"Aw, you don't have to get me anything," T.J. says, and ducks his head to press a kiss to her hair. He always feels a little bad for it, but shopping for gifts is never really his priority during the holiday season; simply surviving it is. Too many times he's come too close to not doing so. He can't deny that it's pretty sweet, though. Around this time of year especially, it feels all the more important to remind himself that there are people in his corner, that whatever he and Aimee might have in common, she's also been there when a lot of people wouldn't have, has seen him just about at his worst.

For a split second, he considers saying that letting him bring her to a meeting would be the best gift she could give him, but he doesn't. That shit isn't fair, and he knows it, no matter how much he wants to see things go better for her than they have for him.

"You can help me shop, though. Maybe if we brainstorm, we can figure something good out."