"Hey" Andy said as he leaned gingerly into the door of Sharon's office. The team had just begun to depart, having closed one of the harder cases Major Crimes had experienced. They'd had plenty this year, but this one, being so close to Christmas was particularly harsh. A child, overdosed on her own mother's drugs, a cover-up that resulted in that child's lifeless body being placed in a box in a refrigerator, and finally on a coroner's table, and a father, exacting the highest revenge for it all. There were no winners in this case.

Andy was as down as the rest of the crew but he knew Sharon took these cases harder than the rest of the team because she not only shared their experience, but also, being their Captain, felt she needed to offer them some better conclusion than she usually was able. In the past, at times when Andy dropped in like this, she would open up to him about how she should have done something different – something that would have made the outcome better. In every case, as with this one, he'd remind her there was nothing she could have done and no one had that expectation of her, except for her.

Andy felt fortunate that he had quickly identified this pattern with Sharon years ago and so, was able to help her through those times. Anyone on the squad could probably have done the same, but Andy was grateful it was him. It lent something special to their relationship that he didn't have with any of the others. It was certainly nothing he'd had with past superior officers. Helping her with a simple shoulder to lean on or some kind words and perspective, validated him in a way he thought he'd lost long ago. His family would never accuse of him of being the steady one, the one to be counted on, the voice of reason when it seemed nothing reasonable was being offered. He'd earned the mistrust. His spiral into alcoholism two decades ago gave rise to the legitimate judgement. But since then, he'd found his way with sobriety and he was trying to earn some of that trust back. With Sharon though, he didn't have to earn it; she just accepted him, from the start. She'd allowed him to be the one to she would take solace from. Now, four years into their friendship, he could offer words or silence, but just his presence was really all she needed.

And so, today – as always, she welcomed him in her door. She offered him a soft, return "Hey" and a smile and she leaned back into her chair while motioning him in to sit.

"It's late, I know – but do you want to get some dinner?" he asked. She pondered the thought that she was not hungry, but food did tend to help. Or maybe it was the company…

"I could eat," she decided. Neither moved yet though, they just looked at each other, like you can when you have a friend who understands exactly what you just went through. Both were reflecting on the events that resulted in the total destruction of three lives in the last 36 hours.

Andy was first to break the silence. "I don't know any man who wouldn't have wanted to do what Curtis Turner did. If that had been me, I don't know…. I can't imagine anything more heartbreaking."

"It's the ultimate betrayal" Sharon added. "You trust that you and your partner have the same instinct to protect your children, and to learn this way – that you were wrong about that partner..." she shook her head. "I should have seen it."

"Seen what?" He asked incredulously.

"She seemed like a concerned mother. She didn't seem like a drug user. Maybe I missed something?" There it was, all that post-doubt. The self-inflicted "my team shouldn't have had to find that little girl the way they did" doubt.

"No one saw it, Sharon. Her husband knew and he didn't offer it. Hell, he let her be alone with the girl even after he knew she'd gotten into the drugs before. " He stopped and leaned in toward Sharon for effect and continued, "You didn't fail anyone, Sharon – they failed. We did our job, it's what we can do. That's all."

He was right about part of that, it was something she often forgot. Without them, there would be no justice instead of just "some" justice. But uncovering exactly what had occurred this time had resulted in a second death. That was not something she could let go of easily.

"How could we have known how they would handle it?" He asked, nearly reading her mind.

She shook her head and said "You said yourself, you don't know what you'd have done in his situation. Maybe we should have kept them apart for a little while, given them a cooling off period?"

This time it was Andy who was being offered a new perspective. He didn't have the right words for Sharon this time because he honestly didn't know how he'd have reacted in Curtis' situation. He turned the tables, and asked "Would you murder Jack – I mean truly, end his life – if his negligence had gotten Emily killed?"

She was stunned by his use of something so personal. But she could not, not think about it. She was unable to answer him, grateful suddenly that she's never had to make that decision because in the dark recesses of her mind, knowing Jack's addictions, it could have happened.

"Look Sharon," Andy offered "I don't know how we decide what our lives are worth once the one's we love most are taken from it. But I know you would not murder Jack. I would not murder my ex-wife. Probably 95% of the population wouldn't do what Curtis did, but if they did – I can't say I'd want to be on the jury."

It was a convenient out. One Sharon was happy to take because investing this kind of emotional currency wouldn't change the outcome. Do better next time, is what she consoled herself with in the past, and it would be what she would console herself with this time.

"Okay," she conceded "let's get out of here."

mcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmc

They decided on DuPar's for dinner. It was open late, decent food and coffee and he liked the curved booths that placed them side by side. It was easy to hear one another and it was just intimate enough, for a coffee shop anyway.

