Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was just the end of the holiday season, or, at least, the end of Christmas. 

The 26th always brought that bittersweet, final sensation without the proper ending, since all decorations would remain until the New Year’s Eve, or even a little past it, for the ones more festive and into the whole holidays cheering. 

Most people, by now, were either passed out on their beds, still too stuffed from all the feast and drinks to celebrate the season, others were already back to work, and the few lucky ones, who got the chance to take a few days off, were spending time with their families and friends, celebrating that very special and meaningful day, even if the actual Christmas had already been gone. 

Shawn Spencer was definitely one of the lucky ones. 

After the whole fiasco with the Gusters, and the accidental arrest, they decided to celebrate their Christmas properly, and on family only. Henry was already stuck in his boat, somewhere in the middle of the sea, enjoying the solitude that day brought, fishing in an almost vacant ocean. 

That left Shawn alone and, therefore, available to finally accept Jules' invitation.

Since she talked about her traditions, and that her family would be in town, he couldn’t stop thinking about it, seeing an opportunity to charm her into kissing him under the mistletoe as something he couldn't miss. 

But, more than that, Shawn was excited to meet Jules’ family. 

If you asked him why, he would say that it was for his personal research and arsenal of embarrassing childhood stories, or even would dismiss the question, stalling you until the subject was dropped. But, deep down, he was truly interested in getting to know the family of the woman that, whether he liked it or not, was becoming a huge part of his life and, more and more, the only one in his mind through the entire day, and night.

There was no running away from it, nowhere to hide, because each time Shawn closed his eyes, Jules was the first thing he saw. If he slept she was in his dreams, if he went to the Psych office she was on his mind or in a phone call, if he went to the station there was she, sitting at her desk, obviously biting the cap of her pen, browns knitted together in concentration. 

Anywhere he went there was she and now, even on his desk, that Scottish rubber puppy staring at him constantly, reminding him of a very captivating pair of round blue eyes, making it impossible for Shawn to distract himself. 

Getting to meet the O’Haras would allow him to assess which territory he was stepping at and, if he was successful, earn a few points with that family. 

He knew she had two older brothers, which meant breaking the “protective barrier” given. He also knew how close they were and that, even after her parents split up, her father’s family adopted her mother and her new husband as a fixture in their own clan. 

But that was the extent of his knowledge, the rest was pure speculation. 

Today Shawn intended to change it, though. 

With a beautiful upside-down pineapple cake in one hand and a basket of pineapple scented candles, soaps, and moisturizers - his real gift for Juliet - on the other, Shawn climbed up the few steps leading to her front porch. 

He intended to surprise her with his sudden appearance and earn an invitation to get inside and meet the family, who he was aware was staying until the New Years' since Jules would have to work from the 28th until the 31st. 

Taking a final glance at his reflection on the glass attached to her entrance door, Shawn was positive he looked dashing, his best blue button-up and pair of jeans on, his favorite Nikes glowing in his feet, brand new and discreet enough to pass as fancier shoes than snickers. And the crown of his look, his gorgeous brown mane, was impeccably fixed, now that he got hold onto that kangaroo paste, thanks to Gus and his best Christmas gift ever. 

There was no way Jules would resist him. 

Balancing the cake and basket with one hand, Shawn pressed the doorbell, listening to the greeting melody echo through the house before the sound of steps got louder and closer. A click informed Shawn that someone was unlocking the door, and it gave him a second to work on his best grin. 

The anticipation before the wooden piece was open caused his heart to pound a little harder, skipping a few good beats as he pictured what Juliet could be wearing and if she had those cute snowflake earrings she wore that entire week. 

“Excuse me, can I help you?”

Shawn had to suppress the deflated feeling that struck him, much like a popped balloon on a kid's hand, when the person who greeted him at the door wasn’t Juliet. Instead, an older woman, perhaps in her fifties, with dirty blond hair and grey eyes, stood at the door, red and green apron secured around her waist. 

