Home and Hearts Aflame

by Kadi
Rated: T

Disclaimer: I do love this sandbox, but sadly it is not mine.

A/N: As always, special thanks to deenikn8 for the beta. Any mistakes are all mine. As to the rest of this, and the crazy ideas floating around in my head... You can all thank kate04us & lontanissima for this. They left me unsupervised, and without someone to rein in the ideas before they could begin flowing onto paper.

Chapter 1

Small towns, it didn't matter where they were located, most of them looked exactly the same. Narrow paved roads, old brick storefronts, and town squares with brick paved lanes. Redmond, Oregon was no different than hundreds of other small towns. It was surrounded by a mix of small redwoods and sage brush, one of the high desert communities located at the center of the state, and nestled in along the eastern border of the Cascade Mountain range.

It was a beautiful place; the vista surrounding it was breathtaking. It was hard to imagine that it only played host to just shy of thirty thousand residents. It was large, by small town rules, but in comparison to Los Angeles, it was practically tiny.

Andy Flynn couldn't imagine growing up there, but that was exactly what he had been trying to do since the moment he learned that it was the birthplace of the indomitable Sharon Raydor.

When she told him that she was from Oregon, and that her father was a retired judge, Andy always envisioned Portland. The truth was, they rarely talked about their pasts. She mentioned her family in passing, in that way that people their age did when they shared funny stories about their youths. It wasn't as if he'd given her a rundown of the geography of his childhood. She knew that he was from New Jersey.

Andy knew more about her life after leaving Oregon, if he was honest about it. She had gone to school at Berkley, and that was where she met Jack. Los Angeles was never part of her plan, but it was where she ended up after graduation, and after marrying Jack. He had gone to Law School while she went to the academy. The rest was a matter of history.

Driving through the small town of Redmond, he had to grin. He was still trying to imagine the woman that he knew growing up on those small streets. She enjoyed shopping and theater, trendy restaurants, museums, art galleries, and shopping in organic whole food markets. He wasn't seeing a whole lot of that in Redmond. Of course, to be fair, she was also just as at home in a pair of old jeans and a comfortable t-shirt. She liked her share of baseball and brewed beer on tap. She liked quiet evenings at home and spoke fondly of camping trips when her kids were younger and still living at home.

Andy checked the GPS that had come with is rental as he made the turn that would take him to the outskirts of the town. Sharon's parents actually had a place just outside of town. She had a few days on him. She had come up earlier in the week, saying only that she needed to go home for a few days and would call him. It was actually Rusty that he got the information from, a couple of days after Sharon left. Ricky had spoken to his brother. As it turned out, one of Sharon's nephews was in some kind of trouble, the one that was the same age as Ricky. Her sister had called, asking for help. She had flown up to see what the issue was, and Ricky had joined her. Rusty had classes and couldn't tag along, not that he'd had opportunity to meet most of the rest of Sharon's family.

Her nephew, Daniel, was being investigated in the disappearance of his girlfriend. Ricky only passed on the most basic details to Rusty. His cousin had taken his girlfriend, Denise, hiking and camping along the base of the mountain a few miles west of Redmond. Daniel admitted to having gotten into an argument with his girlfriend. He said that she had gone for a walk to cool off, and never returned. State police and rangers were still combing the area, looking for the girl, but the more time that passed, the more they began to believe that she would not be found. There were a few other pieces of evidence too, things that made the county sheriff's department believe that Daniel might have had something to do with Denise's disappearance.

Sharon's father was a retired judge. Her sister was an interior designer. Of Sharon's brothers, one of them had a ranch while the other was a lawyer, but his speciality was civil matters, real estate mainly. Her father and brother might have experience with the law, but on the investigative side of things, they were out of their depth. Her family had called on her to help, although well out of her jurisdiction, all she could really do was offer advice and play liaison between the family and the police.

By the time Rusty told him and Provenza what was really going on in Redmond, Major Crimes was in the middle of a case of their own. Andy had to wait until it was over before he could get on a plane and fly north. Provenza was covering for him, although his partner had groused about the whole thing. He put in for sick days, which they both knew would get him a lot farther than vacation days, although Flynn had plenty of those too. Reminding the other man that he'd probably do the same thing for Patrice was going a long way toward keeping his partner out of his relationship. Andy didn't think he had ever been so happy about Provenza dating before.