"There's something I need to ask you" Sharon said once they'd been seated and brought their coffee. Andy looked at her with his inquisitive dark brown eyes.

"Yeah?" he was intrigued.

"It looks like my sister is taking my parents to Park City for Christmas after all, and they really want Rusty and me to join them." Andy nodded and she continued, "I know that Nicole is back and she's asked us to Christmas with them, which is wonderful, I know" she was smiling at him. She did know exactly what it meant for him to be invited to his family's Christmas. "I know you're going to want to do that. Are you okay with doing it without me?" Nicole had graciously included Rusty and Sharon in the invite and it looked like they were set to go along since the time share in Park City wasn't coming through, it was Emily's busiest time of year and Ricky was going to Denver to be with his childhood friend whose Army career had her returning from a tour in Iraq.

"Of course" he lied. "You should be with your parents." He tried to seem sincere but he was disappointed. He loved her being with him anytime, but with his family, he felt like they approved of him more. And truth be told, he loved having her on his arm when the ex was around. Not that she cared, she had remarried long ago and seemed quite happy. But he needed to know he was still capable of being happy too, and more importantly that he could make someone else happy. It didn't hurt that Sharon was a knock out and that she could hold her own in that crowd.

Sharon studied him. She couldn't tell if he was lying or not, but she knew he'd understand and that he would barely even miss her with the grandkids and his son all there to distract him. She was a little sad to miss that herself, but she'd not seen her sister in three years and she'd really missed her.

"So, how long will you be gone?" he asked trying to seem casual.

"Well, we'll fly out on Christmas Eve and plan to come back the 29th if coverage by Robbery Homicide works out. "

"That's nice." And it was, he could go five days without seeing her, he thought – no problem.

They spoke on about plans and weather, and who would be doing what with whom and generally, had another great dinner. Afterward, Sharon felt good. She was tired, but not upset about the case so much at the moment. She could maybe enjoy Christmas after all and she was glad Andy had plans and he seemed happy for her.

As they started to part at the restaurant, Sharon stopped on the sidewalk and turned to face Andy. "Thank you for this. You always know how to bring me back to a place I can live." They shared a quick kiss and Andy said "I will miss you."

"I will miss you too. And," she paused for a moment wondering if it were polite to continue. His expectant look opened the door so she finished "Just… well, I'm sure everything will be great, but if anything should happen, we have a whole extra room in this condo. Plenty of room, you're always welcome to join us."

He chuckled, he knew her hesitation was because she felt like she was jinxing his plans. But he was touched that she understood the delicate balance of his earning his way back into his family. She was offering him an out now and he appreciated it, but really hoped he'd not need it. Things had been really pretty good for over a year with his son and daughter. But he also knew the stresses associated with the holidays. There were far too many Christmases he'd missed due to work. Those feelings would be recalled this time of year, it was only natural.

He took her face in his hands and said "Thank you." They kissed again, but more slowly this time, savoring the peace and quiet of the late evening.

"Tomorrow" she said. It was not a question.

"Tomorrow" he replied and they parted for the night.

On her drive home Sharon tried to recall the last time she and her sister Nora had been together. She did regret that Nora would not meet Andy. She'd not really had the chance to discuss him with her other than to say he was a friend. She didn't elaborate on the work situation and was frankly shocked their parents hadn't divulged that tidbit to Nora by now. On second thought, springing Andy on her at Christmas, at a family Christmas, might give her the wrong impression all together. Nora was not shy, if she wanted "the story" she'd just ask for it, right there in front of God and everyone. Yeah, maybe no Andy right now is a good thing she laughed to herself.

A hundred memories flooded her mind now about Nora. Hilarious stories about the audacious things her big sister was famous for. Both girls had shown promise as kids as dancers but Sharon quickly realized Nora was the real deal. There was no question where Emily's talent came from. Though neither O'Dwyer sister pursued dancing as a career, Nora continuously did a lot of regional musical theater on the East coast and was fairly well revered. Nora was widowed six years ago. Sharon recalled that first Christmas after, with the family. They'd all made sure to be together for Nora's first year without Nick. Nick and Nora were so much like the fictional Nick & Nora Charles characters, the family had all sworn they married only so they'd be called Nick and Nora. But truly, Nick was larger than life. It was no wonder he was the love or Nora's life. They'd enjoyed 40 great years together and everyone feared how Nora would function without Nick. Turns out, she'd thrived without him just as much as she had with him. She'd retired five years ago and was busier now than she'd ever been when she worked. The Bryce's had never been able to have children and while that sometimes made Sharon sad, it also made her wonder if that kind of love was too big to even be shared with kids. Nick and Nora certainly never dwelled on it. If they were upset about it, one would never have known it. Still when he died, everyone wished Nick had left someone behind for Nora. Now they understood what he left her with was a lifetime of happiness that would carry her on through the rest of her time on this Earth. There was not one single day in her life that Nora ever had to wonder if Nick loved her. So, where Nora had been blessed with the love of a lifetime, it was Sharon who had been left with someone when Jack left her behind. Two pretty great someone's too.

