A/N: Okay, I know I already published a Thanksgiving Story but I couldn't sleep as this story kept telling itself in my brain. So here is another Thanksgiving Story.

Junior Turkey Trot

At three years old TJ was now old enough to participate in Boston's Junior Turkey Trot. He had to have an adult running partner and an assistant adult partner. Right after Halloween TJ asked his Auntie Jane, "Auntie Jane will you run with me in Boston's Junior Turkey Trot?"

He handed Jane the flyer and Jane read it over. Jane had heard of this and knew that BPD was sponsoring teams. She passed the flyer to Maura who read it over and nodded. Jane replied, "I would love to buddy."

TJ was so happy he gave Jane a huge hug and kiss. "Tank you Auntie Jane. Tank you!"

Jane hugged him back and said, "You are welcome TJ. Auntie Maura will help us also as it requires a second adult to help."

"Okay, tank you Auntie Maura." TJ said as he walked over to give Maura a huge hug and kiss. "Daddy doesn't run so he told me to ask you guys. He knew you ran marathons." TJ said as he snuggled up to Jane on the couch. "I really love doing things with you guys."

"Okay but we're going to have to practice. You can't just show up and run. We have to train. Are you willing to train with us?" Jane asked knowing he would say yes.

"Yes, Auntie Jane, I will tain with you." TJ said with a huge smile.

"Okay, we will start tomorrow. I will fill out the registration form and turn it in." She glanced at Maura who was nodding to confirm that tomorrow would work. Maura took the form from Jane and started filling it out. She knew Jane could do it but Jane was occupied with TJ right now and she could just as easily fill out the form. She saw that it could be emailed so she finished filling it out and took a picture of it and emailed it off to the email address provided. The form said they could submit the registration fee by mail or drop it off. They would receive their number once the payment was received.

The next day they drove over to Tommy's and got TJ all dressed and ready for his first lap around the track. They drove to the BPD track and did their warm up stretches. TJ was excited. He loved watching his Aunt compete but now he could compete with her. Maura had the stop watch she was already to time their lap. Jane and Maura had reviewed the flyer very carefully so that they would fully understand how the timing of the event would work.

The deadline had passed so they knew there would be 24 teams competing. The city decided that they would use four different tracks and have six teams at each track. They had enough volunteers to cover four tracks so that made it easier than having eight teams on three tracks.

Team Rizzoli would be racing on the BPD track along with three other BPD sponsored teams. The other two teams were sponsored by the Fire Department. TJ took his training seriously. He knew his Auntie was training him so that they could win. He wanted to win also. Auntie Jane told him though, "It is not whether we win or lose it's that we play fair and follow the rules. Winning is just an added bonus." TJ liked that. He wanted to win though. This was his first competition and he knew his Aunt liked to win also. Winning was a Rizzoli thing, they liked it.

The race was designed that the adult and child would run a lap at the child's pace. Next the adult would run a lap by themselves. Then they would run with the child on their back, piggy back. Followed by a lap by themselves. Next, they would run a lap with the child at the child's pace than another lap by themselves. Then another piggy back lap followed by a lap by themselves and finally the last lap would be ran together with the child at the child's pace. The children would end up running a total of three laps spread out over time while the adults ran nine continuous laps.

Jane was up for this. She had trained with Maura for a full 26-mile marathon so she could do 2 ΒΌ miles around a track. She could run two laps carrying TJ on her back piggy back. She would have to practice that but she could do it. She found out the requirements for the piggy back laps, that they would have to use a lift. The city wanted to be sure that the children would be safely placed on the adult's back. If the adults didn't agree to the lift requirement they couldn't participate. Jane had no problem with the lift requirement. She actually like the safety of it. The city didn't want any children hurt during the event.

The race took place the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The whole family came out to support him. Nonna was there along with his daddy, Uncle Frankie, Aunt Nina, Uncle Frosty and Uncle Korsak. TJ was surprised to see his mommy sitting with his Nonna. He ran over and gave his mommy a hug. It had been a few weeks since he had seen her. She had gone out of town. She wished him luck and he ran back over to his Aunties.

TJ was wearing a blue jersey that said Team Rizzoli in red letters with a white outline around the letters. Jane and Maura had matching jerseys. All the other teams had on jerseys as well, they were just different colors. Pinned to his jersey was his official 'Boston Junior Turkey Trot' runner's number badge. Jane and Maura had on matching number badges. They were his team. He had one adult to run with him and one to stand with him in between his times to run.

They lined up at the starting line. The announcer announced 'Runners on your mark, get set, go.' The sound of the starter's gun could be heard as the six teams left the starting blocks. TJ was running side by side with his Auntie Jane. The adults had to run at the child's pace. TJ was tall for his age so that helped Jane. She was at a snail's pace compared to how she would normally run but this was his race, she was just running with him.

