Aria's POV

What do you think of when you hear the words "Christmas Eve?" As a child, I thought of presents, Santa Clause, and homemade cookies. When I got a little older, I began to think of family, laughter, and creating memories to last a life time. I don't know what the true definition of Christmas is, or what the holiday should entitle, but I'm sure of one thing. Christmas shouldn't feel like this.

It's completely silent at Christmas Eve dinner at the Fitz household. Well, almost completely silent. Every couple of minutes, my five year-old son Christopher opens his mouth, to list all the presents he wants Santa to bring him. Normally, I would think of his enthusiastic nature as adorable and a blessing, but tonight it just feels irksome. I can't complain about Christopher though, because my thirteen year-old daughter Katherine is acting as a foil to her younger brother, and she's annoying me ten-thousand times more than he is.

Katherine does not make eye contact with anyone at the table, and instead she focuses her attention on the cell phone in her lap. Every time the phone buzzes, her pink lips curl into a soft smile. The eighth grader is without a doubt texting her boyfriend Eric, and the thought of her doing so makes me sick to my stomach. It's bad enough that she's dating as an eighth grader, but it's even worse that she's compromising "family" time for her eighth grade boyfriend.

Even though my daughter is driving me up a wall, My husband Ezra is driving me up a skyscraper. Unlike Katherine, Ezra makes eye contact with me ever so often. But in his eyes, I can see the deeply rooted anger and hatred. The mean looks he gives me are enough to make me want to run into my bedroom, and cry for the rest of the evening. As appealing as that sounds, I know I can't make Christmas even worse for my two children. This Christmas is the beginning of the end for our family, and it's hard enough for everyone as it is.

"Is everyone done with their chicken? I made apple pie for desert." I say, as I do my best to offer my children a warm smile.

"My favorite!" Christopher exclaims.

I respond by walking over to my baby boy, and plating a soft kiss on his forehead. Words cannot express how grateful I am for the sudden burst of positive energy. Unfortunately, my daughter ruins the moment before it can even begin.

"I don't eat sugar." Katherine mutters as she folds her arms across her chest.

"Since when?" I ask as I raise an eye brow.

"Since I realized that it makes you fat." She says with an eye roll.

I look down at my dress self-consciously. Do I look fat? I haven't had time to run because of everything that's going on, and I've been doing an awful lot of stress eating lately. After Christmas ends, I'll start taking better care of my body.

"You don't have to worry about getting fat Katherine. You're in eighth grade, and your metabolism is still working like a machine. You will however, have to be careful about eating sugar after you have children." I tell my daughter.

"Well, that's why I'm never having children. You get fat, and you get wrinkles all over your face." My daughter says with a shutter.

Seriously? According to my daughter, I'm now fat and wrinkly. She can blame herself for at least two thirds of the wrinkles on my pale face.

"I think you're beautiful Mommy, and you've had two kids." Christopher says as he offers me one of his sweetest smiles.

"Why thank you my sweetheart. You always know exactly what to say." I tell my son truthfully.

"Kiss up." Katherine mutters under her breath.

I decide to ignore the hormonal teenager and serve dessert. I make four plates of apple pie; one for Ezra, one for me, one for Christopher, and one for Katherine. I honestly hope she'll stop worrying about her prepubescent body, and enjoy the damn pie. I don't get what I hope for, and Katherine does not touch her dessert. No. She's too busy texting her boyfriend.

"Buddy, it's getting late! Why don't you get ready for bed so Santa will come early?" Ezra asks as he scoops Christopher into his arms.

"But Daddy, I'm not sleepy yet." Christopher says with a long yawn.

"Daddy's right baby. Santa won't come if you're not in bed." I tell my son with a chuckle.

Christopher sighs, before slowly nodding his head in agreement. He's so easy. Especially compared to his father and older sister.

"Ezra, you do the dishes. I'm going to give my son a bath." I say as I hold out my arms for Christopher.

But Ezra doesn't budge, or hand me my child. Who does he think he is? In case he's forgotten, I'm the one who carried, and birthed both of our children.

"I can put him to bed." Ezra says as he looks down at the five year-old, who has his head nuzzled against his father's strong chest.

"No, I'm doing it tonight." I say with more force this time.

Ezra sighs, before handing me a confused looking Christopher.

"Your wish is my command princess." He says as he rolls his eyes in annoyance.

"Huh. For once you're putting me above yourself. They do say Christmas is the time for miracles." I say as I begin to raise my voice.

"You know what Aria..." Ezra starts to say.

"Mommy, Daddy, you promised you weren't going to fight during Christmas." My son says as tears begin to form in his eyes.

"Mommy and Daddy weren't fighting. We were just having a minor disagreement on who should tuck you in tonight. Let's go sweetheart." I mutter before storming out of the kitchen, with Christopher in my arms.

Line Break

"He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Christmas, he thought... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!" I read before closing my son's favorite Christmas book; How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

"That's a beautiful story." Christopher tells me softly.

I smile, and pull my little boy close to me. I can't help but think that he looks more like his father everyday. Christopher has his father's beautiful eyes, and his dark curls too. I used to love that the boy looked like Ezra, but now every time I look at him, I feel haunted. I guess it's nice that he looks like his daddy. Even though I don't get Ezra anymore, I still get to love and protect a little piece of him.

"Mommy, are you sure you and Daddy have to get a divorce?" Christopher asks as his lower lip begins to quiver, a sure sign that he's about to start crying.

"Honey, we've talked about this. The divorce is what's best for everyone." I say with a heavy sigh.

Christopher doesn't say anything, but salty tears begin to stream down his face. Seeing him cry breaks my heart. Especially because it's my fault.

"Hey! Don't cry! You still have a Mommy, Daddy, and sister who love you more than anything in the world. Even if me and Daddy aren't together, we'll always find a way to love, and take care of you." I say as I wipe away the boy's tears.

"You're right." The boy says with a sniffle.

"I'm always right Christopher! Now let's see a smile! You've been an awfully good boy this year, and I'm sure Santa is bringing you more toys than you'll know what to do with." I say with a chuckle.

"Toys!" Christopher says as his little face lights up with excitement.

"See! There's that beautiful smile." I say before kissing his cheek lovingly.

"I love you Mommy." Christopher says with a tired yawn.

"I love you too baby, more than you'll ever know." I say before ruffling his dark curls.

Christopher's piercing blue eyes begin to close, and he snuggles under his warm covers. I smile at the sight in front of me, and offer him another tender kiss on the cheek.

"Honey, I'm going to go check on your sister. I'm sure Daddy wants to kiss you goodnight." I say before springing to my feet, and slowly exiting the bedroom.

