#they were developed in canada and donna SO would've had one brought in

[haltandcatchfiretothemax]

[H&CF S4 SPOILERS] Headcanon that in 1994, Donna Emerson makes a very big deal over Thanksgiving

Bos stops by for a visit in early November and when he sees her lists of potential guests and centerpiece ideas and phone numbers for specialty shops that sell expensive wines, cheeses and chocolate, he teases her, "Now what's all that, a plan to break into Alcatraz?" "I just want it to be nice for the girls," she chuckles. "Haley said we should just get Chinese food that night, but…not this year. Next year, maybe. But not this year," she says firmly. "This year, we go all out."

[This got REALLLLY long but we also don’t get anymore show so THAT IS MY JUSTIFICATION]

Bos says that he'll ask Diane about stopping by that evening for dessert, and then as he's leaving Donna's, he says, "And either way? I will make sure that Cameron gets that scrawny behind of hers over here." "I appreciate that, but no pressure," Donna hugs him.

Haley convinces Joanie to come home for the holidays, or at least that one, after Donna offers to pay for her plane tickets. Donna's so overjoyed by this she ends up inviting literally everyone she knows -- she invites her parents, Cameron of course, emails the entire Symphonic staff to let them know her door is open if they don't have plans, and then sends the same email to everyone she knows from Comet (including Katie Herman) AND Mutiny

The guest list balloons to the point that Donna decides to have the whole thing catered

After a lot of hemming and hawing, she asks Haley, "Have you talked to J*e? Haley says she got an email from him, wrote back, but hasn't heard from him since. "He probably won't feel like coming back here so soon, right?" Donna wonders. "But what if he doesn't have anywhere else to go…." "Can I invite my friend Vanessa? I don't think has anywhere to go either," Haley blurts out. "Uh, sure," Donna says. She emails J*e later that night. He doesn't reply.

Donna is relieved and humbled by her house full of people that day. Cameron gets there an hour late, bottle of cheap wine in hand, and is immediately overwhelmed

Among Donna's guests: Trip, who manages to not bother her, Tanya Reese and her younger sister, who don't have any other family nearby, Comet restaurant expert Risa and her trans butch partner (whose boyish good looks mesmerize both Haley and Joanie), and Yo-yo and his wife and Lev and his partner (the sight of whom actually makes Cameron cry slightly, even though the first thing Lev says to her is, "I haven't see Tom OR Admiral Eyebrows here?! Tell me that means you're finally FREE")

Speaking of which, J*e does call, early in the afternoon, to thank Donna for checking on him. She asks how he's doing, and he admits, "I've been better. …I appreciate the invite, Donna. I couldn't, though." Thinking back to the holidays she spent by herself after the divorce, she says, "Yeah. I've been there. There's next year, though. Or the year after that. I mean, so long as you don't steal any more of my husbands." J*e laughs for the first time that day and says, "Of course. As long as you don't steal any more of my girlfriends." Donna blushes at this, and then awkwardly offers, "Do you wanna talk to her? She's here. Cameron." "Just tell her I really hope she's having a good day," he says. Donna nods and then says, "You know who probably wants to talk to you? Let me find Haley…." He and Haley talk for 20 minutes, and when she mentions Vanessa, he says, "You'll both figure it out. I promise."

Just before dessert is served, Cameron tries to go hide in the kitchen for a bit, but Donna is there, also hiding, weeping quietly over the sink. When she asks Donna if she's okay, she says, "Oh, I'm fine…I'm better than fine. Everything is exactly how I wanted it to be, Joanie is home, everyone seems like they're having a good time, the food is great and we'll have leftovers for a week…it's like, my whole life is out there. Except for Gordon." Cameron frowns at her, "So that's what all of this was about, huh? At least we got a chocolate fountain out of it, I guess." Donna laughs and says, "I thought about just having a normal dinner, but it just felt too much like that last time at Gordon's. Bos' chili."

Cameron understands Donna's mixed feelings. "Have you talked to Lev, or Yo-yo? I've been catching up with them and it's really great but it feels sad too. I don't know why that is." "It's great, but it makes you realize how finite everything is, maybe that's why it's so sad," Donna sighs. "Or maybe we're just weird?" "I've considered that, I'm pretty sure I'm weird," Cameron says. "Well, I gotta get back out there, so come be weird out there, when you're ready," Donna says gently, grabbing a box of plastic pie servers. Cameron takes a few deep breaths, and then when she hears the doorbell, and then Bos' voice, she goes back out to the party.

While everyone is eating dessert, Donna interrupts the party to thank everyone for being there. "This year has been…strange. It's been hard, but it's been good, too, and I'm just grateful that all of you decided to spend part of your day here. So, enjoy! My house is your house, today. Stay as long as you'd like, and don't forget to make a plate to take home if you'd like!" (Almost everyone does make a plate, but Donna's still drowning in leftovers at the end of the night.)

