Her Love of Angels
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Major Crimes. James Duff, et al, has that lovely distinction.
Summary: Where Sharon's love of Angels began and how it continued.
A/N1: This idea came to me while corresponding with GlisteningSun; thanks to her encouragement, Musey came in from making snow angels in the backyard. I was wearing my beautiful Angel bracelet given to me by GingerSnapped907 while typing and it all just came together.
A/N2: Enjoy! Leave a review if you feel so inclined. They are very much appreciated. #TodayIsLife
~~~~~PT~~~~~
Looking back now, her first childhood memory of Church wasn't attending Mass. Back then Churches were open all day so anyone could enter whenever they felt the need. Sharon remembered walking up the tiled floor and feeling so small in comparison to the tall, wooden pews they were passing on their way to the altar. Grandpa held her hand firmly in case she became afraid in the quiet and solitude an empty Church offered.
With the exuberance of a child, she hopped along to keep up with his long legs; sometimes she bounced with happiness as she looked around. The paintings were beautiful and she wanted to learn how to make pictures worthy of being hung in her Church. The statues seemed so lifelike and she wanted to touch them but her parents had both, on separate occasions, told her she mustn't. Grandpa had the energy of a man much younger than his true age. He called it his child within and Sharon didn't understand what that meant. Upon reaching the altar, she knelt down with Grandpa and folded her hands as he did. While he closed his eyes, Sharon kept hers open, watching this man she loved pray. She knew from her parents that praying was important and she did it at night before going to bed and, of course, when they went to Mass. This was the first time she'd seen it done on a whim, as her Grandpa called it.
Sharon was a dutiful child and she remained kneeling until her grandfather rose. As he scooped her up, she let loose a burst of giggles for which her parents would've chided her. Grandpa encouraged them, telling her never to lose her child within. About to ask what that meant, her eyes landed on a life-size statue of one of the angels. She'd forgotten which one it was though her parents had told her several times already. The statue was made out of marble, she remembered them saying, but what intrigued her most was the size of the wings and the flowing dress. She always wanted to touch that angel so badly her fingers would move as if she actually was. Knowing she mustn't touch, Sharon asked to be put down and merely stood before the statue. Moments later, she decided on her own name for it, one she could remember. From that day on, the new name was Angel Sean after her grandfather. "I'll never forget its name now," she announced quietly. They were in Church after all and she must always act like a young lady.
Watching how her eyes lit up and her fingers twitched brought a smile to her grandfather's face so he scooped her back up and spun her around bringing forth another fit of giggles. He asked her if she wanted to touch the angel's wings and she hopefully bobbed her head up and down. Moving her to sit on his shoulders, he told her it was okay because he knew the Priest quite well and he'd take full responsibility for her behavior. Sharon touched the wings gently; she traced them as far as she could reach before being placed back on the floor. With an unasked question, her eyes sought out her grandfather's and he nodded his head. She traced the flowing dress, or robe as she was corrected, until she was on her tiptoes. Unable to reach any further, she grabbed her grandfather's hand and tugged. He picked her up and told her to kiss Angel Sean because he would always keep her safe.
Grandpa began a tradition with her that day. Any opportunity that presented itself, they went to Church and spent time with her favorite angel. On her next birthday, he'd snuck off with her so she could include Angel Sean in her special day. It was then he told her that no matter how tough life became, she was smart and she'd find strength in her faith. He also reminded her Angel Sean would always keep her safe, she just had to seek him out. Sharon wasn't completely certain about everything Grandpa was telling her but she loved and trusted the man enough to know that she would understand one day when she was older.
~~~# #~~~
Sean and his family loved Park City, Utah. His parents brought them there for school break from Christmas through New Year's. Sean was known as a wild child, or sometimes the kinder adults would call him a wild spirit. He'd ski the more dangerous slopes, roll down the highest hills, climb the tallest trees, or find any other way he could to release the energy inside him. When he grew up and got married, he took his wife and their children to Park City every year. He taught them to be daring while she taught them to control themselves better. Family holidays in Utah were a tradition and it was the reason Sharon's parents eventually bought a time share there. Her parents were evenly matched in temperament and control so the only time her little sprite could fully emerge was when she was with her grandfather.
It was the Christmas break after they'd begun their tradition in Church that Grandpa took Sharon's hand, bundled her up for the weather and sprinted outside with her before the other adults realized what was happening. Once they missed them, they peered through the windows and laughed at what they saw. There they were, the two of them, making snow angels. Grandpa was gliding his arms and legs while speaking to his granddaughter; Sharon was following his instruction and example to the tee. Before going inside, they'd each made five snow angels. Grandpa told her they had to make one more each year of her life as long as they were together and she'd happily agreed. She was five; it made perfect sense to her.
