Ulises has gotten used to driving 'home' to Topanga every night rather than to his place in Burbank. Heather's dog Bud greets him gleefully everynight as he gets out of his car.

He likes to stop in & kiss Amber goodnight before he joins Heather in her bed.

More & more, Heather's house is becoming his home, her family his family. As he helps the girls get their tree up & arrange the furniture to accomodate it, he feels a nostalgiac tug in his heart for family Christmases he ban barely recall.

Amber is not shy about saying exactly what she wants for Christmas. But Heather is not so easy: she insists that he's going to spend too much on Amber & that she wants nothing.

She doesn't relent when he presses. "I have what I want," she says. He also has what he wants, and could do without the silly packages. He just wants to make Heather & Amber as happy as possible. If Heather doesn't want presents, he'll find something else to do for her. He decides to head out a little early before work to get his holiday shopping done. And, he thinks, he hasn't been to his place in a good week, he can't even count the days really..he really should take a a 'night off' from coming out to Topanga to deal with his responsibilities. Heather kisses him goodbye & says "I'll see you later." Ulises hesitates a moment, & then tells her he plans to go Burbank tonight after work, to pay his bills & workout. Heather's trembling lips & tearing eyes shoot through his heart....

"Hey," he whispers, "It's just one night," he says. Heather starts pulling away from him & she says she understands, he wants time to himself. Ulises sighs to himself, a lot of what he loves about Heather is her emotional sensitivity: when she is happy she spreads joy into even his darkest moods, and when he comes into her bed at night, her gentle caress & innocent love for him cleanses him of the filth his job leaves on his soul. But this makes her very fragile as well, and the littlest things bring her to tears. He pulls her back into his arms, up against his chest where he can whisper into her ear, "I don't want time to myself, Heather." The thought of it makes him laugh: he's had more time to himself than he's needed. He explains again about needing to get his mail & pay his bills, "And if I don't workout...." he reminds her, knowing how much she's into his muscles. She finally seems to understand & dries her tears. He lifts her face so he can look into her tear swollen eyes, "Smile for me before I go," he asks her & she gives him her beautiful blushing smile, the one that caught his heart.