As he drove beyond the city limits, Andy began paying less attention to his GPS and more attention to the directions that Ricky had given him. Sharon didn't exactly know that he was coming. He spoke to her the previous evening, but she was pensive, distracted. It was just what he expected, after hearing what she was doing there. She was upset, and she was worried.

"I want to believe him," She said, while they talked on the phone. "I look at Danny and I see the little boy who spent summers at my house. I see the kid I taught how to ski. When he tells me that he didn't do anything, I want to believe him, Andy. But every instinct that I have is telling me that something is very wrong here. We're not going to find that girl alive, and Danny knows more about it than he's telling any of us." She sighed then, and sounded a bit mournful when she added, "As much as I want to sit him down and make him tell me what happened, I know that I'm not objective. I'm going to have to, sooner rather than later, I just know that when it happens, I'm going to have to cross a line. I'll have to make a choice."

He was worried about her, so Andy called Ricky. He wanted to know how she was, really, and what he could do to help. He knew that if he asked Sharon, she wouldn't let him do anything, not really. She would try to assure him that everything was okay, and then she would promise to speak to him again very soon. Just as she had done the last time he asked if he could do anything to help with her current situation.

She could be the most frustratingly stubborn woman on the planet. Damned if he didn't love her anyway.

Sharon was good at taking care of herself. It was something that she was accustomed to. Experience taught her to be self sufficient. Being in a relationship where she didn't have to be the only strong or dependable one was something that she was still getting used to. Actually, they were both still getting used to the idea of being in a relationship period. They had both been alone for a long time. He had dated, but not seriously, and there hadn't been anyone since he started spending more time with Sharon.

This was all new for him, too. Not just being in the relationship, but being someone that could be counted on, depended on, while in a relationship. He wanted her to feel like she could lean on him. That was probably going to take some time. They were both damaged. Their pasts had shaped them. What allowed them to fit so well together also had the potential to break them apart. They were working on it, however. It was important enough to them to try. They mattered.

It was why he got on a plane and flew north, to Oregon, to be with her. It was an awful situation. She was trapped between her job and her family. Andy knew that she could use the backup, and they had always worked better as a team. He could simply be there for her, or if she needed him to be the bad guy, well, he could do that too.

Andy pushed those thoughts aside as the road opened up before him, widening into a two lane highway. He glanced at his notes from Ricky again, and squinted behind his shades as he watched the passing landmarks. Ricky told him to go a mile out of town. There was a roadside cafe, and he would take a left there. Andy found it, fairly easily, and pulled onto yet another two lane highway. He was supposed to follow this one for a few miles. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as more signs of town life fell away, and the countryside opened up. It was a pretty place, greener than the desert landscape that surrounded Los Angeles. There were trees, and sagebrush, and fields of hay. Andy chuckled again, he couldn't wait to tease her about being a country girl.

A few minutes and a few miles later Andy pulled off the road and onto a narrow, paved lane. He followed it as it wound back, away from the road, and through a cluster of trees. After not even a mile, it opened into a circular drive that was covered in peat gravel. It crunched beneath the wheels of his rental. Andy pulled the SUV to a stop and leaned forward to gaze at the house in front him through the front windshield. It was a blend of wood and stone, in a log cabin style, but larger, much larger than any cabin. It was a rambling two story structure, and he could see, to one end, where it had been added onto over time.

There was a garage, separate from the house, but attached by a small covered walkway. Behind the house he could make out what looked like other structures, barns and what he believed might actually be a stable. Andy was reminded that her brother owned the ranch now, but it had come to him from their father. Country girl, yeah, she was definitely getting teased about that. Andy shook his head and pushed out of the rental. He stood beside the SUV for a moment, just allowing his legs to stretch, they were still stiff from the flight up on the small passenger plane. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans and got a better look at the house.

The opening front door drew his attention. Andy smiled at the sight of a familiar figure stepping out onto the wooden porch that wrapped around the west side of the house, toward the back. He moved around the hood of the rental and walked toward her. He slipped off his shades as he got closer, tucked them into the front pocket of his shirt. A dark blazer and a crisp, white button down shielded him from the cooler temperatures. He definitely wasn't in LA anymore. It was late spring, but still the temperature was trending toward the lower 60s.

"Hey." Andy came to a stop at the base of the porch. He shrugged. "I heard you could use a hand. Sounds like homicide detectives might be hard to come by up here."

