A/N: This story is set while Sharon is in FID, about thirty years in the past. This story delves into Andy's relationship with his family, Sharon's relationship with hers, Andy's alcoholism and recovery, and all the things that caused their respective marriages to fail. I started writing this story years ago, but with the news about season six, I figured this was a good way to wrap it all up. The story starts in the 80's and progresses through the finale, filling in the blanks that Duff left as canonically as possible. I'd love to hear your opinions, I own nothing, and all mistakes are my own.

(Also special thanks to Abydosorphan for being the best beta a fangirl could ask for)

WARNING: Abuse, sexual assault, adultery, and addiction are main themes of this story. It touches on a lot of dark subjects, but I promise there's some light.

Los Angeles, 1983

"I told you, I'm married." Lieutenant Sharon Raydor states coldly, looking up briefly from the form she is filling out to send a piercing glare to the man in front of her.

"That doesn't mean we can't go out some time. As friends." Corporal Andy Flynn shrugs, adding the second part quickly.

"No." She responds firmly, her eyes once again glued to her paperwork.

"Why not?" Andy looks at her and tilts his head to the side, a small smile on the corner of his torn lip.

"I am here to investigate your involvement in the Gary Lockerby case. That is why." She states in a monotone voice, tired of his antics.

It was the third time he had passed through her office in less than two weeks, and each time he had tried to ask her out. Sharon knew that by asking her out he was hoping to get on her good side and nothing more. It wasn't the first time someone opposite her had tried to persuade her with dinner and drinks, and she wasn't going to let herself be manipulated by some of the worst the LAPD had to offer, and especially not by Andrew Flynn.

"Lockerby ran. I followed and tackled him. While we were wrestling he hit me in the face," Andy points at his split lip, "and I landed a few hits on him as well. It was self-defence."

"Mhm." Sharon nods sarcastically as she takes his statement.

"You don't believe me?" Flynn asks, his voice inflecting and his hands coming up in surrender.

"I didn't say that." She shakes her head as she continues to write, her eyes still focused intently on the papers in front of her.

"Ask Provenza." He responds defensively and Sharon offers a cynical chuckle.

"Ah yes, Provenza." She smiles coldly, "Your partner, who happens to have a jacket just as thick as yours."

"He was there!" Andy was starting to get irritated. Now he understood why everyone called her the Wicked Witch, and he was actually starting to hate her a bit. Why couldn't she just believe him?

"You're suspended pending further investigation." Her voice is unwavering as she continues to write, waiting for his outraged response.

"What? Why? I didn't fire my weapon!" His eyebrows knit together in frustration as he extends his hands again, "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, no." Sharon shakes her head, her voice dripping with cynical sarcasm, "I'm obviously known for my humour and wit."

Flynn takes a deep breath and clenches his fists a few times, feeling anger burning at the tips of his ears, "What is wrong with you?!"

"Listen to me," Sharon exclaims, her eyes locking with his as she smashes her pen down on the desk loudly, "you have managed to end up in my office three times in less than fourteen days. I'm suspending you for your own good. Get some counselling, take a vacation. Because if you have any intention of keeping this job, you need to get your anger under control, and soon."

Flynn pouts, rage still boiling beneath his skin, "Why do you hate me?" The words come out bitterly.

"Hate isn't exactly the word I'd use." She responds as she goes back to writing and shrugs, her bottom lip puckering out somewhat menacingly.

"Then what's your problem?" His voice is still filled with anger as he watches her hand glide across the page.

"You're dangerous." She states plainly, "To yourself, to the department, and to the public."

"That's not true." Andy shakes his head and glances away from her, afraid to admit that she was right.

"Isn't it?" She looks up at him and quirks an eyebrow, "In the past ten years, you've been in my office more times than I can count. And out of all of the charges against you, you've only been cleared for three incidents." She reaches over and pulls out his accordion folder, skimming through the papers as she continues talking, "Assault on an unarmed suspect, reckless endangerment, firing of a weapon with no justifiable cause. Oh, and this one," she points to the paper she had been reading, "assault on a fellow officer."

Flynn bites his tongue, trying not to lash out at her. He knew that if he did he'd spend the next week in sensitivity training, upon his reinstatement, that is.

"Okay, you're right." He shrugs, "You happy now? I said it. Just don't suspend me, please." Andy Flynn wasn't a fan of begging, but he felt as if he had no other choice.

"I have to. It's the rules." Sharon shrugs, looking genuinely sorry, "Time off could do you some good." She motions with her pen to the slim gold band that rests on his ring finger, "Spend time with those who matter."

"Yeah, right." Andy chuckles sarcastically before rising from his chair and fleeing her office.

~oOo~

"She's a bitch." Provenza grumbles as he sips his beer, watching Flynn who appears to be deep in thought, "That asshole really did a number on your face." He squints and looks at his partner.

