PIVOTAL

Summary: A small pivotal moment for Andy Flynn where Sharon Raydor is concerned.

/1/

Andrew Flynn clinked his glass with sparkling water gently against his date's wine glass, a smile prominent on his lips. His date for the evening, Cynthia, smiled back, the bright warm glow of her lipstick glistening. Andy had forgotten the sheer joy of sitting in a fancy restaurant with a beautiful woman, the anticipation of what the night would entail; good food and good company. They were in the middle of the main course when Andy turned his head and caught a familiar form being seated at the other end of the small establishment.

Andy couldn't contain his smile at the figure of his Captain in a snuck black dress, completely unaware of anything but the man who directed her to the table.

What a strange turn of events, he thought, Sharon Raydor on a date nonetheless. Andy had been under the assumption she had a social life that reminded him of his own; nonexistent.

Andy watched her settle in, the neckline of her dress lower than anything he had seen on her before, and he had ogled her enough to know when her neckline was low. Her hair was meticulously styled, draped over one shoulder disclosing the pale of her collarbones. Andy watched as she crossed one leg over the other, intrigued by the show of bare legs; it was more than he had seen of her before and it drew his stare. It was not that he hadn't noticed her before, or taken notice of her attributes, but still there was something different about seeing her outside the office. She looked vastly different. Approachable even. Maybe it was the playful smile on her lips.

Andy shook his head and with a wry smile, he quickly turned his eyes and attention back to his own date. Yet he could not help sneak a look or two her way throughout the meal. That little black dress was mesmerizing.

Later on, waiting for desert, Andy saw the Captain rise and make her way to the restrooms in the back of the restaurant. Without much thought, Andy excused himself and made a beeline for his boss, a cheeky smile on his face he couldn't hide. He knew practically nothing about her and just seeing her outside the office was so new and strange it drew him like a moth to a flame. Heck, it had been what, five weeks since she had taken over Major Crimes. Up until that he had come to think of her as colloquial but annoying. Her manner was vastly different now than before and he didn't even feel like giving her the attitude Provenza was lathering up.

The former I.A woman was standing in the little hallway, the toilet occupied. She looked back over her shoulder when Andy came through the door. Her eyes landed on him curiously, a greeting smile that carried surprise and some form of professionalism.

"Captain," Andy grinned in greeting, half of a mind to salute her impishly.

"Lieutenant Flynn," she greeted back, the rank sounding soft from her lips.

"Fancy meeting you here, huh," Andy commented, taking a place next to her. He leaned his shoulder against the wall, trying to appear at ease.

She nodded with a secretive smile that looked to belong in a different setting.

"You come here often?" Andy asked, the words sounding embarrassingly awkward once they left his mouth. He gave off a shrug and a smile, relaxing once he saw the humor in her crinkled eyes.

"Define often," she replied smoothly, her voice lowered a notch.

Andy tilted his head, grinning.

"You on a date?"

This time the question turned her smile demure.

"Oh no, no," she smiled and hid her expression briefly as she looked down. When she looked up again, Andy caught something shift in her expression, "I'm married, remember."

"Oh, right, yeah," Andy replied, his eyes drawn to the hemline of her dress.

She cleared her throat and Andy quickly looked up again, finding her cheeks somewhat flushed.

Andy felt bolstered by the red hue on her cheeks. He smiled, "You look gorgeous, if you do not mind my saying so," he paused and then added "Captain" as an afterthought.

Sharon Raydor chuckled.

It was a soft and amused tone, silvery and light. Come to think of it, he was not sure he had ever heard her laugh before.

"Thank you, Andy," she said, his name coming off her lips easily, "The sentiment is mutual."

"You think I look gorgeous?" he teased her.

Her smile broadened, "You look dapper."

Andy shrugged with a smile, "I try."

She smiled, "And you are here with?"

"A woman," he arched an eyebrow.

"I never would have imagined," Sharon tilted her head and she put a strand of hair behind her ear revealing a little gold earring that Andy found fascinating. There was a note in her voice that sounded almost flirtatious.

Andy smiled, "Yeah, a date. Cynthia from DSDF, you know. She was the one who helped put together the file on Rusty's biological father."

"Oh," she smiled but it seemed somewhat subdued, "How small the world is."

He nodded.

The toilet door opened and a woman stepped out.

Andy watched as Sharon Raydor awkwardly took a step towards the toilet and then turned around, giving him a smile, her hands coming together, "Well, I'll see you Monday morning, lieutenant."

"Aye, aye, bright and early," Andy replied with a half salute, half wave, finding himself feeling a bit flustered when the smile on her mouth widened, "Nice talking to ya."

"You too, Andy."

His name sounded nice coming from her.

Needless to say, he was distracted the rest of the evening.

Cynthia was, for a lack of a better word, dull in comparison. It in the end, it wasn't Cynthia he thought of when he made it to bed but rather his Captain.

…