Ricky had come clean just a couple of hours ago. Her son admitted to having waited until he knew Andy was in the air to tell her about the little plot that they hatched together. Sharon shook her head at him. She couldn't fight the smile that curved her lips. "I should send you home." She pulled the light, tan cardigan that she was wearing more firmly around her and moved down the steps of the porch. She stopped on the last one and stood looking down at him. "I seem to recall telling you that I was fine."

Even in her jeans and a sweater, with a pair of comfortable riding boots adorning her feet, she was still lovely. Andy reached up and lay a hand against her waist. "I know you did." He moved closer, let his arm slide around her. "I believe you. Doesn't mean you don't need an extra pair of hands. You know, it might not hurt to have another set of eyes look at everything. Besides," one corner of his mouth quirked toward a crooked grin. "I've been doing this longer. You're still on a learning curve."

"Oh am I?" Her eyes lit with amusement. She arched a brow at him. Sharon shook her head and leaned forward. Her arms moved around his neck, and she melted into his embrace. "I'm glad that you're here," she said quietly. "Even if you are being unbelievably arrogant."

"I'm always arrogant." He held her closer, turned his face into her neck. "It's all part of that charm you love so much." When she shivered against him, Andy moved up onto the porch step with her. His hands slid up her sides, and he dropped a quick, almost chaste kiss to her lips. "It's freezing out here, let's go inside."

Sharon laughed. "You call yourself a Jersey boy?" She slipped her hand into his and drew him with her up the steps and toward the house. "You've been living in LA too long if you think that this is cold." She smirked up at him and leaned into his side.

"Says the woman wearing two sweaters." Andy grinned down at her. Beneath her cardigan she was wearing the form fitting, v-neck red sweater that was one of his favorites. "Maybe we should just agree that we've both gone LA and leave it at that." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Rusty wanted to come, but he had classes and finals are soon."

"I know." She led him into the house. "Thank you for convincing him to stay behind. It was hard enough for me to do it when I flew up here. He wants to help, but he wouldn't be comfortable around so many people he doesn't know. He should stay in LA, concentrate on his studies." There was also the fact that in Los Angeles, Rusty was protected. He just didn't know it. He could refuse police protection, but he couldn't stop his mother from hiring private security. That was something that Sharon had insisted upon. She couldn't be with him every minute, and she would not send him away. Rusty didn't want to live in a prison. Sharon simply could not allow him to be unprotected. She had the locks changed at the condo, and hired a private firm to keep watch on Rusty. When it was all said and done, he may never forgive her, but he would be alive. He would be safe. It was a decision that Sharon could live with. "He doesn't need to understand. He needs to stay safe." That was still something that she fully believed in.

"Yeah, that's what I told him." Andy shrugged again. "Plus, you know, the whole situation doesn't sound great. I figured it wouldn't be so wonderful for meeting the rest of your family for the first time. Give the kid a pass this time, you know." It wasn't the only reason she wanted him at home. It just wasn't discussed. Not openly.

"Yes exactly." Sharon smiled warmly up at him. She was more pleased than she could say that he was there. She hadn't liked the idea, but now that he was in front of her, she could feel some of the weight lifting off her shoulders. Sharon reached for his hand again and took a step closer. Her other lifted to smooth down one of the lapels of his jacket. He wasn't wearing a tie. "Come on," she said quietly. "The others are gathered back in the den. We were going over the details of the last search grid. They still haven't found her."

He felt her sigh, the sadness in it, and the worry. His fingers tightened around hers. "Have you been out to the campsite yet?" Andy looked down at her, eyes dark with concern and sympathy.

"Not yet." Sharon shook her head. "I was hoping that Danny would tell me what I needed to know to help him, but he's sticking to his story." She stopped, just shy of the open, double doors that led into the den. Sharon pitched her voice much lower, barely above a whisper. "It doesn't feel right," she said. "I know he's holding something back. If he can really lie that easily, that convincingly, what did he do? Andy, what did he do?" She looked away, pain filling her gaze. "I can't find any holes in his story, but he's Danny. I've known that boy since the day that he was born. He and Ricky spent every summer together from the time they were toddlers until they were juniors in high school. I know that he is lying to me. I just can't prove it."