The thoughts all served to remove Sharon farther from the events of the last case and had her moving full on into anticipation of seeing her sister again. Once home, she fell promptly asleep and she slept the entire night through.

mcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmc

Both the caseload and the weather on Christmas Eve held out in LA and in Utah much to the happiness of Sharon. The squad had worked non-stop in the days leading up to Christmas leaving her little time to prepare for her departure. Regardless, she and Rusty made the flight and arrived in Park City as planned. Though it was not deliberate, the pace of the past few days kept her and Andy from thinking about their imminent separation. It would actually be the first time that either could remember being apart for consecutive days. Of course, they must have been, but it really didn't feel like it. It caused Sharon just a touch of apprehension. She was good at watching over Andy and he wasn't fully recovered. Well, he mostly was but she liked to keep him slowed down by offering to have him over for casual dinners or TV watching. She was used to having him nearby, that's all, she reasoned. But the reality was she didn't want to be without him, regardless of the circumstances.

The kiss he delivered when they said goodbye did nothing to change that reality. It was definitely the best kiss to date that he'd ever shared with her. It left her weak. She was pretty sure that was the best gift she'd get this season and it suited her just fine.

As for Andy, he didn't realize how much feeling he could convey in a kiss. He could not ever remember such passion in a kiss. He'd kissed a lot of women, and he'd had a lot of passion but that kiss was something completely different. Remarkably, for once in his life, he simply enjoyed it. He let her go and he would miss her and then he would welcome her home again soon. He would not dwell on where the hell did that kiss come from, and instead would only slightly obsess over whether he could ever repeat it with her in the future. Christmas might not be so bad after all, he thought.

And it wasn't. Both families enjoyed a blessed and happy Christmas. They reconnected with long lost memories and created a few new ones. Yes, something was missing – maybe it always was? Christmas was always a time for remembering those lost, those who were spending time somewhere else, and those who used to mean so much and now whose whereabouts were unknown.

Late Christmas night after everyone had gone to bed, Sharon found herself dwelling on all these things. For herself, for Nora and for Rusty. Nora had a sense about her little sister, she'd watched her during the day, looking for clues to why Sharon could seem so happy and so sad all at the same time. That evening, Nora changed for bed but once ready she headed down the hall and knocked lightly on Sharon's door before letting herself in. She joined Sharon in bed like they were 15 again. She did what she did best, told Sharon colorful and hilarious stories about her adventures. She asked all about Rusty and told Sharon how smart she could tell he was. They talked for two hours recalling and reliving their favorite times together and finally they talked themselves to sleep. Never in the conversation did the subject of Andy come up, probably deliberate on Sharon's behalf because if she didn't bring him up, it would keep her from missing him more.

mcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmc

"Well," Nicole said, emerging from the twin's room with thermometer in hand, "it's official – they're sick."

She looked at her father and momentarily became even more worried about him than she was about the kids. "Oh Dad, I'm so sorry. Should we call your doctor? What if they're contagious?" Andy's recent surgery had not set well with Nicole, who had been overseas during the whole ordeal. Being so far away and unable to see her dad had only served to have her imagining the worst. She'd not been able to see, up close, how well he'd done and that while his recent health events were significant, how well he'd recovered from them.

"Nicole, I'm sure it's fine. I'm fine. Will you please not worry about me? You have your hands full with these… three" he chided, tossing in her husband Dean for extra measure.

Andy helped put away the clean dinner dishes and they picked up the living room that had been strewn with expended boxes and bows and wrapping paper. The day was fun and chaotic and he really had not remembered how much fun it was to watch kids on Christmas morning. He was grateful for every single day he'd forged without a drink because if today had been the only reward for all those years, he would happily pay the price again. His son Noah, seemed happy too, playing uncle to his twin nephews and he even smiled at Andy a few times, which was unexpected. Noah was proving to be the much harder win back for Andy. Perhaps becoming a mother had softened Nicole to her father's plight, but Noah still had only the experience of his absence. He was cordial and kind but he was not trusting of Andy yet, but Andy was happy for any time spent with Noah. Overall, this was a pretty great day. Only one thing had been missing. He pushed that little sadness to the back of his mind, reminding himself he had so much to be happy about.

