After dinner they decorated the tree, Dean and Steven went outside to put a few decorations outside while Jacqueline and Stephanie finished inside.  Stephanie lifted a piece of mistletoe.

"Where do you want me to put this?" she asked

"Up there." Jacqueline said indicating the archway to the stairs.

Stephanie was about to stick it up when Steven grabbed her.

"Mistletoe." He said and kissed her on the cheek, he glanced at Jacqueline "Look at that didn't even bat an eyelid." He said to Stephanie before he tipped her backwards and gave her a brotherly kiss on the lips.  Dean stood at the kitchen doorway and watched the scenario, he wanted to be the one kissing Stephanie and for the first time in his life he felt jealous of his younger brother.

"Leave Steph alone." Jacqueline said "And let her put the mistletoe up."

Stephanie was laughing as Steven straightened them both up and let her go.

"Don't get her into any more trouble." Jacqueline added.

Steven looked at Stephanie "What have you done?"

"Nothing." Stephanie answered looking over at her friend.

She pressed the mistletoe into the prestick so it would stay on the arch then ran up the stairs.

"Well done Jacky." Steven said "Now you've gone and upset her."

"No I haven't."

Dean quietly slipped up the stairs unnoticed.  Stephanie was standing looking out the window, she quickly swiped at her tears when he walked into the room.  He draped his jacket over the back of the dressing table chair. 

"You okay?" he asked.

Stephanie nodded.  He wanted to take her into his arms and hold her until whatever she was upset about went away.  He had a feeling she wouldn't let him, so he turned and left the room again.  Stephanie turned back to the window and fought the tears that threatened to swamp her, she so much wanted to go into his arms and make everything go away.  When she went back down the stairs a little while later as soon as she walked through the arch Jacqueline shouted, "Stop!"

Stephanie froze "What?"

Jacqueline pointed and Stephanie looked up.

"It's your turn." Steven said to Dean.

Stephanie looked over at Dean, he was sitting on the chair closest to her.  She had a feeling she knew what Steven and Jacqueline were up to and so did Dean.

"I have my hands full over here or I would myself." Steven said to Dean.

Steven had his arms wrapped around Jacqueline.  Stephanie went to walk away when Dean stood up and walked over to her.  Her heart started to race the closer he got, he dipped his head and his lips brushed against hers ever so lightly then he sat down again.  Stephanie almost melted but she managed to get her wobbly legs to carry her to the nearest chair and sit down.  She hoped no one noticed just how much that brief kiss had affected her.  She glanced up through her eyelashes at Dean and the look in his eyes told her he knew she was trembling for him.

Three days later as Gail walked through the arch and Jacqueline said "Right Dad it's your turn you’re the closest."

"I'm moving that thing." Stephanie said getting up.  Every time someone walked through the archway Jacqueline had them kissing.

"Hey!" Jacqueline protested as Stephanie stretched up to take it down, Everyone else clapped as they were just as fed up with it as Stephanie was.

"We're all tired of it Jacky." Her mom said. 

"What are you going to do with it?" Jacqueline asked Stephanie.

"Sticking it here." Stephanie answered stretching up on her toes to stick the mistletoe to the ceiling in the corner of the room.   She sat back down on the couch.  Dean leaned over and whispered in her ear "I would have put it in the bin."

She smiled at him "Note it's in a corner where hardly anyone ever ventures into."

"You're always so crafty."

They had been getting along like old friends the last couple of days.   The sexual tension between the two of them was the only thing that they were both trying to ignore but if they gave into it then they would be back together again and Stephanie still wasn't sure she could.  That night Dean lay staring up at the ceiling, his hands tucked under his head, he glanced over at Stephanie and his body reacted even more than it was already, he glanced back up at the ceiling, counting sheep wasn't putting his libido to sleep.  Stephanie made a noise in her sleep, rolled over, her head went to his chest and she snuggled into him.  He hesitated before he gently stroked her hair and wrapped his arm around her.  He wanted her back so much it was killing him, it was time to step up his plan of action.  He was going to have her back by the end of the month.

            Next morning everyone got up had breakfast and then opened his or her presents.  Stephanie had bought part of Dean's Christmas present before they had split up and she had brought it with her, she wondered if she had knowing sub consciously that he was going to be here.  She was sitting next to him when she opened his gift, a silver necklace with a dolphin pendant, the dolphin was balancing a blue ball on its nose, and the matching earrings and bracelet also had the same blue coloured stone with the dolphin.   As she turned to thank him he held up the computer game she had bought him.

"Is this a good one?"

She swallowed "Yeah it's alright, I have it on my PC at work Bruce and Kevin are addicted to it."

"That's why they are always around your desk." David Renolds said.

Stephanie smiled at him, realising the boss had just found out they played computer games instead of working.

"I'll forget I heard that." He said smiling at her "I can't complain since you still get the work done."

"If I need some help with this then you can come round and help me out." Dean asked.

She just nodded.   Her other gift to him was a brand new watch, one he had been admiring for some time now, he flicked it over and on the back it had been engraved with "Love Steph".

He looked at her and she smiled weakly at him.   She excused herself and went to call her parents to wish them Merry Christmas.  Later that night she was standing out on the back porch when Dean walked out.

"You going to bed?" he asked.

"No."

"Okay, night." He said and turned to go in again.

"Dean."

"Yeah." He said turning to face her.

"I have to tell you something."

He walked over and leaned against the banister next to her.  Taking a deep breath she told him what she should have told him months ago.

"Eleven years ago I was engaged to my high school sweetheart.  Not long after he proposed we moved in together.  Things were great for a while then we started fighting a lot.  One night he hit me."

Dean flinched and went to say something when she continued.

"He apologised and swore never to do it again, he never did keep that promise and I put up with it for four months because I was in love with him.   He came home one night and went mental cause his dinner wasn't ready because I had worked late.  I hit him back and he broke my arm.  I managed to get into my car and went to Jac's.  David and Jac took me to the hospital, he had broken my arm in three places."

"Did you go to the police?"

She nodded "They only took a statement and that was the end of it." She couldn't look at him "When you asked me to move in with you I panicked."

"I'd never hurt you Steph."

"I know that but I'm scared enough not even to take the chance of it ever happening again."

He just stood looking at her, angry with her for thinking he would hurt her, angry with the guy who had hurt her and made her this scared of making a commitment to anyone else.  A single tear streamed down her cheek, that single tear was his undoing.  He hauled her into his arms and held her tight.

"Don't cry Steph, please don't cry."

"I'm sorry." She mumbled against his chest.

"Honey you should have told me this a long time ago."

"I don't like talking about it, the only reason I told you is because Jac's threatened to tell you herself if I hadn't done it by the time I leave here.  I didn't want you to find out from her."

"I'm glad you did, I was starting to worry you were upset that I had asked you to move in with me instead of asking you to marry me."

She tipped her head up to look at him and shook her head.  "I'd have reacted the same way if you had proposed."

"I'd like to meet him in a dark alley…"

"Dean." She whispered.

He took her hand and placed it against his chest, where she could feel his heart beat.  "I promise I'll never hurt you Steph and we'll get through this, we'll work it out."

"You still want to go on?" she asked surprised.

He held her tighter "I love you and I'll love you till the end of the world and back again.  I thought I missed you when you were in South Africa, but it wasn't anything like how much I miss you now."

"I miss you too."

"There's something I have to tell you."

She looked up at him.

"Jacky and I have been planning against you all this time, I was determined to have you back with me where you belong."

"I know, well I wasn't sure if you were behind it as well but I knew Jac and Steven were up to something."

"I love you enough to let Jacky talk me into her matchmaking scheme."

She smiled up at him "I love you too."

He lowered his head and took her mouth with his holding her close.  Stephanie melted, her fear vanished, this man wouldn't hurt her, she had known that all along and she had almost lost him because she was scared of a ghost.  As soon as Dean stopped kissing her she'd tell him Richard was dead.

New Years Eve Jacqueline invited all her neighbours over to join her family to celebrate the New Year.  Before the neighbours arrived Dean said, "Can I have everyone's attention please."

When he had everyone's attention he turned to Stephanie and went down on one knee and asked "Will you marry me?"

Stephanie just looked at him, glanced up at Jacqueline who smiled at her and then back at Dean again.

"We'll go slow…" he started to whisper so only she could hear him.

"Yes." She answered.

"Was that a yes?" he asked.

She nodded, he stood up and slid a ring from his pocket onto her finger.

"I have some news for everyone as well." Jacqueline announced, she turned to Steven "I'm pregnant."

Stephanie already knew Jacqueline was pregnant as Jacqueline had been nervous about going to the doctor the day before to get the results of the test and Stephanie had gone along to hold her hand.

Everyone had gone over to congratulate Jacqueline and Steven still hadn't moved from where he had been standing. 

"What's wrong with you?" Stephanie asked him,

"I'm going to be a dad." He said still stunned.

"That's got to be better than Auntie Steph." She laughed. 

He looked at her as it sunk in and smiled "You're right." And then he went over to his wife.

Dean slipped his arm around Stephanie and pulled her into the corner so they could talk for a few minutes, he glanced up and then back at her.  Stephanie looked up.

"You manoeuvred me over here." She laughed. 

"Hmm." He hummed as he kissed her.  "We'll take things slow Steph I promise…"

She placed her finger over his lips to silence him.  "I'll only marry you on two conditions."

"What are they?" he asked feeling a little worried.

"One you move in with me as soon as we get home and two we don't wait too long before we get married."

"You sure, I don't want to rush…" she silenced him this time with a kiss.

"I'm sure."

Dean didn't need any more assurance, she was going to marry him!

THE END

AN: I might never get round to editing this so you might as well have the ending!