After the last guests leave, Donna starts putting away the food, and Cameron tries to make herself useful by helping her with it. They scrape and pour into and wrap and cover together silently, until Donna thanks her. "You don't have to stay, though, I've got this," Donna reassures her. "Yeah, but we didn't really get to talk, it was so busy," Cameron shrugs. "It's okay. I don't mind helping. I don't have anywhere else to be." Donna smiles and says, "Okay, I'm just gonna go change, I'll be right back."

Donna is already in her sweatpants, sitting on her bed near her nightstand, taking off her jewelry when Haley knocks on her open bedroom door. When Donna tells her to come in, she sits down next to Donna. "I feel sick. I'm not sure if it's because I ate too much pie or because I miss dad." Before Donna can respond, Haley bursts into tears. Donna puts an arm around her and jokes, "But you liked the pie at least, right?"

Cameron spends twenty minutes clearing away all the cups and plates and bottles, and then realizes how quiet and empty and strange the house feels now. Worried that she's overstayed, she goes looking for Donna so she can thank her, say good night, and go home. She sees Joanie standing in a doorway, and calls out, "Hey, is your mom in there?" Joanie turns to smile at her, and motions for Cameron to follow her as she goes into Donna's bedroom.

Cameron stops short when she sees Donna, Haley, and Joanie curled up together on Donna's bed. Haley is asleep, head on Donna's chest, hair rumpled and face blotchy. "I'm sorry, I was gonna go back out there and ask you how you were doing," Donna whispers, "but…" "No, it's okay," Cameron says, feeling an ache in her chest. "I'm gonna get out of here, we can --" "Wait, why?" Joanie interrupts her. "You don't have to go just because Haley fell asleep," she bounces up and grabs Cameron's hand, and drags her to Donna's bed. She goes back to her spot next to her mom, and Cameron gingerly sits on the edge of the bed. "I was just telling mom that she has got to dial it back for Christmas," Joanie says. "Except for the chocolate fountain…."

"Joanie," Donna says firmly, "for the last time, we are not keeping the chocolate fountain. Cameron, how was your day? Are you alright?" "Yeah," Cameron grins. She kicks off her shoes so she can lie down, and gets comfortable, or more comfortable. "I'm okay. This is the easiest Thanksgiving I've had in a while, we always used to go to Tom's family's house in Dallas. God, his mom hated me." Joanie responds with a silent glare, and Donna says, "Well her son is a hypocrite and a jerk and a plagiarist." "He wasn't all bad. And he put up with me," Cameron argues. Like a pair of synchronized swimmers, Donna and Joanie turn at the same time to look at Cameron with the same 'are you serious?!' face. Cameron blushes, and Joanie moves over and throws an arm around her, and says, "Well whatever, we love you even if they didn't." She hops up off the bed and says, "I'm gonna get some pajamas on, be right back!"

Donna sighs, "He really was an asshole." "You never liked him," Cameron replies, and Donna says, "You're right, I never did." After a minute Cameron says, "Thanks for always liking me better than you liked him." Donna snaps, "He made it easy," and then says, "Of course I liked you better. You were my partner. And now…you're family, really." "Right," Cameron nods. "Thanks for inviting me today."

By the time Joanie comes back, an hour later, Cameron and Donna are both asleep. She smiles at them, shuts off the light, and goes back to her spot between them.

Cameron wakes up late the next morning in Donna's empty bed. Donna is standing in front of her dresser, brushing her hair. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stay here," Cameron frets. "That's okay," Donna shrugs, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. "You can rest more, if you want." "No, no, I'm good," Cameron says getting up. "Okay, then you're free to join the feeding frenzy in the kitchen," Donna replies, "Joanie is on second breakfast, they already ate all the cereal," she grouses as she leaves the room

After a few minutes, Cameron goes to the kitchen, feeling like an intruder. Joanie is making eggs, pancakes, and bacon and telling a story about Thailand, Haley is laughing at her, and Donna is putting on some coffee, beaming at the both of them. She wonders if she should sneak out without bothering them, but Joanie says, "Hey! Are you hungry?" "No, I'm okay, I was just gonna let you guys, you know…" Cameron trails off. "Really?" Haley side eyes her. "Yeah, I don't even really live here anymore, and you're not even gonna stay and visit with me?" Joanie huffs. "Rude much?"

Donna pours some coffee into a mug an walks it over to Cameron. "She has a point," she says. Cameron accepts the coffee, and spends the rest of the afternoon there, listening to the three of them talk and bicker and giggle and tease each other, grateful to be with them, even if she's not yet fully convinced that she really belongs there.