Just a one-shot alternate to 5.18. Thanks maidenpride for the prompt!
"Did you see the text Ricky just sent both of us?" Andy asked, as he stepped into Sharon's office. The team was working the case, and Sharon had just finished a phone call. She looked up and smiled to Andy.
"What? Text? No," she frowned. "I missed that. I must have been on the phone. What did he say? His flight okay?"
He shook his head, "Delayed due to fog. He said he'll just see us at home. Sorry, Sharon, I know you were looking forward to his being here for lunch.
She frowned, "Well, that's a bummer," she sighed. "Yes, I was looking forward to two of my favorite men taking me to lunch. Although, with this case now, I'm not sure it would have happened anyways."
"Well," he said as he shifted and put his hands on the chair in front of her desk, "You're right about lunch, but maybe all three of your favorite guys can make you dinner tonight?" he offered.
"That is a very good idea," she grinned. "You're going to spoil me, cooking all the meals lately."
"I intend to spoil you," he smiled brightly at her. Leaning in a bit because her door was open, "I mean, you did agree to marry me, Sharon. It's now my job to spoil my fiancée," he whispered. They hadn't told the team yet. They were planning a big party; Sharon's sense of occasion had kicked in again. The plan was to invite everyone over for the weekend and have a big reveal then. Just a get-together, Sharon had told everyone. Andy was finally on the mend, Julio was happy with Mark-there were things to celebrate. The team just didn't know the biggest thing of all, their captain had said yes. The romance they'd watch before their very eyes had blossomed and had now entered a new phase, one that they would all approve and even celebrate.
"Provenza does know that I'm not going to wear my ring until the party, right?" she asked. Of course, Provenza knew about the engagement; being Andy's best friend, he wasn't just one of the team. He was like a little kid on Christmas waiting to find out Sharon's answer. He'd told Andy it had taken everything in his power not to call him the night he proposed to Sharon, the captain, as he was now sometimes starting to call her both in their off-duty hours. Instead, he'd pestered Rusty, even grinning-in the privacy of his own home, nonetheless-about the pictures of the condo Rusty had texted to him. He was impressed with the decorating and planning Rusty and Andy had put into the night, and he had spent most of that evening texting Rusty repeatedly, even finally asking, "Is the texting working? You aren't replying." Rusty had explained that he wasn't asking about Sharon's answer until the next day, so it thrilled Provenza when by lunch the next day, he'd gotten confirmation of a 'yes." Of course, Provenza knew. He, the guy who complained about the relationship from the start, was turning out to be their biggest cheerleader. He'd been sworn to secrecy, only telling Patrice, but his constant staring at her hand was getting annoying.
"I told Provenza you wouldn't wear you ring to work until we told everyone. I'll say something again. The staring alone is going to give things away," he rolled his eyes.
Sharon smiled again, "I'm glad your best friend is happy for you, for us, but yes, he's the worst detective with regards to this," she chuckled.
"Yeah, yeah," he nodded. "Okay, I'm going back to work. So, Ricky-are you texting him back, or am I?"
"I'll let you handle it," she nodded to him. "He's thrilled about this, you know. He's already calling you his stepfather," she grinned. "With these dinner plans of yours, I'll let you handle Ricky and Rusty."
Andy nodded and went back to his desk. Sharon worked at hers, asking Andy to pass along they would do a team update in 10 minutes.
20 minutes later, the team update was progressing nicely, and they were all starting to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Sharon was thinking they would be able to break for dinner that night, something she desperately wanted to do. She really did hate having to keep her team late into the night, but sometimes, duty called. This case, however, it looked like they would have time for a normal evening before tackling more of the case.
The team was gathered around Mike's computer, looking at some information he had pulled up when they heard their headache of the day enter the room, "Ahh, the team hard at work. Where's my wife?"
All eyes locked on each other around Mike's computer, and as if almost in slow motion, the team all stood and turned, arms crossed to greet, as Provenza might say, "The Idiot of the Day."
"Jack," Sharon sighed, shaking her head. "Why are you here?"
"Who's that guy?" Wes asked, as he stood next to Julio. He was discreet, but the team was standing in close quarters. Of course, Wes wouldn't know Jack, and now, here as much as she tried to keep her personal life out of the office, Jack had blown into town, stirring things up again.
"Ahh, there you are, Sharon. So, an annulment? Really? That's low for you, and now you drag the kids into it? You've always badgered me about talking to them, attempting to have a relationship with them, and now you sick our kids on me? You want an annulment and have the kids do your dirty work?" he said, completely irritated, waving some paperwork in the air.
Sharon froze; she hadn't contacted Jack. She hadn't discussed an annulment with him. She hadn't discussed her engagement with him. She'd only recently discussed it with Andy. It was one of the things they were working through. She was marrying him, no matter what, but she wanted to marry him free and clear of the church. Sure, she wanted the church wedding, but she didn't know if Andy would ever broach the subject of an annulment with Sandra, his ex-wife. She had told Andy she was considering it with her marriage to Jack. Yes, that was partly due to her maybe, if possible having a church wedding, because yes, that did mean something to her. However, even if she couldn't have that because Andy's marriage wasn't annulled, she still wanted to marry him. It was enough to know the church saw she'd gone through the appropriate steps, even if her second marriage couldn't be blessed. It was enough, but at the moment, she and Andy hadn't gotten that far in their discussion, and she certainly hadn't discussed it with Jack or the kids.
"Jack, this is not the time or place for a discussion like this," she said as she took a step forward toward him. So far, he hadn't spilled anything, other than maybe letting the team know annulment was on the tip of her tongue. She needed to remove Jack quickly.
