She glanced over at her girlfriend as they relaxed on the couch together, another one of Rusty's movies playing on blue ray player, the teenager flung carelessly over one of Sharon's expensive arm chairs next to them. It had been a hard week for Sharon with a double homicide case that still wasn't entirely wrapped up, but she had sent her team home for some rest anyway. There wasn't much they could do on a Friday night and the paperwork could wait; they had the killer behind bars and all the major details filled in, at the very least. Andrea rubbed her feet gently, a small smile creeping across her lips as she watched Sharon sleep, one arm stretched over her head resting idly on the arm of the couch, her hand tangled in a long mess of red curls.
"I don't think she's ever made it all the way through a whole movie," Rusty laughed quietly, looking over at Sharon and Andrea.
Andrea grinned at the boy as she tossed a chenille throw over her lap, trying to cover Sharon up with it, too. "I know. She even falls asleep at the movies sometimes, its pathetic."
"I feel kind of bad for her. I don't think she went to bed at all last night. She was at the kitchen table when she sent me to bed last night, and she was still there when I woke up this morning." Rusty watched Andrea for a moment then looked down at his foster mother, a hint of worry in his eyes.
Andrea looked down at Sharon too, studying the lines in her cheeks as she slept. "This has been a tough week for her, Rusty. Sometimes cases are harder than others…I think this one just took its toll on her. At least we can be glad she closed it tonight, right?"
Andrea had always been good at leveling with Rusty and being honest with him. Rusty appreciated that she didn't dismiss him when she spoke to him, especially when it came to Sharon. "Yeah. You're right. Sometimes I wonder if the job isn't too hard on her... sometimes she just seems so tired, Andrea. I mean…she isn't exactly 25… should she be working that hard all the time?"
Andrea let out a small laugh as she squeezed Sharon's calves, contemplating his concern. She knew it came from a place of genuine love and concern, but it amused her. She'd never thought of Sharon as aging. Vital, beautiful… sexy. Never aging. Then again, she hadn't often thought of herself as aging very often, either. They simply were what they were-and both of them were at pretty damn good places in their careers. In fact, both of them had finally reached a place in their careers that was too good to retire. Andrea knew she had it in her to go another ten, twelve years as a DA, and she figured it was safe to say the same for Sharon as head of Major Crimes.
"Rusty, I think it's very sweet that you worry about her. I don't think she takes care of herself like she should, and I do absolutely think its your place as her foster son and as someone who lives with her and loves her to tell her that. She should eat more often and she should sleep more, but as far as work goes…. She's at the top of her game. You're right that fifty five isn't twenty five, but don't knock it kid, neither one of us has one foot in the grave yet." She tossed a pillow at him and grinned a wide toothed grin.
Rusty caught the pillow and smiled, but he couldn't shake his concern. "I guess… I just do love her. I really like living here with here and hanging out with you and I… I don't know. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to her, Andrea."
Andrea took a deep breath in before she allowed her eyes to meet Rusty's. This wasn't about aging at all-his biggest fear was hers too. Finally, she looked up at him, recognition drawing in the lines on her face. "Rusty… I know. I know what you mean… but she is tough. She has been at this for thirty years and she still comes home to us every night, doesn't she?"
Rusty nodded and stared at the floor, not allowing the inevitable 'what if' to slip out of his mouth, but Andrea could read it all over his posturing anyway.
"We can't torture ourselves with it, Rusty. We have to have faith that she'll walk through that door when her case is closed." Andrea sighed. How many times had she sat through sleepless nights, worried sick because Sharon was on a stake out or had been called to an insecure scene? That Rusty, who had already been through so much trauma, was sitting there reeling with the same uncertainties broke her heart. "Her job is tough and it is scary and…. I can't lie to you, sometimes it just downright sucks that she's a cop… but she's worth it. I can promise you that. Having her in your life and being able to love her is worth the risk of losing her, and if one day we do, at least we got to love her at all, Rusty." Andrea reached across the couch to stroke his hand, wishing she could give him more comfort.
Rusty let out a deep sigh, and then smiled shyly at Andrea. "She is pretty cool, isn't she?" he finally muttered, looking down at Sharon for a brief moment.
"Yea, she is pretty cool," Andrea laughed, resting her head against the back of the couch. "And speaking of little miss cool, we'd better get her to bed before she starts snoring."
"Alright, alright…but can we finish the movie tomorrow morning?"
Andrea smiled at Rusty and nodded as she pulled the throw off of Sharon and ran a finger along the woman's collarbone to wake her up. "Sure thing. We can watch it after breakfast, sound good?"
Rusty nodded and rose, grabbing the three mugs of hot chocolate and popcorn that were strewn across the coffee table before he started to head out.
"Hey, Rusty," Andrea muttered, trying to catch his attention before he made it out of the room.
"Yeah?" He asked, turning around at the divide between the living room and the kitchen, the bar always littered with flowers.
"You know, even if something were to happen to Sharon, you'd always have me kid. We're family. All of us."
Rusty couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He really did love Andrea as much as he loved Sharon. "I know, I know." He smiled, nodding his head at her. He moved back over to the couch and leaned over her, placing a kiss on the blonde's forehead. "I love you, too, Andrea."
"Good, because you're stuck with me, kid." She called after him as he sauntered off to the kitchen, laughing.
"Yea, yea, I know," He muttered, crossing back through the living room after he'd dropped their used dishes off in the kitchen. "Get lazy bones to bed. I'll see you guys in the morning. Night, Andrea."
"Night, kid." She smiled, patting him on the arm as he walked by her to go down the hall. After she heard his bedroom door close, Andrea leaned over and kissed Sharon's collarbone, trying harder to wake her up. After a moment, Sharon stirred, her eyes flitting open slowly.
"Well good morning, sleeping beauty." Andrea said quietly, resting her head on the redhead's stomach.
"Mmm.." Sharon hummed, resting her hand on Andrea's head, "What time is it? Did Rusty go to bed?"
"Its 11. He just went that way," Andrea sighed, relaxing against her girlfriend. "You ready for bed, sweets?"
Sharon nodded her head, closing her eyes again as she ran her fingers through Andrea's hair. She couldn't even being to pretend she wasn't exhausted.
"Alright, come on, lets go to bed babe," Andrea cooed as she stood and offered Sharon her hand. Sharon took it and stood, leaning her head against Andrea's shoulder as she allowed her to lead her down the hall. Sometimes it was nice to have someone to lean on.