As Andy gathered up his belongings, he hugged Dean and thanked him for the past couple days with the family. Dean excused himself, to take the boys some Gatorade. Once gone, Nicole put her arm around her father and walked him out to the car.

"It was a great Christmas, Nicole," Andy said as he placed his Christmas loot into the back seat of his car.

"It was, Dad. Thank you for being here. Thank you for taking care of yourself so that you can be here. I know it's been a struggle and I was not there to help you one bit. But I know now how much you have done to be back here, with us and I love you for that." She hugged him tight and he knew for the first time, she had forgiven him. He was overwhelmed by her words and was unable to speak for just a moment, content to enjoy the embrace with his "little girl".

"I love you" was all he could finally manage, but it was perfect.

"I know. Now, Dad – although this kills me to say, I don't want you to come by tomorrow," she said casually. She continued "You might be just fine, but the last thing you need right now is to come down with whatever the kids have. Let's give it a day or two, just to be safe?" she looked at him with her brown eyes full of sympathy and sincerity.

"All right, all right. I'll stay away." He said and he winked at her to let her know it was okay. And it really was, because as he'd settled into bed that evening he realized he was exhausted.

That night, Andy started thinking how long the next three days would be. He'd hoped to keep busy playing with the twins, but with that option gone and the other, obvious choice away in Park City, he felt truly a bit lost. He liked woodworking, but had not done it in years. He liked to play chess, but his partner was in Park City with his mom. He liked the movies, but was not a fan of going alone. Provenza was honeymooning with Patrice. The truth was, he could find any something to do, he just didn't want to do anything without Sharon. Maybe I should just go help cover at work, he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

Andy woke the next morning to the sound of his phone ringing. Immediately recognizing the lovely face on the screen, he answered quickly with a "Well, good morning."

"Good morning, Dear" the deep husky voice responded. "So, how was your Christmas? Tell me everything." Sharon settled into the pillows on her bed, happy and relaxed to speak with him. She explained that everyone was out for a walk, but it was a little cool out for her even this mid-morning. She chided Andy for sleeping so late. A fact he'd not realized until she guessed it. She quickly amended however, that she was glad he was taking time to rest when he needed it.

They spoke of their respective Christmases which inevitably led to his telling her that the boys had fallen ill and out of concern for his recovery, he was banned from visiting for a couple of days. Sharon's heart fell. She knew how much he'd looked forward to spending time with the boys. He'd bought them matching bicycles for Christmas and was prepared to take them out teach them how to ride.

"Andy, I'm so sorry," she said. After a moment, she added "You know, the offer to come join us is still good – we have an empty room." But she knew it was extravagant. The air fare would be outrageous and it was not a short drive. He thanked her and assured her he would find something to do. He didn't mention the idea of going in to work for fear she'd call the commanding officer and demand he remain on desk duty.

When they hung up they both felt equally better and worse for the conversation.

When the O'Dwyer clan returned from their walk, Nora decided with the sun warming everything up, she and Sharon should hit the slopes for the afternoon. She had sold Rusty on the idea of trying snowboarding but before today they'd not actually had the time to do anything besides prepare for Christmas. Sharon wouldn't argue, she was convinced she'd miss Andy less if she were busy and she thought Rusty would be more apt to try the snowboard thing if she was out skiing. The group prepared and took the short walk from the condo to the main ski lodge area where four chairlifts departed in different directions. The women dropped Rusty off for snowboard lessons and agreed to meet up with him after their first run down the mountain.

Rusty, after only 30 minutes of lessons, hit the slopes and shared a couple of runs with Sharon and Nora before the sun set. It turned out to be one of the best day's Sharon could remember having in years. She'd forgotten how much she loved the mountains and how quiet everything was in the snow. She would stop along every run to enjoy the scenery she'd missed the past four years of not being there. Still, every time she enjoyed one of these moments, she found herself wishing Andy were there to share it with her. She worked diligently to push that regret aside and just enjoy the tremendous gift she was being given. Her parents, her sister and her son, all in one place, at Christmas in a beautiful setting, everyone happy and healthy, it was more than she could ever ask for.

That evening after dinner, Rusty received a phone call. He viewed the screen, looked puzzled, then answered while he walked out of the room, and out of earshot of the family. When he returned, he said it was a friend from school who didn't realize he was out of town.

Sharon found herself utterly without steam by 7:30. Dinner was done, dishes were done, and so was she. She said her good nights and hit the shower, then the sheets. She had not stopped to recall that again, spending this whole day with her sister, she'd still not brought up Andy.

