The room was dark and quiet. There was a stillness in the air, but that didn't last long. It was almost too quiet, and she had a lot on her mind. She rolled to her side and threw her leg over his, pulling herself closer to him and rested her chin on his chest. He had been quiet and still, probably almost asleep. She almost hated to wake him, but at the same time, she knew their time together was so short.

"You have something against sleep?" Andy grumbled, moving his arm and putting it around her back where he rested it. "I thought we were finally going to sleep, not that I'm complaining, but you've worn me out."

Sharon burst out laughing, and at that, Andy cracked open his eye. In the dim light coming in from the window, she could see him looking at her. "I'm sorry," she continued to laugh.

"We're laughing about intimacy now?" Andy grumbled. "That's not a real confidence boost, Sharon."

"No, no," she shook her head and patted his chest, moving up closer to his face. She rested her head on his shoulder and spoke softly to him, "I know I shouldn't be laughing-"

Andy interrupted her, "Please, for my own ego, tell me what I did that has you laughing so I never do it again."

"For once, Andy Flynn, this isn't about our time in the bedroom. I'm laughing," she paused because she started giggling again, "because, oh, I almost hate to keep laughing, but you have to admit it's quite funny that the day Hannah meets your kids, her half brother and sister, she has explosive diarrhea and covers Nicole. They were in such a foul mood, and she certainly fouled up things even more. I can still see the look on her face."

Andy groaned, "I can still smell it, see how it got all over Nicole, the floor," he sighed. "I dare laugh at any of my kids."

"I know," she patted his chest again, leaning up to kiss his chin. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't be laughing. I guess with the reaction your kids had, it was something to-" she paused.

"Retaliation?" Andy said. "Hannah might be the smartest of the bunch. She's one and basically showed her siblings that they would notice her one way or another."

Sharon started laughing even harder, now almost unable to control herself. She sat up because she couldn't laugh in the position she was in. Andy stayed there, lying on his pillow, his arm going to her back to poke at her. She shook her head, "I don't know what Hannah ate, but it certainly didn't agree with her. I can't think of a time with any of my kids I've laughed about diarrhea, but I'm sorry, Andy, I feel like your kids had it coming. Had my kids behaved like they did, I'd say they had it coming too."

Andy sighed and ran his hand over his face, "Yeah, things went about as I expected, minus Hannah's explosion all over the kids. I was sure the kids wouldn't forget today, but after she covered Nicole, they most certainly won't forget today."

Sharon finally stopped laughing and curled up next to Andy again, resting her head on his shoulder as she hummed, "In all seriousness, I'm so sorry things went as they did today. I know you expected, we both expected," she corrected herself, "the reaction the kids had, but it's still hard to swallow."

"Yeah," he sighed, pulling her close and kissing her head. "I'll never be a good dad in their eyes, even though I'm trying. I'm trying hard, Sharon. I just want my kids, any of my kids to see that."

"I know," she said, reassuring him. "I see that, finally. I do. I see you want to be here for Hannah."

"I think back to a year ago and see how far we've come," he told her. "I'm really looking forward to the holidays. It's the first year in a long time I have any family to really celebrate, not to mention people who want me there. I mean, I know your dad is going to be there for Thanksgiving."

"He wants you there," Sharon said, squeezing his side. "The tough guy exterior-he still wants you there because you make me happy. He knows I want you there. He knows you are Hannah's dad, and no matter how messed up things are with all of this that we are Hannah's parents and want to be with her, together. Regardless of anything, that's more than Jack ever did, and I'm not trying to compare you, but this is what I told my dad. He sees that. He sees you trying, Andy."

"I'm going to keep trying with my kids. I always do. At least they stayed for dinner," he sighed.

"They did, and both Nate and Nicole said goodbye when they left. They didn't storm out," Sharon pointed out to him. "I just can't believe that after dinner, as we were cleaning up, Hannah had another explosion on Nicole."

"What's crazy is that I had been holding Hannah just a minute before that. I put her in Nicole's arms, so I could help you clean up dinner. Nate was actually helpful," he stated. "He was clearing a few plates, probably to get going even sooner-you know, as soon as dinner is cleared, thinking they could go, and that's why I gave Hannah to Nicole. Plus, I mean, it seemed like a good idea for her to hold her sister."

"She was stuck on the half-sister comment," Sharon sighed. "I know it's the truth, but I hated hearing her correct you constantly. I do appreciate that about Emily and Ricky; they just call her their sister."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I guess acknowledging her at all is a step, better than nothing. I still can't believe that while she's holding Hannah, Hannah just explodes everywhere. That diaper was awful. It covered Nicole."

"On the bright side, "Sharon shifted to look at him, "she had to leave her shirt here for you to wash, so that does mean you'll see her sometime soon."

"Just glad she let me help her," he sighed. "I'm her dad, and she was almost hesitant to take one of my t-shirts. I don't know."

"I know we are going to do our best to have a wonderful holiday season. We're going to try and include all of our kids and spend as much time together as we can," she said, running her hand over the side of his face.

He pulled at her hand, kissing the inside of her wrist as he put his other hand on her hair, "So, with you saying all of that, I'd like to readdress a topic close to my heart." Sharon looked at him, not sure what he was saying. "I have to go to that stupid holiday ball for work. Sharon, I don't want to keep bringing it up, and I promise I won't after this, but would you please consider going with me? I love you, Sharon, and I'm tired of living this secret life. I want to tell everyone about you and Hannah. I just don't care, and I don't want you to care when you've retired and left."

"Andy," she groaned, turning her head away from him. "I cannot tell you how much I hate that idea. We were having such a sweet, romantic time here," she sighed. "Can I just think about it? I don't want to argue, but I also don't want to talk about it now."

"Ball is two weeks after Thanksgiving," he told her. "It would be another weekend to see you and Hannah. We could figure out a babysitter for her. Just think about it, Sharon."

"We have a lot going on before then," she said, running her hand up his side. "We have a trip to Phoenix for both of us for Thanksgiving. We have time together. We have my kids and dad around for that. We have things like Christmas decoration and all. We have to shop for Hannah for Christmas."

"This sounds like a full weekend trip to Phoenix for me," he kissed her head and pulled her even closer to him. "So, can I do those things with you? I mean, I'm not into crazy mobs of people, like Black Friday shopping, but I want a family Thanksgiving like you just described."

"I just thought of something," Sharon tilted her head again. "Do you normally see your kids at some point on Thanksgiving weekend?"

"The only standing date, and I use that term loosely, not as in dating some woman, but the only standing date I ever have Thanksgiving weekend is Provenza, and believe me, he'll be fine to not see us this year. That just means he will have to go see some of his own family for the weekend. No, the kids always avoid me. I'm going to see about getting together with them a couple times before Christmas, but that weekend, I'm all yours."

"Well," she said in a low, teasing tone, "I'm all yours the rest of this weekend. I'm suddenly not tired and would hate to just be bored here."

He started to chuckle and shifted, pulling her with him as he said in a teasing tone, "I think we can find something to cure your boredom. We've got all of Hannah's laundry to fold from her explosions."

"Oh, Andy," she groaned and laughed, "way to kill the mood."