Thank you guys so much for all of your support! I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my stories. Here's the next chapter. As always, I welcome your feedback.

Chapter Four

After checking with Shirley for some recommendations on what to do within walking distance, Sharon and Andy ventured out into the snow-covered winter wonderland. It was still snowing, but the flakes were falling in slow, whirling paths as a slight breeze carried them in random patterns. Sharon enjoyed the way they seemed to dance around her before coming to rest atop the fresh accumulation on the ground.

The streets of Snow Falls were quiet without the whirring and rumble of cars, and in its place, the sound of falling snow lent a peaceful silence that had Sharon feeling relaxed despite her current circumstances. It seemed to be doing Andy some good as well. He had shaken off his mood and looked to be enjoying their lazy walk through the snow. This situation they found themselves in was unusual to say the least, but Sharon had made the decision to attempt to make the most of it. She was glad to see that the weather hadn't kept the stores from opening or other people from milling about and enjoying it.

When the cold and snow got to be a bit too much, she and Andy ducked into a small bakery with elaborately decorated gingerbread houses and adorable Christmas cookies adorning its two large bay windows. When they opened the door and walked in, a delicious mix of sugar cookie, gingerbread, and chocolate met them. Sharon stopped to enjoy it fully, and Andy turned back around to see what was keeping her.

"It smells AMAZING in here. Brings back a lot of happy memories," she said with a nostalgic smile. Andy wasn't accustomed to seeing this side of her. They spent so many years on the opposite side that he had never taken even the briefest moment to really know her. Sure, he knew about her wayward ex. Hell, he'd even shared a drink or two with the man back in the day. And he'd heard a few stories about the woman who most referred to as the "Ice Queen" or "Wicked Witch". Boy, had he heard stories. He had lapped them up at the time, but in hindsight, wished he hadn't been so eager to believe the bitter drunk on the neighboring bar stool at the local dive bar. He was beginning to realize that once you chipped away at her cold, FID-professional coating, she was rather enjoyable company.

"What can I get for you folks," a kind, older gentleman asked with a smile. Sharon approached the display counter with a twinkle in her eye. It was teeming with beautifully decorated sugar cookies from snowmen and reindeer to Christmas trees and angels. And then there were the gingerbread men and chocolate peppermint macaroons.

"All of it looks delicious. I don't know how to choose," she said with a smile. Truth be told, Andy was having the same difficulty. He tried to eat healthy as per his doctor's orders, but this was too much for his sweet tooth to resist.

"Then don't," the gentleman said as if it was the most obvious conclusion in the world. Both Sharon and Andy gave him a look of confusion. "Order our cookie sampler. It comes with two of each of the different kind of cookies you see here". Sharon and Andy exchanged looks, neither sure if the other was interested. Sharon decided it was up to her to make a move.

"That sounds perfect," she said with a smile.

"And two hot cocoas as well, please," Andy added confidently. Sharon gave him a surprised look, and he simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, then, the cookie sampler and two hot cocoas it is. Only thing I need to know is which sugar cookies you'd like," the gentleman replied, looking at both of them inquisitively.

"The angel. They're my favorite. I'll take an angel, please," Sharon said a bit wistfully. Andy was taken aback by the revelation, but quickly chose a snowman for himself.

They sat down at an empty table with their sampler plate and hot cocoas a few minutes later. Sharon went straight for a chocolate peppermint macaroon while Andy chose a gingerbread man. Neither was disappointed.

"So, you mentioned something about happy memories," Andy began after taking a sip from his hot cocoa. It was very hot, and he tried to hide the pain as the scalding liquid traveled through his mouth and down his throat. "What's your favorite Christmas memory?" The question caught Sharon off guard. They had never shared anything personal before, and he had definitely never seemed interested in learning anything about her.

"That's easy," she replied with a smile. "Baking Christmas cookies with my grandma when I was a child. She lived nearby, so I would go spend an afternoon with her, and we'd bake the cookies from scratch and decorate them once they were cool. I was a terrible decorator, but she always found some way of making me think that I wasn't," she explained with a content expression. Andy could tell she was lost in the memory, so he waited patiently for her to continue. "Baking cookies was fun, but it was about so much more than that, and that's what sticks with me to this day".

