Good evening all! Here's a teeny little post for you all to (hopefully) enjoy! First a small apology, I *should* have posted this at the weekend but I went out Saturday night and ended up unintentionally obliterated (trifle shots are neither big nor clever) so anyway after a slight delay here it is!

Thanks must again go to deenikn8 for the prod to post, I hope to have more up this weekend

Season 2 Episode 15 - Curve Ball (I always wondered if Andy ever did find anything for his little step-grandkids Christmas presents...)

"Sharon, put down the angel, and step away slowly!"

Andy chuckled softly when she pouted back at him, choosing to ignore his warning she continued to browse the selection, they were in a toy store so they were somewhat childlike but she'd been drawn to the stand of angel ornaments nonetheless. Andy shook his head, smiling, at her wordless response, the woman sure loved her angels, the seasonal re-decoration of her condo was testament enough of that.

Deciding to just let her at it Andy took a deep breath and moved further around the store. He hadn't much felt like shopping, especially gift shopping for his new step-grandkids but Sharon had dragged him to the mall anyway.

Their case had been a tough one, as they usually were, more so when children were involved. Though the team had been able to reunite a boy with his mother it was still a rough ride for all of them. Each member of the team had voiced in some way their feelings on the case. No matter how many years they had been on the job it still amazed them how some people could treat children in their lives. It wasn't always physical, often it was years of mental abuse that manifested in ways beyond anyone's imagination.

Vince Massey had been murdered all because he recognised a kid. A kid that had been missing for years, inadvertently kidnapped because a killer saw no way out. He'd taken that kid to protect himself, no other reason at all. Had he ever really cared for the child? No one would ever know. Luke Dalton had taken his murder count to two, all to protect a lie that he'd lived in for too long. A man had lost his life because he was too close to exposing that lie, a family had lost a father, grandfather, friend.

Consolation for that loss could only be found in the knowledge that Rory Brooks was back with his mother, where he belonged. Still, no one was naive enough to believe it ended there. There would be issues, for Rory in particular. He'd been through a massive emotional upheavel, maybe he'd never be over it. He'd need help, a lot of help, that much was a given.

It had drained them, all of them, maybe it was the season but it hit them harder. With the paperwork filed all Andy had wanted to do was crash but Sharon had persuaded him otherwise. "Maybe what we need right now, is a little of the holiday magic?" Though her words were heartfelt as they rode the elevator down to their cars, it was the light sparkle in her eyes that convinced him. It wasn't overly late, maybe a couple of hours at the mall would be nice.

Andy glanced back at her as he stood in the toy store, his smile teasing as he found her still immersed in the Angel display. Honestly that woman. He'd already gotten most of his holiday shopping done, gifts for his children sat wrapped under the modest tree in his living room. A few gifts for Rusty also wrapped and ready to be taken over to Sharon's for the kid to open christmas day. Admittedly he may have gone a little overboard for the kid but the whole team had, they were getting soft though none would admit it. It was Rusty's first real christmas and they wanted him to really enjoy it.

There was a small pile of gifts for Sharon too. They'd agreed that they weren't doing gifts, essentially but he couldn't resist. They were mostly joke presents, a tea cup emblazoned with 'The Boss', a personalised pen etched with the words 'Darth Raydor' there may even be a package containing some non-work appropriate lingerie. There was also the diamond necklace that he hoped she would like and yes, somewhere in that pile was a shiny new angel ornament for her tree.

The only gifts outstanding were that of Nicole's stepsons, and honestly it was starting to give him a headache. It had been altogether too long since he'd been christmas shopping for little kids and never had he had to think of what to get two little boys that liked ballet!

A sigh escaped him as he moved his way through a selection of monster trucks, none of which looked entirely appealing. The hand at the centre of his back drew his attention and he turned his head to find Sharon beside him, a relaxed smile on her face as she slipped her arm through his.

"Found anything?" She asked, her voice quiet in the crowded store, there were frantic looking parents everywhere which did little for Andy's state of mind.

"Not a thing." Andy shook his head as he ganced around in search of something else, actually he was hoping the perfect gifts would just jump up and shout 'Here I am!' but that was probably not gonna happen.

Sharon slipped her hand down his arm to grip his hand, her fingers intertwining with his. Gently she pulled him towards another section of toys. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"Not really, I kinda liked Provenza's kite idea until it all got shot to hell."

"Don't be too hard on him." Sharon scolded him quietly, she was utterly convinced that Provenza only dragged Andy to Venice Beach so that he could check out the 'scenery' but he'd redeemed himself in the way that he handled the case. "How about trains?"

Andy lifted his head, the refernce to their case was not lost on him but it did start an idea. "Maybe, lets check 'em out."

Sharon smiled at the sudden slight excitement that rippled through him when he pulled her across the store to the trains.

It was a good idea but boy did it open another can of worms. It seemed there was a train set for every taste and theme, heck there were even pink ones for girls but he didn't expect that would go down all too well.

"What about this one?" Sharon held up a large box a little down the way from where Andy stood. When he moved across and took it from her he gave a small hum of approval. It was a large electronic starter pack with two trains and controls and a large track and tunnel. The boys could add to it with the various expansion packs where they wanted to. It was something they could enjoy together, it was perfect.

Gift selected, it was all Andy could do not to sprint to the register. As he sped off at a brisk walk Sharon followed more leisurely behind, laughing quietly at the man manouevering through the store at warp speeds. She'd almost reached him when something caught her eye.

It wasn't the dress up section that instantly caught her attention, it was more the railing that she brushed past on her way to catch up with Andy. When she saw them she really couldn't leave them behind and she picked up two and carried them to where her partner was standing in line.

"Sharon?" Andy narrowed his eyes at her, he'd done a double take when he realised she was standing in line behind him, her arms far from empty. "What did you do?"

"Andy they have to them! We can send them from both of us but you have to admit they're adorable!"

He sighed quietly and looked more carefully at the items when she handed one to him. The set was held in a small hard plastic bag, fixed into plastic holders inside was a pretend LAPD badge, a hat, handcuffs and a little notebook that held little fake fines.

It actually was pretty adorable. Nicole would find it amusing for sure.

Andy was already pretty sold on the idea but the mischevious grin on Sharon's face when he looked up at her had him concede defeat instantly. "That is pretty cute."

"I know right! They'll love it, be just like Grandpa Andy!"

"Okay okay less of the Grandpa thank you very much!"

Sharon giggled and slipped her arm through his as they reached the register and handed over their purchases. "Sorry honey, does it make you feel terribly old?"

"Terribly." He replied, his tone light and teasing as he passed over his credit card.

"You're not old Andy Flynn."

"Tell that to the mirror Babe."

As they left the store hand in hand Sharon leant into his side and pressed a kiss to his jaw. "Well, you get that credit card out again and take me to dinner, I'll show you how 'not' old you are Lieutenant."

Andy exhaled slowly and pretended to think about it.

"I only have one condition."

"Go on?"

"You bring your real handcuffs."

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