The next morning, Sharon woke refreshed. She reached for her phone, intent on catching up with Andy to see how his first day of solitary had been. It was probably too early to call, but she didn't care. Until he didn't answer. Odd, she thought. She would not allow herself to think anything negative. Maybe something changed, maybe the boys weren't too sick after all, she reasoned. She rose from bed, dressed and joined her Mother and Sister for coffee in the kitchen. Breakfast prep had not yet started, but it was still fairly early.

"Guess I'm not the only sleepy head this morning?" She said as she poured a cup of coffee for herself, noting the absence of Rusty and her father. She moved to the nook table of the kitchen that was now warm and bright from the incoming sun. The nook was bordered on two sides by large picture windows. One faced the driveway of the condo and the other faced the mountain trees of the nearby ski slopes. "Rusty and Dad are both still sleeping?"

Sharon's mother said "No, no – I sent them for eggs and bread. We ran out." And with that the women began speaking about the day prior and about Emily and Ricky and what Nora would be doing in the coming year. The usual things.

A short while later, as Sharon returned toward the table having poured her second cup of coffee she looked up to see two cars and some people now in the driveway. Three people to be exact. Two she expected, but the third…..

"Oh my God, Andy" she said dumbfounded.

"Who's OhMyGodAndy?" Nora asked, equally dumbfounded.

Sharon set her cup down and rushed to open the door while Mrs. O'Dwyer simply smiled at Nora and said, "Come on, come say hello to OhMyGodAndy". Nora stood frozen as her sister and mother moved to the front door, a puzzled look on her face. Had Sharon paid any attention at all to Nora, she'd have been proud to know she'd delivered one of the sole times in life when Nora was truly rendered speechless.

Sharon held the door as her Father and Rusty entered. Rusty was looking every bit the cat that ate the canary, and her father just smirked and said, "Look who we ran into near the store". As Andy approached, Sharon ditched all etiquette and rushed into him with a welcoming hug. "I can't believe you're here" she said. "How? When did….?"

Andy held her, anticipating the nuance of her fragrance, and reaching up to feel her hair. As they relaxed their embrace he looked into her eyes a moment, then moved with her through the door and into the house.

"It turns out," he said, "Spirit Airline offers red-eye flights out of LAX to a few resort destinations during December. Since my plans fell through, and Rusty checked it out with your folks, I figured why not come join you? "

Mrs. O'Dywer broke in to confirm Andy's story. "And of course, we said yes! The more the merrier. Welcome, Andy." She approached him and offered him a hug of her own.

"It's great to see you both again," Andy said in return. Then, Sharon turned Andy's attention to the very still, very stunned Nora, who only then managed a "Wait….what?" exclamation. Her eyes were like saucers, which Sharon knew was a bit of an exaggerated reaction, designed solely to let Sharon know she did not like being the last to know things, especially very important things like bringing a man to a family Christmas! Sharon narrowed her eyes at her dramatic sister and said "Nora, this is Andy Flynn."

Andy chuckled at the site of Nora. Standing with her legs slightly apart, arms folded and head cocked just a tiny degree to the side as she sized him up. "There is no doubt who you are," Andy said as he approached the diminutive powerhouse. "I've heard all about Sharon's little sister" he said as he winked in Sharon's direction. Nora was slightly shorter than Sharon, and had the petite frame of a dancer but aside from those differing features, her stance was exactly that he'd seen exhibited a thousand times before by Sharon. He extended his hand to Nora.

She didn't move immediately, she straightened her head and looked him directly in the eye. Suddenly she burst into laughter, moved Andy's hand aside and proceeded to hug the man. "I'm just messing with you, Andy. Much like my little sister is apparently doing with me at the moment." She turned briefly to stare at Sharon with the same narrow eyed expression Sharon had recently met her with. She then returned to Andy and continued "You see, Mr. Flynn, I've heard absolutely nothing of you."

Sharon was not going down passively and approached the two new acquaintances saying "That's not true and you know it. I have mentioned Andy several times" she fibbed. While she had mentioned a certain Lieutenant that she sometimes had dinner with, that was literally all she'd ever said to Nora on the subject.

Not wanting to be completely busted, Sharon spirited everyone into the kitchen where Mrs. O'Dywer had already starting cracking eggs to make breakfast. Sharon demanded to know when Andy had spoken to Rusty to make these plans, and wanting to know why they'd not told her and so on and so forth. All the while Sharon was intent on watching Nora. She could tell Nora was still sizing up Andy, trying to figure out all she'd missed between "we sometimes have dinner" and "look who took the red eye". Sharon wasn't nervous about Nora liking Andy, she was nervous that maybe she'd hurt Nora's feelings by leaving out such a huge development in her life. It's not like the past several days together hadn't afforded her plenty of chances. But, if Nora was upset, she didn't show it and Sharon was eternally grateful for that. She was so happy that Andy had decided to come, and if Nora was okay with it, she would be able to fully enjoy the rest of their time together. She still wasn't sure why Andy's arrival had to be a big surprise for her, but whatever, it was silly and sweet and she was thrilled that her own parents had played along.