Down the hall is my daughter Katherine's room. I stand in front of the closed door, before building up the courage to knock. A year ago, I wouldn't have thought to knock on my daughter's door. But she's thirteen now, and turning into a young woman. We both agree that she needs her privacy.

"Come in." I hear Katherine grumble.

I open the door to the bedroom, and sigh when I see Katherine sitting on her bed, and staring at her cell phone. She's on that thing way too much, and I wish she'd do something more productive with her time.

"What do you want?" My daughter asks without looking up from her phone.

"I um, just wanted to wish you goodnight. I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes." I say to the girl.

"Goodnight." She mutters.

I let out a breathy sigh. She isn't going to make this easy for me.

"Honey, I know hard hard this year has been for you. It's been hard for me too, but things will get better. I promise you." I say as my voice softens.

Katherine doesn't look up from her phone. Surprise, surprise.

"I also know that your body is starting to change, and that can be scary. Sometimes it leaves you feeling angry and confused..." I start to ramble.

"Mom stop. Please stop." Katherine says with a shutter.

"Baby, you don't have to be embarrassed around me. I went through the same things that you're going through. When I was thirteen, I got my first period, my first bra, my first boyfriend..." I start to say.

"Stop talking." Katherine says, cutting me off mid sentence.

I stop talking, and start wondering. When will she let me in? When will I get my sweet, baby girl back? I remember when we were close, and she'd tell me everything. Now she wants nothing to do with me. Everyone warned me that this happens with daughters, but I didn't believe it would happen with me and Katherine. We loved each other too much. I still love her more than anything in the world, but now she just thinks of me as a bother.

"Katherine..." I say as I approach her bed.

Before I can finish my sentence, Katherine does something peculiar. She quickly turns off her phone, and puts it on her nightstand. At first I'm happy, because in fool myself into thinking that she actually wants to talk to me. But then I realize what's really going on. There is something on that phone that she doesn't want me to see.

"Honey, why did you just put your phone away?" I ask, with panic evident in my voice.

My daughter doesn't say anything. Instead, she offers me a nonchalant shrug. I'm going to find out what's on that phone, and I don't care if Katherine hates me for it.

"Katherine, let me have your phone." I say as calmly as possible.

"What! No way! It's private!" Katherine exclaims.

"Actually you're wrong. I'm paying for the phone, and you're living under my roof, so nothing you do on it is private." I tell her seriously.

"Why can't you ever leave me alone?" Katherine asks as tears of anger begin to stream down her face.

"Because I'm your mother, and it's my job to protect you." I say as I grab the phone, and turn it on.

Immediately, Katherine's text messages to Eric appear on the screen. I begin to read through their text messages one by one.

"Hey babe, how's Christmas Eve."

"Terrible! My mom and dad won't stop fighting, and no one's paying any attention to me."

"I'm sorry... I wish you were here with me."

"So do I."

"I know what might cheer you up."

"What?"

"Why don't we exchange gifts ;)."

"What are you talking about? I already gave you your present. Remember?"

"I know, and the watch was lovely. But you're even lovelier."

"Huh?"

"Send me a topless picture, and I'll send you a picture of my dick. It will cheer both of us up."

"I can't..."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"If my parents find out they'll kill me."

"Your parents won't find out. This will be our little secret."

"Really?"

"Really! I promise."

"Okay... I'll do it after they go to bed. That way I won't get caught."

"You're the best! Next time we see each other, will you give me a blow job?"

"What's a blow job?"

"You don't know what a blow job is? That's hilarious. I'll tell you about it next time I see you. I'll even tell you how to do it."

"Um, okay."

And the text messages end. I can literally feel my blood boiling. I don't think I've ever been so infuriated in my life. That asshole is taking advantage of my baby girl! He's ruining her innocence, and pressuring her into doing things she isn't ready for. If he were in the room, I'd kill him.

"Katherine Isabella Fitz! How long has this been going on?" I ask as I gesture towards the phone.

"I don't know what you're talking about." My daughter says as she avoids looking into my hazel eyes.

"This vulgar... When did it start?" I ask as I begin to raise my voice.

"I don't know what you mean..." My daughter starts to say.

"You damn well know what I mean Katherine! You know what you're doing is wrong! If you didn't, you wouldn't be worried about getting in trouble!" I say as I gesture towards the phone.

"It's not wrong! I just knew you'd make a big deal out of nothing if you found out." Katherine says with a heavy sigh.

"This is a very big deal young lady! If you're doing these things at thirteen, I don't even want to think about what you're going to be doing in high school! Where is your self-respect? Do you realize that once you send something, it doesn't ever go away? Eric will have those pictures for the rest of his life, and he can send them to his dopey friends!" I exclaim.

"Eric wouldn't do that. He loves me..." Katherine starts to say.

"He doesn't love you Katherine! If he loved you, he wouldn't be asking so much of you. He's a horny thirteen year-old boy who's taking advantage of you." I tell my daughter seriously.

"You don't know anything about love! You're getting a divorce, remember?" Katherine asks as she begins to raise her voice.

She's wrong. I know what love is. I loved Ezra more than anything in the world, and he loved me. Doesn't she remember the way we used to look at each other? Maybe somewhere between all the yelling and fighting, she forgot.

But I don't want to talk about me and Ezra. No. All I want to do is give Eric a piece of my mind. That's why I take Katherine's phone, and call Eric.

"Mom? What are you doing?" Katherine asks as her eyes grow wide with shock.

"You're about to find out." I mutter.

On the second ring, Eric picks up. Thank God.

"Hey Kitty-Cat. I'm so hard for you right now babe." Eric says in a low, and husky voice.

"This is Kitty-Cat's mother." I scream into the phone.

"Mrs. Fitz! I didn't mean..." He starts to say.

"I'm not stupid Eric. I know exactly what you meant. And just so you know, Katherine isn't going to help you take care of that problem. She isn't going to send you nudes, and she isn't going to give you a blow job. She's breaking up with you." I growl furiously.

"Mom!" Katherine shouts.

"What do you mean she's breaking up with me?" Eric asks as his voice cracks in despair.

"I mean she's breaking up with you. This little love affair is over, and in the morning I'm going to give your mother a call. She should be ashamed of how poorly her son treats women." I tell him.

"Please don't call my mom! I'll do anything..." He starts to say.

"I'm calling your mom. Don't waste your time trying to convince me not too. And just so we're clear, if you ever talk to my daughter again, I'll kill you. If you even look at her the wrong way, I'll kill you." I tell the boy truthfully.

"You can't threaten me! It's against the law!" Eric exclaims.

"I don't give a damn about the law. All I care about is Katherine. It's my job to protect her from assholes like you, and that's what I'm going to do." I say before hanging up the phone.

I look at my daughter, and realize that she's crying. I'm not mad at her. I'm mad at Eric. I am confused about why she'd do something like this, and we're going to have a long conversation about it in the morning.

