This story came to me one evening and I decided to go with it. So here it is.
A new crime, old office, same team and some new feels.
I will take it slow, but I will try in every chapter bring some Shandy feels.
Thanks to my wonderful beta Rossabelle, Luna for the cover image, Jules and Mary that are always there for me.
I hope you will enjoy this Journey Through an Investigation.
1.
"Oh, come on, nothing has changed, it's not like we are together or anything." Andy is trying very patiently to defend himself from what seems to be another round of accusations from his partner.
"Don't give me that, Andy, it's so visible. You know what is even worse…" Provenza's voice quiets down when he realizes that their Captain is stepping in to the break room with a curious expression on her face.
"Gentlemen, sorry for the interruption, but I heard from Amy that someone made a new pot of coffee, and—" Before she can finish, Andy is already pouring some into her favorite purple mug. She smiles at his gesture, and waits with patience till he's done. She watches him add only one small spoon of sugar, but he doesn't turn the spoon, knowingly she likes to play with it herself.
Andy gently hands her a mug with a spoon inside and she takes it, they both are trying very hard to fight the urge to touch their fingers. "Thank you," she says softly. "Now, I'm sorry, I have to go back to my office. The day is far from over." She lets her head fall a little, showing all the tiredness and, with the coffee in her hands, she turns back and moves out through the door.
Provenza observes how Andy's posture changes, and shakes his head with disapproval looks on his face.
"What?" Andy asks in a defensive tone. "I just gave her a coffee, stop being such a pain. It's nothing, really, you're making too big of a deal out of it."
"Are you saying I'm overreacting? Me?! You are kidding, right? I can show you an overreaction! Oh, no, wait the entire department will show you both an overreaction if you two don't stop this dating nonsense."
"We are not dating!" Andy says with too much force in his voice. Provenza frowns at him. Andy takes a deep breath and tries again. "We are not dating, and besides, it's none of your business, we have been over this. So please stop."
Andy's pleading look on his face makes Provenza take a step back and turn his head to the side facing the door. "We are not done and you know it. Lets back to work, but I'm warning you."
"Yeah yeah, alright. We have work to do," says Andy, pointing at the door with his extended arm.
Flynn let Provenza get out first from the break room, slowing his pace so he can calm himself a little more. He is starting to get frustrated with his partner and his annoyance. Almost every day is the same story, in the middle of a case, when they finally can take a break, he attacks him about his friendship with Sharon. It's just few dinners, he thinks, following the older Lieutenant to the murder room where Amy Sykes was writing something new on the board.
"Oh Lieutenants, quick update, Lt. Tao went to SID. They found ballistic evidences, we will know more shortly," says Amy. She looks at them for a moment but keeps writing on the board. "And the Captain is in her office, she asked not to be disturbed. I wonder what is all that about, maybe someone new…" She doesn't dare finish her sentence, the look on Flynn's face make her go silent immediately.
Andy turn his head and looks at the office. The blinds are drawn, and it's very quiet in there. The wheels in his mind start working very fast. If there could be something wrong, she would have told me. He hopes, his expression puzzled.
"Has the victim's family arrived yet?" Provenza asks, purposefully interrupting Flynn's thoughts.
"No, but Sanchez is on it," Amy adds and excuses herself.
At that moment, the office door opens and Sharon step out. "Lt. Flynn did you get that warrant for the wire in the break room so we can make a notification and interview the family?" she asks nervously, not looking directly at him.
Andy looks at her and answers seriously. "Yes, Buzz will have it in a minute so he can start working on the equipment." He watches her as she plays with the folder in her hands, but she is still avoiding making direct contact with him.
"Thank you, let me know when the family finally gets here. Lt. Provenza, I think you can handle the notification. Take Amy with you, it will be good practice," she says quickly. After another second, she returns to her office, closing the doors with a loud slam.
"That was odd." They hear Amy's voice; she is standing with a cup of coffee in her hand. "I wonder if she is ok. Maybe we should ask?" She looks at both of them and starts moving towards the office.
"Sykes!" Provenza shouts, startling her. "It is none of your business, and the Captain doesn't need your puppy eyes now, so leave her alone and you are with me today. Let's go to electronics so we can start to get ready with Buzz."
They leave and Flynn is alone in the murder room. He keeps staring at Sharon's office and can't fight the urge to go in and asks her about her behavior, but hesitates. If Provenza sees him, then he won't hear the end of it, and once in one day was enough. Instead of going to check on her, he moves to his desk and starts reading reports, in this way he can work and keep an eye on Sharon.
A few moments later, Rusty storms in to the murder room with a gloomy expression, he looks at Andy. "Is she in her office?"
"Hello to you too, Kid. Yes, she is in there, but busy," Andy responds, annoyed.
Rusty makes an indecipherable sound and goes with a hurry to his cubicle, but stops when he hears Andy's voice again. "I thought your days at the station were over, what happened, Kid?"
"Well, the rules changed, that's what happened, if you must know." Andy's face turned from annoying to grim at the sound of word rules and it makes him lose patience. At the sight of his expression, Rusty tries to calm himself down and says, "Sorry, I have homework. If she asks, she knows where to find me." And with that, he disappears behind the wall. Andy shakes his head and returns to his files.
Sharon hears Rusty's voice from the murder room. She glances at her watch and lightly nods to herself. She stand up from her desk to open the blinds so she can see what the boy is up to. As she does, she sees Rusty going to his spot.
She looks at Andy, and her expression softens.
He is sitting at his desk with his legs crossed at ankles, deep in his thoughts. She watches him and starts to smile in the moment that he catches her gaze. He locks his eyes with hers and they stay like that for a minute, or an hour, till Tao comes to the room with box files in his hands.
Andy stand up quickly and helps Mike to unload the guns that are in the box. Meanwhile, Sharon steps out from her office.
"Mike, do we have something?" she asks hopefully, though it is very early in the case.
"Yes, Captain, that's why I went down to SID, so I could confirm for myself, and what I found out is very interesting."
Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think, please.