As the group talked and ate breakfast together, Sharon took a moment to enjoy the faces of those around that table, all the people she loved most in the world, save for the missing Emily and Ricky. She breathed in silently for a moment and thanked God for this blessing before her.

The rest of the morning, she got Andy settled into the spare room and showed him around the condo, inside and out, pointing out the various slopes and then down the hill toward the little ski village that was the center of the night life of this resort. Nora and Rusty had decided they would return to the slopes that afternoon but this time Rusty insisted Nora try snowboarding. Nora attempted to make a deal with Sharon and Andy that if she snowboarded that day, they would have to join the next day. Of course, Nora could not have known of Andy's health issues of late, since Nora knew nothing about Andy in general.

"Uh, Rusty will explain to you why that's a terrible idea," Sharon said in response and the two were departing the condo.

The senior O'Dwyer's informed the remaining couple that they were meeting friends and would be back "before dinner" and with that Andy and Sharon were alone in the condo.

"Do you want to take a walk?" Sharon asked.

"Actually," he stated, a bit sheepishly, "I could really use a nap." For a moment she felt terrible, recalling he'd had to catch a red eye out of LAX to Salt Lake, then rent a car and drive another hour to get here that morning. "Of course, what am I thinking?" she laughed.

"I don't suppose you'd want to join me?" he asked, not sheepishly at all.

She lay next to him on the bed in his room and they fell asleep holding hands. When Sharon woke an hour later, they'd moved into a spooning position with Andy behind her and his arm draped around her. She didn't want to wake him but needed to shift before her leg was fully asleep. She maneuvered her way free, careful not to disturb him too much, kissed him on the forehead and quietly sneaked out of the room. She found a warm spot in the living room, again where the sun shone through the windows and she began reading the book she'd started on Christmas Eve.

The group had all reconvened in the condo by 6:00. Nora and Rusty were beat but starving. Fortunately for them, when Andy had woken from his nap, he and Sharon decided to made dinner for everyone. Nora had chosen "grilled Andy" for dinner. She asked him question after question, all of which he happily answered for her. Although the O'Dwyer's had met Andy twice before in the past several years, they didn't really know much about him. Even after Sharon announced to them that she and Andy were becoming a little more than friends, they did not pry. They knew their daughter, trusted her and when the time was right, she would tell them anything they should know. Nevertheless, they were rapt with Nora's audacity and Andy's willingness to indulge her. They'd covered a lot of ground, so after about 30 minutes and two glasses of wine, Sharon stepped in and stopped the inquisition.

"Nora, you don't need the man's entire biography tonight."

In true Nora form she responded "Look, if you're going to set me up with him, I should know all the important things. His good looks alone are no longer my only prerequisite you know?" she winked at Andy and gave him a warm smile to let him know she appreciated his candid answers and amiable attitude toward her questions. He understood. He knew sisters. He appreciated her looking out for Sharon, even now when both of them were old enough to not need anyone looking out for them.

After dessert Sharon and Andy started to clear the table but Mrs. O'Dywer stopped them. "You made the dinner, Rusty and Nora would love to do the dishes." She motioned the two into action and continued with Sharon, "You should bundle up and go show Andy the shops in the village." It didn't feel like a suggestion. Sharon raised her eyebrows at Andy and they both put down the plates they were going to carry into the kitchen.

"I guess we're going to the village" Sharon said.

"Bundle up" Andy replied.

The two decided to walk to the village instead of driving. The village was only about a ½ mile from the condo and although cold, it was a pretty night, with no falling snow and no wind. They held gloved hands and made their way along the street. Once in the village they window shopped and stopped to watch the skaters in the ice rink built in the center of the village. They'd been out about an hour when Andy could see Sharon's nose was red from the cold.

"What do you say we get something hot to drink?" he asked.

