkening with desire and his breathing coming out in short bursts of air between his lips, his face flushed with arousal as he let out a moan in reaction.

"Justin...you keep doing that - and saying that - and this will be over before it starts," he admitted as he reached down and grabbed his wrist to stop him.

Justin blushed as he nodded, moving to roll over onto his stomach before Brian held him fast. "No," he whispered. "I have to see your face when we do this for the first time after so long."

Justin nodded as he grabbed the back of his legs to fold them against his body, his hole exposed invitingly. With any other man, he would have felt vulnerable in this position; with Brian, however, it just made him incredibly aroused at the look his husband was giving him. It wasn't just blatant desire and lust; with love mixed in, it made it that much more powerful.

He jumped slightly a few seconds later as he felt the coolness of the gel on Brian's fingers, spreading the substance around his hole, and winced slightly as one finger pressed inside up the knuckle, stopping until Justin nodded at Brian to keep going. The finger pushed in further, Justin moaning loudly now as he imagined Brian's cock going in there instead. "Enough," he gritted out. "No more. I want you, Brian. You," he demanded gruffly, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

Locking his eyes with Justin, Brian nodded as he kneeled on the bed and lined up his cock to press tentatively inside, both mean groaning in amazement as contact was made at last. This was what they had been waiting for, dreaming of, longing for. "Fuck," Justin hissed out as he felt Brian's cock filling him and stretching him. He could feel every slight ridge, every pound of his rapidly beating heart, every hot inch as Brian slid in a little deeper. The heat was almost too much to bear; it was like being on fire from the inside, and he fucking loved it. He had forgotten just how incredible it felt to have nothing between them. "More..." he demanded. He lifted his legs to link them around Brian's shoulders then, gripping his arms. The fingers dug into the bronzed skin as Brian thrust in stronger, feeling every slide, every change in angle as Brian began to rock in and out, his hips snapping in rhythm as he swooped in to kiss Justin's lips.

"Fuck, Justin," he grunted as he pistoned in and out fluidly, the lube creating a smooth, silky passage. "This ...this..." He gave up; he couldn't complete the sentence as he rode waves and waves of indescribable pleasure. He had no words for this most intimate of couplings. To be able to love this man, to marry this man, to have him mind, body and soul for the rest of his life and in his bed, was impossible to put into words adequately. He blinked to push away the moisture on his eyelids; but he knew it wasn't coming from the sweat on his face as he and Justin continued to make love. A half-smile broke out on his husband's face as their bodies moved in perfect harmony with each other; it was a knowing smile, a smile that revealed how laid bare Brian's feelings were at the moment, but he didn't care anymore.

As he plunged back in, angling his body to hit Justin's bundle of nerves that set his lover's body ablaze even more, Justin dug his fingernails deeper into Brian's skin as he began to turn his head to and fro blindly, letting out a deep moan as Brian pulled partially out, and then rammed back in to hit the same spot, over and over again.

"Br...Brian," he gasped out as their tempo picked up; he dropped his legs to link them behind Brian's back to deepen the penetration. He could feel his body coiling tightly, heading toward an eruption he had never experienced before. "I'm...I'm..."

"Let go," Brian demanded as both of them held on for dear life now, their pace fast and furious. "Do it, Justin; come with me," he panted harshly, feeling his body reaching its own, imminent crescendo of pleasure. "I'm...Fuck..." He reached down to grasp his husband's oozing cock, feeling it heavy and hard in his hand, just before he suddenly cried out loudly with something unintelligible, exploding his hot seed deep inside his lover's body.

Brian managed somehow to thrust in and out a few times longer while he stroked Justin's cock before Justin, too, called out his name and fell down into a pinnacle of drowning passion, streams of milky white erupting all over his and Brian's chests and bellies as he climaxed.

Brian collapsed on top of the slender frame, Justin's hands coming up to stroke his sweat-drenched back as he lay his head in the crook of his husband's neck. He could feel wetness between Justin's legs where some of his seed had dribbled out, and he couldn't help thinking it was the most fucking, erotic thing he had ever felt. No, he decided; it was the fact that he didn't have to withdraw right away as Justin whispered against him, "Stay inside me."

Brian closed his eyes for a few moments, feeling such an overwhelming feeling of belonging and contentment as he lazily stroked Justin's hair with one hand, while the other lightly caressed one pale shoulder. This time, there was no need to pull away, no need to hurry.

"No," Justin protested sleepily when Brian finally moved to twist away from him, afraid his larger bulk would become too constrictive.

