Chapter Text
Christmas Eve morning, though morning was a generous word for what was really just a blur of footsteps, half opened doors, muffled laughter, and something that might be a stampede or might be the dogs.
The Prentiss house was never quiet, it hadn't been for years.
In the kitchen, coffee was being poured and immediately forgotten on the counter. One of the dogs–no one is entirely sure which–had stolen a roll of wrapping paper and was now proudly dragging it like a trophy through the hallway. From somewhere near the living room comes the sound of a whisper that quickly turns into a shout, followed by the unmistakable crash of a present being 'accidentally' opened early.
"Not yet Brooks!" JJ's voice calls out, though her voice carries the tired amusement of someone who knows rules are more suggestions on a morning like this.
There are ten children in the Prentiss home with ten entirely different versions of excitement.
The three oldest are already pretending not to be involved, leaning against the doorway with a look that says they are far too grown for this chaos–while still secretly smiling at it. The youngest is sticky with something that might be candy cane or might be last night's frosting, clutching her lovey like it is the most important thing in the world.
And in the middle of it all are the two moms, moving like a practiced team through the storm they built together. Emily is trying to locate the missing tape dispenser she needed to wrap last minute gifts, and JJ is negotiating peace between two arguing siblings over whose present is making a 'weird sound' through the wrapping paper.
Outside, Christmas lights flicker against the winter gray. Inside, the house is loud and warm and overflowing with life.
And somehow, in the middle of all that chaos, it still feels like peace.
"Why the heck are we awake already?" Amelia asked her siblings as she rested her head against Oliver's shoulder.
It was Christmas Eve after all, there was no reason for them to be up at 7:30am. Then again, a house full of overly excited littles and only two mothers meant a few tiny humans were able to sneak past Emily while she made breakfast to wake up their big siblings.
"Lily," Clarke and Oliver answered in unison.
"Gosh I love that peanut, but I do wish she'd consider the fact we were up until almost 1am last night," Amelia said with a yawn.
"Yeah but Lily went to bed at 8:30pm," Oliver retorted.
"Hey bean, can you come here for a minute please?" Emily called out from the kitchen.
Clarke slowly made her way into the other room then sat down on one of the stools with a yawn of her own. "What's up?"
"Would you mind if I used your room for a few hours to finish wrapping your little siblings' presents?"
"Go for it. Cohen and I are going over to grandma and grandpa's around 11am anyways so I won't be here," Clarke reminded her mom.
"Did I know about this?"
"Uhh, I think so. I might have told mom instead though," Clarke said with furrowed brows.
"What are you doing there?" Emily questioned.
"Cohen volunteered to help load up the car with presents for our house and for Uncle Aaron and Auntie Hayley's," Clarke answered.
"Well that was very nice of him."
"Yeah. It would have been nicer if he consulted me about it first," Clarke laughed.
"Oh stop it, you would have offered if your grandparents asked," Emily said, searching the kitchen for the cup of coffee she had poured and then put down about 20 minutes ago.
"It's right there, mom," Clarke pointed.
"Thank you."
"How many times have you reheated that?" Clarke grimaced.
"Only twice. Then again, it's not even 8am yet," Emily said.
"Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Bentley screamed.
"Oh my gosh. You know Beni, mom can hear you without screaming your head off," Clarke said.
"Umm, no fank you Cwarkey."
"What's up, baby?" Emily asked.
"Momma sayed me tan haf apple'soap be'tause me haf a weally talkin' tummy," Bentley explained.
"Apple'soap. That's a new one," Clarke laughed.
"Breakfast is almost ready belle. Do you think you can wait ten more minutes?"
"Not weally mommy. Me alweady waitin' sooo long be'tause you not weally bein' fast right now."
"Well then. Maybe sissy will get you some applesauce," Emily said.
"Yeah, her tan do dat," Bentley nodded, dragging Clarke towards the refrigerator to get her some apple'soap. Gosh forbid the toddler wait ten more minutes for her breakfast, it was too long for her.
"Hey Cwarkey, did you knowed dat Samta is tomin' to my house ta'day?"
"Not until tonight, right baby?" Emily reminded the toddler.
"Mhm, him tomin' ta'day," Bentley repeated.
"Do you think he's going to bring you presents, or are you on the naughty list?" Clarke teased.
"Me a weally dood girl, you knowed dat!" Bentley sassed.
"Does that mean you're going to get lots of presents?" Clarke questioned.