Once inside, the entire family sat in the living room in front of the fire and listened to Grandpa's stories of his misspent youth right there in Park City. Sharon was often on Grandpa's lap as he spoke; her eyes filled with wonder and delight as she listened to this great man speak so proudly of his misbehavior.
That same vacation it was Grandpa, of course, who gave Sharon her very first angel. It was made of crystal; he'd had her name inscribed on it and told her to keep it safe always. As any child would do at that age, she'd held it carefully, close to her heart and promised with every fiber of her being to keep the special gift safe.
~~~# #~~~
That was another tradition her grandfather began. Each year, he'd give Sharon another angel, a little bigger than the last to acknowledge her growth. It was always inscribed with a short message: Be kind; be strong; be a good friend; love truly; be you, etc.
Her parents at first only tolerated her love of angels but soon learned to enjoy the happiness they brought her; they knew it was a connection between Sharon and her grandfather that could never be broken. They watched her grow older and mature from a spirited child to a well-behaved young lady yet that sprite would always come out when she was in the presence of the man who showed her what life, love and fun were all about. Though she loved her parents deeply, there was no one more important in Sharon's world than her grandfather.
True to his word, they always made the number of snow angels to match her age and she'd add yet another crystal angel with a message about life to her collection. Her parents had given in to her desire for an angel shelf so Grandpa had designed one especially for her. She loved it and loved even more that he had left room enough for more angels in the future.
~~~# #~~~
Over the years, Sharon proudly shared stories of her time with her grandfather with anyone willing to listen. She just as proudly showed off her collection of angels. The messages inscribed on them were held dear to her heart and proven true in how she lived her life. She had taken to stopping by to see Angel Sean when she needed guidance, even if the real-life Sean couldn't go with her.
The connection between them was so strong that Sharon would sometimes forego outings with her friends if her grandfather wanted to spend time with her. This seemed to happen more often after she turned fourteen and began high school. Her parents told her it was only because her grandfather knew she was growing up quickly and would be creating her own life so he was trying to get his time in before that happened. Shocked, she'd loudly proclaimed that would never happen then proceeded to call him and tell him just that. Her parents looked sadly at one another without saying a word; fortunately Sharon was facing the wall as she chided Sean for ever thinking she'd be too busy for him.
~~~# #~~~
When Sharon was sixteen, she, her siblings and parents went to Park City for Christmas vacation per their usual. Her grandparents would be joining them there as would her aunts, uncles and cousins. It would be the first time in a few years that everyone would be together and Sharon couldn't wait to make more memories in Utah.
She hadn't seen her grandfather since she'd started her new school year so she was especially excited to spend an entire week with him and start out a new year making snow angels as they always did. Sharon had asked what was keeping her grandfather so busy and her parents had honestly told her that he and her grandmother were travelling to places they'd always wanted to see. Thinking only of making memories, she'd happily exclaimed she couldn't wait to see the pictures. That seemed to fit in with why everyone changed their plans around to make it to Park City that year also. Sharon was so excited she could hardly contain herself. The car had barely stopped when she was jumping out to run into the outstretched arms of the man she'd missed dearly the last few months. He'd picked her up under her arms and spun her around, bringing forth that burst of giggles that always made him smile. In mid-swing, he pushed her up higher and she grabbed a branch. She knew he wanted a picture of her sitting in the only tree they could make that happen. Once the camera was back in his pocket, he told her to jump down as she did as a child. "Never lose your inner child," he reminded her softly, "never stop being my sprite." She aimed for a pile of snow and landed with a loud plop causing them both to laugh until tears glistened in their eyes. It wasn't until he began teasing her about her snort-laugh that she realized it happened. Embarrassed, her gloved hands covered her mouth but he pulled them away. "Never hide yourself," he whispered.
Sharon was old enough and more than wise enough to know her grandfather was sick. She didn't have a name yet for what was wrong with him but he'd lost weight, crossed everything off his bucket-list and, as much as she enjoyed the entire family being together at once, she knew there was a reason for it. Too big to sit in his lap since she was ten, Sharon sat by his legs as he told more stories of his misspent youth, as her parents called it. For all the mischief, he was a solid professional at work and great provider for his family. Sharon realized then, as she held his hand, that being good at one didn't have to preclude being good at the other. Her grandfather successfully managed both areas of his life while still maintaining that spirit of mischief that made him exactly who she wanted to be. She wanted to be an attorney, with a family, maintain her close friendships and have fun doing it just like her grandfather had.
On Christmas day, Sharon received her final angel from her grandfather though she didn't know it at the time. This one was inscribed with the words Angel Sean as if he knew it would be the last holiday they'd spend together in Park City. At midnight on New Year's Eve, after kissing his wife, Grandpa and Sharon went outside, despite the others saying they shouldn't, and made sixteen snow angels each. The last pair appeared to be holding hands and Sean took a picture of it, promising to give her a copy of it once they were developed. It would be the last picture he gave her and so it was placed in a crystal frame on her wall near her angel shelf. Her grandfather had provided the frame inscription to her parents. Never be afraid, Sprite was scrawled across the top. Keep your heart open went across the bottom.
