"What do you think, Gus? On the tree, this year?" said Shawn digging through a cardboard box and pulling out a set of Christmas ornaments featuring cut-out heads of Larry Appleton and Balki Bartokomous on Frosty the Snowman bodies.

It was December 15, and Gus, Shawn and their girlfriends were decorating the Psych Office for the holiday season. A fake tree had been erected in the office window and various lights and ornaments had been put on the tree and other places around the office. Jingle Bell Rock played in the background.

"Dude, I told you what I thought of those ornaments in 1992 and my opinion still hasn't changed in 2013," said Gus.

"What? You mean, that you love them and appreciate all of the hard work that your best friend put into making them for you?"

"Shawn, all you did was tape magazine cut-outs onto snowman ornaments. It took you less than five minutes, and you know you only made them because I get freaked out by Mark Linn-Baker."

Shawn clicked his tongue. "Ok, how about we just put up Bronson Pinchot, then?"

"No, Shawn. Both of them go back in the box, and are never to come out again. Ever."

Shawn frowned, but still hesitated putting the ornaments back in the box. "I'm with Gus on this one," said Juliet from her seat on the couch. Her feet were propped up on the coffee table and she was eating something from a container that was perched on her very pregnant belly. Rachael sat on the other end of the couch, reading a bridal magazine – Juliet had asked her to be a bridesmaid at her and Shawn's wedding and Rachael was helping with some last minute planning. The wedding was only a week away, but with the busyness of a cop's and a psychic detective's schedules, they were a little behind on their plans. Ok, more than a little. They pretty much hadn't planned anything aside from convincing Buzz McNab to get a quickie minister's license online.

"Aww, you too, Jules?" said Shawn, disappointedly. "No love for the Perfect Strangers? Rachael, you're with me on this, aren't you?"

"Sorry, Shawn. I'd listen to the pregnant lady if I were you," said Rachael.

"Oh, man…you guys are no fun," said Shawn, sadly depositing the ornaments back into the box. He'd have to try again next year.

"Juliet, what are you eating over there?" said Gus, wrinkling his nose. "You know my sensitive smell-receptors can't take that kind of stench."

"Stench? Gus, this smells amazing!" said Juliet taking a whiff. Rachael, Gus, and Shawn shared a look as if they thought Juliet belonged in a mental institution. Juliet was oblivious to their exchange. "Anyway, it's tapioca with pineapple and green olives." She looked at it as if she was going to start salivating like a dog at any moment.

Gus gagged.

"That's nothing," said Shawn, "Last night she had a honey mustard, pickle and strawberry sundae."

"That was you, Shawn," said Juliet.

"Yes. Yes, it was. But you had a few bites too, I believe."

"I did…and I will admit, it was a-mazing!" she said as if she were describing a pair of designer stilettos rather than food.

"You know," Rachael said, "I just couldn't get enough of tabasco sauce-covered bananas while I was pregnant with Maximus."

"Ha! Pregnancy cravings are super weird!" laughed Juliet. "Still not as weird as the feeling of being kicked in the pancreas, though," she said while massaging her stomach and groaning.

"Shawn…" said Gus, looking nervously out the window. "When did you say your mom was supposed to get in?"

"I'm picking her up at the airport at 5. Why?"

"I think you should know that she's here now."

Shawn dropped the Snoopy ornament that he held in his hands, and it landed on the floor and shattered. "What?! She's here? Now?"

"She just pulled up in a rental car," said Gus.

"Quick, Jules! You need to hide!" said Shawn, removing the tapioca from Juliet's stomach and then pulling her off the couch by both arms.

"Shawn! Why do I need to hide?" shouted Juliet. Shawn shushed her and shuffled her into the bathroom and closed the door. Juliet tried to push the door back open but Shawn leaned on it so that she couldn't. "Shawn! What are doing?! Let me out of here! I swear to God, Shawn…I will shoot you!" she said pounding on the door.

Rachael stood and looked at Gus as if she expected him to do something, but he only shrugged.

