DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters, except for Matthew and Moxie. The rest of them belong to James Duff and the Major Crimes franchise.

Chapter 11

Two weeks later, it was the day before Christmas Eve and the team were in the office getting ready for the annual Christmas party. The team didn't catch a case since their last one, which still remained opened. There was still no sign of Eric Weston or his brother Charles "Chase" Weston anywhere. It was late afternoon on that Friday as Sharon was sitting in her office. Her kids Ricky and Emily were outside in the Murder room helping set up the tables for the food that Rusty and Gus were picking up for the party. Amy was helping set things up as Julio brought in a big tray of cookies his mom had dropped off for them. Andy walked over to Sharon's office and knocked on it. "Come in" she said as Andy walked in. "I'm going to go pick up Matthew from school now and bring him back here. I am also going to pick up Moxie as well" Andy said to her as she looked up from her report she was writing. "What's that?" Andy asked her as he pointed to the report. "Oh, just a follow up Chief Howard wanted me to send to him regarding our open case. Since he and Brenda already left for Palm Springs yesterday, he said I could just drop it in his office for when he returns next week" Sharon said to Andy. "Okay, well do you need me to pick up anything on the way back here?" Andy asked her. "No, I think Rusty and Gus should be able to take care of all of the food" she said back to him. "Alright, I will be back shortly" Andy said to her and then left her office.

He headed over to Matthew's school and went inside the building towards the after school care program. He then picked up Matthew and they headed over to pick Moxie up from doggie day care. "Where's Sharon at?" Matthew asked as they drove. "She is getting ready for the Christmas party at work, which I am taking you to as soon as we pick up Moxie" Andy explained to him. When Andy pulled up to the doggie day care, both him and Matthew got out of the car and headed inside the building to pick up Moxie. They then got back in the car and Andy drove them all back to the PAB. "Moxie is coming with us to the party?" Matthew asked Andy as Moxie was laying across his lap, happy to see him. "Uh, yes but when we get there, make sure you give Sharon sad puppy dog eyes like I told you so she doesn't get mad about the dog being there" Andy explained to Matthew as he drove back to the office.

They arrived back at the office and Andy, Matthew, and Moxie all rode up in the elevator to their office floor. They entered the Murder Room and Matthew went directly towards Sharon's office. He stood outside her windows and waved to her. Sharon waved back to him and then she came out to greet him. "Hello Matthew" she said as he gave her a hug. "How was school?" she asked him. "It was okay" he said as he looked at the table that had all of the food on it. He placed his backpack down outside by Andy's desk and sat on his chair. Sharon then looked up to see Andy with Moxie by his side talking with Ricky about something. "Andy! What is Moxie doing here?" Sharon said to him. Andy looked over at Matthew and gave him a signal. "What are you doing?" she asked him and then she looked back at Matthew. Matthew then gave her his sad puppy dog eyes. "Please Sharon can Moxie stay for the party?" Matthew said to her. She looked back at Andy and then again at Matthew. "Fine, but I don't want to hear any complaining about Moxie eating the food from the table" Sharon said to them and then she went to help Rusty and Emily sort through the different dishes that the team made. Patrice came and met up with Provenza in the office. She brought a homemade dish of macaroni salad to pass around. Even Lieutenant Cooper stopped by to partake in the festivities of the evening.

Sharon and Andy, with Moxie at his side lying down, were talking with Patrice and Provenza while Matthew was being entertained by Gus telling him stories about space and how the astronauts travel in space exploration. Rusty, Emily, and Ricky were discussing what gifts they had gotten their mom and Andy, but not too loud for anyone to hear. Amy, Lieutenant Cooper, Mike, Buzz, and Julio were talking about the new car Buzz just purchased last week. Everyone was enjoying themselves at the party. The evening went by quickly and they had a toast. "Merry Christmas everyone!" Sharon said to her team. "Merry Christmas Captain" everyone said back to her.

It was getting late and everyone helped clean up the tables and place the food in storage containers. "Please take some home with you" Sharon said to Patrice as she handed her a plate of different goodies that were still around. "Thank you Sharon, this was nice" Patrice told Sharon as she took the plate from her. Patrice and Sharon then looked over at their husbands who were shaking hands. "Try not to get worked up over the next two days, I know it's the holidays and all but don't injure yourself or end up in the hospital" Provenza told Andy. Andy just looked at him and shook his head. "Don't worry, I plan on relaxing with Sharon for the next two days with her family and my family combined at the new house" Andy told Provenza. "Merry Christmas Flynn" Provenza said to him. "Merry Christmas" Andy said back to him as they shook hands. One by one the team left to go home.

Everything was cleaned up and put away in the office. Matthew had fallen asleep on Sharon's couch so Ricky volunteered to carry Matthew down to their car for them. "Thank you sweetie" Sharon said to him as they walked out of her office. "It's no problem Mom" Ricky said back to her. She was glad that her children were accepting of Matthew. Andy gathered up his things and Rusty took Moxie down to the car as well. Emily went with her brothers and Gus followed. That left Andy and Sharon alone in the office. "Are you ready my dear?" Andy asked as he held her door open for her. "Yes" she said back to him as she walked through the door turning off the lights as she did. He gave her a kiss. "Getting Matthew to use his puppy dog eyes on me, very smooth Flynn" Sharon said to him. "I couldn't disappoint him, he really wanted Moxie to come to the party" he said back to her and smiled when she kissed him again. "Can you believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve already?" Andy said to Sharon as he held her hand and walked to the elevators. "I know, a lot has happened this past year" Sharon said back to him as they rode in the elevator to the parking garage. "You know what the best thing was this year?" he asked her as they stepped out. "What?" she asked him. "Marrying you" he said to her and briefly stopped her and gave her a kiss in the parking garage. She smiled at him and continued walking towards their car and her kids, Matthew, and Moxie. "Do you know what was second best this year?" Andy continued to talk as they walked to the car. "Hmm" she said. "Being able to foster Matthew with you" he said to her. She squeezed his hand in hers and they finally reached their car and everyone else. "What took you guys so long?" Ricky asked them. Sharon and Andy looked at each other. "Oh come on Ricky, can't you see they are looking at each other with lovey dovey eyes. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize what took them so long to get down here" Emily chimed in on her brother.

Ricky helped place Matthew in the back seat of their car and Moxie jumped in next to him. "See you guys at home?" Sharon asked her children. "Yes Mom" Emily answered for them and then they headed towards where Rusty parked his car and they all got inside of it and drove off. Andy and Sharon followed them in their car and drove home. Once they arrived at home, Matthew was awake but still groggy. He was able to get out of the car by himself and Andy walked with him and Moxie towards the house. Sharon carried Matthew's backpack and her bag and brought them both inside. "Okay Matthew, I want you to head upstairs, put your pj's on and then go to bed" Sharon said to him and he went upstairs with Moxie following him. Andy was putting some leftover food in their fridge when Ricky and Emily walked in the kitchen. Sharon handed Andy another plate of food to put away. "Mom, we are headed for bed too" Emily said to Sharon. Sharon kissed her children both good night and Emily and Ricky headed upstairs to stay in the guest room. They had gotten an air mattress and both Emily and Ricky were taking turns sleeping on the air mattress and the regular bed that was in the guest room while they were both in town.

Sharon found Andy in the family room looking at the Christmas tree. She came up next to him and gave him a little nudge on his shoulder with her shoulder. He looked back at her and smiled. They hadn't placed any presents under the tree just yet because of Matthew. They didn't want him to get confused since Santa arrives on Christmas Eve. Sharon had the presents wrapped upstairs in their closet. Each person had a different wrapping paper theme so it was easier to determine whose presents go where under the tree. "Is everything all set for tomorrow?" Sharon asked Andy as she led him around to the couch and sat down with him. "Yes" he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him as they sat on the couch. Sharon leaned back and closed her eyes. "Nicole and her family are coming over tomorrow night for dessert and then we are all heading to Midnight Mass" Andy whispered to Sharon. "Hmm, thank you for doing that" Sharon said back to him as she relaxed in his arms. Gus had informed them at the party tonight that he wanted to cook everyone dinner tomorrow night for Christmas Eve. He had a new recipe that he wanted to try out and Sharon had told him that dinner was a wonderful idea.

"You know, we are both going to fall asleep down here as its getting late" Sharon said to Andy as Andy held her in his arms. "I don't want to move right now. Comfy being right here with you." Andy said back to her as he held her tighter to him. "Can I ask you a question?" Sharon asked him. "Hmm" Andy said to her. "Where do you think the Weston brothers went?" Sharon asked him in a serious tone. "I honestly don't know, Sharon" he said to her. "People don't vanish into thin air, but apparently these two did" Andy added. "We should get an alert if they cash the bonds, or if they cross the border, right? So I guess we wait, in the meantime, we enjoy the holidays with family and friends" Andy said to Sharon. "You're right" Sharon said to Andy and then snuggled closer to his neck and kiss him. "Can I get that in writing, please?" Andy teased her and she laughed. "As much as I hate to get up and disrupt the warmness we are feeling with each other, we should go upstairs" Sharon said to him and then she sat up. Andy groaned in defiance but sat up as well. They both made their way upstairs, shutting off the lights in the house as they went up. Andy peeked in Matthew's room and he was fast asleep. He saw Moxie sleeping on his bed as well. He closed the door and then walked over to the guest room where Ricky and Emily were staying. He knocked on the door and were surprised they were still up. He peeked inside the room. "Hey good night guys" Andy said to the both of them. "Good night Andy" Ricky said to him and Emily waved back to Andy. Andy then closed the door behind him and went to join Sharon in their bedroom.

As they both got ready for bed and changed into their pajamas, Sharon walked in to the bathroom as Andy was getting in bed. Sharon then finished up what she was doing and joined Andy in their bed. Slipping the covers over the both of them and she settled her head on his shoulder while her hand laid on his chest. "Are you excited for Christmas?" Sharon asked him quietly. "Oh yes, super excited for Christmas" Andy said back to her in a quiet tone. "Hmm, me too" Sharon said back to him and they both fell asleep as Andy held her close to him.

TBC