In which there's a Christmas surprise.

[lovely_msstone]

[Set in her canon verse. Cowritten with her_prettyboy.]

So far Christmas morning had gone well for Jack. He had made a hot breakfast for them both, and they had started off with opening each other’s gifts. He could have taken her gifts with them on their rounds for family visits, but he really wanted to do this part in private. He had hardly slept the night before. A part of him thought maybe doing it on Christmas was too cheesy, but it had all fallen together that way, and he couldn't wait any longer.

He had waited while she opened some of the smaller gifts he had given her, then smiled and pushed a long rectangular box towards her. Not the present he was really itching to give her, but he had a certain process he was using.

She grinned as she reached for the package, starting to open the paper. "You're spoiling me, you know."

He chuckled. "I thought you liked being spoiled." He watched as the edges of the light blue box were revealed, waiting for her to open it and see the necklace inside.

"I do. But I still feel like I should make it known." She opened the box, and grinned, pulling the necklace away to look at it. "Oh, Jack -- it's beautiful."

He took it from her gently and reached around to string it over her neck, kissing her shoulder lightly. "Figured my star needed her own star."

"I love it," she sighed, turning to kiss him gently. "Thank you."

His eyes closed as he kissed her back, then he pulled away. "And...there is one more present. I was just going to stick with the necklace, but...I saw something else that I really...had to get for you." He licked his lips and pulled a smaller box out from under the tree, then sat back beside her. "Last one. I swear." His heart was pounding.

She took the box, looking at him for a moment, before starting to open it. When she saw the ring, her breath caught in her chest for a minute, before turning back to him with wide eyes. "Jack -- "

He ignored the fear that came with each heart beat, fear that she'd clock him over the head and call him crazy, and slipped off the couch to kneel in front of her. Her gently took her hand and watched her. "...I love you, Miranda. I...don't want us to have lives together, I want us to have...one life together...I want to be holding you still when I'm eighty years old. I want..." He squeezed her hand gently, partially trying to calm his own nerves. "I want you to be my wife through all of it." He took a deep breath. "If you marry me...I'll have a reason to wake up happy every day of my life."

She stared back at him, shell shocked and unsure of what to say. This was a speech she never thought she was going to hear, even from him, and she wasn't sure how to respond to it. "Are you sure? I mean, really sure? Because I'm a lot to handle, even I know that, and this is forever. No take backs. Because if you take it back -- " She didn't even want to think about what it'd do to her if he took it back.

He was already shaking his head. "In my family...we stick together. No matter what. It can be good and bad and...it doesn't matter. My parents are still together, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles...because we don't give up. And...yeah, you're a lot to handle...but...having you to handle....makes..." He shrugged slightly. "It makes life worth it, Miranda."

She had had another rambling series of questions, including "What if I'm not there when you're eighty," but they were all cut off when he told her she made it worth it. She bit her bottom lip as she tried to hold back the blushing smile that crossed her face. "Really?"

He leaned up, his hands cupping her cheeks and his thumbs brushing them lightly. "How much more convincing do you need of how much I love you? Just...tell me, and I'll keep going."

"I just -- " she blinked back at him, tears starting to come to her eyes. "I don't know if I deserve this."

"Why wouldn't you?" he whispered, his heart breaking slightly.

"I don't know. I haven't exactly done anything that great with my life. I never thought this would happen to me. I mean, people usually just get tired of me and that's that, and I don't want to think about what would happen if you got tired of me."

Jack moved up to sit beside her again, still holding onto her. "You think I haven't worried about the same thing? I mean...I'm a pretty dull guy, and...I got you. Hell if I know how that happened. There's a ton other guys you could be with that..." He sighed. "I don't need you to feel like you deserve me...I just need you to be with me."

"Not dull," she whispered, leaning closer to him. "Never dull." She moved a hand up to his face, before leaning in to kiss him. "And you are way too good for me."

"I don't think I am," he murmured, kissing her back. "You don't give yourself enough credit."

She sighed softly into the kiss, before looking at him carefully. "You're really, really sure?" She needed to ask one last time. For good measure.

"No, no I'm not," he teased, reaching for the ring. "Cuz I'm thinkin' you don't even like the ring and I should just return it..."

She snatched the ring away from him, giving him a look. "Don't tease. I love the ring."

"So is it yes or not?" He just looked at her, eyes wide, because he was still scared she was saying no to him.

