Blaine looked at Ava in confusion. "Kurt, what does she think you�ve told us?"

She hid her beet red face behind her hands and groaned.

"Collin! You told them how I met Collin!"

Blaine shrugged, still oblivious to what Ava was angry about and turned to Kurt, whose grin grew even wider.

"Why is it such a big deal? At least we didn�t mention that you thought he was your Secret Santa just because you found one of these stuffed reindeers with a heart on its collar in your locker," Blaine teased.

"God, Baba!"

Ava jumped up and stormed out of the living room. Kurt sighed and shook his head.

"B, that was the worst thing you could have said."

Blaine bit his lip.

"No one told me it would be this difficult to deal with teenagers. Why couldn�t our daughter stay a lovely and cute toddler? No emotional traumas, nothing to avoid mentioning..."

Finn nodded in agreement.

"Dude, just wait. It gets worse the older they get."

Barbra glared at her dad, who missed it, and got up. "I�ll go see if Ava needs someone to talk to. Someone who understands girl-problems. Meaning: no men."

Carole chuckled a bit and nodded approvingly. "That�s a good idea. Come get me if you need help, okay?"

Barbra was far too polite to comment on Carole�s offer, but her look clearly told her "you�re far too old to know what this is about".

Some minutes later she came back and shrugged.

"She won�t talk to me. She said she doesn�t want to talk about it and that her Baba ruined Christmas for her."

Rachel laughed. "Teenagers, huh?"

Blaine smiled meekly and looked up at Kurt, who was now standing up and holding out his hand to him.

"Well, we�ve created that mess, so we�d better clean it up. Come on, B."

"Do we... do we really have to do this? Really? Can�t we just... I dunno.. wait until she calms down and hug her and everything�s fine again?" Blaine�s look was pleading, but Kurt smiled in amusement and waited for Blaine to take his hand.

"No chance. You�ll see, everything will be fine. I really don�t understand how someone who works with teenagers is at such a loss with his own. Come on, brace yourself."

Blaine sighed deeply and got up, taking Kurt�s hand and following him slowly to the room where Ava had chosen to hide.

Kurt knocked softly at the door. "Sweetie? Can we come in?"

Ava�s voice was muffled as she called: "You can. But not Baba."

Blaine took a step back, but Kurt didn�t let him go and shook his head.

"Ava, we�re both coming in. We want to talk to you."

He opened the door and as they entered the room, they saw Ava curled up on the couch, her face hidden beneath a pillow. The pillow had Barbra Streisand�s face on it. It sure was a funny sight.

Kurt sat down on the couch, next to Ava, with Blaine at his side.

He lifted a hand to carefully brush Ava�s hair off her forehead and smiled as she sniffled a bit but didn�t move otherwise.

"Sweetie, listen. We didn�t mean to embarrass you and we�re sorry if we did. Really."

Ava�s "hmpf" was the only answer and Kurt nudged Blaine, who looked at their daughter uneasily.

"Tell her!", Kurt hissed and finally Blaine opened his mouth too.

"I�m sorry too, Ava. Just like your Daddy said – we didn�t mean to make fun of you or anything."

They waited for a few moments before Ava decided to look at her parents again, her eyes slitted and her brow furrowed.

"Okay. You know, when I say something you don�t like I have to explain and apologize and beg for your forgiveness and all you�re saying is a lame `I�m sorry�?"

Blaine froze and stared at Kurt, who returned his look open-mouthed, but then they both began to giggle and finally burst out in laughter.

Ava watched them and let out an annoyed snort as she sat up and folded her arms.

"Who is a teenager now? It�s not nice to laugh at someone, you know."

Still giggling, Kurt and Blaine both hugged her and nearly crushed her in their embrace. Ava tried to keep her face serious, but only a few moments later she couldn�t help but laugh as well until they lay on the couch, united in one big hug.

The laughter made the tension disappear and they ended up cuddling on the bed and looking up at the ceiling, where a lot of gold stars were affixed. Well, some things were obviously inheritable, Kurt noticed. Then he turned to look at Ava and took her hand.

"We meant it, you know. We really didn�t mean to say something to embarrass you. I guess we should talk about some things, like... boys. Or girls. Or both. You�re growing up so fast."

Kurt�s sigh was interrupted by Ava�s groan.

"You�re old, Daddy! You and Baba are already getting grey hair and wrinkles and when did you think I�d have my first boyfriend? When I�m thirty?"

Kurt felt Blaine stiffen and was speechless himself for a few moments. Then he asked very cautiously: "Boyfriend? Do you mean Collin is your... boyfriend? Well, you�re twelve, that�s a bit... early. I think. Isn�t it?"

Ava rolled her eyes and pouted.

"I�m not a little girl anymore, you noticed that, right? But no, he�s not my boyfriend. I don�t want to kiss anyone yet." Her voice became a bit higher at the word `kiss�, as if it was a really disgusting thought and Blaine relaxed slightly next to Kurt.

Kurt smiled at Ava.

"Let me tell you something, things change and sometimes they change very fast. But I�m honestly happy you want to wait. And I think thirty is a great age to start dating and stuff."

Suddenly it hit Kurt – this was very similar to the talk he had had with his dad. Well, they wouldn�t talk about sex right now, but it had been more than this.