"Hey." Andy pulled her back around to face him. "That doesn't mean he had anything to do with the disappearance. We've had… witnesses lie to us for a hell of a lot less," he said, not wanting to call her nephew a suspect, even if it was accurate. "We'll get it out of him, Sharon. We'll figure it out. With any luck, we'll bring that girl home to her parents." It wasn't likely, at this point, that they would find her alive, but even bringing her home in a body bag was better than her family never knowing. They'd get some closure. It wasn't great, but it was better than nothing. A body was also evidence in itself, and finding one could help to clear her nephew. Or it could damn him. Andy slipped an arm around her waist and drew her closer. "It's a bad situation, but this is what we do, and we're pretty damned good at it." His other hand tipped her chin up. He dropped a kiss to her lips, soft and lingering.

"Hm." She leaned in to him. "If I forget to say it again, or start acting like it doesn't matter, I am really glad that you're here." Her hand settled against his chest. It was a sad smile that she offered him, but the longer she felt as though she were being lied to, the less optimistic she felt about the situation.

"I kinda got that." He grinned as he leaned down to let his lips brush her cheek. "Just say the word," he said quietly, voice rumbling softly in the hall, "and I can get Mike and Julio up here. We'll say they've got the flu. It's the excuse I used. Damned contagious, the flu is."

Her lips pursed. Sharon tipped her head back. Her brows lifted. "That sounds great, except for the part where you would be leaving Detective Sykes and Lieutenant Provenza in charge of the entire division… without supervision."

Andy nodded slowly. "Right. Not one of my better ideas. So, say the word and we can get Mike up here…"

Sharon chuckled quietly as she leaned into him. Her arms circled his middle as she moved into his embrace. "I think we'll just have to see how we manage with just the two of us."

"I don't know." He turned his face into her hair. "I think we do okay."

"Well, you're not exactly asking him to leave." A new voice echoed through the hall. "So I guess that's a good sign." Ricky strolled toward them from the den. "Hey Andy," He held out a hand as he approached. "Glad you could make it. How was the flight?"

"Ricky." Andy kept one arm around Sharon, even as he shook her son's hand. "Not bad. I don't think I've ever been on a plane quite that small, that could still be called a commercial jet, but it was okay." He grinned crookedly. "She's decided I can stay, for the time being. I think she agrees that I'm not completely without some uses."

"She is standing right here." Sharon reached out and gave Ricky's arm a light, playful slap. "And she doesn't appreciate being talked about as if she's not. Especially by you two jokers."

"You know, mom," Ricky shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "The whole talking about yourself in the third person thing, it's a little disturbing. I think it could be a sign of some kind of neurological disorder. Insanity, perhaps." He dodged away from her, grinning when she missed. "Hey, it's not cool to try and abuse your cool, favorite son."

"You're absolutely right." Sharon turned and smiled sweetly at him. "Since Rusty isn't here, I think that he's absolutely safe." She lifted her chin and tugged on Andy's hand, pulling him toward the den.

"Ouch." Ricky shook his head. "Walked right into that one."

"Yeah." Andy smirked at him. "You really did." He slapped the young man's shoulder as they walked past.

It was a little odd, but at her age, as they crossed the threshold into the den, Sharon felt butterflies dancing in her stomach. It had been thirty years since she brought a boy home to meet her family. That meeting hadn't gone very well, and in the end, the entire situation hadn't worked out. Now here she was again, and at well past middle age, she was feeling a little bit like that girl again. Only this time, she knew that the man with her was flawed. He had made mistakes, and he had paid the price for them. He wasn't perfect, not by any means or stretch of the imagination, but she thought maybe, just maybe he was perfect for her.

That was all that she really needed to know. It didn't stop the sudden wave of nervous energy that swept over her, however. She felt his hand squeeze hers again, and Sharon stepped further into the room. She was reminded that he was on her side, and that she wasn't facing this group of people alone. She wasn't necessarily bringing him to them. They were doing this together. She had, at least, learned her lesson since the last time.

Sharon's gaze swept the room. Her sister and brother-in-law where there, of course, along with Daniel. Then there was her brother, Robert, the lawyer. Michael was the oldest, the one who now owned and managed the family ranch. He wasn't with them today, he'd had other business to take care of… ranch business. Sharon glanced back at Andy and smiled. She turned her hand in his and let their fingers lace together. She gave his arm a gentle tug and pulled him toward the opposite side of the room, near the large stone fireplace.

