December 23rd-

Ever since Jessica got to Minnesota she had stayed with Danny. Only Ann knew she was home. Jessica hadn't told Jane or her mom about Danny or that she came early to see him. From what they knew, she was getting off the plane today. She wasn't ready to tell anyone. Her and Danny decided to keep it to themselves until they figure everything out. Jessica was going to spend Christmas at her mothers while Danny was on vacation with his sister, mom, and her kids. He wanted to cancel and stay with Jessica but she insisted that he went.

"I'll be back the day after Christmas. I'll be able to see you, right?" Danny says holding Jessica in his arms. He wasn't ready to let her go. Even though it was only for a few days, he promised himself to never let her go.

"Of course, and we can talk everyday. You need to get out of Minnesota and enjoy this time with your family. Just promise me you'll enjoy yourself?" Jessica takes his hands and holds them in her own.

"When I get back we can figure this all out. You know, before you leave."

"You know I don't want to go back but I have to talk with Mark. We will figure this all out." Jessica kisses his cheek then grabs her bags.

"I'll see you right when I get home. I love you!" He exclaims

"I love you too! Have a safe flight."

**

Jessica finally arrived at her moms. When she got inside her mother was sitting on the couch waiting for her.

"Jessie! It's so nice to finally see you!" She rushes up to Jessica and hugs her tightly.

"Hi, mom." Jessica smiles

"How was your flight? I hope it was okay with that snow storm."

Jessica was confused at first. Then she remembered that her mother thought she just got into town.

"It was okay. How are you?"

Dorthy walks over to the couch and sits down. She motions Jessica to sit down next to her so she does.

Dorthy was a bit more quite and seemed sad. Jessica looked at the coffee table and saw photo albums scattered everywhere.

"I'm okay..." Dorthy leans over and closes the albums. The cover of the one was Dorthy and Albert's wedding album.

"What made you pull these out?" Jessica picks one up and looks through it. They were all pictures from when Dorthy and Albert started dating to Jessica and her siblings in their teen years.

"Around Christmas time I always think of him. It was his favorite holiday. He loved having everyone around. I'm glad you are home for Christmas." Dorthy says with tears in her eyes.

Jessica hugs her mother and rest her head on her shoulder.

"I miss Christmas with everyone. I'm glad I came."

"I'm worried for Ann. This is her first Christmas without Jimmy. I remember how hard our first Christmas was without dad." Dorthy put her head down and looked at the floor.

Jessica knew exactly what Dorthy was talking about. The year Albert died, Jessica and her siblings all just separated and went their own ways. Jimmy and Ann went to Hawaii with the kids, Jane went with Rick to visit his family, and Jessica was in New York with Sarah and Sam. The only people in town where George and Dorthy.

"I'm really sorry..."

"Don't apologize! We were all going through a hard time. Especially you, you lost more than dad."

Jessica cleared her throat and sighed "Mom, we don't have to talk about this. Let's just enjoy Christmas this year and not be sad. He wouldn't want us to be sad."

**
Christmas-

For Christmas everyone came over Dorthy's for dinner and gifts. They spent the day watching family videos and talking.

After dinner the kids opened their gifts then played in the other room.

Jessica left the room real quick to talk to Danny.

"Merry Christmas!" Danny exclaims

"Merry Christmas. How's Disney World?" Jessica chuckles

"It's cool, I guess. Ang's kids are loving it. I wish I could see you."

"I wish I could see you too. But I pick you up at the airport tomorrow. You can see me then." She giggles

"How is your day?"

"Good. Just spending time with family. It's pretty crazy here. I better get going. Enjoy yourself, alright?"

"Alright! I'll talk to you soon, love you."

Jessica walked back into the living room and her siblings all gave her a signal.

Jessica looked at Dorthy then smiled. "Mom, we have something for you." Jessica says

George stands up and goes to the other room.

"What is it?" She smiles

"Mom, we have a surprise for you. Close your eyes!" Jane says

George walks back into the room with a large picture frame wrapped in Christmas paper.

"You guys didn't have to get me anything!" She says

George hands it to her and she slowly opens it.

When she does she sees that it's a picture of her and Albert on their wedding day. Dorthy always said how she wanted it framed, now it finally was.

Dorthy started to cry as she gazed at the beautiful photo.

"It's from all of us. We knew that was your favorite picture." Ann says

Dorthy stands up and hugs her children with tears rolling down her face.

"Thank you all so much! This is the best gift, ever!" She cries

"We love you mom."

**

The next day-

Jessica left Dorthy's to go pick up Danny. When she saw him she ran into his arms.

"There you are! I'm so happy to see you!" She says as he spins her around.

"Me too! Florida was great, but seeing you is even better." He kisses her then smiles.

"You should have stayed the extra days with your mom and sister."

"I had to come back to work and to you. How about we go back to my place and relax for a while?"

"Sounds like a plan to me!"

**

When they get home Danny and Jessica were cuddled up on the couch in front of the fire watching the news.

"Danny, I feel so safe in your arms." Jessica whispers

Danny turns his head and kisses he top of hers.

"We need to talk about how we will be able to date in the same state. I know we've talked about it but you don't seem so sure."

"I told you, I can quit my job and move out here."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"Danny, I want to. I want to be closer to you and my family. Over Christmas I've realized how lucky I am to have them. I can't take any of that for granted."

"What if I want to quit my job and move to New York?"

Jessica sits up and moved away from Danny. She was shocked hearing this from him.

"You want to leave your practice? What about your patients?"

"I want to work somewhere else. I just feel like I'm needed somewhere else."

"Obviously we both want to quit our jobs. That just leaves us broke."

"We can start fresh. You can open your photography business and I can work at the hospital."

Jessica shakes her head, overwhelmed with all the quick decisions.

"God Danny!" Jessica stands up and paces in circles.

"What?" Danny stands up and tries to stop her.

"Why do we have to make this so hard! I just want to be with you and not worry about all of this." Jessica says

"I'm sorry... I want to be with you too. But we have to figure this out."

"I know... I hate that this is all so hard and one of us has to end up giving something up."

"In the end we will have each other. That's our goal, to be together."