"Yeah, so many pwesints. And you too be'tause you most the time weally nice," Bentley said.
"Just most of the time?" Clarke asked.
"Sometimes you not weally nice to Wia and den you get in a big fight."
"That's because geages steals my candy without asking," Clarke said with an eyeroll.
"But it not nice to get in a fight, Cwarkey," Bentley reminded her biggest sister.
"I'll be better next year," Clarke teased. Bentley didn't understand the concept of January starting a new year, but Emily got it and she laughed.
"Mornin' fam, how the heck are ya?" Maggie asked, walking into the kitchen with a huge stretch.
"Maggie!" Bentley beamed.
"I'm surprised you're awake, it's barely 8am," Clarke muttered.
"What can I say, I smelt food," Maggie shrugged, then situated Bentley on her hip and kissed her temple.
"What are the big 'it toys' this year, honey?" Gerald asked Clarke when she arrived at the elder Prentiss estate later that morning.
"You'd have to ask my moms. The only shopping I did was my own because mom took an extra week off after…well you know," Clarke said, hoping her grandfather would fill in the blank.
After Clarke's attack, JJ took two weeks off to be there for her children, especially Clarke. She also did some Christmas shopping as well with Amelia while Clarke was at home resting to help out her wife.
"Well that makes sense. Grandma handles all the shopping in our house," Gerald whispered.
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Clarke teased.
"Gerald honey, help poor Cohen with these presents please," Elizabeth commented from the living room.
"I've been summoned," Gerald said to Clarke.
"Hey babe, can you get the door please?" Cohen asked. Clarke opened the door and on the way past his girlfriend, Cohen added, "There are seriously so many presents here. I'm still surprised by the number of gifts each year."
"At least my moms aren't going to adopt anymore kids," Clarke said.
"Do you think your aunts and uncles are done too?" Cohen asked.
"I honestly have no idea. I have a feeling the next round of kids will be from me and my siblings, but that won't be for a while."
"Well, not that long. We only have two years of college left."
"Cohen, that's just medical school. Then we have residency, and we're not even married!"
"That can be changed," Cohen shrugged.
"Oh my gosh, what?" Clarke exclaimed.
"Not right now, I'm just saying…"
"Am I interrupting a fight?" Gerald asked as he placed another round of presents into the trunk.
"Wha–no! We aren't fighting. Why would you think that grandpa?" Clarke questioned.
"You two look like you're having a very serious conversation," Gerald explained.
"Oh."
"Don't worry Mr. P, we're not fighting," Cohen assured.
"Good. Nobody should be arguing on Christmas."
"Christmas isn't until tomorrow," Clarke said.
"You know what I mean, smartass," Gerald joked, giving Clarke a little shove towards the doorway.
"What on earth is taking you three so long? It's freezing outside!" Elizabeth scolded.
"It was my fault, Lizzie," Gerald said.
"Yeah, it was grandpa's fault," Clarke said, getting her grandfather back for the joking around they had been doing outside.
"Cut it out, these kids are on a schedule," Elizabeth said, swatting at her husband.
"Momma," Brynley whispered, poking JJ's arm repeatedly.
"What is it, scoot?" JJ whispered back.
"I need your help with somethin', it's really important," Brynley said.
JJ stood up from the playroom floor and followed Brynley into Emily's office where nobody else would be able to hear them. "Is everything okay, baby?"
"Lia said she'd help me wrap Brooks' present but she went to Costco with mommy. I don't want Brooks to see it! Hurry, hurry, hurry," Brynley squeaked.
"You scared me cutie, I thought something was really wrong," JJ said, tickling Brynley's sides until she squealed.
"It is wrong. Lia's not here!" Brynley exclaimed.
"Do you think we can hide your brother's present until Lia gets home?" JJ asked.
"Nu-uh. We needa do it right now momma!"
"Okay. Let's do it, scooter girl," JJ said.
The duo sat on the floor and proceeded to wrap Brooks' present using too much tape and two different patterns of wrapping paper because Brynley wanted to tease her twin. Brynley thought it was the silliest thing ever, she couldn't stop giggling as she and JJ wrapped his present together.
After Cohen left the elder Prentiss estate with a pile of presents for the Hotchner kids, Clarke stayed behind to talk with her grandfather about something weighing on her mind. "Hey grandpa?"
Gerald hummed, not looking up from the second cup of coffee he was pouring for himself, "Yes pumpkin?"
Clarke hesitated, then let it out in one breath, "How old were you when you and grandma got married?"
