The next day, Wednesday arrived rather quickly. The two girls got shaken out of dreamland by the alarm going off at 6:45am. It was quite dark outside still, only a weak light capturing the room in a dark grey. Caroline groaned and turned off the shrill alarm ringing in her ears. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, still very sleepy and looked down to the beautiful girl, who was laying right next to her, naked and only covered by her favorite flower-print duvet. Her girlfriend.

Slowly, Caroline leaned down and kissed Haley's cheek as a huge smile appeared on her face.

„Good morning, sunshine" Caroline whispered, planting a soft kiss to the corner of Haley's mouth.

„Morning" Haley stretched in bed, only realizing then that she was very much naked. She looked down on her now exposed chest, feeling slightly embarrassed, but when she saw Caroline smiling her million dollar smile, she just blushed and grabbed the duvet to cover herself again.

„Last night was wonderful, I hope you slept great, tho?" Caroline spoke softly, her voice still a little raspy from sleep.

„I slept very well, thank you, and I like waking up to my naked girlfriend" Haley winked, making Caroline's face turn crimson.

„Well, same" Caroline tried to flirt back, her cheeks still very red. Haley just giggled and leaned up to press her lips to Caroline's gently, pecking her a few times. When they pulled away, they just smiled at one another, almost getting lost in each others eyes.

„Crap, I have work, babe, I need to shower and get dressed!" Caroline was already by the door, very much naked, still. She grabbed fresh underwear and a light blue shirt and walked to the bathroom, turning around quickly to shout.

„I'm sorry, but make yourself home, okay."

Haley grinned like an idiot, she had let her eyes travel up and down Caroline's body while she had been standing by the door, taking in her long bare legs, her stomach with her abs that she had kissed quite often last night, her wonderful formed breasts and just everything. She couldn't find flaws, not that she was searching for some, but just everything about Caroline was beautiful and it made Haley feel like home. She loved her, she knew that now.

A few minutes later, Caroline was dressed for work and gathered her stuff for the last day of work before Christmas. Haley was still laying in bed, just observing Caroline's every move, smiling at her non-stop.

„Hal, uhm will you be here when I'm back?" Caroline walked towards the bed, smiling.

„I think so, but I need to go home soon and pack some things for tomorrow and I need to see Layla, to wish her happy holidays and stuff" Haley sat up, taking Caroline's hand in hers.

„Okay, well I can leave you my spare key, but then you better be here when I'm back" Caroline giggled.

„I will be, now get going or you'll be late" Haley smiled, pulling Caroline close for a soft, lingering kiss.

„See you soon" Caroline said and grabbed her coat on the way out, shouting „bye" as she pulled the door shut behind her.

Two hours later, Haley was in her own apartment, standing in front of her wardrobe, deciding on what she should pack for her trip to LA tomorrow, while Layla was laying on Haley's bed, asking a million questions that Haley didn't feel like answering.

„I'm so happy you two are finally together like damn it was about time" Layla said, grabbing a few pillows to lay on.

„Oh shut up" Haley rolled her eyes playfully.

„I like Caroline, you two seem to be on the same page and I'm really happy for you, Hal" Layla said honestly.

„Thanks Lay." Haley took out a shirt and threw it at Layla's direction, raising her eyebrow inquiringly.

„You wanna wear that shirt? Really? No way, this is so not seductively enough for your girlfriend" Layla ranted, emphasizing the last word.

„I don't want to seduce her?" Haley turned around with wide eyes and red cheeks.

„Sure" Layla smirked, throwing the shirt behind her disapprovingly.

„Oh my god, Lay, my parents are gonna be there, it's not some love vacation, we will be spending Christmas with my family" Haley turned back facing her clothes, groaning loudly.

„Right, because the love thing happened already" Layla let the word ‚love' roll off her tongue slowly.

„You are such a bitch, you know that right?" Haley groaned.

„Your best friend, always at your service" she saluted and threw a pillow at Haley, hitting her back, almost knocking her face forward into her wardrobe.

„I hate you" Haley laughed, throwing the pillow right back at her „now fucking help me, you bitch!"

Later that evening, they had finished packing Haley's stuff. Layla had insisted to pack Haley's sexiest lingerie just in case and Haley didn't exactly had a choice, so she just threw them in her bag, moaning about how she wouldn't need them anyways.

When they were eating pasta with bolognese, Layla eyed her best friend intently for quite a while.