"No can do, sweetheart," said Shawn. Madeline Spencer was approaching the front door of the Psych Office when Shawn opened the bathroom door just enough to peek his head in and whisper to Juliet. "Look, Jules. I am really really really sorry for this, but I am going to need you to sit tight and keep quiet for just five minutes. I promise I will explain later, and I'll get you a giant tub of fudge swirl ice cream."

Juliet crossed her arms and shot daggers at him with her eyes. "…with walnuts and gummy bears," she added through gritted teeth.

"All of the wally bears and gummy nuts that you want, I promise….Hiiiii Mom!" he said closing the door, turning around and raising both the volume and octave of his voice. "Ha..Ha..Hooow ya doin? You're here early!"

"Goose!" said Madeline. "There's my little groom-to-be!" She pulled Shawn into a tight hug. "I managed to catch an earlier flight and thought I'd surprise you at work… which it doesn't look like you're doing at the moment." Her eyes roved over all of the Christmas items scattered around the room and momentarily met the tapioca dish on the coffee table which caused her to wrinkle her nose.

"We're decorating, Mom. We need to make the office festive for the clients."

"Hi Gus!" said Madeline.

"Hi Mrs. Spencer, have you met my girlfriend Rachael?" said Gus.

"I don't believe I have," said Madeline, shaking Rachael's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Spencer."

"Oh, please, call me Maddie, and the pleasure is mine."

Madeline sidestepped the broken ornament as she came further into the office and looked around. "I thought you might want to go to lu…is that the Snoopy ornament I gave you for Christmas when you were eight?"

"Yeah, sorry Mom," said Shawn. "It was an accident. On the bright side, he is now reunited with Woodstock in broken-Christmas-ornament heaven." Madeline frowned for a moment, but soon recovered.

"Anyway, Goose, I was wondering if you wanted to go to lunch, just me and you."

"Uh,..Yes! Yes, of course, I would love to Mom. We can go really soon. I've just got a couple things to finish up here. It will just be a minute. Why don't you go get the car started?"

"Ok, Goose, do you mind if I use your restroom first?" she said heading for the bathroom.

"Uuuhhh!...Mom, no you don't want to do that!"

"Well, why on earth not?"

"Uh…You see, Gus had leftover Quattro Quesos Dos Fritos for breakfast this morning, even though I told him not to do it. I said, 'Gus, you know what happens to your stomach when you eat congealed cheese before 9:42AM,' but of course he wouldn't listen…sooo, long story short, the bathroom is not a pretty sight right now."

Gus groaned and clicked his tongue.

"Ok, Goose," said Madeline. "I'll meet you outside."

Madeline left the office and Shawn released Juliet from the bathroom. Her face was as red as a tomato as she stared at Shawn, fuming. "WHAT was that about, Spencer?!"

"Jules, my Mom wasn't supposed to see you until tonight. It will ruin the surprise!"

"The surprise, Shawn? Are you telling me that you haven't informed her that you're going to be a father yet?!"

"Well…it depends on what you mean by 'informed'"

"I mean, giving your mother the information that your fiancé is pregnant with her granddaughter."

"OOhhh OK. Well if that's what you mean, then…no."

Juliet was livid. "Shawn, I'm almost eight months pregnant. Are you telling me that nowhere in those eight months did it occur to you to call your mother and tell her about it?"

"Juliet, maybe you should calm down," said Rachael. "The stress isn't good for the baby."

"I thought about it," said Shawn. "I almost told her once, but…"

"Shawn! I can't do this with you right now! Go! Have that lunch with your mom, and after that we WILL have words!"

"Uh…ok…I'll call you later," said Shawn brushing his hand through his hair like he usually did when he was uncomfortable. He turned and left a seething Juliet behind in the Psych Office.

***Pineapple***

Later that afternoon, Juliet sat at her desk in the bustling Santa Barbara Police Department staring at her computer. She was still reeling from the incident with Shawn's mom that morning and finding it hard to concentrate on her paperwork. Desk work was starting to get old anyway. She was itching to get back into the field. She glanced at the pile of reports on the corner of her desk and put her head in her hands.