~~~# #~~~
Losing her grandfather was devastating for Sharon. It was the first time she'd lost anyone close to her and she missed him terribly. The day he was laid to rest, her mother told her he'd always be with her, in her heart and in her angels. That was the day she decided to bring the first one he gave her everywhere she went.
When it was time for her to go off to college, Sharon carefully packed the angels she was bringing with her to her dorm. Her roommate thought it was sweet and then showed Sharon her own small collection of ceramic turtles she'd gotten from her grandmother. The girls hit it off immediately.
When Jack first saw the angels sitting atop her dresser as he stood in the doorway of her dorm room, he knew he was right. He'd have his work cut out for him. She was the picture of innocence with a serious streak a mile wide but what attracted him to her beyond her looks was when her sprite, as she called it, slipped out. He fell in love with the sprite, too young to realize that life isn't all about mischief.
Their first Christmas as husband and wife, he'd come home with an angel tree-topper. She was so excited to see him embrace her love of angels that she'd kissed him deeply and they made love right there by the lighted tree. She'd gotten a crystal angel and had Raydor inscribed on it to commemorate their first Christmas as newlyweds.
When their daughter was born, she bought one and inscribed it with Emily; she did the same for Ricky. For whatever reason he never explained, Jack had Sharon promise to get one inscribed with 10 when they reached that many years of marriage. Though they were legally separated by then, because they were still legally married, she fulfilled her promise. She got one inscribed with 20 for the same reason. She had moved on enough not to commemorate their complicated marriage so she didn't get one inscribed with 30.
~~~# #~~~
The Christmas after the adoption went through, Sharon bought a crystal angel and had it inscribed with Rusty. Though he thought her obsession, as he called it, with angels was way over the top, he did feel a twinge of what family was really like as she showed her latest angel to him. Seeing his name on it, the same angel design and same font as her real kids, made him feel more like a real member of her family than the actual adoption had.
~~~# #~~~
Andy knew of her love for angels and knew it had to do with her close relationship to her grandfather so he thought that would be the perfect little gift to someone for whom he had secret feelings. He wasn't able to give it to her in her hand so he snuck it into the Christmas Village. Later when they had the chance to talk a little, he asked her not to open it until she was home. Agreeing was easy; it was a simple request. Later, sitting on her couch, a glass of wine in her hand, she began wondering what Andy had gotten her. Her eyes misted over as she opened the box to discover a crystal angel with the word Friends inscribed on it. Sharon immediately called him to thank him for it. She then explained why crystal meant so much to her. Andy couldn't have known that but he was honest and told her Ricky had mentioned it.
The Christmas after they began dating, one of his presents to her was a crystal angel with the word Partners inscribed on it. Amidst the other presents they gave to one another, she realized they were creating their own tradition and her heart swelled. His health scare behind them, he was still there, alive and with her. His angel was a promise of things to come and words left unsaid.
Their next Christmas, they were living together and yet another health scare was behind them. Now there were no words left unsaid, no promises that needed to be made. Again, he was there, closer than ever, alive and still with her. His crystal angel to her had the word Forever inscribed on it. Regardless of how cautious she was about getting remarried, Andy was promising Sharon a lifetime together, no matter how long or short that might be. One of her presents surprised him; she bought him a crystal angel with the words Love Always inscribed on it. They were on the same page but they had each known that already. Taking his hand, she led him down the foyer to their bedroom. The rest of the night would be making love, sharing stories and being grateful for the many blessings they'd found in one another.
The next day, he was looking at the tree. There was something different about it. Ricky laughed at how Andy squinted, trying to figure it out. Finally, the young man decided to put him out of his misery. Pointing at a new ornament, Ricky told the older man it was about him and his mom. It was a simple crystal angel which is why it didn't look out of place but it hadn't been there when they'd gone to bed. It merely said 2016 but Andy knew it meant a lot more than just marking the year. It was how Sharon was commemorating them becoming a family without making a huge fuss about it. Emily was about to say something but the look from her brother made her keep it to herself. It was also their mother's way of differentiating between Jack and Andy. She could've easily had Flynn inscribed on the angel but that would've too closely resembled what she did with her ex-husband for their first Christmas under the same roof. Andy, both kids realized, was different and he and their mother deserved to have their own traditions.
When Sharon entered the living room, he pulled her in for a hug. "It's perfect," he whispered in her ear before placing a chaste kiss on her lips.
"That's the first of many," she promised with a hitch in her voice before they shared a gentle kiss upon realizing the kids had left the room.
From their places in the dining room, Emily and Ricky observed the couple. "She's happy," they said at the same time.
[The End]
A/N3: Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas!