A/N: It always amuses me when I post a Christmas chapter long after the holiday season is over, but I love Christmas all year round, so I don't mind. This chapter is longer than usual and has quite a few different things happening in it: it gives closure to Sharon and Alfie's relationship, marks some Raydor-Beck family milestones and lays the foundations to Sharon and Andy's friendship. I know not everyone likes Shandy, and that's fine, but since this story uses the show's plot as a guideline, then it makes sense to provide more info about Sharon's personal life than the show has given us and Andy is very much part of that. Also, I'm a Shandy shipper, so there's that too. But then again, it's not even the main focus of this chapter, so I hope every reader finds something they connect to.

I want to thank the awesome blossom-of-snow for helping me tremendously with this story.

Sharon fastened the skirt around the Christmas tree trunk and then plugged the lights into the wall socket. She stepped back and admired the tree. She got a good one this year, big, with thick foliage and a fresh look. She hadn't hung the decorations yet. Emily and Ricky would be home in just two weeks, and she decided to leave the decorations for them. Considering the fact that in the past two years Rainie was not enthusiastic about Christmas, Sharon wasn't sure her youngest daughter would be into this, even though she thought it was a good chance for all three siblings to bond.

"It looks great." Rainie's voice behind her startled her.

"Thank you," Sharon said. "I can't wait until Christmas."

"For the first time, I can't either," Rainie admitted. "I can't believe I said it."

"My sense of occasion is rubbing off on you after all." Sharon smiled and bumped Rainie's shoulder playfully.

Rainie opened her mouth to say something when they heard a knock on the door.

Sharon threw a glance at her watch. It was almost 7:00 p.m. "Are you expecting anyone?" she asked Rainie, who shook her head. She walked to the door and peeked through the peephole. "Who is it?" she asked.

"I have flowers for Sharon O'Dwyer," the person on the other side of the door said and lifted the bouquet he was holding in front of the peephole.

Sharon opened the door. The delivery guy handed her a beautiful bouquet of blue Dendrobium orchids. She signed for the delivery, and he left.

"Wow, these are amazing, Sharon," Rainie called out as Sharon carried the flowers to the kitchen to look for a vase. "Who sent them?"

Sharon filled a vase with water before placing the flowers inside and looking for a note. Rainie was right; these flowers were exotic and incredibly beautiful.

"Are you dating anyone or something?" Rainie asked curiously.

"No," Sharon said and opened the card that was attached to the bouquet.

Dear Sharon,

I can't stop thinking about the way you left.

You've always been so kind to me, and you do not deserve that treatment from anyone, especially not from me. My behavior was unacceptable, and I know that I hurt your feelings.

I long to hear your warm voice and see your beautiful eyes. I value your friendship more than anything, and I ask for your forgiveness.

I love you and miss you,

Alfie

Sharon looked at the note and then at the flowers.

"These aren't from Jack, are they?" Rainie wondered.

Sharon swallowed hard. "No," she replied quietly and placed a hand over her heart. It was beating wildly in her chest. "They're from Alfie."

"Are you talking to him again?" Rainie asked.

"No," Sharon replied and handed her daughter the note. Her hands were too shaky to keep holding it. She couldn't deny that the flowers were stunning, but they could not compensate for Alfie's behavior, nor could his apology, heartfelt as it was.

"That's actually really sweet," Rainie said after reading the card. "Are you going to forgive him?"

"No," Sharon replied. "You can have the flowers if you like them, otherwise, please throw them away." Sharon left the kitchen and walked towards the balcony, hoping fresh air would alleviate the tension in her chest.

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Rainie called out after her.

"You think that's harsh? Misleading a woman just to get her into bed is harsh," Sharon retorted. She slid the balcony door open and went outside before she revealed any additional information in her ire.

The cool December air hit her face and brought tears to her eyes. Alfie had tried contacting several times since she left New York, and while she knew that he must be hurting, she wasn't willing to indulge him. What he had done was disrespectful to her feelings and body, and even a few weeks' distance couldn't erase her shame. Every time he sent her a text message or tried to call, she felt the urgent need to go shower in scalding water. Of course, she missed her best friend, but she also recognized how unhealthy the friendship had been. What had she told Andy? A little relationship clarity could do us all some good. She'd had her fair share lately.

The tears began rolling down her cheeks as she stared into the evening sky and the thick layer of smog that covered Los Angeles.

"Sharon?" Rainie stepped onto the balcony and handed her a cup of herbal tea.

Sharon took the offered cup and sniffled.

"What Alfie did was really shitty," Rainie said. "I'm sorry I took his side. You have every right to be angry at him."

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," Sharon replied. "The whole Alfie thing – it just really hurts."

"I know," Rainie wrapped her arm around Sharon's shoulders. "It probably feels weird, but if you wanna talk about it, I am here."

For a moment, Sharon wondered when she and Rainie traded places. In many ways, Rainie still needed her, but in recent months, Sharon noticed how much her daughter had grown emotionally. She was capable of not only receiving support but also providing it to others. Still, she contemplated if it was responsible to burden Rainie with her problems.

"I'm okay," she said. Her emotions about Alfie were too complex to drop on Rainie's shoulders and too deep for Sharon to work through right now.

"You don't have to always pretend you're so strong," Rainie said. "You have the right to fall apart every once in a while."

Sharon shook her head and grinned through her tears. It sounded like these were her words coming out of Rainie's throat.

"I love you so much, sweetheart, but I don't want to talk about this," Sharon said and wiped her tears. "Thank you for your support, and the tea."

"Whatever I can do to help," Rainie replied. "Do you need some time alone?"

"Yes, darling. Thank you," Sharon said.

Rainie squeezed her shoulder gently before going back into the living room.

Sharon took a deep breath of cold air and exhaled slowly, trying to focus on the positive things in her life: her children, her job, and the upcoming holidays. When she finished her tea, she went back into the living room, where she spent a few minutes admiring the Christmas tree and let its brightness chase away her negative thoughts.

A glance towards the kitchen was enough for her to notice that the flowers were gone. She wasn't sure if Rainie threw them away or took them for herself, but she was happy that there was no sign of Alfie within her line of sight. She knew she would have to face her emotions about him at some point, but it was too soon, and she was not ready.

Her worries changed soon enough when Rainie's interest in her colleague Jane began to grow. Sharon was happy that her daughter had friends at work, but Jane was eight years older than Rainie, and Sharon was uncomfortable with the age difference. She did not mind seeing Rainie form a romantic relationship with someone, but she just wished it was with someone closer to her age that would be at the same stage of emotional development. Still, she didn't want to do something that would harm the relationship, especially since she knew so little about it. She'd never been the controlling mother who told her children who to date or befriend. She counted on them to make sensible choices, but when they didn't, she treated them like adults and hoped that they'd listen to her advice. Her mothering style seemed to work well with Emily and Ricky. With Rainie it was hit or miss; while she seemed to value Sharon's advice, she also tended to ignore them or go about them the wrong way. Sharon knew that out of all her children, Rainie was the one who struggled the most. She couldn't blame her. Rainie's upbringing was different and much more difficult than Emily and Ricky's.

When Rainie walked into Sharon's office after dropping Jane at the airport, Sharon could tell by the sullen look on her daughter's face that things did not go well with Jane. The night before, Rainie confessed to her that she had a crush on Jane and Sharon encouraged her to ask Jane out on a date. Seeing her, some twenty-four hours later, sinking heavily into the office chair in front of her, it was easy to guess what happened.

"I'm too young for her," Rainie sighed. "And she doesn't date her underlings or superiors."

"I'm sorry," Sharon said.

"I thought she liked me too, you know? She said I was pretty and fun. I thought that if she complimented me, it meant that she wanted more than just being friends." Rainie's voice broke. "And when she gets back from her winter vacation, we'll have to work together. That's so embarrassing."

"The people we like don't always like us back, I know, but as soon as you deal with the truth, the sooner you can move on," Sharon replied.

"Yeah, but, like, moving on is the hardest part," Rainie said.

"Not moving on can be harder," Sharon said.

"You haven't moved on from Alfie," Rainie stated.

Boy, did she have to throw the painful facts in people's faces?

"That's different," Sharon replied.

"Whatever," Rainie sulked.