"Of course it's a yes," she said softly, leaning in to kiss him a bit harder. "Always yes."

He grinned into the kiss, and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. After a bit, he pulled back just slightly to take the ring from her and slowly slide it over her finger.

She grinned back as she shifted, leaning against him so that she can look at it. "It's gorgeous, Jack."

"So are you," he replied, kissing the top of her head.

She nodded, before moving her other hand up to brush at her face. "Crap. I'm gonna be one of those girlfriends that gets all weepy."

He grinned again. "You mean fiancée."

"Right. Fiancée." She paused. "Never thought I'd actually say that." Another pause. "I have to call Maggie."

"You can call her later," he said, starting to push her back on top of all the torn wrapping paper.

She moved with him, wrapping her arm around his neck. "Later? But -- this is important."

He moved over her, resting close and dropping his lips to her neck. "So is this."

Her eyes closed, her fingers gripping his back tightly. "But -- best friend. And -- that's nice. That's really nice."

His hand brushed down her hip and across her stomach, reaching for the waistband of her pajama pants. "I have this idea....that we're gonna have a long, healthy married sex life..."

"That so?" she whispered, her body pressing up into his hand.

"You doubt it?" His hand disappeared inside the fabric, and gently made its way between her legs.

Her breathing hitched softly, before grinning against his ear. "No. I just want to hear what these 'ideas' of yours are."

He grinned, his hand rubbing against her lightly. "I'm thinkin'...at least twice a day..."

She moaned in his ear. "When will you have time to work?"

His eyes closed and his forehead rested against hers. "I'll figure something out."

"Mmm. I get to be married to a sexy doctor. My mother will be proud."

He didn't say anything. He just kissed her skin softly, and let his fingers slip around her panties to get closer to her. She didn't want to talk anymore anyway. Her fingers slid under her chin, pulling him up to kiss her as another moan escaped her lips. He kissed her back, her sounds encouraging him to gently push her legs apart more with his own leg, continuing what he was doing and just focusing on her. She pushed her hips up to meet him, whimpering into his mouth and keeping herself closer.

He swallowed the whimper and kissed her deeper, moving his hand to start pushing the pants down off her hips. She lifted her hips to help him, starting to reach for his clothes as well. He got hers to the floor, before helping with his own, then settled in against her again. She slid her hands over his back, pulling him closer and hooking a leg over his hip.

After awhile he fell against her, moving to her side and pulling her close. "I love you," he whispered.

"Love you too," she said softly.

He sighed, just brushing kisses against the side of her face.

She curled into him, before shifting so that she was looking at him. "I almost don't want to leave today."

"We don't have to."

"What about your parents -- my parents," she sighed. "They're expecting us."

"They can get over it?"

"And I kinda want to tell them the news."

"Mmm, but I'm happy and comfortable."

She sighed, closing her eyes a bit. "Me too."

"But my mom will flip if we don't make it to dinner."

"I thought so," she nodded, with a heavy sigh.

He grinned and started sliding down her body. "One more round?" His lips brushed her stomach.

She grinned back at him before nodding. "Can't argue with that."

His tongue dipped against her belly button, while his hand glided against her thigh. She moaned softly, her hand moving to the back of his head gently. He sighed, sliding down her body more, his lips moving down at well. She gasped softly, her body arching back and gripping at his hair as she pulled him closer. He moved in closer, working gently. Eventually her body relaxed back against the couch, taking a moment to catch her breath. He moved back up slowly, his lips pushing against each inch of her skin. Her hands slid down his back, tilting her head to him when he was close enough and leaning in to kiss him again. He kissed her slowly, pulling her into his arms. She pulled him closer, sliding her leg over his hip again and using one hand to brace the back of his neck.

He groaned softly and held onto her, sliding himself under her, his hands running against her back. There was just something he loved about having her on top of him, looking up at her. She settled in above him, rocking her hips back against his as she leaned over him and kept up the kiss. He kissed her back, his hands settling on her hips and pulling her in closer. She moved closer, continuing to move her hips against his, and just losing herself in the sensations. Eventually his body melted back into the couch, and he lay back, keeping his eyes open and on her.

She stretched back out on top of him with a grin, letting her hand run down his chest. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

She shifted so that her head was resting against his chest, settling close. "How much time to we have before we have to leave?"

"Mmm," he shrugged slightly and kissed the top of her head. "Dunno. When's your dad expecting us?"