"I know you're mad at me, but you'll thank me one day. I promise." I tell her softly.

"How could you do this to me? You're ruining my life!" Katherine so through her tears.

"No I'm not." I say as I shake my head vigorously.

"Yes you are! I'm no one without Eric." Katherine screams.

"I never want to hear you say that again. Not about Eric, and not about anyone for that matter. Not even about me and Daddy." I tell my daughter serious.

"No one's going to love me again. I'm going to die alone, and it will be all your fault." Katherine says as she glares at me.

"For the love of God Katherine! Did he plant that idea in your head? You're a beautiful and smart girl. Any man would be lucky to love you." I say as my voice softens.

"Whatever. Can you give me my phone. I want to call Eric and apologize for your behavior." Katherine says as she holds out her hand.

"No. You're not getting your phone back tonight." I tell my daughter seriously.

"What do you mean?" Katherine asks with panic in her voice.

"I don't want you texting him." I say flatly.

"Give me my phone!" Katherine exclaims as she reaches for the device.

Without thinking about the consequences, I throw the phone across the room. It hits the wall, before shattering into a million pieces. Katherine gasps, before running over to her most prized possession, and picking up the remains.

"Great! It's broken!" My daughter says as she begins to cry even harder.

"Good." I mutter.

"I hope you're happy." She growls furiously.

"I am." I tell her truthfully.

"Well I hate you." Katherine mutters.

Her words make me want to cry. Does she really hate me? I known I'm not the best mother, but am I really that awful?

"Merry Christmas." I say before storming out of the room, and slamming the door behind me.

As soon as I'm out of the room, I begin to sob hysterically. My baby hates me. My husband, or soon to be ex husband, hates me. I hate me. The only person who doesn't hate me is Christopher. And he will join the bandwagon when he's old enough to understand what I did.

I sigh before making my way to the living room. I have presents to wrap, and it's late. To my surprise, Ezra is sitting on our living room couch, and typing furiously. What is he doing in here?

"Hello Aria." He mutters without looking up from his laptop.

"Hello Ezra." I mutter before taking a seat on the ground.

I begin to wrap the Christmas presents, and not another word is spoken between us. When I'm about halfway done wrapping presents, I use the last bit of wrap paper! Shit! Now how am I going to wrap the rest of the presents? Why can't I do anything anything right?

"Aria, are you okay?" Ezra asks me softly.

That's when I realize that I'm crying. I'm crying harder than I've ever cried before, and I didn't even realize it.

"Don't pretend like you care." I say with bitterness in my voice.

Ezra sighs, before getting off the couch, and taking a seat next to me on the floor. I haven't been this close to him since God knows when.

"That's not fair. You know I care Aria." Ezra says as he rests a hand on my shoulder.

The soft touch is enough to make me cry even harder, and I didn't think it was humanly possible for me to do so. Why is being so nice to me? I don't deserve his affection.

"I-I w-was w-w-wrapping presents for our k-kids, a-and I r-ran o-out of w-wrapping p-p-paper." I say through my heavy sobs.

Ezra looks at me like I'm crazy. Maybe I am.

"I think we have some in the attic. I can get it for you if you want." Ezra offers.

"C-can you?" I ask with a sniffle.

Ezra nods before springing to his feet, and leaving the living room. A few minutes latter, he comes back into the room with a large box in his arms. Ezra sets the box down next to me, and takes a seat.

"I think the wrapping paper is in here. You can look through it if you want." Ezra tells me softly.

I nod, and tear open the box. Sure enough, there are several rolls of wrapping paper, but something else catches my attention. In the middle of the box lies a photo album titled, "Katherine's first Christmas."

I pick up the photo album, and flip to the first page. I smile when I see a picture of Katherine, who could not have been older than six months at the time. She's wearing a red and green Christmas dress, and laying on our couch with a content look on her face.

"She's so beautiful." I say, to no one in particular.

"She's always looked like you." Ezra says suddenly.

I look up at my husband and gasp at his words. Did he mean that as a compliment? If so, it's the nicest thing he's said to me in months. Without saying a word, I flip to the next page. It's a family picture of me, Ezra, and Katherine. Ezra is holding our newborn daughter in his arms, and I have an arm wrapped around his shoulder. We look so happy. We look so in love. When did everything fall apart?

Flash Back

I sit in my office and wait by the phone. It's my wedding anniversary tonight, and I asked Ezra if he'd pick me up from work, and take me out for a nice meal. He hasn't said anything about our anniversary all day, and I hope he's planning a surprise for me. I haven't spent a lot of time with my husband recently, because we're both so busy! He's getting another novel published, and I'm teaching an extra course at the local college. In addition, we have two young children to take care of! That's why I can't wait to spend an evening with my husband. God knows we need it. My eyes light up with excitement when my cell phone begins to ring. Maybe he's here!

"Ezra, are you here yet? I'm starving!" I exclaim.

"Honey, I have some bad news." Ezra says with a heavy sigh.

"What?" I ask him nervously.

"My publisher got stuck in traffic, and he just got to the office. We're probably not going to be done for another three hours. Do you mind if we reschedule dinner?" Ezra asks me gently.

"Reschedule? It's our anniversary!" I exclaim.

"Shit." I hear him mutter.

"You forgot, didn't you?" I ask as tears of hurt and anger begin to stream down my face.

"Aria, I'm so sorry! You know how busy I've been! It just slipped my mind! I promise I'll make it up to you honey. I'll take you into the city tomorrow night, and I'll buy you whatever you want..." Ezra starts to ramble.

"Whatever Ezra." I mutter angrily.

"Aria, what can I do to fix this? I don't want you to be upset on our anniversary." Ezra says with a heavy sigh.

"I'm not upset. Tell your damn publisher I say hi." I scream before hanging up the phone.

As soon as I hang up, I begin to sob hysterically. How did he forget our anniversary? I know I'm overreacting, but this is his third strike! He forgot out anniversary last year too, and just last month he forgot about my birthday. He promised he wouldn't forget about anymore big events! He obviously cares more about his writing than me.

At that moment, I hear a subtle knocking on my door? Who could that be? Probably one of my students. My Comparative Literature class has a paper due next week, and someone probably has a question for me. I wipe away my tears, before answering to the knocks.

"Come in." I say with a sniffle.

At that moment, Tucker Pike, one of my best students enters the room. He's easily over six feet tall, and he has blue eyes and dark curly hair, just like Ezra. I wonder what he wants.

"What can I do for you today?" I ask my student flatly.

"I was hoping you could look over my paper. I know that office hours our over, but I saw that your light was on. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" He asks me politely.

"Not a thing. I'd be happy to look over your paper." I say before taking the thick essay out of his hands, and flipping to the first page.