Gerald smiled–soft, remembering. "Twenty-two. I thought I knew everything back then," he said with a small chuckle. "Turns out, I knew just enough to be a bit dangerous."
Clarke laughed as well, then she grew thoughtful "Was it…worth it? Getting married that young?"
Now Gerald really looked at his granddaughter. "That depends on what you think 'worth it' means, pumpkin."
Clarke shrugged. "Like, did you ever feel like you missed out? Or rushed it?"
He leaned back, the chair creaking under years of stories. "I missed things, sure. Some freedom, some dumb mistakes I never got to make. But I gained things I couldn't have found any other way. Your grandmother…she made a life with me. Not a perfect one–but a real one. What's this really about, Clarke?"
"I've been with Cohen for five years, but we've been good friends for eight," she said quietly. "He's…he's starting to talk about marriage. Not right now, but…soon. I mean, I've thought about it too. He's more than my boyfriend, he's my best friend, my other half in a way I can't even put into words." Clarke looked down at her hands then continued, "But I don't know if I'm ready, or if I'm just scared."
Gerald nodded slowly, like he's heard this question echo through generations. "Those two feel the same sometimes," he says.
"How do you know the difference?"
Gerald took his time answering. He didn't want to let his granddaughter down or lead her on a path she wasn't ready for. "Being scared sounds like, 'what if I lose myself'. Not being ready sounds like, 'I haven't found myself yet'. And marriage, it doesn't fix anything. It doesn't calm your doubts or make life clearer. It just magnifies what's already there."
"Cohen's a good person, a great one. He really is," Clarke said, more so convincing herself of that fact than her grandfather.
"I believe you, pumpkin. We all know how amazing Cohen is," Gerald agreed. "But don't marry someone just because they're good. Marry them because the life you build together feels right–on your best days and your worst ones."
"Did you ever doubt marrying grandma?" Clarke asked.
The duo didn't see Elizabeth eavesdropping from the doorway, but she was curious to hear her husband's answer because their marriage hadn't been perfect by any means. That being said, over the past decade, they've truly turned their lives around. Not just their marriage, but their family.
Gerald smiled again, but this time there was a weight to it. "Every big, important thing in life comes with a little doubt. But that's normal. The question isn't, 'do I have doubts?', it's, 'Do I have peace underneath them?'"
"So…" she says slowly, "you don't think I'm too young? I mean, in the next few years that is. Not right this second."
Gerald shook his head. "Age isn't the thing that makes a marriage work. But timing matters. And so does who you are when you say yes."
"What if I say yes someday and it doesn't work?"
"Then you'll handle it, pumpkin. Because you're stronger than you think. But don't walk into something expecting it to fail. Walk in knowing you chose it–fully, honestly."
"Okay," Clarke whispered.
"And for the record," Gerald added, a hint of mischief returning. "I'd marry your grandmother at twenty-two all over again."
"Even knowing everything now?" Clarke asked.
"Especially knowing everything now, pumpkin. Your grandmother is my best friend, I cannot imagine my life without her."
Elizabeth smiled from the doorway then disappeared back into the living room to sort out the rest of the presents. She felt the same way. Twenty-two was young to get married, but even through all the ups and downs, Elizabeth never regretted her life with Gerald.
"I love you, grandpa," Clarke smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I love you too, Clarke."
"Sweet pea, your phone is buzzing," Elizabeth announced, walking into the kitchen with Clarke's phone in her hand.
Clarke instantly checked her apple watch to make sure she wasn't low or high, but then she realized Cohen was calling and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks grandma. Hey, what's up?" Clarke said, catching Cohen right before he got sent to voicemail.
"Do you happen to know where the hidden key is for your aunt and uncle's house? They aren't here." Cohen asked.
"Umm, I think it's a keypad entry. Hold on, let me ask my grandpa for the code."
"I feel a bit weird going into their house when they aren't home. Wasn't your uncle supposed to be here?"
"I thought so, but they won't mind. I promise, my aunt knew we were coming," Clarke assured.
"Oh wait, here comes your uncle now. Nevermind babe. I'll see you soon. Love you," Cohen said, then he hung up the phone before Clarke could respond because Aaron started talking to him.
"It's all good grandpa. Uncle Aaron just got there," Clarke relayed to her grandfather.
"Good. Poor Cohen would have been waiting a while, I don't remember where I put the keypad code," Gerald said with a laugh.
