Louie Provenza was not having a good day. It had started out alright, like most days did, but had taken quite the turn when a Sergeant Sharon Raydor had filed a complaint on his partner for being misogynistic. Now they both had to go through four whole months of sensitivity training. It was unbelievable. He hadn't even been there when it happened! He hadn't even met the Sergeant. He continued grumbling to himself as he pulled out of the parking lot, possibly a little too quickly.
Sharon Raydor was not having a good day. Her children had been reluctant to be dropped off at daycare that morning, and the day had just gone downhill from there. She'd had to file a complaint on a Lieutenant George Andrews for being a misogynistic asshole. There were many things Sharon Raydor simply would not put up with, and misogyny was one of them. To top off what was shaping up to be an absolutely awful day, when she was driving through the parking lot to leave, some idiot pulled out right in front of her. Perfect, just perfect. She thought, smashing her hand down on her car horn as hard as she could.
Provenza stepped out of his car, furiously slamming the door behind him, and stopped in front of Sharon's driver side. Sharon stepped out of her car as well, shutting her door gently in a silent declaration of "I am more mature than you."
"What the hell are you doing?" He yelled, not bothering with introductions.
"What do you mean what am I doing? You pulled out in front of me!" Sharon yelled back. She had hit her breaking point for the day, and certainly did not need another man yelling at her right now.
"I was nowhere near you! If you'd been paying attention you would have seen me!"
"I was paying attention. I did see you. That would be why I stopped," Sharon snapped, clenching her fists.
Provenza sighed, trying to calm down before this got out of hand. He didn't even know this woman, why was he so intent to start a fight with her? She hadn't done anything to him. It was Sergeant Raydor he should be yelling at. Too bad there was no way to make that possible.
"Look, it doesn't matter whose fault it was. There was no collision, nobody got hurt... you're not hurt are you?" He asked, a hint of concern in his voice. She did her best to keep from smiling. He was actually quite charming when he wasn't yelling at her or nearly causing a car accident.
"No, I'm not hurt. Thank you for asking though," she said, letting herself smile at him this time.
"You're welcome. Listen, I'm sorry I yelled... It just hasn't been a great day." He told her, giving her a very apologetic look. Sharon liked him. He was turning out to be quite the gentlemen, which was very refreshing after the George-Andrews-Incident. She got him though. He and his partner, whom she assumed had to be just as bad as he was, were given four months of sensitivity training.
"I understand. It hasn't been the best day for me either," she admitted. "I'm sorry too."
A sudden gust of wind blew Sharon's hair away from her face, and that is how Louie Provenza noticed her stunning green eyes for the very first time. He could have complimented her on them. In fact, he'd have liked to compliment her on them, but it hardly seemed appropriate. She glanced down at her watch and gasped.
"Oh my God, I'm late! I need to pick up my children. It was nice to meet you," she said instinctively, the words not even really registering in her brain. They technically had not "met." Names hadn't been exchanged. She gave him a quick handshake before climbing back into her car and starting the engine.
Provenza quickly got back into his own car and moved it back into the parking space so it was out of her way. She waved at him as she drove away, and he waved back. Just like that, she was gone. He doubted he'd ever see her again. After all, he'd never seen her before. He was somewhat glad he hadn't complimented her eyes, though. She'd mentioned children, meaning she probably also had a husband, and complimenting married women on their beautiful green eyes was not a particularly wise thing to do.
Soon enough, the encounter was only a vague memory to both of them. When they met again years later, neither of them had any recollection of meeting prior to her investigation of the Major Crimes division.
Of course, they didn't like each other at first this time around either, but their relationship improved. Over the years, as Captain Sharon Raydor became a permanent presence in the division, Lieutenant Louie Provenza grew to be very fond of her. He enjoyed their playful back-and-forth, as did she. Over time they learned when to pick on each other, when to comfort each other, and when it was best to just stay away from each other.
By the time Sharon's divorce was finalized, their relationship was far past the point of a simple friendship. The romantic element that they'd been suppressing could finally be explored, and oh how it was.
They were married in late December several years after. She was the only wife he never divorced, and he was the only husband she never divorced. Albeit, her track record on past marriages wasn't nearly as impressive as his own. Something for which she teased him fairly often.
That is how for years to come, when Sharon Raydor and Louie Provenza would tell the story of how they met, it would be a false one. Nobody would ever know the true story of their first meeting, and that included them.