"You matter, sweetie – and that�s something someone told me some years ago. And I�ve learned that when I fell in love with your Baba, it�s worth waiting for the one person that cares for you, sometimes more than for himself. Sure, all the feelings can be confusing and yes, you�ll like all the kissing some day, but it�s important that you share it with someone you want to share it with, someone who knows you and who gets you, all of you. You matter and don�t let anybody tell you otherwise. And you can come talk to us any time, really – any time."

Ava seemed to be a bit overwhelmed by Kurt�s speech, but then she nodded slowly.

"Okay. I... thanks."

She moved in closer and rested her head on Kurt�s shoulder, taking his and Blaine�s hand like she did when she had been younger and in need of comfort.

Blaine cleared his throat.

"So, what about Collin? You get along well?"

Kurt felt Ava�s shrug and smiled at her answer.

"Yeah, I guess so. He�s cool for a boy, you know. He doesn�t laugh at me when I talk about musicals or 50�s icons and he even asked if he could come over during the holiday break to watch The Sound of Music with us. Can you believe he�s never seen it?"

Kurt let out a disapproving snort and shook his head. Blaine laughed.

"Of course he can. He was at our Christmas concert, right? I�ve seen him in one of the first rows and he was rather enthusiastic about your solo."

"Hm, he admitted he liked it. He... he even wrote it on the Christmas card he gave me."

Kurt shared a quick look with Blaine and almost laughed at their similar giddy grins.

"Yeah? A Christmas card? That�s very... polite."

Ava nodded, still not looking at her fathers.

"He always is, he once explained that manners and a smile are priceless and precious." She stopped and thought about something, then added quietly, as if talking to herself: "I like his smile. Oh-" she sat up and pulled up her sleeve to show her wrist - "and he gave me that. He said it reminded him of me and that I could wear it to always think of the most important things in my life."

Kurt stared at the bracelet on Ava�s wrist with one little pendant – a clef.

He felt himself getting teary-eyed and Blaine seemed to sniffle a bit. This Collin boy was either really lovely to find a present like this or really smart to give her something that would always remind her of him. It was one of these presents that could warm your heart even after years. And the fact that Ava was wearing it meant something, even if she wasn�t aware of it yet.

"Did you give him something too?"

Ava nodded and smiled a bit.

"You know how he always likes to talk about history? Sometimes he manages to convince me that it�s not that boring at all. I got him a CD-Box with songs related to American history, I googled history gift ideas and I really liked this one. Collin is really Top 40 most of the time and I thought it would improve his musical knowledge. And... well, I suggested we could try to sing some songs from it together? I somehow think he has a rather nice voice."

Blaine�s hand reached out to grip Kurt�s and they both knew what the other one thought at this moment – Collin wasn�t the only one who knew how to choose presents that meant a bit more.

Ava smiled at her parents, oblivious to their minds.

"So can we go back now? I think it�s about time we sing some more and then we can open our presents. If we don�t hurry, Uncle Finn will have eaten all the cookies and I really could use some right now."

Kurt chuckled and pulled Blaine up with him. He quickly kissed him and just laughed at Ava�s "Ew! Gross!".

When they entered the living room, nothing had changed – all their relatives were sitting around the table, chatting and still eating, laughing now and then.

Ava joined Barbra and whispered something that made her cousin laugh.

Kurt stopped for a moment, Blaine at his side and took the view in.

These were the most important people in his life, the people he trusted and loved with all his heart. There was their daughter, a unique human being who would grow up too soon and live her own life. She would experience all the laughter and crying, the hurt and pain, the happiness and love he had experienced and she would be amazing.

And next to him stood the man of his life, his husband, Blaine.

They had lived together for more than 20 years now, had lived through troubles, fights and heartbreaking moments as well as tears of joy, laughter and happiness.

They had experienced 25 Christmasses together and every single one of them had been something special. The first one had been so new and somehow awkward, some had involved big decisions and changes, most of them had been joyful and happy, some a bit sad – but all in all they had been a part of what made them a family, a couple, them.

Kurt felt Blaine�s gaze on him and turned his head to find Blaine�s special smile – still reserved just for Kurt – directed towards him. He returned it without even needing to think about it and whispered: "I love you, you know."

Blaine laughed quietly and pulled Kurt into a tight embrace.

"Love you too. This is our 25th Christmas together and... and I�m really glad I�m spending it with you."

Kurt stared at him with wide eyes.

"I was thinking exactly the same thing. You never cease to amaze me."

Blaine closed the last inches between them and kissed his husband tenderly.

Then he held onto his hand and pulled him to their places only to take his glass of champagne and clear his throat.

"I just wanted to say thank you for another wonderful Christmas with all of you. Merry Christmas – and here�s to the next 25!"

Everybody cheered and laughed happily, drinking some sips of champagne or sparkling cider, before Finn jumped up and shouted: "Christmas family cuddle!"

He stormed towards Blaine and caught him in one of his bear hugs, pulling Kurt in. Ava, Barbra and Eli followed and Rachel hugged Kurt from behind. Finally Burt and Carole joined in their hug and Kurt closed his eyes.

He felt Blaine laughing next to him, he felt the warmth that wasn�t only physical, he felt like home.

This was exactly right, like Christmas should be for everyone.

Kurt opened his eyes again, looked at Blaine and smiled.

"Merry Christmas!"