I got inspired when I saw the prompt and I also hide my crazy theory from my blog, but choose the opportunity to have my theory to match up with the prompt.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
Keep in mind about The Closer Season 6 episode "Last Woman Standing" because it is crucial to the story.
Warning: Tragedy death of OC
Sharon had a secret. The first time she met Brenda wasn't at the hospital for Gabriel's shooting while off duty; but in a Political Science class at her undergraduate school in the south. Brenda did not remember her from those days and she wanted to keep it that way.
Two women, one curly headed dirty blond and the other a mousy haired brunette, stood in anticipation for the next question.
"Okay, This statement says, a theory that financial benefits given to big business will in turn pass down to smaller businesses and consumers." The questioner stated.
The blond started to open her mouth, but the brunette stated the answer before her.
"Trickle-down theory." The soft southern accent voice rang.
"Ah, Alma, got the correct answer. Her team wins the point."
Alma's team stood up and high-fived along with Alma. She pushed her glasses up to her nose, because of all those jostles they had nearly fallen off.
"Alma Sharon Adkins beat Brenda Leigh Johnson! Woohoo!" the study group yelled.
Alma shook hands with Brenda. Alma felt a little electricity pulse through her and she tried to keep her blushing under control. She managed to suppress her feelings because her family would disown her if she ever entered a relationship with a woman. Plus she had a on again off again relationship with her parents' approval for her boyfriend, Jackson Raydor. She and Brenda were not really friends, but they spent time together through their mutual friends' study group.
Alma was getting closer with Brenda toward end of the semester before going home to be with her family in North Carolina for Christmas. They finished their mutual classes' exam early but still had one more exam to go.
Outside it was getting dark and everyone was pulling an all-nighter because of finals. Alma fiddled with her sweater string as she walked around the library to keep herself awake. Then, she found Brenda at a small desk with her head down on top of an open book. She felt her heart pulled by the adorableness. She wanted to wake her up, but dismissed the idea. She noticed that Brenda was shivering in her sleep. Alma, without thinking, took off her thick tan wool cardigan and put it around Brenda's shoulders. She walked away to her desk to pick up her things. Alma left the library wearing her heavy coat. She never saw Brenda or her sweater again because her older sister, Emily, died in a car accident over the holiday. Her grieving had caused her to take a semester off and finish her undergraduate in a different school up north. Alma learned to develop a deep, controlled voice to hide the southern accent. Because of the accent change and her engagement with Jackson, Alma Adkins quickly became Sharon Raydor.
Sharon heard about the southern woman named Chief Brenda Johnson. She thought it could possibly be the same person. She kept her curiosity at bay, so she did not feel the need to rush over to the Major Crimes floor to see her. A few years later, Sharon found herself in the same room as her crush from her college days when they met in the hospital. She exuded confidence and found herself exhilarated by Brenda. Sharon observed that Brenda showed no sign of knowing her from college. She wanted to keep it that way. She found herself loving their new dynamic. Brenda was still the same person while Alma herself had changed.
Sharon sat through the meeting, along with other coordinators, about the mayor looking for a new Chief. The first person that she thought of would be perfect for the job. Sharon knocked on Brenda's office door. She heard the chief calling her to come in. Her breath was taken away when she saw her sweater again. She never thought she would see that sweater again. Her older sister, Emily bought it for her to have something cozy while studying at college. Brenda was still wearing the sweater after all these years. Sharon cleared her throat and asked Brenda if she had time. Brenda nodded and Sharon sat down in her chair. She suddenly felt like Alma meeting Brenda. Sharon masked her nervousness and started with the questions.
Brenda stared at Sharon, but could not remember if she had met this woman before. She held the sweater close to herself. She always found comfort in the sweater. The sweater helped her through her breakups, her stress, and her almost rape. She remembered waking up in the morning of her second day of finals with this sweater. She tried to return it to the owner, Alma Adkins but she learned that Alma had left the college and she did not have Alma's address or phone number. Brenda licked her lips as she remembered how much she liked Alma because of her personality and passion for society. Brenda did not realize that her college crush was right in front of her writing in the small notebook.
This story came from this prompt founding from the tumblr blog called otpprompts. It has to do with the sweater thing. Thank you, BeyondDelusional for taking a look at it. Do you see how I came up with the name for Sharon? It has to do with her son, Ricky Raydor. I thought maybe that's why she name him that way.