They looked around at the various clubs the village had to offer and Sharon told him of an Irish Pub she sometimes visited when in town. They made their way past the rock and jazz clubs and turned on to a small side street. A moment later they were at Molly Blooms Pub. It was crowded. As they scouted for an open table it appeared there were none. They made their way to the bar to order while they waited and warmed up. After just a few minutes, a man approached Andy and asked if he'd like his table. He and his companion were about to leave and he'd noticed the couple looking for a spot. They were grateful for the invite, thanked the exiting couple and seated themselves at the small booth conveniently located out of the mainstream of the pub. Their drinks arrived and they sipped hot chocolate and enjoyed the energy of the place and being together. Sharon took a gulp of her hot chocolate and her eyes widened at the unexpected kick it offered. Andy chuckled and said, "I had them put a shot of Bailey's in it. I like how your nose looks on your face, I'd like you to keep it." She smiled and continued to sip. She savored the taste and after the first cup was finished, she shed her coat. By the third cup an hour later, she'd shed her scarf and her second layer, leaving her with just the single layer long sleeved tee. Andy was laughing and enjoying every minute of the peeling of the layers. "I'm glad you're enjoying this," she said sarcastically, using a drink coaster to fan her face, which was plenty warm at the moment. "I'll be back" she said, and she found her way to the Ladies room. Just a few steps from the booth she realized she might be a little buzzed. "Andy Flynn…." She mumbled.

Upon her return to the booth, she felt better having caught some fresh cool air from hallway where the restrooms were but she was still feeling the effect of the alcohol. She met his eyes directly and said, "You realize I have to walk home?" He laughed and pointed to a hot pretzel he'd procured for them.

"I'm not worried." He said, I've seen Taylor ply you with more than three drinks before and you were just fine."

"Well," she said with a sly look on her face "that's because Taylor buys cheap liquor," she lied. They laughed and talked more. She finished the pretzel and drank one un-spiked coffee before they re-layered her for the journey home.

During their absence, Nora had demanded to be brought up to speed on "Shandy" as she dubbed them. Everyone was thankful that Rusty had made her snowboard that day because she was operating at half her strength by the time she cornered them for info. She gave up easily, being marginally satisfied with Rusty's insistence that he only knew they "are more than friends". He reminded Nora he was the son and sons should not know what Nora was wanting to know. Nora thought on that a moment and then let the kid off the hook. They had all turned in long before Sharon and Andy returned.

The couple ventured arm in arm up the small hill toward the condo. As they left the street lights of the village Sharon stopped walking, turned to face Andy and said "Look up". They both looked up to see the vast starlit sky. It was stunning. They stood watching the stars for a few moments then quickly found themselves sharing a deep, passionate kiss. When they finally broke the kiss, they held each other tightly while they recovered. Sharon was so taken aback at the emotion she was feeling she thought she could not breathe. She held on to Andy tighter and took a deep breath to calm herself. After another moment, they parted and began up the hill again neither of them feeling the need to say anything. But once arriving at the front door of the condo a few minutes later, Sharon turned to Andy once more and said "I think that was about the most romantic kiss I've ever had." How happy she was to recall that the goodbye kiss they'd shared in LA was not, in fact, the best gift she'd be receiving.

He smiled down at her and said nonchalantly, "It was okay."

She gasped and shoved him away, "Jerk" she said jokingly. They were both laughing and he reached for her and pulled her back to him. He held her there a moment. He'd stopped laughing and looked into her eyes and said, "You take my breath away." He may have meant the kiss, he may have meant while watching her casually strip layers of clothing away as she warmed up, he may have meant lying with him while he napped. It probably meant all of those things and more. But she didn't care, she loved hearing him say the things that she was feeling and she'd learned to just enjoy these moments instead of fearing they might never come again.

Once inside the condo, they realized everyone had turned in. They were quiet so as not to wake anyone. Once free of the outwear they hugged good night. They shared one more, quick kiss in the hallway of the bedrooms and separated for the night.

The following day everyone spent together. It was the last full day they had to do so. They played cards, Andy and Rusty played a few chess matches, they watched a movie and checked in with family members who were absent. The twins were feeling better. Ricky loved Denver and Emily had enjoyed her final performance of the Nutcracker but said she'd slept through Christmas day and was only just able to stay awake for more than 5 consecutive hours.

As the dinner hour neared, Sharon's father announced he would like to take everyone to dinner in the village. He took them to the Prime Steak House not knowing of Andy's flirtation with vegetarianism. Andy found a reasonable alternative in the salmon and no one was the wiser. The conversation turned from what a great time they'd enjoyed to when they might expect to be all together again in the coming year. Nothing was settled, but there was plenty of hope that it would happen and that Rick and Emily would also be present when it did. Sharon was touched that in every bit of the plans discussed with her family, it seemed a given that Andy was to be included.

As they prepared to leave the restaurant, Mr. O'Dwyer, still awaiting the check, summoned the waiter only to be told the bill had been settled. As he quizzed the stoic waiter on how that happened, the others gathered their belongings and headed away from the table. Nora looped Sharon's arm with hers and led her away toward the exit. "You are not off the hook about Andy. I expect a full report on everything. But, I really like him. And I am very happy for you, taking this chance."

