Written for crystal_visions, as part of the gift exchange on LJ.

Rusty stood in the doorway of Sharon's bedroom and his gaze moved between the two dresses Sharon held up and then at Sharon. Both dresses were purple; one had a Peter Pan collar and was a deep shade of purple, almost aubergine and the other was an imperial purple cocktail dress with a sparkly belt. Very rarely had Sharon asked for his opinion about a dress and he wasn't sure why she was unable to make up her mind about the dress she wears tonight.

"I like this one better," he pointed at the cocktail dress. Sharon nodded slowly and carefully placed the dress on her bed. "Can I come too?"

"No," Sharon replied.

"Why not? I'm sure Lieutenant Flynn won't mind me; unless it's a date."

"It's not a date, Rusty. I'm just doing him a favor," Sharon replied.

"By going out with him?" Rusty arched his eyebrow. "It sounds like a date to me."

"Regardless of how it might seem, it's not a date, but you can't join me," Sharon replied. "If you excuse me, I need to get ready. Thank you for helping me choose a dress." She closed the door of her bedroom and Rusty leaned against the wall in the hall and huffed. He didn't want to stay at home on the weekend, he wanted to go out and get some fresh air.

"If it's not a date, why can't I come with you?" he called out, knowing that she heard him through the door of her room.

"You have to stay here, with your security detail, where you are safe," Sharon replied as she opened the door, already dressed.

"If I have to stay here in order to be safe, so should you," Rusty declared.

"You are receiving threats against your life, Rusty," Sharon replied. "And I will not take the chance that you get hurt."

"But you are also getting threats against your life. This means that you should not go out either," Rusty exclaimed. A surprised expression spread across Sharon's face and then a horrified expression took over.

"Who told you I've been getting threats?" she asked, her overly calm voice was enough to indicate that she was indeed getting threats.

"I overheard a conversation between Chief Taylor and Emma." Rusty admitted. "They were talking about threatening letters that were addressed to you and sent to your home," he said. "Is this why you didn't want to show me my letters? Because they are no longer addressed to me?"

"Rusty, I don't know what you heard," Sharon started, "But I'm sure this is some kind of misunderstanding..."

"Don't lie, Sharon. Are you hiding your letters from me because I hid mine from you? Is it like a revenge thing?" Rusty's voice was distressed now. Sharon went out of her room and took his hand, gently pulling him into the room.

"Sit," her voice was firm as she motioned towards the bed. Rusty sat down with an unsatisfied shrug. "I received only three letters, the rest were addressed to you," she said. "And I didn't tell you, because they are full of ridiculous and empty words."

"What do they say, your letters?" Rusty asked.

"You don't need to worry about it, Rusty. I am safe, and as long as you stay with your security detail, so are you," Sharon replied.

"I still want to know," Rusty insisted. If Sharon's life was in danger because of him, he would choose option 2, go to a boarding school somewhere far and cut all contact. It would be painful for him, but he would still do it if he knew Sharon was safe.

"Don't think about it, honey. I will be just fine," Sharon shrugged.

"That's not what I'm asking you. I want to know what your letters say. What does this psycho want from you?"

"It's nothing serious at the moment, Rusty," Sharon said as she opened her jewelry box and took out a pair of diamond earrings and a matching necklace.

"Please, please don't leave tonight. Can't you and Lieutenant Flynn have your date here?" Rusty's voice turned a little whiny.

"No, we can't." Sharon ignored the word 'date'. "We're going to the ballet, Rusty, so we need to go out, but don't worry. I will be back early."

"Do you have your own security detail?" Rusty wondered if Sharon might have had someone in civilian clothes following her to make sure she was okay or maybe the security detail that stood outside her condo and building was there to guard the both of them.

"No. I have a service weapon and that should be enough," Sharon replied.

"Are you taking it with you tonight?" Rusty asked.

"I wasn't planning to; no," Sharon said and the distressed expression that spread across Rusty's face made her heart quiver painfully. "But I will, if it makes you feel better." Rusty nodded and Sharon walked over to her closet and unlocked the safe where she kept her Glock while she was off duty. It was too big for her classy silver purse, and therefore, she grabbed a different purse that was bigger and certainly did not match her dress. If being a fashion victim was what it took in order to calm Rusty down, she would certainly do it.

"Do you ever use it?" Rusty asked.

"Mostly in the firing range," Sharon smiled.

"And are you any good at shooting it?"

"You should ask Lieutenant Flynn; I believe that he still keeps a beanbag I shot at a suspect a couple years ago; right between the eyes," Sharon smiled to herself.

"Can you… like teach me how to use a weapon?" Rusty looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"You have a security detail, Rusty. You do not need a weapon," Sharon sighed. The last thing she needed was Rusty playing with guns. That could only lead to trouble, and Emma would give her hell if Rusty ever so much as draws a gun in his notebook.

"I don't want a weapon. I just want to learn how to use one," Rusty said. "Please, don't just say no. It's unfair that I can't at least learn how to defend myself."

"You know what? I'll think about it," Sharon said. "In the meantime, if you want, I have a friend from the police academy who can give you some self defense classes. Would you like that?" Sharon offered. She didn't really think Rusty would need the classes, but getting him to do something other than chess or homework might be beneficial for him and hopefully, it would get the idea of learning how to use a weapon out of his head.

"Yeah, that sounds great," Rusty replied. Sharon slipped into a pair of silver pumps and sprayed some of her favorite perfume on the crook of her neck and inner part of her wrist, gently rubbing her wrists against each other. Wrapping a dark shawl around her shoulders, she gave herself a once over in the mirror. "Lieutenant Flynn better appreciate the effort you're putting into your appearance for him…" Rusty said.

