Written for a prompt given to me by miru-meow on Tumblr: Sharon/Andy fic + something from the winter season.
The song that is mentioned in the story is 'Unchained Melody' by The Righthouse Brothers.
Sharon hung up the phone with a deep sigh. Her eyes aimlessly raked across the room, settling on the still undecorated Christmas tree. One tear made it past her lash line and lazily rolled down her face. She wiped it with the back of her hand and sniffled.
"So, they're not coming home for the holiday?" she heard Rusty's voice coming from the kitchen. She thought he was in his room and she had no idea how he managed to enter the kitchen without her seeing him.
"No, they're going to spend the holiday with their grandparents at their timeshare in Park City," Sharon replied. "I think they're a bit angry at me."
"I'm sorry," Rusty handed her a mug with tea. She looked pleasantly surprised by the act of kindness.
"Oh, honey. It's okay. I'm sure they'll forgive me. I'll be able to see them next Christmas," Sharon put on a brave face and blew the steam that rose out of the mug.
"That's next year. You won't see your children for a whole year?" Rusty asked. "I don't understand; why can't we just go to Park City and spend the holiday with your family?"
"You know why; I'm on call on Christmas night," Sharon replied and took a tentative sip of the tea. The tea was too hot and burned her tongue.
"You're only on call because you volunteered," Rusty replied.
"Someone had to do to it. I didn't want to ask the squad to sacrifice their holiday plans," Sharon explained.
"So you sacrificed your plans instead. How noble," Rusty declared a bit too sarcastically.
"I'll be home for Christmas dinner, I promise," Sharon said. Had she known it would upset Rusty so much, she wouldn't have volunteered to be on call that night. "Do you want to join Ricky and Haley in Park City?"
"Without you?" Rusty asked.
"Yeah, you haven't had a vacation in a long time and you've been working so hard at school." The loving and proud expression on Sharon's face made her look almost magical to Rusty.
"But then you'll be here all alone," he said. "I don't want to leave you alone."
"No, honey; I'm gonna be just fine. I'll have to spend the night at the station and I'll probably be tired in the morning, I'll go to bed and won't be up until noon anyway," she said.
"Are you sure you want me to go to Utah?"
"Only if you want to; you can stay here if you want, but I think it would be nice for you to spend some time out of school, home or the station."
"I guess a vacation doesn't sound bad. And I'd love to meet Ricky and Haley again," Rusty said.
"That's great. I'll book a flight ticket for you and we'll go shopping for winter clothes tomorrow." Sharon patted his shoulder.
"Thank you, Sharon. I hope it's gonna be fun and I wish you could go with me." Sharon's heart quivered in her chest like a trapped bird as she heard his words.
"Oh, you'll love it, I'm sure. And maybe I'll be able to join you around New Year's Eve." Sharon was happy that Rusty will get to spend some time with people other than herself or the squad. He seemed to be quite lonely since he stopped talking to Kris and his life was very restricted ever since Emma found his letters. Some fresh air and new company would be good for him and besides, it was safer sending him to Utah than leaving him home alone while she was working.
Sharon leaned back in her office chair, her nose buried in a book and a mug of steaming tea in her hand. The night shift was passing slowly and so far there weren't any calls or any incidents that required her attention. Most of the lights in the 9th floor of the LAPD Headquarters were off and she only turned on one small light in the murder room when she came in.
Being all alone at Christmas night in the office felt weird. She could hear noises all around her: floors creaking, furniture squeaking, and the glass in the windows making old clicking sounds. She was not easily scared, but just in case, she kept her Glock on her desk, within reach.
Taking a sip of her tea, her thoughts wondered from her book to Rusty. Was he having fun at Park City with her family? Were her parents happy to finally meet him? Was he dressed warm? Was he safe? The last question especially worried her. She did inform DDA Rios and Chief Taylor of her plan to send him out of state for a week and received their approval to do so, but it didn't worry her any less. He texted her before he went to bed, wishing her merry Christmas and good night. He also wrote to her that he had left a gift for her in his 'secret elf hideout' and will send her a 'road map' in the morning. A wide smile spread across her face as she read his text message. She didn't expect him to buy her a gift and could only assume that his 'secret elf hideout' was situated somewhere inside his closet. Whether it was located in the North Pole or in his sock drawer, she still thought he was incredibly sweet of him.
