A/N: The original characters mentioned are from my Snapshots story. This story is Kate centered.
Christmas 2023
Jane was quite surprised when she woke up and didn't see her youngest daughter, Kate, in bed with her and her wife. Kate, at five years old had spent the last three years waking her mothers' up so that they could go down and see what presents Santa had brought them.
Jane wondered if Kate was okay. She immediately got up and went to Kate's room. She could hear the other children downstairs with their nonna. Angela had spent the night in the guest house with her husband, Sean. They were just as excited as the children to see what Santa had brought.
Even when Angela was there Christmas morning, Kate was always with her mothers. Jane never understood why, but it was just Kate's way. She was a mama's girl. Jane didn't mind, she loved Kate. Kate was so much like her. Jane loved all of her children but Kate was the one who always surprised her. Angela was always telling Jane how much Kate reminded her of when Jane was a young girl.
When she arrived in Kate's room, she found her sound asleep with her favorite stuff animals in bed with her. Jane didn't see the note beside the bed. She felt Kate's head and she wasn't warm. Her skin wasn't red, she didn't feel like she had a temperature. Maura came in a minute later yawning. She was tired. She had stayed up with Jane putting the children's gifts together. Maura saw the note and showed it to Jane.
Jane read the note to Maura in a whisper, "Mama, don't worry. I am not sick. I am tired. I heard noises last night and saw you and mommy kissing by the Christmas tree when I came downstairs to get some water. I couldn't go back to sleep right away so I read for a little bit and then decided it was time for me to go back to bed. I started to climb into bed with you but it was 3 AM so I came back and wrote this note so you wouldn't worry. Please wake me up at 8 AM so we can open presents. Love, Kate."
Jane looked at her watch, it was only 7:30 so she put the note down on the nightstand and took Maura's hand and walked out of Kate's room. She had wanted to crawl into bed with Kate and sleep the extra half hour but she knew the other children would be waiting for her and Maura so they walked downstairs to greet MJ, AJ and Lilly.
"Mama, mommy, look at all the presents." AJ shouted and then was quickly shushed by Lilly who reminded him that Kate was still sleeping.
"Nonna said we have to have Jesus' birthday celebration before we can open presents and that we have to wait for Kate." AJ continued.
"Yes, bud, you know Kate would be upset if we continued without her. How about we have some breakfast while we wait for Kate." Jane suggested to the children.
"I like that idea, mama, I am hungry." MJ stated as he led everyone to the kitchen.
Angela had breakfast warming in the oven and Sean helped her put their feast on the table. She had prepared bacon, waffles and scrambled eggs.
"Ma, is that real bacon?" Jane asked, she was curious. Maura always like to cook her turkey bacon and Jane liked that but she loved real bacon.
"Yes, Janie, it is real bacon." Maura just gave Angela the look and then smiled at her. Angela knew that Jane could have real bacon occasionally. She loved how Maura was always looking out for Jane's health.
Jane didn't have to wake Kate as she came downstairs a few minutes later and climbed into her mama's lap. She just closed her eyes and snuggled into Jane. Jane wasn't surprised she could see how tired Kate was. Kate ate from Jane's plate and after breakfast they sung happy birthday to Jesus and had a piece of cake, they moved over to the couch so that they could open presents.
Jane carried Kate and sat her in her Maura's lap while she sat on the couch and then brought Kate back into her lap. It was about fifteen minutes before Kate woke up enough to join the children in front of the tree. It was AJ's turn this year to pass out the presents. One by one all the presents disappeared from under the tree. Kate smiled every time she received a present.
Christmas was a joyous time of year in the Rizzoli-Isles house. Kate was a little sad though because the present she had asked Santa for wasn't under the tree. She wanted to just go climb back into her bed but her mama wouldn't let her. "What's the matter little one?" Jane asked knowing why Kate was a little sad.
"I don't know." Kate tried to tell her mama, but Jane knew better.
The doorbell rang and Jane asked Kate, "Who do you think is at the door?"
Kate shrugged her shoulders and didn't say anything, she really didn't seem to care. Jane gripped Kate and stood up and took Kate with her to the door. Maura was already at the door and was just about to answer it when Jane told her, "Hold off babe, let Kate answer the door." Maura stepped aside and Jane put Kate down so that Kate could answer the door.
Korsak and Kiki stood on the porch. Korsak held a golden-brown puppy with a big red bow in his arms. Kate's face lit up. Korsak stated, "Kate, he seems to have a tag on his bow, would you like to read it?"
Kate looked at the tag and then read it, "My name is Max and I am your new puppy." Kate had tears coming down her face as she attempted to take the puppy from Korsak. "Thank you. I told Santa I wanted a puppy and that I would name him Max. How did you end up with him?" Korsak helped Kate put the puppy down and then everyone walked into the house and closed the door so that the puppy wouldn't get out.
"Well, I think Santa knew that Max couldn't stay under the tree by himself so he asked if I could tend to him until this morning." Jane smiled at Korsak, she loved that he would do this favor for them. Jane knew that Kiki had said no more puppies in the house, but she loved Kate and knew that it was only for a few days until Max could be delivered to Kate.
All the children gathered around the puppy. The puppy was licking all of the children's faces. They had talked about getting a dog but they agreed that until Kate turned five there would be no puppies in the house. When Jane and Maura asked the children who would like to be the primary caregiver of the dog if they were to get one Kate was the only one that volunteered so that is why the puppy was Kate's.
Kate grabbed her jacket and took Max out to the backyard. It was a chilly morning and she figured it would be safer to run around outside with Max. All the other children went outside also. Jane and Maura set up Max's dishes and bed while the children played with him outside.
They visited with Korsak and Kiki until the children came inside. Kate ran up to Korsak and Kiki and gave them a great big hug for bringing Max to their house. "Thank you for bringing Max to me. I love him so much."
"You are so welcome Kate. If you need someone to help you train him, just let me know." Korsak told her as they got up to leave. They knew that Max would have to get use to his new environment and it was a little too noisy for the older couple. Angela and Sean also left so that Jane and Maura could try and get the children and Max settled down.
About an hour later the entire family was downstairs watching a Christmas movie and Max was on Kate's lap helping her eat her popcorn. Kate had a smile on her face the rest of the day. When it came time for Kate to go to sleep, Max was up on her bed as Kate tried to get him to stay under the covers. Maura wasn't too thrilled about Max sleeping in the bed with her but she let them be for the night. She knew that eventually Max would sleep in his dog bed on the floor beside Kate's bed.
When Jane and Maura checked in on Kate later that night, Max was under the covers with Kate and sleeping with his head on Kate's chest. Kate had such a huge smile on her face as she hugged Max.