"What I'm trying to say is that I know how you feel, and I sympathize. And if there's something that I can do to help, let me know."

"Ice cream would help. Junk food, too," Rainie mumbled.

"Ice cream and junk food – I can do that," Sharon said. She pushed her chair back and collected her belongings as Rainie did the same.

They spent the evening watching brainless rom-coms and eating any unhealthy food they could get their hands on. Despite the sugar rush and the greasy food that usually hindered her sleep, Rainie fell asleep on the couch before 11:00 p.m. Sharon turned off the television and collected the candies, ice cream and pizza leftovers from the coffee table. After throwing everything away, she covered Rainie with a throw blanket and turned the lights in the living room off.

As she crawled into bed several minutes later, Sharon couldn't help but think about what Rainie said to her earlier. The girl was right; she hadn't moved on from Alfie. She was just holding on to her anger and hurt. She needed to let it go, somehow, but she didn't know how to put behind her a life-long friendship or the betrayal that overwhelmed her every time she thought about Alfie.

Grabbing her phone, she dialed his number. She knew it was late at night in New York, but since it'd been a few months since she stopped talking to Alfie, this call was long overdue.

Alfie picked up the phone fast. "Shay, I'm so happy to hear your voice."

"Alfie, we need to have a serious conversation," Sharon decided to cut straight to the chase.

"Look, I'm really sorry about what happened when you were here. The way I behaved was unfair to you, and –"

"Alfie," Sharon cut him off. "I got your flowers and read your apology. I don't need to hear it again. What you did – assuming that I would just sleep with you, making promises you never intended to keep – you used me. And it feels horrible, even after all this time. You knew what Jack did to me, and then you went and did the same thing, and I am all out of forgiveness."

"Shay – "

"Let me finish, please," Sharon insisted. "We've been dancing the line between friends and lovers for too long, and we've blocked each other's view of other options. I think it's time for both of us to find different circles of friends, and move on from each other, completely."

"So what you're saying is you want to part ways, forever?" Alfie asked.

"Yes," Sharon replied.

"I'd be sad to do that," Alfie admitted.

"I won't. We've been stuck in the past, and I want to explore my future. I can't do it with you, or your shadow lingering over me. And you can't either." It hurt, and she wasn't sure if she meant it, but clean breaks had been working for her lately.

"If this is what you want," Alfie relented. "As long as you'll tell me you know how much I love you."

"I know," Sharon replied.

"Good. Never forget that, okay?"

"Okay," Sharon reassured him. "Good luck, Alfie."

"Good luck, Shay," he said, and Sharon hung up the call.

After that conversation, the hurt and anger she had for Alfie disappeared, and it seemed that Rainie has also managed to move on from Jane. The following week, Emily and Ricky flew in from New York and San Francisco, and the joy that filled Sharon's heart to have all her children under one roof was enough to make her forget every negative thing that ever happened to her in her life. Even having two dead Santas in the morgue didn't do anything more than make her think of postponing her Christmas party.

"So, ummm, what does Rainie like, besides drawing and high fashion?" Emily asked when they went Christmas shopping at The Grove.

"She's into yoga, and there's this band that she really likes – Picnic at the Disco?"

"Panic! At the Disco…" Emily burst into laughter.

"Yeah, that one. And I think she's reading Harry Potter nowadays," Sharon added.

"Oh, cool. Which house was she sorted into?" Emily asked.

Sharon looked at her daughter in confusion. She had no idea what that even meant.

"Okay, what would be the most prominent quality about Rainie: brave, smart, ambitious or loyal?"

"I'd say she's all of those," Sharon still felt confused. She wasn't sure why Harry Potter houses were so important.

"I know, but if you had to pick the one that represents her the best, what would you say?" Emily insisted.

"Umm, I think she's really courageous," Sharon replied.

"Then she's most definitely a Gryffindor," Emily declared. "You're a Ravenclaw, by the way."

"I'm what?" Sharon felt like she was in the Twilight Zone.

"Okay, in Hogwarts – that's the school in the Harry Potter books – the students are sorted into four houses based on their most prominent qualities." Emily went on to explain about the houses.

"So I'm a Ravenpuff?" Sharon looked at her, and she could tell her daughter was choking back a giggle.