She threw a glance at her watch. It was 3 a.m. and Rusty was most likely sleeping in a warm bed in her parents' beautiful timeshare. She knew her mother and her daughter Haley decorated the cabin with Christmas lights and Ricky probably lit the fire in the hearth. If she concentrated enough, she could almost feel its warmth on her face and could almost smell the melting marshmallows that Rusty and Ricky probably ate too many of before going to bed. She hoped her mother remembered Haley's special dietary needs and made sure the cabin was peanut-free. And she hoped Haley brought her EpiPen with her, just in case. She let out a long sigh and brought the mug to her lips, noticing that it was already empty.
She placed the mug back on her desk and picked up her book again when a knock on the door of her office startled her. She reached for her Glock as she heard a voice from behind the closed door.
"Captain, it's Flynn. May I come in?" His voice sounded loud even through the door. She put the book down and got up to open the door.
"Lieutenant Flynn, what are you doing here at 3 a.m. on Christmas eve?" Sharon asked. Her lieutenant was wearing a Lacoste navy blue sweater and dark somewhat elegant jeans. Sharon couldn't help but thinking he was really good-looking, but she quickly pushed the thought out of her mind.
"Well, I couldn't sleep, so I thought that I might as well come and keep you company," Andy replied with his infamous boyish grin spread across his face. Sharon felt as if her insides were melting.
"How was Christmas dinner?" she asked, inwardly reprimanding herself for her straying thoughts.
"I didn't go," Andy admitted. "I was practically at the door when my ex wife called me and told me that her new husband would rather that I didn't come." Sharon felt a painful twitch in her chest. She had a complicated relationship with Jackson, even more now that they were getting a divorce, but she would never think of excluding him from his children's lives the way Andy's ex was doing.
"I'm sorry," Sharon said.
"It's not your fault. That's just the way she is." He shrugged. "Anyway, I made all this food; a complete vegetarian Christmas dinner and there's too much of it for just me," he motioned towards his desk, where Sharon could see a pile of plastic Tupperware containers filled with food. "Have you eaten?"
"I ate a granola bar, a few hours ago," Sharon replied.
"Come on, you must be starving," Andy opened one of the containers, exposing an appetizing piece of pie. "This is a spinach and cheese pie," Andy said. He proceeded to open the other containers. "Stuffed mushrooms and sweet potatoes with cream," he said as he handed Sharon a fork.
"You made all this?" Sharon's eyes widened. Andy brought huge portions of food and she knew that she will not be able to finish everything. She cut a small piece of the spinach pie with her fork and brought it to her mouth. "It's divine," she gave him a tight lipped smile as she chewed; only now realizing how hungry she was.
"Try the mushrooms; it's the first time I tried this recipe, so I'd like an honest opinion." Sharon pierced a stuffed mushroom with her fork and bit it gently. The goat cheese filling melted on her tongue and the mushroom was chewy and delicious. "It's great, Andy. I wish that I could cook half as well as you do."
"I could teach you, if you want," Andy offered. Sharon smiled and gave a slight nod. Andy watched her eat as he entertained her with stories from his rookie days. Her laughter was like bells ringing in his ears, carefree and hearty. It has been a while since he's seen the Captain looking so relaxed. The letters the kid has been receiving were causing her a lot of worry and anguish. He knew that she hid these feelings well, but he could see right through the dark shadow that overcame her eyes in the recent months. But tonight, something has changed. The shadow was lifted and Sharon was open and lively and not so captain-like. "I have a surprise for you," Andy said when she finished eating. He pulled another container out of a brown paper bag. "I brought dessert." He opened the container, exposing a delicious smelling tiramisu.
"Oh, god," Sharon moaned. "I'll have to go on a strict diet for a month after this meal."
"It's a holiday. You can indulge yourself just this once," Andy's smile made Sharon's heart beat faster and she wasn't sure why.
"Okay, but this time we share," she relented.
"I only brought one spoon."
"It's alright," Sharon shrugged. Andy used the spoon to cut a small piece of the tiramisu and brought it to her mouth. She spread her lips open, letting the sweet deliciousness of the coffee cake melt on her tongue, humming softly.
"It's great," she said as she watched Andy taking a bite of the cake. He handed the spoon to her and she took another bite.
