Song: Baby it's Cold Outside, by- Brian Setzer Orchestra

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Avery's POV

"Hello!"

I waved at the pleasantly plump woman as she got out of the giant SUV she had driven here in with a large tote bag in tow and laughed as she hustled up the recently shoveled path to come up onto the porch where Rick and I were standing waiting for her.

"My boys!"

I chuckled as she did her very best to engulf us both in a warm hug at the same time. I say try because she was about a foot shorter then both Rick and I. But she did her best as we both leaned down to receive kisses on our cheeks.

"Let me look at you. Let me look at you."

She stepped back and looked us both over with a critical eye before she poked Rick's belly, "You look better fed than last year."

Rick rubbed his belly with an embarrassed smile on his lips and I knew he felt a bit self-conscious.

"I believe I have Avery to thank for that though." Mary sent me a wink and I chuckled.

"How 'bout I help carry stuff in and Avery shows you to your room?" Rick was already moving down the path to the large SUV as Mary just clucked and called after him to not drop anything.

"Want me to take that bag for you?"

I leaned down to grab the heavy looking bag but she moved it back, "I got it dear you just show me in."

I smiled and did just that as I opened the door for her and we entered Rick's and I's cabin. It was nicely warmed by the currently burning fireplace and decorated with stockings hanging from the mantle, garland about the windows, and a few lights here and there.

We did not have a tree yet for Rick had informed me that it was a family tradition to go out and cut it down before Christmas.

I gave a short tour of the recently extended cabin and Mary oohed and awed at the new guest bedroom, the new bathroom, and the larger master bedroom.

"You've done a wonderful job dear."

I warmed at her endearment and showed her to her room, "I got new quilts for the bed but if you need more there are extra in the hall closet."

She nodded as she set her tote bag down, "Thank you honey."

I nodded, "I'll go help Rick carry in your stuff and let you settle in."

I turned to go but was stopped when I heard Mary say fondly, "You look good Avery. I'm happy to see you looking so happy this year."

I looked back to see her looking at me with a kind smile and a motherly glow in her eyes. I felt my eyes dampen a bit before I choked out a soft 'thank you' then hurried out to help Rick.

We unloaded her car rather quickly and piled the presents in the living room and all of the packaged food in the kitchen. From all the bags we hauled in I felt like we could feed an army. But that didn't bother me one bit because I knew when Rick's brothers arrived later today and we were all together we could pack Mary's cooking away with no problems at all.

"Ugh. I can already smell the sweets she brought."

I chuckled as Rick looked longingly at a particular Santa decorated tote bag that released into the air the most delectable scents.

I nodded in appreciation of the smells as well and noticed Rick rubbing his stomach with a hesitant look in his eyes. The action reminded me how recently Rick had become slightly worried about his weight. I had repeatedly assured him he was in no way fat but he just shakes his head and rubs his flat stomach in that self-conscious way that tells you he doesn't believe a word you're saying.

"We're all probably going to be rollie pollies by the end of the week."

This light joke caught Rick's attention and he chuckled, "Yeah," as we both walked out of the kitchen with its counters filled with delectable temptations.

We helped Mary stack her pile of gifts near the fireplace but far enough away where they weren't in danger of catching on fire. By the time we had straightened up after Mary's arrival it was getting close to the time when her other sons were expected to arrive.

They had driven separately this year because Greg had flown in from Toronto where he had recently began his residency as a Doctor. Jakob had driven to the airport to pick him up while Mary came with most of her piles of food and gifts.

"How about I go make supper and you wait for the other boys to come and help them unload?"

Rick nodded as I stepped forward and offered to help her with supper until they arrived. She smiled and waved me into the kitchen where we settled beside each other to make a meal of tasty home-made chili and cornbread.

We began to talk as I turned on the kitchen radio to softly play Christmas music and every once in a while Rick would join the conversation from where he sat in the living room.

"How's work been going for you Avery?"

I smiled as I remembered seeing Lucy a few days ago at the restaurant working so she could get her mate a Christmas present.

"Pretty well. There's been a small outbreak of the stomach flu but nothing I can't handle with a few cough herbs and such. I suppose the biggest change is that the kids I've gotten to know for a few years are now graduating."

Mary chuckled, "Yeah. They'll do that to you. One moment you think they're gonna trip on their little legs then their off running on you."

I noticed a soft, warm look in her eyes as she looked back to Rick who was doing a bit of last minute paperwork from the office. I looked with her and smiled as I thought about Evie and Scott's little surprise and how the years ahead were going to go by so fast.

"But the worst of it is sometimes they still act like naughty little kids even after they're supposed to be all grown up."

We snickered as Rick called out, "I heard that!"

"Oh you know I love you sweetie but it's just sometimes you have a head as thick as a rock and are as stubborn as a child."

I laughed as I nodded my head and Rick growled playfully as I heard his own deep chuckles bleeding through.

Soon after there was a succession of honks from outside.

"That'll be them I bet."

I softly chuckled at her comment thinking in my own head, 'Who else would possibly be here?'