“Oh. Hi. Is Juliet home?”

“No, she isn’t at the moment. May I help you?”

Suppressing even harder his deception, Shawn masked his gloominess with his signature grin, wondering what might have dragged his beautiful friend away from her home on such a lazy day. 

“Actually, I just came to drop these by and…”

“Okay. I can give them to her, if you like. What’s your name, honey?”

“I’m Shawn. Shawn Spencer.”

Immediately the eyes of the woman grew wider, a cheerful smile on her lips. She dried her hands on the apron, and before Shawn could say or do anything further, the woman had gripped his arm, pulling him inside with a strength he wouldn’t assign to her petite form. 

“So you are the infamous Shawn Spencer!”

“I’m sorry?”

Raising one eyebrow at the woman, Shawn stood, awkwardly, in the middle of Juliet’s living room while the blond lady went to close and lock the door they just crossed by. Her beaming smile never fading as she watched him with an adoration a little unsettling. 

“You’re the psychic who works with my Juliet, aren't you?”

“Ye-yeah. I’m the SBPD's Psychic Consultant.”

“It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

“Likewise. I’m assuming you are…”

“Oh, forgive my manners, please. I’m Maryanne O’Hara, Juliet’s mom.”

Shawn extended his vacant hand to shake hers, but Maryanne had him already wrapped in a motherly hug, to which he awkwardly responded, trying to keep up with that overjoyed woman who, for some unknown reason, had already conquested his sympathy. 

She stepped away, resting both her hands on his shoulders, observing him for a second or two, as to make sure of things only moms know about before she smiled at him again. Just then, she seemed to realize the belongings he was carrying, and with a helping hand, grabbed the tray containing the cake.

“Oh, honey. Let me help you. Let’s just put this piece right over the kitchen. What is it?”

“Pineapple upside-down cake.”

“Oh, my favorite!”

Happily, she headed to the kitchen, having Shawn following her, his own grin widening at that new piece of valuable information. 

“So, Shawn… May I call you Shawn?” 

“Of course.”

“What brings you here?”

He remained silent for a second, trying to come up with something quick. He was expecting to find Juliet there too, not being stuck at her home with only her mother. But the woman’s eyes seemed to be sharper than the finest lie detector, and Shawn found himself incapable of lying to her.

“I...I just came to drop this gift for Jules, Ms. O’Hara.”

“Please, it’s Maryanne” She waved her hand at Shawn, as if assuring him of her last instruction, before continuing, her infectious smile shining across her lips. “Oh, isn’t it the sweetest thing? You shouldn’t have.”

Shrugging his shoulders, in half feigned shyness, Shawn watched the woman move around the kitchen while talking to him, looking through cabinets for a plate to display the newly received cake. After some short digging, she found a yellow one, ironically, shaped like a pineapple which, once more, didn't go unnoticed by Shawn, who wondered if Jules had some inspiration when she decided to buy that piece of china. 

“There we go. Ready to be cut!”

Setting the desert at the kitchen’s counter, Maryanne admired it for a second before returning her attention to the young man standing at the entrance of the room with curious eyes, as if scanning and absorbing every single detail of that place. 

“Now, let’s see what you brought to my Juliet.”

This time, Shawn’s cheeks actually reddened, and involuntarily he scratched the back of his neck, not sure if he wanted her mom snooping around his gift. Not that he had bought Jules anything out of the ordinary. Still, it was somehow personal. 

But there’s no stopping that woman, and before he could say anything else, she was peeking through the transparent wrapper, assessing the contents of the basket. 

“Those are pineapple scented, honey?”

“Yes.”

“Oh...That’s why then.”

“What?”

“I found it weird that, suddenly, Juliet developed this newfound love for pineapple stuff. Now I know the reason why.”

Shawn felt his stomach revolve in joy, something he couldn't process properly at the moment, why that information made him almost giddy, but he was fast enough to cover his inner feelings with his carefree smile.

“Speaking of Jules, where’s she? I thought she had a free day, today.”

“Oh, yeah, she had. But poor grandma Pearl slipped on the shower this morning, and Juliet went to the hospital with her.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she’s doing fine now.”

“Yeah, she is. Pearl is no china doll. It was just a twisted ankle, but my children are very protective of her, so they all went to the hospital to accompany her, and the kids went to their other grandparent's house for the day.” 

Shawn nodded in acknowledgment, thinking that Juliet had more in common with her grandmother than she let transpire. That petite figure of hers carried some strength that scared him, sometimes. What a damage that O’Hara girl could cause.

“I see. Well, if you need anything that I can help with…”

“Oh, thank you, honey. Is very sweet of you.”

Once more, he smiled shyly at Maryanne, not sure of how to proceed with that unpredictable visit. But before the silence filled the room, the talkative woman spoke. 

“You know, it was so kind of you to stop by.”

“Well, like I said, it’s Jules, and I hadn’t given her a Christmas gift yet.”

“Huh…” Maryanne had that same wondering eyes of Juliet when she wasn't convinced of something, causing Shawn to shiver slightly at the imagination of what was passing through her head. “That’s funny because Juliet told me you already gave her a gift.”

“Oh” - the surprise on his face was genuine, and Shawn was taken aback by how much consideration Juliet had put in his small present. - “That, that wasn’t much.”

“Well, to her it was.”

That brought a blinding smile on the witty man’s face, who, once more, blushed at the knowledge that Juliet appreciated his gift that much. This was, by far, one of his best Christmas, and Shawn couldn't even deny it. 

“So… I hope she likes this too, then.”

“I’m sure she will, honey.”

“Huh.. so… I’ve to get going but, would you mind telling Jules I stopped by, and giving her the basket, please?”

“Not at all. Are you sure you’ve to go? She’s gonna be home soon, I suppose.”

“Unfortunately, I have.”

“It’s a shame. But, stop by later. We’re flying back to Miami only after New Year’s eve. Come meet the boys. I’ll fix us something.”

“I’ll try.”

“It’s set.”

Shawn responded to the cheerful woman with a smile of his own, both heading to the door, Maryanne leading the way so she could unlock it. 

He stepped outside, turning to face the blond O’Hara standing at the entrance with her motherly eyes. 

“Thank you, Maryanne.”

“No problem, honey. And I should be the one thanking you for all of this.”

“It’s fine.” He smiled, prepared to leave, when he remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot!”

Fishing inside his pocket, Shawn pulled out a small red envelope, which he handed to Maryanne, who grabbed it with curiosity.

“Should I put this in the basket or…”

“No. This… This is for you. I always give one to my mom on Christmas, and I thought you might like one too.”

Shawn wasn't sure why, but Maryanne made him feel like a child all over again, causing him to expectantly wait for her reaction, dying to receive a compliment or a loving smile in exchange for his small gift.

Her eyes sparkled, and if he didn't know better, he was sure some tears pricked at the corners. Gently, she opened the small seal, turning the envelope upside down to allow the content to fall on her palm. 

Inside was stored a Christmas ornament, a bear with a red hat sitting in a rocky horsey. The figurine wasn’t big but beautiful enough to catch the eye once hanging in the branches of a pine. 

“Shawn, this is beautiful.”

“My mom collects them, and I thought it would make a fine piece on your tree too.”

“It’s perfect! Thank you, honey.”

Before he knew, Juliet’s mom had him in a tight hug, to which he responded this time. Soon she let him go, still admiring her new gift. 

“Well, now I should really go. It was a pleasure.”

“Sure. Bye honey. Thanks for the gift.”

He nodded, waving goodbye at Maryanne, making his way to turn left on the end of the street from where he disappeared. 