I let out a muffled sigh when I realize that in his essay, Tucker is comparing Romantic English poetry and romantic Latin poetry. Ezra used to hold me close to him at night, and whisper romantic lines from the famous poems into my ear. He hasn't done that in ages. Before I know it, I'm sobbing hysterically.

"Mrs. Fitz, are you okay?" Tucker asks as his eyes grow wide with shock.

What am I doing? I just had a break down in front of one of my students.

"I'm fine." I say as I try to keep the tears from falling.

"You don't seem fine. You seem...Sad." Tucker says with a concerned expression on his face.

"It's my wedding anniversary tonight, and my husband forgot! This is the second year in a row, and last month he forgot my birthday." I say before I begin to sob even harder, if that's humanly possible.

"What a dick!" Tucker exclaims.

I laugh at the young man's words. It's sweet of him to care. Especially because my own husband doesn't.

"He's a good guy. He really is. We just haven't been getting along lately." I say with a heavy sigh.

"Well, you deserve better. You need a man who will put you first." Tucker says as he takes a step closer to me.

"If only I could find such a man." I say with a chuckle.

"You're looking at him." Tucker says as his voice softens.

I gasp at his words. Did Tucker really just say that? I'm his professor for crying out loud!

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that! It's just that... I think you're so smart and beautiful. I've had a thing for you since the first day of class, and I can never get you out of my head. It pisses me off that the man who's lucky enough to have you doesn't love you like he should." Tucker says through his gritted teeth.

"Tucker, you're a great guy. You really are. But I'm your teacher! More importantly, I'm married! You need to be with someone who can put you first." I tell him gently.

"He doesn't pleasure you like he should, does he?" Tucker asks me suddenly.

"What are you talking about?" I ask with confusion in my voice.

"You're always so uptight... It's like you haven't gotten laid in ages. I can help loosen you up." Tucker says as he gets even closer to me.

I should kick him out of my office. This is completely inappropriate. But he's right. Ezra hasn't made love to me in months, and the thought of having sex causes a familiar aching in my lady parts to arise. Not to mention, Tucker is hot. Really hot.

"I-I can't. I have two children at home. I can't do this to them." I say, trying to convince him and myself.

"They won't know. This will be our little secret." He says before wrapping his arms around me, and pulling my body close to his.

He presses his lips against mine, and I kiss him back eagerly. We're so close, that I can feel his groin pressed up against my stomach. He's as hard as a rock. When was the last time I felt Ezra pressed up against me?

"Y-you r-really need to stop. This isn't right." I say as I break the kiss.

Tucker responds by bending down, and plating butterfly kisses all around my neck. This feels good. It feels really good. Then, he does something completely unexpected. Tucker squeezes my ass, before spanking it forcefully. That felt amazing.

"I need you Mrs. Fitz." He whispers into my ear.

My brain is telling me to pull away, but every cell in my body is screaming for me not to. I need to feel him inside of me.

"You can't tell anyone." I warn him.

"I won't. I care about you too much." He says before picking me up, and placing me on the center of the desk.

Line Break

That night when I get home from the office, Ezra is standing in the living room with a bouquet of roses. I feel so guilty about what I just did, and this is making me feel even worse.

"Happy Anniversary princess." Ezra says before pressing his lips against mine.

I immediately break the kiss. This is too much.

"I know you're mad at me, and I'm sorry for being a terrible husband. I promise I'll make up for it. I even stopped by Tiffanies on the way home." Ezra says as he hands me a jewelry box.

I open the gift, and gasp when I see a beautiful sapphire necklace. He must have spent a fortune on this!

"Ezra thank you. It's beautiful. It really is." I say before offering him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"I was hoping you'd like the necklace. You mean the world to me Aria, and I want you to be happy. I was thinking... Well I was hoping you'd let me make love to you tonight. It's been ages since we... You know... And I want to spend some quality time with you. The children are asleep in bed, so they won't be a problem. I'll let you take control. We can do whatever you want." Ezra whispers into my ear.

I can't have sex with Ezra tonight. Not after I just did it multiple times with Tucker. What if Ezra realizes how wet I already am, and suspects something? The truth would kill him.

"Not tonight Ez." I say with a heavy sigh.

"Aria..." He starts to say.

"I said not tonight! Feel free to sleep on the couch." I say before storming out of the room.

Line Break

I sit at my desk and check the time anxiously. It's six o'clock right now, and Tucker will be here any minute. Our secret affair didn't end after out first time doing it in my office. Oh no. That was just the beginning. Every time I fought with Ezra, I'd give Tucker a call. He'd meet me in my office, and help me forget about my marital problems. My calls were getting so frequent, that we decided it would be best to schedule a time for us to meet. He comes into my office everyday at six o'clock, and he leaves at about eight. But our relationship isn't just a sexual one. Even though we usually end up making love, we talk too. Sometimes he makes me dinner, and asks me about my day. Other times he asks me about my children. He always tells me that he wants to meet them. I never though I'd love anyone other than Ezra, but I love Tucker. I truly do.

"Sorry I'm late Aria." Tucker mutters as he sprints into the office.

"It's okay." I say before pulling him close to me, and plating a soft kiss on his forehead.

"So I didn't have time to cook dinner, but I brought this." Tucker says as he pulls a bottle of wine out of his backpack.

I walk over to my desk, and pull two plastic cups out of my drawers. I hand them to Tucker, and he pours the red wine. When he's done, he hands me my cup, and sets the bottle down.

"A toast. To us." He says as he raises his glass.

"Cheers." I say before gulping down a sip of wine.

"You know I'm graduating next month." Tucker says suddenly.

The sudden reminder causes me to sigh. Tucker just got accepted to The University of Iowa for graduate school, and he'll be attending there next fall. The thought of not having him around makes me feel sick to my stomach.

"Let's not think about it now." I mutter.

"But I can't stop thinking about it. I can't stop thinking about how hard it's going to be to leave you. I love you Aria, and I want you to move to Iowa with me." Tucker says as he grabs my hand, and gives it a gentle squeeze.

He wants me to move to Iowa? Is he crazy? I'm married, and I have two children! I can't just pack up and leave.

"Tucker, we both know I can't do that. I can't leave Katherine and Christopher behind." I say with a heavy sigh.

"So bring them with us! Divorce your husband, and get custody of the kids. I'd take care of you three. I promise I would." Tucker says as he stares into my hazel eyes.

"Katherine and Christopher love their father. He raised them, and it wouldn't fair for me to take them away from him." I tell Tucker truthfully.

Tucker sighs, and salty tears begin to stream down his face. I can tell he's torn up about leaving me. I immediately feel guilty for putting him through this. I knew this would never work, but I lead him on anyway. I was selfish, and I asked too much of him.