"Ravenclaw, and that's because you're really intelligent," Emily said. "Ricky is definitely in Slytherin," she added.

"Okay," Sharon tried to follow. She remembered her children reading Harry Potter back in the early 2000s, but she never found the time to read it herself.

"And I'm in Hufflepuff because loyalty is my leading quality," Emily explained.

"Okay, I think I get it," Sharon replied.

"Anyway, since Rainie is in Gryffindor, I think that I could buy her some house merchandise," Emily said. "They have a wonderful Harry Potter collection at the Pottery Barn."

Sharon nodded, and they headed to Pottery Barn where Emily picked Rainie a Gryffindor tumbler, a snitch ornament for the tree, and Gryffindor bed set. Knowing the store was pretty upscale, and that Emily probably didn't make enough to splurge like that, Sharon offered to split the bill with her, but Emily claimed that she wanted to give Rainie something big, to make her feel welcome since it was their first time spending the holidays together.

Despite of having all her children home for the holidays, Sharon was a bit disappointed when she realized that a murder ruined her Christmas party. She was delighted when Andy surprised her by conspiring with her children to relocate the party to the break room. Ricky even hauled up the Christmas village that added extra festivity to the already decorated break room. As she leaned closer to inspect the village, she noticed a small green gift box laying between the houses. When Flynn appeared by her side and urged her to open it, she knew it was his doing. He gave her an angel ornament, and she felt a little bad about not buying him anything, and overwhelmed that he would do something so nice for her. The emotions about the impromptu Christmas party he threw together and the gift flooded her, and she had to divert her attention elsewhere before she made a fool of herself. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Rainie and Ricky discussing something outside the breakroom, and quickly excused herself to go and drag them into the room. Her excitement grew even stronger when Emily surprised her with the news of her promotion to soloist. She couldn't contain herself. This was one of the best Christmases she's ever had.

Saying goodbye to her children after New Year's was never easy, but she was happy that both of them were able to spend a whole week at home. Much to Sharon's relief, the two of them grew closer to Rainie over the course of their visit. Her youngest daughter seemed at ease around them, and she could tell that her bond with each of her older siblings was different. With Ricky, the bond was based on humor and faux-bickering, while Emily took a more nurturing approach to her little sister. Sharon could also tell that Emily was captivated by Rainie's hair, and jokingly called her Weasley, whatever that meant. Ricky joined in on that joke, and it appeared that Rainie was on board with their teasing. However, now that the holidays were over, it was time for all of them to return to work. As soon as Emily and Ricky returned to their lives, Sharon felt the pang of longing. At least she still had Rainie with her.

Sharon found that it was nice to dive back into work. She enjoyed her holiday, but a few days away from her team felt like being away from family too. Her team seemed relaxed and content, and Sharon realized how overworked they must have been and how much they needed the holiday.

The new case they landed seemed to be a fairly easy one to solve; a murder-suicide of an elderly couple. It was sad, but when she and her team interviewed the couple's family and friends, they discovered what a loving couple they were. After Dr. Morales handed in his final report that stated that the wife was in a terminal stage of cancer and that the husband has put her out of her misery with sleeping pills before overdosing on them as well, Sharon couldn't feel anything but empathy for the couple. The thought about losing each other after spending nearly sixty years together must have been unbearable. Sharon was going over Lieutenant Provenza's final report when Andy knocked on the door, and then went into her office.

"Everyone's leaving, and I wondered if you had any dinner plans," he said.

"No, actually. Why, did you have anything in mind?" she asked her lieutenant.

"Well, there's this new place I wanted to try. Do you like Indian food?"

"I do," Sharon said and closed the file she was reading. She gathered her belongings and followed her Lieutenant out of the office. As they rode down the elevator, she remembered the night she called Alfie to tell him that she wanted to end their friendship, in order to move on. She was sure now that she made the right call. She could now create healthy adult relationships with people she'd been acquainted with for years but never trusted enough to get to know. Andy was definitely one of them.

"Is something funny?" Andy asked her, and Sharon realized that she was smiling to herself.

"No, not at all. I was just thinking how happy I am that we're friends."

-TBC-

As always, I'd love to know your thoughts about this chapter, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM.