LOVE ISN'T EASY (but it sure is hard enough)

DECEMBER 26TH, 1994

Juno Lennox woke up in a very unfamiliar room, to the smell of burning.

She sat up in the darkness, meeting Liv's eyes as they heard shouting coming from downstairs. She threw her a jumper to pull over her head and socks for her feet as they rushed down the wooden stairs and through the living room. The girls burst into the kitchen, Liv running over to the stove and lifting a smoking pan from the flames. Her mother sighed in relief, watching her daughter empty the pan and drop it into the sink, cold water instantly evaporating on the metal.

"What were you doing?" Liv asked, Juno watching the steam rise off the frying pan.

"I was making you surprise pancakes but I turned away to check on the bacon for your father and I may or may not have set them on fire."

Liv sighed, picking up a small piece of chalk beside the door and walking over to the fridge. A chalkboard hung on the door, reading 'Days since last fire', a present that Olivia had gotten for her parents on their anniversary. She dusted off the five, replacing it with a zero. Her mother pulled her into a hug, smiling into her hair. She locked eyes with Juno, motioning for her to come over and join them.

"Merry Christmas girls."

"Mum, it's boxing day."

Sarah ruffled her daughter's hair affectionately, being met with a groan. Henry walked carefully through the door, holding a small puppy in his arms and wearing a full Santa suit that was covered in snow.

"Where on Earth did you get that dog?" 

Henry smiled sheepishly at his wife before passing it over to the girls who were in awe of the small golden retriever, enthusiastically cuddling its soft fur.

"He was shivering out alone in the snow when I went on my... walk. Popped into the vets to make sure there was no owner or anything, turns out there was nobody to contact. I said we would look after him until we found him a proper home."

Sarah turned to face Juno and Olivia, who were lying on the floor beside the shivering dog. It was cuddled into them, eyes shut and tail wagging madly. 

"Looks like we already have."

Henry's smile grew so wide his cheeks started to hurt. Sarah laughed as he peppered kisses all over her face, poking her in the sides of her waist. Liv finally looked back up at the couple, eyes narrowing in confusion when she noticed her Dad dressed in his costume.

"Dad? Why are you dressed like Santa?"

"Juno hasn't had a proper muggle Christmas and we're gonna give her one! That includes Santa, a roast dinner, presents and a Christmas market!"

"You want to fit that all in one day?"

"Turkey's ready for the oven and the veg is all prepped, we just need you to cook it because knowing us the whole house would go up in flames."

Sarah sent him a wary glance, as he turned to wash his hands at the sink. Looking for the soap, he looked down into the water to see the blackened pan. He finally noticed the zero on the chalkboard, sighing slightly as he dried his hands on his stomach.

"So... what are we naming the dog?"

Sarah's question was met with an array of suggestions shouted at her from the three people in the room.

"Wait! I found him, I get to name him." Henry announced, as the girls protested. "His name is Robbie and that's final."

"Robbie?" Sarah asked.

"After the best member of Take That!"

Sarah sighed at her husband's obsession with the boyband, instead leading the girls through to the living room and sitting down beside the glimmering tree. A large pile of presents sat beside her, an equal amount for both girls. Juno stopped in her tracks as she saw them, letting out a small gasp at the sight of them.