"He said noon, which really means closer to one."

"So...we've probably got time for a short nap before we hafta get ready."

"Yup," she nodded, her eyes starting to close. "Sounds good to me."

"Good," he murmured, rubbing her back.

She settled against him, starting to drift off to sleep. "Wake me up in a little bit."

"Mmm, kay." He was already drifting off himself.

***

The Stone household was very straightforward. Big, elegant, and unmistakably wealthy, but straightforward. For one thing, the only time all of the family members were at the same table was for major holidays. There was a very stuff lunch, followed by some "quality family time" and then they all went about their business. Andrew Stone, as much as he loved his daughter, was a very busy man and could only stand his wife for so long, and Melissa, as fond as she was of her husband's money, would rather spend a good chunk of her attention on her dog, Bubbles. However, that didn't stop them, for Miranda's sake, for sitting at the wide dining room table, and making their way through another meal.

Now, though, they were having that "quality family time," sitting in the Stone's sitting room, drinks in their hands. Jack and Miranda were sitting on the couch that was perpendicular to the fire place, while Melissa was sitting on the armchair by the fireplace, Bubbles in her lap. Andrew was reading the newspaper on the opposite armchair, just keeping quiet and letting Miranda ramble on about her latest show.

Jack sat quietly, gripping onto his drink and sipping from it. He never was comfortable in the house. Partially because of the fact that he was Miranda's boyfriend and therefore enemy number one to her father, and partially because of the money factor. Jack didn't care about Miranda's wealth, but being in her parents house was the one time he actually felt uncomfortable about the fact that he didn't have anything.

And now to add onto the fact that he wanted to marry Miranda, and hadn't asked her father for his blessing first...he was just going to sit there and be very, very quiet.

Miranda's hand wandered over to find her way into Jack's giving it a bit of a squeeze before looking over at her father. "Daddy? We have something we have to tell you."

"Do you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his daughter over the newspaper, before closing it and placing it down in front of her. "And what is this exactly?"

Jack squeezed her hand back and glanced at her through the sides of his eyes.

"This morning," she began slowly. "Jack asked me to marry him."

"He did!?" Melissa perked up at the mention of money and weddings and abandoned her dog momentarily. "What did you say?"

Andrew's eyes were narrowing in Jack's direction. "Yes. What did you say, sweetheart?"

"I said yes."

Jack was already sitting up straighter against the couch, almost hoping the ceiling would suck him up out of the room. He forced a smile on his lips. He was still too scared to speak.

Andrew watched him for a moment, before a slow smile crossed his face. "That's fantastic, Miranda."

Melissa let out a bit of a squeal as she reached for her daughter. "Oh, my baby's getting married." Miranda was sucked away from Jack's side into a hug by her mother, and Andrew just stood from where he was sitting, looking down at his glass.

"Well, clearly this isn't an appropriate drink for this sort of news." He turned his attention back to his now future son-in-law. "Jack, would you mind helping me find a bottle of champagne?"

Jack nodded and stood on shaky feet. "Y-yes, sir."

Andrew gave him a smile, as he placed an arm around his shoulders and started walking him out of the room. "Now, I want to make certain things perfectly clear, considering that we're going to be family from this point forward, I feel that it's very important to be honest, understood?"

Jack went with Andrew and nodded as they walked. "Yes sir, very important."

"Now, I like you. Of all the men my daughter had chosen to spend her time with over the years, you are by far one of her more acceptable choices."

"Uh…thank you...I think."

"However, just because I like you, doesn't mean you should just presume that that means I will let you get away with anything. You hurt my daughter in any way, and I will ruin you. Am I clear?"

"That won't happen, sir. I love her."

"I'm aware of that. But love doesn't solve all problems." He pulled away from him long enough to start going through the wine cellar before turning back to him. "Now, I'm a very powerful man, Jack, and I want to make sure that you know exactly how much hell I can make your life should you hurt my daughter. Marriage is a very serious commitment. One that I will not let her enter lightly."

Jack took a deep breath. "I understand that, and it isn't something I would consider lightly. That wasn't the way I was raised. Sir."

Andrew picked up one of the better bottles of champagne, before turning back to him with a thin smile. "Good. I'm glad."

Jack nodded, a tight smile on his lips.

"Now. I think we'll need glasses for this, don't you?"

"Yes sir we will."

"There should be some up in the kitchen. If you go and ask Lucy, I'm sure she'll be able to point you in the right direction."