As they approached the last turn of the lap Maura stepped out so she could retrieve TJ. Jane would then have to run a lap by herself. The handoff was smooth and Jane took off at a fast pace, she wanted to make up some time. She wanted to win this Junior Turkey Trot for TJ. As she approached the final lap Maura and TJ stepped out to meet her. She had to run this next lap with TJ on her back riding piggy back. They had practiced this and TJ was ready. The had to use a lift to help the children be loaded on and off of the adult runner's back. TJ was on the lift and ready to climb on his Auntie's back with Maura's assistance when she approached the lift. He locked his arms around her neck making sure he was not strangling her. He wrapped his legs around her waist and Maura said 'go' once she felt TJ was securely attached to Jane.

They were making good time, they seemed to be ahead of the other runners by a little bit. There was one team that worried Jane. The dad was tall and ran faster than Jane. So, Jane tried to make sure she was keeping pace with him. She felt she could beat him when it was just them and no children. She wasn't going to let a rookie patrol officer beat her. She knew she would never hear the end of it from her coworkers. It didn't matter that the man was like 6' 6" tall. She couldn't let him beat her. She had her reputation to uphold.

Jane and TJ came in right behind him. Maura was quick at getting TJ from Jane and Jane took off. She knew she needed to catch that rookie officer if she wanted a chance at winning today. She passed him up as she rounded the last turn of the lap, she could see Maura and TJ waiting for her. It was time to run beside TJ again. She quickly ran to TJ and they started running together. She slowed her pace to match his. The rookie officer was still behind her. TJ sensed who they needed to stay ahead of and he quicken his pace when they were half way around the track. At the end of the lap Jane took off again. She was still ahead of the rookie, not by much but she was not going to let him catch up to her. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her.

She ran up to the lift it was time to piggy back TJ again. He quickly secured himself to his Auntie Jane and Maura said 'go' they took off. Jane ran as fast as it was possible with the additional weight of her nephew on her back. He was encouraging her and said how proud he was that she was doing this with him. She heard every word he said but she couldn't really talk she was concentrating on breathing. Maura had trained her to breathe properly when they had done yoga together so she was using every breathing trick she knew to keep her breaths steady. She rounded the corner and saw Maura waiting at the lift to retrieve TJ. The rookie wasn't that far behind her. Once TJ was safely removed from her back, she took off like a bat out of hell.

Jane was determined to put some distance between herself and the rookie. She knew he had longer legs than her and could catch up quickly. But he didn't. He seemed to have lost some of his speed. She kept her fast pace they had one more lap and it was running side by side with TJ. When she rounded the last corner, she was so happy to see TJ and Maura standing there waiting for her. As Jane approached TJ started running. Jane gave Maura a quick slap on the butt and said, "Thank you, I love you" and ran off. She had a race to win.

The rookie gathered some speed as he rounded the corner before he caught up with his son and wife. TJ sped up and Jane matched him. He wanted to win and Jane would match him step for step at his pace. The rookie was catching up. His son had long legs also.

TJ could sense someone behind them and as they rounded the last corner, he sped up even more. Jane matched him and they crossed the finish line about six steps ahead of the rookie and his son. They ran a little passed the finish line and then turned and ran to Maura. They won their race. Now they just had to wait for the times of the other runners from the other tracks. Maura handed each of them a bottle of cold water. They needed it, especially Jane. They walked over and met the rest of their family. Jane had her arm wrapped around Maura's waist. TJ ran ahead to where his daddy was with his Nonna. Tommy gave him such a big hug and told him, "I'm proud of you, TJ."

They all went to Boston Gardens where the official announcement would be made as to which team won the Boston Junior Turkey Trot. Jane was only concerned with TJ's age group, 3-5 year-old. They had to stay for the rest of the announcements but that was the only age group she was concerned with.

Of course, TJ's age group was the last to be announced. The rookie and his son came in second. TJ and Jane won their age group. TJ was so happy. He gave his Auntie Jane and Auntie Maura such a big hug and kiss as they went up to the podium to accept their medals. TJ shook his opponent's hand. He was a good sport. Even if he had come in second place, he would have shook his opponent's hand, it was just the right thing to do and his family always tried to be good sports.

TJ asked his dad if they could go for pizza to celebrate his victory. Tommy responded, "Of course, champ anything you want."

"Anything I want." TJ thought about that.

Tommy saw that look in his son's eye and said, "to eat TJ, anything to eat you want, not anything you want."

"Bummer, daddy. I was going to ask for a new bike." TJ said as he held up his gold medal that was hanging from his neck and kissed it.

Meanwhile Maura had heard that TJ wanted a new bike and whispered as much to Jane who smiled and nodded at Maura. They would go look at bikes tomorrow. TJ deserved a nice victory gift and Santa needed to know which model would be just right for the young man so it could be delivered to his Aunt's house in time for Christmas.