See Ch 1 for disclaimers…

"Jesus Christ almighty!" Jane leaned on the horn as a little Honda Civic squeezed through the light at the intersection at the last possible second, almost causing her to sideswipe it.

"Jane Rizzoli!" Her mother's distinct growl of disapproval grated along her frayed nerves. The glare coming at her through the rearview mirror was scorching. It was only matched by the cool vision of Constance Isles staring out the window. Oh shit. She forgot about her. Jane darted a glance at the passenger seat but Maura remained exactly like she had been since this morning. In a permanent state of ignoring her. Biting her lip, Jane looked back at Constance's reflection, jumping slightly when she realized the other woman was discreetly smiling into her fist. And were her shoulders shaking? Disbelief made Jane look a little harder. Constance Isles was actually laughing at her. Laughing at her! Could this day get any worse?

Maura watched the stopped car in front of her get closer. And then closer. And then she just clutched the thigh next to her and yelled "Jane hit the brake!" Maura grabbed the wheel for good measure and pulled.

When Jane jumped away from the sudden grab she bit her tongue and barely applied the brake in time to avoid a telephone pole. The car lurched to a sudden stop and half lidded hazel eyes glared at her before pointedly drifting closed. She hit the steeling wheel lightly with both palms. Well shit. With the blaring symphony coming from behind them Jane decided not to ask herself any more questions surrounding the possibility of the day deteriorating any further and she damn well was not going to look at either mother in the back seat.

Easing the car back into the bumper to bumper crawl along Pond Street, Jane gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles were white. Why did she have to open her big mouth this morning? It certainly didn't change where she was headed.

She'd woken up this morning exactly the way she had fallen asleep, draped along Maura's back, arm secure around her waist, face pillowed into Maura's hair. Apparently they'd both been exhausted enough when they finally made it to bed that they didn't move for the entire night. Cozy and warm, Jane had been loath to move and from the irregular rise and fall of Maura's breathing against her arm, so was she. Jane had kissed the back of Maura's neck enjoying the slight surprised wiggle against her. "How long have you been awake?"

Maura threaded her fingers through Jane's hand and brought the arm tight against her. "For a little while, but once I get up this day is going to be involved."

Jane couldn't help but chuckle. "Christmas Eve with my family and your mother? I don't think involved covers it." She yawned and flexed her legs. "So far, so good though. I haven't had to call a SWAT team in for back up. I even think your mother had a good time last night."

Constance had shocked her. She had handled the entire night with poise, grace and a fair bit of quick humor. It was easy to see where Maura had acquired her sense-of-self and bearing, but Jane found the sharp wit a surprise. It was composed, but Jane was willing to bet Constance's affection for the arts indicated there were deeper currents under the cultured surface. In fact, as the night wore on Jane was willing to bet that certain cavalier aspects of Maura's nature might be more nurture than genetics.

Not everyone could walk into a loud, boisterous dinner where conversation was animated and rowdy, but Constance had joined in the clamor with cultivated laughter and compliments over her Ma's lasagna. The longer the night wore on, the more a shocked Maura had slowly allowed the rigid stiffness of her body to bleed away. Jane had meant to check on her feelings about her mother's arrival when they went up to bed but she'd fallen asleep so fast. She squeezed the hand in hers. "How are you doing with your mother being here?"

"I'm still amazed. I can't believe Angela did that for me."

Chuckling Jane had buried her face back into Maura's hair. "Me too, who would have thought Ma could keep anything like that secret."

"I don't know. I often find your mother a confidant. Her indiscretions often only occur if she believes she is assisting in a situation."

For a moment Jane had debated probing that statement a little more before she considered the woman in her arms and what possible conversations Maura may have had with her mother. It was frightening. In the spirit of the season she decided that there were some mysteries in life she'd let someone else solve. Shifting upwards she adjusted her hold until Maura was tucked under her chin. A glint caught her eye and she plucked a thin silver strand off Maura's pillow. Tinsel. Jane couldn't help the smile. Maura had totally got the drop on her with that little tinsel fight. It was so out of character but it had been a blast. The only shame was at the end there had barely been any tinsel left to decorate the tree with. She let out a sigh. The tree was still pretty but it was not the same. Jane ran her thumb along the back of Maura's hand. Now at least Maura didn't have to worry about toxicity or judging by the way she'd tried to talk Jane out of tinsel, looking at too much of it on the tree.

The body stiffening along her back was the first warning sign. Maura rolled onto her back when Jane abruptly sat up and was met with the sight of Jane in detective mode, focused, staring at her carefully, arms folded across her chest.

