A kiss...
The first time Andy Flynn kissed Sharon Raydor, it was more of a buss than a kiss. They had been dancing at Nicole's wedding, and he moved the same time she did. He was sure she didn't even realize, but he felt the tingle as his lips skimmed her hairline.
The second time Andy kissed Sharon, it was to placate his grandsons who thought it would be fun to see more grown-ups kiss under the mistletoe. He wasn't even going to bring Sharon to the family dinner, but Nicole asked, and they were right back at that place where she was two and he was devoted to giving his little girl anything she wanted. Sharon didn't mind, and she seemed in on the joke. He loved how her eyes crinkled after the chaste peck, then he turned on his snickering grandsons and that was the end of that.
The third time he kissed Sharon, was in her empty apartment. He and Julio went to help move Rusty to Provenza's the week before the hearing. He knew Rusty was going with the other men, and that Sharon would be all alone. She needed a friend. The door closed with a bang, and her smiling face fell just as the first tears started to glisten in her eyes. She walked to him and he put his arms around her. No words where spoken, he just rubbed her back and kissed her hair, as she quietly sobbed.
The fourth time Sharon surprised him and leaned into the kiss. They had been at the beach with Nicole and the boys, all the boys. Rusty and a visiting Ricky had joined them for the day. It didn't take much coaxing to get Sharon and Nicole to sit while the men took the boys for ice cream. Five pairs of sticky fingers returned, and they all had to clean up in the water. As they were gathering their towels before heading hope, Andy leaned in and Sharon lost her footing. "That works," she giggled when they quickly came apart. Her eyes were crinkled again, just as he liked them.
The fifth time Andy kissed Sharon, was at a gallery opening. He knew he owed her, so when she asked him to join her, biting her bottom lip in anticipation of his rejection, he couldn't help but smile. She asked so little of him, and yet she still was worried he wouldn't agree. Not for the first time he wondered what kind of ass Jack Raydor had been, before he asked aloud what tie to wear. She relaxed and smiled, then he risked it and kissed her cheek close to her ear. "I'll clean up for you, I promise," he said as he stood up again, enjoying the faint blush. "I don't doubt it for a minute," she replied.
The sixth time Andy Flynn kissed Sharon Raydor, they had just finished dinner. He enjoyed their frequent meals together, and was happy they had arrived at a place where the asked and answered portion of the invite could be accomplished by one saying "Dinner?" and the other saying a time. Sometimes he picked the restaurant, sometimes she did, sometimes they asked for suggestions from friends, and sometimes they just drove around until something caught their eye. That night they had driven for some time until they both decided a hole-in-the-wall pizza place was what they really wanted. He liked how open she was to food adventures, and on impulse he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. The blush was back, along with the crinkled eyes. He did not worry that he'd overstepped.
The seventh time he kissed her, they had been coming from a much fancier restaurant. They had just solved a case involving food poisoning and decapitation-for-profit, and she was still dressed for her first undercover role. She looked ridiculous, she laughed, but he wanted to show her how fun pretending to be someone else could be. They'd driven out of the city, to a small haven, and had dinner at a restaurant that featured artisan breads and cheese. They laughed and were silly. When he dropped her off that night, she reached out to touch his hand and leaned towards him, just as he was leaning towards her. A quick kiss on the cheek was the perfect ending to a ludicrous day.
The eight time Andy kissed Sharon, it was after a meal with their squad. Another case had taken it's toll, but this time it included a girl with no name, and a memorial service. It was a hard case, and they all agreed that solving her murder didn't end anything for them. Andy knew he wasn't the only one who'd made a copy of the case file to continue working on the side. After the service, Amy suggested they go to dinner together, like they would after a proper funeral. They all agreed, and spent the evening coming up with different scenarios about Alice's life. Andy walked Sharon to her car afterwards. She reached over to squeeze his hand, then leaned in again, just as he moved in to kiss her cheek. A small moment of comfort and familiarity.
The ninth time Andy Flynn kissed Sharon, was like every time after. They would be at dinner, or finishing a case, or visiting family, or just because it was Friday evening. It didn't matter. Sharon always acknowledged the others in the room, and then found him. She would squeeze his hand and lean in, as he moved to kiss her cheek. She would smile. He would smile, and nothing around them stopped. It was comfortable. It was expected. It was what good friends did when they were happy to be around the other.
It didn't mean anything...
It meant everything.