Sharon could tell she liked him, she'd joked and cut up with him all day, something she did with a select few. Most people couldn't keep up with Nora's quick wit often leaving her to retreat and become a social observer rather than a player, but Andy, even struggling a bit at times, had managed to make Nora laugh on more than one occasion in their short tenure. However, it was Nora's acknowledgement that she knew Sharon was taking a chance with Andy that meant the most to her. It meant that, no matter what happened, Nora would be there for her. If it meant being her Maid of Honor, or if it meant being the one to help pick up the pieces of another broken heart, she would be there, like she had always been. Who wouldn't have the courage to move forward knowing they'd have this kind of support to fall back on?

Only a moment following her statement to her sister, Nora exclaimed, "Let's go dancing!" she began shimmying right there in the restaurant lobby. Andy grabbed the petite woman and the two launched into a beautiful twirl then into a waltz to no music whatsoever. Sharon rolled her eyes, the O'Dwyers clapped, as did other restaurant patrons, and Rusty was out the door in two seconds flat. "Come on Sharon, let's check out that place at the lodge" Nora said excitedly over Andy's shoulder, still dancing away. Andy was right there with her, seemingly genuine in continuing the night and cutting a rug.

"Uh, well… Okay – I'm in! Let's go dancing" and she imitated the shimmy Nora had originated and out the door they went.

The O'Dwyer's and Rusty dropped the animated trio off at the lodge then drove the ¼ mile back to the condo. Rusty would retrieve them in a couple of hours. The Lounge at the Lodge was indeed right in the main clubhouse at the one ski lodge positioned at the base of the now closed ski run. There was an upper floor that was open only at night for drinks and dancing. There was also a large balcony that looked out over the slopes and where the pines were only a foot away from one side of the deck. The dance floor was large and the music was eclectic. The three, all being good dancers in their own right, danced together, danced with others, danced with no one, it was the most fun Andy could recall having had in months. After the first hour of non-stop dancing, Nora was still in high spirits and high demand and gave no sign of being ready to stop. Andy and Sharon made their way out to the balcony for some air and a little less noise.

Once there, Andy reached for Sharon and held her in an embrace. She was grateful for his warmth even though a moment prior she was burning up from dancing the last hour. They swayed in silence for a few moments, listening to the breeze rustling thorough the pines. Andy looked up, hoping to find the sea of stars they'd gazed upon the night before but the pines and the lights at the base of the ski runs prevented the view. What Andy saw instead was less stellar, but still inspiring. He laughed a little to himself then pulled out of the embrace only allowing a tiny space between them. He looked into Sharon's eyes. His hand reached to the base of the front her neck and rested there, his thumb softy caressing her collar bone. The loose cowl of the black sweater she wore that night had continually exposed one shoulder. All night he had wanted to reach out and touch the bare skin. She shuddered a bit in the cool of the night and his warm hand on her skin. With his other hand, he ran his thumb along her bottom lip and asked "You thought last night's kiss under the stars was romantic, yes?"

"Yes" she said with conviction, fondly recalling it and hoping he had more of it in mind tonight.

"I'm not sure I can top it, but I've always thought kissing the right woman under the mistletoe was just about as romantic as a kiss could be" and then he tilted her head up by placing his finger under her chin to show her the sprig of mistletoe in the pine just above them. She looked up and smiled, then lowered her head back even with his. His hand returned to the side of her face and he leaned in to deliver a small tender kiss to her mouth. He wasn't trying for a repeat of the night before necessarily, he just liked the feeling this perfect cliché was creating in him. But as quickly as they had the night before, they were sharing an intimate, passionate kiss. He placed both hands behind her back and pulled her in fully flush with him. She moaned and moved her hands around his waist, then up his back, finally resting them on his biceps. When they parted, he was breathless and she sighed softly, moving her hands again, this time up his back and to the back of his head as she nestled her perspiring brow into the crook of his neck. She placed a few small kisses there, inhaling the scent of his aftershave and enjoying his arms tightly around her waist. They stood there letting the moment etch itself into their memories. It was a perfect moment in time, a kiss beckoning hope and desire, and an embrace that neither ever wanted to forget. She giggled to herself how in as many days, she'd had three perfect kisses from this man, each one unbelievably better than the last.

As it turned out, Andy's perfect cliche stayed with them. All that winter and every winter after, no mistletoe was safe from the couple. They shared similar moments time and time again in the years that followed, and while Christmas would always be their most cherished time of year together, that year's Christmas under that mistletoe, remained the most special because it was the most priceless gift they'd given one another, the gift of faith and the promise of greater things to come.