„What?" Haley asked, mouth full with noodles.

„Do you love her?"

Haley chewed for a minute, swallowing harshly and wiping her mouth.

„I do" was all she said, smiling widely.

„Have you told her yet?" Layla smiled, too.

„No, I have no idea how and I don't know if it's the right time, you know, but I want to, mhmm" she rolled up some spaghetti with her fork.

„You'll find the right time and I'm fucking cheering for you two" she smirked slightly „don't forget the lingerie."

„Oh dear lord, I'm glad you're not coming with, I'd be so embarrassed" Haley laughed evilly, just mocking Layla, though.

„I'm gonna miss you, too, bitch."

At around 4pm Layla had said goodbye and embraced Haley in a bear hug, wishing her the best holidays ever and a wonderful time. She also had told her to say hi to her parents and had made a dirty side note towards Caroline, obviously, because it wouldn't be Layla if she didn't.

Half an hour later, Haley had spread out her limbs on Caroline's couch, letting out a content sigh. She was thinking about spending a good week with Caroline and what it all held up for them, she couldn't wait to see her parents and her brother, Eric, and catching up on family time. She knew that her parents would love Caroline, she had called them a few days ago, asking for a spare flight ticket, just in case things would go the way she wanted and they did.

Her parents knew about them being a thing now, she had informed them this morning and her mother couldn't wait to meet Caroline. Haley hoped Caroline would be fine with everything, because her mother would ask a lot of questions, but she knew Caroline could handle those.

It wasn't much longer, when Haley heard the key in the door. She smiled and stretched her muscles, making them click in her back.

„Haley, I'm home, babe" Caroline spoke loudly, Haley could hear the smile in her voice.

„I'm on the couch" she said, turning her head towards the door.

Caroline dropped her bag next to the door and walked over to Haley, small smirk playing on her face. She bit her lip and laid down on Haley, looking her dead in the eye.

„Hello there" she spoke seductively, licking her lips.

„Oh wow, I could so get used to this, babe" Haley didn't let her girlfriend answer, she just wrapped he arms around her back and crashed their lips together.

They kissed passionately, both having missed the other. Caroline let out a soft moan, when Haley licked her lower lip, taking this chance to deepen the kiss.

When they pulled away, lips slightly swollen they just smiled at one another. Haley knew that Caroline felt the same, she felt it in the way she kissed her and saw it in the way she looked at her, but yet she couldn't be sure one hundred percent. She wasn't caring about this at that exact moment, she just felt it in her bones and she knew that the right time to confess her feelings would come.

„How was work?" Haley asked, playing with Caroline's hair.

„Great, thank you, I picked out some photos for the picture gallery ‚ugly Christmas sweater'" she spoke, doing air quotations „and I finished the article about winter boots, but to be honest, it's not my best, but I don't even care, Mrs. McKay would want me to change 90% nonetheless."

„Wait, there is gonna be a photo gallery with ugly Christmas Sweaters?" Haley sucked in her lips, so she wouldn't burst out laughing.

„Yep, not my idea, though" Caroline laughed, shrugging her shoulders.

„Oh god, I need to buy a copy" Haley was almost crying of laughter now.

„You're an asshole" Caroline said, rolling her eyes playfully.

„You love me" Haley spoke, realizing too late, what she had just said. She blinked a few times, clearing her throat „I uhh..."

„Well, I do" Caroline smiled softly and leaned in to kiss Haley, who's face had turned crimson in 0.2 seconds.

Haley was glad that Caroline shut her up, kind of, she didn't just want to confess her feelings randomly, especially because Caroline meant too much to her for just letting those three words slip out, even though Caroline basically admitted that she loved Haley. She just said it, she wouldn't have if she didn't mean it, would she? Yet Haley didn't want to deepen this topic right now, it wasn't the right moment. So all she did was cupping Caroline's neck to deepen the kiss.

* * *

The next day in the early morning hours, Haley and Caroline were waiting by the check-in counter to give up their luggage and checking in for their flight. They were holding hands and sharing cute smiles every now and then.

„I'm so excited to meet your family, I hope they'll like me" Caroline said, as they made their way through the security gates.

„They already do, don't worry, if it was up to my mom, you already belong to the family" Haley spoke, gathering her things from the little grey box, after everything was being x-rayed.

„That's so cute" Caroline said, sounding sentimental.