"Sounds accurate," Clarke joked. "Alright, I'm going to bring this car full of gifts back to my house now. Do you need us to make another trip or can you fit the rest in your car?"
"We should be good, pumpkin."
"Thank you so much for your help, sweet pea. We'll see you tomorrow," Elizabeth said, then she kissed Clarke's temple.
"No problem. I love you both!" Clarke said with a wave.
"We love you too, honey," the grandparents waved back.
"She's a great kid, Lizzie. Emily and JJ have done a brilliant job raising our little pumpkins. We are very lucky," Gerald said.
"Yes we are, Gerry. And just so you know, I'd marry you all over again too," Elizabeth smiled.
"Next year I'm volunteering Oliver to go last minute shopping with you," Amelia said while attempting to steer the second full cart of food through Costco.
"You aren't having fun?" Emily teased.
"Oh, so much. I love navigating a jam packed store on Christmas Eve," Amelia said sarcastically. "Are you sure we need all this food anyways? I thought you just went shopping a few days ago."
"Last week," Emily corrected. "You know how much food your siblings eat, I've also made three meals for fourteen to sixteen people each day. Wouldn't you rather know we have plenty of food for the entire family than hearing 'I'm hungry, there's no food in the house' repeatedly?"
"You make a good point," Amelia laughed.
"Hey, your mom is calling. Would you mind answering this while I stock up on bread please?" Emily asked, handing her phone over to Amelia.
"Hey mom, what's up?" Amelia answered.
"Hi button girl. Are you and mom still at Costco by chance?"
"Yup. Bread is the only thing left on the list, why?"
"Hudson just informed me that we're out of t-r-e-a-t-s," JJ spelt out, and Amelia smiled, envisioning either one or both of the dogs standing in front of her mom.
"We'll stock up. Wait, before I tell mom that we're out of treats, did you check the pantry?"
"Of course I did. This isn't my first rodeo babe," JJ said with a laugh.
"Just checking. Remember when you told mom we were out of yogurt pouches and then Emerson found three boxes in the other fridge?"
"In my defense, I had just returned home from a 5 day case and I was absolutely exhausted," JJ said.
"Do we have enough cheese at least?" Amelia asked.
"Plenty. Don't worry, Double got his reward for alerting Oakley."
"Good. Okay, I'll go get more treats now. We should be home in like a half an hour. Is Oliver home, because we have two full carts of food to bring inside."
"We're all home. Even your sister, she's currently unloading the presents from your grandparents house with Cohen as we speak."
"Great. We'll see you soon. Love you."
"I love you too, honey."
"What did mom want?" Emily asked, suddenly appearing next to Amelia with mountains of bread overloading the top of the cart.
"We're out of treats."
"Really? I could have sworn I bought some a few weeks ago…"
"Nope, mom checked everywhere. Emerson even looked," Amelia laughed.
"Well if the little mouse checked, we must be out," Emily smiled. "Why don't you help me bring your cart up to the checkout counter and then you can run and get some treats for the dogs."
"Sounds good."
Once the car was loaded up with groceries, Amelia asked Emily something she couldn't shake from her mind. Well, not just her mind, Clarke's too. "Hey mom?"
Emily paused before pulling out of the parking lot to look at Amelia and when she did, the teen continued. "Did Cohen ask you and mom if he could marry Clarke?"
Emily nearly choked on the sip of water she had just taken and quickly shook her head in the negative. "No!" she exclaimed. "No, of course he didn't. They are still in college and only 21. Why would you ask me that?"
"Woah, chill out mom," Amelia laughed. "I guess, well they've kinda been talking about marriage lately. Not right now, but in the future. I just wanted to make sure because I'm so not ready for geages to get married yet. I love Cohen, he's been a part of the family for years now. But seriously, Clarke basically starts all of our futures. Once she gets married, then it's my turn. Then we're all gonna start having kids and…I am not ready for that whatsoever!"
Emily listened to Amelia's rant/fears with wide eyes. She made some good points, Clarke was the one to start the rest of their lives. Granted, Emily still had plenty of littles at home that needed her for most everything, but she also had teenagers and a 21 year old as well.
"Take a breath, babe. Nobody is getting married anytime soon, I promise. You know your sister, she doesn't make any decision big or small without multiple lists and talking to half the family about it first."
"Yeah, that's true," Amelia agreed.
"Plus, Clarke would never get married before she finished college. And after college, they'll be starting their residencies."
"Thank gosh. Wait, how long is residency anyways?"