They'd had other strangers in and out of the house over the course of the last few days, but a new face did not go unnoticed. The conversation in the room dwindled to a stop. All eyes were on the pair as they crossed the room. Richard O'Dwyer sat back in his chair. It was a high-backed leather armchair, positioned close to the fire. His brows drew together. His eyes swept over the man, well dressed, older. The man's eyes were mostly on Sharon, his middle child, his oldest girl. The one who had named her first son for him. Richard arched a brow when he took note of their joined hands. He'd heard the rumors from the kids. That his girl had finally found a reason to divorce the deadbeat she spent so many years married to. More reason than just adopting that boy she had taken in was what they were speculating. From the look of her now, Richard figured they were probably right.

"Sharon." His deep voice rumbled through the room. "Who is this you've brought me now?" Richard let his hands drape against the arms of his chair. He was frustrated at the situation, exasperated by the necessity of it.

He sounded resigned, even a bit short. It was an untenable situation that they were in. Sharon tried not to take it personally. The fact was, her relationship with her father was complicated. It had been since the first time she brought Jack home to meet him. Once again she felt his scrutiny, just as she had hundreds of times over the years. She could feel herself being judged, and in her father's sharp, penetrating gaze, she could see him sizing Andy up. She felt immediately defensive, but pushed it aside. She would not let him belittle Andy, or make less of their relationship. She would not allow him to take away the importance of this gesture, or just how much it meant to her. How much he meant to her.

"Dad." Carefully schooled, so that she sounded casual, Sharon addressed her father. "This is Lieutenant Andy Flynn. He's one of my officers. He was able to find the time to join us. Andy has been doing this a lot longer than I have, and he'll be more objective. He'll be able to look at the situation in a way that I can't, and he'll probably spot things that I've missed." She looked up at him as she spoke, and allowed for a small smile.

"I doubt that." Andy smiled down at her. She had been with them long enough now, and even prior to joining Major Crimes, she was a hell of an investigator. Homicide was different than FID, but the skills were the same. She was good. Damned good. "That's why you're the boss," He reminded her.

Her smile warmed, softened. "In any event," she continued, "Andy has come to help. I think we could use it."

"It also helps that he's mom's boyfriend." Ricky rocked back on his heels with a wide grin. His mother's head whipped around. She glared at him, but he just kept grinning. "What? The handholding definitely gave it away, mom. Unless you're going to tell us that you hold hands with all of your officers."

"Ricky." Sharon sighed. She shook her head at her son. "Try to do something useful and go get Andy's bag out of the car. If you think you can manage it without getting yourself into any more trouble?" She gave him a pointed look. She would be dealing with him later.

"Sharon." Andy touched her arm with his other hand. He had moved behind her. He dropped her hand and settled both of his against her shoulders. "I thought I'd stay in town at the Inn," he said quietly. He hadn't come here to impose on her family. He certainly didn't expect that they would be flaunting their relationship at a time like this.

"Nonsense." She pivoted back a half step to look up at him. "I'm not sending you to a hotel. You can stay here, there's more than enough room."

He had to smile at her tenacity. His hand slid down her arm in a careful caress. "You know, your family might not like the idea," he pointed out in a near whisper. He would like to be nearer to her, but not at the expense of the situation her family was currently caught up in.

"Richard." Richard Senior spoke as he stood. He was closer to ninety than he would have once liked to have admitted, but these days, every passing year was a blessing. He still got around okay most of the time. Today was a good day. His body straightened, back and knees protesting only a marginal amount. His gaze moved from his daughter and her friend to his grandson. "Do as your mother asked. Go and bring the Lieutenant's things inside." He took a step toward them, his girl and this man. "Like my daughter said, there's more than enough room. She can find a place to fit you in." If that happened to be with her, well, she was fifty-five years old, much to old for him to have any say in her personal doings. But then, as Richard remembered it, she didn't much like his having a say at all. The girl would do as she wanted, she always had. He held out a hand, "Richard O'Dwyer," he stated, by way of greeting. "Welcome to Redmond, Lieutenant."

He stepped around Sharon to accept the handshake. "Andy, please." He nodded once. "Thank you, sir."

"I'm sorry, dad." Sharon sighed quietly. She meant to make the introductions. "I'm afraid I got a little distracted." She cast another pointed glare in her son's direction before he could leave the room.

"Oh let the boy alone." Her father waved a hand through the air. "Ricky is just having his fun. He knows not to take it too far." Then he would be dealing with his grandfather.