"Okay, sure." He nodded and made his way towards the kitchen, looking for Lucy.

Andrew smirked as he watched him go, taking the champagne and heading back up to the living room.

Jack continued on his way, sighing deeply and shoving his hands in his pockets. His hand brushed his phone, which he desperately wanted to use to call his parents, but he could wait.

***

Jack was all smiles as they walked down the hallway to his parents' apartment, his arm around Miranda's shoulders. He kissed the side of her head. "Christmas with my family is always interestin'."

"That so?" she asked, looking back up at him.

He grinned down at her. "Beats Thanksgiving hands down."

"Any traditions I should know about going in?"

"Ah, yes. Yes. Kissing the hot, youngest son before entering."

She grinned. "You have a baby brother?"

Jack stopped and pouted.

She blinked, giving him an innocent look.

"I meant me, babe."

She giggled before pushing up on her toes to kiss him. "I know. I was teasing."

He still pouted as he caught her kiss.

"What?" she asked between kisses. "I'm not allowed to tease my fiancé?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer. "Only if you keep calling me that."

She slid her arms around his neck, and leaned into him. "My fiancé."

"Mmmhmm." He kissed below her ear softly. "Ready to go in?"

"Yup," she nodded. "Let's go."

He pulled away and led her to the front door, pushing it open and sticking his head in. "Mom? Pop? We're here."

"C'mon in, son," his father called.

Jack moved through the door, taking Miranda's hand and pulling her with.

"Hi honey!" Bonnie Carpenter whisked over, throwing her arms around Jack and pulling Miranda into it as well.

Miranda followed his lead, looking around as she went. When she got pulled into the hug she laughed a bit, hugging his mother back. "Hi, Mrs. Carpenter. Merry Christmas."

"Hey Mom, can we breathe?"

Bonnie let go of them, smiling. "Merry Christmas. How has your day been?"

"Great," Miranda said with a grin, before glancing back at Jack. "I've had a great morning."

Jack smiled and nodded. "Sarah here?"

"She's out back," his mother nodded.

Jack looked at Miranda. "Wanna wait here or come with while I drag my sister in?"

"I'm good here," she nodded.

"Okay." He kissed the top of her head and headed out to find his sister.

His mom smiled at Miranda. "Can I get you anything, honey?"

"No, I'm good," she said with a nod. "I got a big slushie on the way over."

"Bon, leave the poor girl alone and let her come watch football," Jack's dad shouted over his shoulder.

Bonnie sighed and raised a brow. "Would you like to go watch football?"

"Who's playing?"

Chris replied to her, not overly excited, but football was football.

"Nah, I'll pass. Thanks though."

There was a loud thud and raised voices from the direction of the back patio. Neither of Jack's parents made any acknowledgment of it.

Miranda's eyebrows went up, before starting to make her way back towards the door.

On the other side of the sliding glass door, Jack's face was pressed into the glass and his arm was twisted behind his back. He was muttering to his sister, who was smirking and pinning him to the door.

She couldn't help the bit of a giggle that passed her lips and her hand came up to cover her mouth, watching her boyfriend's predicament.

He was too busy trying to get out of the hold to notice Miranda on the other side, but if he had he'd be beyond embarrassed. "C'mon, Sar, I was kiddin'." His voice was muffled.

"Just want you to remember I can still kick your ass," she smirked.

"Okay!"

"Say it," she said, twisting his arm more.

"You can kick my ass!" Except 'kick' almost sounded like 'kiss'.

"What was that?"

"Kick! Kick!"

"I thought so."

Her fingers brushed past her nose, and she crossed her arms in front of her chest, while she waited for Jack to notice she was there.

"Let me go!"

"A'right, a'right." She let him go and held her hands up, then spotted Miranda and grinned with a wave. Jack stood up and shook himself out, also spotting Miranda, and turned red.

She waved back in his sister, before giving her fiancee a smirk. "Aww, don't be embarrassed."

Jack yanked the door open and stepped inside. "She likes to be intimidating."

Sarah came in behind him. "Only to you, little brother." She smiled at Miranda. "How are you? Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas. And I'm pretty fantastic," she nodded, moving closer to Jack and sliding her arms around his waist.

"Good," Sarah nodded. "Fantastic is good." She glanced from Jack to Miranda and back again with a smirk. "Tell Mom and Dad yet?"