"Tucker, we both knew that relationship wasn't going to last forever. I have my kids to worry about, and you have your education. I know you love me, but after you leave New York you'll fall in love another woman. She'll give you all the things that I can't, and you two can start a family of your own." I tell him seriously.

"I don't think I can fall in love with someone who isn't you." Tucker tells me seriously.

"I used to think that about my husband, but I was wrong. I love you." I say as I stare into his beautiful blue eyes.

"Do you still love Ezra?" Tucker asks me suddenly.

I don't know the answer to that question. Every time I think we're falling out of love, he says something sweet, and I realize that I can never stop loving him. He's my first love, my husband, and the father of my children. That's why I feel so awful about what's going on between me and Tucker. It's not fair to Ezra or my lover.

"Yes. I still love Ezra." I say as tears begin to form in my eyes.

"You love both of us? When are you going to make up your mind?" He asks as he begins to raise his voice.

"I've made up my mind Tucker, you're just not listening. I'm not going to walk out on Ezra, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I made you believe that this could turn into something more. The truth is, you deserve so much better." I say as tears begin to form in my eyes.

Tucker does something completely unexpected. He picks me up, and pushes me up against the desk. I know where this is going.

"T-Tucker..." I mutter with desire.

He responds by taking off my skirt, and sliding into me from behind. Holy crap! He makes love to me for what seems like eternity, but I snap back into reality when I hear a familiar voice screaming several different profanities. I look up and gasp when I see my husband standing in the doorway. I don't think I've ever seen him so angry.

"What the fuck Aria!" Ezra screams furiously.

I don't have the words to respond. I just stare at him, like a helpless and confused little girl.

"Tell me you didn't want to do this. Tell me he forced you." Ezra says as tears begin to form in his eyes.

I could lie, and tell Ezra that Tucker forced me to have sex with him. He'd kill the college boy, and never let me out of his sight again. Maybe we'd fall back in love, and live happily ever after. But I can't do that. I have to tell the truth.

"He didn't force me Ezra." I say as I avoid looking into his blue eyes.

"Is this why you've been getting home so late? You've been sleeping with your student?" Ezra asks as he shakes his head in disgust.

"I'm so sorry Ezra." I say through my tears.

"Mr. Fitz... Don't yell at her. This whole thing is my fault. I pursued her." Tucker says as bravely as he can.

"It doesn't matter who pursued who! It was her job to stop it." Ezra says as he glares at me.

"You're right, and I'm so sorry..." I start to say.

"Save it Aria. And get out of her office lover boy! If you ever say another word to her, I'll kill you." Ezra growls furiously.

Tucker nods, before sprinting out of the office, and closing the door behind him. Ezra doesn't say anything else, but he seems broken. And I'm the one who broke him. I can't stand myself for hurting him.

"I'd feel a whole lot better if you'd just yell at me." I tell my husband softly.

"I'm not going to yell at you. You're not worth it Aria." Ezra tells me flatly.

That hurt! I deserve it though.

"Just tell me this, did you love him?" Ezra asks through his tears.

I don't want to answer that question. The truth would make Ezra feel even worse than he already does.

"Ezra..." I start to say.

"Answer me dammit!" Ezra screams before throwing one of my books across the room.

Well, at least now he's yelling.

"Yes. I loved him." I say through my tears.

"D-do you... Do you want to be with him?" Ezra asks me softly.

I'm taken aback by my husband's question. Do I want to be with Tucker? No. I want to be with Ezra. I can't believe it took me this long to realize it.

"No! I want to be with you Ezra. I know you don't believe me, but it's the truth." I say through my tears.

"Well that's a shame, because I'm done with you Aria! Tomorrow I'm going to the courthouse, and filling for a divorce." Ezra says as he avoids looking into my hazel eyes.

A divorce? That's it? He's not going to ask me why I did what I did before he makes such a massive decision? And that's when it hits me. Ezra had given up on us long before he walked in on me and Tucker.

"You said you'd never leave me." I say through my tears.

"You said your never cheat on me." Ezra fires back.

"I'm so sorry Ezra." I tell him truthfully.

"Yeah, so am I." He says before storming out of the office.

End of Flashback

"Earth to Aria!" Ezra says, snapping me out of my day dream.

"Sorry. What did you ask?" I mutter through my tears.

"I asked if you were okay. You haven't stopped crying, and I got you the wrapping paper." Ezra says as he gestures towards the box.

Did he really think that I was crying over the wrapping paper? I'm crying because it's Christmas Eve, and I've never felt so alone in my life. Ezra and I are in the process of getting divorced, and it's killing me. It's killing me because I still love him, and the thought of separating from my soul mate makes me want to curl into a ball and cry.

"It's not about the wrapping paper Ezra!" I exclaim through my tears.

"S-so why are you so upset?" Ezra asks me softly.

"I'm upset because I miss you! God I miss you." I say through my heavy sobs.

Silence fills the room. Ezra doesn't say, or do anything. He has a puzzled expression on his face, and I can't tell if he's angry or happy.

"Ezra?" I ask.

"Don't say that Aria. It isn't fair." Ezra says as tears begin to form in his eyes.

"What are you-" I start to say.

"You did this Aria! You ruined our marriage, and now you're trying to turn me into the bad guy?" Ezra screams before grabbing a pillow, and throwing it across the room.

Ezra's words infuriate me. Yes, I messed up. Yes, I was in the wrong. But it it fair for him to blame this all on me? No way!

"I ruined the marriage? Have you ever asked yourself what drove me to have an affair? Do you have any idea how much it hurt when you forgot our anniversary twice, and my birthday? Do you know how lonely I was Ezra? You were never around!" I scream furiously.

"I was never around? You were the one who stayed at the university until eight o'clock every night so you could have sex with your student! Do you know how I felt when I walked into you office, and saw that asshole fucking you on your desk?" Ezra shouts.

"Mom!" Someone shouts.

Ezra and I both turn around and gasp when we see Katherine standing in the doorway. She's sobbing hysterically, and my heart begins to break into even smaller pieces.

"T-that's why you and Daddy are getting a divorce? You were having an affair?" Katherine asks through her tears.

"Sweetheart..." I start to say.

"How could you do this to us? You're a terrible mother!" Katherine screams.

She's right. I remember how I felt when I found out that my father was having an affair. It killed me, and I knew if Katherine found out about my affair with Tucker, it would hurt her. I did it anyways. I hate myself.

"Katherine, don't say that. She's a great mother, and what happened had nothing to do with you. And you're right Aria. It wasn't entirely your fault. I wasn't being a good husband to you." Ezra says as his voice softens.

"I don't care whose fault it is! I hate both of you! I'm so lost and confused, and you two don't even realize it! You're too busy fighting!" Katherine says as she avoids looking into our eyes.

