Spock looked up from making his tea to the kitchen window. Alarm shot through him. The snow, which had been spraying lightly all day, had taken a turn for the worst. It was becoming a blizzard.

He turned away and glanced at his PADD sitting on the dining room table. He’d gotten an earlier voice message from Jim advising he would be leaving San Francisco that afternoon after having been there the last four days for Starfleet meetings.

They’d left active duty, both of them, and had been teaching classes at the Academy. Spock left San Francisco four days ago for the winter break. Originally Jim was to leave with them, but then Starfleet had asked him to stay for additional days.

“You go ahead and get settled at the farmhouse and I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Jim smiled brightly at him and gave him a lengthy kiss. “I’ll be home for Christmas, Spock. You can plan on it.”

And so Spock had left his husband behind.

Spock didn’t care much about Christmas either way. It was something Jim cared about and…

“He’s not going to make it, is he?” A small voice asked.

Spock looked down at the little girl with golden curls and pointed ears. His heart squeezed.  He dropped down on his haunches to his daughter’s level. Her bottom lip trembled.

“He is trying, Amanda. But the weather may make it difficult.”

“He was supposed to come home with us.”

“Yes. But his work is very important.”

“Are they going to make him go back, Sa Mekh?”

“Back?”

“To command a starship,” she said, her eyes welling with tears. “To have him save the universe…again.”

He shook his head. “No.” He thought better of being so matter-of-fact. “I do not believe so.”

“I don’t want him to leave! He said he’d be here for Christmas! He’s supposed to decorate the tree with me.”

“Amanda…”

“I hate Starfleet!”

Suddenly the front door was flung open and the sound of loud stomping feet had them both turning eagerly.

“Wow, it’s just awful out there!”

Spock closed his eyes, relief and warmth flowing through him at the sound of Jim’s boisterous voice.

“Daddy!” Amanda turned from Spock and ran to the front door, laughing in delight as her daddy scooped her up into his arms.

Jim laughed. “Here’s my princess.” He strode toward Spock as Spock rose to stand tall once more. “And here’s my prince.” He leaned over and kissed Spock on the lips. He didn’t seem to mind that their daughter clung tightly to his neck.

“We feared you wouldn’t be able to make it,” Spock murmured when Jim’s eyebrows raised in question.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” He pulled Amanda off his neck, but continued to hold her. “Those aren’t tears I see in my big girl’s eyes, are they?”

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “No, Daddy.”

“Good. Because if we’re going to build that gingerbread house we talked about there can’t be any tears.” Jim laughed again and set her on her feet. “Go get your jammies on, princess, and then come back down and we’ll start the house.”

“Yay!”

She scrambled for the stairs.

“No running,” Spock called after her. He stared deeply into blue blue eyes. “You are well?”

“Of course, honey.” He wrapped his arms around Spock and kissed him again and again. “I missed you like crazy. Both of you.”

“And we missed you.”

“You have the snow, how about the mistletoe?” Jim grinned.

“What?”

“Never mind. I love you.”

“I love you.” Spock kissed him one more time. “And I will show you how much later, but for now, you’d better get out of those damp clothes, and I’d better get the gingerbread ready.”

“You’re going to help us?”

“If I do not the house will be crooked and missing the roof.”

Jim laughed. “That was last year.” He held up his hands at Spock’s arched brow. “I’m going, I’m going.”

And Jim dashed toward the stairs. “No running,” Spock called after him. Sighed and then smiled. And went to get the gingerbread ready.