Title: Christmas in July, Take Two
Author: KourtTears
Pairings: Jo/Zane
Rating: PG
Spoilers: All up to 4-10, O Little Town…
Disclaimer: I do not own Eureka. I'm going to borrow it for a bit though.
Summary: "I guess he figured out who got him those tickets." A post O Little Town two shot. Full of Fluff.
Author's note: This story can be blamed on the fact that I just watched O Little Town for the first time and I am so ready for Monday. This will be two chapters and the second will be posted before Season 4.5 starts. All mistakes are mine...if you see any feel free to ignore or point them out...your choice. Hope you enjoy.

"No, don't worry about it."

Zane stopped as he heard his target. Dammit, she was right around the corner. She must have been speed walking to get here so fast. There was no way he could get it ready in time. Oh well, it couldn't hurt to try.

"Really, it's fine. I understand."

He was almost done. Just a few more seconds.

"Yeah, maybe next year. Love you too Dad."

Ha, done! Just in time. But where was she? Zane poked his head around the corner to see one Josephina Lupo leaning against the wall. And, were those tears? No way. The Enforcer never cried. Though if he were honest Zane knew Jo hadn't been acting like herself lately. And he definitely knew something was up since that (totally amazing) kiss in the Sheriff's Office.

That kiss was why he was trying so hard to get this little stunt ready. Anything for a repeat performance. But it wasn't going to work if she didn't walk around the corner.

He peaked around once more to an empty hallway. Where did she disappear to? Before he could enter the hallway to look for her he found himself pinned face first to the wall.

"Hey!"

Before he could offer up anymore protest he was turned around and found himself face to face with his (former) target.

"Hey Lupo." That nonchalant tone paired with his smirk and yep, there was that scowl he was strangely fond of.

"What are you doing sneaking around?"

"Just spreading the Christmas cheer," he said as he pointed up. Jo looked to where he was pointing and when she saw it her scowl deepened.

"Mistletoe? Seriously?" Jo pushed away from him and took a couple of steps back.

"Of course! I figured it would be the best present for you. An excuse to kiss me again."

Zane had imagined any number of reactions from Lupo. Being threatened or locked up or possibly tasered. And in his more wild imaginings even a kiss or two…or more. He had not imagined she would just sigh sadly before walking away.

Not even one threat? Something was really wrong with her and Zane was determined to figure out what it was. Maybe that phone call? She had cried after she had hung up. Too bad he had been paying more attention to not falling while handing up the mistletoe than to what she had been saying.

There was only one option left for him. And while hacking into the security feed wasn't technically legal he would be hacking in the spirit of Christmas so surely that counted. And if nothing else maybe he would get a reaction from the Head of Security.

Zane was getting his picture taken with the hot intern from Parrish's lab (and she should have been sitting on his left side considering what she had just whispered in his ear) when he saw Lupo. When she made eye contact he smiled.

"Oh hey Lupo, you wanna tell me what you want for Christmas? This one's for naughty…and this one's for nice."

He expected the eye roll that went along with her, "I'll pass," but not her just walking away. She wasn't going to even make noise about shutting this down? There was positively something wrong so he followed before she could get too far away.

"Oh c'mon, where's your Christmas spirits?" When she didn't respond he pushed. "Seriously, you ok?"

She just stared at him before realizing she should respond. "I have a town full of yahoos I have to babysit. I'm super."

Zane watched her go and decided to hit his lab after the party. He had some hacking to do.

Zane was walking past the rotunda, heading to his lab so he could finally find out what Lupo had been talking about on the phone, when he heard her voice. And like a moth to the flame he drifted closer.

Making sure he was hidden by one of the giant Christmas tree he peaked through the branches to see Jo talking…Santa?

"So when did you stop liking candy canes? Do you remember?"

Zane watched as she froze then smile sadly.

"When I had to grow up." And he'd be damned if that sad little smile didn't make him ache. He rubbed his chest as he listen to the Santa's reply.

"I know the holidays can be tough on military families."

Zane barely paid attention as they walked off. He was fairly certain he had just been handed a clue. He continued heading to his lab. Hopefully that phone call would give him another clue so he could figure out what to give Lupo…Jo the perfect gift.

Zane was again heading past the rotunda, this time heading to the exit and Café Diem, when he heard humming.

He adjusted his course just to see who it was humming and was shocked to see it the woman who had been on his mind all day. Jo Lupo was humming Silent Night and looking up at a Christmas tree with that sad little smile that made his chest hurt.

He was about to go up to her and say…well he hadn't planned that far…when he saw Zoe.

He ducked behind a tree (again) and settled in to eavesdrop (again). He hoped this wouldn't be how he spent the rest of Christmas.

"Hello Jo…or should I say Secret Santa?"

Secret Santa? Jo was the secret Santa that had given everyone those amazing presents? He moved just enough so he could see them in between the branches.

"What're you talking about?"

"You know what kind of music I like and Allison's stories about Christmas as a kid and you've probably seen Fargo search the web a million times for his lunch box."

Zane nodded. That was all true. But how did she know how much those Springsteen tickets meant to him?

He surfaced from his thoughts in time to hear Jo order Zoe to "go away." He wasn't surprised when Zoe ignored the order.

"But one thing that just didn't fit was that you hate Christmas. But you don't do you?"

Zane leaned in to hear Jo's answer.

"When I was a kid my favorite thing to do was to give something special to my brothers and just watch them light up when they opened their gifts."

Zane was finally starting to put everything together. The phone call, Santa's remarks and now this. Really, some genius he was. He had to have the whole picture painted for him before he understood.

"Ok…so?" he heard Zoe ask.

"So now they're all in the service and in harm's way. We haven't spent Christmas together in years."

And there was that smile he was starting to hate.

"Well I'm glad that at least we get to spend it together." Zane could tell Zoe was trying to cheer Jo up.

"Yeah, me too." And now her smile was a little less sad.

Zane left his hiding spot as they walked away.

He watched them leave and smiled. He finally knew what to get Jo for Christmas. It was going to be late but it was going to be perfect!

Jo sighed as she walked in her front door. Home. Finally.

She could admit it had been a good Christmas even if her Dad and brothers weren't able to be here. She got to share it with her surrogate family which was just as good.

Jo was almost to the stairs when she noticed the present on the table in living room. Her gun was out before she had finished processing that it hadn't been there when she left that morning.

After a quick sweep of the house to find everything secure, Jo cautiously approached the package. A scan from her PDA confirmed it was safe.

She sat down on her couch and gingerly picked it up. She slowly unwrapped the gift and was surprised with what she found inside.

She pulled out the snow globe and smiled as saw it was a miniature Eureka inside. She shook it and watched as the snow fell down on the little town inside.

She checked the box again for some sort of clue as to who had left the present and pulled out a card with her name on it.

After reading the message she leaned back on the couch, clutched her mini-Eureka and watched the show fall outside the window.

Josephina,

I hope you like the snow globe. Hopefully it will tide you over until your real present gets here. It's taking some time to get it ready. I want it to be perfect. Until then have a very Merry Christmas.

Secret Santa