"Honey! I had no idea you felt that way! You're always going to come first, and I love you more than anything in the world." Ezra says as tears begin to form in his eyes.

"You're lying! If you loved me, you wouldn't be walking out on me!" Katherine exclaims.

"Katherine, we talked about this. He's not walking out on you, he's walking out on me. Besides, you're going to see Daddy all the time! You're staying with him on weekends, and if you want to see him more we can arrange that. We just want you to be happy." I tell her seriously.

"That's a joke!" She screams.

"No it's not..." I start to say.

"Who are Chris and I going to spend Christmas with next year? And what about birthdays and holidays?" Katherine asks as her voice softens.

What if Ezra gets the kids next Christmas? I'll be even more alone than I am tonight! What about when Katherine and Christopher go to college? I'll be alone everyday for the rest of my life! But I can't worry about that now. I need to focus on my daughter.

"You can decide who you want to spend birthdays and holidays with." I tell my daughter with a sigh.

"But what if... What if I want to spend them with both of you?" Katherine asks with a sniffle.

"We can do that honey! I don't mind celebrating birthdays and holidays as a family." Ezra tells the girl.

"You don't get it! We're not going to be family anymore! Things will never be the same again!" Katherine says angrily.

"Sweetheart..." I start to say.

"Save it mom! I changed my mind. I don't want to spend holidays, birthdays, or any other day with either one of you." Katherine screams before storming out of the living room, and slamming her bedroom door.

As soon as Katherine leaves the room, Ezra does something completely unexpected. He wraps his arms around me, and offers me a soft kiss on the forehead. He hasn't kissed me, even on the cheek, for months, and his sudden action shocks me.

"Ezra?" I ask as I stare at him with wide eyes.

"I've been a horrible father. She's so hurt Aria, and I didn't do anything about it. I didn't even see it." Ezra says through his tears.

"You weren't the only one. I've been so busy coping with our issues that I pushed Katherine to the side. She's acting out, and it's all my fault." I say with a heavy sigh.

"What do you mean she's acting out?" Ezra asks with panic in his voice.

I can't tell him. He'll freak out if he finds out about Eric. I wouldn't be surprised if he killed the teenager for even thinking sexual thoughts about our daughter.

"It's nothing." I mutter as I avoid looking into his blue eyes.

"It's obviously something Aria! And I want to know what's going on in my child's life." Ezra tells me seriously.

"You know that little boyfriend of hers?" I ask Ezra softly.

"I hate that kid. I see the way he looks at my baby. It's sick." Ezra says as he shakes his head in disgust.

"Well, he wanted Katherine to send him nudes. Then he asked her for a blow-job." I tell my husband.

Ezra looks so angry, that I wouldn't be surprised if steam started coming out of his ears. He looks even angrier than he did when he walked in on me and Tucker having sex on my office. God help Eric.

"What the hell? He really asked her to do those things for him?" Ezra asks through his gritted teeth.

Yes." I say with a nod.

"And Katherine said no, right?" Ezra fumes.

"Actually no. She told him she'd send the pictures after we went to bed. She didn't want to get in trouble. Then she asked him what a blow job was." I inform my husband.

"How do you know this?" Ezra asks as he raises his eye brows.

"Tonight when I went to say goodnight, she was acting strange. Almost like she was afraid and uncomfortable. I asked if I could see her phone, and she refused immediately. But I took the phone anyways, and I saw the text messages." I say with an involuntary shutter.

"Aria... Why didn't you come to me about this?" Ezra asks me.

"We haven't been talking Ezra! How was I supposed to drop a bomb like that? Besides, I wanted to get used to doing this parenting thing alone. That's how I'll be from now on, alone." I mutter.

"Aria, you never have to do anything alone. Even though we're not together, you can always talk to me about problems that you're having with Katherine and Christopher." Ezra tells me gently.

"I know that. I guess I just wanted to deal with it on my own." I say with a shrug.

"How did you deal with it?" Ezra asks me curiously.

"Well, I took her phone and called Eric. I told him that Katherine is done being his girlfriend, and then I kind of threatened to kill him." I say with a slight smile.

"You threatened to kill him? Well done Momma Bear." Ezra says with a chuckle.

Did Ezra really just call me Momma Bear! This is awkward...

"I mean, I would have done it if you hadn't." Ezra says as he avoids looking into my eyes.

"I know." I say with a nod.

"And Katherine... Did you talk to her?" Ezra asks me.

"I did." I say as more tears begin to form in my eyes.

"What did she say?" Ezra asks me softly.

"That I ruined her life by breaking up with Eric for her. She told me that no one else will love her like he does, and that she's going to die alone." I say as I avoid looking into Ezra's blue eyes.

"S-she said that?" Ezra asks as his eyes grow wide with shock.

"She did. Ezra, I get feeling insecure in eighth grade, but this is ridiculous. She has such a low self-esteem, and she doesn't need to! She's a beautiful, smart, sweet, and perfect young woman." I say as I shake my head slowly.

"Aria... I can't go through with it. I can't do it to my baby girl." Ezra says with a heavy sigh.

"What are you talking about?" I ask with confusion in my voice.

"Katherine... We need to focus on her for a while. We need to delay the divorce. She's more important than this pointless fighting. I don't mind sleeping on the couch until she graduates from high school if it means getting her better." Ezra tells me seriously.

"So you're not going to leave?" I ask, trying to comprehend the situation.

"No. Not yet at least. Katherine needs me, and I want to be around her everyday of the week, not just on weekends." Ezra says to me.

Ezra isn't leaving right away. I should be happy, but I'm not. He's not staying because he loves me. No. He's staying because he loves our daughter. It's going to hurt seeing him everyday, because I'm never going to get him back. He's never going to hold me in his arms at night, or kiss me before work. I almost wish he were leaving.

"It's late, I'm going to bed." I say as I start to walk out of the living room.

"Aria wait!" Ezra exclaims.

Did he just call for me?

"What?" I ask as I turn to face him.

"It's Christmas Eve, and I don't want to be alone. Why don't I get some blankets, and we can sit by the fire?" Ezra suggests.

Something about his words cause me to snap. I'm angry. I'm really angry.

"Do you think I wanted to be alone on all those nights you were out working until dawn? Do you think I wanted to be alone on my birthday, or on our anniversaries? Do you think I've wanted to be alone for the past sixth months! Of course not! You could never be bothered by my needs, but you expect me to sit out here with you in the freezing cold? Y-you're a jerk Ezra!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

Ezra does something completely unexpected. He walks over to me, and picks me up bridal stile. Then, he starts to carry me to the couch.

"Ezra, put me down!" I say as I try to wriggle out of his arms.

"Never." He says with a smirk.

"If you don't I-I'll call the police! This is assault!" I say as I begin to raise my voice.

