Written for CloserFicFest2014. Prompt 101: Andy's ex wife refuses to believe him after he "clarified" things after the Nutcracker. She comes to Major Crimes and makes a huge awkward scene in front of everyone.
Don't Blame Me, Blame the Ex.
The team was gathered around Lt. Tao's desk looking at the computer screen while the Asian lieutenant was sitting on his chair.
Provenza stood right behind his left shoulder and was laughing hard. "Oh my God, is this guy for real?"
They were watching some videos that one of their suspects from their latest case made and posted on the internet.
"He certainly is, sir" Amy stood high behind everybody else. "You should have seen his place" And she animatedly told how her and Julio apprehended the suspect and they all laughed.
"I'm just happy it was you and not me and Provenza" Andy said before taking a bite of his slice of pizza.
It was lunch time and they were waiting for the lawyers to show, so while Captain Raydor was still in her office looking through files, they had decided to order a couple of pizzas and watch the videos to pass the time.
"I see our finest are hard at work" a sarcastic female voice said from behind them.
They all turned around and Provenza was ready to reply back when he recognized who was standing at the door. "Oh God" he muttered not happy to see the woman.
"Rachel!" Andy put his plate down and walked towards her, but not too close. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong with the kids?" he asked worriedly.
"Nicole and Jake are fine." She rolled her eyes at him. "Can't I just come for a visit?"
Andy crossed his arms in front of his chest and eyed her suspiciously. "You never visited me at work in the nine years we were married, sorry if I don't buy it now that we're divorced." his tone being very far from apologetic.
"Oh Andy," she gave him a patronizing smirk "always so sarcastic! Makes me wonder why I kicked you out of the house all those years ago."
Andy sighed frustrated already by her presence. "Rachel, what do you want?"
She brushed her hair back with her fingers "I need you to stop lying to Nicole"
Even though it should have been a conversation to have in private, his temper got the better of him and quickly jumped for a fight. "What are you talking about?"
"I mean," she continued without listening to him. "if you had to lie, why not about your drinking, or work, or anything else… I really don't know why you would deny something that is good for you."
"Listen" he took a step towards and Provenza rushed to his side trying to avoid his friend getting in trouble. "I never lied to my children about my drinking. I've been sober for 18 years and I don't like you saying otherwise." He shrugged Provenza's hand from his shoulder. "And as far as why you came here looking for a fight, I have no idea what you're talking about but we can discuss it in family therapy in private"
"What's going on here?" Captain Sharon Raydor stood in front of her office's door hands on her hips. The loud voices had disturbed her from her work. She knew that one voice belong to Andy and she had recognized the other one, but she could quite place it until she had seen the woman.
"Oh, here you are" Rachel sighed exasperated when she saw Sharon. "Maybe you can knock some sense into him"
Andy grunted about to lose his temper again, but Sharon walked beside him and laid a hand on his upper arm. Andy look at her and took a deep breath.
"Hi Rachel" Sharon gave her a false small smile. "What can we do for you?"
"I don't know why he lied to Nicole the other day by suddenly saying that you two weren't dating, since you obviously are." Rachel ignored the sudden gasp that was heard in the room while Andy wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide, preferably forever.
"If it is an excuse for not coming to Lucas's birthday party, you could have come with a better one" she noticed Sharon's blank expression. "I see he didn't tell you about that" she shook her head and turned towards Andy. "I don't know what game you're playing at. You said you want to be more involved in our kids' life and I respect that, but if you hurt them by lying again, Andy... God help you" she stood up straight and pointed a finger at them. "I expect to see both of you on Sunday." and she brusquely turned around storming out of the murder room.
A sudden awkward silence invaded the room. Lt. Tao and Detective Sanchez tried to look busy, but there were still eyeing the Captain and Flynn. Sykes wasn't quite so subtle. She wanted to ask what that was all about, but as soon as she opened her mouth Julio widen his eyes and shook his head vigorously looking at her like she was crazy.
"Hey, did I miss something?" Buzz came out of the tech room to the find the rest of the team acting strangely.
"Flynn!" Provenza shouted "You're an idiot! I told you this was going to blow in your face."
"Not now" he tried to avoid eye contact with everyone while observing Sharon out of the corner of his eye.
Sharon suddenly unfroze from her state of shock and turned on her heels. "Back to work everyone. Lieutenant Flynn, in my office, now!" she ordered without looking at him.
Andy gulped and slowly followed her. He could hear his partner grumbling something and he could only imagine the words he was muttering while shaking his head in obvious disapproval.
Andy stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "Shar..."
"I'll do the talking, lieutenant, and you'll be staying there listening until I say so, is that clear?" she said drily
Andy looked down like a scolded child in the principal's office. He shifted in his feet embarrassed.
"I asked if that was clear" she repeated more firmly.
He stood upright and looked up at her. "Yes Madame"
"I would prefer if you would keep your personal problems out of the office, lieutenant"
"Hey" he interrupted her affronted "I had no idea she was going to storm here and cause a scene. You can't blame me for that!"
She put a hand on her forehead and looked down sighing. She dropped herself on the chair exhausted. She had no idea when she got involved in dealing Andy's family that it was going to be so energy consuming.
"Tell me everything, from the beginning." she narrowed her eyes at him "and this time without leaving out important details!"
Andy nodded and sat on the chair at the other side of her desk. "It all started after Nicole's wedding. She had been so impressed that you had managed to drag me there after all the fighting and that you even helped me deal with all the glares and whispering behind my back." He sighed knowing that now came the difficult part. "We started going to family therapy so we could work all our differences and clear the resentment from the past. I don't know how Rachel and Nicole got the idea that we were dating. They liked you and them thinking that I was with you made me look better in their eyes. I never confirmed or denied it and it seemed innocent enough." he looked down ashamed "Until they insisted on me inviting you to the ballet"
"So that's what was going on" she whispered when realization hit her.
He nodded. "a couple of days ago I told Nicole the truth after she invited us for her step kid's birthday, but apparently she didn't believe me and here we are."
"Here we are" she echoed back. After hearing the whole story her anger had slowly disappeared. "Andy, you should have told me everything before the ballet. Together we could have explained the situation"
"I know, but... "
"But?"
"I liked how they saw me in this new light, their father dating this wonderful and beautiful woman. I wasn't ready to shatter that illusion yet."
She blushed at his words, but tried to ignore to warm feeling they created in her. At least for now. "And for how long were you planning to keep up the charade?" she smiled affectionately at him.
He smiled back, relieved that they were still in good terms "Hey, I didn't say it was a perfect plan" he shrugged. "I also had a backup plan" he teased.
"Oh really?" she raised her eyebrows amused. "And may I know what that might be?"
"In time" He answered vaguely with a grin.
She shook her head and dropped the subject. "Well, for now we will have to go to Luca's party." she continued when he tried to interrupt her. "I'll talk to Rachel and Nicole, but the next time you make a mess of things, you'll be on your own"
"Yes Madame" he replied with a teasing smile. "And Sharon? Thank you. I don't know what I would do without you" he told her sincerely and the weight of his words hit them both hard.
"Don't thank me yet. You have the task of explaining everything to the others out there. I wouldn't be surprise if they weren't trying to eavesdrop"
He groaned. "You're evil" he got up glaring at her, but there was still a sparkle in his eyes that reflected hers.
"Don't blame me, blame your ex"