"You have some cream…" Andy started and Sharon lifted her palm to her mouth. "No, it's on the other side." She moved her fingers to the other side of her lips. "Not there;" Andy's lips curved in a smile. "Here, let me." He cupped her cheek with his palm, brushing his thumb across Sharon's lips.
"Did you get it?" she asked, feeling his thumb grazing her bottom lip as she spoke. He nodded slowly, his forefinger and middle finger lingering under her cheekbone while his ring finger and little finger were resting under her jaw. His thumb caressed her lips slowly. He could feel her pulse rising under his hand and noticed the way her face quickly became flush, but she didn't move. Her eyes were fixed on him and he couldn't help but looking back into the green emeralds. They sparkled, just like real gems. He didn't realize his body moved towards her until his lips touched hers. Her pulse seemed to rise even higher under his hand and for a brief second he thought that she might be angry at him. His own pulse tended to go up every time he was pissed off. He was about to draw away from her when she spread her lips, granting him entrance to her mouth. Her hands crept up his chest and settled in a loose embrace around his neck, the tips of her fingers gently caressing his nape.
They pulled apart and looked at each other for a brief moment, shock and awe registering across their faces.
"You have no idea for how long I've wanted to kiss you," Andy said under his breath, his fingers tracing the outline of her jaw. She opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. Instead she leaned forward and captured his bottom lip between hers, her eyes wide open and fixed on his face. "It's kinda weird," Andy said when they pulled apart.
"What is?" she asked, her voice husky.
"That you kiss with your eyes open," Andy replied.
"I like looking at you," she couldn't believe the flirtatious tone that came out of her mouth. It's been years since the last time she used it. She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand, the motion gentle and soothing.
"I've never kissed anyone with my eyes open." Andy admitted. Sure, he has done a lot of things with women, but not this.
"It feels good to me, but I could shut my eyes if it bothers you," she offered.
"No, don't do that. It could be interesting to try doing it differently," Andy smiled and his arms came around her waist, gently pulling her towards him. He looked deep into her eyes, his lips touching hers in a tentative attempt to keep his gaze fixed on hers. She spread her lips, drawing his lips into her mouth and sucking on them. Andy kept looking into her eyes, feeling himself slowly relaxing. Her gaze had an entrancing quality, and it had a calming effect on him. She was right; kissing with their eyes open was deeper, more intense, and much more intimate. "Wow," the word came out of his mouth as a gasp. "It feels incredible." Sharon smiled at him, leaning back in her seat. "Come here," he took her hand and gently pulled her to a standing position. "Let's dance."
"There's no music," she replied with a shy smile.
"I can sing, you know." Andy smirked. "Are you ready?"
"Hmm, yeah," a giggle escaped from between Sharon's lips.
"Oh, my love, my darling… I've hungered for your touch," Andy started and they swayed across the room. "A long, lonely touch," Sharon's body followed his motions. It was not the first time they danced together. She could still remember how much they danced at Nicole's wedding, even though it was a little different back then. They were physically close, but still kept a reasonable distance. Now the distance between them was anything but reasonable or official.
"Andy," she whispered, her lips curling up in an amused smile. He hummed in response. "I wish you could sing as well as you dance," she giggled into the crook of his shoulder, the fabric of his sweater rubbing against the tip of her nose. Andy stopped dancing and fished his iPhone out of the pocket of his jeans. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for 'Unchained Melody' on YouTube," Andy replied. "Hold on," he walked over to his desk and pulled the speakers cable out of his computer, plugging it into the iPhone earphone exit. He pressed 'play' and came back to Where she was standing, resuming their dance position.
Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
Sharon couldn't help the dreamy smile that spread across her face as they swayed, pulling each other a little bit closer with every step. Their lips locked almost as if it was part of the natural flow of their dance. Sharon's arms came around Andy's neck, her fingers climbing up his nape and into his salt and pepper hair. Andy groaned into the kiss as he felt his back hitting the doorframe of Sharon's office, the wooden edge pressing into his back. Something fell between their bodies and Sharon flinched and pulled her lips away from his. She looked down at the space between them, finding a mistletoe on the floor. She bent down and picked it up. She smiled at him and tickled his chin with one of the leaves. He grinned, almost unaffected with the tickling, but falling more in love with her by the moment. She probably wasn't aware of what she was doing to his soul at these moments, how his love for her – a feeling that he has struggled with for a long time – was taking over every fiber of his being. And looking at her made a fuzzy feeling spread inside his body. There was something almost childlike in her eyes that he's never seen before. It was almost magical to look at, a healthy sparkle, a mischievous glint. He cupped her cheek and pulled her close to him, kissing along her jaw line until his mouth met hers. The sound of steps made them pull apart quickly. Sharon's hand crept up to her hair, making sure it was neat. She took a seat next to Andy's desk and grabbed the abandoned spoon, sticking it into the tiramisu. The steps came closer, until a uniformed officer came into the room.