Brian raised his head to peer into the deep, blue eyes, unable to resist the temptation to lean down and steal one more kiss. "I'm not going anywhere," he murmured as he finally flopped over onto his back, pulling Justin with him so he was lying half on, half off his chest, their legs intertwined, all sated and sticky. He lay there with his arm curled protectively around his husband's shoulder for several minutes, Justin's head on his chest as he played with the fine hairs there, until at last he suggested huskily, "Let's take a shower." He paused for a few moments before he added, "After all, turnabout is fair play, as they say."

Justin lifted his head to peer up at him. "Are you sure?" he asked softly, his heart beating erratically over the delicious thought.

Brian stared into his eyes before he nodded with a half-smile. "Yeah." Kissing the top of Justin's head, he gently pushed Justin off to rise from the bed, the remnants of their lovemaking crusty and dry on their bodies. "Come on, Stud," he teased him as he reached for his hand. "Show me what you got."

He couldn't help raking his eyes down the slender, beautiful frame of a thoroughly debauched Justin as he smirked. "Well? Bring your step stool and let's get to it." He laughed as Justin promptly threw a pillow at him, scowling. "Okay, we'll improvise," he agreed as he held out his hand toward him.

Justin rolled his eyes, but nevertheless rose from the bed with a smile to clasp his hand in his.

Fifteen Minutes Later - Downstairs - Kitchen

"You do know we're supposed to be in bed by now?" Kaylee pointed out as she watched her sister gulp a half glass of milk and then chomp down on the top of a big, icing-covered, Christmas-tree sugar cookie. She grimaced before popping a sweet potato chip into her mouth, followed by a small drink of her water. "You're never going to get to sleep after eating that!"

Katie snorted. "Watch me! I can sleep through anything. I have an iron stomach; whatever that means," she admitted, wrinkling up her nose. "That's what Dad says to me all the time, anyway. I think it means I can eat whatever I want, when I want."

Kaylee huffed. "Maybe now. Just wait until your teenage hormones kick in. Then see what happens!"

Katie glared at her as they heard footsteps coming down the hall. "Now you did it!" she hissed. "One of them must have heard us!"

"Well, I'M not the one who decided on a midnight snack," she pointed out.

"Did I force you to come down here?" her sister pointed out as Kaylee huffed in irritation.

They sighed in relief when they realized it was their mother instead.

Clad, in a mid-length, mint-colored terry robe and bare feet, Daphne covered her mouth as she let out a yawn, the events of today finally catching up with her. "I thought I heard voices down here," she told them. "What are you doing up this late?"

Katie gave her a sort of 'duh' look. "We were hungry," she explained simply.

Daphne grinned. "I can see that," she observed dryly as she noticed the large plate of Christmas cookies lying on the counter, and the family-size bag of chips that Kaylee was holding. She walked over to grab one of the sugar cookies, biting off a snowman's head as she let out a 'mmm' in appreciation. "This is SO good," she sighed after swallowing. "I love iced sugar cookies!"

"Me, too!" Katie told her excitedly. She frowned. "Aunt Daphne?"

Daphne smiled as she peered down at her. "Yes, Honey?"

"Why don't we call you Mom? You're not our aunt."

Daphne's heart lurched. "Well..." What could she say? Up until recently, she hadn't really given the name they used for her much thought. She had always been in their lives to some extent, but over the past several months - since the two fathers had reunited and gotten married - she had found herself becoming even more involved. Now, to her surprise, she found that the idea of being called 'Mom' didn't make her feel odd or fearful. She finally replied, "I guess it was because I was never much of a mother to you before, not in the real sense of the word. I always loved you and cared about you, though," she was quick to add, not wanting them to feel otherwise. "Your fathers have always been the ones to really take care of you," she explained.

She needn't have worried, though, as Kaylee interjected, "Well, you're still our mother," she told her. "We can have two fathers and still have a mother, too."

Daphne bestowed a wistful smile on her. "Yes, you can," she agreed softly. "I...I just never thought you would want to do that. I mean, call me that. I guess I never thought I really deserved it."

"That's ridiculous," Katie informed her. "You listen to us, you care about us, and you love us. And besides, we talked about it, and that's what we've decided," she told her firmly as Kaylee bobbed her head up and down in agreement. "Do you have a problem with that?" One eyebrow quirked up in typical, Kinney fashion expectantly.