"Did you continue the tradition?" He asked with genuine interest. She finished the macaroon and grabbed the gingerbread man, and Andy was struck by her enthusiasm.

"I did. Every year, no matter how hectic it gets, I bake cookies. In fact, they're the only thing I bake all year," she replied with a laugh. He found himself captivated by it, but mentally shook it off.

"And the angels?" He asked in reference to her earlier statement about them being her favorite. She shrugged.

"I've just always loved angels. The idea that there's someone watching over us, protecting us... it's a comforting thought," she explained. "What about you? What's your favorite Christmas memory?"

"Seeing my kids' faces on Christmas morning, being woken up at the crack of dawn by their excitement. Those are the things that always made this time of year so special," he said with a touch of sadness. Sharon studied him a moment. They both allowed the silence to surround them.

"Andy, I'm sorry that you're not going to get to spend Christmas with them this year," she said sincerely. His eyes met hers before focusing on his cookie instead.

"It's no big deal. I'm used to it. Price I pay for choosing the bottle over them all those years ago," he said matter-of-fact. There was no need to pretend they both weren't glaringly aware of his past. Her signature was on most of his disciplinary reports. Hell, it was a good part of the reason why he found it difficult to work with her. Being around her and their contentious relationship reminded him of all of the mistakes he'd made and everything he'd lost because of who he used to be. She knew his ugly side and that made him feel exposed, even vulnerable with her. It was unnerving.

"We all make mistakes. It's what we do after that counts," she said quietly, and he found himself bewildered by her words. "Your kids will see that some day, and they'll come around". Andy couldn't believe what he was hearing and who it was coming from. Sharon Raydor of all people was saying that he had changed and for the better. Sharon Raydor who had been on the other side of this, had been tossed aside for a bottle of broken promises and endless heartaches, believed in redemption for the man who had done the same to his own family. It was astounding, and he wasn't sure how to respond.

"Maybe next year will be the year. We'll see," he answered honestly. She met his eyes and offered a comforting smile.

They finished the cookies and hot cocoa and made their way back outside into the still-falling snow. There was a comfortable, peaceful silence between them, and Andy felt as if a large chunk of the tension that had been weighing them down had been lifted.

"Hey," he said quietly, bumping his shoulder into hers lightly. "I'm sorry that we're not going to be home in time for you to greet your kids. I promise, though, as soon as these roads are clear, I'll get you to the airport and on a flight out of here". She smiled.

"Thanks, Andy," she said simply, but sincerely.

They walked silently the rest of the way back to the inn, but it was anything but uncomfortable this time.

A few hours later, they bundled themselves back up and headed to the town's towering Christmas tree. Apparently, there were nightly celebrations around the tree in the days leading up to Christmas. Tonight's program promised live instrumental Christmas music, carolers, and a few surprises. In the hours between, Sharon and Andy had returned to their room and checked in with the LAPD and the local police, danced around the awkwardness of sharing a small space, and gotten a quick bite to eat at the inn's cozy restaurant. It had allowed them to slowly release most of the awkwardness and tension that had plagued the majority of their trip.

When they arrived at the tree, they heard the melodic tones of professional carolers serenading a small crowd of onlookers. They were dressed in period attire and each held an open book of popular seasonal carols in their hands. The snow had finally stopped and, mercifully, Snow Falls had been spared the blizzard conditions the weather report had called for earlier. Sharon also noticed that the streets were beginning to look more passable, so hopefully, they would be able to get out in the morning. Andy stared up at the tree and instantly noticed its very large topper.

"Now, that's an angel," he observed in awe of the brilliant white and gold intricately designed angel that stood atop the tree shining brightly in the dark night sky.

"I was admiring it when we drove into town yesterday, but seeing it lit up tonight is something else all together," Sharon mused happily. Just then, the carolers broke into a stirring rendition of "O, Holy Night" and her attention redirected to them. Andy saw her take a few steps into the loosely gathered crowd and he quickly followed. She got as close as she could and stood in rapture of the beautiful music.