Finally, Ezra puts me down. But on the couch. I start to get up, but he gently pushes me back onto the sofa.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" I ask through my tears.

"Because you're right. I'm a jerk, and I'm so sorry I left you alone all those nights. C-can I just explain why I did it?" Ezra begs.

I'm not going to win. I let out a reluctant sigh, before nodding my head slowly.

"About a year and a half ago, you were feeling down. I asked you what was wrong, and you told me that you didn't have any jewelry to wear. I felt so bad, that I drove down to Tiffanies to buy you a new necklace. I wanted to get you something special, but I couldn't afford a single thing in that damn store. And then Noel walked in... He wasn't rude like I expected him to be. He asked how you and the kids were, and I told him our family was great. I asked about his family, and he told me about his wife and his twin girls who are Christopher's age. And then he told me that he was surprising his wife with a trip to their house in Jamaica, and he wanted to get her earrings and a necklace for the trip. He bought the most expensive jewelry set in the whole store, and left." Ezra says with tears streaming down his face.

"Ezra..." I start to say.

"A month before this had happened you asked if we could go to Jamaica. You even looked up the cheapest motels on the island, and we still couldn't afford it. I kept thinking that if you had chosen Noel over me, you'd have a house in Jamaica!" Ezra exclaims.

"I didn't marry Noel. I married you, remember." I ask as my voice begins to soften.

"Yeah, you married a dopey English professor who also writes on the side. I make no money Aria, and I can't even afford to buy you a necklace." Ezra says with shame in his voice.

I immediately think back to the first time I cheated on Ezra. I came home, and he gave me a sapphire necklace. He's being too hard on himself. He could afford to buy me things occasionally.

"You got me a necklace on our last anniversary! Don't you remember?" I question.

"Aria, that necklace cost me nine thousand dollars. I'd been saving up for it for over a year." Ezra says through his tears.

I feel so guilty. Ezra was out buying me a nine thousand dollar necklace while I was having an affair with one of my students. No wonder he wanted a divorce when he found out about me and Tucker.

"Ezra, you didn't have to do that." I say as I avoid looking into his blue eyes.

"I know, but I wanted to. You deserve to be with a man who can buy you expensive jewelry every once in a while." Ezra says through his tears.

"Ezra, do you really think I care about jewelry? It's nice, but it's not necessary." I tell him truthfully.

"Well, I wanted you to have nice things Aria. That's why I started working so hard. I thought that if I could publish another book, it would increase our income. I'd be able to buy you jewelry more often, I'd be able to take you to Jamaica, and I'd be able to afford a decent hotel instead of the crappy motels you were looking at online." Ezra says with a heavy sigh.

"Ezra! I never needed any of those things! Don't you understand that I would have rather been with you? The only reason I got involved with Tucker was because I missed you! He reminded me of you Ezra." I tell my husband softly.

"Well I'm an idiot. I was so concerned with making money that I forgot to give you love. I pushed you into his arms, didn't I?" Ezra asks through this tears.

He kind of did, but I have to take responsibility too. I never told Ezra how I was feeling, and I was the one who cheated.

"No..." I start to say.

"Don't argue with me Aria. I was so busy, that I didn't even realize you had fallen in love with someone else." Ezra says as salty tears begin to stream down his face.

"Fall in love? Ezra, I never fell in love with Tucker!" I exclaim.

"Yes you did, you told me so..." Ezra starts to say.

"No, I told you I loved him. I loved Tucker, but I never fell in love with him. There's a big difference Ez." I tell him seriously.

"What's the difference?" Ezra asks with confusion in his voice.

"Well, I cared about Tucker, and I enjoyed being around him. However, when I was at home with you and the kids, Tucker never crossed my mind. Unless of course, it was out of guilt. When I was with Tucker, I was always thinking of you. Sometimes it was out of guilt, but usually I thought about how much I missed you. Every time Tucker had sex with me, I'd have to bite my tongue to keep from screaming your name. I can live without Tucker, but you... I don't know how I'm going to live without you Ezra." I say through my tears.

"Honey, you've already been living without me. We haven't had a real conversation in months." Ezra tells me gently.

"I know, but I still like having you here. I like seeing you play Star Wars with Christopher, and I love the way your eyes bulge when Katherine brings Eric home from school. I also feel safe knowing that you're under the same roof as me. I know we have our differences, but I know you'd never let anything happen to me." I say as I stare into his blue eyes.

"Aria, I had no idea you felt that way. You seemed so happy with Tucker, and you know I still love you. I thought you weren't happy with me anymore, I didn't want to hold on if it was going to make you miserable. The main reason I wanted a divorce was because I thought it would make your life better." Ezra says to me.

"Ezra, that's crazy! I was never unhappy with you when I was actually with you. I was only unhappy because I never saw you anymore. It had nothing to do with you, or my feeling towards you." I tell him seriously.

Ezra responds by pulling me in for a long hug. We're so close. I breathe in his cinnamon cologne, and sigh in content. I wish this moment could last forever.

"Aria, is there anyway we could just... I don't know, give each other another chance? I've already agreed to stay a while longer because of Katherine, so we might as well try to work things out. It's going to take some time, but I think I can find a way to forgive you. Can you do the same for me?" Ezra asks me.

He can forgive me for cheating? He wants to give me another chance? I don't think I've ever felt so happy in my life. I've already forgiven Ezra for his mistakes, but the stubborn part of me doesn't want to admit that quite yet.

"Ezra, of course!" I say as I wrap my arms around him lovingly.

Ezra smiles, and pulls me even closer to him. This feels like a dream come true. But do happily ever afters really exist?

My happiness begins to diminish when Katherine and Christopher come to mind. Yes, they'll be happy that their parents are staying together, but Ezra and I have a long road ahead of us. I'm sure many more fights will happened between Ezra and I, and I don't want them to have to listen to anymore yelling and screaming. I want this relationship to work, but my children are my first priority.

"Ezra wait.. I love you, and I'll find a way to forgive you too, but what about our kids? What if we get their hopes up, and things don't work out the way we want them too? And we have a lot to work out. We might fight from time to time, and I don't want them to have to endure anymore of that." I say with a heavy sigh.

"Aria, I understand why you're concerned. I know you're worried that we won't be able to work this out, and you don't want the kids to get hurt, but I'm convinced that we will get through this. I'll pay for us to see a marriage councilor, and we can fight in private as much as we want. I mean, as long as that fighting is productive." Ezra assures me.

"Okay. We can give this another try, but I want to take things slow." I tell my husband seriously.

"Whatever makes you happy." Ezra says before pressing his lips against my forehead.

The feeling of having his lips on me feels amazing, and I find myself longing for more. I lean into Ezra, before pressing my lips against his. He kisses me back eagerly, before rolling us over so that I'm laying underneath him. It doesn't take long for me to realize that he's hard. I could be the responsible one and pull away, or I can give us what we're both longing for.