So he didn’t get the chance to lure Jules into kissing him but, at the end of the day, he got to meet her family, well, at least one member of it, and that was enough to make his heart scream in victory, and plaster a smile on his face for the rest of the week. 

Later that day, when Juliet stepped inside her house, her grandmother in tow, she was greeted by a more than usual cheerful Maryanne O’Hara. 

Once they set grandma Pearl in her room and sent the boys to do some grocery shopping, Maryanne trusted her daughter with the gift basket left for her earlier. 

“What’s this, mom?”

“Oh, a certain, Shawn Spencer left it here for you.”

At the mention of Shawn, Juliet’s cheeks went pink and she turned to disguise it from her every so observant mother. 

“Oh and, did you talk to him?”

“Yes. He’s a very sweet man.”

Juliet nodded, a little distracted by her current gift, listening to her mother, who went to the kitchen to grab a piece of cake that she informed Shawn dropped too. 

“And he’s really handsome too, if you want my opinion.”

The young detective raised her head, embarrassment painting over her face.

“Mom!”

“What? I’m just saying, honey.”

Shaking her head, Juliet dismissed her mother’s words and returned to her task of unwrapping the rather large basket. Immediately, she was assaulted by the pleasant scent of pineapples, going through the various items that composed that gift. She started to take out candles and soaps, stopping at each pick to inspect the product and take a small sniff, feeling her heart warm with the care that gift carried behind it.

But there, sitting at the bottom of the basket, under all the products, was a small little thing that made Juliet blush a deep shade of crimson, causing her to giggle like a schoolgirl, catching her mother’s attention, who stepped back inside the living room, watching her daughter discreetly.

Juliet grabbed the small piece of white paper on which was glued a branch of mistletoe. In the paper, written in known calligraphy she read the words The gift I wanted the most. Merry Christmas, Jules. 

After a moment, she composed herself, enough to act like her normal self again, even if her stomach was looping around like a rollercoaster, and her lips couldn't dismantle from the permanent grin Shawn put there. 

From her spot on the couch, Juliet was facing the beautiful Christmas tree she took long four days to assemble in all its glory, with all the right decorations and lights. But something new caught her attention away from her gift. Glittering under the lamplight of her room, a new ornament was dangling from one of the branches. 

Rising from her seat, Juliet walked towards the tree, picking with delicacy the new feature to her Christmas decoration, inspecting it carefully, not capable of recognizing it as anything she had bought that year, or the previous ones. 

“Mom? Do you know what this is? I don’t remember buying it.”

She raised the small figurine and Maryanne, who was holding a cup of coffee, set it in the small table beside her to head towards her daughter, catching the ornament in her hands with a wide adoration smile on her lips.

“It’s because you didn’t buy it. It was a gift.”

“From who?”

“Shawn.”

There, if it was even possible, Juliet’s smile widened, and a newfound wave of those uncertain and unnamed feelings that have been haunting her for two years now, that caused her to almost kissing him a few weeks prior, appeared in full force, making her wonder why crushing her lips in his was a mistake again. 

After a few moments of silence, Maryanne handed the figurine back at her daughter, who hanged it back at the tree, stepping away a little to admire how perfectly it fitted on the green master price. 

“Juliet?”

She looked over her shoulder, watching her mother stop at the kitchen’s door, her cup already back at her hands along with her maternal stare and knowing smile. 

“Yes, mom?”

“Make sure to kiss that man soon, and get him to join us for Christmas next year. I want another one of those.”

And with that, Maryanne left a very flustered and shuttering Juliet behind, who had her mouth hanging slightly in shock at the frank and direct words of her mother. 

Juliet didn’t know how long she stood there, lost between her mother’s request and the delirious scent of pineapple. 

She closed her eyes and Shawn’s known face, his mischievous grin, and sweet eyes invaded her mind like a flood. 

That was, by far, one of the best Christmas she ever had. 

All it took was a little charm and a gift.