"Merry Christmas, Captain," he said and nodded towards Andy when he noticed him. "I came to replace you," he announced. Sharon threw a glance at her watch.
"Oh, it's 6 a.m. already. Time flies," she grinned as she shoved a spoonful of cake into her mouth. Andy grinned to himself. She looked like a kid trying to get away from punishment. It was adorable. "Well, I'll leave as soon as I'm done," she pointed at the cake with her spoon.
"Of course, Captain. Take your time," the young officer said. "Were there any incidents during the night?"
"Not a single call. Everyone was waiting for Santa with cookies and milk, I assume." She offered the officer a smile. He was obviously very young and recently joined the forces. She didn't know his name, but he reminded her a bit of Ricky.
"I'm glad to hear that," the officer said and went to the far side of the room, taking a seat at his usual desk. Sharon exchanged a relieved gaze with Andy and winked at him. She grabbed the lid from the table and closed the container. Andy joined her and together they packed up all the food.
"I'll just go and gather my things," Sharon said and walked into her office. She took her purse and shoved her book and phone inside, then grabbed her coat and went out of her office, shutting the door behind her. "I'm ready to leave," she said. Andy arms were full with two big paper bags where he piled the Tupperware containers and she took one from him. They walked towards the elevators and Andy's free hand came around Sharon's waist. She looked exhausted and he wasn't sure she was good to drive.
"Sharon," he uttered her name softly as they walked into the elevator. She hummed in response. "How about you come over for my special Christmas hot chocolate?" she looked at him for a moment, trying to detect whether he was serious about the hot chocolate or simply looking for something else. "What?" Andy asked.
"When you say hot chocolate…"
"I mean a mug of the best hot chocolate you've ever tasted, with fluffy whipped cream and maybe some more cake on the side," Andy offered her a friendly smile.
"So you're not insinuating anything?" Sharon raised her eyebrow.
"I wouldn't dare. Just hot chocolate and nothing more; except for cake." Andy said as the elevator doors opened. They walked out to the parking lot.
"Alright," Sharon nodded and followed him to his car.
Andy placed a big blue Dodgers mug in Sharon's hands. Her fingers curled around it and she thanked him tiredly and brought it to her mouth. She could tell that the hot chocolate was too hot to drink at the moment, but she enjoyed smelling it. Andy took a seat beside her and she rested her head on his shoulder.
His living room was cozy, she thought. The lights were off and the few sun rays that infiltrated through the curtains gave the room an orange hue.
"You're okay?" Andy asked. He could tell that she could barely keep her eyes open. She brought the mug to her lips, taking a quick sip of the rich hot chocolate. Andy was right; it was really a great hot chocolate. She swallowed and took another sip.
"Just a little tired," she replied. Andy wrapped his arm around her shoulders and leaned forward to press a kiss to her temple. Gently, he took the mug from her and placed it on the coffee table. She turned her head towards him and smiled before capturing his lips between hers. "Merry Christmas, Andy," she whispered as they pulled apart.
"Merry Christmas," Andy replied. He laced his fingers with hers, bringing their joined hands to his chest and placing them over his heart. She let her head fall on his shoulder again and her eyes slowly shut, her thick lashes casting a soft shadow under her eyes. Andy looked at her and gently eased her down onto the couch, placing a throw pillow under her head. He then grabbed a snuggie that was thrown on the backrest and covered her. Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Sleep tight, Sharon," he whispered. Turning around, he walked to his bedroom.
It was indeed a merry Christmas, he realized as he crawled into bed and pulled the covers all the way up. And as he shut his eyes and his body sank heavily into his mattress, he could hear a song playing at the back of his head.
Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time…
Part 2 will come soon.
