Disclaimer: I do not own Psych

Update 2/2

"Why am I here?" Lassiter groaned.

Juliet patted Lassiter on the back. "She wanted you to be here." She knocked on the door and it opened automatically to reveal Ginny sitting on Shawn's shoulder. Johnny peeked out from behind Shawn's legs. Shawn had somehow found the antlers from his U.R.S shipping days and was wearing them again.

"Santa, no costume?" Lassiter grunted. Ginny giggled and Johnny stared thoughtfully at the two detectives. Shawn turned to Juliet. "And Vixen/Clarice, I see you didn't get the memo about the antlers."

Juliet shrugged. "Sorry Shawn… I mean Rudolph." She winked at Shawn.

"Det. Santa and Vixen, come in!" Ginny squealed from Shawn's shoulder. She had so much excitement that it was fairly certain to Juliet that Shawn was holding onto her little legs for his own safety.

"So Rudolph?" Shawn took Ginny off his shoulders as she grabber her brothers hand and hurriedly went off to tell her mom.

"Yes Vixen?"

"Where's Dancer?" Juliet scoped out the house. The party seemed to be a lively one with little children running to and fro and adults deciding how many alcoholic drinks would put one in the Christmas spirit.

Shawn looked around the room. "Dancer is probably hanging out in the kitchen. I told Mrs. Richards that he was an excellent cook."

"I guess we should head that way and see if he needs a hand." Juliet said.

Shawn groaned. "But Vixen, he already has two hands or as we Reindeers like to think, four hooves."

"Come on Shawn. Lassiter, are you coming?" Juliet turned to look for Lassiter. Lassiter was standing up against the wall. He seemed to be barricaded by little children. Johnny seemed to be at the front of this group, rallying the troops. Ginny seemed to be second in command, helping ask the questions.

"Santa, tell them why you can't be wearing your red suit." Lassiter looked from Juliet to Shawn.

"O'Hara…" He pleaded. Juliet shook her head. "I'm sorry, who is this O'Hara? I'm Vixen."

Shawn grinned. "Good one. Have fun Lassie, I mean Santa."

Juliet could have sworn that Lassiter gave them both the stink eye.

In the kitchen, Juliet and Shawn found Gus working up a storm behind the counters. Mrs. Richards sat at one of the stools in front of the island. Another man was helping Gus in the kitchen.

Mrs. Richards looked to see who came in and smiled. "Det. O'Hara, I'm so happy that you could stop by. I believe you know one of these men working hard in the kitchen."

Gus waved to Juliet as he pulled something out of the oven, but he glared at Shawn. "Shawn you thinking about helping?"

"I would love to buddy, but I think I just heard Ginny call me to help interrogate Santa."

Mrs. Richards smiled as Shawn ran out of the kitchen and Gus just waved a spoon in Shawn's empty spot. "Det. O'Hara, the other man is my husband, Chris Richards."

A man with dark brown hair and a very slim figure, turned around. "Det. O'Hara, it's a pleasure to meet you." He wiped his hand on his apron and offered it to Juliet. Juliet shook it as she observed the man. "I'm sorry I never got to meet you as you helped us out of a sticky situation, but work just didn't think it was a good excuse."

"I'm glad that the Santa Barbara Police Department could solve the case before the holidays." Juiled said.

"I as well." He turned his back and his attention to the food. Juliet still looked at the man up and down, well from his backside. She couldn't figure out why the Evans didn't like him. He seemed like a decent, hardworking person. Mrs. Richards saw her looking quizzically.

"Chris, Det. O'Hara seems to be confused as to why the Evans hated you so much."

Mr. Richards turned around again. "Tom never liked me. It was rumored that I liked his wife or something silly, but obviously not true. That man was never happy as you saw. I think he was jealous on the one hand that I had kids and he didn't."

Juliet nodded. Something silly as jealousy, could go and did go a long way. Whatever the case, the paperwork had been put in last night and the case was officially closed and just in the nick of time. Only four days left until Christmas.

"Gus, Mr. Richards, do you guys need help with anything?" The two men waved her off as Mrs. Richards handed her a glass of wine.

"Det. O'Hara, go enjoy the party. You and your co-workers deserve it."

Juliet took her glass wine and looked for her partner and her co-worker among the crowd. She found Lassiter leaning against the wall with a bemused look on his face while viewing their co-worker.

Shawn was always the center of entertainment and in this party tonight, he turned out to be the center of entertainment especially for kids.

He sat on the middle of the floor, kids spread at all around him. He seemed to be telling the Christmas story except with a twist.

"Twas four days before Christmas, when all through the Richards house, not an adult was sitting, not even that one." Shawn pointed at Lassiter.

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Shawn/Rudolph would soon be there."

"The Children all listened to Shawn's great tale while smells of Dancer's/ Gus' food went through their heads."

Juliet listened as she leaned on the couch's arm, reveling in Shawn's ability to change the words in an instant. The kids were unaware of the changes, but sometimes she saw Lasister's mouth twitched in a smile or she heard Gus's laugh from the kitchen.

When Shawn had finished his tale, he called Gus by his reindeer name. "Dancer."

Gus walked out of the kitchen, food in one hand and a Santa Sack in the other. He gave the sack to Lassiter.

"Santa, would you do the honors?"

Lasister put his hands into the sack and produced the two stuff animals that Juliet and Shawn had made the other day. Ginny squealed and Johnny had a wide grin on his face. Shawn grinned and said to all the kids and adults present in the room, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Gus interrupted Shawn as people started to clap for Shawn's performance. "Shawn we are not leaving. I just slaved in that kitchen so don't even think leaving before eating."

"I wouldn't dream of it buddy. Come on Vixen, Santa! A feast awaits." Juliet was only too happy to comply.

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