It had been the thought about the tree lacking tinsel mixed with the memory of the face full of tinsel that made Jane put the pieces together. "Maura Dorothea Isles, you are a sneak! You totally started that tinsel fight to avoid having it all over the tree didn't you?"

Maura could feel herself squirming, could feel the color washing over her cheeks and down her neck. "I should probably get up and make coffee. I am sure your mother is up but she shouldn't have to be alone entertaining mine." Before she could move she was caged in by two arms as Jane loomed over her.

"Nice try. Deflect all you want, but I'm looking for an answer." Jane waited but when there wasn't any response other than Maura chewing her bottom lip slightly she shook her head. "Bad girl Dr. Isles, very bad girl, you just landed yourself on the naughty list on Christmas Eve. Whatever is Santa going to do about that?"

Had this been any other morning other than one where her mother was most likely waiting for her downstairs Maura would have answered in a plethora of ways. Most of which would have concluded the morning quite nicely with the type of aerobic workout that they both preferred. Especially the way Jane's eyes bored into hers, intense. Her thoughts were obviously a shared experience. Unable to help herself Maura reached up and slipped a hand under Jane's shirt to stroke the sleep warmed skin. "Can I consider that question and get back to Santa later tonight?"

Jane raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. Santa is going to be pretty busy later on, what with the 8 tiny reindeer and all."

Maura let her fingers trail under Jane's breast, enjoying the slight hitch in breathing. "I can be very convincing."

Jane eased herself slowly upright, away from the teasing touch. Maura had this ability to bring her from zero to turned-on that Jane could never quite adjust to. "What am I going to do with you?" When Maura went to answer, Jane covered her mouth lightly with two fingertips. "Rhetorical question, you answer that and we'll end up joining our mothers around lunchtime." With a sigh she reached over and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. "Huh. Frankie texted me. The lazy bum wants a ride to our little Christmas Caroling experience tonight. No wonder he's getting a little soft around the middle, Children's Hospital is only two blocks away from his place. I'm going to tell him to jog his ass there." Busy with her reply she didn't really notice that Maura had hurried into the bathroom.

Frankie's response had been almost instant. Jane had to read it twice to be sure. The empty side of the bed registered and she was up and stalking over to the bathroom door. She tested the handle. Locked. It was hardly surprising considering. She rapped her knuckle lightly against the bathroom door. "Maura, I don't suppose you could help me understand why Frankie's text says, and I'm quoting, 'Cute, but I'd like to see your bony ass jog all the way to Stoneham.' Why would he say Stoneham, if Children's Hospital is in Boston?"

Maura looked back at the closed bathroom door with mild trepidation. She'd been counting on having Angela next to her when Jane found out. "Because the Salvation Army Choir is singing at Children's this year."

Jane waited but nothing else floated through the door. She let her forehead hit the wood surface with a groan. "Okay. Work with me here. How does getting our usual caroling place stolen by those red bucket toting bell ringers translate into going to Stoneham today?"

It didn't take much imagination for Maura to picture Jane's head leaning against the bathroom door. "If you read your email blasts from Officer DeAmato you would have known that he was looking for suggestions on where we would like to perform. Everyone voted and my suggestion was picked."

Jane slapped her palm next to her head. "You are killing me here. Killing me. What exactly was your suggestion?" The first time the words were said she wasn't sure she heard right they were so rushed and soft. "A little louder there Maura."

Maura cleared her throat. "I suggested that we support the Stone Zoo by caroling at Zoo Lights." Jane's growl was loud and clear through the bathroom door and Maura winced at the stubborn undertone.

"Oh hell no." Jane cursed under her breath, remembering their conversation at the Christmas tree lot. It felt like a lifetime ago. She waited for long, silent minutes but Maura wasn't saying anything. "I mean it Maura. No. You have no idea what that place will be like tonight. We'll sit in traffic for over an hour, there will be no parking spaces left, so we'll waste half the night just trying to get out of the car and did I say no yet?"

Sorting through her limited options Maura tried again. "But Jane, the Zoo was delighted to have us. It's an honor to be invited to be part of their Christmas Eve."

"Good try. But I told you, never again. It's a celebration of scary animatronics and kids hyped up on candy. No way, no how." Jane tapped her foot impatiently. The competitive edge in her couldn't believe Maura had bested her so easily. She had never even seen it coming.

Annoyed, Maura opened the door to make eye contact. "And I asked you if that was a challenge when you said that and you told me it was whatever I wanted it to be."