Miranda looked up at him before shaking her head. "He has to do it. I had to tell my father."

Jack gave Sarah a look. "Surprised you haven't spilled the beans already."

"Not my place," she said, holding up her hands. Then she walked off to join her father on the couch.

Jack sighed and looked down at Miranda. "Ready for round two?"

She nodded with a grin. "Let's go."

He took her hand and headed into the living room, glancing at his father. "Hey Dad, mind if we cut the game for a minute?"

Chris looked up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just thought we could all talk for a minute."

Chris' eyes narrowed and he muted the TV. He turned over his shoulder. "Come in here, Bon. Jack did something."

Miranda smirked a bit before leaning into Jack a bit and waiting for Bonnie to join them.

Bonnie sighed and came into the living room, flicking her hand towel over her shoulder. "Damnit Jack, did you knock her up?"

"No, Mom! Jeez. Will you just calm down and sit?"

Miranda bit her lip, turning her face into Jack's chest to hide the bit of a laugh. "You better spit it out or they're gonna start thinking the worse."

Jack looked at his parents. "Okay, thing is...we're gettin' married."

There was silence for a bit, but then Bonnie was coming at them with a huge grin and her arms out again. Chris got up and walked over, smiling, and patted his son on the back.

"Way to go, son," Chris said.

Sarah just watched it all, amused.

Miranda got crushed into the hug, amused with the entirely different tone that this had had to her own family.

Jack smiled and hugged his mom, giving his father a smirk. "Thanks, Dad."

"Welcome to the family," Bonnie said to Miranda, squeezing her.

"Thank you," she said with a sigh as she leaned into the hug.

"I'm not sharing my Barbies," Sarah said flatly.

Miranda laughed. "I was a dress-up girl."

Sarah smirked. "I liked turning my Barbies into punk rockers or men. Clearly there's something wrong with me."

"Definitely not. Fight the power."

She laughed. "Sure."

"Can I go back to the game now?" Chris asked.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "For godsake, go ahead."

Miranda laughed as she leaned back into Jack. "The only problem is that now you have the unfortunate pleasure of needing to meet my parents."

Bonnie raised a brow. "Unfortunate?"

She tilted her head back to look at her fiancé. "How would you describe my dad, honey?"

Jack shrugged. "Permanent business man?"

She gave him a bit of a look. "Honestly?"

"What?"

"He terrifies you."

He shrugged. "Never said he didn't."

"My father is not a pleasant man," she sighed, before turning her attention back to his parents. "And my mother isn't much better."

Bonnie frowned. "Well...we'll manage to make it all work out. Besides, it's not about the parents. It's about you two."

"Yes," she nodded. "Just consider this me apologizing in advance."

"Don't worry about it," Bonnie smiled. "I handled Chris' parents just fine when I married him."

"Hey," Chris frowned. "What does that mean?"

"Honey, your mother didn't want you marrying me and we all know it."

"Oh, that's not a problem," she shook her head. "My dad likes Jack. He's just a bit of a cold fish."

"Really? I coulda sworn he doesn't like me."

"Oh, no -- compared to some of the other guys I've dated, you're a saint."

Jack sighed. "Right."

"He's still making my last boyfriend pay for what he did to me. And the guy works for him."

Jack's jaw set slightly, because what he'd heard of the guy, he really wanted to smash his face in. But now wasn't the time.

"Anyway," Miranda said with a grin. "He's a good guy. He really is. He just -- doesn't always show it. My dad, not my ex."

"So I take it the reception will be open bar?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, highly likely."

At the same time, Jack nodded. "Definitely."

"The Stones, as a whole, are very fond of their booze."

Jack smiled. "See? We'll all get along perfectly."

She laughed. "It should be fun either way."

"I need to get back to the kitchen or there will be no Christmas dinner," Bonnie said, already turning to go.

"Do you want some help?" she asked, turning to follow her.

Bonnie smiled. "Sure. I'd love to know how it feels to have a daughter to help with the cooking."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I cook plenty."

"And always kick me out of the kitchen."

"Jesus, Mom. You take things too personally." Sarah got to her feet. "By all means, let's go fix dinner for the menfolk."

As she got up, her father swatted her with a pillow. "Don't say Jesus on Christmas."

Miranda turned and gave Jack a quick kiss before following their lead into the kitchen. "Enjoy your football."

"Yes ma'am," he grinned. He stood there a moment to watch her go, then moved over to join his father.