"These... They need to come off." I say as I reach for the zipper on Ezra's jeans.

"I-I thought you wanted to take things slow." Ezra says, trembling with each word that comes out of his mouth.

"Okay, let's take this slow." I say with a smirk.

That's all it takes. Ezra takes off my shirt, before unhooking my bra. He stares at the site in front of him with wide eyes.

"H-Holy shit Aria." Ezra mutters.

"What's wrong?" I ask him self-consciously.

"Nothing! I just forgot how beautiful you are." Ezra says with a smile.

I lean in to kiss him, but Ezra stops me.

"What now?" I ask with a heavy sigh.

"Was Tucker good? You mentioned earlier that he made you scream..." Ezra starts to ramble.

Really? If we're being honest, Tucker wasn't good. He was great. But I'm not going to tell Ezra that. I want this moment to be about us.

"Ezra, if you say his name once we're not going to do this. Don't even think his name." I tell my husband seriously.

Ezra nods before planting his lips on mine. I haven't been intimate with Ezra for months, and I can't wait for us to be united again.

"Ezra... I love you." I say as I reluctantly pull away from him.

"I love you too Aria, more than you'll ever know." Ezra whispers to me.

Line Break

"It's Christmas! It's Christmas!" I hear a little voice say.

My hazel eyes flutter open, and I see Christopher standing at the foot on the couch, where Ezra and I are laying.

"Merry Christmas baby." I mutter before pulling Christopher in for a long hug.

My son's eyes nearly pop out of his head when he realizes what's going on. He looks at me, and then at Ezra, and then back at me.

"M-mommy, you slept on the couch with Daddy." Christopher says as his eyes grow wide with shock.

"Looks like we're busted." Ezra says with a chuckle.

Now seems like a good time to tell Christopher the news, but I want to wait until Katherine wakes up. She deserves to hear about Ezra and I at the same time Christopher does.

"Is your sister still sleeping?" I ask my son softly.

"No Momma! I went into her room to wake her up, but she won't get out of bed. Katherine says she's not celebrating Christmas this year." Christopher says with a frown.

"Not celebrating Christmas? That's absurd! Either she comes into the living room to celebrate with us, or we go into her room to celebrate with her." Ezra says as he picks up the five year-old.

"Let's go to her room. I think our princess needs some love this morning." I tell my boys.

"Great idea Aria." Ezra says before picking up Christopher, and carrying him out of the living room.

I follow Ezra and Christopher, and soon enough, we're standing in front of Katherine's door. I knock on the door softly, but my daughter doesn't answer. I look over at Ezra, and he begins to knock on the door. Still, Katherine doesn't answer.

"Honey, we all want to see you. Can we come in?" Ezra calls out to her.

"No." I hear my daughter mumble.

"Well too bad. We're coming in anyway." Ezra says before opening the bedroom door.

Katherine shrieks when she sees us, and I can tell she wants to be left alone. Hopefully she'll be in the Christmas spirit once she hears the good news.

"I said you couldn't come in." Katherine growls furiously.

Ezra responds by putting Christopher down, and rushing over to Katherine's bed. He wraps his arms around our baby girl, before offering her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Merry Christmas princess. We love you so much." Ezra tells her softly.

"Whatever." Katherine says with an eye roll.

"Ezra... Maybe we should tell them now." I say as I take a seat on the foot of Katherine's bed.

"Tell us what?" Christopher asks as he runs into my arms.

"Kids, your mother and I haven't been getting along lately..." Ezra starts to say.

"Really? We had no idea!" Katherine says, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"As I was saying, your mother and I haven't been getting along. But we had a long talk last night, and we worked some things out. Both of us have decided that we still love each other, and we want to give our marriage another chance." Ezra says as he wraps an arm around my shoulder.

"You and Mommy aren't getting a divorce! This is the best Christmas ever!" Christopher shouts with excitement in his voice.

Unlike her brother, Katherine doesn't seem excited. She seems sad. Tears are pouring out of her eyes, and she's whimpering softly. What's wrong now? Maybe this was a bad idea after all.

"Honey, why aren't you happy?" I ask my daughter.

"Because you don't love each other. You're only staying together because of me." Katherine says through her tears.

"That's not true at all! Yes, your issues pushed us to talk, but we're getting back together because we love each other. Just like how we love you and your brother." Ezra tells Katherine.

"S-so you're not going to leave us?" Katherine asks as she looks up at her father.

"No! It was foolish of me to even consider leaving my two best girls and my little man." Ezra says with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

"P-promise?" Katherine asks through her tears.

"I promise princess. I'm never going to leave you." Ezra whispers into her ear.

"Are you going to leave Mommy?" Katherine asks as she looks up at me.

"No, I could never leave you Kit-Kat." I tell my daughter truthfully.

Katherine begins to cry even harder, but I know they're tears of joy. I finally feel like I have my little girl back.

"I don't hate you two. I love you both." Katherine tells us softly.

"We love you Katherine. You're always going to be our baby girl." Ezra says before kissing her forehead softly.

"What about me?" Christopher asks with a pout.

"We love you too buddy. You're always going to be our baby boy." I say with a chuckle.

Christopher cuddles close to me, and I respond by rubbing his back gently. We're finally together, and we're finally a family. This is truly a Christmas miracle.

"Come on! Santa came last night, and I saw a lot of presents in the living room." Ezra says with a wide smile.

"Presents!" Christopher shouts.

"Yes! Santa brought presents for you and Katherine." I tell the boy.

"S-Santa got me presents this year?" Katherine asks as her eyes grow wide with shock.

"Of course! When have you not gotten presents from Santa?" I ask as I raise my eye brows.

"I don't know. I thought after what happened last night..." Katherine starts to say.

"We're going to have a talk about that later, but you've been a nice girl this year Katherine. Santa had a lot she- I mean he, wanted to give you." I tell my daughter with a smile.

Katherine responds by crawling into my arms, and cuddling close to me. I haven't held like this since God knows when.

"Come on! Let's go!" Christopher shouts.

All of us start to laugh, and the little boy stares at us with a confused expression on his face.

"What's so funny?" He asks us curiously.

"You are." Katherine says with a giggle.

"Let's go girls. It's time to open presents." Ezra says as he springs to his feet.

"Merry Christmas Mom and Dad." Katherine tells us.

"It is a Merry Christmas baby girl." I say with a twinkle in my eyes.

AN: What did you think? I meant to post this on Christmas, but it took was longer to write than I thought it would, so sorry about that! I hope you enjoyed this anyways. Merry Christmas to you all, and I hope it was a good one :) Thanks for reading, and please review.

-Erin