"I also said not to waste the effort!" Jane met the narrowed hazel eyes defiantly. "I am not going."

Maura put her hands on her hips about to say something when she took a deep breath and centered herself. This was pure childlike foolishness on both their parts. But still she wanted to do this with Jane, together. "But you promised you would do this with me."

Jane simply shook her head. "No means no." And she meant it. Or at least she meant it until the face in front of hers went still. Very, very still.

Maura let her arms fall to her sides. "Fine then, I can appreciate your standpoint. I will see you afterwards." She gripped the door handle tightly before trying one more time. "Your mother had fond memories of you there as a child and I was looking forward to sharing this with you." She waited a moment but Jane didn't say anything and as irrational as this all was, it hurt. She had been looking forward to going out all together, especially now that her mother was in town. The Zoo Light part was meant to be a joke and frankly Maura had thought Jane would have opened an email up and put a stop to it long before it became a reality.

When the bathroom door shut in her face abruptly, Jane cringed and the lock clicking was loud and clear. She knocked lightly. There was no response and after several more minutes of waiting the shower turned on. Jane let out a long sigh and decided to go get ready herself. Maura would have to come out eventually and she'd try talking to her then.

The problem was she never did get that chance. Eventually Maura did appear downstairs and she'd been perfectly delightful. Cheerful and animated the entire morning with everyone.

Except her.

At some point Maura must have told her mother and her mother's thoughts on the subject were loud and clear without saying a word in front of Constance. As Maura had helped her mother prepare for Christmas Eve dinner, cleaning squid and making struffoli, Jane had found herself widening the path between the house and the guest house. When the shoveling was done she found herself relegated to deicing the front walk and after that, stuck in the guest house wrapping presents for TJ. Even when she had appeared back in the main house, in uniform, with that stupid Santa hat on her head, jingling the car keys at the exact time they needed to leave, Maura had merely raised her eyebrows and continued discussing post-modern something or other with her mother. Ouch.

Like she predicted she was now inching along in the traffic towards Zoo Lights. Jane darted a quick glance at Maura. One hazel eye opened and looked lazily at her. The voice was smooth, cultured and a little dry. "I would think keeping your attention on the road has been proven to be a prudent choice today." As the eye closed again Jane sighed. At least they were speaking again. Sort of.

Parking was less problematic than Jane had expected. Apparently as performing guests they were allowed to park back near the delivery doors. One of the mounted cops had shown them the way and let them in the back gates. Maura seemed rather entranced by the cop or his horse. She wasn't sure which and right now speculating wasn't helping her mood.

Passing through the zoo, thousands of lights of all shapes and sizes illuminated the exhibits and the pathway. Maura was up ahead walking arm and arm with her mother. Jane dared a glance over at her own mother. "Alright, let's just get this over with. How in trouble am I?"

"With me or with Maura?" Angela suppressed the urge to smile at the exasperated sigh. "With me, you're here and I have all my Christmas gifts wrapped. As far as Maura goes, you need to ask her but saying you're sorry isn't the worst gift I could think of." Angela took her daughter's arm. "Especially since that girl doesn't ask for much."

"I think you're missing the point. I had said I absolutely did not want to come here or be part of the choir. I had already gotten coerced into this freaking choir and she still set me up." Jane winced, hearing the words that came out of her mouth. Somehow hearing them made her feel like an asshole.

Angela dropped her arm and tossed her hands in the air. "Please don't tell me I raised an idiot."

When Constance looked back at them, Jane offered a little wave. "Sorry, we're good." Jane reached out and dragged her mother close to her. "Fine, you did not raise an idiot." She looked over at Maura smiling at Constance as they walked along highlighted by the Christmas lights. So very beautiful. With a long sigh Jane wished she was the one beside her. "I'm done being dumb. I'll get her alone and apologize."

It turned out that getting Maura alone was almost impossible. They'd immediately run into Frankie with Tommy. TJ had looked adorable and almost lost in a giant puffy snowsuit, oversized hat, a hood and thick fuzzy mittens. Tommy had looked slightly dejected when he told Jane that Lydia had decided to go spend Christmas Eve with Mike's family so Jane walked with him over to the reindeer exhibit on the way to meet the rest of the BPD Choir. She had insisted he take TJ to be with everyone at the zoo and passed along her regrets.

Jane nudged Tommy with her elbow. "You doing okay there little brother?"

He'd looked at her for a moment and shrugged. "I'm good. Sort of sucks that Lydia couldn't make it."

