Merry Christmas everyone!

This is a !fluffy! little Christmas 2-parter :D The story is based on a prompt given to me by my very good friend and fellow #MaryGirl and writer MTraverAndujar :D

This story is set shortly after Shandy became canon. It's their first Christmas together :D

"I'll return it." Andy said as he looked at the object that gave him regular fits of anxiety ever since he had carried it over the threshold.

"You had it custom-made, dad. You can't return it." Nicole couldn't help but be amused by her father's nervous rambling.

"I'll sell it then."

"No you won't. You will give it to her and she'll be over the moon. Trust me, dad. She'll love it."

"I promised her we'd move slowly. This is not slowly!"

"You are not asking her to marry you. You are just giving her a Christmas present. Quite an amazing one if I may add."

"It's too soon for presents like that."

"She is your girlfriend. You've been friends since forever. It's not too early, dad. Relax."

He sighed as he buried his face in both his hands and mumbled "I should have listened to Provenza and just got her a bubble bath or something equally mundane."

Nicole had a hard time to suppress her laughter. "By now you really should have learned that following Provenza's advice is always a ticket to doom. The old guy is divorced seven times for a reason."

"Four times." Andy corrected her before he got up from his recliner to pace some more around the item that was the cause of his turmoil.

"Your gift is perfect, dad. Stop worrying."

"I can't wait for the holidays to be over." He darted a sinister eye at the wooden object and released another sigh which sounded as if he were carrying the entire universe on his shoulders.

He couldn't remember ever having felt this nervous and insecure about a present and the subsequent reaction it would evoke. However, he wasn't entirely surprised about that. After all he had never been in a relationship like this one before. He had never wanted to make it work more, never tried harder, never loved deeper.

His relationship with Sharon had come as a complete surprise to him and yet in hindsight, he realized that he should have seen it coming. Or at least he should have known that he'd fall for her. The first time she had strutted into the murder room in those heels of hers, all arrogantly and bossy, he had known that she was gonna cause him a lot of trouble. And he had been excited about it. Not annoyed, not angry, instead he had been looking forward to arguing with her. And argued they had a lot. About his attitude, his tendency to run into trouble and her appreciation of bureaucracy. Then, when she took over Major Crimes, they had became actual friends and at some point he just hadn't been able to imagine his life without her in it anymore. She had become the point his life revolved around, his anchor, his everything.

Sharon watched her children with a smile as they made a mess of the kitchen. It always was a pleasure having them home, it was the only Christmas present she needed really: all three of her children under one roof.

It had become somewhat of a tradition for them to bake cookies together on the 24th. It was less about the baked goods and more about spending time together, about doing something as a family. And of course it was also about throwing flour at each other. When the kids started with that Sharon usually sneaked away and watched her babies from the couch, far away from any flour-attacks.

This year she had retreated into the living room earlier than usual, leaving the children to deal with last few cookie sheets.

She had a decision to make and to do that she needed some peace. She could still see and hear the kids from the couch but the distance gave her the perfect amount of space which she needed to think.

A bordeaux envelope was lying on the coffee table in front of her. Andy's name was written on it in neat, black letters. On the inside were two tickets. Plane tickets. She had bought them on a whim which was very unusual for her. She was not a spontaneous person. She always planned things, thought them over, made pro and contra lists. So far it had helped her a great deal in life. As a (mostly) single mother who had a full-time job, having a structured life had saved her. And after the kids had left the nest she had kept sticking to the schedule and avoided any too spontaneous changes. She had felt comfortable that way. But then Rusty came into her life and now there was Andy too. Andy who liked to take her out whenever he feels like it, Andy who was responsible that she was late for a meeting last week because he had kissed her until anything else had disappeared from her mind. Andy was bringing chaos into her life and yet she couldn't remember ever being happier.

"Are you ever gonna tell us what's in the envelope?" Emily asked as she dropped down next to her mother. Her two brothers were still in the kitchen, decorating cookies and not paying any attention to them.

"No." The kids would find out eventually. However she didn't really want to talk about it right now as she herself didn't really know what all of this meant. What this gift meant and what it would do to her and Andy's realtionship.

"Mom, come on! You are all nervous about it, talking helps. You always say so yourself!"

Sharon smiled at her girl. She had flour in her hair, and yet she looked like an angel. Her precious little angel who had stopped being little a long time ago. "You are so beautiful." Sharon said as she tucked a strand of her daughter's dark hair behind her ear.

"Mom! Don't try to change the topic."

"I'm not. Just making an observation."

"You really like Andy, huh?" Emily knew the answer to this question. It was obvious. However, it was somewhat of a surprise to her that this new relationship of her mother was already at quite an advanced stage. This was far beyond having a crush, beyond going out twice a week. Her mom was in love. Completely and totally. Emily had never seen her like that, not even with her father.

Sharon thought about avoiding the question, thought about telling her that it was none of her business but truth was that it was Emily's business. Andy was about to become part of their family. He was going to spend Christmas with them and he would be around for other holidays too. This realtionship was new but it was as serious as it got.

Sharon shrugged sheepishly. "He makes me happy... He makes me laugh."

Emily smiled as she let her head fall onto her mom's shoulder. "I'm glad. You deserve it, mom. More than anyone I know."

"I love you my little bunny." Sharon said as she put her arm around her girl and pressed a kiss to her temple.

Emily giggled at the use of her old nick name which her mother had never quite managed to let go of. "Love you too."

"You gonna tell me whats in the envelope now?" The younger woman asked sweetly.

"Nice try, but no." Sharon didn't even know if she was actually going to give the tickets to Andy, if she'll even have the courage to. Their realtionship had only just started, they had agreed to move forward slowly, she had specifically asked him to. Were they ready for gifts like this one? Or was it too much too soon? Maybe she should just give him her back-up present. It would certainly be the safer choice. It had less meaning attached to it, it was less of a commitment, less dangerous.

TBC...

Thanks for reading! Isn't it kitschy? xD

Will try to post part 2 asap :D In my head the story is already finished, just have to finish writing it down xD

Have wonderful holidays :D