„What's wrong?" Haley placed her hand on Caroline's side, reassuringly.

„Well, this is gonna be my first real Christmas in ages, I've always been working because I didn't really have a family to spend those days with" she smiled weakly.

„I'm so sorry, babe, but from now on you'll spend Christmas with me, okay?" Haley planted a short kiss to Caroline's cheek.

„Okay" she giggled „thank you."

The flight to the west coast went by quite fast, both girls had napped for a few hours on board, before they exited the plane and fetched their luggage. Caroline was excited as a little kid, also nervous for meeting Haley's family. She wanted them to like her, so she had to make a good impression. She also had never been in Los Angeles before and there were so many things she wanted to do.

„I think my parents are gonna fetch us, I hope they won't embarrass me" Haley laughed, scratching her neck, knowing her mom all too well.

„What do you mean?" Caroline asked, being honestly interested.

„You'll see" Haley said. She grabbed Caroline's hand as they walked towards the huge automatic double doors, leading them to the arrival area.

The arrival area was quite crowded, about 20 people were gathered, all waiting for someone to fetch. It didn't take long until Haley spotted her parents, she just rolled her eyes and gently bumped into Caroline's side, signaling her she found her parents.

„Oh my god, Hal, that's way too adorable" Caroline giggled in amusement, when her eyes landed on a short brunette woman, holding up a sign that read „Haley & Caroline."

Haley shook her head, embarrassed at her mother and face palmed herself.

„Haley, honey, it's been way too long" her mother immediately embraced her daughter in a bear hug, squeezing her tightly „and you must be Caroline."

Caroline held out her hand formally, but shrieked in surprise when Mrs. Yates embraced her as well.

„It's so nice to meet you" she said, releasing Caroline with a huge smile.

„It's nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Yates" she smiled, reaching her hand out to greet Mr. Yates, after he let go of his daughter „and Mr. Yates."

„Call me Mary, dear, Mrs. Yates makes me feel quite old" she laughed „and this is John" she waved her hand in front of her husband.

Caroline just smiled, she was taken aback by how nice Haley's parents were, she felt genuinely happy and couldn't wait to get to know everything.

„Let's get going then" Haley said, handing her luggage over to her dad with a smirk.

The Yates' house wasn't too far from the airport, the car ride was nice, filled with random smalltalk and Caroline inspecting the environment. Haley just watched her girlfriend in awe, she was so beautiful and Haley loved watching Caroline geek out over the littlest things, for example palm trees lining up the streets.

When they arrived at the huge house, Caroline's jaw dropped. The house, almost villa was gigantic, Caroline spotted a big garage right next to it, with a terrace on top. There was a large garden surrounding the house and a swimming pool with a tiny waterfall. It looked like paradise.

„You wanna come on in?" Haley smiled at her girlfriend.

„Girls, come on!" John shouted from the entrance, carrying their bags inside, following his wife.

They walked along the small stone passage that led directly to the two stairs you had to walk up to enter the house. It was around 4 in the afternoon and Mary had instructed the girls to just get settled and then come outside for some coffee and snacks on the big garden terrace.

Haley led them upstairs, being stopped by Caroline occasionally so she could look at some pictures on the walls. The floor was huge, only two doors led from the hall.

„That's my brother's room, I think he's gonna be home for dinner, he's probably at practice, he's playing baseball" Haley spoke, watching Caroline glimpse into his room.

„This is my room" she said and opened the door, letting Caroline walk in first.

„Wow" was all she said as she inspected everything.

The room was spacious, two big windows offering a wonderful view over the garden and the city of LA in the distance. There was Haley's wardrobe lined up on the wall, and book shelves by another wall. In the middle of the room was a queen size bed, it looked so comfortable, Caroline couldn't resist the urge to jump on it.

„You're such a child" Haley giggled, jumping next to Caroline, who was stretched out on the bed.

„Your room and well the whole house is fabulous, I love it so much" Caroline said, rolling over to her side, so she could look at Haley.

„Thank you, I'm glad you like it."

„Your parents much be rich" Caroline laughed, not sure why she said that.

„They are actually, not that rich, though, but they own a successful company that pays off" Haley smiled, pushing a stray of Caroline's hair out of her face.

Caroline smiled in response, she didn't want to talk about Haley's parents right now. She leaned in, gently pushing Haley onto her back and kissed her lips softly.

„Thank you for taking me here" she said, kissing Haley again.