She nodded. "Sort of does. I think you were right about Mike being a cool guy."

The shrug again. "Yep."

Finally Jane realized there wasn't anything she was going to say that would make any difference. It was a big change and one that would affect them all in little ways and Tommy in significant ways. But he had had his chance. There was only one thing to say. "I'm sorry Tommy."

He looked like he was going to say something for a minute before he sighed and ducked his chin under his jacket collar. "Thanks Jane."

When they reached the reindeer enclosure a small platform was set up. Jane tried not to roll her eyes. How quaint. She walked over to Frost and Korsak. "Well you two still clean up okay in your blues." She ignored their sarcastic snorts as she leaned over the fence to stare into the dark enclosure. "Even with those spot lights you can't see much. I doubt there is anything alive in there. What's your bet that DeAmato opens with Rudolph?"

Korsak chuckled. "I'd be disappointed in him if he didn't. Where's the Doc?"

"Mad at me."

Frost groaned. "What in god's name did you do on Christmas Eve that landed you on her shit list?"

"I can't get into it. One of you would probably smack me. Can we leave it with my mother's sentiment that Jane is an idiot?"

Korsak laughed. "Well I'm not one to ever argue with a lady."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Fuck that, you argue with me all the time."

Frost's just shook his head. "You just made his point."

Jane pointed her finger at both of them, about to argue when she spotted Maura laughing at something with Constance and Marty Hill. Hill was leaning into her while they spoke, his hand on Maura's shoulder. She narrowed her eyes. Hill was pushing it. "Excuse me gentlemen. I have to go remind Hill he is wet behind the ears."

Halfway to her destination DeAmato called everyone together and unlike practice, he layered them swiftly in three rows by height. Not only did Jane find herself smack in the middle of the top row, she had to deal with the fact that Maura was in the front row and directly in front of Hill. Her only consolation was Frost was next to Hill. He must have said something because Hill glanced at her and she enjoyed it when he took one look at her and directed his eyes anyplace but at Maura. Frost had just earned himself lunch next week. She even managed to smile when DeAmato called for Rudolph.

They'd just finished "Oh Christmas Tree" when she looked over at Maura. She was smiling and following her line of sight she spotted Constance next to Tommy. She rubbed her hands together trying to even imagine what Tommy was saying that was making Constance laugh like that. DeAmato signaled for "Oh Holy Night" and partway through Jane looked back over at Tommy. For some reason the melancholy notes of the song mixed with sight of her brother standing behind TJ's stroller alone made her heart ache. Life was never going to be something that made sense to Tommy. He never seemed to grasp what the right thing was to do at the right time. In the end he might only have himself to blame but he was her little brother and she hurt for him. Jane glanced back to Maura and realized hazel eyes were staring right at her. They stayed that way through the last verse of the song and Jane felt herself relax as they reconnected.

The singing dragged on and then DeAmato took in requests for popular favorites and encouraged a sing-a-long. When families joined in and kids started dancing to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Jane realized she was having fun. A lot of fun. She looked quickly to Maura and caught her eye and they smiled together.

When the final song came to a close Jane jumped off the platform and into the crowd but she couldn't find Maura in the milling crowd. She finally spotted her mother with Tommy. "Hey have either of you seen Maura?"

Angela looked up from where she was bent over TJ making sure his ears were covered. "Constance was cold so Maura wanted to bring her inside for a few minutes. I think they went into the New England wildlife building to warm up, it's the only hall left open tonight but it's all the way at the back of the park. Jane nodded and headed off to find the building.

The two milling wolves studied them carefully before one trotted out of the building and into the night. Constance smiled at her daughter before studying the plaque on the enclosure. "I believe I saw you smiling at your detective during the caroling. I take this to mean you are no longer angry with her?"

Maura tried not to show her surprise when her mother opened such a personal line of questioning. "I was never honestly angry with her. A little hurt, yes, but not angry." Maura sighed. "She simply has a difficult habit of making a decision and then holding to that decision relentlessly. It is an asset in her job but challenging to navigate in a relationship."

Constance nodded. "Your father is not unlike that. He can be focused on his work for months at a time, especially if he is preparing something to publish. Relentless and dare I say, he can come off as cold towards me at times. When we were first together it was hard not to get frustrated with that part of his personality."

Maura smiled at her mother. Part of her was euphoric. They had never shared like this before. This was a rare glimpse into her parent's relationship. "I didn't ever think of Father like that."