At the sound of another quick honk I wiped my hands clean and set the cover over the large pot of cooking chili. Rick was already out the door and by the time I got outside he was already yelling at Jakob who had apparently slipped on a slick spot getting out of his truck.

"... the last thing we need is to send you to the hospital tonight Jake."

Greg chuckled from his front row seat beside Rick and I stepped forward to watch as Jakob stood up carefully with a backside full of snow. He had a playful scowl on his face as he tried to patt off some of the clumps of snow on his pants.

"Well we got ourselves a doctor right here just have him patch me up."

Greg scoffed and shook his head, "I'm not getting anywhere near your rear end. That's not an image I want burnt into my head anytime soon."

The two older brothers continued to throw light insults at Jakob as he tried to not touch his own pants as they started to crust over with ice from the snow melting on his backside.

I finally took pity on poor Jakob and went inside to grab a hot towel and tossed it to him as he walked around the truck as if he had a squirrel in his pants.

"Thanks Ave, at least someone cares about my poor health."

I just shook my head at him, "I don't think a slip on the snow is going to damage you much Jakob."

Rick came up beside his youngest brother and smacked Jakob on the back with one of their bags in his other hand, "Don't worry baby brother we would have driven you to the hospital after Christmas if it was an emergency."

He snickered as Jakob tired to land a smack on his wide back and I just shook my head at them. I went to the back of the truck and helped Greg unload a few boxes of what I assumed to be games and ornaments and then helped them get everything inside while the sun set behind us.

We made quick work of their bags and decided to let them decide who would get the extra bedroom and who would be on the couch.

I went back to the kitchen as Rick mediated the argument between his younger brothers and found Mary just taking out the two pans of cornbread.

"They're here safe and sound. Jakob's a bit wetter for ware but nothing broken"

She sighed with a soft chuckle taking off her oven mitts and setting them on the counter, "Well thank god for little miracles."

I nodded with a chuckle as I let her pass to go and hug her other sons.

I leaned against the kitchen doorway as I watched the little family have their moment of hugs and little jokes. I felt my chest warm as Mary pinched Jakob's cheeks, to his feigned embarrassment, and gave a quick kiss to Greg's forehead that he accepted with silent grace.

The two younger brothers hadn't changed much over the last few months since I had seen them last. Jakob had been growing his hair out to a short shag while Greg was the only one of the brothers who seemed to pride himself on being clean shaven and cleanly cut.

"Well, supper's ready when you are." Mary clapped her hands and everyone hummed with hunger.

Rick turned to go first and caught me looking at them. I coughed to try and pretend like I was creeping on their family moment. He just smiled and moved forward to give me a one armed hug and a kiss on my temple.

"Let's get something before Jakob eats it all."

I chuckled as Jakob called Rick out on his comment and everyone entered the kitchen and began to go through an organized chaos of a family meal.

After eating most everything on the table plus cookies for dessert and catching up with what everyone had been doing lately we decided to all sit out in the living room and relax by watching a Christmas movie. I didn't take long before we decided on a classic that I had in my personal movie collection, 'It's a Wonderful Life'.

It was one of my favorite Christmas movies and we all watched it in companiable silence as everyone enjoyed the classic tale of a man learning to appreciate the simple but miraculous life he had been given. It was only after the screen declared 'The End' that someone spoke.

It was Rick and he stifled a yawn as he spoke, "I thought we could go out and get a tree early tomorrow then decorate it in the afternoon. What do you guys think?"

Everyone nodded in agreement with short mumbles as answers I believe everyone was a little too tired and too full to really answer in words. Rick chuckled as he noticed it too.

"Well, I think it's time for bed."

Mary yawned as she got up from the rocking chair she had sat in for the movie and went around the room giving everyone a soft kiss on the forehead and murmuring a, "Good night."

After her disappearance it seemed like everyone decided it was time to do the same. Jakob arose from his seat with a large stretch then gave Greg a wicked grin as he waved, "Good night everyone." And headed to the other guest room.

I looked to Greg with a lifted eyebrow in question and he just shook his head as he grumbled, "Sofa city..."

Rick snickered as he helped pull me up from the couch where Greg would be sleeping, "We'd better get off of Greg's bed so he can get some sleep. We have an early morning tomorrow."

We said goodnight to a grumbling Greg and made our way into our own room. We got ready for bed in a soft haze and got into bed in companionable silence. As we settled on to our king sized bed I reached over and shut off the lamp only to have Rick take hold of my waist and pull me to him so we were spooning.

I smiled as Rick sighed, burying his face in the back of my shoulder as his thumb mindlessly rubbed against my abdomen.

"Good night Rick."

I closed my eyes feeling a warm blanket of contentment fall on to me as I felt the presence and heard the soft sounds of Rick's family moving and sleeping within the cabin. I smiled as I heard Rick mumble a muffled, 'night', as a long contented sigh left his chest and his breath slowly evened out. I fell asleep soon after to the sound of Rick's even breathing and the feeling of being home with a family surrounding me.