"You're telling me." Andy returns as he nurses the whiskey he had been drinking, "I can't believe she actually suspended me!"

"She's known for being a hardass, what'd you expect?" The older man rolls his eyes and sets his empty mug down on the small circular table.

"I'm good at what I do, damn it Louie, I am." He purses his lips sadly before taking another sip of his drink.

"And she's good at what she does, or so I'm told." Provenza rolls his eyes again, "But hey, you're getting a week off work without using your days. Take advantage of it."

"Right." Andy responds coldly, "I'm sure Miranda will be thrilled to have me around all day."

"You know, I'd kill to have a woman like her."

"Take her then. Sweep her off her feet, I don't care." Andy's expression hardens as he finishes his whiskey, "She doesn't want me around anyway."

"You've always had a way with women, haven't you?" Provenza questions, his demeanour much more jovial than the man sitting across from him.

"Shut up." Flynn grumbles in response, indicating that he wanted another drink before letting out a deep sigh, "You're such an ass."

"But you love me." Provenza smirks, paying his tab before heading home.

~oOo~

"I got suspended." Andy admits sheepishly, his head bowed and his hands hanging loosely between his legs.

"What the hell?" His wife, Miranda responds and jumps up from the couch to pace in front of him, "Out of all the stupid shit you've pulled over the years Andy, this has got to be the worst." She exclaims as her cheeks begin to redden, her blonde hair sticking out of her ponytail in haphazard curls, "What did you do?"

"Nothing!" Andy defends, "Look at my face!"

Miranda's blue eyes meet his apologetically, taking in his appearance. It is only now that she fully recognises his injuries. His top lip is split open just to the left of his nose, and a blue-green bruise colours his right temple.

"Andy, I'm sorry." Miranda looks down at her hands, toying with the diamond ring that decorates her finger, "What happened?"

"Our suspect, when we announced ourselves, he ran. I chased him and we ended up fighting." He sighs, "It was all in self-defence, I promise you that."

Miranda watches him curiously for a moment before returning to her seat. She wants to believe him; he was her husband after all, and she was supposed to trust him. But something felt off about him and she squints, trying to figure it out.

"What?" He tilts his head to look at her, squinting back.

"Nothing." Miranda dismisses any unease she was feeling with a wave of her hand as she gets up from the couch and walks to Andy, "I'm working tomorrow, and since you're home I'd appreciate it if you'd take the kids to school. Michael has baseball practise in the afternoon, and Nicole has ballet." She explains.

"I know." Andy nods, "I'll get them there, don't worry about it." He offers his wife a sad smile and closes his eyes as she presses a warm kiss to his forehead.

"I'm going to turn in, please don't make too much noise." She asks quietly and he nods.

"Goodnight, Sweetheart." He whispers down the hallway before he gets up from his chair and gets a beer from the refrigerator, returning to the armchair and flipping on the television.

~oOo~

Andy Flynn is awoken in the morning by two children running over and jumping onto the couch while screaming "Good morning" in his ears.

"Morning." Andy responds just as loudly, trying not to seem startled.

"Dad, why aren't you at work?" Andy's son, Michael questions curiously.

"Your father has a few days off work." Miranda calls from the kitchen. Andy cranes his neck to look at her, her hair cascading down the middle of her back in soft curls, a frying pan clutched in her hand, "Come on, breakfast is ready."

At the sound of those word the kids run to the table, waiting eagerly for Andy to push in their chairs. He pushes himself up from the couch slowly, his joints aching from his fight with Lockerby the previous day.

"There you go." He pushes in Nicole's chair and she responds in her smallest voice.

"Thank you, Daddy." She giggles, watching as he does the same for Michael.

They sit for a while eating breakfast. Andy thought it was strange, all of them together for a meal. It didn't happen often, but he was thankful to have time with his family.

"Hey Daddy," Nicole begins, her dark hair that was so characteristically Flynn frizzy from blow drying it, "what happened to your face?"

Andy lets out a small sigh and Miranda reaches over to squeeze his arm, "A bad guy beat me up." He responds simply as he continues to eat.

"That's not nice." Michael shakes his head, both hands latching onto his glass as he sips his orange juice.

"No, it wasn't." Andy lets out a small chuckle and shakes his head.

"Okay," Miranda breathes out and stands up from the table before smoothing her black skirt, "I have to go to work." She walks around the table and presses a kiss to each of her children's foreheads before coming to Andy and placing a soft kiss on his lips, "I love you." She offers a small smile, kissing him one last time before she turns and heads for the door.

"I love you too." Andy calls after her, watching as she disappeared.

A/N: I was nearly thirty chapters into this story when it was revealed Andy's wife was named Sandra, but I couldn't bring myself to change it. Sandra and Miranda are close enough lol