"I'm not putting the effort for him, Rusty. I'm dressing up this way because this is how you dress when you go to the theatre."

"Or a date," Rusty quipped.

"It's not a date, Rusty," Sharon said for the umpteenth time that evening.

"Do you like him?"

"I like all my officers," Sharon replied.

"No, I mean like like him, in more than officership kind of way," Rusty insisted.

"Officership is not a word, Rusty, and my love life is none of your business," Sharon's voice suddenly became husky.

"So it means that you do have a love life," Rusty wasn't really sure why he kept trying to push Sharon's buttons; maybe he was bored with his own life which at the moment consisted of nothing but a long, agonizing and tedious wait for his testimony impending murder trial.

"That's not funny," Sharon shrugged. Rusty brought his knees to his chest, suddenly noticing that Sharon's bed was more comfortable to sit on than his bed. It was also bigger than his and had two pillows. He knew that Sharon only used one pillow, so he wondered who the other pillow was for. Maybe Sharon and Jack were on more friendly terms with each other before his last visit; maybe she was just used to sleep in a bigger bed from the time that she was actually married. Old habits die hard, he thought. Or maybe she just hasn't given up the chance of someone new in her life.

Sharon looked at Rusty, noticing his pensiveness. "Are you okay, Rusty?" she asked, her voice warm and worried as she took a seat on the bed next to him.

"I'm just… you know, if you start dating someone, I wouldn't be mad or anything," Rusty said, a soft blush spreading across his face.

"That's sweet of you, Rusty," Sharon said softly, "but I'm not seeing anyone, and I'm not planning to..."

"I never planned on becoming homeless, or a witness, or coming here to live with you," Rusty's voice was contemplative. "Life can throw all kinds of things your way and they can be really bad, but these things can also be really good, you know?" The shocked expression that appeared on Sharon's face made him wonder whether he was being inappropriate. They heard the ring of the doorbell and Rusty pushed himself off the bed.

"I'll go answer that," he said before Sharon could react. He left the room and down the hall, letting out a deep and audible breath. He walked to the door and looked through the peephole, seeing Lieutenant Flynn dressed in a dark fancy suit; the kind of suit he never wore to work. He sighed and opened the door.

"Hi, Kid. How are you doin'?" Flynn asked as he crossed the doorstep. Rusty shrugged. "Is Sharon not ready yet?"

"She'll be out in a minute," Rusty couldn't help but noticing that Flynn used Sharon's first name. Maybe Sharon didn't think it was a date, but it seemed to Rusty that the lieutenant did.

"Good evening, Andy," Sharon's heels clicked as she walked down the hall. Apparently both of them were on first name basis, Rusty thought.

"Wow, Sharon, you look fantastic," Andy said. Rusty was not sure whether or not he should be amused with the infatuated expression that spread across Flynn's face and the flush that quickly spread across Sharon's face.

Sharon smiled at her lieutenant and thanked him, her voice a little too high pitched and breathy. She was taken with him, Rusty could tell, despite her earlier denial that this evening out with lieutenant Flynn was a date. "Are we ready to go?"

"Hmm, just give me a minute," Sharon held up her index finger. "Rusty, a word," she said and walked to the hallway. He followed her, feeling the nervousness coursing in his veins, prickling his skin like a thousand needles. "I just want to tell you that you're right; life throws all kinds of surprises our way. And you are one of the best surprises I've ever got," she squeezed his shoulder affectionately.

"Thank you, Sharon." Rusty could feel his eyes stinging with tears and he looked away for a moment. "You should go now, and have a good time." He waved his hands nervously. Sharon nodded slowly and walked to the living room again. She turned around and looked at him.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine," Rusty shrugged and followed her back to the living room, watching her as she took her coat from the hanger and put it on.

"You might want to check your desk, I left an early Christmas present for you there," Sharon smiled at him before opening the door. Rusty thanked her shyly. He didn't really expect a gift, let alone an early one. He wished he would have gotten her more than one, so he could leave an early Christmas present for her as well.

Sharon went out of her condo and Flynn turned to follow her, when Rusty caught his arm. He turned around to face the kid.

"Take good care of her, okay?" Rusty asked.

"Of course I will, kid. Don't you worry," Flynn replied with a warm smile. He patted Rusty's shoulder and followed Sharon out of the condo.

"Lock the door," Rusty heard Sharon's voice. He closed the door after the lieutenant and locked it, leaning against it with a heavy sigh. The house was quiet without Sharon and he wished she had stayed in. Walking to his room, he found an unwrapped carton box on his desk. It was quite big and he had no idea when Sharon had managed to sneak into his room and place it there without him noticing. A note in Sharon's curly handwriting was pasted on the outside of the box.

Dear Rusty,

Good friends are hard to come by, but I hope that this new friend will stay with you for many years. Her name is Chess and I am sure that she will always be there for you, as will I.

Love,

Sharon

Unsure what he was going to find inside and who or what exactly Chess was, Rusty opened the box with trembling fingers. He peeked into the box and noticed the little creature that was calmly sleeping inside. It was a fluffy white terrier. He took her out of the box and smiled.

"Hi, Chess," he said softly as he looked into the puppy's sleepy eyes. "I'm Rusty." Sitting on his bed, he examined Chess closely. She had mischievous eyes and a happy expression on her face. He wrapped his arms around her and put his nose to hers. Here was a friend he might be able to keep; a friend who won't go behind his back and betray him; a friend who will not want a romantic relationship; a friend who will love him unconditionally, no matter what he's done in the past or what he does in the future. He never thought that his ideal friend would be a dog; he never thought that Sharon would allow a dog in the house.

His iPhone beeped and he took it out of his pocket and smiled at the text message he received from Sharon. "Life is full of surprises, eh?"