Daphne flushed as tears welled up in her eyes. "No," she told them hoarsely, choked up. She smiled at both of them. "I don't have a problem with that at all. In fact...I'm honored, girls; very, very honored."

She impetuously swept both girls up into her embrace as they leaned into her side, hugging them tightly against her.

"Why does this not surprise me?" came a dry voice from several feet away. They broke apart to observe Justin standing there with Brian beside him, both men barefoot and clad only in pajama bottoms, having received an alert a few minutes ago from their alarm system upstairs. One of the sophisticated features Brian had insisted on installing several years ago was a series of motion-detector cameras set up in pertinent areas of the house; when he and Justin had returned from their shower, he had reached to set the alarm to "Stay," only to notice some familiar 'prowlers' downstairs in the kitchen.

Justin grinned over at them in amusement, his arms folded across his chest. "Daphne! You, too?" he teased her, noticing cookie crumbs around her lips. "And all this time I thought Katie got it from me; now I'm beginning to doubt that."

She smiled over at her friend sheepishly, her eyes twinkling as the two men walked over to join them. "I didn't want them to get stale," she maintained as she let both girls go. "And then we decided to have a girls' chat."

"I thought you 'girls' were told to go to sleep about an hour ago," Brian pointed out to their daughters, but there was no sting in his words, merely the same sort of amusement that Justin had expressed. "You'll both be grouchy as hell if you don't get to bed right now, because there will be a lot of people awake early tomorrow to get ready for Christmas lunch. Now say goodnight - for real this time - and get your butts back up in bed."

Both girls sighed. "Okay, Dad," Katie told him as the two girls walked over to place their trash in the garbage can under the sink, and their glasses in the sink.

"And NO more talking - straight to bed, okay?" Justin added. Kaylee opened her mouth to reply, but then shut it again as she noticed the look of finality on his face. She nodded as they walked back over to their parents.

"Hey, you're forgetting something," Justin told them as they turned to walk down the hallway.

Both girls rolled their eyes, but shuffled back over to give him, and then Brian a brief kiss on the cheek.

"Good night, girls," Justin told them as they turned to face Daphne.

"Thanks for the chat," Daphne told them with a smile as they both reached up on their tiptoes to kiss her on each cheek. "Sweet dreams."

They nodded. "'Night, Mom," Kaylee told her as Katie repeated the phrase before they finally headed back down the hallway, leaving both men with their mouths hanging open in shock.

Justin waited until the girls were climbing the steps out of earshot before he blurted out, "Did I just hear what I think I heard?"

Daphne nodded with a smile before a sudden thought occurred to her. "It was their decision," she explained. "I didn't encourage them to do it. Is that all right with you two? I mean, I would understand if you would rather they didn't..."

"Daphne," Brian interrupted her. "Sheesh! And I thought the girls could talk nonstop!" He looked over at Justin, who nodded back at him. "No, of course we don't mind."

Justin smiled over at her. "I think it's wonderful," he told her in reassurance. "The girls do love you. And I know you feel the same way. I think it's about time." Brian nodded next to him as Daphne swallowed hard. Mother. She had never really thought she would want or like that title - in a way, it made her feel so old - but now that the girls had decided to use it, she couldn't think of a bigger honor.

"Thanks," she told them simply. "I'm very honored. And...touched." She blinked back her tears. "They really are wonderful girls, aren't they?" she whispered.

Both men smiled over at her. "You bet they are," Brian told her firmly as he slid one arm around Justin's waist. "They came from good stock."

Justin snorted. "Thanks. Now I feel like a prized heifer at the county fair that was auctioned off for stud purposes."

"Well, I can attest to your prowess in that area," Brian whispered in his ear as Justin promptly turned red.

Daphne eyed them curiously as she watched the interaction, but she didn't ask about it; she didn't really have to hear what Brian said to know what it was about.

Stifling another yawn, she told them, "I'm going to head up to bed now, too. Let me know if you need any help tomorrow with anything."

Justin nodded as they told her goodnight, finally leaving both men alone once more. Brian reached over to turn off the kitchen light, leaving the house totally quiet, the lights from the Christmas tree in the grand foyer the only illumination in the spacious home. "Hear that, Sunshine?" he whispered as he turned to pull Justin into his arms.

Justin smiled up at him in amusement. "What? I don't hear anything."

"Well, I do," Brian told him. "It's the best sound of all. It's what happiness sounds like. And I really like the sound of it, don't you?"

Justin nodded at him then, a smile on his face, as the two of them walked hand-in-hand back down the hallway and up the stairs.