A/N This little one shot is a tumblr holiday prompt for the request: "Shandy 15 "Is that mistletoe" (bonus/extra love if it's secret dating during the Closer. I'm such a sucker for that storyline)?" So, it is set during the Closer as a Shandy AU, but Major Crimes still applies since they are from there too. I don't know if these are something you will enjoy reading over here. There are a few other prompts I will be working on. I am not sure how they will turn out, but if it works I could upload them as well.
Is That Mistletoe
Christmas 2010 was going to go down in the books as one of the most frustrating holidays to date. Which was saying something, as that included the year Jack showed up drunk dressed as Santa Claus - 3 days late, and the year he broke the sliding glass door trying to sneak in before the rest of the family got home from Midnight Mass. Yes, 2010 was going to top both of those years, and Jack was not even there. Instead, little Skander, the Ghost, Major Crimes, and Chief Pope managed to beat those experiences in less than 72 hours. Sure, it was not their fault the snowstorm had closed down the Salt Lake City airport, but it was easier to direct her annoyance at them than the weather. At least she had been able to change her flight, and would hopefully be out first thing in the morning. A Merry Christmas, indeed.
After Major Crimes wrapped the case she took to the opportunity to sneak away to call her children. Sharon wanted to update them on her travel plans, as well as wish them a Merry Christmas. She found a quiet corner down the hall, just down from the ninth floor break room. Emily was sad to hear she would not be able to make it that evening, but also assured her that everything would be fine and that Christmas would be waiting for her when she arrived. Sharon's eyes had teared slightly at how grown up her children were, how much she missed them, and also how frustrated she was that he job was preventing her from being there with the rest of her family.
A light cough from down the hall pulled her out of her thoughts and back to the fact that it was Christmas Eve and she was indeed still at the PAB. She rolled her head in the direction of the sound and smiled softly, despite her current disappointment. "Why, Lieutenant," she hummed, "what are you doing down here? Isn't there a Christmas party somewhere?" Sharon reached up to wipe away a lone tear from her cheek as she turned her body away from the window. She hoped her tone would cover the evidence of where he mind had been.
Grinning, Andy stepped forward and nodded, "Yes, there is a party happening. I have been tasked with rounding up the stragglers." He stood a couple feet to her side and winked, "I hear there is quite the feast waiting for us. Willie Ray was just going on and on about how big of a help Brenda's friend Sharon has been in helping her get everything put together."
Sharon smirked at the comment and let out a light chuckle, "I only put the marshmallows on her sweet potatoes."
Andy shrugged, "Still, you do seem to have made a friend."
"Lucky me," she teased. "Look at me, Brenda's friend, Willie Ray's friend, and then I have you out looking for me. I feel so loved. Things have certainly changed in the last few hours. I mean I could have sworn I heard one of them say something about hating me not too long ago."
"Oh, you know Tao was only upset because of the timing," Andy brushed off the comment. "It had nothing to do with you." Sharon eyed him skeptically, but did not reply. He took another step toward her, "Plus, I mean I do think there is another Lieutenant who definitely does not feel that way. He even was planning on offering to spend Christmas with you and drive you to the airport in the morning. Funny thing that he just so happened to be on a flight out to Utah as well."
"Oh really?" Sharon probed, her eyes sparkling. "That is rather convenient. Although, it does seem a little presumptuous of the Lieutenant to think that I would need his help or want his company. I mean I am fully capable of taking care of myself, and I wouldn't let just anyone travel with me. Especially for something as important as Christmas with my family."
Andy reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her closer to him. "It is a good thing I am not just anyone then," he joked. With her tucked into his side he went on, "I mean sometimes plans change, but I am sure we can make the best of it."
She relaxed into his hold and sighed, "I'm sorry dinner with your kids did not work out either. I know how much that meant to you."
Still holding her he shrugged, "It will be all right. I think they understand," he paused for a moment, "at least I hope they do."
Sharon pulled away slightly and smiled reassuringly up at him, "I am sure they do. They know you tried. Were you able to speak to them before they left?"
"Well," Andy explained, "Sandra answered. She said she would let them know. They all leave for Hawaii this evening, so it just was not going to work out with our timeline. She suggested that maybe when they get back we will be able to arrange something."
"That sounds promising," Sharon smiled, running her hand down his tie. "Were you able to speak to either one of them?"
