Title: Mother Knows Best

Author: Mindy

Rating: K

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Tina Fey, NBC etc.

Spoilers: "Hiatus", "Christmas Special".

Summary: Jack/Liz. Post-"Christmas Special", follows directly after the episode. Colleen nudges Jack in the right direction.

A/N: Hit that review button if you like.

-x-

It was in the final commercial break of his impromptu Christmas extravaganza as Jack and his mother were sipping cups of eggnog that she broke their amicable silence.

"Liz is standing under the mistletoe," she muttered under her breath.

Jack glanced across the studio floor to where Liz was indeed standing beneath some scaffolding, clipboard in hand, giving directions to a few crew members. A scraggly twig of mistletoe was hanging directly above her head.

"So?" Jack responded, turning back to his mother.

"So," she prompted impatiently: "go kiss her."

"Mother!"

"What?"

Jack looked down at her in her wheelchair, eyes wide. "Why would I want to do that?"

Colleen peered at Liz, oblivious to being watched. "Why wouldn't you? Look at her in that dress. Have you checked out the pins on that girl?"

Jack opened his mouth to respond.

"What am I talking about," she continued abruptly: "of course you have."

Jack sighed sufferingly: "Mother, I'd thank you not to talk about Lemon that way."

"Why?"

He sighed again: "She's a friend."

Colleen humphed: "No woman wears a dress like that if she's not looking for a little action."

"You don't understand Lemon," he told her exasperatedly: "She doesn't think like that, she has no clue…"

Colleen's eyes snapped back to his face: "No clue about what? Jackie?"

Jack's eyes dropped to his drink: "Nothing."

"Oh please," she scoffed dryly: "I've seen the way she looks at you. It's almost as shameless as the way you look at her." She nudged his ribs with her bony fingers: "So, go on. Now's your chance."

Jack shook his head, casting a glance at Lemon who was adjusting Jenna's candy cane costume. "I'm not looking for a chance with Lemon."

"Why not?" his mother replied staunchly: "She's perfect for you. I've said it before and I'll say it again."

"I'm sure you will, Mother."

She waved a finger at him and went on: "I've always known what's best for you. And Liz is good for you. Knew it the first moment I clapped eyes on her."

"Liz is an subordinate," he persisted, eyes still on Lemon, waving an arm about, a pen stuck between her teeth. "It would be completely inappropriate."

Colleen reached up to curl a hand about his arm. "Do it for me, Jackie," she crooned sweetly: "For Christmas."

"I'm not kissing Lemon for you!" he hissed, attempting to curtail the discussion as Kenneth waltzed by with another tray of eggnog cups. He grabbed one, downed half of it.

"Well, if you don't," she muttered, watching someone approach Liz: "someone else will."

Jack's eyes followed hers. Frank and Toofer were watching Liz speaking with Sue beneath the scaffold. Frank was pointing to the hanging mistletoe as Toofer wagged his head. Frank sidled purposefully closer. Jack began to move without deciding to, as if in slow motion.

"Lemon!" he called out.

Liz raised her head and looked around. She saw Frank. Saw him dip Sue over his arm and give her a comically wet kiss. Sue's hands beat at his shoulders but her face was red with laughter when he put her back on her feet. She swiped his hat off his head and hit him with it. Toofer was laughing and pointing at the mistletoe as Pete and Lutz looked on.

Liz scowled and turned back to her clipboard.

"Lemon," Jack sighed in relief as he neared her.

"What?" she scowled again, beginning to walk towards him.

He put out a hand. "Don't move."

"Why?"

"You're under the mistletoe."

"I know," she muttered, expression blank: "Last thing I need is some stupid jerk coming up and trying to make out with me…What's so funny?"

Jack ducked his head and swallowed his smile. "Nothing."

She peered around him at his mother, still sat in her wheelchair over the other side of the stage. "I see you made up with Colleen."

Jack's back stiffened: "Is she watching right now?"

Liz tilted her head and squinted at her. "Uh, yeah." She tried to make out the gestures Colleen was making with her hands. She mouthed 'what?' and shrugged at her.

"She…wants me to kiss you," Jack enlightened her, his hands in fists at his sides.

Liz snorted indelicately: "Why?"

Jack pointed up and reminded her: "Mistletoe."

Liz looked up: "Huh." She lowered her gaze to her clipboard, unconcerned: "Well, you're a big boy, Jack. You don't have to do everything your mommy tells you to, right?"

Jack nodded but took a tiny step closer: "It would make her very happy."

She met his gaze, blinked a few times. "That's… really gross."

He smiled uncertainly: "Might make you happy too."

Liz's face lit up. "What makes you think I'm not happy?" she replied, spreading her arms: "I gave the Glovers the best Christmas ever. We managed to put on a kick-ass Christmas Special without Tracy taking his pants off on live television. Or Jenna having a fit of jealousy over the cute dwarfs. I'm having Christmas lunch with the Jordans…and their dogs." She smiled up at him lopsidedly: "Your mother decided to gatecrash, did she tell you?"

"Um. No."

"Well, you're coming and it's gonna be awesome," Liz went on enthusiastically: "I'm gonna make eggnog and pudding and steak…"

Jack noticed that the show had come back from commercial. Music had started to play, lights were twinkling, snow was falling, dwarfs were dancing. Lemon was rambling. His mother was completely distracted. His heart swelled with sentimentality.

Liz stopped talking and peered up at him, her eyes filled with concern: "You look like crap by the way."

"Thankyou," he smiled.

She shook her head and tucked her papers under her arm. "You really should…" she murmured, reaching up to fix his tie: "Lemme just…"

Jack found himself leaning in closer, like he was being drawn in. Like he was falling into some kind of dream-like state. He tilted his head, closed the distance between them. And kissed Lemon. Lightly, softly, his lips lingering on hers for one magical moment as Tracy sang off-key in the background.

When he pulled back, Liz's eyes were wide, her cheeks pink.

"I can't believe you just did that," she breathed after a moment, stunned, maybe a little annoyed.

"Nor I," Jack mumbled: "to be quite frank."

"Jack…" she glanced about neurotically: "…you just kissed me…in front of the entire crew, a full studio audience, a fake Santa and a whole bunch of dancing dwarfs. Not to mention your crippled mother."

"They're elves, Lemon, not dwarfs," he gave a shrug and glanced about also: "and I don't think anyone noticed."

"Not the point!" she chided, glaring up at him confusedly: "Layin' one on me just 'cause mommy dearest goads you into it? What're you thinking?"

"There was a moment," he stammered: "I thought… there was a moment."

She arched an eyebrow. Definitely annoyed. "There was no moment, Jack."

"I blame the eggnog," he gave his tie a sheepish tug: "I think it's spiked."

Liz rolled her eyes and whacked him with her clipboard: "Do that again and you're uninvited to Christmas lunch." She shot him a sharp look as she began to stalk away in her black heels.

"Lemon?" Jack called quietly.

"What?" she huffed, turning to face him.

Jack gave her a brief once-over: "Nice dress."

Her expression darkened significantly. "I have to… work now…" she mumbled, wandering off aimlessly.

Jack watched her go. Couldn't help thinking. His mother was right.

Awfully nice pins.

END.