A/N Another of those ideas that just won't go away until I typed it all out.
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"So how are feeling about this weekend?" Andy asked casually as he poked his head into her office. Her nose was buried in a file but he knew by her expression she wasn't really reading it. Her mind was far far away.
"Hmm," she said absently as she looked up at him with a furrowed brow. " I'm sorry Andy, what did you say?" She sighed, " I was."
"Caught up in your thoughts?" Andy interjected with a thoughtful smile.
"Hmm, yes," she said. "What do you need?"
"Oh nothing, I was just checking on you," he replied coming further into her office and closing the door. "I thought Rusty's UCLA thing was this weekend and."
Sharon sighed and leaned into her hands on her desk, "Yes, it is."
"And you're worried," Andy stated finally sitting down in the chair . She smiled at him and shook her head.
"No, I'm," she began but trailed off searching for the right words to describe how she was feeling about this weekend. "Just thinking, about ... I don't know," she sighed again. He waited for her to gather her thoughts. "How quiet it will be once he goes to college," she said after a pause.
"Ah, empty nest syndrome," he said with a smile and a nod of his head.
"You think I'm being silly," she said leaning back into her chair.
"Not silly, I get it. You just really got him and now he's ready to fly the coop. But he's not going yet. This is only a weekend away," he said trying to sound reassuring.
"Oh, I know. It just gets me thinking is all. At least it is a distraction from budget reports," she added giving a flourish of her hand over the pile of files on her desk.
He laughed, "Yah, you get all the fun."
She smirked at him, "Thanks."
"Speaking of distractions," he said. Sharon raised her eyebrow and leaned forward with a hum. "I was sorta hoping, well, that I could provide a distraction or two for you this weekend," he said in a more nervous manner than he intended. She smiled at him in that way that made his heart skip a beat.
"What did you have in mind?" She almost purred or was that his imagination.
Before he could answer there was a knock at her door. She waved Lieutenant Tao in. "Sorry for the interpretation Captain, but thought you'd like to get this right away," he said crossing the office to hand her several sheets of paper.
"Welcome back," he said to Flynn as he gave him a pat on the shoulder. He exited the office closing the door behind him. Andy's eyes were glued to the paperwork in her hands. She was reading it very carefully.
He couldn't wait any longer, "Is that my," she cut him off with a raise of her hand and continued to read, painstakingly slowly by his measure.
"Sharon, come on. Does that say I'm cleared for full duty?" He asked as he started to get up.
"Lieutenant, sit," she said crisply pointing to his chair. He gave an exasperated sigh then sat down his hands raised in surrender as she flipped to the last page.
In the murder room, Tao returned to his desk catching Provenza's eye, "She's really making him sweat it out isn't she," he said with a chuckle. "She's not the wicked witch for nothing, Tao," he said smirked as he watched his partner squirm, the Captain taking her sweet time.
"What's up?" Sanchez chimed in.
"Flynn's been cleared by his doctor for active duty," Tao volunteered.
"By his doctor yes ... by his Captain? That has yet to be seen," Provenza chuckled as he tipped his head toward the Captain's office.
"Ten bucks says she lets us keep our desk monkey for another week," Provenza jokes.
"I'll take some of that," Sanchez says, "l say two days before she lets him back."
"She can't delay him from going into the field if he's been medically cleared," Sykes offers then scans the faces of her colleagues, "Can she?"
"Are you going to tell the Captain what she can or cannot do?" Provenza asked eyebrows raised hands behind his head as he leaned back in his chair. "Tao you in?" Provenza inquires.
"Nope," was his quick reply.
Sharon slowly put the papers on her desk. Andy who was initially perch on the edge of his chair was now slumped back staring at the ceiling. "Well lieutenant," she sighed, "It appears that your doctor has signed off on your medical."
"Great!" Andy said sitting up straighter with a grin. "No more desk monkey jokes."
His comment is met with a small hum from his Captain. He looks at her closely, "Sharon if I've been medically cleared," he started.
"And your supervising officer concurs," she added.
"You can't be serious?" He says the exasperation clear in his voice. He stands quickly and begins to pace in front of her desk. Sharon sits silently watching him.
"Oh boy, here we go," Provenza's comment and chuckle drew everyone's attention to the Captain's office. "Almost wish I had some popcorn."
When Andy finally stopped in front of her desk and leaned over it placing his hands firmly on the top in front of her, his face red, "Sharon!" he said rather harshly. Her raised eyebrow and the tilt of her head signal him to ratchet it back.
"Sit down Lieutenant," her tone was firm, her gaze unwavering. Andy raised his hands off her desk and sat down with a huff.
"Oh ho, she's gonna give it to him with both barrels," Provenza laughed.
"Yah, that's not a good look," Sanchez added shaking his head slowly.
Andy tried to speak but her look and a wave of her hand silenced him. "Lieutenant Flynn," she began her tone like ice. "With or without a note from your doctor, I can have you pulling desk duty until you retire."
"You wouldn't dare!" he said through gritted teeth.
"Are you calling my bluff?" she replied her tone now dripping with saccharine. Andy just glared at her but held his tongue.