"Ahh, Sharon," he shook his head, still with the paper in the air, "the blushing bride. He glanced toward her hand, "What's the matter, Flynn? Too cheap to get my wife a proper ring? Even at 22, I bought her a nice ring. As I continue to say about him, -'Really, Sharon?' and you just keep staying with that lowlife," he grumbled.
Sharon felt Andy and Provenza flank her, and before she could utter another word, Andy did so, "That's enough, Jack," he seethed. "You leave her alone. You are not part of this, and anything you think you want to discuss has no place here at work," he said as he continued to point at Jack.
"Ahh, the love-struck groom" Jack sighed, completely unfazed by Andy's stern lecture, "Flynn, couldn't leave her alone, could you? Had to have my wife. Put the moves on her, crept your way in, hey-you even appear to like Rusty," he rolled his eyes, "then, if that's not enough, my own kids like you, and you continue by moving into my house, sleeping in my bed, taking my wife to bed, all for her," he smirked. "Now, she's actually agreed to marry you. Wow, a new low."
"Jack!" Sharon exclaimed, so mad, her hands were shaking. Jack was bad enough, and normally she could handle him, but he was pushing buttons today, buttons of total hate, and he was getting to her. "You stop it right now. This is where we work. I will have you banned from this office. Leave my personal life out of this. We are divorced and have been for years now. The condo has never been yours. It's MY condo that I bought after we were separated. You have never lived there, the couple weeks on the couch from several years ago do not count, not when you were trying to use me then. Leave Andy alone. We, Andy and I, have a home together in our condo, one I share with him. Rusty too. You are right; the kids do like Andy-why? He's here, he's involved in their lives, but most of all, they like Andy because he loves me. He's good to me, and I'm my happiest when I'm with him. Whatever paperwork you are flashing at me, it's not my doing. Get out of my office, now!" she said sternly.
Jack crossed his arms, "So, let me get this straight. You didn't send over this annulment paperwork? I hoped you wouldn't go that far, Shar," he grinned.
Sharon took a defensive stance, Andy and Provenza still on both sides of her. She could see the rest of the team out of the corner of her eyes, moving around the room too, in support.
"Jack," she said in her sweetest, fake voice, "No, I haven't had a moment to send you that paperwork, so I don't know where you got it. Now, since you do have it, go ahead," she gestured, "sign. It will save me the trouble of sending it to you in a couple of weeks. Now, considering the kids are the only ones in contact with you who know Andy and I got engaged, I'm guessing this is some of their handiwork. Sad, isn't it, Jack?" as she tilted her head and pursed her lips at him. "Sad, that your own children would prefer to see our marriage annulled than anything else. Sad reality because if they initiated it, which I'm guessing they did, that means they would much prefer me to marry Andy than to have any single tie to you."
"I'm not signing it, Sharon," Jack waved. "I won't sign it. Knowing how much a church wedding means to you, good luck marrying Flynn. Flynn, she's your problem now. Just wait, everything changes when you put a ring on that finger with her, but I guess you wouldn't know that yet, seeing as you can't even splurge for a ring. Sharon, you can keep your paperwork. I'll call the kids' bluff, that they claim they won't have anything to do with me. Fine. Man, Sharon, enjoy your mess," Jack flung it toward her before he turned and stormed out of the office. The team remained silent waiting for Sharon to speak.
"Sooo, that was Jack," Julio nodded, as he turned to Wes. "Just to clarify, Nolan, we don't like Jack."
Somehow, Julio knew exactly what to say, and that broke the ice. Sharon had been standing there, her hand rubbing her face, Andy's hand on the small of her back, and the rest of the team had all taken a defensive arm crossed stance. Sharon was so angry she was almost shaking. Julio's comment had everyone finally smile and start to laugh.
"Captain, he seems delightful," Wes grinned, throwing a smirk toward Sharon. "Lieutenant, I don't know why the guy hates you so. From what I've learned about you so far, you're a great guy," he continued to grin at the couple. Sharon covered her face, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry, everyone," she sighed. "Obviously, we are all aware of Jack and his antics."
"Ahh, Captain, enough about Jack," Julio grinned. "I think we are due an explanation."
Andy gave him a puzzled look, and as he glanced toward Sharon, he started to nod, realizing that Jack had let the cat out of the bag. Andy had been so focused on not punching the guy as he tried to berate Sharon, he'd missed that the team had found out, courtesy of Jack.
"Ahh, well guys" Andy shrugged, and Sharon looked up as he started to speak. This was their announcement, and Jack wasn't going to ruin it any further. Sharon stepped over to Andy's side.
"We're engaged," she grinned.
"By some miracle, she said yes," Andy grinned.
"Ahh, congratulations!" they heard from the team as they smiled at everyone. The team drew in closer.
"Sir, please don't tell me Jack was right about anything," he nodded toward Sharon's hand. She'd put her left hand on Andy's chest, as he held her to his side. Both Sharon and Andy followed Julio's gaze.
"What? Oh, no," Sharon smiled as she shook her head. "Andy got me a beautiful ring," she beamed. "It's at home. We were going to surprise you all, a party, this weekend," she continued to smile. "Surprise," she said with a nervous laugh.
"Ahh, the future Mrs. Flynn,-Captain Flynn," Mike joked. Both Andy and Sharon turned to him.
"Umm, Mike-"Andy started to say, but Sharon patted his chest.
"You know," she turned to the whole group, "we have been discussing that, and it's still not settled. However, dropping Raydor is looking more and more appealing the more I have to be around Jack," she said slightly irritated. The team laughed.
"Well, congratulations Ma'am, Sir," Julio grinned. "I expect to see the ring tomorrow now that we all know."
"Ahh, I can do better than that," Andy grinned, pulling out his phone, "at least for now. I do have pictures of the ring. Now, do you want to see the ring on Sharon's hand or on Provenza's because well, he was my hand model at the store?" he grinned. "That's a sight you won't forget."