"Yeah, Nic just called from the airport. Said she was sad, but wished me a Merry Christmas." He shrugged, "Progress."
"Yes, definitely. It will work out, they know you were going to be there." Sharon stepped out of his arm and nodded toward the Murder Room. "Well, Lieutenant, I bet the rest of your team is beginning to worry about where you disappeared to. They may send a search party with pitchforks and flaming torches." She smirked, "I can almost hear your partner now ranting about how the witch must have put some kind of hex on you if he came looking and found us so close."
Andy rolled his eyes at the image; "It would almost serve him right. Besides, it's Christmas. I won't let him ruin what little bit of it we have left to enjoy." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small green and red bundle. Lifting the item into the air he grinned, "The rest of them can wait just another moment."
Sharon eyed the object above her head, "Is that mistletoe?"
Andy nodded, "And they say you lost all of those detective skills when you moved over to the dark side." He smirked before adding, "I lifted it from Willie Ray's decoration hoard."
"The dark side?" she reiterated skeptically. "Are you sure you want to go down that –." Before she could finish her sentence Andy reached out and pulled her into him, kissing her sweetly. Sharon smiled against his lips, "Well, I guess that discussion can wait a little longer." She closed her eyes and returned the kiss, temporarily allowing herself to forget about the mess of a Christmas they were having and the fact that his team was just down the hall. It was late, it was Christmas, and the rules about what they could or could not do at the office could fall to the side. After all, mistletoe had its own requirements.
Their quiet moment was disrupted by a gasp from the hall behind Andy. Sharon froze and opened her eyes to meet his, "What was that?" she wondered looking nervously down the hall.
Andy stepped away and turned his head to follow her gaze, "What was what?"
Sharon bit down on her cheek and tilted her head nervously. "I thought I heard someone."
"Probably just voices from the party traveling down the hall." He smiled at her anxious expression, "Relax. It was nothing. Even if it was, I am sure no one would believe that you would be involved with someone like me."
"True," Sharon reasoned mockingly, trying to overcome her nerves. "What I am worried about?"
"Beats me," Andy shrugged returning the mistletoe to his pocket. "I don't ask too many questions though. I am just along for the ride." Sharon shook her head playfully from side-to-side as she rolled her eyes at his joke. Before she cold respond Andy gestured down the hall. "Well, I think we should probably rejoin the others. Then you can grab your bag and we can pick this back up later."
Sharon took another step away and repeated her previous sentiment, "So presumptuous."
"Oh?" Andy teased, "You really were speaking about another Lieutenant earlier?" He grinned and reached into his other pocket for his phone, "because I can always see if someone else wants to spend Christmas with me."
Sharon swiped at his arm teasingly, "Okay, that's enough of that." She smiled, "We do need to get back to the party. You go first. I need to respond to Ricky's latest text."
Andy brought his hand to his forehead in salute, "Aye aye, Captain." Chuckling, Sharon rolled her eyes at his antics and pushed him down the hall.
Around the corner, Brenda rushed in through the side door of her office slightly out of breath. "Fritz, Momma," she panted, trying to force a smile. "Momma can you excuse us for just one second?"
"Why Brenda Leigh, what's wrong?" Willie Ray probed stepping toward her daughter. "You are as white as a sheet, darlin'. What is it?"
Brenda pursed her lips together into a larger smile to dissuade her mother, "Nothin' Momma. I just need to tell Fritzy somethin'." She waved her hand through the air, "It's nothing just a Christmas idea. A little secret." Before she had a chance to elaborate further, movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention away from her family.
Willie Ray glanced up as Andy was walking by the window. "Oh, now there's Lieutenant Flynn," the woman took a step toward the other door, "I wonder if he found her."
Brenda whipped her head in her mother's direction and stammered, "Uh, her? Found who, Momma?"
"Your friend, Sharon," Willie Ray shrugged casually as she pulled open the door. "The Captain sure does have good taste in men, doesn't she? He is so polite and so very helpful. Even if he cannot gift wrap a present to save his life." The older woman let out a small chuckle, "Bless him," and stepped into the Murder Room.
When the door closed behind her Brenda turned to her husband, momentarily speechless. Fritz took the opportunity to step forward. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side, "Maybe you should hold off on revealing that Christmas surprise until later." He brushed his lips against the side of her head before nodding toward her team. "Come on, it's Christmas. Let's go out there and enjoy what little of it we have left."