"I wish I could believe that," Sharon muttered. She knew her son, only too well. She lay a hand against Andy's arm, it stroked slowly down to his wrist. "Andy, this is my mother, Karen," she indicated the older woman that was seated on one end of the sofa. "My sister Evelyn and her husband Jacob are beside her…" She pointed out each of them. Her brother and nephew, and the two officers from the state police that were sticking close to them during the investigation. Or rather, sticking close to Daniel. By the time she had concluded the introductions, Ricky had returned with Andy's bag.

"Sharon," Richard drew her attention back to him. "Take your friend upstairs and get him settled in. Then you can fill him in on what has been happening here. We could use the help," he added.

"I thought I'd take him up to the campsite too," Sharon said, "have a look around. We'll take the jeep. I doubt his rental has four-wheel-drive. While we're at it, I can bring him up to speed."

"Good." Richard nodded. "That's good. We'll keep the others focused on the search."

"Come on." Sharon lay her hand on his arm again and drew Andy with her. They took his bag from Ricky and she led him away from the den. From the main sitting room, a wide, oak staircase took them to the second floor. "I'm tempted," she told him, "to put you in Ricky's room and send him to the Inn." Sharon was smiling as she pushed into a room that had its view at the back of the house. They could see the mountains in the distance through wide, picture windows. "This should suffice."

Andy stepped inside and looked around. There was a bag open on a chair in the corner, and a cardigan tossed across the bench at the foot of the bed. She had brought him to her room. "What will your parents think?" He smirked at her.

"That I'm way too old for them to be telling me who I can and cannot sleep with," she said, chuckling as she moved to lean against the dresser. She waited as he placed his bag on the floor near the closet.

"I object to the word old, just for the record." He turned and let his gaze sweep the room. There was a free standing, antique mirror in the corner. On each side of the wide, queen sized bed, there were matching end tables. It was not a girl's room, and he wondered that they had placed her in a guest room. The built in shelving that lined one wall stayed that thought. It was filled with photographs and books. Mementos of a childhood, mixed with the memories of adulthood. Andy moved toward her. He stopped in front of her, let his hands settle loosely at her hips. His thumbs swept beneath her sweater to stroke her sides. "Hi."

"Hi." Her hands slipped up his front, to curl in the lapels of his jacket. She rocked up on the balls of her feet and tipped her face toward him. She kissed his bottom lip, then let her lips slide along the curve of his jaw. Sharon drew a breath as she turned her face into his neck and leaned close. When his arms circled her, she hummed quietly.

"We should go." His hands stroked her back. His lips brushed her ear. As content as he was to hold her, they were there for a reason.

"Yes." Sharon stood in the circle of his arms for just a moment longer. She sighed as she pulled away. She nodded once and turned away from him. "Okay city boy, let's go and see what kind of hiking skills you have."

"Better than my cooking," he drawled, following her.

"Oh honey," she tossed a laughing smile back at him, "anything has to be better than your cooking." The man could burn water. How he managed to survive so long on his own was a mystery to her. She waited for him in the hall, and when he joined her, she slipped her hand into his again. Odd, she had grown up in this house, but she felt more at ease with his presence beside her.

It was one of the things that she had worried about, when she considered becoming involved with him, or anyone after the divorce. Actually it occurred to her before the divorce too, if she was being honest with herself. It was one of the many, complicated reasons that she held on to her marriage for so long. She might not have lived like a nun; she was human and she had needs, after all, but she never allowed herself to become attached, or too emotionally invested in another partner. Sharon worried at losing herself in another relationship, at allowing herself to depend on him too much. She had promised herself, long ago, that she would never again allow herself to get swept away on a current of lust and emotion, as she had done with Jack.

She could say that it was different this time around, but that was only just so cliche and ordinary. It was different, however. She was older, and she wasn't allowing her emotions to blind her to the man that she was with. It was comfortable, this relationship that they seemed to have slid into, without intention or much forethought at all. They were friends. Very good friends. Then, without realizing it, they were so much more. It was a current, pulling her along, the progression of this relationship, but it wasn't overpowering. It wasn't threatening to drown or consume her.

That wasn't to say that she didn't love him, or that she didn't want him. She did, to distraction at times. It was only that she was at peace with it all. It wasn't unsettling. She could trust him, and she could rely on him without becoming dependent. Age and experience had taught her how to do that. They didn't need to spend every moment together, and yet being together was so easy, and so wonderful.

It comforted her, knowing that she had him to lean on in moments like this. Being here, in this place, with these memories… it was what she needed most.

-TBC-