Serena practically collapsed onto the small couch beside her husband and smiled at their work. The tree stood proudly in their small parlor finely decorated with the ornaments that had been in Daniel's family for years and the rest of the room complimented it nicely.

The doctor groaned softly as he rose and fingered a lopsided star made from clay that hung near the top of the tree in it's traditional area. He smiled at it, remembering the little girl who had lost her two front teeth, grinning as she handed him his �Christmas Star�.

"What have you got there?" Serena asked.

"The star Meg made when she was six." He turned back to the couch and drew his wife to his side. "It's times like these that I miss her presence tremendously."

Serena kissed his cheek quickly. "She came by here earlier today."

"She did?"

She nodded quickly. "Yes, while you had a patient. She came by when she had a break."

"How is she?"

"Incredibly happy. I think pregnancy is finally working for her. Let's see, the news is, she's given in her notice at the hotel, Luke has finally felt the baby move, and they've invited us for Christmas dinner."

"You did accept didn't you?"

"I did." She replied with a smile. "I was thinking about gifts today, and I thought that we should get something for Corey and Ian. There's a chance they'll probably be at Meg's dinner, too."

"That's fine with me. I'll be picking up the portrait from the framer in Omaha next weekend. Any ideas for Corey's and Ian's gifts?"

"Well, I'd like to get something pretty for Corey. I think that with her new feminine look she needs something pretty."

"And Ian?"

"The finest carpentry tools we can afford. I saw a set in the catalogue in Cromwell's."

"I like that idea. Ian will be grateful."

"Is that awe I hear in your voice?" Serena asked with a smile.

Daniel grimaced slightly. He would be the first to admit he'd been hard on Luke's friend. "He's a wonderful tradesman. I've seen what he's done with the nursery so far, and it's wonderful."

"Well, then tools it is."

"I love it when you're so agreeable."

Daniel chuckled softly and kissed the top of his wife's head. The front door opened then slammed shut, and soon after Meg came into the room. "Serena I need to talk to you." She stopped short and met her father's curious gaze. Sweeping into the room she placed a quick kiss to his cheek and grabbed her stepmother's hand. "Please Serena it's very important."

Without giving her a chance to refuse, Meg pulled Serena to her feet and dragged her out of the parlor. Daniel watched in amusement as the two women scurried out of the room.

"Twice in one day Meg, this is certainly unusual." Serena said as she sat at the kitchen table and watched her stepdaughter pace.

"I needed to talk to someone, and I didn't know who else to turn to. I was going to tell you before, but I couldn't, then I thought about going to Corey, but I can't very well drag her out of the barbershop without Luke getting suspicious, besides she wouldn't understand anyway, so now I'm back here-"

Serena held up a hand to silence the girl. When Meg was nervous about something she had a tendency to babble. "Slow down I have no idea what you're talking about."

Meg took a deep breath and slowly lowered herself into the chair beside Serena. "He kissed me."

Serena frowned. "Who kissed you?"

"Ian."

"What?"

Meg shushed Serena and glanced at the doorway, sure that her father would be running in. When he didn't she turned her attention back to Serena. "We had been decorating the parlor for Christmas and were standing in the doorway admiring our work when he pointed up."

"Let me guess, mistletoe?"

Meg nodded quickly. "The next thing I knew he had me in his arms and his lips were on mine."

Serena rubbed her temples slowly. "When did this happen?"

"A couple of days ago. Since then he's been the perfect gentleman."

"What are you going to do about this?"

"Nothing."

"What?" For the second time in five minutes Serena's jaw dropped.

"I don't think he meant anything by it." Suddenly she remembered the way he held her to him and the feel of his hands as they caressed her face and she blushed. "I'm not going to tell Luke that's for sure. I just needed to tell someone, someone who wouldn't condemn either one of us."

"Oh Meg." She clasped the younger woman's hand in hers and squeezed it gently. "Be careful where you tread. I like Ian, really I do, but I want you to make sure this was a once in a lifetime thing. It cannot be repeated."