"3 years. That's not to say they won't get married during residency, but they still have almost three years of college left seeing as it's only December."
"That's fair," Amelia said, tipping her head back against the seat. "Hey, do you think Swig is open? I could really use some energy."
"How are your levels looking?" Emily asked. The mothers rarely said no to their warriors having whatever they wanted like their siblings, but if Amelia was already out of range, sprite with caffeine wouldn't be the best for her levels.
"65 down arrow. So maybe you could step on it a bit," Amelia said with a cheeky grin.
"Amelia! Why didn't you say something sooner?" Emily asked.
"I'm fine, mom. I barely feel it," Amelia assured.
"Between you and Clarke…" Emily said, shaking her head. Oakley instantly became nervous when she was high or low, however the big girls didn't stress as much. They knew their bodies and understood when insulin or sugar was needed immediately or when they could wait a bit.
"Do you think they're open?"
"We'll see," Emily said as she pulled into Swig's parking lot.
"Yes! Can you go through the drive thru, I actually do feel a bit shaky…"
"Hang tight, babe. What if we do half and half then get you a cookie too?" Emily suggested.
"I'm not really hungry. Can we split it?"
"I'm going to get a few boxes, if you don't eat it, one of your siblings will," Emily said.
"Boxes of cookies before a mountain of sugary treats tomorrow, that's brave mom," Amelia laughed.
"You can never have too many sweets during the holidays," Emily said. She knew her children so well, they'd much prefer fruits and veggies to sweets anyways. Emily wasn't worried in the least. If anything, Morgan and Allen would be the ones to eat most of the cookies. "Which drink do you want, button?"
"Umm, can I get a hula girl please?" Amelia answered.
"One hula girl with half sprite, half diet sprite and extra coconut cream please," Emily ordered. "I'll also have three pink bahamas, two endless summers, two riptides with diet sprite and coconut cream, and six loop-t-loops with diet sprite. Also, can I please have one box of kids sugar cookies and two orders of mini birthday cookies?"
"How many people are at our house?" Amelia asked.
"Your cousins came over to swim. I figured we could split up the drinks so everyone can have some," Emily shrugged.
"Which cousins?"
"The Hotchner kids, why?" Emily answered.
"I was just wondering. Is Auntie Pen spending the night so she can wake up with us tomorrow, or is she sleeping at Uncle Derek and Auntie Savs?"
"You'll have to ask her, babe. I honestly have no idea what her plans are," Emily said.
"Maggie said she'd double up with me and geages if Auntie Pen is staying."
"There is plenty of room in the nanny's suite for both of them. But whatever Maggie feels most comfortable with."
"Yeah, that's what I said," Amelia shrugged.
"I'm surprised she's not spending the night at home with her family."
"We are her family, mom."
"Well of course we are, honey. You know what I meant though. Aren't her sisters coming into town?"
"No. They want to have Christmas morning at Elizabeth's, Maggie's parents are going there to watch their grandkids open presents. They can still come over for our lunch/dinner thing though, right?"
"The Sloanes are always welcome at our home."
"I told Maggie that too," Amelia smiled, taking another bite of her cookie to help raise her levels.
"Ready for this?" Emily asked her shopping buddy.
"Oh yeah. My low means that Ollie will have to bring in the groceries while I bring up my level," Amelia said with a lopsided grin.
"Come on button girl, let's get another cookie in you. I don't like how low you still are."
"Mommy!" Lily beamed, spotting Emily first as she ran by in her adorable turtle bathing suit.
"Hi bug! What are you doing in the kitchen all by yourself?"
"Emmie and Malia are right there…" Lily pointed, then furrowed her brows when she realized that nobody was behind her.
"Auntie!" Malia exclaimed, racing up to Emily to give her a quick hug before throwing herself into Amelia's arms. "Lia!"
"Hi cutie, I had no idea you were coming over," Amelia fibbed.
"Mommy bringed me be'tause we're all swimmin' at your house. Isn't that the funnest?" Malia smiled.
"Oh my goodness, I couldn't think of anything better," Amelia smiled.
"Hey, tan I please haf a bite of your tookie?" Malia asked.
"How about you have your own cookie?" Amelia tempted.
The three girls stood on their tip toes and squeaked when they saw two boxes of cookies on the kitchen island along with a ton of Swig drinks. "Woah, you getted so many tookies!"
"Don't tell grandpa, he'll eat them all," Amelia whispered, causing the little girls to giggle.