"They're really good," Andy whispered and she nodded in agreement.

"And this is my favorite Christmas song," she replied, still focused on the carolers. Just then the chorus began and the crowd started to sing along. Andy was stunned when Sharon joined them singing, "Fall on your knees, O, hear the angel voices.." It wasn't just that she was singing, but the quality and tone of her voice. It was beautiful. And she was so entranced in the lyrics with her eyes closed, she had no idea he was admiring everything about her in that moment. It wasn't until the chorus wrapped up that she opened her eyes, and he could see a slight sheen in them that perfectly reflected the twinkling lights of the very grand tree before them. He couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. Just as he was about to say something he probably shouldn't, the song ended and the crowd broke out into thunderous applause. Apparently, they weren't the only ones impressed by the performance, although, it wasn't just the performance that had Andy so impressed.

"That was incredible," Sharon said, leaning in closer to Andy so he could hear her over the applause.

"Yeah, it was," he agreed, but he had a pretty good idea that he wasn't referring to the carolers, as amazing as they were. What was happening? Why was he suddenly feeling things he shouldn't be feeling for a woman he had spent years, decades, despising? What was that saying about a thin line between love and hate? No, this was absurd, he decided. It must have been the combination of the cookies, the cocoa, the snow, the tree, and this blasted season, he reasoned. He was probably just missing his family and feeling a little lonely.

The carolers cleared the small stage adjacent to the tree and a elegantly dressed string quartet took their place. They began playing all the classics, and people began dancing as if it were a perfectly normal occurrence to dance in the snow beside a Christmas tree in the middle of this small town. Maybe it was. Either way, Sharon and Andy were quickly becoming some of the only people not joining in on the fun, and most of the others not partaking were either older and not exactly able or too young (and even some of them were dancing to their own beat). Whether or not he should ask Sharon if she wanted to join the crowd was becoming a weightier and weightier question. It was causing his palms to sweat inside his gloves and knots to form in his stomach. He was nervous and feeling awkward, but the question wasn't going away.

"Come on, Andy. I think we're missing out on the only way to stay warm out here," Sharon said as she looped her hand through his upper arm and pulled him toward the makeshift dance floor. To be honest, she wasn't sure what had possessed her to pull Andy Flynn onto the floor with her, but here they were, so they might as well make the most of it. The quartet was playing a lively rendition of the always-upbeat "Joy to the World" as they took to the dance floor. Andy was thankful for his impressive dancing skills as he led Sharon around the snow-covered dancing space. She was smiling and he couldn't help but to join her. He impulsively pulled her close and then spun her away and watched as a laugh lit her features.

They continued at an energetic pace until the song ended, and the quartet chose the much slower "Christmas Canon". They both turned more serious and instinctively slowed their movements. Their eyes met in confusion. Neither seemed sure what to do: come up with an excuse to sit this one out and spare them both some awkwardness or stay on the floor and dance as if it wasn't the uncomfortable proposition it seemed to be. Because neither knew what to do, they awkwardly fumbled into a slower rhythm together. Andy took her hand in his while his other hand landed chastely on her waist. Sharon rested her other hand on his shoulder. Neither spared a glance at the other. It was awkward and uncomfortable- until it wasn't.

As the song continued, he could feel her begin to relax and he did the same. She instinctively drew her body closer to his. His hand slid from her waist around to her back while hers crept closer to his neck. They moved across the space as if they were gliding on ice instead of slushing through snow. The song was heavy, but they both felt light. Their bodies moved closer still, but this time it was Andy who naturally drew closer to her. She had that effect on him the more he got to know her. She was enchanting, and he was beginning to learn that he liked being enchanted by her. His heart was beating a mile a minute as her gloved hand began to lightly stroke the back of his neck. He didn't want the song to end. If he could, he would bottle this moment. But like all moments, it was fleeting. The song came to an end, and she finally used that excuse to get them both out of an awkward situation. Except, it hadn't been awkward. At all.

But suddenly, returning to the inn for the evening and sharing a room felt very awkward. And this time, it had nothing to do with the contentious side of their relationship.

TBC