This is my first Major Crimes Fic. I was inspired by defyingnormalcy's hobbs/raydor stories. This is just my feeble attempt to add another dimension to their story.
The last thing that Andrea Hobbs expected when she opened door for the local Jamaican restaurant's delivery man was to find her girlfriend standing on the other side. By the way Sharon cocked her head and offered the smirk usually saved for Rusty's temper tantrum or Provenza's sarcasm Andrea could tell that her surprise was noticeable. "Hey I thought you were out having dinner with a friend" she offered as Sharon walked past and into the room. "And I though a DDA of Los Angeles would know better than opening a door without verifying" Sharon added as she sat down and made herself comfortable. It wasn't until Andrea heard the dulcet tones of her girlfriend asking for something to drink that she moved to close the door. This was definitely not good. Something was up but her captain's usual poise wasn't giving away any clues. She tried to use her lawyer's mind and training to think through every possibility but knew it was a pointless exercise. Sharon's decades as internal affairs had given her infinitely more experience at keeping information close to the chest. After taking a few deep supposedly calming breaths Andrea shook her head and tried to ready for whatever the other woman had in store for their evening.
"So" Sharon said as she simultaneously moved over to make room on the leather sofa for her lover and reached for the glass of white wine. "Please don't tell me that this is the last of that bottle of Esterlina Riesling? Although I wouldn't mind another weekend exploring Napa." As Andrea watched Sharon leisurely enjoying the glass with her eyes closed and her head leaning back she knew that whatever information she got out of the older woman would be hard won. Part of her was looking forward to the intellectual push and pull that the night offered. Throughout her adult life Andrea had only dated intellectually gifted people but no one had ever been on Sharon Raydor's level. It wasn't just her innate ability to swiftly absorb and adroitly manipulate information but she was especially able to anticipate rebuttals five and six moves ahead. Andrea had no doubt that if Sharon had chosen to use her law degree in criminal defense the entire DA office would have dreaded seeing her across the courtroom. There was nothing to do but wait so she also leaned back and tried to calm her palpitating heart.
"What are we having for dinner?"
"I just ordered jerk chicken with rice peas and plantains. It usually have left overs to take for lunch so if you haven't eaten your welcome to some of mine." If Sharon was waiting on her to inquire why she wasn't at the previously planned get together with a former colleague she was going to be disappointed. One of the things the DA's office had taught her was that people who had something to say only needed a bit of silence as encouragement.
After another deep swallow Sharon turned towards her with a genuine smile and announced "I'm going to take a shower and get out of these clothes" as she swept her hand across her body indicating the Donna Karen suit she still wore from the office "do you mind making me a small salad to go with the meal" and after a kiss on the forehead she was gone.
Thirty minutes later when she walked out in flannel pajamas freshly scrubbed and reddened there were two setting at the table and a refreshed glass of wine waiting. They talked about talked about Taylor's erratic demands and the sometimes incomprehensible crimes that were keeping their respective offices busy. They talked about Rusty's first major chess win in the high school circuit and the next play they hoped to see at the Ahmanson. They talked about anything and everything except what brought Sharon to her girlfriend's home when she was supposed to be having dinner with one Brenda Leigh Johnson. When Sharon started towards the bedroom after giving her a kiss goodnight as Andrea loaded the dishwasher Andrea knew she was going to have to make the first move. "Are you going to tell me why you didn't go to dinner with Brenda?" Andrea asked as Sharon moved further from her.
"Who said that I didn't go?" The smug look of confidence was usually sexy but right now Andrea had serious thoughts of shaking the look right off.
"I don't know maybe because you got off at five and you were here by six thirty. The fact that you were still in your work clothes brought some doubts to mind." She loved being around the woman but Sharon could just as easily piss her off. "Sharon I'm really not in the mood for games could you just tell me what's going on?"
"Funny I could ask you the same thing." This time instead of the cool and disinterested affect some signs of irritation were surfacing on the brunet's face. "Why did you suggest that I have dinner with the former chief Johnson? I mean we weren't friends and I think the fact that I'm the one in charge of her beloved squad would make me the last person she would want to spend a meal with." Sharon hadn't moved any further into the living room but Andrea could easily feel her dissatisfaction.
"I don't know she's works in the DA's office and saw you coming to see me a few times and asked about you. It wasn't any big conspiracy she just wanted to catch up I guess." She couldn't even say that with a straight face so she turned around and responded as she finished the dishes. For a highly successful lawyer Andrea had an amazingly bad poker face when it came to Sharon.
"No I didn't think it was but I do get suspicious when my girlfriend arranges a date for me with another woman."
At that Andrea whipped around so fast that her eyes slightly blurred. "What?"
"Yeah. I know it's been a while but when someone comes to the door holding a bottle of my favorite wine and chocolates I tend consider the evening a date."
"I never told her to date… I mean… she just said that …" There were a million images flooding Andrea's mind so she rubbed her temples and tried to untwist her tongue. "She told me that she had stuff to discuss with you now that she was no longer at the police department. I was just passing along the message." Her heart had never beat this fast without her being in front of a jury but it wasn't like it was unexpected. When Brenda approached her as a fellow friend begging for help Andrea was powerless to stand in her way. Brenda confided that she'd been attracted to the older woman for years but the constant friction between them forced her to keep distant. She hadn't even realized that that tension was a lot more complicated than different policing styles. She'd never even considered it was sexual attraction until there were no procedures and regulations separating them. Now free of Pope, Fritz, and the department Brenda finally realized that the spark she always felt around Sharon wasn't hate or irritation but growing affection and confusion. Brenda begged Andrea to talk her "friend" into meeting. Andrea might have objected and confessed the true nature of their relationship if not for Sharon's previous disclosure of her own pull towards the blonde. It was one of the first ways that Sharon displayed her vulnerability and trust. Sharon fought her own feelings for several years and only her strict disciple and respect for rules kept her from breaking down whenever the chief gave her even the slightest smile. What else could Andrea do? Yes she loved Sharon and loved the life they were creating but if there was a possibility that Sharon could be with the person she truly loved who was she to stand in their way? It hurt more than anything had in years but that's how much Sharon's happiness meant to her.
"Brenda said that she told you her feeling because she wanted your approval. She could tell how close we were and she wanted you to know that even though she was such a bitch to me all those years it was only a façade." Andrea could feel the tears leaking from her eyes although she was trying her best to keep them in abeyance. She'd know all along what would happen when she helped to bring them together but it didn't stop it from hurting. "Brenda said that she promised you to do whatever it took to make me happy but what I don't understand is didn't you know that I am happy with you?"
"Sharon I know that you care for me. You love me even but I remember how you told me you felt about her. How would you feel if one day you realized I kept this opportunity from you. And I couldn't spend the rest of my life wondering if you were with me only because you couldn't be with her." Turning around and taking a shaky breath she croaked out "I just want what's best for you."
"Look at me." Sharon walked right up behind Andrea and gently turned her around when the younger woman refused face her. "Look at me please."
"So you can thank me for making your dream come true? No thanks. Just leave Sharon. Please just go."
"Turn around Andrea Michelle Hobbs before I do it myself!" Sharon barked and just the intensity in the other woman's voice compelled Andrea to comply. "How dare you conspire with Brenda Johnson, of all people, to end our relationship?"
"I thought…"
"No you had your chance now you listen. How dare you imply that I don't know my own mind and my own heart after I told you that I loved you, after I invited you to share my home, after I introduced you to my children and my family. Where the hell do you get the gall to say that I would settle for you or anyone else?"
Reaching out Andrea begged "Sharon. I'm sorry I just…" Before the other woman cut her off abruptly stating "You should be. I don't enter relationships lightly or casually. If you are having second thoughts about my intentions towards you I want to know what the hell brought them on and don't tell me it was a stupid crush."
"Sharon I just wanted what was best for you. I couldn't bare it if my happiness was at the expense of yours."
Finally taking hold of the other woman Sharon whispered "You are my happiness don't you know that? Baby I love you. Whatever I thought I could have with Brenda was a childish fantasy. She could never be the person that completes me because that's you. You are the compliment of everything that I hold dear. Yes she's beautiful and passionate but she could never know me like you do. She could never fulfill my every need like you. Please don't ever doubt that."
Andrea couldn't say who made the first move but eventually they ended up in bed reaffirming not only their love but also commitment for hours on end. At the break of dawn when she turned over reaching for Sharon she was kissed soundly and handed an envelope. Craning her neck and squinting her eyes Andrea again tried to decipher the older woman's cryptic smile. "It's the weekend I don't want to spend it looking over bills. You can leave in on the kitchen table."
"Nope read it."
Andrea whined her lover's name but Sharon simply said "Now" and waited on the lawyer to comprehend the documents.
"These are?" Andrea asked with confusion as she reread the paper a few times. "Are these…"
"Divorce decrees" Sharon said with a tremulous tone. She'd had the papers drawn up several months ago after Andrea politely declined moving into her condo. There was no doubt that they loved each other as far as Andrea was concerned but she just didn't feel comfortable with the idea of living with a married woman even if she'd been legally separated for longer than twenty years. The lawyer hadn't said it that plainly but Sharon could see the shadow of doubts when she'd found Philip's old suits while helping her and Rusty spring clean. Sharon could hold on to the past or embrace the future. As much as she would like to claim otherwise there was good reason for Andrea to doubt Sharon's word. Her lawyer drew up the papers but Sharon held on to them with ambivalence. Neither Andrea nor her children were aware of her impending decision but last night was the final straw. Andrea's doubts weren't due only to the late night revelation of feels for Brenda.
"But you don't have to do that. I know that you're Catholic faith…"
"I'm in love with you. My life and my future are with you."
"Oh my God baby I love you so much."
"Prove it. Move in with me." Not right now. It's too soon. There's no rush. What about Rusty? These and any other excuse Andrea offered Sharon was prepared to methodically tear down. It was time for them to move forward now that all past ghosts were exercised. Her life was with Andrea Sharon knew that now more than ever.
"Okay"
"Okay? Did you just say okay?" Sharon laughed.
Teasing Andrea stuck out her tongue and retorted "Is that a problem? I can take it back and say no" before Sharon decided to repay the sarcastic wit with a tickle attack. It was the best feeling in the world laughing, loving and knowing instinctively that the long journey was over. Her heart had found its home and she would never be lost again.