Constance snorted. "Your Father is a wonderful man, but he has his quirks and I have mine. It's the fact that we can accept each other's quirks and even appreciate some of them that make our marriage work." Feeling Maura's interest, Constance took a chance. "I notice that you tend to approach much of life very academically. I hope you realize that love is like art. It comes from deep inside and expresses itself almost without the artist's permission. It does not have to seem logical to everyone, it just exists as an extension of the artist's soul. No matter how many people examine one work of art they will all have their own impressions and what is so wonderful about art is each impression is correct." Constance turned and put a hand on Maura's back. "When I met your Father nothing about him made sense. I remember thinking on our wedding day that we had gotten there so fast I couldn't quite remember how we had gotten there. He was my passion and it could not be contained. It was quite the scandal at the time."

Maura laughed a little before watching the one wolf studying them. "Didn't you worry that it would consume you and leave you alone in the end? How did you know it would work?"

"I didn't. Who could ever know what the future holds? But as I said before, my love for your father was an extension of my soul. He happened without my permission. Impossible to have caution about something that is beyond your control." Constance rubbed Maura's back lightly. "This wolf reminds me of Jane a little. Evaluating us carefully, protective of its pack mates outside."

Maura nodded her mind spinning. "Wolves have highly structured social hierarchies. I'd imagine that the one looking at us is the pack alpha. They are dominant over the rest of the pack and protective of the entire group. I'd imagine this one is the alpha male. His mate would also be an alpha and they are the only ones that reproduce. Usually they mate for life."

Constance chuckled and pointed to a line on the descriptive plaque in front of the glass. "You don't say."

Surprised Maura looked at her and her mother gave her a little wink. Maura turned back and stared at the wolf, about to ask her mother the next question burning in her throat when Jane jogged in, her dress shoes noisily striking the floor. Seeing them she paused, uncertainty gracing her features.

Her mother smiled at her and gave her back a final pat, "What exquisite timing she has." Constance's voice was soft and between the two of them. "I leave you to deal with your wolf. Your very sorry looking wolf. Go easy on her, it is Christmas Eve."

Maura waited until her mother had left before she acknowledged Jane standing there. "My mother likes you."

Jane cleared her throat. "She does?"

"Yes, she called you a wolf." Maura walked up to Jane.

Jane shook her head. "Wait, your mother just called me a dog and you think this means she likes me?" Tentatively she reached a hand out before dropping it down.

"A wolf is not a dog." Maura reached for the hand that had dropped. "She also said that I was to go easy on you."

"I'm sorry Maura." Jane pulled her closer, relieved when Maura took the final step and rested her forehead against her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around Maura's waist. "I deserve to be stuck right on the naughty list. I'm having a fun time tonight. Thank you for forcing my immature ass here and sharing this with me."

"I'm sorry too. I overreacted and I shouldn't have suggested Zoo Lights to DeAmato in the first place." She wrapped her arms around Jane's waist, ignoring a small group of people that walked in and gave them a strange look. "I was only focused on winning that challenge. Cornering you into coming here was unfair."

Glancing around and noticing everyone else involved with the exhibits Jane kissed Maura's temple. "Still love me?"

Maura reached up and stroked Jane's cheek briefly. "As illogical as it seems, I do a little more each day." She dropped her hand and stepped back. "Now I need to see those animatronics you claim left you with psychological childhood scars."

Jane laughed and offered her arm. "Don't say I didn't warn you after."

"I won't."

A/N – Who is awesome? You guys.

Two of you figured out what the song was :)

First person to get it right was Inuzuka Akari who nailed it after chapter 11 and patiently waited for me to give my kudos until now so I wouldn't wreck it for everyone else :) Brava!

Next was Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers - you said you loved the song and here it is rizzled-up :)

Each chapter including this one has one of themes from "12 Pains of Christmas" running through it. Sometimes vague, sometimes specific. Although not in perfect order if you look back through the chapters you'll find in some way:

1 Finding a Christmas tree, 2. Rigging up the lights, 3 Hangovers, 4 Sending Christmas cards, 5 Five months of bills, 6 Facing my in-laws, 7 The Salvation Army, 8 I WANNA TRANSFORMER FOR CHRISTMAS!, 9 Finding parking spaces, 10. Batteries not included, 11. Stale TV specials … and… 12. Singing Christmas carols

To everyone, thank you for playing the mystery song game along with me :) When you write and people are willing to respond and play along… Well it made the holiday.

I'm going to be rather sad when I post the final chapter after it comes back from beta.