"I love you too," Crystal said, squeezing tightly. "Thanks for my gift."

Confused, Laura pulled back and looked at her. "But Christmas isn't for two days and I hid your present at Jenny's. How do you know what it is?"

Putting her arms around Laura's neck and bringing her close, Crystal said "I didn't mean that gift but thanks for telling me so I can stop looking around here."

"Then what do you mean?"

"This gift," she said, kissing Laura's chin. "You. Your love. Six months ago I was just existing and now" She tightened her hold. "Now I feel for the first time like I'm living."

"All I did was support you," Laura said softly. "Any changes or successes you've had are because of you, not me." She smiled. "I was just going through the motions before you moved in and turned everything upside down. Into my quiet, organized little world comes this blonde hellion who, despite my best efforts, stole my heart. I'm just lucky enough to have you fall for me as hard as I fell for you."

Crystal sighed happily and rested her head on Laura's chest, the brightly decorated tree filling her vision. "I guess we're both lucky then. I love you." "I love you too," Laura said. "Always." And together they stood under the twinkling lights of their first Christmas tree, knowing there were struggles to be faced, problems to be had but through it all, they would face it together.

Always.