She had initially been teasing him but it had gotten out of hand. Now she had to try and diffuse this mess. Taking a deep breath she glanced out into the murder room which took her squad by surprise as they all jumped, looked away and tried to look busy and disinterested in what was going on. Drawing a slow breath, she drew her attention back to her agitated Lieutenant.
"So according to this paperwork, there are still a few," she pauses to find the right word, "issues."
His eyes narrowed.
"Your bones have healed, you show no signs of concussion or blood clot but you are suffering from a tremendous lack of patience and the inability to listen."
Andy had geared himself up for a fight. He was tired of being the patient, tired of having limits put upon him, tired of the looks and being the butt of everyone's jokes. He had had enough. So he was only half listening to her. "Look, Captain,"
She interrupted him, "I am not finished, Lieutenant! You want to get back to full active duty, yes?" she said leaning toward him. He remained silent arms folded. "I expect an answer," she said leaning on her hands angling toward him.
"She still reading him the riot act?" Provenza asked taking a quick glance from his desk. Tao, who currently had the best vantage point of the Captain's office without being easily spotted. Not that either of the office occupants was paying any attention to the goings on in the murder room. "Yah, she's definitely not happy," Tao replied.
She waited, staring him down. This reminded her of their encounters for days past.
"Yah," he finally breathed through still gritted teeth.
"I'm sorry did you say something?" She knew she was pushing his buttons and her luck.
His expression was stone, "Yes, ma'am."
"Good," she said sitting back down. "Now calm down, before you say something you will regret."
Andy sighed stood up and paced her office for a moment. She just sat and waited. She glanced out into the murder room again thinking they're getting quite a show. She caught Provenza's eye, before he suddenly decided he needed a coffee break. He chuckled as he strolled over to the break room.
"My issues," he said pivoting to look at her face. Her expression confused him, the glare was replaced. Was she smirking at him. Why was she smirking? Narrowing his eyes at her his mind raced back over their conversation. "Patience? My issue is patience?" his hand went to the back of his neck as he looked at the floor then back at her.
"I believe, I said lack of patience and inability to listen," she said raising her eyebrows at him.
"I," he began before throwing up his hands. She walked around her desk and closed the blinds, shooting a stern look out into the murder room. No one dared raise their head.
Provenza managed to make it back into the murder room just in time to see the blinds snap shut. "Here comes the death blow. He's gonna be ridin' that desk for a month, the big dummy," he chortled.
Andy watched her as she closed the blinds to her office. He watched as she shook her head slowly and then turned around to face him. "Sharon," he said. "Oh, we are not there Lieutenant," she said in very measured tones.
"Captain," he said looking at the floor.
"You came very close to the line just now," she said her hands on her hips, her posture rigid. "I know that," she sighed hating to have to say it, "our relationship complicates things. I can not show you favoritism. At times, I may need to appear stricter with you than the others."
Andy felt like an ass. "Captain, may I," he began, "apologize for being an impatient immature ass."
"That is a start," she said. "You let it get to you. I know it hasn't been easy. I know they, I have tried your patience," she paused sighing softly before she continued. "But now I," she raised her hands then dropped them to her sides, "I can't let this go unchallenged. You know that. As your superior officer."
Andy cut her off, "You need to set me straight. Suspend me, chain me to the desk just please no seminars please," he said trying to lighten the mood.
She stifled a laugh, "Lieutenant Flynn, you have been cleared for active duty by your doctor and I concur."
Andy looked hopeful. She smiled at him.
"Monday, you may resume your duties on Monday. Until then," she said looking over her glasses.
"I will, I will," Andy said holding his hands up in surrender.
"As long as we understand each other, Lieutenant," she said adding firm emphasis on his title. "You better get back out there," she said tilting her head toward the door.
"Yah, ok," he said heading to the door. Before he opened it, he turned back to her, "We still on for dinner?"
"Yes," she said with a smile pointing to the door.
She opened the blinds as Andy exited her office and headed for his desk. He maintained a scowl on his face as he sat down although he was no longer angry, he wanted to keep up appearances, and truth be told the Captain didn't pull any punches.
"So ho ho, a lovers' quarrel?" Provenza gleefully chortled.
Andy shot a look toward his partner, "Oh shut up!" he said slamming a desk drawer.
Sharon had to turn away from the window otherwise she would give away Andy's charade. He would be pretty good with undercover she thought as she walked back around her desk. She sighed as she sat down, removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. That would teach her to mix business with pleasure.
Tao finally broke the silence, "So, how long."
Andy looked up at him brow furrowed.
"Come on Lieutenant," Sanchez joined in, "It can't be that bad."
"Now, now gentlemen, can you not see that our poor little desk monkey is feeling a bit down in the mouth, his keeper just relocked his cage." Provenza piped in.
"Shut up old man!" Andy seethed through gritted teeth.
"Oh that bad is it?" Provenza continued to needled his partner.
Andy glared at him. "You gonna let it go?" Andy knew he wouldn't relent until he got a more definitive answer. "Monday," he said in the most exasperated sounding voice he could muster, "The Captain will reevaluate my," he paused for effect, "condition, on Monday. Now can we all get back to work." Andy gruffly scanned the room roughly opening a file.
Provenza laughed before returning to his crossword, "Idiot," he muttered under his breath.
The End