"O'Hara," said Lassiter coming up behind her, and startling her so that her head popped up and she put a hand to her stomach.

"Carlton! I told you not to scare me like that."

"Sorry O'Hara. We've got another case for you to process." McNab came up next to Lassiter and handed Juliet a case file.

"Just what I need," said Juliet. "…another one to add to the pile." Juliet took it in her hands and flipped it open. Her face turned serious. "Alice Bundy? THE Alice Bundy?"

"If you are referring to the Alice Bundy that tried to chop your head off with an axe, then yes," said Lassiter.

Juliet gave a heavy sigh and shook her head. "What happened?"

"Suicide," said Lassiter. "…caught fire to her room at Maplewood Psychiatric Hospital, with herself locked inside….It wasn't pretty."

Juliet swallowed and looked from Lassiter to McNab. "It's true," said McNab somberly. He looked at the ground. Juliet took a deep breath and looked back at the report. She wasn't sure she was ready to bring up the memories of that night right now. Her emotions were already running high from hormones and anger at Shawn.

"Oh sweet lady justice!" said Lassiter looking past Juliet towards the station entrance. Juliet turned to see Shawn coming into the station wearing an elf hat and carrying an armful of flowers and gifts.

Shawn approached Juliet and handed her a bouquet of red roses, a plush pug, and a sundae topped with walnuts and gummy bears. He kneeled and said, "What soft flight through yellow winter breaks. It is the beast, and Juliet is the sun."

"That's not even sort of close, Shawn" said Juliet.

"Jules, I apologize profusely for this morning. If you would just let me explain…"

"Ok, fine Shawn." Juliet desperately wanted to stay mad at Shawn, but seeing him looking so goofy in that elf hat with fake elf ears attached, she couldn't. "It's almost time to go home and get ready for dinner with your parents anyway. We'll talk there."

Shawn leaned forward to give her a peck on the lips and caught a glance at the case file that was still open in her hands. "Does that say Alice Bundy?" he asked. "THE Alice Bundy?"

"Yes, Shawn, THE Alice Bundy."

"She killed herself?"

"It looks that way," said Juliet sighing heavily. She turned to her partner. "Look, Carlton, I'm not sure I have the energy to deal with this case right now. Do you mind if I take off a little early today?"

Eight months ago Lassiter would have said no, but he had been thankfully easy on Juliet since she became pregnant. "Yeah, sure O'Hara, but I expect an earlier start tomorrow."

"Thanks, Carlton. Shawn let's go home."

!Pineapple!

Juliet was dressed in a flowy green dress, her hair pulled up into a coif of flowing curls. She stood in the mirror putting on earrings while Shawn was pulling on his black suit pants. "Shawn, are you going to tell me why you didn't tell your mom about the pregnancy?"

"Yes, Jules," he said while fumbling with his tie. Juliet came over and started tying it for him. "The thing is, Jules, when you told your family, they were so excited…I just…I guess, I just wanted that moment for myself, you know. I missed that with my Dad. I called my Mom with every intention of telling her, but I just couldn't do it over the phone. I wanted to see her face when I told her."

Juliet finished with his tie and placed her palms on his chest. Her face was almost close enough to his for their conversation to be considered 'very close talking.' She cracked a compassionate closed-mouth smile and said, "Why didn't you just say that a long time ago? We could have arranged a visit or something."

"I don't know…just with everything and being kidnapped and stuff…these last several months have just flown by," Shawn said putting his hands on Juliet's stomach.

She put her hands on his. "Tell me about it." She closed the space between their lips and gave him a soft kiss. They broke apart and continued getting ready. "So, how do you plan to tell her. You know she is going to know as soon as she sees me. Look at me. I'm huge!"

"Nooo, Jules. You're not…huge. You can barely tell…"

"Really?"

"Ok…so, you can sorta tell…but I wouldn't say 'huge.' Maybe uh…just…large..?"

Juliet turned her head and looked at him angrily.

"…ger than usual? She got angrier. "Yeah. I'm just gonna stop talking now," he said.

"Good idea."

"Anyway, I've got a plan," he said. "And you look GORGEOUS."